Professional Development and Online Learning Communities

       In my previous blog post, I commented on Halton's successful adaptation of Google Docs into the "Halton Cloud", and how they are providing continuing ongoing professional development, for teachers and students on how to use this application in and out of the classroom.  Furthermore, I also discussed how there are so many other great tools and applications out there, that the board is not yet providing training for, or at least is unable to provide for students of younger grades.  I have found over my teaching career, that when it comes to professional development, in terms of adapting successful technology integration practices into the classroom, the best way for myself to get it done, is to learn it on my own.

       The fact of the matter is, that technology changes way to rapidly for any school board to stay up to date with the latest trends and innovations with a variety of software.  There is always something new popping up, that is faster, easier to use, or more adaptable in terms of teaching practice.  To provide useful and successful professional development at the board level then becomes extremely difficult, in terms of what programs, applications, and software to focus on, and which ones to provide teachers with professional learning on how to use them.  As such, many teachers are taking to the web on their own, and independently learning about new software through research, and playing with the software to see how it works.  Many of the applications that I have used in the past, I have incorporated into my teaching practice by learning how to use them on my own time, and then teaching my students how to use them afterwards.  It is not as difficult as it sounds.  There is pretty well numerous YouTube video tutorials available, on how to use most software applications out there.

       For school boards to stay on top of the latest trends, and provide teachers with useful and successful P.D., the use of online learning communities is an excellent means to stay connected and stay informed.  An online learning community is a public or private site on the internet that meets the learning needs of its members, by facilitating peer to peer learning, through social networking and computer mediated communication.  It fosters individual's abilities to work collectively as a community to achieve a shared learning objective.  There are many online learning communities out there, that examine a wide variety of issues related to teaching, education, pedagogy, and professional practice.  To find an online learning community that focuses on a specific issue in education, it is only a matter of doing some independent research, taking to social media (Twitter is an excellent place to start, and is considered by many to be the number one educational tool out there), or starting up your own community.  Here is one online community that is taking to the web to provide teachers with online professional development.  Although the video is a bit dated, McREL seems to understand how professional development in education is changing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VJ_D-yVjjw


       For professional development to stay more current with technology in education, online learning communities need to be established for teachers to be well trained on how to successfully use web 2.0 tools in the classroom.  One or two day workshops, that are provided during and after school hours can be made available to a greater audience with a wider range of time slots.  Teachers and educators are very busy with their own personal lives, why not offer professional development that allows teachers to learn from home, and when they are available to do so.  Establishing a MOOC, or Massive Open Online Course would allow this initiative to be a reality.  A MOOC is an online course aimed at unlimited participation over the web, that provides interactive user forums that help build a community for students and teachers alike.  Such an initiative would mean more useful professional development, for a larger number of teachers, in a much shorter time frame.

      The other option is for teachers and educators to continue to learn on their own, through research, discovering various online learning communities, and / or establishing their own learning community. If an educator were looking to establish their own online learning community, whether it be with other educators, or even students in a teacher's own classroom, an educator needs to be mindful of their purposes in establishing this community, and what they hope to achieve from it.  Here are ten useful tips to keep in mind, when setting up an online learning community.

http://screencast.com/t/OCB9jUAEJASX

http://www.slideshare.net/janehart/building-an-online-learning-community

Professional Learning Opportunities within Halton involving I.T. Integration

I find myself continually looking to technology to help motivate my students, so they can take greater control in the process of their own learning. More and more, I'm find students using technology to learn, display their thinking, and show their understanding. As such, I am always looking to use computers, laptops, tablets, and other devices to support my teaching practice. The use of Web 2.0 tools has made it easier to access and save information for a variety of purposes. It is important that educational practices stay up to date with these tools, to keep teachers in the know, and to maintain student access to applications that will support their learning.

With the Halton District School Board, there has been a lot of professional development and

teacher training with regards to the Halton Cloud. The Cloud is basically Halton's licensed and self operated version of Google Docs. Like Google Docs, users can create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and forms online, that can also be saved online, or "In the Cloud." Furthermore, these documents can be shared online with others, for viewing, commenting, or collaborating purposes. One feature that I found very useful and was new to me this year, was the ability to search the cloud for publicly shared documents, that any Halton teacher can access and utilize. The Halton Cloud is an excellent tool for both teacher and student use, and Halton continually provides regular P.D. sessions for both beginner and intermediate users.

Another Google Docs app that Halton has been providing training for, is the use of Google Classroom and Google Sites. Google Classroom is a new application strictly made available to teachers and educators, that allows teachers to communicate more easily with their students. Teachers can set up their own classroom online, so students may access the site for the purposes of sharing and submitting work and assignments. Teachers can present tasks and assignments online, and track student progress as they work through its completion. Google sites is a website builder that is easy to use, for teachers to create their own website. Like many other website builders, teachers can post information about their class, and keep parents in the know about what is being covered in terms of subject matter and special events that may be occurring. Both Google Classroom and Sites allow for easy access to the Halton Cloud, and both also have regular P.D. sessions for teachers to take part in, and learn more about.

