The policies that are included in the Learning and Technology Policy Framework are:
1. Student-Centred Learning Technology is used to support student-centred, personalized, authentic learning for all students. 2. Research and Innovation Teachers, administrators and other education professionals read, review, participate in, share and apply research and evidence-based practices to sustain and advance innovation in education. 3. Professional Learning Teachers, administrators and other education professionals develop, maintain and apply the knowledge, skills and attributes that enable them to use technology effectively, efficiently and innovatively in support of learning and teaching. 4. Leadership Education leaders establish policy and governance structures, cultivate innovation and build capacity within the system to leverage technology in support of student-centred learning and system efficiencies. 5. Access, Infrastructure and Digital Learning Environments All students, teachers, administrators and other education professionals have access to appropriate devices, reliable infrastructure, high-speed networks and digital learning environments. My role in helping policies such as these come to fruition starts in my classroom. If I can prove the success that these policies are essential for a classroom at any age, then the likelihood of others adopting it is more likely. The first and foremost constant that all teachers need to know is that they will need to lose control. Part of losing control means that the educator doesn’t know everything-- and that is okay (Winske, 2014). Once we relinquish our control we can invite technology and opportunities for true creation to happen. With this mindset, it makes it more likely that educators will embrace technology and its unknowns. Data from a study in a mechanics course at the University of New South Wales found that use of (Smart Sparrow) technology platform reduced student failure rates from 31% to 7% (Kurshan, 2016). This type of data is essential in validating such proposals. My personal goal would be to implement technology in my classroom and use my results and data to compare to classroom teachers who do not use technology. Kurshan, B. 2016. Technology and Classroom Data. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/barbarakurshan/2016/07/26/technology-and-classroom-data/#2de8dff42039 I read through everyone’s blogs and found we all shared similar views. How could we not when we have been so studious with technology in the classroom? We know the importance of crafting and we know that today crafting isn’t just scissors, glue, and color. Crafting has taken on a new meaning-- perhaps, making will be the crafting of the 21st century.
My favorite ideas that I read about, that I too wrote in my initial blog, were sewing with electronics. The best type of technology is one that challenges you to go beyond what is presented. Being able to craft technology into a wearable art is just the beginning of what the new age crafting looks like. Melinda talked about using various ideas such as, “How to Sketch with Electronics” during a Genius Hour and I found this a great idea. Once a teacher introduces the idea of crafting with electronics, I’m sure students would flourish during genius hour with the right materials. The main takeaway from this week would be how I can put these ideas into a genius hour format. How can I introduce these concepts in a way they can grasp and then encourage students to go beyond what I taught? These are things I would love to explore and experiement with during this coming year. How are electronics viable additions to “crafting” for today’s young person?Designing and creating in the 21st century goes beyond the tangible crafts. We have entered a world where electronics can be easily created and manipulated by even the most novice.
