In the school division that I work in, for the past decade our teachers have collaborated, discussed and shared student assessment experiences. From these discussions came about our K-9 report card in 2012. This report card is designed to provide a broader snapshot of how students are learning. It also identifies ways to support student growth and development.
This approach focuses on the broader knowledge and skills that student should learning in each subject. Student performance is then report in one of four categories: exemplary, proficient, approaching proficiency and beginning. This report card emphasizes where student ARE in their learning. Multiple assessment tools, not just %-based tests are being utilized to assess student progress in skills and knowledge outcomes. (See our sample K, grade 4 and grade 7 report cards.)
The way I explain this approach to my non-teacher friends is:
• You go to your doctor for an annual check-up. He/she takes your blood pressure, weighs you, and asks about your overall health, takes blood and urine samples all during your visit. When the results come in from each of those “tests”, your doctor then adds up all these tests and gives you an overall health percentage rating of 81%. Does this then mean that each of these tests were equal in nature and measured the exact same thing? Are you healthier than your friend who received a 75% rating from their doctor the week before? Certainly NOT.
• In the classroom, teachers offer students a variety of assessment opportunities which are not equal in nature and do not ‘measure’ the same thing, therefore adding all of these together to produce a final percentage really doesn’t provide a legitimate picture. As well, adding in our Critical Thinking initiative and Inclusion focus allows students of any academic, behavior, cognitive, and physical level to engage in the learning environment. We want our learning spaces to be filled with exploration, creativity and imagination which make learning exciting and aspiring.
Watch the following video to see what a post-secondary student has to say about an education system that concerns itself with only the “what” of learning. 21st century learning can no longer be ‘sit and get’.
It. Must. Be. Different. To. Engage. Inspire. (our current students)
For those educators who are interested in taking time out of their work to really question their ideas, values and belief systems should take some time to view this incredible playlist of Re-imagining school TED Talks.
These videos are powerful as they allow us to question:
- How is this change affecting my daily work?
- What kind of professional learning support do I require to move forward in my teaching practice?
- How can I share my learning and network with other teachers in my school, in my division, in the province and around the world?
- Are there things that I am doing now that I should be stopping?
As I look at my educational rooted surroundings, I am amazed at how much has changed since I went to school as a student. Yes, I could be dating myself in saying that when I attended K-12 school, the following educational learning conditions were present:
- All students did all the same work
- Videos were shown via 16mm film, VHS and Beta
- Individualized work, memorization and proper study skills were predominant
- I did have teachers who were passionate and engaged my classmates and I but that varied from year to year
- Lots of paper and pen work, reading from textbooks, writing notes from a chalkboard or projector
And now, as an educator myself and former Assistant Principal, attending a K-12 school in 2013 now showcases:
- Differentiation for a variety of student learning styles and student needs
- Opportunity for students to interact with their environment through various media, with other classrooms throughout the world
- Thinking about the thinking = metacognition and building criteria to set a target/make a judgement on the learning experience (ie. Critical thinking)
- Learning from online sources, developing own learning artefacts
- More opportunities for student exploring, creating, imagining and aspiring
Changes that have affected our educational norms have been divulged via Sir Ken Robinson’s infamous February 2006 TED Talk on Schools killing creativity. As well, other changes, due to the internet revolution have challenged us as well. See an updated version of the Social Media Video 2013 below as well as the Social Digital Media Revolution Statistics that will have your head spinning as to the vast expanse and reach social media has on each one of us.
Over the past few weeks I have been gathering information from various sources around Alberta regarding teachers and school division relevant hashtags. As more and more educators and educational institutions use Twitter for discussions, sharing, networking and events, I believe it’s important for teachers to have access to some good Twitter resources. So….. I created this Twitter Cheat Sheet for Alberta teachers.
I just had the opportunity to read through a through-provoking document, “A Great School for All-Transforming Education in Alberta” that I believe all educators should take time to read. Its thirty-five pages are full of information pertaining to Alberta’s journey in curriculum redesign, innovative learning practices and finally Twelve Dimensions for Transforming Education in Alberta.
This is a document that showcases the successes that provincial teachers have acquired while also presenting some challenges to political leaders on how to best partner together to further launch lasting and effective innovative teaching and learning practices. One cannot sit still, for me; a commitment to education is a commitment to learning. I need to model my learning outwardly, I need to stimulate discussions with colleagues, I need to spur action and encourage innovation.
