Scratch it up a level or two (Mind Lab: Session 4)

I am currently completing the Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Collaborative Digital Learning) through the Mind Lab and Unitec. For the first sixteen weeks I spend four hours at the Mind Lab with about 30 other amazing educators from early childhood through to tertiary education (there's approx 100 of us altogether).

This blog post is a snippet about our fourth session at The Mind Lab, where we looked at coding using Scratch.  For anyone unfamilar with the concept of coding, coding is essentially creating a set of instructions that makes something do something.  Scratch makes code easy to use by presenting code in 'jigsaw' like pieces color coded into different areas of actions.

Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/) is a free website for children to learn how to code. There is also an iPad app available and now a Scratch Junior as well.

You can create new Scratch projects without signing up, however signing up allows you to save and share your code projects.

In this session we were encouraged to 'discover' how to use Scratch through experimentation.  We ended up choosing what are called 'Sprites' (characters) and playing with the different types of code which were colour coded by motion, looks, sound etc.

For example in the photo below we had selected the 'cat sprite' and then in the 'jigsaw' type code, you can see we chose an event (orange) that said when a key is pressed, then in purple is the sound code which will make a certain sound play, then the blue code is to do with a motion that the 'sprite' will do.

We ended up making the Octopus change colours, the cat dance around the screen and the lady circle around and make a clone of herself.

We added further code which meant that when a 1, 2, 3 or 4  was pressed, the type of instrument changed and the costume (which was colours of the sprite).

We had a lot of fun experimenting and could see how easy it would be for children to create code using the 'jigsaw' type pieces.

Scratch can be used to create games and by going online to the Scratch website you can find games that have been created in Scratch and then look at the code so see how it was done, so you can deconstruct the code and learn from it.

Then we were introduced to a 'makeymakey' card which is essentially a computer chip with a bunch of wires to create a circuit.  We had to choose from a range of conductive materials to connect the wires to and we chose playdough (as shown below)

You could plug a wire on the makeymakey board into the slot which was the equivalent of the  'a' of a keyboard and then plug the other end of the wire into the playdough.  We repeated this for each letter of the keyboard located on the makeymakey board.  We had to make sure we had an 'earthing' wire which was plugged into the yellow playdough on the right hand side of the photo.

So in effect, what we were then able to do was tap on the playdough, (whilst touching the earthing playdough) to activate our code in Scratch which made our Sprites do the actions we'd coded them to do and the sounds play too.  Here is a short video clip to show you the end result.

Makeymakey kits can be bought through www.mindkits.co.nz for about $75 plus postage.  This is a local company in West Auckland.

I'm really looking forward to trying this out with children at school!

Google Chromebooks and the WeVideo app

Last year I evaluated Chromebooks and the impact on learning  http://helenselearningjourney.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/chromebooksgoogleappsoffice-365.html

I have had the privilege of having a Samsung Chromebook on loan for a couple of months now which I've put into classrooms to try out.  We did a collaborative project around persuasive writing using WeVideo which is a Google Drive video editing app that allows you to record voice, upload photos, video, sounds etc. (Create, Connect App, WeVideo, then use by Create, WeVideo).

I tried out the 30 day trial collaborative Education version of WeVideo whereby users can collaborate on the same video at the same time.  What was interesting was that I was on my MacBook Pro and other students were on the Samsung Chromebook.  I had do download updates to Flash etc to get WeVideo to work on my MAC, however the Chromebook had no issues whatsoever.   Very impressed!

Here's a a draft version of the video we created.  Interestingly, you have to pay for the collaborative version of WeVideo ($200/year for 50 users), however you can just use the free version of WeVideo, which is a watered down version.  Not as many transitions and effects.  I am definitely sold on WeVideo as an  effective and simple tool to use across the curriculum.  I love how it ties in so nicely with Google Apps too.


http://youtu.be/39dLAaGlQiM

I don't have the time to learn or collaborate! Really? How can you afford not to!

I have found that whenever I talk to educators about Twitter, if they haven't used it before, a common response is, "oh I don't have time for that".

Surely at the heart of teaching is learning and building relationships!! Do you really NOT have time to learn new things or collaborate with like minded colleagues?   I would argue how can you afford not to!!

Twitter for me has provided some of the best professional development I've ever had.  I connect and collaborate with educators all over the world and most of the New Zealand educators I connect with I have had the privilege of meeting in person.

