BYOD and Classroom Management

Resorting to the BYOD  is not something that a teacher can just wake up and decide upon alone. There is need to convince the administrators of the advantages of such a venture. All the stake holders need to be brought on board. You have to know the number of students that own their own devices and how many parents are ready to support the idea of buying their children the devices. The school also has to agree to this set up and develop a policy for using these devices.

The BYOD method is one that allows the learners to carry their mobile technology devices to school to help enhance learning. Some of the mobile devices that the learners can bring or easily carry to school include; Smart phones, iPads, Tablets and laptops.  Whether the learners use Cell phones, or specific device that the teacher decides to use (learning standardized devices), or bring any technology device they have, they will still achieve the same end in terms of learning, engagement and achievement. Using these mobile devices in Classroom has its advantages and disadvantages and the teacher may find it difficult to control a funny class that is using cell phones. However, there are steps that could be followed to help the teacher manage the classroom and avoid distractions.

With my S.5 literature class, I asked them to form WhatsApp groups which they did, and these were monitored by the teachers on school practice even though I set up the practice. I would give them tasks to do during the holidays and they would share information and discuss ideas without having to move from home.  Unfortunately, when the teachers left, I took long to assume the responsibility and the learners got distracted and started using the groups for their personal issues to the point of bullying each other. But now I know better. 
·         Establish ground rules that the learners have to adhere to and also lay out consequences for violation of established policies.
·         Allow them to get past the initial excitement so that they can be more focused when they delve into their work.
·         The task you give them should be engaging and require students to stay on task at a solid pace in order to complete them. Ensure assignments require students to stay engaged. For instance; set firm due dates for assignments, scale assignment for students who finish faster. Students need to be challenged in order to find their assignments meaningful and engaging.
·         You should be able to get the learners to know that there are specific times when they will be using the technology and when they will need to keep them away. It is not that they will be using them always.
·         As a teacher, you should be prepared to move constantly, look at the work they are doing, discuss and engage the learners about their progress.

 

 

 

Innovative Learning Spaces: Virtual and Physical Spaces.

In this lesson we have had to share our views about technology and its ability to offer virtual learning space, and the construction of physical space. There has been good exchange of ideas and debate on issues that has helped open my eyes to a number of things regarding technology, virtual learning spaces and physical learning spaces.
I have noted that with technology, the virtual and physical learning places go hand in hand. I have realized that there is no need to wait or defer the establishing of e-learning in a school just because the school has few or one technology devices. This should not be an issue to capitalize on but with a lot of innovation, the teaching and learning method can still be altered to meet the 21st century requirements. In order to succeed in this venture, we should dream big despite the small means we have. We should also try to get technology to many to enhance learning, sharing and change. If it means bending the rules, to change the thinking then so be it. Try to use blended learning and technology to transform the classroom.
I can break the walls of the classroom without having to incur great expense by
·         Redesigning classroom arrangement.
·         Introducing technology in classroom.
·         encouraging learners to join  social networks/ communities.
·         Using innovative learning spaces ie corridors, verandahs, main halls, libraries, courtyards, playgrounds, classroom walls etc.
·         Promoting exploration, research and collaboration among learners within the classroom and across the world.
·         Swapping roles with learners.
·         Using simulations.
·         Encouraging field trips.
·         Creating an assignments site online for the learners assignments.
All in all, this has been a mind-opening lesson. I have learnt and enjoyed making a podcast.

 

  

Old Days - New Ways

In this lesson I have learnt a number of new things some of which include; how to operate and adopt the emerging trends, how to utilize the low density labs, and how to handle one-device classrooms. Even then, I still need to master the details before I can say I am comfortable with all this.  Being able to adjust to the New ways goes back to how prepared the teacher is, how the teacher manages the classroom, the ability to keep the learners focused on the important aspects of the tasks, and being able to achieve the objectives of the curriculum.

