Reflections on the Hole in the Wall

I recently watched Sugata Mitra's 2013 TED award-winning talk in which he sets out his idea of the future of education.  It's a compelling and entertaining talk, and I urge you all to watch it if you haven't already done so.

In a nutshell, Mitra conducted a series of experiments about learning.  He went to remote villages in India and placed a computer somewhere where children could access it.  The computers only operated in English, which the kids didn't speak.  After a time, Mitra would go back to see what the kids had done, and they had invariably learned how to operate the computer, learned some English, and learned some other things besides.  With their natural curiosity and some resources, children organized their own learning.

Mitra points out that schools as we know them are becoming increasingly outdated as they no longer focus on the knowledge and skill sets students will need in their future lives.  The notion of teachers imparting wisdom to students is becoming defunct as students are able to easily research anything they wish to know.  With the abundance of information so easily accessible on the internet, the challenge for teachers is no longer getting information across to students; we must instead ask ourselves 'How can we motivate students to want to know?'  The children in remote villages studied by Mitra seem like an exceptional case - they are extremely motivated by the novelty of computers and the internet, and excited by the world of information suddenly available to them.  How do we get already computer-literate and internet-using children as excited about discovery?

The simple answer is that we, the teachers, need to ask the right questions.  Organizing a curriculum around fascinating questions that students will want to answer is one way to engage them in learning, and to make them responsible for their own progress.  It is the teacher's responsibility to make the curriculum interesting enough for students - if it is boring or irrelevant, why are we trying to make them learn it?  Complex content can be framed as a great question, and teachers can help guide students as they form an answer.  Mitra envisions a model of a Self Organized Learning Environment (SOLE), in which teachers ask a question, then stand back and admire the answer.  The teacher can and should leave the room to observe from afar while the students work on the problem.

This idea of asking essential questions is an important one that is applicable to any classroom.  Learning can and should be organized around real-world concerns rather than falsely divided subjects.  You can find a list of big questions here on the School in the Cloud website, set up after Mitra's TED talk to help fulfill his vision of SOLEs around the world.  I recommend taking a look through these questions and maybe contributing some of your own.

To find out how Mitra has been developing his ideas since his TED win, watch this recent update on how the School in the Cloud is coming along.

Finally, see how Finland are reorganizing their schools to focus on topics instead of subjects, in a move I hope will catch on everywhere.

The hole in the wall experiments show us that all kids need is the knowledge of how to learn, and a big question to spark their interest, and they will do the rest for themselves.  We just have to let them.

Blended, Flipped and Personalized Learning

As education starts to think about catching up with everything else in today's supremely tech-integrated world, a lot of possibilities are opening up for changing the dynamics of our classrooms.  Technology is introducing an element of flexibility not possible in a traditional classroom, which has benefits for teachers and students.  Here I will take a quick look at three models of tech integration i the classroom - blended, flipped and personalize learning.

Blended Learning

The term blended learning covers a variety of approaches, but the signature feature of blended learning is that it combines online instruction with face-to-face work in the classroom.  This could involve splitting students into groups, with one group watching lectures or taking quizzes online, while other groups work on projects or work with the teacher.  This allows the teacher to focus on smaller groups of students while the others work at their own pace learning online.

This infographic from Knewton has heaps of information about different kinds of blended learning.

Flipped Learning

In a flipped classroom, teachers make use of podcasts, videos and presentation tools to deliver content to students for viewing outside the classroom.  Class time is focused on group work, practicing, solving problems etc.  Using class time to engage with the content viewed at home allows the teacher to provide help where students need it, and solve issues as they arise. 

This video says it all about flipped learning.

Personalized Learning

Personalized learning is student-driven, directed by each student’s interests, learning style and needs.  The pace of learning varies from student to student, as well as the content itself.  Extensive use of online technologies allow teachers to personalize learning for their students instead of fitting every student into one time frame or set of assignments.

Read this chart for some characteristics of personalized learning

http://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/personalized-learning-special-report-2014/a-working-definition.html

So what's best for me?

