DFI - Day 8

Kia Ora,

Today was Day 8 of DFI 2022. Our focus for today was on Creating with Code and Computational Thinking. 

Akohia/Learn:

For the reflection I shared that my professional workflow for students has continued to improve, and there has been visible and measurable learning in literacy and numeracy for most of my ākonga. 

Next, we heard about the importance of our ākonga being empowered. The fourth 'pou of the whare', its value is of equal importance to the Manaiakalani pedagogy. Most importantly, the idea was shared that students must be empowered through the education they receive at school, and by using digital platforms this aspiration is well supported. Attending DFI has enabled me to attempt to satisfactorily meet my students' learning needs through providing effective digital techniques and tools to them. The effect of this has been that my students are able to pursue learning that is of interest to them which is empowering. 

Then, we learned how to make code in Micro:bit. Below is my example:

After that, we received an introduction into coding and computational thinking. For me these tools and programs are alternate ways to have learning experiences that provide empowerment for students. I know that for several of my students, applications such as Minecraft and Scratch will be highly engaging as learning experiences and tools.

Then, we had surprise presentation by a group of Year 6 Point England students. They introduced themselves and spoke about their empowered learning through the 'Learn, Create, Share' model. This was useful in showing me the great potential outcomes I can achieve with my younger students in Year 3. The students' presentation clearly reflected the 'pou' of empowerment in the Manaiakalani pedagogy.

Hanga/Create:

Later, we made meaning of the coding content covered earlier. This opportunity allowed us to create with code. I chose to join the Scratch group, as Scratch was covered in the content, and having knowledge of my students' interests, knowledge and skills, I knew they will likely heavily engage with Scratch-led learning. 

On reflection, I wasn't good at using Scratch at all, so I will most likely ask my student to be the experts at teaching this in class.

Here is a screenshot of my example:

Tohatoha/Share:

Lastly, we 'Shared' our learning. We focussed on embedding and rewinding the content we had created through our blogs.

And, by reflecting upon this blog, I have answered a couple of questions.

What have I learned that has helped increase my understanding of the Manaiakalani kaupapa and pedagogy?

I have learned that using digital devices and support tools are important for empowering student learning as we saw with the Point England student presentation.

What have I learned that can be used with my learners?

I have tried to learn the functions of the Scratch application and to provide this as an authentic learning experience for my students. 

Mā te wā

 

Teacher Inquiry Question 2022 Blog Post 2

Teacher Inquiry 2022

Aims and Approach:

The motivations for adopting and utilising the digital affordances of information technologies are clear cut. Primarily, I want to employ a range of deliberate acts of teaching using digital tools that directly improves student engagement. This is about meeting the needs of all my ākonga. 

Teacher Modelling - the 'monkey see, monkey do' approach, but using the Teacher iPad!

Ako Ano - recording DATs that capture real-time learning in order to embed visible rewindable learning for scaffolding.

Hyperlinking learning tasks and resources - bypassing the teacher photocopier in the office, creating resource and workflow efficiencies 

Question 2022: How can the affordances of digital technology be used and/or combined with oral language to gain an accelerated shift in reading?

Type of Research Design:

Qualitative - 

Population and Sample:

My Class of 26 students is the population. My sample is 5 students who are tracking 'Well Below' for their year level in reading.

Descriptive Statistics - Summary of the data.

The students I will aim to measure this accelerated shift in learning will be the Weka group. The group is made up of five students, who are reading 'Well Below' for their cohort. Student 1 is a seven year. old Tongan Pasifika boy who has autism and ADHD. Student 2 is a seven year old Māori girl. Student 3 is another seven year old Māori girl, Student 4 is a Fijian Pasifika Girl and Student 5 is a seven year old Fijian Pasifika Boy. These students will form my Target Group for the purposes of this Inquiry.

DFI - Day 7

Kia Ora,

Today was Day 7 of DFI. Our focus was on Devices and the idea of 'Ubiquitous' learning.

Akohia/Learn:

First, we learned about the idea of ubiquitous learning, which is learning that can take place anytime, anywhere. This means that the barrier of time spent trying to learn is removed through using devices. Children are empowered to spend time learning around their lives and particular priorities be it, sport, family, or work. 

Next we looked at the Manaiakalani 1:1 Journey which focussed on devices. The motto for this was 'Partnership, Participation, Protection'.

Then, did a DigitalDig. We used a Chromebook to explore the functionality of the devices to give us an authentic experience. I learned how to take a screenshot, use the Find Bar, navigate tabs, among several other neat features and functions. Most importantly, this provided myself and others the opportunity to develop useful insights into learning as students. 

Hanga/Create:

In the afternoon we unpacked 'Creating for Learner Devices'. I decided to create using Explain Everything. I made a Poster that provided instructions for adding a picture into an EE project. 

Tohatoha/Share:

Lastly, we 'Shared' our learning. We focussed on embedding and rewinding the content we had created through our blogs.

And, by reflecting upon this blog, I have answered a couple of questions.

What have I learned that has helped increase my understanding of the Manaiakalani kaupapa and pedagogy?

I have learned how devices help students remove barriers to their learning so that they can learn anytime, anywhere. This is one critical way that can help every student to reach their potential.

What have I learned that can be used with my learners?

I have learned how to better use the Chromebook features and tools. Now that I have used a student's Chromebook I have a better understanding of their experience on the device. 

