Activity 5.2.1 Dealing with the potential pitfalls (Core)

Watch the video clip from a school in Canada.
Make notes on the issues this teacher has encountered, and what she did about them.

5.2.1 Dealing with potential pitfalls - Canada

Pope Memorial Elementary School
Bury, Quebec, Canada
Eastern Townships School Board
Teacher: Jocelyn Bennett
URL: http://pope.etsb.qc.ca

Reading strategies .- Seeing pictures with iPad
Children went to internet
Are they just surfing around? Are they doing the work they’re supposed to?
Where to look and what information is good information
‘Know boxes’ Sheet of paper with grids
Sheet with boxes they could only use 5 or 6 words per box including the source (one box for each site)
They categorize information and put it in their own words. The strategies lets fall into copy-paste practice.

Select ‘which websites’.
Critical thinking ¿Where did that information come from? Specially form laptops and the internet. Education site. Ask questions from every site. Extensions, question the source, click on ‘about’ (when the site was born and who founded it).
Techniques used to attract attention.

Create a code of conduct for the computers. Children and teachers sign a document with the code of conduct. If they are searching for information and something inappropriate comes they have to close it and notify their teacher what they were doing and what happened. They won’t reveal that  to their fellow mates.

They don’t let students play games in class unless they prove useful for education.

Children become problem-solvers because they learn to use the tools. They send their work to the teacher through an app. One time they couldn’t play a video and a student gave the answer to make it play by putting it in a document so they solved problems together.


They chose Minecraft to play and build together to create things. They choose their own games.

Watch the short video from a school in Moscow.
Reflect on how difficult it would be to set up something similar in your own school.

Mmm... well, I found this option at kickstarter called the "Microbescope" at  £88.00 which, basically is a AAA size battery operated portable microscope to use with most smartphones and tablets which allows to share real time video of the specimens. It is expensive enough but certainly a lot more cheaper than the versions used in the Moscow school.

Try to identify pitfalls and obstacles you could meet in your own context (let’s try not to focus on the financial dimension) and on why a teacher says in the video from Bury “it hasn’t been an easy journey”. 

Regarding pitfalls, they can be simmilar to those reported in the Canadian school. The first one is still to convince teachers to combine ITC with their regular lessons.
The copy-paste issue can be present as much as activities stay in that design level. Developing alternatives to let students reformulate information in their own words would be an alternative.


Record your answers into your Course Journal. 

Activity 5.1.2 An inspiring project that overcame some challenges (Core)

Watch the inspiring example of a science project that was used in a primary school: the Darwin project. 

Think about the following questions. 

• How would you describe this innovation from your point of view?
• What kind of challenges do you think this team of educators have faced while implementing and developing that project?
• What are the elements of this project that you find inspiring and that you might use to overcome some of your own challenges?

Record your answers into your Course Journal. You will come back to them again towards the end of the week.

I believe its an outstanding effort to bring children into a scientific reasoning procedure. However, I feel more in touch with Beau Lotto's approach toware scientific thinking and kids in 'Beau Lotto + Amy O'Toole: Science is for everyone, kids included',  (Lotto, 2012)

The principal challenge I believe would be how to develop the concept respecting children's essence in order that they feel themselves respected, while incorporating science in their research. The Darwin project structure seems quite complex and not very accessible in terms of interface graphic design. Almost the whole tool is dominated bay text. And while the concept and involving specialists to follow-up children's achievements seems a great idea, I still get the feeling that the Darwin project tends to go more to the adult side than to the children's world.

I really didn't find any particular element inspiring. I think the mechanic is quite complex.

Reference

Lotto, B. & O'Toole, A. (2012). Science is for everyone, kids included.  [Video archive]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/beau_lotto_amy_o_toole_science_is_for_everyone_kids_included

Activity 1.4.2 (Core) 'Supporting teachers'

Assess your priorities for teachers’ and leaders’ needs as they plan the integration of ICT, using Section 1.5 ‘The lessons learned’ from the document you downloaded in Activity 1.2.5, Chapter 1: Setting the Context. 
Record them in your Course Journal in the 'Supporting teachers' section

Key (levels of priority after assessment excercise)

(1)= immediate
(2)= medium term
(3)= long term

Notice: Since this is not my institution but the school my children are attending I am doing the exercise based on what I have seen could be done in there from the position toward ICT from the institution.  

Leadership issues

(1) Recruitment is important, so aim to attract teachers who can work like with
learning technologies.
(2) Remove external constraints on the teaching where possible, to enable innovation to be carried through more easily.
(1) Set out to learn from the successes in other schools.
(1) Unlock sites like YouTube, Facebook, Google, as otherwise it is not possible to teach a consciousness of appropriate ICT use to the students.
(2) Put ICT devices in the library and access halls because it is important for everyone to see the children working on computers.
(3) Instead of a one-off large entrance fee to pay for ICT at the school there should be a lower cost annual fee per student, to allow more mobility in the application of funds. This would enable them to serve the distinctive needs of classes over time.
(2) Give a greater role to ICT in development and assessment, as it is very motivating for learners to get immediate feedback.
(2) Provide more mobile devices with wifi. Fixed equipment is expensive and their scope of use is limited, while mobile devices plus wifi allow more flexible use of ICT.

