PYPX Beyond Classroom Walls

From a group of teachers wanting to have a bigger conversation, grew yesterday's IB.PYP Exhibition sharing day for teachers of four schools across Germany. The conversations were great, sharing ideas of practise past and future. Talking with others rates so highly on my personal PD agenda and yesterday was no exception.

In our PYP classrooms we talk a lot about collaboration and sharing. The exhibition is designed to be a celebration of the learner, an opportunity to take ownership and lead an inquiry from beginning to end; an opportunity to design, construct, plan, develop and present their own unit of inquiry. Last year's exhibition went well, but there remains a lot of scope for improvement. The whys and how-tos of mentoring remain high on our agenda, action, performance and evidence elements are other areas of reinterpretation. For me though, these are not where my mind wonders off to the most.

What does the ideal exhibition look like? There are so many elements of exhibition open to interpretation, each requiring discussion and revisiting each year, one thing seems obvious though, connecting kids across classrooms. In the PYP we talk about making the world a smaller place, helping students to develop an understanding of our world through the lenses of six transdiciplinary themes. Can we truly do this within the confines of a classroom?

My ideal exhibition would have students collaborating with others from across the globe. Sharing in their learning and their approach to change with students beyond the walls of their own classroom. Our discussions yesterday helped me to realise that the initial focus for students would be on action, encouraging students to consider the areas in our world where they would like to help, to affect change. As these conversations continue, opening doors for discussions with others using tools like Edmodo, blogs and Voicethreads students in Europe can begin to share their ideas with students in Asia, the Nordic, Americas and the Pan-Pacific.

Last year our early focus was on moving students from topic to concept. I saw it then and I know it now, these 'topic to concept' discussions were very hard for the kids. They really didn't understand why. A colleague helped me to realise yesterday that by changing our approach the student would take themselves from topic to concept. So my ideal Exhibition would have students connecting with others who care about similar issues. As they connect with each other and talk about the action they can take their conversations will naturally lead them to the underlying concepts.

The combined inquiry will continue individually and together as the students build their knowledge, share their understanding and through their combined actions, affect change together. The ideal exhibition group will consist of students from multiple classrooms across multiple countries. Students will present and talk about their understandings in multiple languages, especially their home languages.

How do you encourage you students to consider other perspectives and collaborate during exhibition?

Bloom's Web2.0

Taking my lead from Kelly Tenkely and other PLN friends I recently gave the students a selection of web2.0 tools to explore and consider. Their task was to uncover the purpose of the web2.0 application, how it might (or might not) fit into our classroom and to consider a way to connect it to their learning. The students worked individually at first, exploring the logo and URL address they had been given. After 15 minutes or so individuals were paired to share their apps with a partner and together discuss how these could (or not) be used to enhance their learning. Meanwhile a group of six students explored, discussed and prepared visual representations of the six levels of Bloom’s (remember, understand, apply, analyse, explain, create).

The following day we began our lesson with the ‘story’ of Benjamin Bloom. I introduced the six levels of thinking to the students in a narrative style overview. As I talked about each new level of thinking the student who had developed the ‘poster’ came to the front to add it to our overview and give a brief explanation from his or her own understanding.

From this, pairs then became groups of four. The students shared their web2.0 apps within their new group and discussed where on the Blooms taxonomy they might connect their applications. The discussions were rich and powerful as students debated not only the meaning of each level of thinking but also the purpose and potential use of the applications they were discussing.

Students then stuck their application icon onto the level of thinking they thought was a ‘best fit’. Finally we ended talking about how we can take our display to the next level and produce a more permanent visual display, quickly recognising they were using creative thinking skills as they brainstormed ideas the kids did have some very creative ideas (spiders, rainbows, hanging mobiles).

We haven’t had the time over the past few days to come back to developing the more permanent display. The temporary display is still sitting around the white board, perhaps because of this, the students really are beginning to use the language in their discussions. As we use more and more technology in the classroom and more and more I ask the students to connect their use of technology to their learning the conversations are becoming increasingly insightful. Perhaps it’s not such a bad thing that we haven’t moved the display…

Twitter and GoogleDocs

I must admit to being a little complacent with my tweeting and blogging of late. It’s not all my own doing, we encountered a little Media Imposed inquiry over the weekend as the excitement of a new iTV was very quickly replaced with the feelings of loss and confusion as our Internet was taken down. For three days we were without contact – my husband and I were left with little else to do than go for a walk!

As the new router box was delivered, three days later, needless to say we were all ecstatic and I was inspired. After reading @tombarrett ‘s post recently in edtech.ch I prepared myself for some Google data. Recognising I am not as popular on twitter as @tombarrett I decided to prepare my lesson a few hours earlier (the night before in-fact – hoping to hit time zones). On awaking I was overwhelmed with such a positive response. Oh; the powers of Twitter. I already was excited by the ways and benefits of a Twitter PLN, but now I think I’ve become evangelical. I skipped into work this morning with 98 responses to the survey and my smile a mile wide.

As I explained my process to the kids, I asked them to think about the types of questions they might like to ask people from all over the world – if they could – the realisation was extraordinary. I watched their eyes pop and their jaws drop as they truly began to realise where the data was coming from. They were inspired to create their own surveys – coming soon. They will be blogging tomorrow about their thoughts and ideas.

Thank you to all who contributed to their inspiration. Without you their lesson would have been just another collection of ‘favourites’. As I work with the children I realise that they have a preconceived notion of data as something relating to favourites, my challenge is to help them shift their understanding into the real world. Help them to realise and begin to understand how understanding and analysing of data can help to develop and build deeper understanding of concepts.

