This is the end...

Well, another AQ course has come and gone and now it's time to wrap things up.  As I'm sitting here typing this, I feel that I have grown in how I see myself as a potential leader in regards to the integration of technology in education.  ICT has a role in all levels of learning, but more often than not it's those in education that are resistant to the change.  What was good years ago must still be good today, right?

The use of the SAMR model has been one of the largest things I can take away from this course.  Before January, I had little understanding of it and its purposefulness.  However, now I'm working to do my best to achieve what it asks.  I find my courses offer more opportunity for collaboration and I try things that were not even around when I was in school.  Now that I think about it, it's amazing how quickly technology changes.

Which bring me to my next point, the need to stay current and keep it authentic.  Students have to be engaged in their learning and to do so means to keep the material authentic to their interests and needs.  All because I didn't have an iPod or iPad when I was growing up doesn't mean they're not useful for education.  The students of today have grown up in a world where technology is their driving force.  When the battery dies of a wifi signal is lost, these students are lost themselves.  We as educators must understand the role technology plays in their lives and how it can help their learning.

This, in itself, is one of the main reasons I took this course and completed my specialist.  I want to be that leader advocating change and working to improve student learning.  I want to be able to have a staff work closely and explore new ways to push the envelope and drive students to do their best.  The best way to get the ball rolling is through technology.

So, in closing, I hope that I can help the revolution continue and promote students engagement and success.  Here's a video based on a situation in Noway that, surprisingly, doesn't seem too far off from  where we are in Ontario.

It's been fun!

Professional Learning and Implementation Planning

Michael Fullan, Ontario's education guru, released in 2013 a guide to continuing the growth of success in Ontario schools.  In it, he noted that since 2003, "Ontario unequivocally has developed “from good to great.” But we are now at a crucial stage as we head for 2013 and beyond. Will we stand still — or worse, fall behind — while the rest of the world passes us by? Or will we take the necessary steps to build on our success and move from great to excellent?"

The statement above reflects the situation in Ontario when it comes to ICT.  A lot has changed since 2003, the year I graduated from secondary school, in regards to the use of technology in the classroom.  When I completed high school, there were no iPods, we had to go to a lab to complete assignments on computers because the software was too expensive for home use, and the majority of work was still done using pen and pencil.  Seven years later, in 2010, my youngest sister graduated from the very same school.  In those years, the approach to education had jumped immensely.  In the five years since, it has jumped even more.  It's difficult to imagine a world without iPods, iPads, Google and all the social media platforms, yet many educators choose to continue like it's still 2003.

What can be done to ensure student success in the 21st century environment?  Like schools have improvement plans, they also need implementation plans with regards to technology development and integration into the classroom space.  But how can that be achieved.

The wheel which all technology-enabled
education should strive to achieve

The first step in doing so is have a vision.  This vision is one that can be created using a team of individuals at a school.  Lead by the school eLC or principal, a team must be assembled with a group of staff members who are engaged and willing to work to shape success for 21st century instruction and success.  At the forefront of this there needs to be a strong team leader who is able to work with team members, administration and other stakeholders as well as be the face of the whole operation.

Following the establishment of the team, what then needs to happen is to ensure the school infrastructure is up to the demands that will be put on it.  In this case, the schools needs a hearty internet connection as well as the necessary components of hardware and software to realize the plan that has been put in place.  If the infrastructure is not there, or key devices or programs are missing, then what needs to be done is to examine how much money is available and whether it's realistic.  If something needs to be cut, the plan and the members must be flexible enough to work around any problem that might occur.

The next step is then working within the confines of the curriculum.  In Ontario schools, the curriculum is an excellent guide to where the learning will go, as well as providing the freedom for teachers to adapt their instruction to meet those goals.  However, the teachers in the school must be willing to do so.  And if they aren't, or unable to, it is up to team members to come together to support those teachers.  Through PD, mentorship and ongoing consultations, most staff members will come around.  If not, then it may be up to the administrator to step in and address any concerns that may exist.

Finally, what needs to happen is to gain the trust of the parents and students.  Everything will not go smoothly at first, and there will be bugs.  However, as time progresses, the problems will subside and success shall grow once again.  My school is currently in the later phase of a year-long plan to expand our blended learning and ICT instruction throughout the school.  It hasn't been easy (our school internet connection is still spotty at best), but we feel that the students are parents are buying into our plan.  However, we will not see our final results until the end of the school year.

