I did read through all of the suggested stimulus material on the benefits of collaborative learning and the tools for such learning. My personal experience with collaborative learning contains a mix of successes and failures. When I was a student myself, I enjoyed some of the groups I engaged in collaborative learning with. Those times were made enjoyable by the fact that all of the group members were motivated learners and each fully participated. There were other times when the experience left me feeling cheated by the fact that some members contributed little to nothing and yet received a group mark for the work done by the others. The collaborative effort was flawed by the fact that most of my teachers graded the group as a whole rather than figuring out a way to credit individual effort. Most of the teachers felt that pressure from the more motivated members of the group would encourage the slackers to do something. That was a false hope in most cases. While I was in graduate school, group collaboration was still being practiced, but more by the choice of the students, rather than being mandated by the professors. That worked much better because we freely chose and sought out those we wanted to work with. The self-directed nature of these groups resulted in many valuable experiences.
Once I became a teacher, I remembered the experiences I had with collaborative learning and attempted to use it with my students. This did work very well during my first 8 years of teaching because those years were spent in multi-grade settings. Admittedly, the use of collaborative learning in my first school, which was a single teacher with grades 1 through 8 setting, was a means to survival. To my surprise it worked well because previously unmotivated students became eager to teach and learn as they worked with one another across the grade levels. I did remember my own experiences as a student and was very careful to give individual credit for group projects.
When I taught high school for the next 13 years, I continued to use collaborative learning. The level of success over those years was rather mixed. Some students would try to get through on the work of others and I would get complaints from parents when other members of the group received higher marks for their work. It was very time consuming to develop rubrics and a rationale for the marks given to group members, but it had to be done to answer the concerns of parents. I do say 'parents' here, because the students always knew how much work they had actually put into the group effort, but had to offer up some excuse for their low marks to their parents. Of course there were some at the other end of the spectrum who objected to the use of collaborative learning, because they felt that the less academically gifted in the group would hinder the progress of their 'brilliant' offspring.
I have recognized the value of collaborative learning for many years and was particularly interested to read about and explore some of the tools that technology has made available to enhance the collaborative learning process. The use of Google Docs, Google+ and Wikis makes it easier to work as a group while enabling the teacher to recognize individual effort through the use of Blogs. Technology has advanced to where we now have tablets that are more portable than many textbooks and yet just as powerful as a desktop computer through the use of 'the Cloud.' With this technology, students are able to continue collaborating outside the confines of the classroom. Many students use the classroom as a social gathering place and generate more ideas outside of that setting. Those ideas now no longer have to be lost before returning to the classroom. The 21st century teacher could act as a guide to the use of the numerous tools available and then provide the stimulus to get the students started on a journey of learning that they will enjoy.
The Collaborative Learning Overview pointed out that a very low percentage of learning for the workplace takes place in the classroom. The highest percentage of learning is through on-the-job experience, followed by interaction with co-workers. If our education system is truly preparing students for the workplace, these facts need to be carefully considered and our methods of delivery of instruction follow suit. Human beings do not exist in isolation. Large enterprises are not carried out by the individual. For society to function successfully, collaboration is essential. Should not our education system reflect that?
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Creating a Digital Story
Since this is my first attempt at creating a digital story, I chose to use a chapter from the Bible so I could spend time exploring the process rather than creating a new story. I look forward to doing that later while using original video clips and photos as well. I initially attempted this project with Windows Live MovieMaker, but it was just way too cumbersome, so I went to my faithful MacBook Pro and used iMovie. It was really intuitive to use and I am eager to move forward with some original material to do more projects. I have already had two of my teachers ask me to show them how to make a digital story. There are many exciting possibilities for the classroom!
I created two versions of this presentation. The first one has no words superimposed over the images whereas the second one does. I wanted to experiment with the differences in effect on viewers.
I created two versions of this presentation. The first one has no words superimposed over the images whereas the second one does. I wanted to experiment with the differences in effect on viewers.
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Digital Storytelling
As I viewed An Introduction to Digital Storytelling on the University of Houston website, I found myself becoming excited about the uses and possibilities for this concept. I have been an avid reader of a wide variety of books since three years of age and still consume at least one book per week for pure pleasure in addition to all of the reading required by my occupation. Some may wonder where the time to do this comes from and I have to admit that I have sacrificed sleep time since early childhood. I am one who always prefers to read the book over watching the movie. To my surprise this introduction to storytelling captivated my attention. It brought to mind the documentaries by Ken Burns that have been aired on PBS stations. I find that the use of images and video clips while the voice tells the story not only does not detract from the content or interfere with the images conjured up in my mind, but actually enhances the mind scenes and encourages a better focus.