Finally, Halton continues to provide yearly P.D. sessions for Assistive Technology within the classroom. Each school within the district has an A.T. team, that attends training yearly, to stay up to date with technology, applications, and software for A.T. purposes. At these training sessions, A.T. teacher teams are reminded of their roles within the school, and are expected to set A.T. goals for their school. Furthermore, P.D. is also provided on how to use a variety of technologies, applications, and software to support A.T. learners. Professional Development for Assistive Technology usually meets once or twice a school year.

I have always been a big fan of Google Docs for classroom use, in fact, it has been my number one online web tool for the past two years. I have also found the A.T. tools used by Halton to be very useful in terms of supporting learners with special needs. I am always left feeling however, is there more? Is Halton doing enough in terms of providing professional development and teacher training for technology integration into education. With so many tools out there, it is difficult to tell which is good, which is bad, which is the easiest to use, or which tool can do the most for you. Maybe focusing on one or two tools can be a good thing, so teachers can learn to use them well, and not feel overwhelmed with so much technology out there.

I do find in the early grades, it can be difficult to incorporate technology into the classroom. Some features of different apps in Google Docs are just too advanced for younger students to master effectively. I feel that there are better applications out there, for younger users to utilize effectively. For instance, developing a blog over a website is an easy means to get students online. I have been using Kidblog.org with my students the past few weeks to get them to share their writing online, so parents can see how they are developing within their writing skills. They love it! It's easy to use and any teacher can set up a class for free. I even have my students embedding photos and videos in their blogs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KtWSaVdzkI


While I believe that the P.D. being used for the Halton Cloud and Google Docs, Classroom, and Sites is an effective means of technology integration in the classroom, I feel that there are many more tools out there, for students of younger grades to use easily and effectively. The sooner we utilize technology in the younger grades, the quicker, more independent, and more adept students will become as they continue to grow and mature, as they move onward into the higher grade levels.

Halton District's Parent Engagement Consultant Committee

       To establish strong communications with parents, and foster effective working partnerships, the Halton District School Board has established the Halton Parent Involvement Committee (PIC).  The committee is designed to involve parents more in the educational development of their own children, by giving parents more of an opportunity to get involved in the school community, both at the board and school levels.  The committee was developed in response to the Ministry of Education's provincial Parent Involvement Policy of 2006.

       The ministry of education recognizes the role parents play, in the successful development and education of their children, as well as the success of our schools.  The provincial Parent Involvement Policy was established as a means of recognizing effective parent involvement as a performance measure to be expected of the publicly funded education system.  There are three main parts to this policy, with a key initiative I've outlined for each:

            1.  Parent Voice Empowerment - the establishment of parent involvement committees at the board level, to provide a direct link to the Director and Trustees, and provide parent advice and support parent engagement in education.

            2.  A Welcoming Environment for Parents - school councils focusing on engaging parents and fostering parental involvement within their school community as a key factor in assisting student achievement.

            3.  Addressing Diversity - school councils focusing on initiatives to reach parents who may find involvement more challenging due to language, recent immigration, poverty, newness to the system, or other factors.

       The purpose of Halton Parent Involvement Committee is to support, encourage, and enhance meaningful parent involvement at the board level, to improve student achievement and well being.  The committee is parent lead, meaning that any parent of a student within the Halton system can be a member.  Each school within the board must designate a parent name to a central list, for the purpose of communication and distribution of information to individual schools.  The Director of Education and a Trustee are also members of the committee, but have a non voting role.  The PIC holds two general meetings and/or events per year, including a workshop/conference for parents.

       The PIC is designed to make schools a welcoming place for parents and parent involvement.  The more that parents are involved in the education of their children, the more opportunities that educators and parents can have to work together to support the educational and social development of all Halton students.  The central functions of the PIC, to support these initiatives for the better welfare of our students and children are outlined below:

 1. School Council Support:

a. Communication

b. Assisting at home

c. Attending school events

d. Building parenting skills

e. Volunteerism

f. Fundraising

g. Participating in Decision Making

h. Use of Community Resources

2. Awareness and Education of Hot Topics

3. Consultations to Support Initiatives and Parent Engagement

4. Provincial Voice

a. Representation

b. Grant application/distribution

http://www.hdsb.ca/Community/PIC/Downloads/Parent%20Engagement%20Resource%20Booklet.pdf

       Parental involvement is essential in the development of student understanding and success in education.   Many times throughout my career, parents have asked me how they can support their child at home with their educational development.  I believe however, that if the parent of a child is willing and able, there are many opportunities for a parent to get involved beyond homework and field trip volunteering.  The PIC gives parents that opportunity, to not only learn about provincial and board initiatives first hand, but also to have a say in their development.  Furthermore, parents are always looking out for the best interests of their own child, as they should.  The PIC gives parents the opportunity to work beyond their own families, as more of a community, to assist schools in helping all children learn, develop, and grow.  The final result would mean stronger ties between parent, teacher, child, and school, meaning more opportunities for developing initiatives that will result in greater success for our students.

Family Math Night Presentation for Parents and Students

       The Halton District School Board has gone to extensive lengths this school year, to improve the basic math skills of its students, in an attempt to build a stronger understanding of concepts and to work towards not memorization of facts, but automatizing skills:  knowing and understanding the relationships of why and how a concept works.  Recent studies have shown that students in our board are low in terms of understanding basic facts, including rapid response to addition and subtraction facts to 20, and multiplication and division facts to times 12.  If we can build these basic skills in our students now, the results will be the application of these skills to more advanced questions, better understanding of concepts, and higher EQAO scores at the provincial level.   The following presentation is a family math night for students and parents, outlining board strategies for math concept development, tools, and technology to support all math learners.

