Reflections on Module 8 on Managing Learning and Teaching with ICT

Engaging in this course has been one of  my greatest challenge because it met me at one of my high peak times of heavy committments.  Nonetheless, the exposure to the many best practices has been worth it. Through the readings I am constantly reminded of the great importance of teachers to understand their role in the classroom as they seek to set the learning tone for their students to eengender interaction and engagement.

At my school, we have begun to make little tit bit steps towards ICT integration.  It is still a work in progress but as I sought to encourage teachers to embrace this new approach to the dynamic classroom, there are those who have begun to launch out into experimenting with the various mediums available.

In determining what medium is best approved of for learning,  most teachers will agree that mobile technology is quite feasible in our learning context since we only have one I.T. lab.  With the recent injection of Ipads from the government to 2nd, 3rd and 4th formers the possibilities for learning with I.C.T. are beginning to dawn on many of the teachers and few have attempted to use the tools within recent weeks.  The debated Cell Phone Policy may need a rethink as some teachers have experimented with its use in the classroom.  Where the Ipads are concerned unfortunately, not all parents have applied for these Ipads  and this has placed  many teachers at a disadvantage in using this valuable tool within their teaching and learning environment.

Whichever best practice of ICT integration is adopted it all boils down to the following:

1. Teachers need to establish the expectations of the students in their learning context.
2. The teacher's personality must be in synch  with  the needs of the students.


In the article 'Shaping Tech for the Classroom ' I was particularly intrigued by the four step process spoken to;:

• Dabbling.
• Doing old things in old ways.
• Doing old things in new ways.
• Doing new things in new ways.

I came to realize that in more ways than one that many of us educators are stuck at the first two steps.

Strangely enough the very skills that this course advocates that students should acquire must be also acquired  by teachers . The ability to collaborate, analyse and solve problems call for one's ability to think outside of the box, creativity and sharing. The creation of a more democratic classroom where students can play a role in determining the course of their learning experience become necessary.

As the teacher becomes aware of themselves as a 21st century  teacher, the whole class configuration will reflect this as well bearing in mind that we are preparing tomorrow's leaders for a knowledge economy.   This calls for schools to consider the creation of blended learning environments which caters for independent learning and face to face instruction.

I understand that this idea of the blended classroom will be contoured differently in various learning contexts. Once again, the need for educators to become familiar with their learning contexts so that the appropriate approaches and practices can be adopted.

I am looking forward one day to see my school becoming fully wired and ready for full ICT implementation using every possible medium to give our students the best advantage at high achievement whilst preparing them to engage in a knowledge base society.  I forsee that as we inch closer to the ideal of ICT integration, that community of practice will need to be organized to engender sharing amongst colleagues so that each context can adequatley prepare for its students.

Already some adjustments are in the pipeline to begin the process for full fledge ICT integration where our school will become an ICT innovative school.  This course has opened my appetite to continue exploring the great possibilites and best practices that will ultimately make us see our students achieving since we believe that every child can succeed.  Additonally by engaging in this course I have been exposed to the language, the logistics that need to be considered and the dynamics that surround the management of learning and teaching with ICT.  I am greatful for the exposure.

to exploring the many great possibilities and best practices.

Activity 10- Module 9 Reflections

Forging new partnerships is an area that needs to be worked on some more.  . We are yet to create an ICT vision for the school  and present a convincing statement towards this end. However this exercise has instructed me as to how to get this started and the questions that I need to ask to get there.  I believe this will form part of my interview with the principal and see if we can work together to draft a plan for ICT integration at the school.

An action plan with time frames will need to be drafted in time for the new academic year, so that we can have a fresh start for a new school year where ICT integration is concerned.

Activity 8- Module 9 Reflection

One success story was when I observed ICT being used in a Library class.  Students were asked to study a movie then respond to questions from the movie.  Children learn by visual , audio and in some cases some are tactile. This medium brought the teaching medium to one that they could relate to, rather than reading a book on the same story.    Here they were using ICT to engage in problem solving, which mobilized the class to engage in more discussion.  In another story, I was absent at one time due  to illness, I was able to use ICT , through Facebook, to teach a lesson from the comfort of my home. It was an adjustment though for the class, but eventually they began to catch on.  The advantage is students can always log back in to the Facebook page to see the comments and the examples that were shared  in the lesson. This means less write time and more learning...

 

I intend that overtime I will see students using ICT tools such as Mindmapping or Socal Networking tools for sharing and collaboration exercises.  Virtual Classroom settings can be created where students can interact online with peers on assignments and teachers can choose to grade online tasks. 