Amazing things start to happen when you do start connecting and participating on Twitter.  For example one night I was tweeting with @mrs_hyde who is a DP at an intermediate school in Rotorua.  She encouraged me to attend the Educamp unconference in Rotorua and mentioned @CaroBush was travelling down suggesting a carpool. The next minute @CaroBush (whom I didn't know) was tweeting saying she had space if I wanted to go.  To cut a long story short I ended up travelling down with Caroline and four other educators and we had the most amazing learning conversations in the 3.5 hour drive, and by the time we got to Educamp we'd already done so much learning.

I saw Jarrod from #pegeeks in Australia had created a 14 day twitter day challenge, which gave me the idea to create a 14 day challenge to encourage educators at my school to give Twitter a go.

I created this challenge in www.smore.com which is an online flyer.  So I challenge you to take the 14 day challenge!   You won't regret it.

https://www.smore.com/a6c1-the-14-day-twitter-challenge

Anyone for EduCafe Maths?

I have tried EduCafe style maths with a year 2 and year 5 class successfully.  So what is EduCafe style maths??

Divide children into mixed ability groups around tables.  I usually build a bit of fun into it by talking about how we are going to a cafe to do maths today etc.  

Each group must decide on a 'summariser'.  This is a person who will summarise the group's findings to a new group.  

On each table is an A3 sheet of paper with a problem to solve in the middle. Problems around each table vary in difficulty and type.  

Everyone must write down their own ideas and put their name on it.  To start, everyone has 5-10 minutes to solve the problem in any way they can think of.  They can draw it pictorially, describe a strategy etc.  Each group must discuss the strategy they used to solve the problem and check for understanding. The summariser in particular must be able to talk about the different strategies the group have come up with. You may need to remind children that it's ok to make mistakes.  (Classes that have already developed a culture around risk taking and learning from mistakes don't have any problems with this challenge.  If you have a class that aren't comfortable with making mistakes or don't know each other well enough to feel comfortable to do this, then let the summariser pick one strategy on the paper to summarise back to the new group).

When 5-10 minutes have passed, signal to change tables.  For year 2s I found it better that children all rotated one way, for year 5s I let them choose which table they went to next to shuffle everyone a bit (max 4 children at a table).

The summariser must not move tables, and their job is to summarise the previous group's strategies, to the new group, then that group tries to add any new strategies they can think of. 
And the process continues.

I found it beneficial to pull everyone together at the end and focus in on some of the strategies that were used to solve various problems.

How are you driving your own learning?

There are so many opportunities to drive your own professional development  these days, it can become a little overwhelming. Where do you start?

At a staff meeting I presented staff with some key professional development learning opportunities - best of the best - to encourage everyone to get behind that wheel and start the journey.   There is a little bit of something for everyone.

Created with Haiku Deck, the free presentation app for iPad

When presenting I like to use demonstrate the use of different tools, so this time I tried out Haiku Deck which is an app on the iPad which focusses on the visual side of presenting and you are easily able to select from a range of non copyright photos available at your finger tips through the app.  I found it quick and easy to use.  The downside is it doesn't offer voice and you can't hyperlink websites. (as a side note, I recently read a post which talked about importing a Haiku Deck into the Explain Everything app, then you can add voice that way.  When there's a will there's a way I say! http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2013/06/12/create-a-narrated-slideshow-on-an-ipad-with-haiku-deck-and-explain-everything/).

I have provided all links that are included in the presentation below.

Develop a Personal Learning Network

We need to be connected and collaborate as educators so we can not only continue our own learning journey but be role models for our students.  Our students are growing up connected and collaborating, therefore we need to get our hands in there, so we understand the world our students are growing up in!!!

Virtual Learning Network

A network developed through tki.org.nz which teachers are connecting through in their droves.  If you want to find what iPad app to use for reading etc, this is the place to go.  Great place to share your own ideas to.

http://www.vln.school.nz/

http://www.vln.school.nz/groups/profile/725041/year-seven-and-eight-educators-unite

http://www.vln.school.nz/groups/all?filter=popular

http://www.vln.school.nz/groupcms/view/187012/webinar-recordings

Facebook

Connect to Teaching Ideas and Free Technology for Teachers which will be a  good start.  

Twitter

I will do a separate post on Twitter as I have developed a 14 day challenge to twitter.  Twitter is the best PD I have ever had and I would really encourage you to get connected. Even if you start by searching on #ICOT2013 or #EdChatNZ, #GAFE.