             Agenda for the Evening

        1.  Introductions and purpose for the evening's presentation                 (5 mins.)

        2.  Introduction to Math Talks strategy, by completing a "Dot Talk".  (20 mins.)

(Note: Adapted from the Halton District School Board Presentation on Number Talks - October 2014,
Shared by Ruth Teszeri)

https://docs.google.com/a/hdsb.ca/presentation/d/1BQvtX6yf0qc-c0TsN6vT_r4MRwgrn2m4M81RS_Ob-Fg/edit?usp=sharing

        3.  An Overview of various Mental Math strategies.                (10 mins.)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E98_4PRhyXW0lUCiTITFHOJBnfeY66sw-psBip_NtCc/edit?usp=sharing

        4.  Video on the Open Array for Two Digit by Two Digit Multiplication.    (5 mins.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMSIQjYnpXw

     
 5.  Demonstration of the Open Array through a modeled Math Talk using Google Drawings.
                                                                                        (10 mins.)

6.   Introduction into the Dreambox Software Unit Descriptions, Lessons, and Assessments.    
                                                                                        (20 mins.)
https://drive.google.com/a/hdsb.ca/file/d/0B3vZWYEW5k2aczgwNEtsVGZlbmc/view?usp=sharing

      Dreambox Screenshot Links:      (Captured with Jing and discussed during the presentation)
 
http://screencast.com/t/t1xsRkbz                       Teacher Dashboard
http://screencast.com/t/y3p4H7hR6QFV          Classroom Summary Report
http://screencast.com/t/J70j3HQhS6                 Student Progress by Lessons
http://screencast.com/t/jIyi3Pyib                       Student Progress by Curriculum
http://screencast.com/t/E3kgzFkwo8I5             Student Groups by Proficiency
http://screencast.com/t/OpR0dUy6WSh           Classroom Usage Report
http://screencast.com/t/VqldeI11saJx                Resources and Activities

7.   Time for parents and students to work with the Dreambox Software.         (20 mins.)

8.   Exit pass using Google Forms      (5 mins.)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16oMd6ylw61ucFEPUe9kcA4gg6r3ZA9go77kcg-lWI0s/viewform?usp=send_form

Links to Math Resources Found on line

Ministry of Education Math  Curriculum

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/math.html

(Literacy Numeracy Secretariat link within this Ministry site)

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/moreinfo.html

Edugains      http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/index.html

Marian Small’s Website    http://www.onetwoinfinity.ca/

Guide to Effective Instruction in Math http://eworkshop.on.ca/cfmx/edu/core.cfm?p=guides

eworkshop    http://eworkshop.on.ca/edu/core.cfm?L=1

Sal Khan's "One World School House" Part 4: The One World School House

       In Part four of The One World School House, Sal Khan shares a very important principle.  The education that we are giving our children now, is to prepare them for the workforce that lies ahead of them in the years to come.  However, there is the realization that the jobs that our children will be doing in the next ten to twenty years, do not exist yet.  As recently as the 1980's, no educational field was preparing kids for jobs over the internet or in computer programming and coding skills, which eventually boomed in the late 1990's and early 2000's.  It is likely true today, that the same thing will happen with our children over the next ten and twenty years.  As such, it is more important that we prepare our learners today to be self directed, and to know how to teach themselves, then they will want to learn more independently.

       Sal asserts that technology allows students to work at their own pace, resulting in children who are more happy in education, and consequently more productive.  Allowing students to work at their own pace will allow more advanced students to graduate early, thus freeing up time and resources so educators can work with more special education needs students.  Sal also believes that mixing up subject content, grade levels and age levels within the classroom will give way to more mentoring practices among students, resulting in students acting more mature with their learning.  This would result in larger classes, but allow for multiple educators to be team teaching with students, and sharing different teaching styles and personas among a larger group of students.  He also believes in taking away summer vacation, an idea that reinforces the concept of neuroplasticity, but is very unpopular with students, parents, and some educators alike!

      Sal believes that education worldwide is unevenly distributed (especially in rural areas), and as such, the playing field needs to be leveled through computer-based, self paced learning, and a hybrid of solutions to computers and the internet.  He suggests opening centres that are funded by the middle class (which would be cheaper than private tutors in some communities), but is used by all learners.  While I believe this is an admirable idea, I believe in practice, there would be some backlash with middle class families as the lone supporting revenue source for these centres.  Furthermore, Sal suggests having internationally recognized, rigorous assessments that measure understanding and proficiency in various fields to further level the playing field.  Again, in theory this seems like a great idea, but in practice, different countries and different districts have too many differing educational curriculum expectations, that would be too difficult and have too many variables to take into account.