As far as learning spaces are concerned, my earlier views were that learners had to study in well organized classrooms with all desks facing the front, and the teacher at the front and the center of the learning process, there had to be a blackboard / whiteboard at the front and this was to be used by the teacher for instruction purposes. Right now to me, learning spaces embraces arrangements that oppose the traditional arrangements of a traditional classroom. Ways in which the classroom can be rearranged to create a comfortable learning environment for the learners without them feeling suffocated by the four walls.  Arrangements that allow for the learners sharing of information without the teacher being the center of all knowledge.

In the literature lessons it is easy to get the learners into groups and assigning them tasks that would require them to sit in comfortable formations so as to be able to share information. I am doing this with a number of my classes. Some of them like the Senior Five class, I take them to the computer lab where they sit in pairs or in threesome to research and share their findings about a particular task. The intensity with which they research, share knowledge and accomplish tasks has propelled me to allocate one of my weekly lessons to engaging them in such an exercise. And to tell the truth, I see the difference. There are positive results. As far as the other methods and technology is concerned, I still have a  long way to go since the focus is not on technology but on curriculum outcome. And also the unavailability of a technology rich environment.

Writing Collaboratively in a Wiki and Improving the Process

The process of writing collaboratively, although it allows for sharing of ideas, will always meet obstacles because it is really hard to get all the people working at the same time on a document. People will always come at different times. The issue of being on the internet at the same time is difficult as each individual moves at their own pace. This prevents effective contribution and exchanging of ideas.
May be once a task is set, a particular time could be set where all learners are expected to be online. Something within hours and not a whole day should be decided upon, to ensure that they are all there at that time. Anybody that fails to be there at the given time has already missed the chance to share and contribute to that task. Apart from that, in order to ensure that no body dodges deliberately, it should also be allocated marks. Then the participants would know that there is something to lose if they don’t appear at that time.
MANAGING THE WARMWARE
Managing the warmware is a key issue to learning.  Know when the learners are to use which tools, where to access the tools, ensuring that learners do not make off with any of the tools, keeping them at the right place where their safety is assured and keeping them in good condition. The teacher  also has to be in control to see that the learners are not distracted in the course of using the tech tools. In order to do this, there are a number of issues that the teacher would need to work upon and put in place. It is not a matter of doing something. There are ground rules that must be set and put in place for that to happen. The learners should also participate in setting these rules. Other things to consider would include;
·         Have clear established routines
·         Get everyone's attention
·         State the learning objectives clearly and leave something to be discovered
·         Be prepared
·         Positive classroom environment
·         Give credit where it is due
·         Use positive criticism as well as negative criticism
·         Know the learners
·         Keep it real.
So far in my classes, to some extent I have practiced a bit of each one of the stated points above. I only need to introduce the use of technology tools to them. But this is still a big milestone I am yet to defeat. There are several things to take into consideration here. Amongst the most important ones are;
·         The availability of the Net
·         The learners' access to the technology tools
·         The nature of the curriculum. etc.

 

Designing Learning Spaces

There is no need to stick to the four walls in the learning process. There are so many spaces that one could make use of and that are effective depending on the technology tools they want the learners to use. The teacher does not have to be the centre of knowledge. He can just be a guide and let the learners direct their own learning.

My idea of learning space is the ability to study anywhere. It should not be confined to the four walls. In the various groups and numbers, learners can still collaborate, do research, share knowledge out in the open; in the fields, at home, in the confines of their bedrooms, at the sidewalks, as they are traveling, name it. Although some technology tools dictate where they can be used e.g Desktops and projectors.

Therefore, when designing learning, a teacher can think of using any available place outside and inside Classrooms without regret. Let the learners enjoy their learning in different environments at different times.

 

My Views on Project-Based Learning

I have learnt that project- based learning is one of the best ways to teach and engage learners effectively in the learning process. I have also observed that with Project-based learning, the learners get to have a hands-on experience that will last their entire lifetime. They learn things by doing them, and each one of them is actively involved. There is sharing of ideas as they work out the solutions to the problems.  Learners are also more prepared  for higher levels which helps them to meet the more demanding standards. The learners learn well and are able to remember better what they have learnt. Their confidence is boosted together with their communication skills. And to top it all, they get to develop their creativity which later helps them to improve their communities. It also teaches them some important 21st century skills like critical thinking and problem-solving, creativity and innovation, Collaboration and communication. It prepares them for the real world. It further equips them with higher order thinking skills such as analyzing, evaluating, creating and applying which are very essential.

