Week 32

Step 1 (What): Identify one key change in your professional practice

Wow, the hardest part is first - identifying just one change in my teaching practice.  I could look at so
many areas from “Our Code, Our Standards”. So after a lot of deliberation between looking at
“Design for Learning” and “Professional Learning” I have decided to look at ‘Professional Learning”
as the area of biggest change for me.

Step 2 (Now what): Evaluate the identified change

Using the  Cycle of Experiential Learning, by Osterman and Kottkamp I will evaluate this
change.

Problem identification - In the past I have fallen into the trap of being directed into using different
tools rather than researching them for myself.  This has led to me not being curious or looking for
better ways of doing things. This is an area I need to improve to improve my practice and to be
able to say why I am doing things in my class with the back-up of research.

Observation and analysis - Most of my observation and analysis has come from reflection, looking
at my past behaviours and even reviewing old teacher appraisal documents where I have identified
that I need to do more professional reading to support my practice.

Abstract re conceptualization - Before implementing new learning programmes in my class I am
now doing the research first.  This includes reading about the Daily 5, Cafe reading systems,
Research about the SAMR model, Research about Growth Mindset.

Active experimentation - So the biggest implementation in my programme that is research based is
the Cafe reading system.  This involves non-streamed groups that focus on an area of need. This
has been successful with the students having greater knowledge of their learning goals.  The
Research I have done into the SAMR model is helping me look at designing tasks in a different way.

My next step with experimentation is to do some more research into ‘Maths Talk’ to evaluate
whether it is appropriate for my classroom.

Step 3 (What next) Share your next plan(s) regarding your future professional development
or your future practice.

My next step is to continue to experiment with integrating technology in a meaningful, authentic and
inclusive way across the curriculum.  I will look at designing tasks to help students gain 21st century
skills. I will continue to use research based thinking in my class. I feel it is important to fully ingrain
the learning I have gained from the Mindlab course before moving onto ‘the next big thing’.  Although
as I have mentioned above the research about Maths Talk is calling me.

Week 31

Activity 7: Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness in my practice

Step 1 (What): Culturally Responsive Pedagogy is such a huge area that impacts learners at all
schools. I currently have 11 different cultures within my class.  The two areas I have chosen to focus
on are the schools’ ‘vision, mission and core values, and ‘the human/learning resources’.

Our school has a strong vision, mission, and core value that includes inclusiveness, knowing every
learner and their family, striving for the best outcomes for every learner and having open
communication.  The area I feel there is room for improvement is in both human and learning
resources.

Step 2 (So what):

By using the Action continuum in the above graphic I feel that as a school we are working in the
green level in terms of vision, mission and core values.  As a school with a wide range of cultures
we are inclusive and celebrate different cultures. This is shown from simple things like different
greetings on the doors, ways staff greet people, different cultures celebrating aspects of their
culture in assembly and translating notices and reports into languages to make families feel
involved.  Having child led conferences and listening to parents about expectations and ways of
learning are also important. Within the school we have to Te Reo bilingual classes. There are
also Pasifika groups running in the school.

When it comes to rating the resources, both human and learning, on the continuum I would rate our
school in the purple area.  In the bilingual area it would be red but across the other classes there is
a lot of room to add in resources that are culturally authentic.

Step 3 (What next)

To move forward on the continuum in the area of resources would be quite simple.  This could
involve having experts come in to teach about aspects of culture. Incorporating more people from
our community in showing cultures and talking about other life in other lands.  At present we have
some bilingual books in the class, it would not be difficult to incorporate more of these and traditional
tales into the class programme.

I feel it would be difficult, if not impossible, to reach the Red level in relation to all cultures in the
class.  While the idea of having a culturally sustaining pedagogy is important it would be difficult to
do this successfully across a diverse range of cultures in each class and I feel many would revert to
the brown level of the continuum to feel like they were doing something.

Week 30

Activity 6: Contemporary trends in New Zealand or internationally.

Step 1 (What):

In this day and age where students are using devices in their everyday life it is not practical to ask
them to engage in learning in ways that does not use the affordances of digital technology to help
them learn.  Globalisation has opened up whole new areas of learning and makes new learning
possible that a few years ago would not be available to students.

