This week, we have been exploring andragogy and how we can use learning theory to motivate and design learning for adults. We had to create a Padlet to share our ideas. Access mine HERE or click below.
Posts
"You must leave digital footprints so people know you’re treading among them and part of the community" Vicki Davis, ' Global Education by Design '. I joined Twitter in July 2012 and I honestly can’t tell you what prompted me to join. I had been in a school in Malaysia for a year and that had been my first exposure to teaching with technology. We were a 1:1 Mac school just starting to implement GSuite for Education (or Google Apps for Education as it was then). At that time, the apps were limited, tables for example, in Google Docs, didn’t work properly and the formatting options were limited. There was no Google Classroom either. However, it revolutionised my teaching and I began to write websites as schemes of work that had my learners as the audience and focused on what they were doing, rather than an list of instructions that I, as the teacher, should do to them. I also began to use Edmodo to share all my resources and lessons with my learners online for 2...
I have not posted for a long time! Shame on me. One of the reasons is having moved, a) job, b) house, and c) country! Aren't these some of the most stressful things you can do? Anyway, to cut a long story short, the past 12 months have been very stressful and trying, but all is ok for now and we are settled and I am ready to start writing again. Fortunately, I have just started a new module of my MEd, and part of it focuses quite strongly on Blogging - which is an excellent motivator to get me back on track! Over the next few weeks, I will be exploring and posting about Web 2.0 tools that could be suitable for use in my classroom. I will include: 1) The Name of the Web Tool and, 2) Discuss briefly why and how the tool could be will used in the classroom with reference to how it will enhance student learning. Stay tuned for more frequent postings :)
As part of my current MEd Unit, I had to join and review a Personal Learning Network (PLN). I chose to join and review The Educator’s PLN (Thomas Whitby, 2013), as I am already a member and dedicated user of both Edmodo and Twitter. I wanted to try new possibilities, which were The Educator’s PLN and Classroom 2.0, and, after reading the article, ‘Professional learning networks designed for teacher learning’ (Trust, 2012) I decided to try The Educator’s PLN. I wanted to learn if it would be a good place to connect and learn from educators – are they willing to answer queries and provide links for me when I am researching? Are there constant and consistent learning conversations and sharing? If we are to use PLNS to their best, which can be to provide us with transformative and powerful experiences that are teacher-driven, we need to be able to connect and contribute ( Being Connected , 2013). I believe that the point of a PLN is to grow as an educator, learn from others, and co...
I have started this year with a commitment to develop literacy through reading and writing. I dedicate the start of every lesson to ten minutes silent reading. Sometimes I listen to the learners read, sometimes I ask them to tell me about their reading. After each session, learners complete a reading log . They summarise or ask questions, predict or write about how they reading made them feel. Sometimes I ask them to talk about their reading with a partner or small group. Sometimes we share reading as a class. We use Edmodo as a learning portal, and I am amazed at the sharing that has been going on about books. My Year 7 class in particular are constantly writing on Edmodo to each other about the books they are reading or making recommendations. I have also set up a Reading Buddy programme. In the first week of the academic year, I asked all my classes to write to me about things they would like to do in English this year. My Year 7s asked to read with primary learners. I appr...
View from the top of Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore We are back to school next week. We kicked off with a few days of PD, and ended for a long Independence Day holiday weekend, by being treated to a wonderful sun-soaked afternoon on the top of the iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel. I have had a great summer - lots of sunshine, swimming and reading. I found a great balance between relaxing and learning, and thought I would list the great books I had the pleasure to read over the six week break. Fiction Coraline (graphic novel) by Neil Gaiman and P Craig Russell Tooth and Nail by Ian Rankin Strip Jack by Ian Rankin The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald Black Swan Green by David Mitchell Mockingbird by Katherine Erskine When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli While I Live by John Marsden Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper ...
As the last week of the year fast approaches, I thought I would take five minutes out of my writing to reflect on the progress and achievements of the year. I have found this year to be challenging on many levels and want to focus squarely on the successes - as there have been many - to allow me to see what truly matters as all too easily, we forget the good stuff when the tough stuff gets us down. In terms of teaching, I have successfully designed and implemented my first project-based learning project, which was recognised as excellent in the field and so I was asked to contribute to future course design of PBL projects. I also collaborated and delivered my first Global Project, also recognised as leading in the field . I have continued to explore and understand how technology can enhance teaching and learning in the English classroom and successfully helped implement the 1:1 scheme using Edmodo as a learning portal. I set up and managed learner and class blogs to enable learner...
