Contributing to others Blogs - MindLab

Activity 7

http://philatmindlab.weebly.com/home/interdisciplinary-approaches#comments


Activity 8
http://evolutionandimagination.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/mindlab-applied-practice-week-32.html

Activity 8: Changes in My Practice

My MindLab Journey

Mindlab started in November and even though it the course is actually 32 weeks long, it seems almost an eternity since it began. Not that it is a bad thing or anything.  It has been a wonderful experience that has opened my mind to some new and exciting things.  It has helped me understand some of the issues I was dealing with within my own school.  It helped me find some of the "gut" feelings I had and realise that not only did I want to teach digital technologies, but I also wanted to explore eLearning and its true potential.  It is a way of future oriented learning, it is a way to move the teaching and learning beyond the traditional approach, it is a way to help engage the current akonga of today in the teaching and learning process (or should it be: learning and teaching process?).

I always wanted to be able to complete the MindLab course, and I am pleased to say I have now not only been part of it here in Rotorua, through the hard work and determination of NePW but I have also completed it. Undertaking MindLab has also encouraged me to extend my learning further by enrolling in a PostGrad in eLearning. Yes, it has been a catalyst for many changes. Therefore, the outcome is yet to be realised to its truest potential, but it will.

Just completing this course demonstrates my commitment to the Practising Teacher Criteria and e-learning in practicular Criteria 4 where I initiated this learning opportunity to advance my personal professional knowledge and skills.  I have become part of a Community of Practice where eLearning is the focus and there are discussions about the ways that schools and teachers are changing their practice to beome more future orientated. There are valuable ideas gained from the readings and videos that I hope to incorporate into my classroom practice.

What have I changed in my practice?

I think the biggest change for me was the ability to have the experience of teaching in an eLearning environment.  Because I was completing MindLab, I was allowed to teach Social Science in an online environment.  Having a non traditional subject (i.e. not Digital Technologies) timetabled into a ICT room for each lesson is a big thing at our school. As the Practising Teacher Criteria and e-learning - Criteria 6 states "It is important to have explored some of the latest thinking on the integration of e-learning tools in order to use them effectively for teaching and learning".   Having though carefully about the best way to approach this and using research to back up my thinking and ideas was a big help. Through the assessment 2 of Leadership in Digital & Collaborative Learning I was able to reflect on this process. Which is an important part of being a reflective teacher. I used Chalkup as my learning platform, and although it was a good experience I can see room for future emprovement. I would even like to try experiementing with Google Classroom and seeing the differences between each platform.   There is always something new to learn.

Are there more changes to come?

One thing I did struggle for a long time to understand was the effective pedagogy that is paramount for effective teaching and learning in an eLearning environment.  This I think was because I couldn't make specific links between the traditional and what is required.  I knew I thought differently about the teacher role than some of my collegues at my school.  Ever since I did my training to become a teacher I had an understanding of the "jug and mug" theory and I much preferred the facilitator role.

Next year I look forward to being in a new school and applying what I have learned. I look forward to learning a lot more about eLearning throughout the rest of the year through more readings and assignments.

Also, I find that I am continuing to make links between the videos and readings of MindLab.  Growth mindset is important, as is engaging the disengaged... Oh the list here could grow long.

You know, I think I have learned a lot about me too, which has to be a good thing right?

Activity 7: My Interdisciplinary Connection Map

Interdisciplinary Connections comes in two distinct areas.  Firstly is linked with me as a person, with whom do I make my connections with? With whom do I learn with? With whom do I learn from?

One could say that those with whom I have an everday connection with would be the first point in call.  The staff and students I interact with each and everyday, which is the community that I firstly relate to. Then comes the wider community and the whanau linked with the students I have the pleasure of teaching, however, it also goes wider than that.

Being in the education field there are a wide variety of Communities of Practice that if you put yourself out there, they are able to help you grow both as a teacher and as a person (Takahashi, 2011; Vescio, Ross, & Adams, 2008). This is an area where I need to ensure that I keep up with.  There are amazing people doing amazing things in classrooms and who find relevant and useful resources or ideas that just make you think.

Part of this task is to make an interdisplinary connection map, and whilst I have made this map as presented here, I think it could extend even further. There seems like no end point.



Even when I was a student myself I could see the potential of cross-curricular learning experiences.  This view I have not changed. For learning to become real and purposeful we need to open the siloed subject fields and develop learning experiences that open learning in a future orientated view. We have moved from a "knowledge age" where students have a requirement to "know" specific knowledge prior to leaving school.  What our akonga require is the ability to be creative, innovative, critical thinkers who are actively involved and are well prepared for life long learning (Ministry of Education, 2007). This is also identified in the Education Review Office (2012) report on the evaluation of priority learners where they state "we must do better" (Education Review Office, 2012, p9). They even go on to state

It is important that leaders respectfully challenge teachers‟ thinking, including unpacking the assumptions that sit behind some of their habitual practices, so that the focus of their work is always on improving students‟ learning. (Education Review Office, 2012, p10)

The interdisplinary approach to teaching and learning provides an opportunity for this to occur and on my opinion can be part of the secondary curriculum.  It is used well in many primary schools and alternative education providers. As our senior akonga are the closest to joining the workforce it makes sense to provide relevant and meaningful learning experiences. It can be a challenge for secondary staff to cooperatively plan together., especially as this is beyond the "norm". It can make people feel uncomfortable as it is beyond the traditional view of what teaching and learning is. It is about changing the culture of the school (Stoll, 1998) to one where the learners are placed at the forefront. But I challenge the thought behind this, why can we not use the expert staff in more meaningful and relevant ways? Why can't our akonga use the expert staff for guidance and support when they require it? Is it an answer to our disengaged learners in middle school and secondary education (Gibbs & Poskitt, 2010)? I'm not sure, but maybe it would help by providing opportunties for our akonga to take ownership over their learning process in a supportive environment.