The following WORDLE, (which is a word cloud where the words with greater prominence are the ones that appear more frequently in the source text), was generated using the thirty-five pages of information found in this document. What strikes me with the wordle image is that the words – students, learning, education, and teachers are prominent, yet all pieces of this wordle require connections in order for education in Alberta to move forward, to be innovative and to reflect on the path taken over the past century.
From text to the internet to a recorded video lecture – these thoughts are what I have recently been exposed to on my journey in learning about the brain.
My colleagues in the Learning Services team and I are currently in the midst of a book study on Jensen’s “Teaching with the Brain in Mind” (2nd ed.). With our work in the school division at the forefront and this book in our hands, we are connecting the current brain research to the learning environment. My team is exploring topics such as how the brain works and how its systems affect learning, motivation, critical thinking skills, environmental factors, socialization, the affective domain and memory. How can we, as educators, parents, aunts and uncles take advantage of the amazing revelations science is providing in regarding to brain research in the last 5 years?
Alongside the theme of this book study, I also recently joined the Learning & the Brain Society which brings neuroscientists and educators to explore new research on the brain and learning and its implications in the classroom environment.
Both of these resources – the book and the society – have really allowed me to engage in new conversations with LS team members, administrators and teachers that I work with on a daily basis. The ability to learn about the newest brain research on how learning has changed due to the technological revolution assists me in supporting the work (projects, initiatives, instructional strategies, pedagogy) surrounding the education of our students.
Move forward to a video lecture that I recently listened to, from this Learning & Brain Society, by Dr. Gary W. Small entitled “iBrain: The Technological Alteration of the Student Mind” in which he states that the brain is amazing in its ability to adapt, within reason, to this new 24/7 environment. Yet, our relationship with technology and specifically our students’ relationship with technology has changed drastically in the last few years. Although the brain is plastic and can learn quickly; it still requires some downtime or different experiences to allow it to grow.
“By adolescence, 60% of synapses are trimmed away/pruned.”
Allowing students to pursue a variety of learning opportunities in and out of the classroom is important. This uses different parts of the brain. With students aged 8-18 spending an average of 11.5 hours engaged in tech use per day (Kaiser, 2010, study), that’s a lot of multi-tasking! (And overuse of certain parts of the brain while other parts are not being used ‘weakens’ the brain.)
Students are used to having technology available 24/7 but then they may have less F2F (face to face) conversations, actively listening and notice non-verbal cues. Therefore, empathy and complex reasoning skills may weaken.
Try this exercise with a partner (or have your students try it):
Turn to each other and designate one person as the Speaker and the other as the Listener. The Speaker is to talk about any topic for 30 seconds. The Listener is to actively listen to the Speaker and maintain eye contact without interrupting them. (Feel free to have each person switch roles after so they each have an opportunity to role play.) I notice that through my Cognitive Coaching training, I have become better at refining my ‘coaching’ behavior by pausing and paraphrasing instead of reacting and responding without really listening to what the Speaker is sharing.
What the above exercise is trying to accomplish is to have students understand the importance of connecting personally and directly via eye contact and by listening to another person. Identifying facial expressions, using proper social conventions are impossible through texting/emailing. The development of empathetic and complex reasoning skills for K-12 students is important.
Is technology making our students less creative?
Although jumping website to website, using social media and emailing an assignment all at the same time may be the norm, this type of multi-tasking does not develop quality of thought. There is no chance, when this is occurring for students to take time for thoughtful critical thinking, to expand on current and/or novel ideas. Showing K-12 students how to effectively reflect, review, revise, and research using technology is an important process. I know of some teachers that use blogging and/or e-portfolios as a way for students to share their thoughts, demonstrate some of their new learning and reflect on what their classmates are saying. (Some of our teachers are using WordPress in this manner. As well, Rob Van Nood, a Portland, Oregon teacher recently described how his students use Evernote as their e-portfolio.)
A healthy brain diet
During the video lecture, Small gave a few strategies on how to have a healthy brain. Below are a few of his key points:
Daily physical exercise – 60 minutes per day (Participaction)
Mental exercise – knowing specific important phone numbers, quick recall of the multiplication table, ability to add up purchases before heading to the cash register are important life skills that the brain should be able to handle without the aid of a tech device.