Lessons learned about what teachers need

(3) Give teachers and students one-to-one access as soon as possible.
(3) Teachers should have received much more attention: they should have received Notebooks prior to engaging them at school with pupils.
(1) We should have inspired teachers more, by helping them understand that ICT is not necessarily evil, but one of many opportunities to enable the growth of the child’s mind and soul.
(2) From the earliest opportunity, provide consistent and frequent technology training sessions for staff members, so that they feel comfortable incorporating the technology, which can be uncomfortable or overwhelming, making some teachers hesitant to use the technology.
(2) Provide professional development for teachers to be better trained by external trainers.
(2) A technician oriented towards pedagogic innovation is needed more regularly in the school.
(1) Recognise teacher leaders for their contribution to the training of their colleagues.
Give teaching staff:
(2) good conditions for their work,
(1) open, public acknowledgement of their activities,
(3) a special financial bonus,
(2) opportunities to take part in conferences.

Activity 3.2.2 Opportunities for Learning Types (Optional)

Read Chapter 3.1 “Opportunities provided by ICT for teaching and learning in primary schools” from UNESCO Book “ICT in Primary Education. Volume 1: Exploring the origins, settings and initiatives” http://iite.unesco.org/publications/3214707/ pp. 39-46 categorizing the use of ICT tools. 

Select a few examples of ICT-based learning activities that you find interesting, making a note on each within your own Course Journal.

Examples selected:

LITERACY

ICT communication tools

(Hartley, 2007)

"ICT-mediated writing can release students from dealing with many problems associated with writing by hand – like letter formation and alignment – and hence facilitate editing, rewriting and spelling. Freedom from these chores allows them more time for thinking and reflecting about the content of writing."

Personal comment: I find interesting the example because of the transformation in written expression focus. The motor cognition (reflected in handwriting) goes to a second place and special emphasis is given to analysis oriented cognitive processes. Could that be a forecast of what could eventually happen to handwriting? 

MATHEMATICS (NUMERACY)

ICT construction tools

(Lin et al. , 2011)

"Tangram puzzles are a common topic for primary geometry. Tangram puzzle facilitated 

learning geometry in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment based on Tablet PCs. Advantages of the software were identified: (1) it enhanced the students’ perception of shape rotation and their spatial ability; (2) it improved students’ competence in spatial reasoning and sensing; (3) it increased face-to-face discussions as well as online communications among students; and (4) it boosted students’ critical thinking, confidence and willingness to learn. In addition, teachers also found it easy to summarize and explain the geometrical concepts involved using the virtual Tangram puzzle."

Personal comment: I find this kind of form resources quite appealing. About the same basic theme but in a 3d emulation context there is an iPad and Android game called Monument Valley ( http://ustwo.com/blog/monument-valley-out-now/ ) which rescues. I believe, principles 2, 3 and 4 by discovering a narrative through "a la M.C. Escher" impossible forms.

ICT information tools, tutorial tools and construction tools

(Barker and Ansorge, 2007), (Jermann, Soller, and Mühlenbrock, 2001), 

"Robots as instructional assistants or learning companions enable teachers to provide digital learning content which facilitates students to interact with real learning materials"

Personal comment: In Mexico, roboticss feels like an emergent activity quite appealing to kids. Where I live (Cuernavaca, Morelos), there is a small Science Museum which offers a 20 minute robotics workshop with Lego's NXT intelligent brick. For more enthusiastic kids a local store called Steren offers also some kits to build different types of robots. The only downside is the price going from  £12, to £36 in a State where the minimum daily wage is about £ 2.3 approx.

SCIENCE

ICT construction tools

This case wasn't referred in any of the resources given for this activity, but I would like to share it as well since I think it covers this specific classification type:

"Foldscope: Microscopy for everyone

a new approach for mass manufacturing of optical microscopes that are printed-and-folded from a single flat sheet of paper, akin to Origami from a research team at PrakashLab at Stanford University."

The Foldscope site can be reached here: http://www.foldscope.com/10ksignup

The discoveries made with the firs prototpypes can be viewed here: http://www.ted.com/talks/manu_prakash_a_50_cent_microscope_that_folds_like_origami

Regards

Activity 2.5.1 (Core) Dimensions where schools experience changes due to the introduction of ICT

Go back to the previous activities and read the contributions made by other participants.  Write down interesting tips and ideas in your learning journal  and make contact with those participants who share similar interests with you.  

ICT in Primary Education - Reactions to school leaders' testimonies

laura
JUN. 2, 2014 2:23PM

Laura, Uruguay


I believe ICT is creating a huge impact on the way we teach. In my country it is giving teachers the possibility to reach very distant parts of the country and thus enabling children to have access to the learning of a foreign language. We should all try to be informed and analyse what technology offers so that we can choose the best tools for the benefit of our learners, we need to study the existing possibilities in depth and consider our learners' needs so as to make the most of these new possibilities.

