Skip to main content

COMMUNICATION

"England and America are two countries separated by the same language." 
George Bernard Shaw (87)

This is true also of teaching; global classrooms and non-global classrooms are two educational settings separated by the same communication systems. The world today requires us to have "a whole new set of communication literacies" (92); we need to educate learners in these technologies because "communications-savvy people are our best inoculation against the disease of inadvertent misunderstandings caused by technology glitches and nuances." (66) See also my blog post, 'Getting our wires crossed.'

"Creating an effective PLN is an essential 21st-century pull technology for students" (89)


My inaugural Project-Based Learning unit is written as the capstone for my PBLU Teaching Certification course. The Octopus's Garden Project, was written with this Flat Classroom Teacher Certification course in mind too, so I involved two grade levels to allow me to practise synchronicity and asynchronicity.

To aid communication in the project, I decided to use Edmodo. It had been used to deliver the PBLU course and I had found it a great way to communicate with all project members. Immediately, it became highly active with learners engaging with each other during and outside class times; it was a great way to communicate immediately with a group and allowed them to be able to respond to each others' questions; it allowed them to be able to help each other even if I have not had a chance to respond to queries. Without it, the amount of emails flying back and forth would have become impractical for most learners who were not yet used to being online for educational purposes.

Using the 'small groups' setting, I set up team groups within the main group, so learners within teams could send each other messages too. Edmodo allows us to add important information and reminders, as well as links to assignments, videos or documents; create polls about teachable moments or questions raised in class needing answers from all team members, plus keep track of progress and award badges for good effort, collaboration, sharing etc. All in all, it became a great collaborative communication tool; the learners love to use it and it is certainly one I will keep in my toolkit for future projects because it allowed us to lay the foundations for a successful learning network ,where learners could rely on each other - an essential component for the success of the communication and therefore the project.


"Having a stable routine is vital to digital-age work and learning" (67)

In helping to create the 'habits of mind' that require us to stay on top of our communication and to allow learners to take responsibility for their online and e-comm situation, learners decided on a five minute 'techtime' session at the start of each lesson to allow them time to check emails - all are striving for that zero inbox - as well as logon to Edmodo and get up to date with the lesson's agenda and any new posts.

"Communication is truly "flat" with access to everyone" (88)

When it comes to electronic communication, I have found that Edmodo is a great way to keep on top of email traffic and is both a synchronous and asynchronous tool that allows us to keep email in-boxes manageable. It is easy, it is free and it means teachers can be part of it, as well as parents. Once we go global, it could potentially mean that there is someone there 24 hours a day to offer support and guidance when needed.

What is also great about Edmodo, is that is has an app. This means that learners have the opportunity to be switched on all the time; they are able to engage wherever they are, they are able to respond and post pictures wherever they are taking learning beyond the classroom - flattening walls. It means I can also be connected to them all the time and get notifications as soon as learners post; I can also grade and comment and respond on my morning commute - a prefect way to make sure my time is productive.

"Over half the time spent on a global collaborative project by teachers typically happens before the project begins" (80)

This was completely true for The Octopus's Garden Project, which took over a month to plan out, and constantly evolves to meet the learning needs. You can read in more detail about the 'birth' of this project HERE.

In my school community, there is much misconception and uncertainty about different and non-traditional pedagogical methods of delivering lessons; many, I think, believe PBL in particular is about 'doing'; I, the teacher, do nothing, while the learners do all the work. Whilst I acknowledge that PBL lends itself to being learner-centred, it is not true that I sit around and let them get on with it - never have I worked so hard in fact. It is simply the nature of the work that is different to more traditional notions of what teaching is.

Most of my 'work' now the project is running, happens outside the classroom - in creating schedules, feedback, in addressing needs and issues that come up in lessons, and in coordinating skills workshops to address any gaps in knowledge that have arisen. During actual class time it is true that I may not seem to be 'teaching' in the more traditional sense of the word, but rather I circulate, participate and facilitate, I meet with teams and offer the support they need. You can read my reflection 'After Meeting with Teams' that was submitted as part of the PBLU course to gain more insight into how my teaching, learning and communication was organised in terms of the 'breadcrumbs' learners left to inform each other between sessions.

