Summarize…

Ever been faced with giving a lesson but not really feeling too comfortable with the subject matter? That’s sort of how I feel right now. Lots of ideas, buzz words and online resources are jumbling around in my head…

I will attempt to summarize the whirlwind that is my mind…

Where I was when I started?

-My conception of “library” was more or less a collection of books+. I wasn’t expecting this course to be about so much theory and have a revolutionary lens when it came to technology. (Yes, Jenny, teachers should lead digital ed. not corporations, etc.!)

-In my practice, and to an extent in my personal life, I have been reluctant to use technology due to many factors: age of my students and usefulness of its applications, limited experience, limited support, being “old-fashioned” in some ways…

-I was wondering so many things and not feeling particularly “connected”.

Where you are now?

-Well, change is inevitable and more than ever I feel an ethical duty to open myself up to technology.

-I feel more prepared to have conversations about technology.

-I have some resources and connections now to help me continue to learn.

-I would like to read more about the “Information Technology” IRPs, 21st Century Learning and policies around digital media.

-I have seen some great examples of how teachers are using ITC in their practice and considering how I can use some of them.

-I’m excited to see what connections I can make with parents through ITC.

-I still find myself wishing I could read from a book for this course. (I’ve spent an incredible amount of time with my computer lately!) I trying to drop my tendency to take notes in a notebook and do everything on my laptop.

-Overall, I can see the advantages of technology as a teaching resource—for the students/teachers. (We don’t have to experts, students can teach themselves, the variety of information/applications at our fingertips can enhance what we are able to do, etc.)

Where I see myself going?

-The possibilities are endless…We’re revolutionaries, right?!!  😉

-I hope to collaborate with other Primary French Immersion teachers and work on bringing more ITC into our classrooms. (Making use of the devices we are given and possibly getting more…)

-I know my District has many Study Groups. Perhaps I can find one that focuses on ITC.

-Make use of a class website to communicate with parents/students—being more “transparent”.

This class has introduced me to so many things, the vast majority being beyond my imagination. For now, I hope to make some practical changes when I get back to school. I don’t want technology to be an “add-on” but I would like to determine a few meaningful ways I can bring it in to our learning.

Genius Hour: What would you do if you could choose?

Why I was drawn to Genius Hour: Passion Projects vs. Prescribed Learning Outcomes

When I ask my students to reflect back at the end of the year about what was their most memorable learning experience, they almost always say, “the project I did on…”

My students, no matter what grade I teach, love projects. They’re challenging, complex and somewhat open-ended. And, above all, they’re personal. Even if the project falls within a curricular unit, students get to exercise some choice: they might choose their topic, they might choose the format for showing their learning, they might even get to show a particular talent they have. My students love projects.

Genius Hour got my attention because I imagined the possible engagement of my students. Not only could they choose a field of study that interested them personally, but they would teach themselves and then others. Wow, engagement, choice, self-directed learning…seems to agree with my values as an educator.

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“What is Genius Hour?

Genius hour is a movement that allows students to explore their own passions and encourages creativity in the classroom.  It provides students a choice in what they learn during a set period of time during school.  It’s not easy to determine where the idea was originally created, but there are at least two events that have impacted genius hour.

Genius Hour Origins

The search-engine giant, Google, allows it’s engineers to spend 20% of their time to work on any pet project that they want.  The idea is very simple.  Allow people to work on something that interests them, and productivity will go up.  Google’s policy has worked so well that it has been said that 50% of Google’s projects have been created during this creative time period.  Ever heard of Gmail or Google News?  These projects are creations by passionate developers that blossomed from their their 20-time projects.

Another origin of genius hour projects came from the book Drive by best-selling author, Daniel Pink.  In a blog post he writes about how the Google-time projects are also used in other corporations. “Each week, employees can take a Genius Hour — 60 minutes to work on new ideas or master new skills. They’ve used that precious sliver of autonomy well, coming up with a range of innovations including training tools for other branches.””

FROM: http://www.geniushour.com

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What are the benefits for student learning?

I copied these comic strips because they’re the kid’s perspective on Genius Hour. One student views this time as developing her skills for the future, while another wants to share inform others.

If you were given the opportunity to learn about something you were interested in, what would you choose? Would you research a country or language for your next trip? Would you learn about song writing? Would you experiment with software for editing films and photos? Would you look further into an interesting math concept? Would you work on your knitting skills?

If you’re interested, here are examples of kids’ ideas on this site:

http://www.geniushour.com/2013/03/31/genius-hour-ideas/

So, should schools create time and place for individuals to pursue the skills and knowledge that are important to them? I feel this is where education is heading and Genius Hour might be a good starting point for some of us as we take on “21st Century Learning”.

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How would you use it in your practice?

I was happy to see my colleague’s excitement as she talked about her new Genius Hour. She was thrilled to see her students so engaged and pouring into their learning. She was impressed with the process as well as the product.

