Saturday 28 December 2013

Don't underestimate the teacher in the edtech classroom

Just recently with a year 4 class I introduced a project involving

"creating a digital game using the App Hopscotch".

It was a magnificent project with our students learning many things, including higher level thinking skills. I designed the project, demonstrated the basic skills of the hopscotch App and made sure I had lots of opportunities for students to collaborate with each other.



Watching this was amazing. The unit was basically running itself. I decided to conference some students who I thought were struggling and run some sessions with them.

At the end of the unit it was time for each student to show me their game, and receive a mark based on the detailed criteria. What did I discover?

Those students I conferenced with did far better than my tech savvy students. See we all know the importance of feedback and goal setting. The students who I conferenced with did just that. They were able to identify issues, problems with their learning and set goals and identify students and adults in the class who could help their learning. This doesn't come natural to the students and needs to be fostered and encouraged. I can't think of an App that individualises learning for young students like this!

We should never understand the importance of the teacher. As Hattie states (through his extensive research) Teachers are still the most important element in a child's learning!

Yes students can learn independently, but we should never fall into the habit of assuming technology (or the App) will teach our students. The teacher brings about taking the learning to the next level and this should never be forgotten.

My coding tutorials on YouTube can be found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8BMVDk3VSQ&list=PLprciURrC7Fu86bqB5P4nO3GjVuY5RVx4

Paul

About Paul:
2013 Finalist - International EdTech Digest Awards Recognition Program honoring tools, trendsetters and leaders in the education and technology sector. The distinguished awards program recognizes outstanding solutions―and the best and brightest minds―in education and technology.

2013 Finalist - EduBlogs Life Time achievement award.

Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2013. Paul is a leader in the implementation of Augmented Reality in schools to improve learning outcomes, Professional Development of staff with integration of ICTs, and has expertise in the implementation of mobile devices into pedagogical frameworks.

Creator
The Tellagami Project (Presentation)
Teaching students to code on the iPad (iBook)
Augmented Reality in Education (iBook) 
10 Amazing lessons for the iPad Classroom (iBook)
Formative Feedback for Learning and Science AR (Apps)

"Paul, you are a real Leader" - Dr Heidi Hayes Jacobs, author and internationally recognized education leader known for her work in curriculum mapping, curriculum integration and developing 21st century approaches to teaching and learning.
"Paul we designed iBooks Author to be a tool that teachers could use to create content that they develop for the classroom and can share with the world. It is great Paul that you have been using it that way to great success." - Philip Schiller - Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing.



Friday 20 December 2013

Edtech ins and outs for the 2014 classroom

Some predictions, thoughts and ramblings. Might be wrong but these trends have been more evident during 2013 and can see them continuing throughout 2014.

1.
In:
Cordless technology that allows teachers and students more flexibility and mobility. Technology like Apple TV will enable teachers and students the opportunity to share, collaborate and get mobile. It will also allow other teachers and staff to walk into a room without needing specific cords, software and training to use.



Out:
IWBs rely too much on a teacher focus and can encourage teachers and students to use technology to bring about more "chalk and talk" "But it's so engaging"...has lost its power as the students are often engaged in the technology and not the learning. The push to get more mobile, cordless and create flexible learning spaces will see the continue decrease in IWBs in classrooms across the globe. The focus will be getting more technology in the hands of the students. Less students watching and more students actively creating!



2.
In
Students creating their own digital games through learning to code:
The #hourofcode was just the beginning and teachers and students have got a taste for it. Students creating and learning code will continue to flourish. Teachers have seen the benefits and watched their students learning to think. A whole new generation of coders will develop.




Out
Students playing games:
Still some benefits but the push to get students creating content in classrooms will see this decrease. This does not mean creative, world building games won't continue to gain momentum.

3.
In
Augmented Reality using real life images as triggers:
As the technology develops we will start to see an explosion of Apps like Layer and Aurasma in classrooms (if we haven't already). The rise of Augmented Reality in the past 12 months has been massive. Teachers and students will start to hone their skills, creating more effective AR experiences!



Out
QR codes
For those who are too lazy to do Augmented Reality well? Only kidding. Still many benefits but the effect of connecting real life trigger images with persuasive overlays has to be the next step.