"Once it is cool to care, anything becomes possible" 
Todd Whittaker, 'What Great Teachers Do Differently (87)

One big thing I would change about my Octopus Garden project is the start: launch in PBL; handshake in FCP. As the project was planned to evaluate my learning in my PBL Teacher Certification, the starting focus was the exciting 'entry event' or launch; my reflection 'After the Launch' goes into more detail on my evaluation of this in terms of PBL. The start of any project is important but the 'launch' is an essential component of PBL however, the 'handshake' element of FCP works on, and develops this process and would develop a caring environment from the start.

I believe my learners involved in the Project would have benefited from a small handshake at the start following the launch. I think I neglected this part because, a) I had not done this course yet, but b) mainly, my planning didn't address any sort of need for this, because project teams are in the same school. However, they did not all know each other and had never worked in this way before - they have strong relationships now, but I think a handshake would have been great and would have established the strong and caring bond they have developed right from the get go.

"I enjoyed all of this project but if I had to choose one thing that I enjoyed the most it would have to be working with the grade sevens because I now am quite good friends with them and I feel I've made a few friendships which now mean quite a lot to me. In particular, what I like about working with them is helping each other and working in a really fun group with different people." Blog Reflection, G8 Learner, The Octopus's Garden Project 2012.

"Online behaviour has offline consequences!" (67) 

As an English teacher I found the section on 'Communication Ground Rules' very apt and interesting. Before embarking on my Octopus project, I did a Snapshots project that asked learners to think carefully about how they want to present themselves to the world - "profiles represent people" (67). The project commenced with an exploration of who they think they are through poetry, video and presentations, and included a 'paper blogging community' that allowed learners to explore this mode of communication safely. They were global-local in terms of the school community who could see their posts, which were stuck all over the outside of my classroom. Through sticky notes, they learned how to write helpful, critical comments and how they could remove any they did not like or find helpful. Once these rules were learned, we explored the consequences of online profiles upon our futures and then signed an agreement that had guidelines on how to be responsible digital citizens. This agreement included the need to use standard English to allow for clear communication in adherence with the belief that it is "an imperative for us to discourage IM speak in academic language because it is exclusionary and unprofessional" (86). Once they launched into Blogging proper, we linked up with some schools in the USA, the UK and Australia for Quadblogging to provide authentic audiences.

After reading Chapter 4: Step 2: Communication (62-96), I realise that running The Octopus's Garden Project, even between just two grade levels within the same school, has been an excellent way to practise the communication skills I need and they need to be successful - before we launch ourselves globally.

I think my work on this Project means that I got 'green' on the Self-Assessment Survey. We use project calendars, Edmodo, Blogger and Twitter to communicate with each other and the school community, so I have been able to practise using, implementing and trouble-shooting a variety of communication tools. The feedback told me:-

"You're in good shape. You need to be flexible if you want to collaborate globally, especially if you are creating a new project with the other teachers. Just follow the tips to prevent burnout and keep balance in your personal life."

I do think burnout is something I need to keep an eye on, as I tend to run headlong into things and get very enthusiastic and caught up. I have taken up my running again this year, as it forces me to spend some time on myself and gives me goals to achieve outside of the classroom. However, it is something additional that I need to fit into my day, which can also make me feel strained when I am a full time teacher, mother, wife and learner... But I truly believe that it is important to model learning and organisation and self-management - I can only expect my learners to step-up to these challenges if they see me challenging myself too.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lindsay, Julie, and Vicki A. . Davis. "Chapter 4: Step 2: Communication." Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds: Move to Global Collaboration One Step at a Time. Boston: Pearson, 2013. 62-96. Print.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

All comments gratefully received - thanks for taking the time to read :)
Anonymous comments and spam will be removed.