As shown in the video by Leah Buechley in her TED Talk, conductive pens, paper, and a few accessible tools can create light. With a simple understanding of coding, students can move a robot around the path they create with markers. This type of fluid technology is what has made crafting for the young person today go beyond pencil and paper. Companies like Chibitronics are making it less intimidating and more realistic for educators to bring circuits into their classroom. Students can add light to their art by learning a few basic ideas about how energy is transferred using certain materials. Integrating technology into sewing may have seemed bizarre a few years ago, but today it is completely possible to bring this type of crafting into the classroom. Using Arduino kits and a basic understanding of circuits, students can bring to life their clothing or add a digital element to a basic wearable concept (Einarson, 2013). Communication, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity are the four C’s that are driving educators towards a more holistic and authentic classroom (ISTE Connects, 2017). If we look up the definition of crafting, it is “an activity involving skill in making things by hand.” The four Cs naturally guide the learner towards crafting using a multitude of mediums. If we implement the four Cs in our classroom then our students will craft and design by engaging in authentic learning. Sources: Einarson, E. 2013. Go Bionic With These Wearable Arduino Projects. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2013/01/wearable-arduinos/ Davis. 2017. Makerspaces: the benefits. Retreived from https://curiositycommons.wordpress.com/makerspaces-the-benefits/ Fritz-Palao, H. 2016. How to create a makerspace in the classroom. Retrieved from http://blog.mimio.com/how-to-create-a-makerspace-in-the-classroom ISTE Connects. 2017. 11 hot Edtech trends to watch. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=865 Martinez, S. L., & Stager, G. (2013). Invent to learn: Making, tinkering, and engineering in the classroom. Torrance, CA: Constructing modern knowledge press Sitka School District. Retrieved from https://www.sitkaschools.org/Page/2557 My school has not yet adopted or talked about the BYOD policy so researching this topic shed a lot of light on this matter. Before, I would have been ignorant to all the potential consequences of allowing such a policy. After reading through various blogs I see the great potential, but this can only be accomplished with thorough background work. A few challenges as reported by Peter Martini from Teach Thought are:
As for NEEDING a BYOD policy, I don’t think this should ever be mandatory, but encouraged. If students already have these devices and most schools don’t have the means to provide more technology, then this seems like an obvious solution. With every tool or strategy automatically comes setbacks. It is how we approach these inevitable setbacks that makes it useful and productive. A major concern is that BYOD would cause an increase in student distraction. Govering.com contradicts this by saying, “But others argue that what appears to be a distraction to one generation not used to mobile devices is just a judgment not backed by rigorous data. Kristen Purcell, the associate director at Pew, told The New York Times that the study’s findings could show that the education system must adjust to the way students learn (Holeywell, 2013).” Many districts have begun this new era BYOD and offer sound advice for any districts wanting to begin this approach. Dayton ISD in Southeast Texas reported that the key strategies to making it work are: Add ample bandwidth and update your wireless infrastructure. Take a team approach that involves curriculum and technology leaders. Plan age-appropriate use. Pilot with a smaller group first (Caramanico, 2014). “In this decade, it is no less important to teach children how to use their other technology “brains” as it is to teach them to use their physical brains — to ignore such an obvious and powerful augmentation would be irresponsible (Panagos).” This statement comes from Wired.com in support of BYOD. As we advance forward, our brains must as well and part of this means meeting the students where their lives are at. Caramanico, N. 2014. BYO, Chromebooks and Innovative Learning in Southeast Texas. Retrieved from https://www.k12blueprint.com/success-stories/byo-chromebooks-and-innovative-learning-southeast-texas Holeywell, R. 2013. BYOD Policies, Growing More Popular, Create Challenges for Schools. Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/blogs/view/gov-byod-policies-create-school-challenges.html Panagos, T. The Future of Education: BYOD in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/insights/2013/09/the-future-of-education-byod-in-the-classroom/ Martini, P. 4 Challenges That Can Cripple Your School’s BYOD Program. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/technology/4-challenges-can-cripple-schools-byod-program/ What game have you seen that could help students learn?Games and software are something I grew up with during my childhood. Had teachers started using them for educational purposes I can only imagine how much more engaged I would have been. Thankfully, most of the work is done for us these days. We can log on to software like Minecraft, Prodigy, ABCya, or Monument Valley with ease and let our students challenge themselves through a whole new medium.