Children's Perspective

Ernesto
JUN. 6, 2014 12:10AM

Ernesto -> Comment on the message above
Hi ... I found interesting what the child wrote with each drawing:

At home:

"I use the Internet to search for things I do not understand and sometimes to play"

At school:

"I use the page the Mister tells me"

Activity 1.3.1 (Core) Comparing local experiences

Read the document Chapter 4. 'Vignettes of Innovative Primary Schools' from the UNESCO book ICT in Primary Education, Volume 1: Exploring the origins, settings and initiatives. You can see here some examples of different ways in which schools from 9 different countries use ICT.

Select one that is of interest to you and copy and paste to your Course Journal the ideas and methods that could be relevant to your own school’s plans, or to future policy on the use of ICT in primary schools. We will use this in Activity 1.4.3.

I selected ideas and methods from the Technology of Education Centre, Russian Federation (S4) considering them relevant to future policy on the use of ICT in primary schools.

Students cannot visit school on a regular basis due to their health conditions (some of them have cerebral palsy, others are visually impaired, etc.) and  they learn at a distance in a  Moodle-based environment. Students come occasionally to meet together, go to excursions.

• Video and audio digital recordings
• Interaction via web-cameras
• Online audio and text messaging
• Scan pictures and text
• Compose music
• Collective production of an animated movie

References used

Extract from

Kalaš,I., Laval,E., Laurillard, D., Lim, C.P., Meyer, F., Musgrave, S., Senteni, A.,  Tokareva, N., Turcsányi Szabó, M.(2014). ICT in Primary Education: Volume 1 Exploring the origins, settings, and initiatives. Moscow, Russian Federation: UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education.

Activity 1.2.6 Why do schools choose to use ICT? (Optional)

Refer to Section 1.2 of the document you downloaded in Activity 1.2.5, Chapter 1: Setting the Context, which summarises the reasons why the survey schools chose to use ICT.
Categorise your answers to Activity 1.2.4 Q3, using this analysis, to record in your Course Journal your reasons for using or not using ICT as 'external', 'internal' or 'educational'.

Add to this list any other possible reason that you think of, if this process suggests other possible reasons for using ICT that would apply to your own context.

Should

a. Wider reach and experience results delivery (external/internal)
b. ICT abilities development (internal/educational)
c. Flexibility in learning strategies (when considering them as an option or alternative for vision expansion) (external/internal/ educational)

Should not

a. If teachers or facilitators are not aware that technologies should help learning and teaching goals (internal/educational)
b. If accessibility will be a matter of difficulties among students (internal)
c. If the resulting products generated collaboratively will not be shared outside the classroom (internal)

Refrences used  for this activity

Extract from Kalaš, I., Laval, E., Laurillard, D., Lim, C.P., Meyer, F., Musgrave, S., Senteni,  A., Tokareva, N., Turcsányi-Szabó, M. (2014). ICT in Primary Education: Volume 2 Policy, Practices, and Recommendations. Moscow, Russian Federation: UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education.

Extract from Jenkins, H., Purushotma, R., Weigel, M., Clinton, K., & Robinson, A. J. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture. Retrieved from http://mitpress.mit.edu/sites/default/files/titles/free_download/9780262513623_Confronting_the_Challenges.pdf

Activity 1.2.4 What is our collective perspective on the role of ICT in primary education? (Optional)

What are your main reasons for thinking ICT should or should not be used in primary education?

Should

a. Wider reach and experience results delivery
b. ICT abilities development
c. Flexibility in learning strategies (when considering them as an option or alternative for vision expansion)
Added from Activity 1.5.1 (Core)
d. mind amplifier
e. creativity expander

Should not

a. If teachers or facilitators are not aware that technologies should help learning and teaching goals
b. If accessibility will be a matter of difficulties among students
c. If the resulting products generated collaboratively will not be shared outside the classroom

ICT and types of learning about Toys and Games in Mexico

Activity 1.2.2 Which aspects of technology use foster which types of learning? (Core)

Given the references to analyze the ICT and types of learning:

Definitions are taken from Chapters 6-11 in Laurillard, D. (2012). Teaching as a Design Science: Building Pedagogical Patterns for Learning and Technology. New York and London: Routledge.

Laurillard, D. (2014). Types of learning and learning technologies [Video archive]. Available from https://class.coursera.org/ictinprimary-001/lecture/11

I share my activity results:

ICT and types of learning about
Traditional toys and games in Mexico

Learning through:	Students learning about your topic could be using:
Acquisition	Listening to older friends, relatives and people. Reading digital documents about the subject. Visiting dedicated websites, listening to podcasts and watching videos about the subject.
Discussion	Children invite older friends and or relatives to show traditional games and toys and talk about differences between those and actual massive industrial products. Talks can be in a specific place or delivered through Skype or other VoIP tools.
Investigation	Asking among older friends, relatives and people. Field trips to dedicated markets and real or virtual museums. Children are welcomed to use digital tools to record images and experiences lived.
Practice	Watch and feel the toys and play the games. Interact with thematic software such as the one developed by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Collaboration	Kids in groups identify some of the principal types of Mexico`s traditional toys and games and get together in teams to pick their favourite example.
Production	They either develop their own toys with natural materials available and according to their possibilities, or get together to play the game.

Regards