Assessment and Evaluation with Information and Computer Technology

I've had the opportunity to teach a number of courses now that offer a virtual classroom environment.  This environment is though the Ministry of Education-approved Design2Learn software.  This software creates a safe environment for my students to access course content as well as submit their work.  As well, through Google Apps for Educators integration, students are able to access their Google Docs, Spreadsheets or Presentations and submit those directly through the D2L-enabled site.

Image courtesy of JISC

The virtual environment that I use has essentially become an e-portfolio - a collection of student work saved digitally throughout the school year.  Every assignment that students submit to me, there is an electronic copy saved on the site for them to review at a later date.

In my courses, I like to use the e-portfolio as a way for students to track their learning throughout a semester.  As well, it is a great source of knowledge to use as we work our way towards the end of a course.

For example, in my BTT2O class, we examine various office-related software, such as word processors, photo editors, spreadsheets, presentations as well as video editors.  In their e-portfolios, and in the dropbox, is a collection of their work over the semester.  All the skills that are required for the culminating activity at the end of the course is based on their works throughout the semester.  Therefore, students are encouraged to go back to review their past work, find what it is they did and review the skills necessary, and then use that knowledge to work on their other assignments.  This helps create a sense of self-satisfaction and success as everything they need is there available for them.

When it comes to assessment and evaluation using ICT, there are many benefits.  First and foremost, student work is all submitted to a neat and organized spot within the LMS.  Here, I am able to open each file individually, regardless of the file type.  It it's submitted as a Microsoft-type file (.doc, .ppt, .xls), then I open it up in the program and review their work.  What I can then do it turn on the edit/suggestion settings and provide feedback to students throughout their assignment.  The benefit to this is that all the suggestions are there, I have space to write, and the students can read my writing!  When it comes to using GAFE, it's eaven easier.  I have students send me their work in a way that I am able to comment, but not edit.  Like the Microsoft-type files, I am able to go through their work and provide suggestions, but the beauty of this also is I'm able to do it in real time to students can see the suggestions I'm making as it happens.  This allows for collaboration throughout the process.

The Learning for All document defines the three types of assessment - for, as and of.  Each of the three types are more than able to be used in ICT-based instruction.  All three help in the creation of the e-portfolio as a way to track progress throughout the semester.  In the end, students will have a great collection of work which they can use and share with themselves and others to show growth and knowledge of their semester, and provide them with the skills for success at future levels.

Universal Design - Making Education Accessible for All

Universal design in education is ensuring that learning is accessible to all in the environment, despite individual differences or demands.  This creates an inclusive environment for all.  Though this, classrooms are created "in which our day-to-day efforts no longer assume that a particular text, activity, or teaching mode will “work” to support any particular students’ learning” (Ferguson, 1995)

The Ontario Ministry of Education, though their Equity and Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools document, define four key areas to ensure success for all Ontario students:

• Achieving excellence: Children and students of all ages will achieve high levels of academic performance, acquire valuable skills, and demonstrate good citizenship. Educators will be supported in learning continuously and will be recognized as among the best in the world.
  
• Ensuring equity: All children and students will be inspired to reach their full potential, with access to rich learning experiences that begin at birth and continue into adulthood.
  
• Promoting well-being: All children and students will develop enhanced mental and physical health, a positive sense of self and belonging, and the skills to make positive choices.
  
• Enhancing public confidence: Ontarians will continue to have confidence in a publicly funded education system that helps develop new generations of confident, capable, and caring citizens. 

Who would profit in this ableist situation?

The goal through this strategy is to avoid a situation known as Ableism.  Ableism is defined as a society that treats the general perception of non-disabled individuals as the "benchmark" that all society should strive towards.  Some ways in which an ableist society perceives education is that individuals should work towards being able to do such things as read print rather than braille, be able to spell without the use of a spell-checker or have groups where able-bodies individuals and disabled individuals only socialize within their perceived groups. (Hehir, 2008)

This approach when applied to education completely goes against the goals set forth by the Ministry.  All students should have access to education and should be supported regardless of their needs.  Not only is it just morally wrong, discrimination against any student is regarded as a violation of Ontario's Human Rights Code.