I recall reading stories to my children when they were quite young and they were always drawn to the illustrations in their books which helped them understand the content. As they grew older they progressed to books without illustrations and I noticed an interesting phenomenon. My daughter immersed herself in the reading of books for pleasure, but my son read only what was necessary and said he would wait for the movie to come out rather than read anything his sister suggested. All people learn differently and various models have been proposed. Fleming's VARK model categorizes learners as visual, auditory, or kinisthetic/tactile. Teachers often end up teaching in the way they themselves learn best. In a classroom of 25 or more children a teacher may not be effectively reaching a third of the students. I know that professional teachers will research and attempt to vary their methods in order to reach more students, but under the pressure of time may default to what ever style is most comfortable.
I think that digital storytelling could appeal to a wider variety of learning styles. The images and video clips would obviously appeal to the visual learner and the voiceover to the auditory learner. The tactile learner would benefit from the act and process of putting the digital story together. There is also no limit to how digital storytelling could be creatively used for all subjects and not just limited to language arts. I have become so excited about the possibilities that I truly want to get back into the classroom instead of being confined to just administration.
One of the digital stories I viewed is called Meet Granny Smith. One of the most amazing features of this particular story, that tells the life of a Granny Smith apple in the first person, is that it was created by a third grader. This was definitely a fun and innovative way to study the growth and development of apples. Simply reading and memorizing the facts would be a keen disappointment next to creating this digital story.
Another example I viewed was called Islamic Faith in Suburban America. I would only show this one to older students as a demonstration of how the choice of music affects the message of the story. The music created a sombre and almost threatening mood. This would appeal to fear-mongers who attest that all Muslims are bad and are taking over America. The same images could have been used with a more upbeat soundtrack and a message of acceptance and integration would be conveyed. It would be very interesting to have students produce digital stories using identical images, but each choose different types of soundtracks. The class could view each one and then analyze the effect that the choice of music has on the story's message. This exercise would cross over to music class from social studies and/or religion - another example of cross-curricular activities using technology.
I recall reading stories to my children when they were quite young and they were always drawn to the illustrations in their books which helped them understand the content. As they grew older they progressed to books without illustrations and I noticed an interesting phenomenon. My daughter immersed herself in the reading of books for pleasure, but my son read only what was necessary and said he would wait for the movie to come out rather than read anything his sister suggested. All people learn differently and various models have been proposed. Fleming's VARK model categorizes learners as visual, auditory, or kinisthetic/tactile. Teachers often end up teaching in the way they themselves learn best. In a classroom of 25 or more children a teacher may not be effectively reaching a third of the students. I know that professional teachers will research and attempt to vary their methods in order to reach more students, but under the pressure of time may default to what ever style is most comfortable.
I think that digital storytelling could appeal to a wider variety of learning styles. The images and video clips would obviously appeal to the visual learner and the voiceover to the auditory learner. The tactile learner would benefit from the act and process of putting the digital story together. There is also no limit to how digital storytelling could be creatively used for all subjects and not just limited to language arts. I have become so excited about the possibilities that I truly want to get back into the classroom instead of being confined to just administration.
One of the digital stories I viewed is called Meet Granny Smith. One of the most amazing features of this particular story, that tells the life of a Granny Smith apple in the first person, is that it was created by a third grader. This was definitely a fun and innovative way to study the growth and development of apples. Simply reading and memorizing the facts would be a keen disappointment next to creating this digital story.
Another example I viewed was called Islamic Faith in Suburban America. I would only show this one to older students as a demonstration of how the choice of music affects the message of the story. The music created a sombre and almost threatening mood. This would appeal to fear-mongers who attest that all Muslims are bad and are taking over America. The same images could have been used with a more upbeat soundtrack and a message of acceptance and integration would be conveyed. It would be very interesting to have students produce digital stories using identical images, but each choose different types of soundtracks. The class could view each one and then analyze the effect that the choice of music has on the story's message. This exercise would cross over to music class from social studies and/or religion - another example of cross-curricular activities using technology.
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Peuntedura's SAMR Model
Dr. Ruben Puentedura has created the SAMR model, which is a four-level approach to selecting, using, and evaluating technology in education. His presentation is available on iTunes and is well worth viewing. The acronym is expanded here:
It is interesting to apply this model to the various aspects of my work as an educational administrator.