       Backtracking a bit within his book, Sal discusses the issue of transcripts and test scores accounting for grade point averages (GPA's).  He asserts that test scores and GPA's give a solid idea of what a student has learned, but only gives a very approximate picture of what a student is able to learn.  In essence, test scores and GPA's do not assess ability.  They measure quantities of information rather than the quality of a student mind.  Standardized test would be beneficial for assessment, as long as these test have the content altered yearly, and include richer tasks that incorporate an open ended design component.  Also, records should have a running, multi-year narrative; a portfolio with more qualitative data on ability.  Further on in a later chapter, Sal addresses college degrees and high GPA's as not being the best predictor of creativity, intellect, or passion.  Many universities are looking more towards internships and coop programs for their students to obtain real working world knowledge and experience.

      I agree completely with Sal's assessments on test scores, grade scores, and GPA's.  Measuring data on basic knowledge is not enough to assess the overall picture of a student.  However, speaking as someone who has been in education and has been a teacher for over ten years, I can honestly say that when I assess a student, there is more to my assessments than just a quiz or standardized test.  All of my official assessments cover the four areas of learning and understanding within education:

1. Basic Knowledge and understanding of concepts acquired
2. Thinking about problems involving their skills and understanding
3. Communicating what they know and sharing their understanding
4. Applying their knowledge and skills to problems and situations.

       My formal assessments are structured so students not only have to share their knowledge, but apply it accordingly, to reveal a much deeper understanding of what they have learned.  Furthermore, my assessment tasks include hands on activities where they need to communicate and apply their learning to problems that they need to investigate.  To get a clear understanding of students and their grades, I have multiple means of assessment involving several tasks and activities.  Imagine students completing a quiz where they are not only sharing their knowledge of what they have learned about a topic like Rocks and Minerals, but applying what they have learned to a task, such as constructing a house where they must discuss how Rocks and Minerals would be used in the construction of the home, its components, and what needs to be done to reduce the effects of weathering and erosion around the house.

       While I believe that my assessments are thorough and go beyond basic knowledge or even rote memorization of facts, I feel that technology does have its place in supporting these assessments.  Students with special education needs would benefit from technology use in completing these assessments, whether it's using a word talking processor to share their knowledge, or completing mindmeister mindmaps to make connections between concepts.  Likewise, I believe that technology is an engaging and motivating tool for students, that would allow them to become more independent and self motivated learners.  I am a big proponent of  "flipping the classroom,"  where students learn the material at home, and complete engaging activities to apply their learning in the classroom.  While I feel my assessments do more then test simple memorized knowledge, I feel that technology does have its place in assisting these assessments (hence the term, Assistive Technology).   

   

Sal Khan's "The One World School House" - Part Three: Into the Real World

       In Part Three of The One World School House, Sal Khan discusses the rise of the Khan Academy website, from a simple set of educational tutorial videos, into a main stream of education and communications software available world wide for millions of people.  He begins discussing this transition "Into the Real World" by stating the realization that there is no one perfect way to teach all.  There are too many variables that come into play in the traditional education paradigm of lecture, homework, and test.  He believes that technology allows educators to "craft more particular and individual solutions" for today's learner.  He discovered that a lot of students were using simple rote memorization techniques to memorize concepts, but what was missing was the application of those concepts and the connections that can be made to other topics and subjects.  This can lead to a lack of assertiveness and confidence among students, and can leave educators with low expectations for mastery of subjects.

       When the Khan software first took steps into a real classroom, the idea was that if students could answer ten questions in a row correctly, then they were on their way to more precise skill mastery.  The question was though, could a student who is deemed as being "slow" according to traditional educational descriptions, have the potential to become fast if they were allowed to work at their own pace?  The goal would then be to make education more efficient, so more time could be spent on the application of skills and concepts in learning, or as Sal refers to it, "mind-expanding fun".

       Over time, people and organizations began to notice Sal's efforts, as he began receiving funding from Bill Gates for a free virtual school, as well as test piloting his software in schools, like the Los Altos Experiment.   Through the concepts of differentiated education, the Khan software would be designed to meet the needs of each individual learner.  While working in the "developmental" classes at Los Altos for grades five and seven, the technology provided allowed students to explore concepts on their own, and as a result, students were spontaneously helping one another and began to take control of their own learning.  Sal further states that this style of education promotes neuroplasticity, the brain's extraordinary adaptability to new knowledge and its strengthening between neurons when skills are enhanced.  He closes out the section discussing androgogy - the self-directed learner with the teacher acting more as a guide or facilitator.

       While I believe that Sal is opening the door for a lot of students, who were failed by traditional systems and practices of educational mastery, I think his references to neuroplasticity do not add to his arguments for the Khan software as a better approach to education over traditional methods.  As my doctor has often told me, our minds and our bodies are very smart.  Just as a person works their muscles to become stronger and be able to handle more challenging physical tasks, so too does our brains work in very much the same light.  We need to exercise our bodies and our brains, to strengthen muscles, and to strengthen our knowledge and skills so we are always able to complete a wide variety of tasks and challenges.  Furthermore, like our bodies, our brains are very adaptable.  We have the ability to shape what we know, and apply or skills and knowledge different tasks and circumstances.  Whether this be through technology use or traditional educational methods, students in both lights are still exercising their brains and applying what they have learned, regardless of skill mastery.

       I do however believe that his software, and his techniques, do allow for knowledge and concept learning to reach a wider range of learning styles and learning types.  He is correct in his assertion, that there is no one correct way to teach all learners.  Education needs to allow for that differentiation among teaching to better reach a wider variety of learners.  Technology does facilitate this differentiation in learning, by allowing students to view concepts and information in different ways, and to complete a greater variety of activities that facilitate the application of those concepts and knowledge.  It has resulted in a larger shift in education, where technology has allowed the learner to take more control of his/her learning, and has thusly allowed the teacher to act more as a facilitator within the classroom setting.