 

In the end teachers and students improve their productivity and also the quality of their work. Students are not restricted to a four (4) wall classroom setting and the barriers of embarrassment or restriction to time tabling  can be totally removed.

Activity 6- Module 9

Our school has the potential for greater ICT integration.  The school swings between Adoption and Adaptation stages.  This has implications for future planning.  It means an assessment on the ICT competencies of staff measure up to the present provision.  This will call for additional Professional Development opportunities for the staff and also the adequacy of ICT for all students and subject areas.

The following  Professional Development sessions would need to be organised to get the staff to the next stage:
1. Assessment of ICT integration
2.  21st Century Learning
3.  These will be followed by periods of monitoring and evaluation of staff.

Activity 5- Module 9

It was my intentions to learn from the following schools.

• Island Academy]
• Ipswich School - An Independent School in England

Both schools from their websites offered ICT in various ways and forms.  A covering statement of purpose and questions pertaining to the tasks were sent. However, no one responded to any email.

Nonetheless, especially from Ipswich School, I admired the provision for ICT in their school.
I have copied and pasted their page which speaks to ICT provision and can serve as a hint for future planning for my school.

Below I have copied the contents of their webpage (see link below) at Ipswich, which reads:-

 

Director of ICT: Alex Phillips

The ICT Department aims to develop pupils' ICT skills in a range of areas. With an emphasis on cross-curricular links, pupils will gain a working knowledge of a number of different ICT applications.
In Years 7 and 8, all pupils receive two lessons of ICT each week. Year 7 pupils follow a modular course that develops their skills in Word, Powerpoint, Using the Internet, Spreadsheets, Desk-Top Publishing, Databases and Web Design. In Year 8, they work through an extended project that links all these skills together and helps them to develop an understanding of how to integrate different applications.  They also complete the first and second stages of the Institute of Administrative Management ICT qualification (a vocational equivalent to GCSE)
In Years 10 and 11, pupils receive ICT lessons as part of the PHSE carousel. In the time they have they will refresh their understanding of Word, Powerpoint, Spreadsheets and Mind-mapping through short, focused activities closely linked to the skills they would need for completing coursework.  They also complete the final stage of the IAM qualification.
When pupils enter the Sixth Form, they have the opportunity to study ICT as part of the Enrichment Programme. Pupils have the option to study for an AS level in ICT (AQA 2520), which lasts two years, or CLAiT Plus, which is a vocational qualification and takes one year.

Computer Facilities at Ipswich School

The School has seven ICT suites located around the school.  Four departments have specialist suites: Art, DT, Physics and a new Modern Languages digital language laboratory.  The other suites are for general class use and ICT lessons.  Pupils can gain access to computers at lunch time for work.  All pupils have school email accounts which can be accessed at school and at home.

http://www.ipswich.suffolk.sch.uk/senior-school/curriculum/departments/Pages/ICT.aspx

 

I would have loved to find out how the various subject areas used ICT.

 

Nonetheless, Island Academy, in Antigua does not appear , based on their website, to have ICT as integration as extensive as Ipswich School