I would love to flip my future high school ELA classroom.  Some tasks that are often set as homework, such as reading practice or writing, would be better done in class so that students can get immediate feedback on their work and correct problems or move on to new challenges as they are ready.  In addition to saving class time, watching videos or presentations outside of class could be more helpful to students than listening to a teacher lecture, as online learning can utilize a variety of media to help students with different learning styles understand the content.  Students who don’t immediately understand a video lecture can easily watch it again, or simply view a different one on the same topic.  Unlike in-person lectures, online videos can also be available for student reference as they are engaging with the topic they learned about.  I could make my own lecture videos or presentations, or make use of some of the fantastic resources already available online – lecturing in class does not allow this kind of flexibility.  When the time comes for students to use what they have learned, I will be on hand to give them immediate feedback, guidance or further challenge.

If you're still not convinced that a flipped classroom is a great idea, here is the mind-blowing video I made about it.

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I made a classroom webpage.

It's a work in progress.  And it's not as clear or as fancy-looking as I would like.

But here it is.

I used Google sites because I love having everything integrated with Google - I can easily link documents and stuff from my Google Drive into my webpage for students to use.  However, I don't like the layout of the webpage and it's not that easy to use or change.  When I have an actual classroom, I might use another web[age tool like Weebly.

A Digital Story

I recently learned about digital storytelling, which is the same as regular storytelling except the product is digital and you have SO MUCH SCOPE for creativity with all the digital tools available on the interwebs.  Digital stories can have photos, video, music, animation - anything.  I was rally taken with some stop-motion animation that people are doing, and especially entertained by this:

After learning about what digital storytelling is and spending a very enjoyable evening watching some examples, I was challenged to create my own digital story about my digital footprint.  While I love stop-motion animation and really want to try it in class someday, now is not the time, so instead I made this ridiculously childish storybook using some great art available at Storybird

Take a look at my book here and let me know what you think.  Have you created a digital story?  How did it go?

Cooking with TPACK

Today I have been completing a quest in which I tried to do some cooking with a tool that was not necessarily made for the job.  The task is called 'Cooking with TPACK'.

TPACK is a framework of how content, technology and pedagogy should overlap to produce a complete learning experience.

Image from http://www.tiltnet.org/tpack.html

In this task, I had to use a utensil that I didn't choose to complete a random task.  I ended up chopping vegetables with a potato peeler.  This actually could have been a lot worse, as a peeler does at least have a sharp edge so I was able to thinly slice the veggies with it.  Watch this video to see how I got on.

I learned that re-purposing tools can work to get the job done, but probably not as well as the right tool for the job.  The classroom implications for this are that the best experiences happen when the tool, the task and the knowledge are in sync.  You might be able to create a lesson without the right tools or technology and achieve some results, but you can do something much better when you select a tool that really allows you to fulfill the potential of the task.  One surprise of my task was that I was able to slice the veggies quite well, just in a different way than I would have done with a knife.  In the same way, when we use technology in the classroom we open up the possibility of redefining traditional activities and doing something that simply couldn't be done before.  As teachers, we just need to make sure that we choose the correct tools, so we don't end up trying to slice vegetables with a rolling pin.

Digital Citizenship 101

Have you ever thought about your digital footprint?

Just as in real life, actions we undertake online have real consequences.  The newness of digital media and the apparent anonymity of Internet use can make our online lives seem inconsequential or unreal.  However, as more and more of our lives are based online, real laws are being developed to apply to internet use, and real crimes can be committed online.  Teachers, students and parents need to be aware of the benefits and dangers of digital lives, in order to protect ourselves in the real online world.


In real life the interactions we have with others are face-to-face, so we cannot say something anonymously or do something that cannot be attributed to us.  Our actions will have consequences, positive or negative, for our lives and the lives of those affected by our words and actions.  Thinking about the consequences can stop us from doing something unwise, unkind or illegal, or it can prompt us to do something actively kind and helpful.  Stopping to think about the results of our decisions is a valuable use of a few seconds and helps us to become good citizens.  This kind of thinking can break down, however, when it comes to our digital lives.  As we create identities of our choosing on websites that we decide to use, we are tricked into thinking that the internet is a magical world of make-believe, in which nothing is truly real and nothing need be traced back to our real selves.  While this may have been more plausible in the early days of the internet and social media, the reality is that our physical and digital lives are becoming more and more integrated, and our digital presence has a real impact on our lives outside the internet.  We need to start applying the same codes of conduct we use in real life to our online behavior and presence, and we need to teach our students and children about responsible management of an online identity.  This video highlights one possible result of thoughtless social media use.