In Ontario schools, Policy Program Memorandum (PPM) 119, Developing and Implementing Equity and Inclusive Education Policies in Ontario Schools is structured to inform educators that any discrimination of any kind is prohibited in Ontario schools through the Ontario Human Rights Code.  Any discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, and class will not be tolerated either by educator to student, or student to student.  The hope is by improving service to all students, three goals shall be achieved: higher levels of achievement; reduced gaps in student achievement; and increased public confidence in public education.

How is this achieved?  In the realm of ICT, we have an opportunity to help all students with their time in school.  Assistive technology has come a long way since the time I was in school.  Students, and often teacher, sometimes may not understand how their personal devices (iPods, iPads, laptops...) can help with their education.  For everything that is done in class, there is an assisstive technology available for them.

Just a few of the assistive
technologies available

In my school, we often use the iPads with students to aid in their learning.  The books that we have for class study are also all available digitally on the iPads.  Students are able to zoom into the text, have the iPad read aloud the highlighted text on the screen, or just listen to the audiobook version loaded through iTunes.  For our students who are English Language Learners, we have pens available that can highlight text and provide a definition of the word.  For other students, we have other technologies as well such as dictation programs that work from speech to text, projectors in classrooms to provide images or text on the board to go along with instruction, alternative methods to print work based on vision, and more options for students to use technology if its needed.

Recently, EQAO has begun the transition to using electronic methods for the delivery of the OSSLT.  Currently, there are various ways in which the OSSLT is provided for students with disabilities.  Sometimes it could be extra time, having a scribe, reading the questions aloud or having large print books.  In coming years, the test will shift to an electronic version to provide better accessibility for all.

We as educators in ICT need to recognize that students all have their own needs that have to be addressed to.  It is our legal and moral rights to ensure they have success regardless of need for success in school and after.

School and District Planning for ICT Integration

The leader sets the example and helps others though
the process

ICT integration has not always gone smoothly in all areas of Ontario.  In some places, especially in the south, the process has been much easier because of the resources available and the quality of infrastructure.  However, places in the north, such as Moosonee, aren't blessed in being as connected and set up for large-scale ICT integration.

My school and many teacher, myself included, have worked hard to set our school up for new approaches in using technology to deliver 21st century education.  The problem however exists where we need the most reliable service - our connection to the world wide web.

Currently, we pay for 50mps but as of right now are receiving only 16mps at most.  A large amount of dollars is being used to upgrade our systems in and effort to improve service, but this slow internet has created a problem.  With 20 Chromebooks, over 80 computers and 22 iPads available for use during any period of the day, plus any personal devices teachers may use, it's like trying to force a river's worth of water through a garden hose.  Frequent timeouts, proxy errors and other problems with inability to access cloud-based application, has caused some problems in getting staff onside with technological integration for 21st century delivery.  In order to ensure that we continue ahead and work to solve the problem, a strong approach to leadership is required from those involved in ICT at the school.

Don't be a Lumburgh - lead and inspire!

The ICT leaders in a school or board need to develop a vision that makes sense and is able to be integrated with few problems.  The reason why few problems is a requirement is sometimes all it takes is one or two small issues to turn off a member, or members, of a staff.  As it goes with students, one someone is lost or disinterested, it becomes difficult to regain their confidence and understanding.  Therefore, the leadership needs to be able to come up was a strategy that is effective and motive the staff to help through the process despite any speed bumps that may appear in the way.

The ICT leader at the school must be a promoter of new software available for the benefit of the students and teacher.  One example would be promoting the use of Google Docs versus Microsoft Office.  The leader must be able to justify themselves and explain to others why this transition is better for all.  Cost can be alluded to first and foremost as the need for a site license is no longer needed and the money can then be allocated somewhere else helping with other areas of improvement in the school.  As well, the ability to bring work wherever you are without the need for a USB stick and the ability to access the cloud from any platform helps as well.  By doing so, one achieves the infrastructural change of school technology leaders as outlined by Seng-Chee Tan.  The other areas proposed by Tan include organizational and policy change, pedagogical and learning change, and cultural change.