Past Thoughts

CONNECTION

We had our kick-off meeting last week on Tuesday 5 February 2013. I was able to connect using Blackboard Collaborate , something I had not used before, but unfortunately had to leave as I was at school. However, with it being Chinese New Year I have had an extended weekend, so was able to catch up and watch the full recorded version. I have also had a cold so have not felt up to tackling the mountain of marking, but have caught up on my reading for the next meeting, namely Chapters 1-3 of the book, ' Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds '; my Tweets about the most interesting salient points for me personally, can be found under @MrsHollyEnglish under #flatclass. Having reached the end of Chapter 3, I have come across my first 3 of the 15 Flat Classroom Challenges. Having taken part in the survey assessing my current connectivity, I feel confident that I am currently in a good position - I already have established a sound PLN that I build on when I can and have added s...
57 comments
Read more

Infographics - good and bad

This week in my MEd, we are exploring the heady world of infographics with the objective of learning how visual representations of data can enhance and distort data. The aim is for us to think carefully about the use of graphics in our teaching in order that we use visuals to effectively deliver information rather than distort it and confuse our learners. After reading three articles by Edward Tufte, I summarised some basic principles to form the basis of my explorations and use them to evaluate the infographics I found. According to Tufte (1983), graphical excellence happens when graphics: show data make viewers think about content not presentation/design avoid  the distortion of data present many numbers in a small space make large data sets coherent encourage the eye to compare different pieces of data reveal data on different levels - from broad to fine have a clear purpose: descriptive/ explorative /decorative/ tabulative be closely correlated with s...
7 comments
Read more

From Alignment to Impact: Why Curriculum, Feedback, and Organisational Design Matter

This reflection draws on established research in curriculum design, instructional leadership, feedback, and school improvement, as well as my ongoing doctoral study in curriculum and learning sciences. It is written from a leadership perspective and informed by sustained engagement with departments, teams, and classrooms throughout this half term. The intention is to make visible the research-informed rationale underpinning current and future priorities for teaching, learning, and collaboration. A Shift in Perspective This half term, my work has taken me away from classrooms and more into meetings. I have spent sustained time with several Heads of Department in strategic planning discussions, in departmental meetings focused on implementation, and in conversations with teachers and parents regarding learning, assessment, and progress. While this is a different vantage point from earlier reflections grounded in classroom observation, it has provided an additional and highly valuable per...
Post a Comment
Read more

Creativity Runs Wild

“There’s probably no better example of the throttling of creativity than the difference between what we observe in a kindergarten classroom and what we observe in a high school classroom.” (Levine) Wherever in the world I have been teaching, one of the most common observations of my classroom by other teachers is that it is "like a primary classroom". This is, more often that not, said in a derogatory and dismissive way, as if the colourful and expressive landscape of learning created through explorations of language and literature is a negative thing. That I cannot possibly be teaching a secondary curriculum if they seem to be creating so much..."mess" (as it has also been called). I have never paid much attention to this; I believe that my IB Diploma English Literature class learnt a great deal about the symbols, motifs, characters, language, themes and setting through the mural we painted all over the classroom. They learnt to problem solve and collaborate...
4 comments
Read more

Take charge of your own learning this year!