1. Substitution is apparent in the use of a grading program for recording student work and marks. The use of paper and pencil or pen with a calculator is simply substituted with a software or online program. The function and results are not changed. The only change is in the tools used.
2. Augmentation can come into play when the gradebook is made available online to parents and students. Students can access the information to keep track of missing assignments and complete them to improve their overall marks. Parents become allies of the teacher in reminding students to complete assignments.
3. Modification is possible when the teacher also posts lesson outlines and/or assignment details with feedback from parents and students enabled. This would make it possible for parents and/or students to make suggestions for modifying and/or personalizing particular assignments. It must be admitted that the details of some assignments may not appeal to all students. It would serve to heighten student interest and develop ownership of learning if the teacher made use of this feature.
4. Redefinition would mean doing away with traditional methods of assessment of student learning where the teacher sets a standard and students work to achieve a percentage of that standard. Students could collaborate on setting goals for what they want to learn within the broad spectrum of curriculum goals and standards. Each would be allowed to select the method he/she would like to use to reach a particular learning goal. They could create podcasts, blogs, wikis, multimedia presentations, etc. When one goal is reached they then move on to the next. The teacher becomes a facilitator of learning rather than a source of knowledge.
There are already numerous educational management programs available as software and online tools to make redefinition possible. However, parents and institutions of higher learning would have some difficulty adjusting. The traditional approach of numerical ranking to measure achievement is firmly entrenched in our minds and entrance requirements for many colleges and universities. There are some institutions that are modifying methods of determining suitability for entrance to some programs but wholesale change is likely to be slow unless more pressure for change is exerted by prospective employers.
It is interesting to apply this model to the various aspects of my work as an educational administrator.
1. Substitution is apparent in the use of a grading program for recording student work and marks. The use of paper and pencil or pen with a calculator is simply substituted with a software or online program. The function and results are not changed. The only change is in the tools used.
2. Augmentation can come into play when the gradebook is made available online to parents and students. Students can access the information to keep track of missing assignments and complete them to improve their overall marks. Parents become allies of the teacher in reminding students to complete assignments.
3. Modification is possible when the teacher also posts lesson outlines and/or assignment details with feedback from parents and students enabled. This would make it possible for parents and/or students to make suggestions for modifying and/or personalizing particular assignments. It must be admitted that the details of some assignments may not appeal to all students. It would serve to heighten student interest and develop ownership of learning if the teacher made use of this feature.
4. Redefinition would mean doing away with traditional methods of assessment of student learning where the teacher sets a standard and students work to achieve a percentage of that standard. Students could collaborate on setting goals for what they want to learn within the broad spectrum of curriculum goals and standards. Each would be allowed to select the method he/she would like to use to reach a particular learning goal. They could create podcasts, blogs, wikis, multimedia presentations, etc. When one goal is reached they then move on to the next. The teacher becomes a facilitator of learning rather than a source of knowledge.
There are already numerous educational management programs available as software and online tools to make redefinition possible. However, parents and institutions of higher learning would have some difficulty adjusting. The traditional approach of numerical ranking to measure achievement is firmly entrenched in our minds and entrance requirements for many colleges and universities. There are some institutions that are modifying methods of determining suitability for entrance to some programs but wholesale change is likely to be slow unless more pressure for change is exerted by prospective employers.
RSS Feeds and Other Great Tools
This is an interesting set of images of murals on buildings in Sheffield, Tasmania. This set includes images that depict the Parable of the Sower on the Sheffield Bible Chapel. A further search on the Flickr site reveals that this town is famous for the murals on many of its buildings. Obtaining an account on Flickr is free. Many of the images and slideshows can be shared by embedding the slideshow, as I have done here. One can also subscribe to RSS feeds to receive new images by favorite photographers.
Speaking of RSS feeds, Google Reader is an excellent application to use for keeping up with new information from your favorite sites. Here is a screenshot of my Google Reader page where you can see the RSS subscriptions in the left pane.
Another great site is Delicious. This site draws on a vast collection of bookmarks, videos, blogs, tweets, etc., contributed by its many users. A tremendous amount of time can be saved through the use of this great tool rather than randomly searching the Internet. Your free subscription allows you to search and organize into files called Stacks. Here is a link to a set of bookmark tags by Rodd Lucier, The Clever Sheep.