One of the methods I have learnt, of Project-based learning is the use of a webquest. This is not an easy thing to create and if one is not patient enough to keep revisiting the first parts of the webquest, it is easy to entirely give up the idea of using it. It is taxing, challenging and also frustrating.  What constitutes a Webquest are things that one can falsely be led to believe are easy to deal with/create and these include; the welcome page, introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, conclusion and teacher page, the most demanding of which is the Process phase. However, all the phases should and must be structured well so as to link well with each other and also serve to satisfy the standards for which the webquest is created. This is the most challenging part I have had to deal with.

My teaching in the classroom has mostly been teacher-centered and learners have had little chance to direct their own learning or even experience what they are learning. This course has opened my eyes to new ways that learners can be fully engaged and put in control of their learning. It has shown me that learners need to be given a chance to experience what they are learning and to be able to apply them to the real world. That is the only way they would feel and value what they are learning if they know that it will be useful in the real world. Apart from the Literature texts that they have had chance to prepare for and take roles, and later on act out these parts, I have not tried out anything else related to the format of the webquest. I will try to use Project-based learning in areas of the curriculum where possible.

Assessment of Learners

I have learned that when designing a project I should keep in mind the standard that I need the learners to achieve and what they should know. This assessment should be a continuous process just to ensure that the learners are getting the content knowledge as well as the skills that they very much need in order to complete project.

There are two types of assessments that the teacher can do; Formative and Summative assessment. Formative assessment gives meaningful  feedback to students and specifies ways to improve. Formative assessment is practice while Summative is perfomance. A summative assessment is not necessary at this moment since most of what is supposed to be learnt has been learnt and nothing has been left out.
The demands of the project  should be assessed properly and to do so there is need to align them to the standards expected. Assessment helps the teacher to know whether the learners have mastered the given standards. Not all standard can be met in a single project but the assessment should target the most important goals at the time and target their indepth in order to ensure deep learning for  the learners. When designing a project, you as a teacher , have a mission. There are certain goals you want your learners to attain. And that is why you carry out an assessment in order to ensure the learners have met those standards.  There must be clear intent of what is truly to be assessed.
The teacher should also ensure that there are 21st century skills to be assessed and graded. Skills such as collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, technology literacy and maybe presentation.  

 

 

Supporting the Learning Process

Nothing comes easy, but with enough planning the learning process becomes easier for the learner.

The teacher needs to pre-research the sites for the learners. This in a way saves the learners the time they would have wasted looking for sites and probably using or focusing on non-credible sites.

Learners are guided on what to do otherwise the entire learning process is Student-centred and the teacher is there to only guides.

The learning process involves transformative learning.  The new information that the learners have acquired alters the learners understanding and gives them new perspective on things. In the end they develop a more sophisticated understanding.

The learners also develop expertise in the subject using the situated learning environment. As Stein, 1998 says;

           " Knowledge and skills are learned in the contexts that reflect how knowledge is

                         obtained and applied in everyday situations"

It gives learners chance to participate in different roles and hence providing them with different perspectives from which to view things.

Learners are in charge of their own learning. the teacher is there only to guide and give feed back.

I have not used the Webquest per se in my teaching, but I have on several occasions involved learners in taking up roles especially of characters from Literature texts. I would ask them to act the parts in groups or in class and after words they would have to discuss what they have seen, liked or not liked about a particular character. It is quite amazing what analysis they would make of that character. This method has always been effective in getting the learners to understand the character traits and actions.

 

 

The Gathering Phase

The pros and cons of pre-researching resources, and  using technology during the Gathering phase of a project

I believe pre-researching resources for your learners has its pros and cons. Some of the pros include;   

·         It saves time that would otherwise have been wasted if the learners were to look for the resources themselves.
·         It helps in identify the dependable resources from the quack ones since learners are inexperienced in this respect.
·         It helps in identifying the relevant ones from the ones that are not relevant for that very topic/task.