Cognitive training – Look, Snap, Connect. (With LOOK you want to actively observe what you want to learn. SNAP is creating a vivid mental snapshot/memorable image. CONNECT is to visualize a link to associated images.) Guiding students through these three training points will allow their brains to make authentic and memorable connections to the curriculum topic.
Small goes on to note that improving memory and concentration will allow our brain to grow and function effectively. Balance your life between connected to technology and connected to people in-person. In regards to how important focus and developing good attention skills, Small showed us a wonderful YouTube video. This “Whodunnit?” video (think Clue board game) has two parts to it. Watch the first half of it, pause it and then watch the last half.
Pretty neat, eh? Just shows how focusing our complete attention has a huge impact on improving memory and concentration.
“If everyone adopted one regular lifestyle change (one of the four brain diet points above), the prevalence of dementia in the U.S. would decrease by one million cases within five years and 2.5 million cases within 20 years.”
Overall, being aware of the current brain research, balancing the use of tech devices (smartphones, computers, tablets, TV) and continuing to dialogue with education counterparts will make our pruned brains happy and healthy!
This week, I had the opportunity to attend an Apple educational showcase event. It was titled “Engaging, enhancing and inspiring – Breaking down barriers to learning”. Within the half-day format, I believe that it was indeed engaging, enhancing and inspiring.
Although hosted by Apple, the three presenters were from across Canada and Europe. We were treated to: a school program from Ontario, a post-secondary blind student and a software programmer/company founder.
FIRST UP Twentieth Street School has regular and inclusive special education programming. Sabir, the principal spoke about the school context and about her excitement in receiving an iDevice. Enter, Andre, a former CA, now second year teacher, who took the iPod Touch and some apps (like Proloquo2Go, Google, Weather, Dragon Dictation, Voice Memos.)
Andre’s well planned presentation run from his iPodTouch (gotta get me that app!), showed how he used this device in his inclusive specialized classroom for information and communication. His students would search, use online encyclopedias, local weather, how-to videos. They also worked on expanding their communication with others
through using pics and symbols, creating digital stories, making movies and developing oral fluency. Challenges for
Andre have been ensuring that his students use the
equipment safely and knowing how to effectively and purposefully use the technology without creating any anxiety for a student. Benefits are that the iPod touch is lightweight, apps have been easy to use, all learning styles can be
accommodated, students enjoy the tool since it is at their fingertips (where the active learning happens). Andre had some wonderful student video clips to show how students were using the iPod.
SECOND BASE
Jessica Rathwell is a creative writing and digital studies student who is blind. She walked up to the front of the room with her seeing eye dog and iPad. She spoke confidently and clearly about how, since June 2009, her whole world has been opened to many opportunities that ‘seeing’ people already have. The date is significant since this is when Apple brought out accessibility settings as part of their iPhone. Now these settings are part of all Apple products. Jessica pointed out features such as voiceover, zoom, contrast switching, monoaudio, Bluetooth Braille, apps like Pages.
GOING FOR THE HOMERUN David Niemeijer from AssistiveWare spoke about his company providing assistive technology solutions.
I tweeted that: AssistiveWare’s David saying his products r made 4 universal access- ppl ONLY ltd by creativity n talent not by impairment…
Other tweets during the morning and afternoon –
Great vision to push for fuller or more complete access for all instead of pushing a single app – assistiveware from @jonathankonrad
AssistiveWare’s tech is impressive and liberating for all those with impairments. Tech IS the great equalizer! from @MultiMediaGrrl
Proloque2go can be demo-ed at any Apple Store from @MrAaronBall
I am really impressed with assistiveware.com, and the tech solutions they develop for special ed from @danielespejo
The switchX demo was cool. Also would benefit from a doc cam showing the iPad under click control from @jonathankonrad
Below you see the links shared by David via @agauld (Allan, Apple Ed Acct Exec):
Mac products
http://bit.ly/AWMac
Overall, it is important for school personnel to be exposed to as much information, resources, and successful teaching strategies that are available in this digital era.
I recently read an article in the Fast Company March 2011 issue. A Teen Eye for Design accounts how teachers, students, post-secondary design schools and design firms can connect together to provide an authentic learning and creative experience for students.
There are a number of similar projects such as:
Rediscovering Creativity by Building It where Nueva School students collaborate with designers and educators at Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design.
Project Interaction is a 10 week after school program for high school students that guides students in changing their communities through design. A brief intro video is found on their fundraising site.