ICT leaders inspire other members of staff to adopt new
methods of engaging and instructing students in their
educations relevant to todays' world and needs

Michael Fullan recently was interviewed on the role ICT leaders and their colleagues play in the development of integration in schools.  According to him, the leader must being a change of the culture and perception of ICT and 21st century education in schools.  The right people must be chosen as "their sense of making a contribution is activated because they become less focused on themselves and feel that they are part of a bigger enterprise, which is a good thing – provided the leader has set the tone for that."  The key therefore through all this is collaboration and keeping people in the loop.  Make members of a staff wanted and have them feel what they have to contribute is important to the task at hand.  If members feel they have a role in developing the direction of the school, they are more likely to be advocates for the cause.  At the centre of all this, is the ICT leader who makes themselves available, listens and works with others and created a sense of ownership for all.

At the district level, it is not much different that at the school level in terms of crating a plan and keeping teachers in the loop, but rather than inspiring a staff, the district ICT leader is working with other ICT leaders from schools and it can be a tougher crowd to work with.  The Ontario Leadership Framework does provide some help when it comes to developing a vision and inspiring other through it.  District leaders are required to create coherence and structure as well as providing learning opportunities for all staff, monitor students progress and approaches to teaching, and first and foremost promote a collaborative atmosphere where all stakeholders have a say in what happens.

Social media is a digital representation of the world teachers occupy.  There must be interaction, people must be involved and there must be a clear vision for all.  At the head of the pack inspiring and promoting change for all is the ICT leader.

Digital Citizenship

In a 2001 document, the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) released a document titled Blurred Vision: Rethinking Ontario's Curriculum.  This document was in response to the new curriculum being introduced by the Mike Harris government of the time.  Of the ideas presented in the document, there is a surprising mention of the need to improve media literacy as a "crucial element of responsible citizenship" in modern democracies.  At the time the idea of social media and the modern connected society seemed like something out of a Stanley Kubrick movie, where today we can't imagine a society without connectivity.

The concept of teaching citizenship is nothing new.  It is defined repeatedly through the Ontario curriculum and is a focus of the Grade 10 Civics course.  But the definition of citizenship has changed over time.  

To use a cliche, the dictionary defines "citizenship" as: "(a) membership in a community (as a college); (b) the quality of an individual's response to membership in a community".  This is important to note when dealing with the concept of digital citizenship.  Why?  Because just like the real-world communities all people are part of, the same concept of community exists in the virtual world.  Whether it be a Facebook or Twitter group, a clan on the Xbox or Playstation networks, or even responding to comments on a news website, the same expectations of politeness in society need to extend into the digital realm and teachers need to be at the forefront of helping develop these digital citizens for the 21st century.

In Ontario, the concept of a digital citizen is not lost with the provincial government.  On the Ministry's OSAPAC website, the concept of digital citizenship is targeted in four specific areas:

Critical thinking and Information Literacy

Creation and Credit

Presence and Communication

Health and Protection

Each of these areas are key points that need to be addressed when teaching students about digital citizenship.  Far too often they think that because they are hidden behind a username and will never come into contact with those they are communicating with it allows them to say what they want and act in ways which otherwise would not be acceptable in society.  I wouldn't want someone walking up to me on the street telling me something awful about my mother or how I should get to know my dog better, and I certainly don't feel as though I should encounter the same online.  However, for students, this is how they carry themselves.  Anonymity allows people to show their true colours. However, saying the wrong thing about the wrong person can easily lead to problems.  The key therefore is to find ways to understand how to approach and educate students.

Common sense media in a recent publication presents three goals that all educators should strive for when teaching digital citizenship - educate, empower, and protect.  The goal through this is to create a curriculum where digital citizenship is the centre focus for the curriculum.  By working to create a digital citizenship-centred curriculum, the same concepts of real-world citizenship can be extended into the digital realm.  Teach students that their actions online have consequences and that they are expected to act in a certain way.  


I included this image in my last post, but I cannot stress the importance of the T.H.I.N.K. approach to digital citizenship.  Students need to know that they need to follow their gut and know that if something about what they wish to post or say just doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.  

Another way to understand this is known as REP (Respect, Educate and Protect).  In this method, an approach to teaching and learning digital citizenship is introduced as early as kindergarten and reinforced throughout school.  By understanding the role of oneself and others in the digital realm, the common theme of REP will continue through education.

People naturally should be civil to each other and we as educators promote respect and care to others regardless of their background.  These same expectations need to be taught to students as their lives will continue to increasingly grow around the virtual world.  Citizenship extends in all directions and students need to be made aware of this.