The cons include;

·         Some sites are unreliable and it takes time to evaluate and consider them good for the tasks.
·         Some have very limited information and lack in -depth
·         Some resources are not free and one has to subscribe first before they can access them.
·         For some sites, one has to first register in order to get to information and it becomes too much when you have to keep registering just to access those sites.
The gathering phase of the project should be in line with the roles given to each individual or group of individuals. It entails the teacher Pre- researching sites for the learners and making sure that the information and the data helps in starting the learners off on the thinking process. The resources must also have a meaningful and clear connection to the task given and the information required.

The advice I would give my learners is to be very careful with the resources online because not all of them are credible sources that can be relied upon, not all information on the NET is correct and anybody can post anything. It would be wise for them to check the credibility of such sites before using it as a source of reference

Role Play as an Effective Learning Strategy

Role-play is an effective and active learning strategy because it helps in encouraging the otherwise passive learners to participate and gives the learners the drive to do things and also to remember what they have learnt. It helps in ensuring success and also making learning enjoyable. It also helps the teacher to know the learner more. It helps the learner to appreciate the experience of the characters they are playing. The learners get to relate Education with experience and at the same time, it promotes collaboration.
When it comes to a project, the teacher has to ensure that the roles are well spelt out and that each member of the group understands the role they have to play and what is expected of them. Role playing is not a difficult thing to incorporate in a lesson because our learners only have to assume a character for that moment. They have already witnessed what people do in real life  and taking on role play should be an imitation of the real world, the very people they have met and are meeting in their lives. Taking them to carry out their own observation of the characters is another way in which they can learn about the characters they have to play.
For instance in a Literature lesson, it is easy to get the learners to take up roles of characters within the  play. When they take on these roles, it helps them to understand the texts more. They get conversant with the plot of the play and the characters as well. It also helps them to remember  the content.

 

The Challenge Phase of a Project

The challenge phase of a project  is the most important part. It is the hub on which the project revolves and therefore it should be well structured so that it links well with the introduction, and  all the subsequent  steps in a Webquest. 

I   think that my draft introduction is as it is but not as it should be and that it is temporarily enough to grab the attention of my learners. I feel that with time, through a lot more practice, I shall be satisfied with it. I also think the task I have set for the learners is enough for the S.4 level. It is within the subject matter of their Literature syllabus and at the same time it is not removed from the real world. It is something they live with and experience every day, Leadership and its challenges.

My introduction and task are addressing a topic that is somewhat familiar to the learners. Some of them have been in leadership positions and have experienced its challenges. They have had to make decisions that have affected the people they have led. They have been tempted here and there. Some have fallen prey to the temptations whereas others have tried to withstand them. Others wish to be leaders in future. The task will surely help them to know more about leadership and its challenges, and it will educate them more on how to be better leaders.   

Secondly, the words and graphics used are appealing enough and I feel that my learners attention will definitely be captured. The questions are thought provoking enough to get them thinking and working. It is not an easy task though to come up with attention grabbing words and thought provoking tasks. It is a nice experience.

My Initial thoughts About a WebQuest

 Well, my first thought of a webQuest was that it is a very difficult task to accomplish and true it is not easy. I have tried several times to make it impressive and attention grabbing but I feel I have not done enough.  The good thing is that there is provision for updating whenever one is ready.

A WebQuest according to Tom March, Circa 2003 is;

“ … a scaffolded learning structure that uses links to essential resources on the World Wide Web and an authentic task to motivate students’ investigation of a central, open-ended question, development of individual expertise and participation in a final group process that attempts to transform newly acquired information into a more sophisticated understanding." 

A WebQuest  constitutes;

·         Introduction

·         Task

·         Process

·         Resources

·         Evaluation

·         Conclusion

·         Teacher page and it also has a welcome page

There are some 21st century learning and innovative approaches and these include;

·         Quality questioning and in-depth thinking

·         Research and synthesis

·         Small group discussion

·         Using technology and posters

·         being creative

·         Simulation

·         Demonstration

Project Learning Goals

The initial idea of this project revolves around the nature of our leaders in and outside school. The essence is to get the learners to analyze  and present a short skit to the community showing why and how leaders at virtually all levels fall short of people's expectations and how they can and should be helped to become better leaders.