"Shared Solutions" Ministry Resource Document

       The Shared Solutions Document, published by the ministry of Education in 2007, acts as a guide for educators, students, and parents, to maintain strong lines of communication, while attending to the needs of children with special education needs.  The document is designed to assist these parties, to ensure that conflicts can be situated appropriately, or even prevented by maintaining those open lines of communication.  Several strategies and techniques are provided, to assist with conflict prevention and resolution, while educators and parents are working together through the identification process for students with special needs.  While the document is targeted for students with special needs, I believe that the guidelines, strategies, and case studies provided, can be attributed to any elementary or secondary student in education.

       The document begins, by discussing the common responses that can occur when conflict first happens.  Common responses that occur with conflict can range from avoidance, to confrontation, or to acquiescence (giving in).  While each of these can have negative impacts when conflict arises, sometimes they can also have certain beneficial circumstances to effective conflict resolution.  While there are many factors that may contribute to conflicts arising between parties, it is important to recognize the warning signs when they first appear.  There can be numerous warning signs that a conflict could arise, and from what I read from this document, they are all rooted in the same principle:  a broken line or breakdown in communication.

       Shared Solutions promotes a "Culture of Collaboration" between educator, student, and parent, that is rooted in effective communication.  Effective communication can be promoted by ensuring that frequent messaging occurs between school and parent.  Educators can promote effective messaging by providing information about special education programs and services, partaking in training and P.D. to strengthen communication skills, and school boards developing effective communication guidelines for schools to follow.  The document continues on discussing effective strategies and techniques for dealing with effective conflict prevention and resolution.

       Currently, I am finishing up Parent-Student-Teacher conferences within my classroom.  While I find these interviews to be very informative and productive for all parties involved, I always find that I am referring back to two key elements within my educational practice: 1.  What is the best means of communication between teacher and parent?  2.  How can parents best support their child's educational development at home?

       Communication in today's day and age is very easy to do.  Ten years ago, the agenda was the key source of communication between parents, students, and teachers.  Homework, notes, events, and special days could be recorded, shared, and checked daily.  Additional information or answers to questions could be shared through phone calls or interview requests.   Today, email, the internet, websites, blogs, and social media accounts have made the sharing of information not only easier to do, but has made it more of a two way street.  Educators can share information through their chosen outlets of information and communication technology, and parents can respond more easily with questions, comments, and information about their child and concerns with their child.   Furthermore, questions of supporting children at home can be better defined through helpful notes, tips, and links provided through communication and internet outputs.

       Effective use of communication technologies is a reliable and easy means for educators to keep the lines of communication open between teachers, students, and parents.  This will result in less conflicts occurring in the classroom, regarding students progress and special needs.  While Shared Solutions is targeted more for students with special educational needs and how to deal with conflict that may arise throughout the identification process, I feel its lessons in communication and conflict handling can be applied more to all students, parents, and educators.  However, even with greater resources at our disposal in communication and technology, conflicts are still bound to occur.  Having the Shared Solutions document, is a great resource to fall back on, in such a situation.

     

Ten Great Tools and Strategies for Assessment and Evaluation

      I recently created a Wiki, outlining ten great technology tools, that can be used for assessment and evaluation purposes in the classroom.  You can access the Wiki with the link below:

https://technologyandevaluation.wikispaces.com/Ten+Great+Technology+Assessment+Tools+in+Education

Here is a quick overview of the Ten Tools.

10.    Wikispaces - Wiki creator for idea building (ancient civilizations activity)
9.      E-Portfolios - Mixbook Scrapblog for sharing understanding and work (health portfolio)
8.      Dreambox - Math concept and skill development and tracking
7.      Socrative - assessment tool for laptops, iPads, tablets, and smart devices
6.      ForAllRubrics/Rubistar - online rubric creation for activities and projects
5.      Kidblog - easy to use blogging site for students - create a writing portfolio
4.      Student Websites - Wiggio/Weebly (video conferencing, group collaboration, and file sharing)
                                      - literature circle/guided reading assessment
3.      Livebinder - online web binder - create a binder with pages/tabs that share learning
2.      Edmodo - subject communities - communicate with students on specific subjects
1.      Google Docs - for commenting and ongoing feedback throughout assignment completion

Reporting and Evaluation, and Technology Use

      Technology is becoming more of a mainstay in the classroom, especially with regards to reporting and evaluation.  It gives teachers and educators an easy access to continual feedback, in respect to student progress and achievement.  Teachers can track student progress throughout a unit, rather than waiting for formative and summative assessment tasks to see if students have understood and applied the learning material.  Given the constraints of the classroom, computers and technology can also provide additional methods of assessment, that allows for evaluation to be accomplished outside of the classroom.  For me, one of the key features to technology and assessment, is the use of running records for multiple subjects.

                                         When assessing reading, my school board always looks to PM Benchmarks and DRA for establishing current and up to date reading levels among the students.  Both assessments are done a minimum of twice a year, usually around October and May.  Quite often, I like to do a mid year assessment around February likewise, to see how students are progressing with their reading habits, fluency, and comprehension.

