Jenni Hammonds
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What interests me (digital technology in education) . . .
may interest you.

Evolutionary rather than revolutionary!

7/4/2017

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As part of the leadership component of this week's MindLab learning, we were asked to reflect on the article 'Conditions for Classroom Technology Innovations'. Although the article was published in 2002, it still holds some relevant teachings. It's main thesis was what are the critical considerations for integrating technological innovations into the reality of schools?

The three domains Zhao et. al looked into were the innovator (or the teacher), the innovation (what technology is being introduced), and the context (what structures are around to support). It was understood that integrating a 'foreign and possibly disruptive' innovation into a teacher's familiar environment is a messy process - but certain conditions make for a smoother process.
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The Innovator
First, the innovator. To be in an ideal position the teacher needs to be not only proficient in the technology they are introducing, but also possess an awareness of the conditions needed for the introduction of that IT. An example relevant for today's classroom would be wanting to use Google Docs on the class ipads but knowing that the app must be installed first, students need to have Google accounts, and that ipads must be charged. 
Another consideration for the innovator is being a highly reflective teacher, and having an awareness of their pedagogical beliefs. For example, Google Docs can help facilitate collaborative writing, but collaboration itself is not a new phenomenon in the classroom. A teacher who introduces this technology to her students is better placed if she facilitates working together before Google Docs is introduced. 

Finally, for the innovator is the ability to find help in their school if needed. Zhao et. al call this being a 'socially savvy' teacher. Often a small issue can be resolved by asking another staff member rather than waiting on an 'IT professional' to make their weekly visit to the school.
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The Innovation
The success of the technology being introduced relies on two conditions - the distance from the status quo and the dependence on other factors. The distance from the status quo considers both the values of the teacher, the pedagogical practice, and the existing technology. Aurasma is going to be more successful if the students are already familiar with ipads - this is an example of less distance between existing and new technology.

Dependence refers to the teacher relying on others outside of her authority to make the technology work, or technology beyond her control. Often there is only one Google Admin in the school, if they are busy but a teacher needs to reset a password, they are dependent and this can cause an issue. 
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The Context
The two infrastructures that Zhoa et. al refer to are human and technological. The former include helpful IT support staff, and more generally, an environment where support and encouragement around new technologies is present. 

Having strong technological infrastructure would include having up-to-date programs, functioning equipment, access to quality apps, and fast reliable WIFI.
Of all of these domains, Zhao et. al considers the innovator the most important and I agree. I have found myself as an innovator - of which many innovations were successful - because of my IT proficiency and drive to support my existing pedagogy. However, I have also been very aware when my dependence on others, and lack of human and technological infrastructure has made an introduction so frustrating that I've changed approach. Something that I need to remember, and which I believe is an important lesson for IT leaders in schools, is Zhao's statement that IT integration needs to be a 'evolutionary rather than revolutionary approach' - steps not leaps!
Reference:
Zhao, Y., Pugh, K., Sheldon, S., & Byers, J. L. (2002). Conditions for Classroom Technology Innovations.
Teachers College Record,104(3), 482-515. doi:10.1111/1467-9620.00170
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Rubrics for ICT in the classroom

7/4/2017

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Two models used for the assessing the quality of activities involving digital technology are SAMR (Substitute, Augment, Modify, and Redefine) and TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge). Below are the explanations of each model. They both look at the overlap of technology and how we integrate (the pedagogy) of our programmes. 
Below is a simple self-explanatory comparison of the two models.
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Brief look at SAMR and TPACK in the classroom

I'd like to try and introduce Aurasma into our MindPlus programme (gifted education). Our overarching theme for the conceptual development section is patterns, of which animal patterns will be the focus for the term. This is the first task that comes to mind...

Proposed task: ask each group of students to investigate a particular category of patterns (strength, order, beauty, survivability). Ask them to create a short presentation (video, slide etc) about what constitutes that category, what animal patterns fall into the category, how those animals utilise their patterns. 

Following this, students print out a range of animal patterns in their chosen category and create auras for each. First the category appears,then it goes into more depth about the animal and its particular pattern. Each group carries out this task.

The teacher then displays the animal patterns around the room. Students use the Aurasma app to then try and guess the animal and category of pattern before they Aurasma the images.

SAMR: I would consider this task to be a mix of modification and redefinition of a paper based task in a similar vein. Paper presentations with flaps that you lift up after you've guessed would get the same information across, but rule out video presentations. 