Minecraft is filled with endless possibilities for students to create and engineer buildings and cities. It’s ability to connect to your curriculum makes the game even more powerful (Miller, 2016). Another game that I have personally seen and used in my classroom is Prodigy. This online software has the ability to transform (elementary) math into a world of fun challenges. I have done a few reviews on this game before, but that is because I really haven't found anything that quite compares to it. This game has its own fantasy world that users can explore and gain tools by completing challenges. These challenges are math skills that are up to the teacher’s discretion. It is a great program for review purposes rather than teaching new skills; however, in my own experience I have seen students understand a concept I never taught through the mere drive to get to the next level. “Sometimes kids just need some math practice to get things to stick, and Prodigy delivers in a fun format with great teacher support (Lix, 2015).” Additionally, Prodigy collects data, which if done right, can serve as a great formative assessment and keep the teacher up to date on struggling areas. I used this program with my second graders and can attest to its success. The best unexpected result I got from Prodigy was that my struggling students finally understood basic math concepts because of Prodigy. I am a huge fan and plan on incorporating it even more into my classroom this next year. The downfall to Prodigy is that it is strictly math and that can be limiting for some teachers (Greene, 2016). However, when used with balance and in line with your curriculum, I strongly believe its ability to engage students is exactly what us educators have been looking for. Green, J. 2016. Prodigy Math Game Review. Retrieved from http://3jlearneng.blogspot.com/2016/04/prodigy-math-game-review.html Lix, C. 2015. Common Sense Review: Prodigy. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/game/prodigy Miller, A. 2016. Ideas for Using Minecraft in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/minecraft-in-classroom-andrew-miller I enjoyed reading other blogs this week because of everyone’s varying ideas on what could come of the 3D printer. Carolyn’s ideas were how the 3D printer will revolutionize classroom materials. We no longer will need to rely on outside sources, and can instead print them right in our classroom.
Melinda brought up logistical points that are definitely realistic in our society. She talked about the teacher training aspect and how that would cost a lot of time and money. I could see this being a big hinderance in the education world for how fast we get 3D printers in the school. Technology is here and ready, but I have seen that even with ipads, it hasn’t taken off in all schools because lack of teacher training and money. It is easy to jump on the bandwagon of new technology and imagine all of the potential. However, as Pepper mentioned in her blog, is all of this possible or even practical? She expressed mixed feelings on this and it gave me a different perspective of the “what if” elements. First off, it is very expensive, and I don’t ever see it being a “cheap” option. Secondly, how can we use it for every subject at every age? Will it be user friendly for the youngest students? Will it be as easy as we predict to create just about anything? The 3D printer is one of those amazing yet slightly intimidating technologies. It has a great amount of potential, but what negative side effects may come from this? Overall, this week was a new insight into the 3D printer and what it can actually do. I have a new desire to learn and practice on the 3D printer when that opportunity presents itself. How can 3D printing change the way we think about education?
This past year I was able to see a 3D printer in the classroom and the process and purpose behind it. Having this real perspective of the potential of a 3D printer has made me think a lot about what this will mean for the future of education. The most important being more possibilities- perhaps ones we haven’t even thought of yet.
It is exciting for me to see a tool such as the 3D printer in the classroom because of all the uses we will begin to discover by using it. Tech insider noted its uses ranging from a chip bag clip to replacing a piece on your headphones to a combination lock (Eadicicco, 2015). Life as we know it is changing with the invention of the 3D printer. If the way we live and how long we live is going to drastically change, then the possibilities seem endless when it comes to education (Federico-O'Murchu, 2014). Biology can take a more physical approach and print the actual object being studied. Learning about the flow of blood through the body? Elementary kids could learn how to print an actual heart and see a physical representation of what they are learning. 3D printing could allow physics in high school to build replicas of bridges, cars, or light sources to better understand force or electricity. Of course this is all in the far future. As mentioned before, this year I was able to see it in action and there is a lot of potential right now for this tool in the classroom. It brings excitement and curiosity to the classroom. I saw students gain a deeper understanding of the technological world as they watched this machine transform their computer prototype into a real tangible object. Students can take a unit further by creating a 3D object instead of the traditional cardboard, recycled materials, drawings, or paintings. Teachers can assign more open-ended projects or put students to the test by asking them to solve real world problems (Kane, 2017). My research on this week’s question to me to video after video and below are a few quite intriguing uses of 3D printing.
In education we seek any opportunity, strategy, or concept that teaches beyond its main objective. Anything that reaches the targeted audience and can teach useful life skills or be cross-curricular is typically a win-win in any situation. This week, I was extra focused on finding the cons for teaching coding because my experience has all been based around the pros of it.