        From these assessments, educators can establish reading programs to suit the needs of each student, and create guided reading groups that allow teachers to choose reading materials that are at the ability of that group of readers.  Furthermore, many schools use these assessments to create data walls and running records, that not only track student progress throughout the year, but track student progress throughout continuing grades likewise.  This allows educators to work together and identify students who may be struggling with reading, so they can provide extra support in order to catch them up to their peers.

      These data walls and running records have often taken up corners of staff rooms in schools, or can be located in teacher binders for quick reference.  With technology, data walls can easily be created online, for teachers to post and share the results of their student's reading levels.  This would make it easier to identify students who are low or have special needs, then teachers, administrators, and educational assistance can work together to help these students with their reading abilities.  A program such as Evernote, would be ideal for this tracking progress.  Evernote is an application used for online note taking and archiving.  These notes could include formatted text, webpages, photographs, voice memos, or uploaded handwritten notes.  Notes can also have file attachments and be sorted into folders.  This would not only be ideal for tracking reading levels, but voice memos or videos could be included of students performing the reading assessments, and answering questions that test for comprehension.   A more thorough piece of information about reading levels can consequently be saved and accessed later, rather than just a mere number indicating a reading level.

          Another great running record that my school board has been pushing is Dreambox.  I have discussed Dreambox in previous blog entries, discussing the benefits to completing math activities online and helping students to build their math skills.  Since I've started using Dreambox with my students, I have since discovered the benefits of this program with its use of running records.  The program tracks student progress throughout the lessons and units, and even identifies areas where students struggled with particular concepts and lessons.  All of this information can be tracked by teachers in the Teacher Dashboard Area, which gives access to classroom summary reports, student progress by standards (program and curriculum standards), student groups by proficiency, and includes a progress monitor.  Continued use of this software by students, allows teachers to track students throughout the lessons, and can even shape what concepts a teacher needs to cover with particular students, who may be struggling with particular algorithms.

        Here is a video by Cathy Fosnot Ed.D, discussing the advantage of Dreambox's seamless assessment, which gets away from static assessment that has plagued classroom based evaluation for decades.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXGayCdAICM



        Assessment and evaluation, needs to be seamless, and continual, and the use of running records and technology allows for this to take place much easier than traditional classroom evaluation methods.  There are so many ways that technology can be utilized in assessment and evaluation.  In my next blog entry, I'll be discussing ten methods that utilize technology for assessment and evaluating purposes.

Audio and Visual Assessment Tools

      I am always on the lookout for useful, easy to use apps and software that I can easily incorporate into my classroom practice.  I have used many Web 2.0 tools over the last few months to make learning more engaging and more enjoyable for my students.  The kids love to use technology, and to utilize technology in such a way, that they can be creative in ways that move beyond simple pencil and paper activities.  One major area that I am continuing to develop within my teaching practice is assessment, using online applications that will assist in evaluating student understanding and performance.  In terms of audio and video assessment strategies, I believe I have found two, very easy to use applications, that can incorporate online audio and video into a formalized diagnostic assessment.

     There are many programs and applications online that utilize audio for sharing purposes.  One such application that I recently discovered is the Vocaroo online voice recorder.  I have used many online voice recorders in the past, but I have to say that Vocaroo is by far the most simplest and easy to use recorder, especially for elementary student use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBUsOrAXcLw


      There is no need to make an account, provide a user ID and password, or register for anything.  It is simply a click to record, play, listen and save application.  The recordings are very clear, and it is easy to save and share as an MP3, QR code, as an email, or share through social media.

      A specific expectation for the grade five social studies curriculum strand, looks at the ways that citizens of Ontario, and Canada, can take action to address social and environmental issues. Specifically, students will:

B3.7  -describe some different ways in which citizens can take action to address social and
environmental issues (e.g., by determining the position of their local candidates on various issues
and supporting/voting for the one whose position they agree with;...) http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/sshg18curr2013.pdf

A great task for the students to partake in, would be to create radio spots as candidates in a municipal, provincial, or federal election, and to discuss how they would resolve a conflict within society today. Students would use the Vocaroo software to record their radio spots (working individually or in partners) outlining their plan to deal with this societal issue.  After recording and listening to each radio spot, students could then have a mini election, where they vote for who had the strongest arguments and made the best plan within their radio spots.  The votes and follow up discussion would be valuable data for assessment and evaluation.

     Aside from audio and voice recording tools, I have also used many web video tools for the curation and creation of lessons and projects to display student understanding and learning.  One tool that I have talked about in past blog entries is that of Jing, the screencasting software that allows users to take a picture or video of the user's computer screen, and uploads it to the web, automatically creating a URL for sharing purposes.  I have been looking for ways to use this application within my practice, and I stumbled across a great article and video from "Ideaconnect", the professional blog of Graham Whisen, physics teacher and part-time teacher librarian.  He shares a great strategy for using Jing to assess students online work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ow0pguD3Ic


      Graham uses the Jing software, to give assessment and feedback for an assignment that a student has submitted online.  He can use the application to go through all parts of the assignment, recording video of him giving feedback for each section of the assignment.  This is a great application to use for assessment purposes.