Curriculum objectives/Goals
ü  to read, understand and explain the causes of bad leadership as shown in the play Betrayal in the City.
ü  To analyze the Character of the leaders from the grass roots to the last man/ top man in the Play Betrayal in the City  and to evaluate the reasons the playwright comes up with to justify their actions.
ü  Dramatize the most revealing sections of incompetence and inefficiency of leaders in the play.
ü  Design a play to incorporate all ideas about leadership and how leaders should/ and can be helped in their leadership roles.

21st Century Skills

ü  Critical thinking and problem solving.
ü  Communication and collaboration.
ü  Research.  
ü  Creativity and innovation.

Higher order thinking skills
ü  Analyzing.
ü  Evaluating.
ü  Creating.
ü  Applying.

Way forward

I will get the students to view the play first and carry out a class discussion. I will then get them to observe their own student leaders within the school, some of the leaders from the local communities and top Government leaders. They will then carry on more research, make their own decisions as a team, share tasks and create a finished product. I will be there to guide and motivate them.
The project is all about getting to realize and understand why and how leaders betray the trust of the people, and how these leaders should/ and can be helped to change for the better. The learners will come up with  ideas to share with the rest of the school community to create awareness and provide solutions too.

 

The Essence of Projects

My earlier thinking was that if anybody was to get learners to engage in project work, it should be scheduled outside the school program on the assumption that it needed a lot more time than could be accorded it on a school time table. Secondly, I assumed that apart from being time wasting, the learners can be easily distracted and at the end of the learning time nothing would be achieved. All this has changed because I have come to realize that when learners are engaged in something that requires a hands-on experience, their interest will definitely be aroused and they will do a bit more learning than they would otherwise have done. From the videos that I have watched in this lesson, I have seen that the learners instead get to focus on the project at hand and everyone is actively involved. They even go ahead to share ideas and build/create something beautiful at the end. The excitement on their faces all the time shows they are enjoying the learning process and this is how learning should be.
The strongest arguments to using Project Based Learning include;
·         The learners are effectively engaged and direct their own learning
·         They learn to work together and exchange/ share ideas
·         They are better prepared for higher levels
·         They learn well and remember better
·         The presentations they make help boost their confidence and communication skills
·         They develop creativity that later helps them in improving their communities
·         The learners are more likely to meet the more demanding standards.
In short, Project Based Learning promotes critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity.
Implementing this approach has its challenges. For instance in our country today, the curriculum is rigid, and the resources are not available because of financial constraints. Getting learners to have personal tools they could use such as digital cameras, laptops etc. is a challenge in itself. Most of them come from families that are either average or living below the poverty line and cannot afford such luxury.

 

Innovative Learning Approaches and Digital StoryTelling

In this course I have learnt that I can transform my learners from being knowledgeable to being knowledge- able by engaging them using the technology and social media. I have learnt that learners need to be in charge of their own learning and do things themselves. They need to be engaged in order to do this. They need to collaborate and add to the existing knowledge. In order for them to become knowledge-able, they need to practice. They need to embrace real problems that they do not know the answers to. They need to be able to harness and leverage the relevant technology tools. They need to work collaboratively on tasks. They need to learn the art of critical thinking and go beyond just seeking meaning. I have learnt that through critical thinking and problem-solving the learners build knowledge.

 

Although the learners are addicted to social media they have not been using it for Educational purposes. I have learnt that introducing the social media as a tool for learning would be beneficial to the learners because they are already very interested in it  and would therefore be inspired to search and research on given topic. It would also make the lessons more interesting and take away the boredom that is exhibited in the traditional classrooms.

I have learnt that with innovative approaches to learning with technology, my role as a teacher  would change for the better. I would no longer be the giver but the partner.  I would be the guide to the learners as they explore, research, recreate and put together using technology. My task would be to ask the right questions, trust the children, and Set the goal high and let them reach for it.

