Modern schooling evolved as a way of ensuring the ‘factory fodder’ for the Industrial Revolution had a universal baseline set of skills and competencies.  Over time this evolved into ‘Standards’ exams that children had to pass in order to progress from one ’standard’ to the next.

The dominant views of education  during these times were of an empty vessel to be filled, a candle to be lit, a blank slate to be drawn upon.  The metaphors for schools were similar and all children were stuffed into the same box irrespective of their needs, interests or dispositions.  You either had it, or not.  You succeeded or failed.  Schools filtered out the chaff from higher learning and academic paths in universities.  By secondary schooling you were academic or vocational

Then the pendulum swung.  Children were creative wee angels.  We had to find their learning ’styles’ and alter classrooms and schools to meet them.  Paint the classroom pastel and play appropriate music.   Not having planned for all possible variants of ways children might need to learn was pedagogical heracy.  We had to test for needs and meet them for all children. The pressure was off, stress and challenge were not a good thing.  Stream of consciousness was king.  Children were creative sponges who would learn it all from a suitable environment and their peers alone.  The teacher would iminantly be replaced by technology.

Today the focus seems to be on:

*  Accountability and control. The assumption is that teachers are lazy (check out the holidays folks!) and need to be watched or they will sit and read the paper while our kids brains atrophy in the classroom.

* Testing will keep the whole shebang honest.  If it is not numerical it is not valid.  Checklists and hard data are the only ‘valid’ forms of assessment.

* Standards.  Because they are never as high as they were when we were at school.  Life is a competition and we have to be top dog.  It is all about winning.  Don’t even play the game if you can’t be the best.  Comparison with others – inside the classroom, between schools, between teachers, between countries – will make people accountable for their practice.  Fear is the most powerful motivator of all.

But hold on a minute.  What happens when you stop watching?  What happens when the leader changes?  What happens when the going is tough?

Aren’t these things the true test of our schools and education system?  For me the acid test is what happens when I am NOT watching, when I am NOT in the school.  When I am NOT in the staff meeting.  When the classroom door is closed and teachers are doing what Ruth Sutton (the English  educational consultant) describes as the second most private act adults engage in.

I think the only way you really influence stuff is changing what teachers and school leaders BELIEVE.  What will never be the same as a result of their ongoing learning.  What they will do differently from now on because of what has changed in their heads.

We recently had almost all of our teachers at ULearn.  It was fantastic.  The learning was huge.  The fun and laughter even greater.  After workshops we discussed, we argued, we challenged, we patted ourselves on the back and we gave thanks for how good we have it.  Things will never be the same.

Possible Selves – what we might, could and are afraid of becoming.  What i the role of the school in discovering self/selves?

Quoting James Paul Gee – in particular his writings on literacy.  Encouraging people to read his writing.  Value of the gaming world for children to ‘play as [being?] experts’

Role of the teacher is to encourage and nurture possible selves for children.

“Education is not about children achieveing their potential – it is about them GROWING their potential”

concept of learning dispositions, relating them to Key Competencies.

Being ‘ready, willing and able’ to exhibit the dispositions/KC’s is important.

Learning pathways will be travelled by chidlren in their own ways. Incoming dispositions (etc) have an impact on them, as does what the teacher and other adults do:
A. Agency/Authoring – children should have the opportunity to manage and reporting/reflecting on their own learning. ‘Flow’ and its impact on learning. Learning stories as way of doing this and children working on their own.
B. Breadth.
C. Continuity. making the learning public and track it over time. a huge amount of time is needed to do a good job of learning stories!
D. Depth. deep learning and imbedded

I guess the key thing is not to get bogged in the trivial and to focus on important learning.  Some of the learning stories I have seen have focused so much on the detail of a relatively small moment just for the sake of getting something written in a learning log or assessment book.  That’s probably her point – do it WELL.

importance of avoiding a ‘performaive culture’ in education.  Where all we focus on is performance …’catching the standards disease’

The ‘keystone species’ in education is the teacher.  Biological/ecological model and principals involved in the metaphors she is using.  Control the energy, resources, etc in the system => leadership in schools are performing this function.

sharing examples of online classes around world.  Virtual classrooms.   Schools have a person physically present who oversees things as well – may not have subject skills but can support learning.

doesn’t work as two traditional schools collaborating – needs a new model.  Needs an outside organisation to come in and mediate the changed pedagogy.  Research shows this to be the case.

default assumption is that adults have the necessary literacy skills to engage effectively in eLearning.  MAny careers now assume the abity to engage with elearning too.  Good idea to think about the fact that studies show 20% of adults have literacy/numeracy issues => have to think about this when designing homework etc.  Take opportunities to upskill families as well.

NZ’s long history of being early adopters

simplifying the digital revolution is the opportunity to lead the world for NZ.

marrying together early adoption and innovation is key to progress.  Should be as easy to use as a telephone ….

moving from ‘information age’ to ‘innovation age’

everyone has a talent – the challenge and role of education is to find and get it to flourish.

Helen Timperley – University of Auckland.

summary booklet of Leadership BES - link   Presentation is based on unpacking this!