Mā te wā.

2022 Manaiakalani Staff Meeting: Creativity Empowers Learners.

On Monday 13th June I attended the Manaiakalani 'Create' Staff Meeting. The purpose of the meeting was for staff to share and engage with a range of creative ideas that make links between effective teaching in literacy and numeracy and The Arts side of the New Zealand Curriculum.

I attended two workshops: Literacy Mind Maps and 'Create' with Photography.

The learning I took from these workshops mainly revolved around helping students take risks with their learning in non-bookish and non-traditional ways. These learning experiences helped me see the value in casting the 'authentic learning experience net' out wider and further for our ākonga, in order to capture and engage more of the minds that I currently teach. I intend to put some of what I observed into practise through taking lessons that use the photographic functions of the iPad and get students using the dusty newsprint laying on the art shelf!

I am excited to see what potential outcomes I can achieve with my class, particularly through the lens of photography with iPads.

DFI - Day 6

Kia Ora,

Akohia/Learn:

Today was Day 6 of DFI for me since I missed Day 5 due to being ill. Our focus was about being 'Connected' and collaborating on developing our teaching site.

For our reflection I shared that the digital workflow I have created for my students is working; students are able to fetch their work from the site, complete it and blog it independently. 

First, we learned about the importance of the idea of Rangitāmiro, or of being 'Connected'. I took from this the point that being connected in a powerful network helps amplify effective teaching which leads to accelerated shift in student learning. To support this, it is important to provide opportunities to connect into a network in order to access shared resources, knowledge and skills.

Then, we looked at Leading Learning using Google Sites. This was all about maximising the potential of visible teaching and learning. I have continually adapted my site to provide students with easy access to their learning. Everything is three clicks away from the Home Page.

After, we looked at a selection of Class Sites and provided general feedback.

I shared my site with a few of my colleagues. Here is what it looks like.

Hanga/Create:

This part of the day was dedicated to updating my class site. I decided to create a Google Slide deck that supported my students' learning for their weekly library book. I embedded the slide deck into my reading page and reformatted the page to accomodate adding it in. I will now take a lesson modelling this task, before my students take on the task independently during literacy.

 

Tohatoha/Share:

Lastly, we 'Shared' our learning. We focussed on embedding and rewinding the content we had created through our blogs.

And, by reflecting upon this blog, I have answered a couple of questions.

What have I learned that has helped increase my understanding of the Manaiakalani kaupapa and pedagogy?

I have learned how it is important to be connected as part of a network. Our students are highly connected in person and in digital worlds, too. 

What have I learned that can be used with my learners?

I have kept updating my class site to further improve the user experience and usability of the site. Ultimately, they benefit greatly when I use the latest updates and functions when formatting my site.

Mā te wā.

DFI Day 5

Kia ora,

This is my blog post reflection for DFI Day 5 2022 that was held on Friday 3rd June.

Akohia/Learn:

Visible Kaupapa is the idea of making teaching and learning easily seen by all. It is largely driven by the processes of planning and assessment which continually spur each other on in a cycle. This kaupapa intends to make learning available and accessible. In the digital world that our ākonga live in, digital is their default, so we as teachers should see no reason not to provide learning that can be accessed on an iPad or Chromebook. 

The second idea for me to consider and engage with is 'Multi-Modal' learning. Multimodal learning suggests that when a number of our senses – visual, auditory, kinaesthetic – are being engaged during learning, we understand and remember more. This is helpful in that our learners can be more engaged, there may be the opportunity to provide them with a personalised learning experience, and that this may in turn, result in accelerated shift. In my class, I can provide multiple learning texts and experiences that focus on a single narrow subject such as whales and if this encourages behavioural engagement from students, it may lead to more cognitive engagement. In other words, more visible learning. 

Here is an example if what the difference between traditional and Multi-Modal learning looks likes:

For a specific example, I looked at T shaped literacy was combined with Multi-Modal learning at Paihia School, in the Far North. The gist of their project was to have a narrow focus to dig deeper into the question of how writers use language techniques to create powerful imagery in the mind of their readers. Following the principles of T-shaped literacy, students read multiple physical and digital texts, responded to multiple texts through reading comprehension, creating pieces of writing and short animated films. Assessment was taken before and after for results to be analysed for any accelerated shift. It appears to me that because students had a range of multi-modal texts and learning experiences to draw upon, they were perhaps more engaged, and this may be a factor in the learning responses they produced and any accelerated shift seen from their assessment data.

Hanga/Create:

I have seen my colleagues blogs about Multi Modal learning as well as the examples in the agenda and now have several interesting ideas for how I might approach 'Design for Learning' in the future.

Tohatoha/Share:

Lastly, this is now an opportunity to reflect upon this blog, and I have answered a couple of questions.

What have I learned that has helped increase my understanding of the Manaiakalani kaupapa and pedagogy?

I have learned that Multi Modal learning is a great way to fully engage the human senses that promotes further behavioural and cognitive learning. Multi Modal learning approaches such as using text, video, and audio sources of learning provides more scope and range for a wider range of students to allow for a chance to have a personalised learning experience.

What have I learned that can be used with my learners?

I have learned that I can use more than the traditional pencil and paper approach to teaching and learning, and that I need to look for my student's strengths and interests when designing lessons and learning experiences for them so that they are as engaged as possible.

Mā te wā