Sweat Equity Enterprises (SEE) takes place in a real professional environment where teenagers participate year-round for all four years of high school in the US. As SEE expands nationwide this year, it plans to reach thousands of youth, teachers, and professionals. Check out the intro video of SEE with founder Marc Ecko.
Tools for Schools is fully integrated into the School at Columbia’s yearlong curriculum.
So really, what’s so important about having design enter into middle years and high school classrooms?
Whatever way teachers and students have the opportunity to be creative, to engage in authentic learning experiences, collaborate with each other and the community and build relationships in the process is a GREAT thing! In a province that continues to ‘shout out’ that we have an exceptional educational system, we really should look at bolstering up these opportunities as recorded above so that our students can regain their creative nature and our teachers can guide them through critical challenges (not filling in scantron sheets). I wonder how many middle years schools and high schools are able to connect this work and fold it into all aspects of the curriculum? This reminds me of the work that Chris Lehmann’s Science Leadership Academy and San Diego’s High Tech High groups are doing.
Anyone interested in sharing their experiences and/or ideas?
NOTE: The Fast Company magazine is filled with various articles relating to technology, design, ethonomics and leadership. (Ethonomics or ethical economics refers to businesses that are good for the world as well as the bottom line. They are practicing social change through urban revitalization, sustainable agriculture, green IT, alternative energy and online community-powered investing.) It may be one magazine that you’ll want to add to your RSS feed aggregator page!
Wikipedia defines democracy as a:
“form of political organization in which all people, through consensus (consensus democracy), direct referendum (direct democracy), or elected representatives (representative democracy) exercise equal control over the matters which affect their interests.”[1]
Do your students know, truly know, what democracy REALLY entails?
In this age of global awareness, students and teachers have a unique opportunity to authentically understand democracy in action. They will be able to learn that not all countries think democratically in the same way as Canada and that even if a person has the most votes, they may not be elected.
What is happening in the world right now with regards to democracy?
The Irish general election will take place on Friday, February 25th, 2011. Basic facts about Ireland are found HERE, but specific sources of election-related information can be found at:
In Ireland, democracy is said to protect the minority which is a different definition than what is found in Canadian politics. The most seats an Irish party can win in a particular constituency are 3 of 5 seats. Check out what each of the Irish parties are reporting:
Enjoy this authentic real-time opportunity to discuss what democracy looks like in Canada in comparison with the Republic of Ireland. As well, it may be a good time to review the Irish political, social and economic climate, which lead up to this election!
For those of you who know me, I am passionate about technology. If learning can be more engaging, inventive, creative and guide problem solving in new ways that I have never even thought of, why should I not introduce it to my students, staff, administrators and PLN?
Yet using technology in front of a group of administrators, or teachers or even a class of students is not always a turn-key process. There are those educators that truly say, “I have taught this way for many years and it is working very well, so why should I change?” These are people who require more ‘elbow’ time to get a handle on the technology that now surrounds them 24/7. Then, today, I came across a great blog by Janet where she spoke about her phobia regarding technology. It is certainly a blog that I will share with a few technophobes that I know – maybe understanding that they are not alone will assist them in gaining a bit more courage or thought to persevering through it all. As well, Janet shares her song with an amazing YouTube video created by Alex Francisco:
So, to all those technophobes out there, here is some advice:
1) Ask!!! Don’t spend too much time on something only to frustrate yourself.
2) Students are your BEST resource. They live in this digital-age world comfortably and know a few tips and tricks, plus they feel great when the help out.
3) Clarity. Assignments or activities using technology must be precise and clear.
4) Join an online PLN. Whether it is in Twitter or an RSS aggregator of Blogs. It is important that you hear from other professionals going through similar experiences. Ask a tech savvy person to get you going on ONE of these formats.
5) Failure is an opportunity to learn. It is OK when technology does not work or that students require more supervision/guidance. This is an important life skill we all need to work on to grow in our own digital way.
Are the other ways you assist alleged technophobes in your school? Are you a recovering technophobe with a story to share? Comments are always welcome.
I am a Curriculum Educational Technology Facilitator with Parkland School Division in Alberta, Canada. I live to show the amazing connection that technologies can have in the learning and teaching environment for administrators, teachers and students. When not connected to the digital world, I can be found cheering my two children by rinks, courts, alleys, fields and poolsides.