The reasons for coding could go on and on. The most important ones, in my opinion, is that it teaches life skills that are needed for any subject. These skills are:
Teaching computer science allows students to, “Learn creative expression, principles of problem solving and logic, collaboration, and communication with peers through computation (Williams, 2016).” Teaching coding is not just so that students can be more inclined to pursue a computer science career, but rather to gain deeper skills by using the technology we have available today. Even if coding becomes outdated by the time they reach the workforce, they will have learned the basics of computer science just like they do with math, writing, and reading. It’s not an argument that coding is the future for our kids and it will be relevant in their lives as they grow up. However, is the intensity surrounding coding necessary? Do our children really need to be forced to learn to code now that software and apps are taking over our daily habits? The article Should We Really Try to Teach Everyone to Code?, questions whether coding will be relevant in the near future and if that is what we should teach our students. It suggests that we should be automatizing the coding industry by making it more fluid, stream-line, and efficient by essentially eliminating the idea of coding (Gottfried, Sehringer). Technology is constantly improving and though coding is how we create and develop software, does this necessarily mean it will be what we use in 5, 10, or 20 years? This argument against the hype surrounding coding is that we are teaching outdated technology when we should be teaching more progressive ideas. Other articles in opposition merely state that teaching coding at a young age is simply pointless. Terri Williams argues that 1) children shouldn’t be expected to be career ready or prepared and we should just let them think and create innovatively without expectations. And 2) coding will become outdated by the time young children are in the work force (Williams, 2016). He also quotes another researcher who said, “Taylor argues that learning to code at a young age isn’t the key to success. “What will make kids successful in this tech-driven world is whether they can think – creatively, innovatively, and expansively – and that is accomplished through free, unstructured play (Williams, 2016).” Studies won’t be able to show whether fully incorporating coding for every age will improve the next generation’s future, or not. It won’t show whether the hype around coding was worth the investment. However, we do know that students enjoy coding and that it has taught a lot of relevant skills that apply today and in the future. Computer science will only improve and advance with time and it is our duty that we are teaching these skills and not those from 20 years ago. Coding, like all things, needs a balance and purpose. Being fully against coding seems idealistic, and being completely engrossed in coding will shadow other important skills. Balance and logic is key. Sources: Gottfried, Sehringer. Date N/A. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/insights/2015/02/should-we-really-try-to-teach-everyone-to-code/ Harrell, 2015. Add Coding to Your Elementary Curriculum.. Right Now. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/add-coding-elementary-curriculum-now-matt-harrell Williams, Terri. 2016. Teaching kids to code- is it a bad idea? Retrieved from https://www.goodcall.com/news/teach-kids-to-code-09226 Since this week I have been brainstorming many different tools that would help improve my student’s learning and my teaching strategies. A lot of the ideas I think of I have to ask myself if this has already been created or in the works. Turns out, if one Googles an idea, it most likely has already been thought of and being trialed somewhere around the World. My idea is a little farfetched as it used holograms to communicate between home and school.
Other ideas I read about were wristbands (like watches) that students wear to collect all types of data in blogs such as Andrea’s and Brandy’s. They are great ideas in thought, but what would the consequences of such intricate tracking bring? Too invasive? Create a sense of lack of control? Could we be micromanaging our students too much? I know I am the type of learner that needs frequent breaks. I need to get up and move around- walk away from the learning environment for a minute. As an elementary student, my teachers may have thought I was neglecting my work when in reality I was refreshing my brain. Could tracking devices start to get in the way of student’s freedom? These are ideas I suggested in Brandy’s blog. I also offered suggestions to Erica about her wrist wearing device that would also collect data. She would then go back and analyze the data to create better learning environments in her classroom. I asked if this were to be a real tool, would she have enough time in her day to look at this data and make the best decisions? Or, would a device that could also run an analysis and find the best matches/strategies be more useful to a teacher? Again, when does the IoT become too much and debilitating? Before this week I had never heard of the internet of things. After putting time and research into this concept, I can’t say I love it or dislike it. I am fearful that the ease of use it brings to education will eliminate the importance of a teacher and/or put limitations and restrictions on our students. In the digital age, if there is one thing I have seen it is that many negatives can arise when technology makes life more easy and simple. The rise of the internet of things will be interesting to see what becomes more efficient and what positive and negative changes come from this. |