Why do we need PD:
* With reference to National Standards – “how on earth do we ‘implement’ or teach to the Standards? Standards are simply a reference point”

Terry Crooks et al (as example) – we don’t really know how children will interpret the learning opportunities we give to them => also we don’t know how teachers will interpret their own learning opportunities either. They change their practice/s (or not) in sometimes unpredictable ways.

4 Key understandings:
1. Student learning is strongly influenced by what and how teachers teach.
2. Teaching is complex and effective PL can’t just be added on
. lots of practices require big shifts in practices and are not simply changes in technical aspect/s of teachers ‘job’ and what they do in classroom – my summary of what Helen is saying
. content and pedagogical knowledge is BOTH very important. Teachable moment and small reactions to ongoing classroom programmes are very influenced by who the teacher is and what they know.
3. Effective PL is responsive to the ways teachers learn
4. PL is shaped by the context in which teachers practice.
. teachers are learning on-the-job all the time …..this is NOT always true.  Janes research shows that teachers do not learn the stuff that she is tracking while on the job – comparing 3rd year college students knowledge and experienced teachers knowledge

What doesn’t work:
*leaving teachers to construct their own learning experiences. Has to be structured and managed
* experts develop recipes for teaching. Rationales given, shown how and then closely monitored. This would be the reason ‘programmes’ don’t work. Teaching is not a set of replicable, discrete behaviours!
Learning is more complex than either than these two alternatives!

What does work:
Formative assessment – knowing why and what they are learning, have ways of monitiring success, and have some control over the process.

Teaching Inquiry and teaching AS inquiry:
* beginning with what knowledge and skills students/teachers need to have to complete and achieve outcomes of unit/curriculum area/etc
* deepen professional knowledge and refine skills
* engaging students in new learning
* what has been the impact of the changed actions

no teacher behavious work out of theri particular context!! There are NO behaviours that have been identified that will, of themselves ensure that children learn. teaching as a craft and an art

SOOO …. what DO teachers need to do to make a difference to their students?
* So what is it that teachers learn that has the biggest impact on student learning?
1. Focus on valued student outcomes
2. Outcomes linked to teaching practices. what links are there between particular teacher practices and the desired student outcomes are associated with positive impacts on those outcomes. NOT compartmentalizing and infinitely deconstructing learning – eg overly phonic approach to reading leads to lack of comprehension and reading ability.

Improvement in student outcomes has to be a focus and outcome. Teacher belief is important, they must believe in their students!  Expectations are paramount – kids will live up to LOW expectations!!!!!

Worthwhile context is important too.  Beware of the snake oil salesmen when looking at professional learning and childrens learning – the issue of choosing what to do, what approaches, what programmes, etc. Is the change sustainable and look for research/info that is NOT from those selling the product!!! ….amen on this one.  Spouted on this one many times before

Integration of knowledge and skills very important – teachers need to have deep factual knowledge and conceptual frameworks to enable them to use it!  Little value of a one-off.  only example of success has been phonemic awareness, but was not tied to reading awareness (need to find out about this one for Jane)

Need to integrate theory and practice – PL needs to deepen knowledge about the curriculum, how to teach it and how to assess student learning.  Knowing why changes are being made as well as simply what to do!!

Information about what students need to know and do is used to identify what teachers need to change in their practice.

Teachers need to be ASSESSMENT LITERATE!!
“what are you supposed to be doing?”
“what are you supposed to be learning?”
“what does the teacher expect you to be doing?”

Teachers need multiple opportunities to apply knowledge and learn new things in trusting and challenging environment (just like kids – hehehehe ). Trust is usually higher than challenge.
Approaches need to be RESPONSIVE to teacher learning approaches. Different approaches are needed for different contexts, information, etc Particularly when challenging existing assumptions.

Teaching as Inquiry model is very much based on this model!

There needs to be opportunities to process new learning with others.

paramount place of external expert – who actually is expert – as a strategy of changeandd development.  School leadership has to take part in the development as well.  Things that make a difference include school leadership ‘taking over’ the learning rather than being passive recepients and ‘being done to’ by providers. – YAY ….so glad to hear her emphasising this.  Something i believe in very strongly!

Experts need to be truly expert – not just a deliverer of content. Expertise in androgogy as well.  “Not treat teachers as technicians”

This has been a great session – pick of my breakouts to date. I suppose because the content resopnated so much with my current situation and experience/s.   Reinforcing for me that we are on the right track at school and the importance of everyone understanding the big picture as well as being involved in the detail of the development along the way.  The action research model we are using now for individual PL is focused on the kinds of ideas Helen is promoting.  It is nice to know that the things here have evolved for us naturally, and that they are reinforced by research as well.

from Apollo Parkways in North Melbourne.

number game – “I have the number ??? who has the number ???? than me”
* ends up dominoing around the room and could make as hard or simple as you want to.

have touch screen LCD tv’s – wonder how they are made touch screen – like this?