      I recently have started my grade four and five students with online blogging.  I encourage students to not only use it to share writing assignments, but to post their thoughts and ideas on anything that is of interest to them.  The Jing application will be a handy tool for me to review the writing with them on their blogs, give feedback, evaluation, and next steps for future blog posts.  Furthermore, the access that parents can have to both the student blog, as well as my feedback videos, will help to keep parents updated on the progress of their child, and what they can do at home to reinforce what is being done at school likewise.

      I look forward to using both of these assessment strategies within my classroom!

You can check out some great links below, that I have updated on my online bookmarking page:
https://delicious.com/timstevens111

E-Learning in "Growing Success"

      In 2010, the Ontario ministry of education developed the document, Growing Success, to complement the change with the provincial reporting assessments.  The document outlines the structure of the current provincial progress reports and report cards, assessment and evaluation strategies in the classroom, and  accommodations and modifications for students with specific and special needs.  This document has become a key component for structuring teaching practices for assessment and reporting within the classroom.

      In reviewing this document, one short chapter that caught my eye was the chapter on E-Learning. The chapter outlines the structure of E-Learning in Ontario for secondary school students.  The ministry of education has made it possible for secondary students to obtain certain secondary course credits through e-learning courses, developed through the provincial learning management system, (LMS) and delivered by school boards throughout the province.  These courses serve as an alternative to supplement traditional classroom teachings, and abide by the same provincial assessment, evaluation, and reporting policies.

      The chapter goes on to outline some key benefits for students accessing e-learning courses.  Students who live in small, rural, or isolated schools would have the same access to diverse course and learning resources, as all other schools throughout the province.  Furthermore, e-learning courses allow for great flexibility and choice in course selection, they provide alternative formats for course delivery, give additional options for students recovering credits, and provide students with the opportunity to succeed in online learning beyond secondary school.  This last benefit is the one that stands out for me the most.  Much learning today is being done through these types of courses, at all levels and avenues of education.  E-learning courses and tools allow for a wider range of activities that meet the needs of all types of learners, and provide students with the opportunity to work at their own pace.  It is a great idea to expose learners to this method of content and course delivery sooner rather than later.

      While the chapter is targeting e-learning at the secondary school level, I pose the question:  Why not start sooner than that?  There are so many great Web 2.0 tools that educators can access, for free, to supplement traditional classroom practices.  Teachers can pick and choose their tools that they are comfortable using and see fit, or they can access great sites like Edmodo, to structure the delivery of specific units, or even their entire program.  The key to success, would be in shaping assessment and evaluation tools, to stay in line with provincial assessment and reporting standards.  Many teachers are already doing this within their course planning, so why not extend this chapter to include elementary and middle school grades.  Most teachers are expected to develop their own content, delivery, and evaluation methods anyways, why not do it online.  There are even sites such as Quizlet, that allow for assessment strategies to be utilized by teachers over the internet.

      While I do believe that e-learning can be extended to elementary level students, this should be done to complement traditional learning practices.  This would provide an excellent system of scaffolding for students, who will eventually move to online courses later on, as they progress along their chosen educational path.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOvPUMTIRSc

Assistive Technology Interview - Reflection

      Recently I sat down with my Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) to discuss two students who have been identified and will be receiving support, in the form of their very own iPads to use during classroom activities.  This lead to a discussion on the procedure and wait times for Assistive Technology support for students within Halton.  While I knew of the process and was aware of the timelines for students receiving AT, I still found it interesting to see just how well Halton is meeting the needs of our students.

      Speaking with my SERT Jeff, we discussed just who is eligible for AT within the board.  In order for a prescription to be assigned to a student, a formal assessment needs to be completed on the student, with the results outlining a specific need for AT within the classroom.  The students who are identified as needing AT, would show certain deficiencies in terms of fine motor skills, visual motor skill (e.g. The ability to copy notes), organizational skills, or just maintaining sustained attention during prolonged tasks.   Once a diagnosis is confirmed, Jeff can then write out a formal assessment on a mere two page form, requesting the AT device or software, and the technology should arrive at the school within a four to six week time frame.

      During this time, students can begin training on the AT device while they are still waiting for their prescription to arrive.  Halton supplies schools with extra laptops, iPads, LiveScribe pens, software and other devices just for this purpose.  Students will receive training from the SERT directly, or in the case of my school, an Educational Assistant who has been assigned as an AT teacher, to assist in training students who are new to the technology.  Likewise, teachers can be trained on the devices and software as well, to better assist their own students.  Training can come from in house experts or itinerant teachers contacted by the school SERT.  Quite often, full and half day PD workshops can also be provided for certain types of devices and software.

      As I have posted and blogged about many times, Web 2.0 tools are becoming used more regularly, replacing many old forms of software, that the board has paid lots of money to license out and provide training for.  Programs such as Premier Tools, Worksheet Wizard, and Dragon Naturally Speaking, seem to be becoming more obsolete, as easier to use programs such as iPad notebook, and Dragon Dictation are easier to use and free for everyone.  As for as next steps go for Halton, I find that the board is doing an excellent job with keeping up with the demand and need for more Assistive Technology within our schools.  While some discrepancies still exist between schools and the availability of technology for students, I find that my school in particular is doing a fantastic job with providing necessary tools for students.  The only next step that I can see for the board, is creating an online document that tracks students AT use, and what types of training the student has gone through, so future teachers can be made aware of this quickly and easy.  This can be done however, at the individual school level.

