Pause for Thought!
The fact that we are now a ‘connected world’, in the sense that we can access people and places on the other side of the world within seconds, we are truly a ‘global village’. Sir Ken Robinson’s presentation was thought provoking. So much to think about.
Here in New Zealand, we see trends and issues in education emerging more and more. On reflection, maybe it is just that I am more aware of them now as I am not the same teacher that I was at the beginning of this MindLab journey!
Core Education’s Ten Trends 2016 show what they consider to be areas of change and trends relating to digital technologies that influence aspects of education. These are the trends they expect will make an impact in New Zealand in 2016.
(image from Core Education Trends)
Equitable Access
Technology is everywhere these days, and most people have access to some degree or another. However, actually having access to the internet at home for learning purposes, partnered with a device to do so, is another matter altogether.
One of Core’s Ten Trends is Equitable Access, which they describe as the ‘digital divide’ or ‘digital inequality. What impact does this have on those within our education system? This is about a learner’s access to digital devices, whether that is at home or at school. This would particularly have an impact when we are talking about flipped classrooms, where students access learning at home and then continue with discussions and collaborative activities in class. To take part in this type of learning, a device and access to the internet is essential.
My school has a Senior ICT Club in the IT Suite on a Monday at interval, whereby students from Years 4-6 can come in and enjoy some free time on devices, complete work begun in classes or access something they could not from home that is related to their learning. At the beginning, all students were on games - now I see more students using Google Slides, Google Docs or watching a Youtube clip (checked by me first of course) related to something they are keenly interested in. We are thinking of opening the suite before school every morning to accommodate more of our students and ensure they have as much access as we can give them at the moment.
Perhaps schools or organisations will lease devices (with discounted broadband?) to families so that multiple students within that family can share them for learning purposes in the home. Maybe this already happens at some schools, although not widespread and would be complicated indeed. Who knows what the future will bring?
The Move to Innovative Learning Environments (ILEs)
This is another trend/issue that is sweeping the country - many other countries are much further down that road. With the push for more personalised learning, ie. ensuring the education system is built around the learner, ILEs are emerging nationwide. One challenge is ensuring the teachers and students are ready for this change in the way teaching and learning takes place. Teachers need appropriate professional development and support to ensure the shift in pedagogy that is needed.
My school is beginning our ILE journey. So many possibilities and opportunities, yet a daunting road for some and that needs to be remembered. Sharing my Mindlab journey is one way that I can help share the bigger picture with my community of practice. Changing student agency, even if it is little by little, is a good beginning for some. Understanding the ‘why’ and then letting a little bit of that control go is a big step for some. Sharing that big picture ‘stuff’ is important so that they see the reason for change and why we are doing our students a disservice if we do not change our approach to, and idea of, teaching itself.
As a leadership team, we have looked at a number of other schools, listened to leaders and talked to students, read the research and talked to many who have been down that path.
Our turn is coming!
Jackie
Reference List
The RSA.(2010, Oct 14). RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U.
Core Education. CORE Education's Ten Trends 2014, 2015 (2014,2015). Core-ed.org. Retrieved from http://www.core-ed.org/thought-leadership/ten-trends
Kia ora Jackie,
ReplyDeleteI think you raise two prominent trends in New Zealand Education in recent years. I too have an interest in education for equity and your discussion around equitable access to devices is one component of educational equity. Have you heard of the Manaiakalania Trusts Initiative (http://www.manaiakalani.org/our-story) and their journey in creating equitable access to digital devices for their community to be able to "live locally and learn globally"? They are quite a way into their journey and now have a cluster of schools supporting each other to empower colleagues, students and their communities in their learning.
I also agree with you around the implementation of ILE. The physical space is important, but so too is how the space is used to facilitate teaching and learning. You mention that your leadership team had the opportunity to visit other schools and talk with leaders and students about their experiences with ILEs, have your teachers not in formal leadership had these opportunities too? I think you cannot underestimate how powerful and inspirational a visit can be for classroom teacher too, valuing their time and opinions by providing time for them to visit and discuss their aspirations and worries could be just what some more cautious practitioners need to take a risk.
Do you think these trends are also pertinent internationally? I wonder where we as New Zealanders sit in the international spectrum of equitable access and innovative spaces?