Posted Date: May 19, 2013
Subject: Taking Brett’s Advice

Ashley,

The way it works is every school is assigned a .1 Literacy/Numeracy Mentor. This is part of my assignment but as I am already working full-time it becomes additional time. It can be used solely to release the mentor teacher but I have had more success sharing this time with the whole staff. In this way it can support individual teacher plans or staff initiatives. Interested teachers request time and typically I am able to grant their requests; we actually have a surplus this year!

Groups of teachers can also access support through the district’s Enhancing Learning Fund which supports action research projects. There is an application process and a reporting requirement but funds, up to $ 1200.00 per request per year, are generally given.

At my school this year we coordinated the .1 Literacy/Numeracy mentor time, an Enhancing Learning Project, and our new interest in technology (iPads) to maximize our resources. Right now there is a lot of interest, some initial projects that did not have the desired results, and much to discuss as a staff. It would be great if the work was as clean and neat as it appears when you right it up. I enjoy the challenge of working and learning with groups of teachers. Sometimes frustrating, it is always rewarding!

Don

 

Posted Date: May 19, 2013
Subject: Taking Brett’s Advice

Michelle,

Your 5 Why’s technique reminds me of a SMART learning strategy for determining why something is important. I had forgotten how powerful a thinking tool it can be. Thanks for the reminder of how important it is considered “why” before we jump into “how”.

Don

 

Posted Date: May 19, 2013
Subject: Week one Reflections

Jennifer,

Have to admit that sometimes the linear arrangement of Connect leaves me at loose ends; so many threads unravelling at once I am afraid the tapestry will disappear. I wonder if the physical layout, kind of an updated email approach, is partly to blame. I think a web-like layout could be helpful. Topic in the middle, postings (with picture ID – easier to keep track relating comments to a face) around the outside with connections between them. An app like Poplet is close to what I have in mind. You can mind map, embed links and media, and allow multiple users. It may help us see the whole picture while partcipating in discussions. Technology allows us to rethink our approach; I agree that moving beyond a text based approach could be helpful.

Don

 

Posted Date: May 19, 2013
Subject: Taking Brett’s Advice

Ginelle,

Thanks for the response. I do get the concern about time to explore technology but in my school teachers can access paid release time for this purpose. The fund can also be accessed for any project related to literacy or numeracy. It is specifically marked to pay for teacher time but most teachers do not access it. There are no hoops to jump through and the fund is teacher-driven. I think there is a deeper reason for teacher reluctance to explore and integrate technology. Risk taking and change are always difficult. Perhaps more support for this attitude is needed. Motivation and engagement are difficult to bring out externally.

Don

 

Posted Date: May 19, 2013
Subject: Theorizing About Learning

Adrienne,

Great comment about student motivation and learning. I think the challenge to break out of expectations and traditional models exists in all teaching. Online learning provides another opportunity to redefine teaching with a focus on learning. I see the challenge in the courses I haven taken through MET; how to move beyond a “read the article and answer the guiding questions format” to something more interactive, deep, meaningful, real, and relevant. Not sure of the answer but the lenses offered by Anderson do help as does dialogue. I agree with the concern about jumping through hoops but as I engage in MET and feel more like a co-conspirator as it moves to challenge and change course delivery. And yet, I still like getting a good mark and positive feedback…so there you go…

Don

 

Posted Date: May 18, 2013
Subject: Reflection on Anderson’s Article

Michelle,

I agree with you about the power of and need to account for previous learning with the example of metacognition.

My degree project is an investigation of the use of mobile electronic portfolios to replace report cards in Kindergarten. Reflection and metacognition are integral processes in the development and application of portfolios. The are not processes typically associated with young children but as our understanding of their developmental nature has improved, so has our ability to observe their presence and growth in students. Little kids are fairly natural in their approach to self-awareness. Somehow we lose sight of this and then find we must “teach” it when they get older. Imagine if we recognized it, accounted for it, and facilitated its growth from the very beginning. What other areas could we give more time and attention…

Thanks for making this point…I’ll get down off my soapbox…

Don

 

Posted Date: May 18, 2013
Subject: Taking Brett’s Advice

Michelle,

The added difficulty is when current practice, separate from technology, does not align with what the research says about learning. Teaching spelling as separate subject is not well supported by research and yet many teachers still approach it this way. There are some exciting and well designed apps and programs designed to teach spelling. They are appealing but are still built on a premise not supported by the research.