​TPACK:  When using the TPACK model to assess, I would find it difficult to distinguish between a complex pedagogical task, with high technology use, and deep content knowledge and something at the lighter end of the scale. I would consider this activity as achieving TPACK but not on a particularly deep level.
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Virtually augmenting our reality!

6/4/2017

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This week in MindLab, one of the areas we investigated was virtual and augmented reality apps. I had heard of both, but only really played around with one app, Aurasma, rather than be a creator of an augmented reality. In case you're a little unsure of the difference I'll paste in the definition, and go over a few of the apps.

Aurasma

The augmented reality apps we tried out in class were Aurasma, Quiver, Anatomy 4D and Elements 4D. With Aurasma, once you've downloaded the app onto your phone, you follow or subscribed to creator of an aura you would like to view (in the video below the creators would be the newspaper company, Kellogs etc), then hold your phone camera over an image and witness an alternative image or video appear!


​Google Cardboard

During class we accessed virtual reality simulators through the use of Google Cardboard's virtual reality goggles. They came as a flat pack and were fairly easy to assemble using a few bits of velcro, two magnets, and a rubber band. Your phone slips inside and is held secure by the velcro as you utilise the apps that create a three-dimensional image.
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The app I played with using Google goggles was Google Cardboard -  a super low-cost alternative to virtual reality headsets. The video below gives a basic explanation of how it works.


Using Google Cardboard and Aurasma at MindPlus

We were asked to consider ways that we may be able to use Virtual or Augmented Reality in our classroom or school? What would it add? How would it change the learning? In terms of my current class, 16 students showing many signs of giftedness, there are a few ways I can think where both Aurasma and Google cardboard goggles could be introduced. The best way to analyse which activities would be most effective is to use either the SAMR or TPACK models. I'll save this for my next post!
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21st Century - much better for a girl like me?

4/4/2017

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This week in MindLab we have discussed, among other things, what our group of educators consider to be the skills necessary to equip ourselves and our students for the future.  We drew on a number of compilations, including the NZC Key Competencies and the ITL 21st Century Skills. There are a number of comparisons that can be drawn, but I believe you can boil them down to self; yourself with others; and knowledge construction. Thoughts?


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ITL 21st Century Skills
  • Collaboration
  • Knowledge construction
  • Self-regulation
  • Real-world problems / innovations
  • ICT for learning
  • Skilled Communication
Key Competencies:
  • Thinking
  • Using language, symbols & texts
  • Managing self
  • Relating to others
  • Participating and contributing

21st Century skills in my practice

We're asked to reflect on which 21st Century skills related area of our practice would we like to focus on for our first assignment? And why? This year I am teaching a MindPlus class of students who show enough characteristics of giftedness to be classified by the NZCGE (New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education) as 'gifted'. There is much debate from my students around the legitimacy of this term, hence why I use it carefully. In terms of the 21C skill that I would like to develop, either thinking and knowledge construction or relating to others would be the areas where I feel like I could make the most progress. Particularly with my MindPlus students. I'll explain.

As a teacher I have always pushed the importance of being students who self-manage their learning. This year has been no different. We have set SMART goals for different areas of development, and reflect on them regularly against a number of student led criteria. In terms of communication, collaboration, and using language, symbols and texts (as well as ICT for learning), our progress with online collaborative tools using (to begin with) Google Drive and SeeSaw has really pushed these skills. I feel like this area will naturally develop with student clubs (which include coding and Minecraft). 

Relating to others, I believe, is somewhat neglected at school - we have the first few weeks developing our 'class culture' and then tend to set the skill aside (other than showing respect to our peers and elders). I've always prided myself on the relationship I have with my students, but on reflection I can tend to gravitate and form stronger bonds with particular types of kid. My MindPlus students aren't necessarily these types of students, so I'm working towards how to form those strong bonds with more introverted learners.

In my situation, where students have a higher percentage of excitabilities and/or introvert characteristics, I believe explicitly teaching how to relate to a variety of people is highly important. The MindPlus programme has a third of the day dedicated to Personal Development - where we learn about ourselves, our gifted characteristics, and how to strengthen the positives and mitigate possible negatives. This is backed up with group/team work skills - where working alone doesn't necessarily mean you're not collaborating. 

The other area I think could be developed in my practice is building the thinking skills and knowledge creation capabilities of my students. In a regular class I believe I push my students thinking, and help them to create knowledge - but with my MindPlus students, I think I can push further. I find the biggest challenge is juggling their developed thinking skills with less developed social skills. Part of this is being addressed when working on self-management, but maybe it goes deeper. 

A questions posed is, would your students agree on this area for development? I guess the best way for me to know this is to ask them. We'll soon see.
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