I have learnt that Game-based learning is one of the best ways to teach because it brings fun into learning process. Games help the learners to increase their fluid knowledge which is used in problem solving.
I have learnt that technology can support other forms of learner engagement through; Adaptive methods, Transformational, Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating and Transferring.
I have also learnt that Digital Storytelling  helps learners to develop critical thinking, report writing and media literacy.

Game-Based Learning

It has not been an easy task to design a game as a team bearing in mind that my team members belong to other subjects and we are in different locations, with different responsibilities and work load. Let alone the challenge of internet accessibility. Getting everyone to work at the task at the same time is like taking a horse to the well and forcing it to drink.   
Games are very exciting to play and each time I would fail a step I would become desperate not to fail the next number. The games keep you on edge and give you adrenaline rush as you strive to get everything right. Like in the kahoot game in the course, there were times when I just had to guess what the answer would be and at times I would get it right at times not. I felt the pressure to get all answers right.
Games are good at knowledge building as they force one to analyze and think critically before making a decision. It is equally important for learners to play as well as to create games because this boosts their creativity as well as their problem-solving skills. They even make the learners smarter because in most cases as they play there is maximum multi-tasking. ie They chat voice, chat text, operate character, manage short term objectives, manage long term objectives, and manage interrupts.
Game-based learning brings so much into the learning process. It brings;
·         fun and entertainment
·         passion and Motivation
·         engagement and involvement
·         Creativity
·         experiencing
·         interactive entertainment/Collaboration
·         Problem-solving skills
·         Decision-making
·         Research
·         Learner-centered
Ways in which games address curriculum standards;
·         maintaining a balance between fun and learning
·         Making academic content integral
·         planning the role of the learners and that of the teacher
·         not divorcing de-contextualized components from fictional content
Games can be integrated into the Literature subject through;
·         Quizzes
·         Word play/ Puzzles
·         Role play etc

Social Media as a Communication Tool for Learning

Social media are tools that allow people to share information. They depend on mobile and web based technologies to create interactive platforms.  Social media would be a good communication tool for learning especially twitter, Face Book and WhatsApp that seem to be the favorite of the students here at my school. It could help in the following ways;
·         For students to discuss questions or assignments given to them.
·         Teachers could post questions with hash-tags and the children answer directly to him/her and to each other.
·         There would be increased participation from the learners as it helps them to find their voice.
·         Students post their responses on in class readings and discuss aspects of a topic without so much as disrupting others who are reading.
·         Can be used to keep students up to date on tests and due dates.
·         It would give time to the students to discuss even outside class.

It is however, not without its pitfalls some of which include;

·         Addiction
·         thought fragmentation
·         distraction
·         suffocates face to face interaction
·         mindless banter
·         hinders critical thinking etc.
My learners have been using WhatsApp and FaceBook for chatting mostly, apart from a few who have used it for discussing assignments that have been given to them, sharing notes, playing brain teasing games and asking questions of what was studied at school in case one has been absent/ away from school.
I would use Facebook and WhatsApp for posting questions that learners can discuss collaboratively. I would also post images that they would have to analyse and interpret. WhatsApp would come in handy when it gets to video clips of literature text books.
The learners would have assignments to look for resources online and if they found a valuable one they would be tasked to tweet it to the group.

 

Real World Collaboration, and Efficiency of Collaborative Technology Tools

Collaboration in this lesson has not been easy at all. There has been a lot of delays in people coming up to post their comments or even to edit.  Matters have been  made more difficult by the fact that I could not move on because I had to wait for other members to post their contributions either on the wiki, Google docs, or the mindmeister.  I think this business of collaboration has to be revised and people have to be brought on the same page before it can be effective and efficient. Even now, because of the delays in members contribution, a number of us had to move on and that means that  we missed whatever contribution  came after .

I  would make it clear to all the learners that their contribution is imperative and would earn them marks but it has to be done at the right time, not lagging behind and then coming up when everybody has moved to the next step. In that case they would lose marks for inefficient collaboration. I would set a time limit and close the site the moment the time is up. This is to instill discipline and try to have control on the movement of the lesson.

I also think, it would be more effective if done in smaller groups like say Four to six learners in a group. That would ensure effectiveness and efficiency as far as posting contributions is concerned. A big group brings/ causes laxity.