Sal Khan's "The One World Schoolhouse" Part 2 Reflections

      In Part Two, of Salman Khan's The One World Schoolhouse, Sal starts to look at the current state of our educational system, and the model that we have created for our students.  He talks about how our educational system is a human construct that is intertwined with many others customs and institutions within our society.  He outlines the history of education, from mimicking, to the apprentice, to standardized learning.  It was in 18th century Prussia, where standardized schooling first came into existence, supported through tax funding.  The idea then was to produce "loyal intractable citizens" who would learn the value of submitting to the authority of parents, teachers, the church, and the ruler.  It was this innovation that later created the huge middle class of society, and has remained the constant for the last 120 years.

After reviewing the development of education within Germany and the United States, Sal turns his attention to marks and testing.  He discusses how our current system views 75% as a good grade, but yet that student still has not mastered a good quarter of content, leaving a lot of students with what he describes as "swiss cheese" learning.  Learning with holes or gaps of understanding left behind, that inevitably sets many students up for failure later on.  Tests themselves say little about a student's potential to learn, as they are just a snapshot in time of student understanding.  What if the student grasps the material later on, then ends up excelling past his/her classmates?  Tests make good diagnostic tools to identify gaps in learning, but they should not be the be all and end all of assessment in learning.

      Our current education system is thus a flawed model that deprives students of being able to reach their full potential according to their own timelines.  Creativity is underappreciated and math and science are not seen as creative fields in their own right.  Using tests and assessments to filter out students, streamline their learning, or discourage them from pursuing all options, are segregating many students, leaving their full potential unfulfilled.  The demands of homework likewise, can bring down student creativity and potential.  Sal asserts that homework should not be about quantity, but quality, which is a difficult measure to take into account.  He believes that homework is demanding and time consuming, but necessary, because not enough learning is taking place during the school day.

      Flipping the classroom is Sal's solution to the issues of homework and identifying gaps in student learning.  Through the use of technology, educators can now post lectures and lessons online for students to view.  Then when students come into class, class time can be used for activities that build on learning, on enriching what the students already know.  Teachers can give extra support to students who may be struggling, and can work with smaller groups to help promote better understanding.  Class time can be spent on engaging activities, or the work that was usually assigned as homework.  Making class time more meaningful is the key to promoting students to a more mastery learner ideal.

      While I really like the idea of students coming into class each day already knowing the lesson, perhaps with questions or ideas they wish to share, I always come back to the issue of access to technology.  Not all families have equal access to technology at home.   The school can provide technology in many cases, but not always in all.  This in itself can lead to inequalities within education.  Furthermore, just because a student views a lesson at home, does not always mean they are going to grasp the concept any quicker.  Realistically speaking, many students might end up taking the same amount of time to understand the concept, as they would if they were present for the lesson in class.  Sometimes I find that I've presented material to students in two or three ways, and they still can not seem to pick up on the concept.  What then?  I have given extra support, given the extra time, and still gaps.  I believe that it often just comes down to maturity.  All kids mature at different rates, and I think the same is true with understanding.  Some students just are metacognitively not ready to grasp certain ideas and concepts being presented.  They will eventually, but unfortunately, there is other material that needs to be covered, and it is time to move on.

      While Sal argues that the demands of our curriculum are too extraneous on students, not allowing students to move at a pace they are ready for, and taking away from their creativity and full potential, he also states that education is intertwined with our society.  Is not the society we live in very fast paced, always moving from one thing to another.  Time management and strong organizational skills are important factors for many households and families that are juggling, work, home, chores, and responsibilities.  Should not our current education system continue to model this as well, to properly prepare students for this society?  While creativity is important, I wonder just how much does our society truly value it, and does it pay well?

Assistive Technology LiveBinder

     Here is a LiveBinder I created, for some great resources, links, and ideas for incorporating Assistive Technology effectively into the classroom.  I'm hoping to add more tabs to it in the near future, as I continue to integrate more great technology ideas into the classroom.  Whether it be through identification, prescription, or just general use purposes, Assistive Technology software and devices can benefit all students, and should be incorporated more into regular teaching practice where ever and when ever an educator has the means to do so.

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1556338

AT Discussion on Favourite Web 2.0 Tools

       Here is a link below to a discussion I recently participated in, on some of the favourite Web 2.0 tools that educators use from around the world.  The app used here is called Voxopop, which is an online audio tool to record speaking for others to listen to.  A user can build up a threaded online audio discussion about various topics, and users can join "talk groups" to participate in guided topic discussions or just listen to others speak.

      You can click on the link here to listen to the discussion thread.
http://www.voxopop.com/topic/822f37a4-0a87-403d-aace-e63dad23ac2a#.VE06R_nF8kN

     The Web 2.0 tool that I discussed was Voicethread, a presentation tool where users can upload pictures and videos to create slideshows.  The slideshows can then be commented on by other viewers, either through audio or video feedback, and drawing and texting features are also available for user to use, while the video or slideshow is playing.   Here is a voicethread I recently created for an art activity using Vincent Van Gogh's "The Starry Night".




https://voicethread.com/new/share/6209723/