I find the impact on digital learning particularly relevant as I teach in a space that uses 1:1 digital
devices in student learning.  There is a big push in the school to make learning visible, rewindable
and authentic. The school holds the view that the use of digital technologies will also help bridge
the gaps for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, it will even the playing field with
others.

Step 2 (So What):

Data shows that students have access to a wide range of devices that they can use to support their
learning.  They have access to smartphones, laptops and tablets. All of these devices can be used
to modify and redefine student learning.  At the time of the 2014 Addressing Current and Future
Challenges in Education report was written 71% of high school students communicated through text.  
(When I compare this with my teenage daughter communicating now, just 4 years later this seems
outdated, as most of her communication is through snapchat, instagram, messenger and facebook).

The key opportunities for students when focusing on the use of digital tools in education is that globally
all students can have access to the same information.  Students can interact with people from all around
the world to share their thoughts and information. They can pose questions, find answers and work
collaboratively with a larger range of pupils.  

One of the key challenges with the continued move towards digital tools in education is that not all
students have access to the same tools.  In some cases this will limit the students ability to engage in
their education. I am lucky in that the school I am at sees the benefit of the use of digital tools and I can
confidently say that the practices in the school all students in the year 4-6 range have access to a digital
tool for their learning.

The digital learning trend has already had a huge impact on my teaching pedagogy.  I have changed my
practice to include technology in all areas of the curriculum. I am focusing on using technology to modify
and redefine learning tasks rather than just using technology as a substitution or augmentation tool.  

As the trend of teaching with digital technologies continues to become more ingrained teachers across
the country will need to adapt.  Their pedagogy will need to change and they will need to be willing to
continue to up skill to keep up with the times. If teachers are not adaptable to the use of new technology
they will struggle to effectively teach this generation’s children and to engage children in a meaningful
and authentic learning experience.

Step 3 (Now What):

How has this trend been addressed by local, national or global educational organisations?

Globally - the growing research base on the use of digital technology, the number of apps/
programmes being developed to support education

Nationally - the Digital Technologies Curriculum, groups such as the Manaiakalani group of
schools

Locally - Groups like the Uru Manuka group (an outreach of the Manaiakalani group), Our
local CoL, The Mindlab groups to support each other in our journey in digital engagement.

What limitations/barriers/opportunities might impact the adoption of this trend for other educators
across NZ?

Financial

Old fashioned thinking

What changes might need to be adopted in your context?

At this point it is continuing to develop the use of technologies.  This means that practice is
continuing to change all the time as new technologies come about and I become more
proficient in using technology.

How might the curriculum be delivered to equip the students with adequate competencies to cope
with or adapt to the trend?

The New Zealand Curriculum already has the key competencies and values in it.  This covers
many of the 21st century skill that learners will need in future. By focusing on these
competencies and values and designing learning tasks which incorporate digital technologies
the trend will be well catered for.  Models like SAMR can be a guide to help with changing
tasks to include digital aspects.

Week 29

Activity 5: Using social online networks in teaching or professional development

I never really considered myself a big user of social media for work until I completed the survey.  I
have the usual instagram, snapchat and facebook accounts for personal use. Now on reflection I
see that I use social media more in my work that I had thought about.  I use Google communities,
Blogs, Wikipedia, VLN, Pinterest, TedEx, Vimeo, Netflix, Collaborative Google Docs, YouTube,
Facebook Teachers Groups, Teachers Pay Teachers …. and the list continues.

In comparing my social media use with others it appears I am very similar to others.  I admit that
sometimes I just use some of these platforms as a ‘lurker’ rather than a contributor.  The type of
social media that I don’t use that a lot of others appear to use is Twitter.

In regards to what I will use differently in the future I can see the need for me to be more involved in
platforms.  Commenting on other people’s posts. Using Google communities and facebook groups
to share ideas and to request ideas when I am stuck.  In reality I am very old school and stubborn
and have the ‘I can do it myself’ attitude. This attitude makes my work life harder and by using the
shared knowledge and ideas of others I can streamline my work and allow more time for quality
teaching and feedback.

I agree with the need for students to be taught how to use social media properly. One of the key
teachings we do around blogs is how to comment on other people's blogs. We use the following
graphic as a reminder for students about quality blog comments.

One thing that I still have difficulty with is the ethical considerations of using some social media
platforms in the classroom.  Many platforms have age limits however the students that I teach are
younger than this so where do I stand legally in using it in class?