I think teachers need to discuss the “why” of what and how we teach. There is a tendency to hide behind professional autonomy, which seems to mean “I’ll do what I want because its what I want to do”, instead of engaging in a critical examination of practice. My worry, is that when we do not engage we leave ourselves open to being told what we will do. This happens time and again with “top-down” curriculum revision. I am concerned that the use of technology to support learning is travelling down this road.

Don

 

Posted Date: May 18, 2013
Subject: Online Learning Environments

Ashley,

I agree that assessment has a bad reputation. I think this is due, in part, to a traditional view that separates it from learning. It’s the “test” to judge the learning. It’s the add-on, extra work at the end of a lesson. I know this was the case when I started teaching. The move now, and this is not new thinking, is to embed it throughout lessons. More than formative assessment, I look at it as part of the dialogue between students and teachers; all members of the learning community giving feedback to each other and adjusting to this feedback to improve learning. Feedback is something I give and receive in my Kindergarten (and K’s are really good at giving constructive feedback!) to keep us focused and on track. It’s integral to the wonderful experience when learning becomes more than the sum of its parts.

Don

 

Posted Date: May 17, 2013
Subject: Taking Brett’s Advice

Hi All,

First, thanks Kate for getting the ball rolling by summarizing the article and offering insights. Going first requires some courage, especially in a new learning environment.

I agree with many of the posts made, briefly:

• While the exact expression and weight of each characteristics may be unique in a given lesson, I do believe quality learning is community-centered, knowledge-centered, learner-centered, and assessment-centered.
• These four characteristics are not unique to online learning. I think Anderson’s models provide a good lens for thinking about learning.

I also agree that eLearning increases and changes the ways teachers and students interact. I agree with Brett’s comment that in previous courses there was “the tendency for there to be a large number of posts that were more or less focused on similar points instead of fewer posts that delved into those topics at a more deeper level”. I think he got it right when he suggested that teacher designed parameters and scaffolding can address these issues but I worry about the potential cost to open-ended exploration and discussion. When I started teaching many years ago (I think the lesson was about teaching the people in the next cave how to make fire) the focus was on teacher and content. The characteristics of learners, community, and assessment were rarely discussed. Now, I find myself more of a facilitator and mentor (even though I teach Kindergarten) than the all-knowing expert. Guide and scaffold yes…direct and control…no.

Secondly…taking Brett’s advice I am going to offer something new…

Anderson’s suggestion that “we need theories of online learning that help us invest our time and limited resources most effectively” really struck a chord with me. I am currently working with the staff at my school to make decisions about the use of technology to support learning. The discussion started because the cost of a program currently used by some of the teachers has nearly double. This, coupled with more interest by more teachers, means we need to make decisions in response to some very real fiscal pressure. This can be challenging because although the talk seems to be about money and technology, it quickly becomes about teaching, learning, content, and assessment. My challenge is getting teachers to engage in this discussion. There is no point in choosing a technology based tool to support learning when you can’t agree on why and how learning should be supported. It is precisely this kind of conversation that I enjoy most in MET. There is a tendancy to emphasis the T(echnology) in MET while downplaying the E(ducational). As a community of learners and teachers, I am glad we have time to focus on it.

Don

 

Posted Date: May 13, 2013
Subject: Hi from Vancouver Island!

Hello,

My name is Don Adams. I live in Sidney on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. I thought I’d try something new for my autobiographical sketch.

I also thought I’d provide a link to my blog which details the information in my word cloud.

I look forward to an exciting course and to working with everyone.

Don