One possible response to the dangers and consequences of an undesirable digital footprint is to avoid creating one altogether.  Until very recently, it has been possible to avoid engagement in social media altogether, and to use the internet without being involved in any kind of online community.  I myself am currently being dragged, kicking and screaming, into a higher level of involvement.  While this may still be an option for some people, as teachers we need to embrace connected life for a number of reasons: we have a responsibility to be connected to the world our students will take charge of in the near future, and we miss out on the opportunity for great personal and professional growth if we resist becoming connected to a national and international community of supportive peers.  It is time to become a good digital citizen.

So how can we ensure our digital footprint is something to be proud of?  The first thing to do is to understand one key difference between the real world and the Internet: the Internet never forgets.  While you may not remember those wild nights in college, Facebook still has photographic evidence, which it is more than happy to show anyone who cares to Google you.  Do a thorough search on yourself and remove anything that you don't want Grandma or your future boss to see.  Go on the offensive and make sure all your profiles are above-board and professional-looking.  There's no need to be boring, though.  Give it a bit of personality.  Just always remember that any comments you make on websites are visible to the whole world.  Would you say it to someone's face?  No?  Then don't say it online.

This great little mnemonic perfectly sums up a healthy approach to digital media.  When I get my own classroom I will certainly print this for prominent display.

source: www.technologyrocksseriously.com

As well as working to be good digital citizens ourselves, as teachers and parents we need to help kids and teens understand how to manage their digital lives, and to be aware of the real impact of their online actions.  They could be put themselves or others in real danger with irresponsible, aggressive or just plain careless sharing and messaging.  This blog post from the Huffington Post discusses a particular social media app, and highlights the kinds of conversations parents and teachers should be having with teens about their digital lives.



As well as good practices and common sense, there are laws in place to protect teachers and students when using the internet in schools.  This infographic created by my classmates and I covers the basics of three privacy and safety laws designed to protect students and teachers online.

See the full infographic here

Finally, remember that it's all too easy to be a thief on the Internet.  If you are using images, videos, music or any other content created by someone else, make sure you have permission to use it.  Teachers have some freedom when using content for educational purposes in the classroom, but this does not extend to sharing content on a class website, for example.  If in doubt, get permission, and read this excellent blog post for more information.

Twitter: The Final Frontier

These are the voyages of the pre-service teacher.  Her continuing mission: to explore strange new social networks.  To seek out new communities and build a personal learning network.  To boldly go where no internet hermit has gone before...

As a teacher-to-be and technical neophyte, I have a lot to learn about teaching high school classes, and also about using technology, both in general and specifically in the classroom.  While I have a Facebook account in order to keep up with friends and family, I have flatly refused to get involved with Twitter or Google+ until now, as I thought them both a complete waste of time.  Why oh why would I want to know what the whole world is up to every minute of the day?  I can barely organize myself through my own day without trying to stay on top of everyone else's activities.  However, since I am now learning about various technologies and services, and how they can benefit me in my professional life, I am trying to make an effort to catch up with the rest of the world and get connected.

As part of my course on technology in education, I had to complete a challenge to get connected.  In my case, I was challenged to create a Twitter account and find at least twenty people to follow.

Alrighty then.

Before I started, I was instructed to read this reassuring and helpful blog post to point me in the right direction and help me get connected to a network of helpful colleagues.  This proved to be an excellent resource, as it pointed out some specific places I could look to find teachers on Twitter (like here) and useful hashtags to follow (like these)

After a bit of searching and browsing, I managed to find 20 people or organizations to follow, who seem to be pretty active and informative.  Now my Twitter looks like this:

I even (re)Tweeted my first Tweet!

English teachers are hilarious.

I was surprised to find that within an hour of setting up my account and following some people, others started to follow me!  I wish them luck with that - they will most likely get nothing but grammar puns from me.

Now that my account is established and I am following a few people and some hashtags, the next step is to continue to build my personal learning network and explore the ways Twitter can connect me to people and resources, to provide help and inspiration in times of classroom stress, and to generally keep me up to date with the connected worlds of technology and education.  While I haven't used Twitter to its full potential yet, I expect that it will become an invaluable tool as I journey toward managing my own classroom.