RSS feeds are very useful in websites that want to remain informative and up to date. I maintain the website for our elementary school and use RSS feeds for a variety of reasons. For example, our Homepage has an RSS feed for the local weather, our News page has an RSS news feed from a local radio news station, and other pages have RSS feeds on inspirational topics and health. Here are a couple of screenshots from our website as examples:
All of these tools can be used enhance the Internet experience for anyone. Teachers will find them especially useful for gathering information in a manner that will be less time consuming than performing new individual searches every time materials or information is needed. Students will become more excited with exercising creativity while developing organizational and time management skills. Parents will be thankful for being able to access current information without having to search beyond your website or blog.
Speaking of RSS feeds, Google Reader is an excellent application to use for keeping up with new information from your favorite sites. Here is a screenshot of my Google Reader page where you can see the RSS subscriptions in the left pane.
Another great site is Delicious. This site draws on a vast collection of bookmarks, videos, blogs, tweets, etc., contributed by its many users. A tremendous amount of time can be saved through the use of this great tool rather than randomly searching the Internet. Your free subscription allows you to search and organize into files called Stacks. Here is a link to a set of bookmark tags by Rodd Lucier, The Clever Sheep.
RSS feeds are very useful in websites that want to remain informative and up to date. I maintain the website for our elementary school and use RSS feeds for a variety of reasons. For example, our Homepage has an RSS feed for the local weather, our News page has an RSS news feed from a local radio news station, and other pages have RSS feeds on inspirational topics and health. Here are a couple of screenshots from our website as examples:
All of these tools can be used enhance the Internet experience for anyone. Teachers will find them especially useful for gathering information in a manner that will be less time consuming than performing new individual searches every time materials or information is needed. Students will become more excited with exercising creativity while developing organizational and time management skills. Parents will be thankful for being able to access current information without having to search beyond your website or blog.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
21st Century? Skills
Yes, the question mark is in the correct place. I seriously question the current practice of labelling certain essential skills as being specific to the 21st century. Jay Matthews, of the Washington Post, makes some good points in his article, "The Latest Doomed Pedagogical Fad: 21st-Century Skills." The buzz in certain educational circles cites a list of skills that are promoted as essential to learners in the 21st century. I may not go as far as Matthews in saying that this is a doomed fad, but it does certainly warrant a closer and thoughtful examination. I would propose that these skills were essential in the 19th century, the 15th century, the 1st century, the 12th century B.C., and I think that by now the reader will have concluded that I am proposing that such skills are actually timeless.
Throughout human history, people have had to engage in critical thinking in order to make decisions affecting every aspect of daily living. Human beings do not act on instinct. This is what separates humanity from other animals. Problem solving is engaged in from a very early age. Just observe a crawling infant, who cannot yet walk, surmount obstacles and achieve goals. Collaboration has always been a part of how humans operate. Villages are not built by individuals, neither do societies develop and function in harmony without collaboration. Effective communication raises human beings above the "pack mentality" displayed by the canine species. Innovation has resulted in taking various plant materials and reforming them into clothing rather than having to depend on slaughtering an animal for its skin to cover our own. Innovation is part of the creative spirit enjoyed by humanity to be able to take a beautiful singing voice and share it with the world through digitization making use of the mathematical binary system.
Modern technology will be replaced by future technology and the technology of the past is often considered quaint or even primitive at best. Every age had its technology, however we view it from our present position in history. Each generation had to become technology literate. People went from scrubbing the family clothing on the rocks by the river to programming an electronic washing machine to carry out the same task. Communication that was limited to those within hearing distance of one's voice progressed through the development of numerous devices to what we have today. Less than fifty years ago students were still using pencils and paper to solve complex math problems. Today a dependency on learning how to use electronic gadgets to solve those same problems exists. These are only three examples of developments in technology that have required progressive generations to become "literate".
Self-direction has always been the hallmark of a well-balanced and productive human being. Whenever one is subjected to being told what to do and how to function, productivity and innovation decreases. The self-directed person thinks critically, is innovative, effectively problem solves, and develops talents to a greater potential. Robotics should teach us how a person who is not self-directed would function. A robot is totally subject to outside input and functions only according to the directions provided. Innovation and creativity is lacking. Incidentally, that sounds like a worker on an assembly line. Performing assembly line tasks may be fine for short periods of time interspersed with self-directed tasks, but working on an assembly line on a daily basis for hours on end may actually be dehumanizing.
Global awareness takes an individual beyond self-interest. With advances in communication and transportation, the sphere around individuals has grown to encompass the whole globe. This has either increased the individual's sphere or shrunk the globe, depending on one's point of view. The fact remains that those who have been more successfull than their contemporaries have had a global awareness throughout history. The difference has been the relative size of the "globe" or sphere that the individual operated within.