Activity 4- Module 9

What I have learnt about whole school conditions for ICT integration:   From the whole school diagram I observed that the indicators highlighted in blue speaks to the structure and management of the school.  The components in black suggest that these elements of a school set the tone and culture(school’s ethos) of the school. The features on the outside of the circle are factors that influence or guide the modus operandi of the school. The crucial indicators of a school’s success lie within the center of the diagram which ultimately reflects on the overall effectiveness of the school such as is student achievement and the quality of teaching.   My school is a young secondary school which is presently developing its school ethos.  I consider this diagram as very useful in determining our next move, from the leadership level to  our connection with the community.     In reviewing this diagram, consider the following questions: What sort of vision is there about what learners and educators will do in a school where ICTs are integrated? Our vision statement does not have any clause to the integration of ICT and ICT has never being discussed as fraternity.  Individual teachers have been encouraged to use the technology by myself, but has only being done by a few teachers. What kind of behaviours will they exhibit? A number of teachers feel incompetent to use ICT in the classroom, Others who can ,  do not want to do the extra planning for ICT integration. What would it take to get this to happen at your school? 1.   To get this to happen at my school, I would first work on one department in the school to phase in the new initiative. I have already spoken to our Resource centre coordinator and have just drafted a proposal to a corporate citizen for donations to upgrade the library facilities to being a resource media center.  By doing this, I not only demonstrate its effectiveness in one learning environment, but have created a space where teachers will have ICT capabilities.  Teachers will be invited to schedule their classes on the time table and utilize the facilities to enhance their learning areas. 2.   Additionally, 21st century skills are not evident at the school. By engaging teachers in professional development sessions which teachers how to engage students in 21 st century learning will serve as a catalyst to feed into the need for ICT integration. 3.   For teachers who are not ICT literate, training opportunities will be made available to teachers, not only in the development of the skill but the application of the skill in the learning environment. Why are the principles of experimentation, flexibility, collaboration and communication part of the conditions that can enable improved school practices? Experimentation- Context determines the  course for planning. There are many best practices that can be incorporated but not all contexts will be able to utilize all of them. Only one may work because of the dynamics that influence the school’s operations. Through a process of trial and error eventually the school will be able to adopt a measure that really works. Collaboration and Communication- In a knowledge building society,  pooling ideas and developing different hunches not only creates a bond for the team, but makes everyone feel responsible for the outcome of any initiative that is carried out. Flexibility-  Contexts can change over time and so do dynamics.  There are many push and pull factors that will continue to form the school’s ethos. When this occurs it may become necessary to make adjustments so that stability can be always maintained.   ·         Do these principles also relate to a certain leadership style? The principles above will not work with a rigid bureaucratic, autocratic leader. These principles thrive best with a leader who is situational, collaborative and democratic in his or her approaches. In other words the elements of shared leadership, risk taking and delegation are key players in the principles outlined above. ·         Do your attitudes and behaviours, as a leader, shape what happens at the school? As a deputy principal who has been always open to new trends, I have sought to exemplify a type of leadership that is situational, collaborative ·         How do you feel your school is doing in terms of alignment to these principles? Is there a culture for experimentation, for example? There is not really much scope for experimentation.   If the Principal does not see immediate results he tends to want to shifts gears.  He likes to see immediate results and practically this does not always occur.   Collaboration is going to be an issue because there are cliques in some instances. In another instance, anything that suggests giving more of their time and energy is marginalized or no participation is shown at all. ·         If there is not a spirit of experimentation at your school, what will you have to do to change this? I think that I may have to invite persons who have exercised the principle of experimentation and have seen results  in their learning environment;  and request permission to invite them to a teacher professional development session.

 

What I feel is my biggest challenge in achieving ICT integration in my school: The greatest challenge is getting the Principal to buy into the initiative.  The school is a young school and has a leader who has not being exposed to the many new trends in education.    Getting the principal to be the key enforcer of some new initiatives can be a challenge since he is not I.T. literate.   The Curriculum will need to be revised to show evidence of ICT Integration.  This will mean discussions with the Curriculum Coordinator to convince her of the need for ICT to be integrated at the school.

Activity 7- Module 9 Reflection

Our school is a young secondary school.  We are surrounded by m any well achieved institutions who have made their name and have entered in the Educational Hall of Fame.  To ensure that our school is able to compete on par and over and above the standards set by predecessors it calls for an unprecedented exertion of will power to attain that and more. For our learning contexts, the following points stand out from the articles:

Matching Efforts to Results
I seem to gather from this component that all stakeholders must be of the same mind and same purpose.  Vision defines outcomes and destiny and hence, the strategies we employ and our modus operandi must be in compliance with that vision.  All stakeholders must pull together to ensure that the school is able to compete on the same terms as other established schools.


Relating to People- The school needs to create an appeal to all the links in its operations such as parents, business community and the community at large.  Understanding of the vision is not just for within the walls of the institution but this understanding must be articulated and shared with those it interacts with. There must be a strong communal base.

Get the job done-  There is no way that the school of just over 100 strong can pull of major plans on its own.  It means that we need to make linkages with groups and friends who share our passion and is willing to invest in making it happen.  This calls for a continuous practice of action planning until we get what we want. 

The leader and school management- Must be involved in the process, must delegate responsibilities and be a team player.  The Principal and management team must not just manage, but lead for change, because the school is not only preparing students for life, but should also generate an environment that mobilizes the skills and abilities of its human resources.  It means that the leaders must first be in harmony with himself/herself. As the writer pens: "...manage self: one's own integrity, character, ethics, knowledge, wisdom, temperament, words, and acts. ..It is the management of self that should occupy 50 percent of our time and the best of our ability. And when we do that, the ethical, moral and spiritual elements of management are inescapable. '  The leadership should be more democratic and situational in making decisions.

