Reflection Week 5

Discussed making learning visible.Questions we discussed were can we see it? Is it invisible or visible? Can anyone see it? In Manaiakalani schools we are considering: Visible to the learner, Visible to the whānau, Visible to the teacher, Visible to colleagues. Dorothy made the point that a significant contributor to our young people struggling to succeed has been because we have kept so much of the learning journey hidden from them- and their parents. This has made me think about making sure parents emails are connected to their blogs so they can see what their child is learning and creating in class. Also having our class site visible for the parents, and whānau so they can also see what is coming up and be informed with what their children are learning next. I also need to make sure my students know how to use the website and where to go to find different areas of work. I am going to let my students have a time next week where they can explore the site and I will ask them to find me something and I want to see if they know the steps to get there.

The intentional use of technology to make teaching and learning Visible has been a game changer.
When we talk about Visible Learning, we are talking about the whole learning journey being Visible. We expect the learner, the young person to be at the centre of the learning and for every part of the learning process to be genuinely visible to them: This includes teacher planning and outlines, the process the child goes through - including the LOs /WALTs/ AOs and other progress markers- outcomes and reflections and the assessment process.

No surprises is at the heart of most effective teaching practise because their is no surprises and teachers can lay out what is to expected from them, things such as learning progressions, this is where you are and this is where you need to be. You can do this by:
Accessible - online, shared visibly to anyone with the link, removing password barriers
Available - everything the learner needs is present - no scrambling to share material, activities etc at the last minute
Advance - BEFORE it is needed, before the deadlines.

From the learner perspective, visible learning should encompass everything that John Hattie has brought to our attention from micro teaching to effective feedback and more. This should be supported by the immediacy of access to the goals and planning for learning, the process of learning and the outcomes of learning.

We learnt about Trialblazers they suggested that 'Technology is changing how we live, work and play. Entertainment, jobs, healthcare, transportations, energy… And the technology is going to change.
Our vision is not focussed on what technology features,  but how. How do our people adapt and take advantage of all that these changes bring us. Create the change, not just become consumers of it.' I agree with this statement as I have seen the huge change in technology from when I was in primary school to where I am now teaching in a primary school and how far the jump has become in technology. So learning more tools to help with technology will further develop my teaching practise more effectively.

We need to use effective pedagogy alongside Tools, techniques, and applications of technology to support integrated, inquiry-based learning to “engage children in exploring, thinking, reading, writing, researching, inventing, problem-solving, and experiencing the world.”

The difference between "using Technology" and "creating technology" is like the difference between using a game and being able to create a game. It is the difference between using an Instagram filter and being able to create your own photo filters. Learning how to create involves having an appreciation and understanding of how the technology and applications we use work. It's the "science" of technology. They can be nicely broken into 4 areas which we think is a great framework integration and understanding how content fits in a wider context.
Inquiry; Construction; Communication; Expression