Given the aforementioned synopsis and analysis of the so-called '21st Century Skills, I would propose that it has always been incumbent upon educators to integrate development of these skills into the content of the curriculum of the day. Perhaps there has been a problem with the method of delivery of instruction in our educational institutions. The move toward single grade classrooms and requiring the lessons to be more entertaining has hampered the development of these skills. I recall spending a few years in a two room school where the teacher I had taught grades five through eight to fifty students. All of the skills that are now termed 21st century were certainly encouraged and utilized on a constant basis. Collaboration, communication, and problem solving were essential components of learning because that one teacher could not possibly spend excessive amounts of time with one grade. That teacher certainly modelled innovation and used all of the technology available in that era.
I think that educators need to remain balanced and not jump completely onto every new proposal that comes along. Knowledge content is essential as are the skills that go along with it. Doing without reason is also unacceptable. To know 'why' leads to effective use of the skills. Just imagine what would happen to society if all were trained to use technology to accomplish everything, without the knowledge content or why, and that technology was rendered useless through some natural or man-made occurrence. That segment of society could not survive. Balance is essential.
Throughout human history, people have had to engage in critical thinking in order to make decisions affecting every aspect of daily living. Human beings do not act on instinct. This is what separates humanity from other animals. Problem solving is engaged in from a very early age. Just observe a crawling infant, who cannot yet walk, surmount obstacles and achieve goals. Collaboration has always been a part of how humans operate. Villages are not built by individuals, neither do societies develop and function in harmony without collaboration. Effective communication raises human beings above the "pack mentality" displayed by the canine species. Innovation has resulted in taking various plant materials and reforming them into clothing rather than having to depend on slaughtering an animal for its skin to cover our own. Innovation is part of the creative spirit enjoyed by humanity to be able to take a beautiful singing voice and share it with the world through digitization making use of the mathematical binary system.
Modern technology will be replaced by future technology and the technology of the past is often considered quaint or even primitive at best. Every age had its technology, however we view it from our present position in history. Each generation had to become technology literate. People went from scrubbing the family clothing on the rocks by the river to programming an electronic washing machine to carry out the same task. Communication that was limited to those within hearing distance of one's voice progressed through the development of numerous devices to what we have today. Less than fifty years ago students were still using pencils and paper to solve complex math problems. Today a dependency on learning how to use electronic gadgets to solve those same problems exists. These are only three examples of developments in technology that have required progressive generations to become "literate".
Self-direction has always been the hallmark of a well-balanced and productive human being. Whenever one is subjected to being told what to do and how to function, productivity and innovation decreases. The self-directed person thinks critically, is innovative, effectively problem solves, and develops talents to a greater potential. Robotics should teach us how a person who is not self-directed would function. A robot is totally subject to outside input and functions only according to the directions provided. Innovation and creativity is lacking. Incidentally, that sounds like a worker on an assembly line. Performing assembly line tasks may be fine for short periods of time interspersed with self-directed tasks, but working on an assembly line on a daily basis for hours on end may actually be dehumanizing.
Global awareness takes an individual beyond self-interest. With advances in communication and transportation, the sphere around individuals has grown to encompass the whole globe. This has either increased the individual's sphere or shrunk the globe, depending on one's point of view. The fact remains that those who have been more successfull than their contemporaries have had a global awareness throughout history. The difference has been the relative size of the "globe" or sphere that the individual operated within.
Given the aforementioned synopsis and analysis of the so-called '21st Century Skills, I would propose that it has always been incumbent upon educators to integrate development of these skills into the content of the curriculum of the day. Perhaps there has been a problem with the method of delivery of instruction in our educational institutions. The move toward single grade classrooms and requiring the lessons to be more entertaining has hampered the development of these skills. I recall spending a few years in a two room school where the teacher I had taught grades five through eight to fifty students. All of the skills that are now termed 21st century were certainly encouraged and utilized on a constant basis. Collaboration, communication, and problem solving were essential components of learning because that one teacher could not possibly spend excessive amounts of time with one grade. That teacher certainly modelled innovation and used all of the technology available in that era.
I think that educators need to remain balanced and not jump completely onto every new proposal that comes along. Knowledge content is essential as are the skills that go along with it. Doing without reason is also unacceptable. To know 'why' leads to effective use of the skills. Just imagine what would happen to society if all were trained to use technology to accomplish everything, without the knowledge content or why, and that technology was rendered useless through some natural or man-made occurrence. That segment of society could not survive. Balance is essential.
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