Activity 2: Module 9 reflection

Concerning School Scenarios

 

In looking at the school scenarios, I found that as a leader, it is very important to understand the protocols that exist within the framework of the Ministry of Education. Knowing this can help to alleviate or prevent situations from perpetuation, repetition, or from occurring at all. 

 A leader must be decisive and know when and how to activate certain courses of interventions.  Additionally,  a leader must not make decisions on his or her own. there may be the times when this may be necessary but as a rule he or she must involve other minds in process so that there a greater level of buy in when decisions are made.  All involved must be able to share in the vision, project or initiatives that are proposed for the forward movement of the institution.

 

What I feel about corresponding with the group:

Corresponding with the group gives me an opportunity to share best practices. The ideas generated shows how one problem can be solved in multiple ways. At the same time I also see that as the saying says, great minds think alike. There are the instances where certain issues require an action based on a principle.  I have seen that throughout the correspondence. These principles I have learned from the many discussion s I have interacted with.   

 

I could improve group communication:

To  improve on my group communication really has to do with prioritizing my schedule and pacing myself to make it happen.

I only wish I had an Ipad on the go so that I could communicate on the go. A lot of my activities take me on the road.

 

 

Activity 1- Module 9 reflection

What I think about leadership in general:   Leadership is the action of effectively empowering and mobilizing followers to activate their talents and skills within an organization to bring about change   What I would like to know about leadership: I want to know how to be a leader who knows how to effect change and motivate others to take the journey with me. Learn how to be a risk-taker Learn how to be a situational;  rather than rigid What I learnt about leadership in the digital age:   There is scope for multidisciplinary teams and even virtual expert groups. Sometimes you have to stop in order to go forward. Leaders and ICT ambassadors must create the conditions at a school level to encourage a culture that supports continuous learning and knowledge building. The leader must be a visionary, flexible, resilient. Just as we need to give students the scope to find out things for themselves, we need to allow educators to do the same. They also exist in a knowledge building society. The period between the past and the moving to the future, known as transition must also be managed so that though it may be traumatic, there can a great sense of stability in the process, so that those who are making the adjustments are not intimidated by the process. ICT is not replacing our learning environments but is rather supporting the learner environment.

 

Activity 11- Reflections on 21st Learning Spaces

The Flipped classroom suggests that there is a steering away from the conventional concept of a classroom . More and more the classroom walls are being broken down by the integration of technology and expanded more opportunities for learning.  In seeking to create a knowledge building environment  I have developed a check list for myself: 

1. It must first cater to 21st century learning:The class should make provision for critical thinking, analysis, problem solving, collaboration, communication.

2.  Lots of opportunities for student engagement.

3.  Lots and lots of discussion through Socratic Questioning

4. Synchronous Interaction as well as Asynchronous interaction

5.  The teacher must change roles and become the guide on the side,, whilst students take more ownership of their own learning environment.

6. The class caters for differentiated learning.

7. Incorporates opportunites for media literacy development.

8.  The class is structured to facilitate project based learning which addresses authentic and real life issues.

9.  The curriculum is structured to incorporate the voices of expertise from the community.

10. Where technology is concerned- All schools should have a learning portal where students can access homework and submit homework and interact in chat rooms.  These portals can provide students with email accounts so that teacher and students can interact during and after school.  Interactive whiteboards are a must have.  Opportunities to share and publish students' work will build the knowledge building environment that thrives well in a flipped classroom.

11.  Class rooms will need to be re arranged to create an atmosphere that is collaborative.

It may seem much , but I am think that the greatest challenge is a change of mindset. A number of the above lists can begin even as I speak.  The paradigm must start with the teacher.  Our classrooms are products of ourselves. Therefore, flipped mindset = flipped classroom.

Activity 10- Sharing (Publishing) Online

I like the idea of bringing students to a place where they have to demonstrate their understanding of what they learned from research, interaction with experts or through collaboration with peers and then collate these bits of information into a format that can be shared in the community beyond the classroom.  This in my view supports the theory of constructivism which is the basis for knowledge building.  By gaining this knowledge the opportunity to share it further reinforces that knowledge, which came about as they carried out their various roles  throughout the project.

In my exploration of projects in this course,  I have been exposed to various mediums that students can use to culminate their projects. One common thread that each thrives on is the need for being creative.   For starters, I will introduce my students to Google Blogger,  Video and Audio Production to produce CD Rom's and the simple software of Power Point.  As an English teacher, I find that these and those listed below will  work very well since English fosters a communicative, collaborative , knowledge building environment.  My list of final products to culminate a project includes:

·         Video and audio production- to produce a CD Rom.