Next year, in my new class I hope to incorporate an eLearning environment where there is an importnan focus on interdisplinary connections. Mathison & Freeman (1997) spoke of the need of not only integrating subject areas but also looking at the topic from a subject focus.  This is something that I am not sure is used well in classrooms.  This approach is a little different than setting a wider topic and ensuring curriculum covereage. It is about putting the subject specialist "hat" on and seeing it from that perspective. This slightly new idea is something I will have to ponder on further.

There  is a lot to keep learning about, I suppose that is the key.  If I am wanting my akonga to be innovative, creative, connected, life long learners then I need to ensure that I keep abreast of what is happening in the educational world, to keep involved in the Communities of Practice I have established to ensure that I am able to provide the best learning and teaching opportunties for my akonga. The old age addage "practice what you preach".

Education Review Office. (2012). Evaluation at a Glance : Priority Learners in New Zealand Schools August 2012, (August). Retrieved from http://www.ero.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Evaluation-at-a-Glance-Priority-Learners-in-New-Zealand-Schools-August-2012.pdf

Gibbs, R., & Poskitt, J. (2010). Student engagement in the middle years of schooling (years 7-10): A literature review. Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Education.

Jones, C. (2009). Interdisciplinary Approach - Advantages, Disadvantages, and the Future Benefits of Interdisciplinary Studies. Essai, 7(2009), 75–81.

Mathison, S., & Freeman, M. (1997). The logic of interdisciplinary studies. Journal of Development Studies. http://doi.org/10.1080/00220387408421516

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum (Vol. 116). Wellington: Learning Media. Retrieved from http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum

Ministry of Education. (2012). Future-oriented learning and teaching, (26).

Stoll, L. (1998). School culture audits: making a difference in school improvement plans. School Improvement Network’s Bulletin 9, 11(1), 74–82. http://doi.org/10.1177/1365480207086756

Activity 6: Using social online networks in teaching and/or professional development

First, there was the Internet, and from this there was information. Currently, we have Web 2.0, and fast approaching is Web 3.0. Our world is changing and the way that learning occurs is changing too.

“Professional learning for educators is a lifelong endeavour, sustained through one’s career and evolving largely as a result of practice-based experiences” (Melhuish, 2013, p. 20).

Living in a siloed education system is not enough.  We as educators need to collaborate not only within our school but also nationally and internationally as well. With the rise of easily accessible Web 2.0 tools that can follow us wherever there is a networked device, this is now becoming easier and easier. Siemens (2006)and Downes (2012) describe this as connectivism through the use of Communities of Practice (Learning-Theories.com, n.d.; Wenger, 2009) where there is a community, a domain and a practice (Wenger, 2009, p. 1).

I, myself, am not as connected as I should/could be.  It’s not to say I am not learning in a digital way but there are times where I struggle to see the purpose to have social media consume every moment in my life.  Maybe because the school I was employed at didn’t actively encourage it either.  In saying this, in recent months I have become more attuned to the benefits especially when it comes to learning for my students. Especially as I know that many of our students are connected to many forms of social networking at the ‘hip’. It would be interesting to experience the shift from using such tools as communication tools to ones that are also used for learning.

Image Source: http://www.cybersecurity.hk/en/learning.php

I love professional development, especially those that focus on increasing engagement and achievement of my learners.  I have attended Google conferences based on digital technologies and met some wonderful like-minded people from throughout New Zealand. Furthermore, finally making a Google+ account has not only connected me with Mindlabbers but also to other communities like Google Apps in Education. I thoroughly enjoy learning about new ways to achieve a task and see further potential.

I have made a start, and it is only a start, so I look forward to utlising my learning, becoming more active in my ‘networked communities’ and extend my learning even further. 

Downes, S. (2012). Connectivism and Connective Knowledge: essays on meaning and learning networks. National Research Council Canada,. Retrieved from http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&btnG=Search&q=intitle:Connectivism+and+Connective+Knowledge+Essays+on+meaning+and+learning+networks#0

Learning-Theories.com. (n.d.). Communities of Practice (Lave and Wenger) - Learning Theories. Retrieved May 15, 2016, from http://www.learning-theories.com/communities-of-practice-lave-and-wenger.html

Melhuish, K. (2013). Online social networking and its impact on New Zealand educators’professional learning. The University of Waikato. Retrieved from http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/8482/thesis.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

Siemens, G. (2006). Connectivism : A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technologyand Distance Learning, 2(1), 3–10. Retrieved from http://202.116.45.236/mediawiki/resources/2/2005_siemens_Connectivism_A_LearningTheoryForTheDigitalAge.pdf

Wenger, E. (2009). Communities of practice: a brief introduction. Communities, 1–5. Retrieved from http://www.ewenger.com/theory/