About Paul:

2013 Finalist - International EdTech Digest Awards Recognition Program honoring tools, trendsetters and leaders in the education and technology sector. The distinguished awards program recognizes outstanding solutions―and the best and brightest minds―in education and technology.

2013 Nominee - EduBlogs Life Time achievement award.

Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2013. Paul is a leader in the implementation of Augmented Reality in schools to improve learning outcomes, Professional Development of staff with integration of ICTs, and has expertise in the implementation of mobile devices into pedagogical frameworks.

Creator
The Tellagami Project (Presentation)
Teaching students to code on the iPad (iBook)
Augmented Reality in Education (iBook) 
10 Amazing lessons for the iPad Classroom (iBook)
Formative Feedback for Learning and Science AR (Apps)

"Paul, you are a real Leader" - Dr Heidi Hayes Jacobs, author and internationally recognized education leader known for her work in curriculum mapping, curriculum integration and developing 21st century approaches to teaching and learning.
"Paul we designed iBooks Author to be a tool that teachers could use to create content that they develop for the classroom and can share with the world. It is great Paul that you have been using it that way to great success." - Philip Schiller - Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing.

PUBLIC SPEAKING EXPERIENCE

Guest Speaker - Best Apps for Kids - State Library Queensland 2013
National Leading a Digital School Conference - 2013 (Melbourne)
Augmented Reality in Education
21st Century Skills v Technology

IWB Interactive Teaching and Learning Conference - Sydney 2012
The benefits of teaching game design and strategy.
Technology and Formative Assessment strategies.



Thursday 19 December 2013

Merry Christmas


I would like to take this opportunity to thank every principal, coordinator, teacher and parent who has supported the cause to get children (and teachers) using technology more effectively in schools across the Globe!

Whether it is kids starting to code for the first time, a young author creating his/her first digital book and publishing it, or teachers using Augmented Reality to deliver the curriculum, the message to get students actively creating is spreading.


Wishing everyone a relaxing and safe Christmas period with your family and friends.

Paul

Saturday 14 December 2013

The reflective student

As a teacher what do you notice when you hand a test back? Do students look straight for the Grade (letter) or do they look through mistakes, reflecting on what went wrong and what they need to do better next time?

I think you would all agree we would prefer students to do the latter, but experience tells us they do the first option.

So how do we get students reflecting on learning experiences? With mobile technology there has never been a better time to foster a culture of analysis and reflection.

Here are 2 quick tutorials using the Book Creator App and the Explain Everything App for iPad to encourage more reflective students in your class.

Reflective student - Explain Everything tutorial:

Reflective student - Book Creator tutorial:


About Paul:


2013 Finalist - International EdTech Digest Awards Recognition Program honoring tools, trendsetters and leaders in the education and technology sector. The distinguished awards program recognizes outstanding solutions―and the best and brightest minds―in education and technology.

2013 Nominee - EduBlogs Life Time achievement award.

Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2013. Paul is a leader in the implementation of Augmented Reality in schools to improve learning outcomes, Professional Development of staff with integration of ICTs, and has expertise in the implementation of mobile devices into pedagogical frameworks.

Creator
The Tellagami Project (Presentation)
Teaching students to code on the iPad (iBook)
Augmented Reality in Education (iBook)
10 Amazing lessons for the iPad Classroom (iBook)
Formative Feedback for Learning and Science AR (Apps)

"Paul, you are a real Leader" - Dr Heidi Hayes Jacobs, author and internationally recognized education leader known for her work in curriculum mapping, curriculum integration and developing 21st century approaches to teaching and learning.
"Paul we designed iBooks Author to be a tool that teachers could use to create content that they develop for the classroom and can share with the world. It is great Paul that you have been using it that way to great success." - Philip Schiller - Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing.

PUBLIC SPEAKING EXPERIENCE

Guest Speaker - Best Apps for Kids - State Library Queensland 2013
National Leading a Digital School Conference - 2013 (Melbourne)
Augmented Reality in Education
21st Century Skills v Technology

IWB Interactive Teaching and Learning Conference - Sydney 2012
The benefits of teaching game design and strategy.
Technology and Formative Assessment strategies.