Paula Jamieson
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  Paula Jamieson

Mindlab reflections

CISC 8100Applied Practice in Context

Week 18: A Change in My Practice Towards Future-oriented Learning and Teaching

25/11/2017

2 Comments

 
The six themes of 21st Century Learning outlined in “Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching: A New Zealand perspective” (Bolstad, Gilbert, J., McDowall, S., Bull, A., Boyd, S., & Hipkins, R., 2012) align with the learning in the MindLab postgraduate course 
The themes in that report are :
    •    Theme 1: Personalising learning - a shift away from the one size fits all model of education 
    •    Theme 2: New views of equity, diversity and inclusivity
    •    Theme 3: A curriculum that uses knowledge to develop learning capacity - the new view of knowledge as something to be created (compared with the old view of knowledge as content, concepts or skills to be passed on)
    •    Theme 4: "Changing the script": Rethinking learners' and teachers' roles - Learners and teachers work together in a "knowledge-building learning environment"
    •    Theme 5: A culture of continuous learning for teachers and educational leaders 
    •    Theme 6: New kinds of partnerships and relationships: Schools no longer siloed from the community - knowledge-building activities in authentic contexts; learning connected to the community, experts etc.; gain buy-in from wider community of educational shifts.
    •    Subtheme 1: The role of current and emerging technologies
    •    Subtheme 2: Role of collaborative practices.

Through my ongoing research and reflection prompted by the Mindlab course, in particular the positive impact of ‘flipped learning’ discussed in the ‘Digital & Collaborative Learning in Context’ paper, I now have a renewed urgency and drive in developing our school as a networked community hub. This directly relates to Theme 6; New kinds of partnerships and relationships: Schools no longer siloed from the community. We are a 1:1 iPad school and having community wifi would enable us to embed flipped learning as a part of our teaching and learning programmes. It would also enable us to be better equipped for community projects where authentic learning contexts can connect us to local experts and initiatives. These projects are currently bound by the conflicts of a school timetable as our school owned devices do not go home with students and many of our families do not have access to the internet at home other than through 3g on their phones.

When considering current literature that supports my thinking, I drew on the experiences discussed in the 2020 Communications Trust report “Schools as digital community hubs” (2014) which summarises the experiences of eight community wireless initiatives and draws lessons that other communities can consider and learn from when embarking on similar projects. The report provides 10 steps to success: third party facilitator, engagement of school, clear objectives, capital funding assistance, commercial partners, N4L interface, co-siting agreements, landowner agreements, impact of switching internet providers and ongoing local support. 

I have not fully implemented this change directly as yet but have provided the research and shared my thinking with our Principal and Board of Trustees chairperson.  Initial discussions have taken place with local council and community wifi providers. We have now added this future oriented thinking to our strategic plan and I hope to meet with the BOT before the end of the year to put SMART goals, Turkay (2004), in place to map out our next steps.
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References:
Bolstad, Gilbert, J., McDowall, S., Bull, A., Boyd, S., & Hipkins, R., 2012.  Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching: A New Zealand perspective. 

Communications Trust (2014).  Schools as Digital Community Hubs, A report on governance, technology and commercial options.

Turkay, S. (2014). Setting Goals: Who, Why, How?
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Week 17: Critically evaluate your reflective practice.

16/11/2017

0 Comments

 
I consider myself a highly reflective practitioner. I reflect daily, more than daily... infact when time allows I reflect on experiences or outcomes when they are taking place and constantly make changes to my practice in response. 

According to a survey cited in Finlay (2008, pg.4), there are five levels of reflection: Rapid, Repair, Review, Research, and Retheorizing and reformulating. 

I feel that I have experienced each of these levels: 
    •    Rapid reflection - by making 'just in time' changes to my practice;
    •    Repair reflection - by making changes on the go to improve outcomes (foresight rather than hindsight) when responding to teachers or students needs;
    •    Review reflection - I am constantly involved with this level of reflection as a mentor for 6 teachers as part of their TIC (Teacher Improvement Cycle)
    •    Research reflection - through my Teaching as Inquiry process, where I read research, collect data, and compare my practice to relevant research, over a sustained period. Informed changes are then applied to my practice and shared with my colleagues locally and globally through the Apple Distinguished Educators Network.
    •    Retheorizing and reformulating – I feel I have done this level the least but are now addressing this through the Mindlab course.

I am a very visual learner and after watching this weeks video 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoI67VeE3ds&feature=youtu.be  ‘the penny dropped’, I may be a reflective practitioner but I am definitely not a highly successful online reflective practitioner! 

I have reflected regularly online (monthly in a public forum for an ADE reflective journal, which can be viewed within this website) while watching the reflective video I made the connect with the ‘seeing in the context of other learning’ as my current reflective process is almost in an isolated month by month diary where nothing interconnects and the reality is each month intertwines with the before and the after yet I am not capturing this.

After reading Finlay’s article I realise I am merely being ‘descriptive’ and alluding to my self-awareness and critical thinking online, I do it, I just don’t articulate it publicly. I am left wondering, is it necessary for me to share it publicly and for what purpose, appreciating that in the short term this current blogging reflective process is for a post graduate assignment. But in the long term, who’s it for…..the ‘so what’ which is mentioned in the reflective writing video.
​

I found, Gibbs (1988), diagram useful when considering the cyclic nature of reflection and I feel it would be useful to move me from my current style of descriptive blogging when I end up merely stating what has happened, by following more of an inquiry process when I write I would delve deeper. 

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​This diagram aligns with the MOE’s Teaching as Inquiry Model http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-stories/Case-studies/Teachers-as-learners-Inquiry/Teaching-as-inquiry 
which as NZ educators we are all familiar with. I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of using this before? 

I certainly have some work to do on the online component of my reflecting but are left thinking wondering if the online forum is the best place, I think an old school journal may work better for me.

References:

Ministry of Education.(2012). Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching: A New Zealand perspective. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306

Finlay, L (2008). Reflecting on 'Reflective practice'. Accessed online: http://www.open.ac.uk/opencetl/resources/pbpl-resources/finlay-l-2008-reflecting-reflective-practice-pbpl-paper-52

Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.


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    I am an ADE, an Assistant Principal, a Maker Space facilitator, a Robot Wrangler and a lover of digital technologies.

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