ADDED Feb 24 - A great read from the National Post on technology etiquette: The Technology That Keeps Us Constantly Connected Is Changing The Way We Think About Etiquette

Social Media in 21st Century Learning

The way in which students socialize and learn is changing.  I graduated high school and entered into university just on the cusp of the social networking boom.  From the period of 2003 to 2006, the only social networking I remember was texting on phones (pressing the same number on the dial pad until I found the right letter) or by way of ICQ or MSN Messenger.  The idea of Facebook, Twitter or other social networks as a means of education did not seem practical as I myself was slow to latch onto them.  I was under the original approach that my education was just as good for the education I'd give to my students.  Boy, was I wrong.

Today in Canada, 99% of all students have access to the internet outside of school in the form of personal computers, portable computers or personal devices.  With so many ways to access the internet and so many websites to visit, what are the most common?  According to Young Canadians in a Wired World, the three most commonly visited sites are YouTube (75%), Facebook (57%) and Google (37%) with Twitter not being far behind and gaining ground every day.

Figure 1

So the question that I was asking myself when I first began teaching was, "How has the world changed and how has student learning changed?"

It's no secret that today that the best way for students to learn is "to design engaging, meaningful, and authentic work and technology-enhanced learning experiences" and bring them into the classroom.  The most effective way of doing this is through the incorporation of social media-based activities.

Social media in an education sense can include, but is not limited to, website such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogger or Instagram.  All of these sites offer ways that students are able to share with one another and collaborate in ways that were once thought unimaginable.

The resistance that is often seen from teacher and schools is the freedom that is allowed in social media.  There are those who feel that students will move off task, will not use it effectively, and, like is presented in Figure 1, use it as a means of cyber bullying, which is on the rise across the United States and Canada.

There is a way to avoid these fears is to teach students how to properly use social media for education purposes.  In the Ontario curriculum, the concept of citizenship is stressed multiple times through multiple grades and courses.  In the past, the idea of citizenship would be in regards to the role these students will be taking as adults in Canada as a nation.  But, is it not possible to address the issue of digital citizenship as well?  Students need to understand that just like in the off-device world, there are expectations and rules that they need to follow in the virtual environment.  What they do now can have an effect on them in later life.  It's therefore important to teacher the students to T.H.I.N.K. before they post to social media.  By T.H.I.N.K.-ing before posting, the quality of submissions, and approach to the material, should improve for more introduction of the tasks at hand.

Now that the skills are in place, now is the time to introduce it into the class and make it relevant to the tasks at hand.  Possibly the easiest and most secure way of using social media would be through a class learning management system (LMS) where all information and posts are protected and available only to members of the class.  The true idea, however, of social media education is to move beyond the confines of the class and expand into true open cyberspace.

The key is to have students become engaged in "authentic, inquiry-based tasks that captivate their hearts and minds" that allow the students to use the technology available at their fingertips.  This can be in the form of Twitter conversations on a particular topic from class, a blog responding to a questions or providing insights based on class work, a wiki created based on characters (real or fictional) that can be created and shared among members in a class and communally edited or updated or even the use of Google Docs for completing a project.

Social media is here to stay so teachers must be able to adapt and introduce, schools and boards must develop policy and students must use the services at hand.  Using social media in school will only help students be even more prepared for later in life.  21st century education means 21st century success.

Blended Learning in the 21st Century

Blended learning, that is a term that frequently pops up in the world of education.  But, what exactly is blended learning and how does it work?

I think a great representation of blended learning is found in the graphic in figure 1.

Figure 1

This graphic outlines the balance needed for blended learning.  It can be a tightrope in terms of approach and delivery, but one that's needed for success.

The Ministry of Education for Ontario in recent years has made a push for more blended learning in Ontario schools as a way of supporting face-to-face instruction.  This is important because technology plays such a large role in the eyes of today's students that the education system must make moves to leave the 19th century, skip the 20th and try to catch up to the 21st century.  It's not an easy task, but one that certainly has its benefits.