Lesson structure:
1. Introduction/Switch on:
practical activities often with digital or ict content
sites used include:-
* www.teacherled.com/resources/dice/diceload.html – virtual dice – for who wants to be a millionaire game
* links learning site www.linkslearning.com
* easyteach software to make activities for LCD tv’s.  IWB authoring software

2. Rotation Activities:
again lots of activities that are hands-on and ict follow-up or as part of rotation activities.
sites included:-
* www.amblesideprimary.com
* www.mathsonline.co.uk
* www.crickweb.co.uk
* www.oswego.org

Assessment ideas:
* reflection sticks – popsicle sticks with eye on them, lollypop with words on it and statement that the child uses as a starter.
* podcasting as assessment method – video podcast with kids images (geometry eg – photos from around school with statements from children as narration)
* using photobooth to record reflections by children on their learning. (Hint- place laptop in box on its side to limit reflection/light on screen.

finding activities – google topic and ‘interactive for kids’ is often finding good ones.  k12 in search string will get kid-friendly sites too.

using delicious.com to record and keep teacher resources organised.

see his blog for link to presentation http://blog.core-ed.net/derek

using Cool Iris as his presentation medium …very cool, and as he says ‘high risk’.

talked about Horizon Report and the technologies that are expected to impact in the short and medium term on education:

• moblile technologies
• private clouds
• virtual and augmented realities
• etc

report is downloadable ….

bringing people in via KAREN network to talk about what they are doing.

http://www.baboosi.com.au/learning/what.html – website for TfEL resources.

Key messages for leaders:
*my staff are my class
*make the implicit explicit
*Power of an appreciative lens.

Caving as metaphor for change.  Only one at the front has the light and is more defuse as you move back down the line. this is why I like everyone to have their own light, so they can see where they are going and have a vision for the future that is common with the rest of the school.

focus on crating common pedagogical and professional language to enable conversations to take place.  Appreciative model

Importance of kids passions and igniting/sustaining them – sounds like our school vision.

Project based learning.  We need to be clear about what a project is!  Time spend does not equal a project.  kids have to want to share the outcomes of the learning.

Netsafety:
“the best filter in the classroom is the teacher, the best in the home is the parent”

Strong political focus on ‘pulling cables’ to schools. NZ appears to have limited internet access – his personal experience. Relating that it is easier in Botswana than here to connect to the internet, apart from at the conference.

“You can’t build a[n education] system based on the assumption that people are slack and incompetent” – reference to National Testing.

Having a bit of a rant about political influences from the right …. under the guise of accountability, etc and ultimate outcome is a tyranical system.  Encouraging NZ teachers to be more active and vocal about what we believe.
Instructivism and constructivism – political parties seem to have focus on instructivism as a model. Educators have constructivist model.

All schools have a great deal to learn from early childhood education.  Talked quickly about Reggio.

“Work with the living, and do no harm” – supporting those who are using and doing the good things.  Need to provide the viable options for enthusiasts to do the good things. concept of the 15% of bees who are the ones who find the new food; without them the hive would die.

My notes from today and blogged on the fly – so excuse the typos etc.  My thinking in italix

Anne Tolley:

• focus on broadband – for integrated schools as well.
• Herald article HERE on extending KAREN trial announced.
• 25% of schools not using broadband for learning.  wonder where this figure comes from?
• “half of schools have awareness of potential of ICT’s and eLearning but lack confidence.”
  

Gary Stager – 10 things to do with a Laptop:

• www.stager.org/ulearn
• 1:1 is not about hardware …. its about software.  Computing as a verb.  Waht you DO with the computers that is important.

1. Writing a novel (writing with a purpose).  “petting zoo” with technology.  If the dominant metaphore for computing is looking stuff up – then they will look up inappropriate stuff.
2. Share your Knowledge.  Triangulation of information is a critical skill to teach kids.  pasion = accuracy.  “computers work better out ofthee box than they do when the IT dept gets hold of them.
3. Answer tough questions.  “national standards is a psychotic delusion that has failed everywhere else in the world!”.  having access to primary sources important …. often hings are sanitised by the time we get them to children
4. Make sense of Data.  delving in and seeing what it really means
5. Design a Video Game (and not just consume them).  difference between skill anad drill software and the thinking needed to create a game.
6. Build a Killer Robot. allow for lots of learnign and in many different ways.  Cross curricular. Computationally Rich Learning.  emphasising the value of good motivation and questions.  Using robotics  lot.  Power of video as tool for making private thinking public.  not sure how scalable some of this is!  Giving examples of individual children with lots of equipment – can this realistically be done in a school/classroom?
7. Loose Weight. The inevitability of 1:1. Kids already have a lot of technology in their personal lives – really?  this is not always true.  there is a big difference between confidence and competence.  Just having the stuff doesn’t mean it is used, or used well. Less Us – More them.
8. Direct a blockbuster - using video well.  Creating media.  We need to push for quality of what children create.  making edia mirrors the writing process.  Share different genre.
9. Compose a Symphony.  Authentic problems and real constructional materials.  Using a variety of art forms.  Opportunities for performance and composition.  Imortance of valuing kids talents and giving them opportunities to extend (and find!) their talents.
10. Change the World ……be a mathematician ….. the list goes on …

Technology Matters!
we nee to be able to articulate why.

“Remember the time …” instances with kids are not the mundane stuff – they are ‘projects’!