·         Podcasts

 

·         You-Tube- For sharing videos online

·         Google Blogger for sharing and publishing completed reports

·         Photostory 3 for Windows – a tool used for sharing photo stories

·         Sharing Compiled notes on Adobe Acrobat Document which can be posted on the web to extend the learning beyond the classroom environment

·         Art gallery expedition featuring multimedia profiles

·         Creation of models that can be exhibited in galleries

·         Create virtual tours on Google maps on art work in an area or historical sites

 

P.S.One thing that struck me in some of the videos and samples was that at times teachers themselves had to learn some skills before engaging students in the projects themselves.   Noteworthy also, all projects went through a phase of intense planning with other colleagues and experts.  Teachers were able to determine the best suited end product for the project design.  This shows that even the teacher encounters a continuum of knowledge building experiences too.

Activity 4-Knowledge Building

As one writer has put it "we learn... through making connections between stuff we already knew and the stuff we didn’t. This meant we actively constructed the knowledge as we needed it. "  This is pretty much the premise on which knowledge building stands.

Our students enter the classroom having being exposed to many strands of thought and information.  To some degree there is the isolated case of cases of small hunches (as indicated in the online video on WHERE GOOD IDEAS COME FROM by Steven Johnson) This unit has challenged me as a teacher to launch the proverbial net into the great minds of my students and provide avenues for them to make sense of their ideas; merge their ideas with other ideas from their peers and explore possibilities in expanding these ideas to even create new versions of thought.  My mind takes me to  Mark Zuckerberg who, with his college roommates, founded facebook. Note that they were college students.  I would want to believe that their learning environment was that of knowledge building; and hence, they had the scope to explore those 'hunches' and finally reach a "Eureka" moment.

In my context where linear learning is the norm, it will be difficult at first to incorporate this new trend into my present context.  One implication of creating a knowledge building environment would require  a  reconstruction of the teacher training programme so the phasing in of this trend can begin to filter through the school system.  The monitoring and evaluation of teachers  will also need to be refocused so that teachers can be assessed on the incorporation of 21st Century learning which will nurture a knowledge building environment.

Activity 5- Engaged Learning

NCREL's view on what meaningful, engaged learning  has made me rethink  what engaged learning is all about.  Engaged learning is not just restricted to letting students just talk to each other but rather it suggests that some objective is being achieved as they do so. It could be considered engagement with a purpose.  In this environment, and based on the task given, this engagement can produce different outcomes. Key though to all activites is ensuring that all students are working in an explorative environment which fosters critical thinking, problem based learning whilst teaching them to be self-regulated and self-directed. The activity should be in concert with the national standards or curriculum and can include multiple disciplines. The end result is the building of a knowledge community.

Activity 3- Critical Thinking

Mind Meister is pretty neat. I like the interactive components. I struggled with it a bit, but I will get there.  I want to learn it well enough to be used in our classrooms. On the matter of critical thinking, this seemingly is suppressed because our students are limited  in knowledge in a number of areas. Their vocabulary base tends to be poor and they tend to very inhibited where expressing their feelings is concerned.  I foresee that we will have to hold mini workshops/lessons on learning how to engage in critical thinking before actually incorporating in our disciplines. Although students have knowledge of I.T. there is greater need to teach students how to Access, Analyze, Evaluate and Communicate the information they have come in contact with.

Activity 2- My Vision for my Subject

As an administrator, I am hoping to see all of our disciplines become more collaborative, encourage critical thinking, develop information literacy skills and ultimately bridging the great divide in communication skills.  The greatest challenge is getting others to get onboard. There may be the odd one who will see this new paradigm as more hard work. Nonetheless, we have to start somewhere. 21 st Century skills and learning are greatly lacking in our contexts and this course will continue to broaden my understanding as to how to impart and steer our learning environment into this much needed path.

Module 7 Activity 1

21 st Century Learning

More and more the classroom is shifting from the 3 r's to 21st Century concepts of learning. The vast amount of knowledge at our figure tips requires one to have the ability to sift through it all and be able to make sense of it all. At the end of it all the question is, What aspects of this knowledge would I accept? On what grounds do I accept this knowledge?  Processing, criticial thinking, collaborating , communicating and analysing are key components to establishing a fast and vast knowledge building community.