I’ll keep you posted, but in the mean time, how do you help your kids make the connections between collecting data to foster deeper understanding of a concept, rather than simply understanding what people like, don’t like or when their birthday may be?

To iPad or not to iPad ...

At the end of last year I was tired of my planning book. In this day a d age there must be a more efficient way of recording what you're doing when. With a nine day rotating schedule I seemed to be forever erasing 'days' and pushing my program froward a single day. I found myself endlessly asking the question, " Why, in this day and age, am I using a pencil and eraser for this task?"

Even before school finished for the year, I was preparing my husband for the purchase of a laptop, of course school wasn't going to foot the bill, so I was laying the groundwork at home. I'll admit it was not so easy, he works out of the education industry. In his business if a piece of hardware is required for your work, then work purchases the equipment. Is this only in education where staff are expected to purchase their own hardware?

Alas, I digress. Over the summer the iPad was released, I watched eagerly considering the alternative of the iPad over a shiny new laptop - which was a always going to be an apple. After a bit of backward and forward, weighing up the pros and cons I went with an iPad. The compromise being if it didn't work for my planning and say-to-day at school, then it would become the lounge room iPad.

Well. It's been four months now since the beginning of the new school year. In the first few weeks I made the conscious choice not to carry a pen or pencil anywhere. At first it was hard. I felt as though I was arriving everywhere unprepared, although I took my iPad I took nothing else, I felt slightly naughty. Over time this element has become normal. I take. Y iPad only, everywhere that I go.

More importantly, in the classroom my general management has taken longer to feel comfortable with, and I will admit I'm not there yet. These are my apps:

iCal this was the only cal a deer app I could find to maintain my 9 day rotating schedule. I do have to do it manually but after an extensive search of the app storer I could find not better. One came close, Planbook, but reliability was a real issue. As you can imagine I was not prepared to gamble with my planning book. Synchronising between the iPad, iPhone and computer remains invaluable - I want it to be better, but I would pay money for what I have.

Bento Box this has been great, fileMaker pro in a neat little bucket. I'm still working my way through it, but o have a database file for general observations, language and maths anecdotal notes. I have separate files for general grade level meetings. Curricular meetings and elementary school meetings. It's nit the easiest thing to look at, bout it does allow me to organise a d re-organise my notes in a range of formats.

iBooks allows me to store all of those important PDF files. My next step here is to find the app that allows me to notate them. I know there are a lot our there, but one thing I've learned is to take my time and find what works for me.

Choosing an app too soon closes your mind to quickly to others that might fit better. I'm still looking for a better way to record my anecdotal notes and maintain my calendar. Ideally I'd like to integrate the two. I mustn't be the only one.

What do you use?

Walking the Talk: in the classroom and out

Lately I have forced myself to think through the reasons why I know that blogs and web2.0 tools are only the beginning of breaking down the barriers of classroom walls. At the same time I’ve been puzzling through the best way to talk to others about using twitter to develop a PLN.

It finally occurs to me the two are inter-related; obviously they are if you’re using twitter in the classroom with the students, but it took me a while to see how they are inter-related if twitter is used to develop one’s own PLN and if blogging and a host of web2.0 tools are used in the classroom with the students.

Attribution

Blogging and web2.0 apps work in the classroom because we (teachers) are in the business of guiding our students through a learning journey that will prepare them for their world. For the students of today this world is inextricably interlaced with technology, as I was reminded recently, a world in which they exist digitally even before they are born. Today’s students have never lived in a world without the Internet, mobile phones or TV and video content – except in school.

As I see it, here are some of the benefits to student blogging:

• Sharing thoughts, learning & ideas beyond classroom walls – building a community which celebrates student learning
• Collaborating and Connecting with other like-minded learners – local, regional & global
• Opportunities for feedback between peers, families, teachers – globally
• Bringing learning into conversations outside of school walls
• Dissolving the line between learning in the classroom and life (isn’t this how we become life-long learners?)
• Engaging students by using the tools they have never been without
• Providing opportunities for learners to customise and differentiate their own learning

As I see it, the list looks very similar when thinking of the reasons to promote the use of twitter in developing one’s personal learning network:

• Sharing thoughts, learning & ideas beyond school buildings – building a community which celebrates learning together
• Collaborating and Connecting with other like-minded learners – local, regional & global
• Opportunities for feedback between peers, staff and colleagues – globally past, present and future
• Continue conversations about learning outside of school walls
• Dissolving the line between learning at school and life (isn’t this how we become life-long learners?)
• Engaging colleagues by using the tools students have never been without
• Providing opportunities for learners to customise and differentiate their own learning

If I am to have an impact on how my students’ approach learning, rather than looking at what the technology does to support learning in the classroom, I as a teacher, need to think about the potential these technologies can have in supporting the learners through their own journeys. These journeys will continue when they leave the classroom each day and will continue when they move on from my classroom at the end of the school year.

Engaging in the technology myself is key to having any chance of understanding the potential it offers. Using the technology to develop my own understanding of learning both supports my understanding of the technology and the potential of the technology, all the while engaging me in my own learning journey. I am walking the talk, engaging myself in a similar learning experience I am asking my students to engage in.

How do you walk your learning talk?

In thinking through these thoughts the following sources were invaluable:
http://www.learningwithoutfrontiers.com/
http://www.ibo.org/
http://www.classroom20.com/
http://edupln.ning.com/
and of course my slowly growing Twitter PLN