Statement of Accomplishment For learning-junkies - like me - Coursera allows you to search for, enrol and take part in interesting and varied courses, offered by legitimate universities - for free! I have written before about taking control of our own learning; whilst I am lucky enough to be in a school that values Professional Learning highly, that funds PL and devotes one afternoon session a week to helping staff learn, not everyone is so lucky. However, as explored in Kristen Swanson 's book, ' Professional Learning in a Digital Age ', the advent of technology and the Internet, means our learning can be 'user-generated' - we take control. Organisations such as Venture Lab and Coursera make this even easier. This year online, for free, I have taken part in the following online courses:- Designing a New Learning Environment (via Stanford University, through Venture Lab ) E-Learning and Digital Cultures (via The University of Edinburgh) I am also s...
Is not the world very odd and strange place? How while you are thinking about something, often quite random, you all of a sudden come across many other things that are all linked to the initial thing you were thinking about... an unusual word, or new acronym or concept, for example. I recently wrote a blog post called, ' A drop in the ocean.. .', an extended metaphor attempting to establish stability and hope in a sea of despair, frustration and confusion. It was inspired by my fabulous and ever-growing PLN, that has recently grown through my participation in the wonderful Flat Classroom Teacher Certification programme. The post discusses my desire and hope to find other, similar 'drops' to join together, collaborate and cultivate a cloud; to learn and strive to find the best methods and burst forth, raining down our knowledge of learning, in the hope of encompassing and inspiring more drops... and so letting the cycle begin again. From my PL came a rainbow; ...
A Quadblog assignment for Flat Classroom Teacher Certification. Composed collaboratively by Holly, Dottie, Kerry, and Penny. --------------- Five areas of awareness - use these five areas of awareness as a lens for viewing digital citizenship choices: Technical Awareness Individual Awareness Social Awareness Cultural Awareness Global Awareness The focus of this Quad-Blog will be on Individual Awareness Individual awareness is a person’s understanding of online behavior and how he/she chooses to behave online. Some factors that play into individual awareness are healthy lifestyle choices, balance, and a person’s individual goals. Major Topics: Safety, Privacy, Copyright, Fair Use, and Legal Compliance Etiquette and Respect Habits of Learning: Reliable, Responsible, Management of Online Activity Understanding Literacy and Fluency ------------------------ Safety, Privacy, Copyright, Fair Use, and Legal Compliance What is it? In basic terms Safety, Privacy, Copyri...
Habits of Learning: Responsible, Reliable Management of Online Activity For Module 3: Citizenship, of the Flat Classroom Teacher Course, we have been assigned 'Quadblog' groups; this gives us a taste of what it is like to try to work asynchronously towards a common goal with people we don't know and who are in different time zones. My group has been assigned the topic of Individual Awareness , which is one of the areas of awareness that permeate every area of digital citizenship. Within each of the five areas of awareness - technical, individual, social, cultural and global - there are four "rays of understanding": Safety, Privacy, Copyright, Fair Use, and Legal Compliance; Etiquette and Respect; Habits of Learning: Responsible, Reliable Management of Online Activity, and Literacy and Fluency. For the Quadblog group, I am tackling the understanding of Habits of Learning: Responsible, Reliable Management of Online Activity within the concept of individu...
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...
I am lucky enough to live in a country that never suffers from the snow that seems to be blighting many of my friends, followers and PLN. With the knowledge that my February is going to be completely bonkers (I start my Flat Classroom Teacher Training Course, we have mock exams, I have to get all the Extended Essay documentation completed, all IBDP internal assessments need to be finished and paperwork submitted, a friend and her toddler is coming to stay, we have parents' evening and reports to write, plus I need to train for my next half-marathon), along with it being my hubby's birthday weekend, I decided to take Saturday to chill by the pool in the blazing sunshine and complete the reading for the virtual book club I have been taking part in. For the background on this see the following posts: Take charge of your own learning Pearls of Wisdom Baring your soul: Reflecting & Sharing Professional Learning in the Digital Age gave me great insight and the confiden...
"The act of finding resources and thinking about them changes your practice. The more exploring I do, the more I try, and the more I learn." Richard Byrne, author of Free Technology for Teachers quoted in a chapter about 'Reflection' in ' Professional Learning in a Digital Age ' by Kristen Swanson. MODELLING Teaching is all about modelling."Reflection in a public space creates a transparency for learning that benefits education" in more ways than one - it creates a forum for educators and it also creates positive models for learners. TRANSPARENCY "Being transparent about our successes and struggles is an important behaviour to model for our students"; being honest and open - particularly laying bare our mistakes and inadequacies - can be something that educators find challenging but the advent of Google in the classroom means we cannot and are not the sage on the stage; tech-savvy learners (and even those who aren't particul...