Following on from my post about taking up the Ten Tool Challenge , I have just started reading and taking part in a virtual book club for a fabulous book, 'Professional Learning in the Digital Age' by Kristen Swanson . From the start, this is a book that resonates with me on many levels and builds on approaches I was beginning to develop in my own practice. Its exploration of the ways adults learn and how educators can approach professional learning confirms and expands on many of my current beliefs - that we need to collect, consider and evaluate and share. One of my pet hates has always been professional learning that is outdated, repetitive, not relevant and a waste of my very precious time. Swanson states that "for adult learning experiences to be successful, learners should be aware of the intention of the activity. Instruction should be problem-based instead of content-based, and planning should be collaborative. Succinctly, adults must be engaged with the content...
1 comment
Read more
From Brain-Based Learning to Heutagogy: Designing Agency With Care How do we design learning that develops agency without assuming learners are already fully independent? In my research this week, I found myself returning to the same question: how do we design learning that supports agency without assuming that learners are already fully self-directed or self-determined? The readings move from brain-based learning, to the space between pedagogy and andragogy, to the history of andragogy, and finally to heutagogy. Taken together, they challenge the idea that teaching and learning models can be neatly organised by age or stage. Instead, I see that they suggest effective learning design depends on context, readiness, purpose, motivation, and the kind of support learners need to grow. Jang et al. (2022) provide a useful starting point, reminding me that learning design needs to be grounded in how learning actually occurs. Their review of brain-based learning research highlights the import...
Post a Comment
Read more

"A wonderful contribution to the field of global collaborative projects"

I am currently working on the culmination of my Flat Classroom Teacher Certification course, which is a collaborative Global Project Design. I have worked with a colleague from Wisconsin, USA to modify and develop my ' Dare to be Yourself ' unit, designed for my Year 8 and 9 learners this term. Originally written to address the problem of intolerance and lack of kindness, the 'Dare to be Yourself' unit, using the novel Stargirl , has been utilised to become a Global Project that can be delivered across the world and allow learners to connect and observe the similarities that exist in our world, with the hope of building individual, social and global conscience. In preparation, the following feedback has been received from one of the course facilitators:- Stargirl  by Jerry Spinelli from Goodreads "AMAZING!!!! Seriously, this is one of the most thoroughly and thoughtfully planned out projects I have seen. You have chosen a timely and timeless topic tha...
3 comments
Read more

From Consumers to Changemakers: Why Purposeful Digital Learning Matters

Conversations about technology in schools often begin from a place of legitimate concern. Families and educators are right to ask questions about distraction, wellbeing, social media, sleep, attention, and the amount of time young people spend in front of screens. These concerns should not be dismissed. They matter because children’s digital lives are complex, and schools have a responsibility to think carefully about how technology shapes learning, relationships, identity, and wellbeing.  However, one distinction is often blurred: Unmanaged recreational screen use is not the same as intentionally designed digital learning. Passive scrolling is not the same as collaborative inquiry. Social media consumption is not the same as learners using digital tools to research, create, communicate, receive feedback, organise ideas, or participate in meaningful communities. When all screen-based experiences are treated as the same, schools risk making decisions based on anxiety rather than on ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Belonging Is Designed

Belonging is not granted after learners prove they can access the curriculum. Belonging is created through the way curriculum, instruction, assessment, relationships, and evidence-informed responses are designed. That idea has been sitting with me deeply. In schools, we often talk about belonging as something relational, cultural, or pastoral. Whilst it is, of course, all of those things, I also think belonging is a curriculum and learning design issue. Learners experience belonging, or exclusion, through the tasks they are given, the examples they see, the feedback they receive, the ways they are invited to participate, and the assumptions adults make about what they can do. Inclusion, then, cannot sit only in intervention structures or individual support plans. These matter, of course; some learners need targeted and specialist support, and schools need strong systems to provide it. But if inclusion begins only after a learner struggles, we have already accepted a design problem as a...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Impossible Knife of Memory: Review

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson It might be safe to say that I inhaled this book and its incredibly crafted story, breathing out the smoke of words I digested and chewed over, coating my classroom in metaphors both grotesque and moving. This novel was the first of the Book a Month Challenge myself and my PLN established on Twitter, and I enjoyed this novel both as a reader and as a teacher. My learners noticed my reading it around the corridors; parents stopped me in the car park to ask what I was reading and to make sure I didn't walk into anything. An intriguing and moving novel about an intense father-daughter relationship of trauma and heartache, Amazon describes it as "Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down" - I guess I cannot disagree. I have taken and used many passages to teach figurative language as the writing demonstrates metaphor and personification in a complex yet access...
Post a Comment
Read more