So what does blended learning in Ontario look like?  From the Ministry website found here, blended learning is set put allow students to "learn or review key concepts, stay organized, show what they have learned, submit assignments, track their achievement, and communicate with others" in a safe and secure environment.  Items found inside this environment include tools for class discussions, submitting assignments, reviewing class notes, interaction with classmates and teachers, news stories, journals and a wide array of other tools.  I've had the opportunity of using this software in a variety of courses with great success.  Below are a couple examples of the online environments I have created for my courses:

In these courses, all class notes are posted, but merely as a guide for students to follow along as the classroom instruction occurs or if they missed that day.  On the site are places for students to share and discuss course-related topics (giving a voice to otherwise shy students), the ability to submit their work electronically using a variety of sources (I have set up Google Docs sharing for student using their school accounts), follow the class Twitter feed where I or class members can post and share using the class hashtag code as well as other ways for students to share and engage in class matter.  Surveys, quizzes, email communication and even a calendar/organizer are all there for the benefit of the students.

Maybe I went overboard on the old-style NES appearances, but one of the keys that is often overlooked with implemented a blended learning environment is the atmosphere created by the online environment.  Sure, it can be basic and bland, but how does that engage anyone?  My students know I love old video games, and the classroom setup I have reflects that with my classroom visuals incorporating classic games and characters.

So what's important when it comes to blended learning?  Believe it or not, the same thing that is important in the classroom - student engagement.  It is the pinnacle of the SAMR model.  It is the new way of teaching students.  Teachers can still have the face-to-face instruction, but the methods of delivery and sharing must change to reflect the times.  All boards in Ontario have an e-Learning Co-ordinator (eLC) that is available to assist with the setup of these courses and provide guidance along the way.

Blended learning is not distance learning.  Teaching still are required to play a part in the education as that personal connection is needed for growing adolescents.  What needs to change, however, is the approach in how it's done.  Technology offers so much potential to further knowledge and education, and it is up to us in the system to use it effectively to ensure success.

The SAMR Model And Its Use In The Classroom

The SAMR model is one that has been developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura.  The reasoning for this model is to address the change in delivery of education through the growth of technology in everyday life.  As I mentioned in my last post, there are those in education who are worried about how they will be impacted by the growth of technology in education.  Some are unsure about whether they'll be able to keep up with what is happening in technology, while others think that they'll be redundant as the profession is replaced by computers and students reading Wikipedia.  The SAMR model addresses the worries in a way that creates an environment where all educators, both new to the profession or seasoned veterans, can adapt their classroom instruction for the benefit of the students and make it authentic to their own real-world experiences.

Don't worry... The robots aren't supposed to
take over for at least another 50 years.

The SAMR model presents a change in the delivery of education.  The steps involved are:

• Substituting – Replacing a traditional practice with a new tool (e.g. using Google Docs as a word processor – same task – different tool)
• Augmenting – Using the technology to include something new that enhances the task (e.g. autosaving to the cloud)
• Modifying – Technology allows for significant redesign (e.g. students can collaborate on one document and use the comment feature to provide immediate feedback)
• Redefinition – Using technology to allow for new tasks that were previously unimaginable – (e. g., creating a piece of writing or a presentation collaboratively with students across the world including words, images and narrative and posting them to a website for a global audience)

Courtesy of OSAPAC

What educators need to know right away is that the SAMR model not only still requires teachers to teach the material at hand, but in fact teachers will be the centrepiece of the learning.  The teacher in this case is no longer a person who simply teachers, receives work and provides feedback, but also as a facilitator of a classroom (and possibly global) discussion on a topic where students are free to explore and follow their interests while still learning the new material at hand.  What's even better is the technology is already at hand and being used with some not even knowing it.

Take for example, the above SAMR model from OSAPAC details the usefulness of Google Docs in the classroom.  Why this is important is because of the usefulness and ease of use Google has created through their cloud.  Anyone is able to access their work anywhere, anytime.  Five years ago, if a student was working on a document for an assignment, they had to use Microsoft Word at school, save it to a USB and bring it home, where they hopefully have a word processor of some sort.  If it came to collaboration, it was even more difficult as only one person could work or edit the material at any given time.  Education and demonstration of work in this case is very singular and personal, which in today's interconnected world is totally against the social aspect of the modern adolescent.

What can Docs do for you?
SAMR is what it can do!

Now, using the SAMR model, let's have a look at how the same can be done with Google Docs. Students still have a word processor, similar in appearance and functionality as Microsoft Word, but one where everything they write is saved instantaneously to the cloud allowing them to access their work from anywhere they can get a wifi signal.  While the basics are still there, the use of Docs goes a step further.  Students are able to work together to achieve a goal.  They can share their work with their colleagues, their teacher, their family or whoever they so choose.  Using this, students can create a variety of products, such as a slideshow on Google Slides, a Prezi, record their audio and create an animation or anything they so chose to demonstrate and show their learning.  This builds on something that is familiar to both educator, student and parent but also spans the generation gap between all.