Before she started, she ensured her class would have periodic use of our school I-pads and developed some learning expectations for the students. Then off they went and she dealt with obstacles as they came: learning/teaching how to use particular software and devices, supporting that one student who could not choose a topic for inquiry, managing a whole class all doing something different, etc. There were a lot of bumps, but no casualties!

Here is a basic framework for starting Genius Hour with your students:

1. Ensuring to access technology–devices and skills to use them

2. Brainstorming topics of interest

3. Developing inquiry questions (Modifying as necessary)

4. Creating criteria/expectations with students

5. Students research and prepare

6. Presentation

Interesting blog with some guidance on how to use Genius Hour:http://www.gallitzvi.com/2/post/2012/06/what-is-genius-hour.html

On her blog, Gallit Zvi shares her experiences with Genius Hour.  Below are some examples of how her students present their learning.

“Genius Hour is an amazing time.  All the kids are excited and this creates a buzz in the air!  Some students are huddled around a laptop doing research on countries they are interested in, others are creating websites, PowerPoints and slideshows on an area of interest, and some are out in the hallway filming movies.  Some aren’t using technology at all, but rather are building and creating things with their hands. But no matter what they are working on, the common thread is that it is something they are interested in and/or passionate about.”

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How does this relate to ITC?

Genius Hour can happen with or without technology. I think in many cases, not having access to digital information would limit the student’s ability to teach themselves and find what they need to learn about their topic. In fact, using the technology can be THE inquiry.  21st Century Learning here we come!!

“The vision of a 21st century K-12 education system is rooted in personalised learning.  It focuses on providing students the skills they need to participate in a knowledge-based society, while also allowing them to explore an educational path that is best suited to their interests, their capabilities and their chosen future.”–The Premier’s Technology Council, BC’s Ministry of Education site.

–Genius Hour is not so unlike these 10 Minutes of Fame presentations!

Technolohuh?

Module 1 Questionnaire

1. What policies govern your uses of ICT in your school setting?

Our District has guidelines for technology use for students, teachers, support staff, admin. For example, our District Code of Conduct states that all members of the community will not bully, threaten, harass, intimidate, etc. any person in the community through electronic media.

I know our internet searching has limitations at school (blocked sites) and there are rules verbalized to students about appropriate on-line etiquette.

2. What digital technological resources do you have available for teaching and learning in your school setting?

I have a Mac (desktop), InFocus projector and document reader in my classroom.  I have access to a computer lab with 30 Mac computers. Also, our school has several I-pads, I-touchs, and various  video and photography equipment.

3. Please provide an example of an exemplary use of digital technologies for teaching and learning that you have observed or experienced personally.

My colleague recently assigned a “project” with very few criteria for the product.  Essentially, students were expected to show their knowledge of the French grammar they had recently studied in class in their own, chosen way using technology.  At the beginning students were a bit perplexed but soon the enthusiasm grew. And grew. Somehow grammar had become exciting. Eventually, once a plan was devised, students were on their way to showing what they knew.  Some chose to make a video, some a powerpoint, some using stop-motion animation…various formats emerged.

Why was this an exemplary use of digital technologies?

When the students of my colleague’s grade 5 class presented their work to the whole school at an assembly I noticed a few things: the learning demonstrated by the students (yes, the grammar was there!), the engagement of the audience, the pride in the presenters showing their creativity and knowledge and an overall appreciation from everyone. In a way, the grammar had made it off the page and into life!

4. Please provide an example of a problematic use of digital technologies for teaching and learning that you have observed or experienced personally.

I struggle with limited instruction and experience with the tools available to me.  For example, I have been given a projector and document reader for my class. These tools are useful but not always straightforward to use. (“Dongle!?”)  It takes time for me to learn their uses and like any of the technological tools available to me, I have to teach myself how to use them. I can ask for advice but other teachers don’t always have the time to show me all the details. So I fiddle, read manuals, on-line tutorials but when you’re starting from scratch it can be a lot of time.  (I’m sure I’ll learn some new skills in this class.)

5. Please provide a brief history of how you learned to use digital technologies (personally and professionally).

As I mentioned, in most cases, I have taught myself. I have had some assistance from colleagues and peers but mostly, I just experiment until I figure it out.

6. How would you rate your digital technological proficiency? 0 = low level of proficiency -> 10 = high level of proficiency? Why did you give yourself this rating?

5

I can get by and sometimes I find myself teaching my peers new things so it can’t be that bad. I definitely believe that I have to “catch up” with recent advances though and start using technologies in more creative ways, both personally and professionally.

7. What do you hope to accomplish in this course?

I hope that I will be exposed to ICT in a way that makes me feel comfortable with the future of education…I know using more technology is an important goal for my District.  Overall, some new skills, some new knowledge would be good 🙂