Blogs

These are six of the top blogs I would recommend to start with.
http://fluency21.com/

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

http://heymilly.blogspot.co.nz/

http://traintheteacher.wordpress.com/

http://allanahk.edublogs.org/

http://elearningr14.blogspot.co.nz/

Opportunities

These are fabulous opportunities.  I love getting involved and presenting, but the formats also let you go along and observe until you gain confidence to get more involved.
http://emergingleaders.school.nz/

http://educampnz.wikispaces.com/

http://educafe-eorg.eventbrite.co.nz/

So take your first steps and get 'driving your own learning'. 

SAMR - Roadmap to ICT Integration

Over the last couple of months, I've been exploring SAMR in more detail and have presented on it twice, which I've included in this blog post.

What is SAMR?
SAMR is a roadmap to ICT integration that has four level; the first two being where technology is used to enhance the learning essentially as a substitute for pen and paper with added functionality like spell checker.  The next two levels take the learning from enhancement to transformation where more advanced tools are used to create new tasks using collaboration and sharing.  My presentations will explain this in more detail.

I've presented at EduIgnite http://emergingleaders.school.nz/ignite-evening/   EduIgnite is an evening where educational leaders get together and share their learning.  The format has to be 20 slides and 15 seconds per slide.


Here is my slide presentation

SAMR - Roadmap to ICT Integration from HelenOfTroy

I've had a few twitter conversations about the SAMR model.  I had one question asked, what is wrong with substitution?  I reflected on this, and our conversation talked about the fact there is nothing 'wrong' with substitution as such and obviously with a roadmap to integration you have to start somewhere.  This person felt there was stigma at his/her school around 'Substitution' and you were looked down upon when using this level of integration.  

The main point I feel, this is a progression so if you only ever do substitution then we need to think about 'are we using technology the best way we can for the potential it offers in respect of  being used to 'transform learning'.

Is it realistic to expect to be at the 'transforming' level all the time?

I think the majority of teachers probably do just use technology at the substitution level and the SAMR model is helpful as a guide to progress us beyond this level of use. 

In reality there will be times when substitution is more appropriate but if we are able to use technology to take us further to create new tasks then we owe it to ourselves to explore this further.

The levels make you more aware of how we use technology as a tool for learning.

I reflected some more and taught the SAMR model with various classes at my school and then ended up revising my presentation at a TeachMeet2 /teachmeetnz.wikispaces.com/Prescott_Helen .  This is where each slide can only be 15 seconds long, hence the 'fast' talking.  I've included thinking around the key competencies from the NZ Curriculum and I've given practical examples of use at each level, also pointing out the benefits of each level.

This is my slide presentation;

SAMR Presentation by Helen Prescott from HelenOfTroy

This is the video.

This is a great video which focusses on the use of Google Apps using the SAMR Model.




Here are some extra resources that I found on the VLN which you might find of use.

http://edofict.wikispaces.com/SAMR+%26+teaching+with+iPads


Good luck with your journey.  Would love to hear from anyone choosing to take this SAMR journey and how it changes your practice.  @helenoftroy01

What does a 21st Century Classroom look like?

Last week I attended the first Educafe being run in Auckland, New Zealand by Emma Winder.  This is where people get together to discuss educational issues in a particular format whereby everyone sits at  'cafe' style tables and there is a 'summariser' at each table.  You are given fifteen minutes to talk about a particular issue/question, brainstorming on paper and when the music goes, you go off to another table but the designated summariser stays behind, summarising what was discussed to the new people that arrive.  Then the same thing repeats itself.

http://educafeblog.com/

A wide variety of people attended from Board of Trustees, Primary and Secondary educators.

The the poignant question discussed was:

We know there is a need for us to change our teaching for the 21^st century, we know why this is, we’re working towards it,

BUT what does 21^st century teaching and learning actually look like in practice?

It was great to get the different perspectives, particularly from a secondary level.  I'm going to focus on one idea that really clicked for me.

The importance of the  New Zealand Curriculum Key Competencies was a common thread amongst the discussions and noted as an essential part of the today's classroom, particularly thinking of future jobs (http://keycompetencies.tki.org.nz/What-are-KCs).
The five key competencies are Thinking, Using Language, Symbols and Text, Managing Self, Relating to Others, Participating and Contributing.

Glen Taylor school from West Auckland mentioned how often schools do a blanket coverage of a key competency where one key competency for a week is focussed on, however each child at their school has a key competency as a goal that they need to work on.  Love this personalised learning.  So when a learning area is discussed, the children are reminded of their own key competency goal to focus on within this task.  

I think that a vital part of this will also be getting the children to reflect on the progress in their key competency.  I will certainly be trying this with teachers.