SAMR is something that would need to be slowly introduced to a staff who are unfamiliar with technological education.  I would suggest the approach be taken in steps similar to how they are separated above.  The easiest way to do it would be to use the Google Docs approach, where something is familiar to them while also being different enough to be new to them.  My school has gmail accounts set up for all students and staff members, so the hard part is out of the way.  The key however is all those who want to be involved must be willing to learn and sometimes leave their comfort zone to ensure the skills are gained to deliver technological education as a way to enhance learning and not simply replace old tools by claiming it's "online".

Semester 2 starts in 6 days, and I can't wait

Technology and its evolution in the classroom.

I was asked the other day by a colleague about the role technology should play in the classroom.  As one of the members of my staff who use classroom technology every day in some form, I had to think about it as my next words would have an impact on how the others in the conversation view the usefulness technology plays in education.

There are some who feel that modern technology is too distracting to what the students are expected to learn.  These people feel that students will not remain on task and the "traditional" way of learning, reading a book, copying notes and listening to a lecture, is the only way to teach.
At the other end of the spectrum are those who all they do is set the students up on a computer, tell them where to find the instructions and then merely make themselves available only when students ask for help.

For me, my position is in the middle.  Technology is there to be used as a tool to complement learning.  Nothing can replace old-fashioned teaching, but instead of using the books, the pencils and the 8mm film, students can be engaged in the ways that are familiar to them outside of school.

Resistance is futile, but people will
often fight to the bitter end

The situation with education is coming to a crossroads.  For a long period of time pretty much up to the mid 1990s, the traditional approaches to education worked.  There were no cellphones, limited access to the internet, no iPods or personal devices, and there certainly were few needs to students to use technology as it was expected you would learn only what was needed for your career choice.  All of a sudden, however, here comes the largest game-changer since the invention of the printing press, the Internet.  For the first time in history, anyone could contact anyone else instantaneously, seek knowledge at the click of a mouse, and bring their lived with them wherever they go.

I no longer have a Diskman or a Nokia, I have an iPhone.  I don't use traditional cable or satellite, I stream from the internet.  I rarely call family on the phone, I Skype or text.  So, when it comes to education, why would I follow the same approaches my teachers and my parents' teachers used? The students today have grown up in a world that even would have been foreign to me when I was their age at the turn of the millennium.

The big push that's needed in Ontario education is showing people how technology needs to be implemented for engagement purposes.  People for Education in a recent report found that 79% of all Ontario students were first introduced to computers as a part of their education as early as kindergarten.  (People for Education)A further 17% will have the same exposure before the end of Grade 3.  That means 96% of all Ontario students will have more exposure to technology in their schools than most teachers had by the time they were 20.  This creates the "anytime, anywhere" culture that exists among the younger generation. (Ontario Public School Boards' Association)

It's important therefore to find way to engage the students in their learning.  EduGains has come up with a list of way in which educators need to respond to changes in technology and culture while also ensuring students gain the proper skills necessary for 21st century learning and beyond:

• Harnessing the capacity of technology to engage learners and to optimize and amplify student learning and achievement

• Emphasizing and teaching important higher-order skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship

• Supporting educators in preparing our students for a rapidly changing, technology-driven, globalized world. (EduGains)

There are great resources available in the classroom to complement learning.  iPads or Chomrebooks are available and affordable.  Some schools have implemented a BYOT (Bring your own technology) concept.  SmartBoards are gaining popularity for their interactivity with what is on the screen.  Blended learning and access to course material online ensures students have access to instruction and resources no matter where they are.  Games for reinforcing learning and content are available free of charge often on the internet.

So, where does that leave the question I was asked on my position?  I provided the best answer I could with respect to all present.  Technology is here to stay, there is no doubt, but teachers will always be needed.  What we as teachers therefore need to do is learn to grow our abilities and adapt our approaches to education in a way to engage students for the world they live in.  Students are connected to their friends at the hip now and work together to fix problems.  The education system needs to do the same to ensure all understand that while the system and approach may look different from the one they knew only a few years ago, the end goal will always remain the same.