‘Do I have anything useful to say?’

1. ‘Do I have anything useful to say?’ How can ‘learning technologies’ be about learning? Daniel Mace Advanced Skills Teacher Langley Grammar School, Slough

2. Google Image Number 1 Nail in the coffin

3. Too much technology

5. Structures: plans to no avail

6. Conferences: so many ideasno actual time

7. Wordles – engagement?

8. The teacher ‘fear’

9. Synopsis • What is the spectrum of opinion about learning technologies? • Why do they create problems in the ‘classroom’? • How can we inspire Generation Y to positively impact their world?

10. Why? Generation Y

11. Things that have worked

12. GoogleEarth

14. Conceptboard

15. What’s been hard? • Tutor group blog and homepage • A-level geography blog • No-one brings a tablet to school • Who’s on Twitter? • Better work on paper

16. Teacher distrust of tech • Traditional teaching • Children might know more, can access more • Danger: • Perception of irrelevance • Not focused on learning pathways • Teacher is sole possessor – or thinks they are… High • Shared understanding and enthusiasm • VLE works and independent created? • Twitter can start and continue conversation with 24/7 learning • Collaboration is name of the game • Danger: • Technology drives learning, not thinking • Internet safety issues missed? Children’s confidence Teacher’s confidence High Low • Some can’t access the curriculum – cost / language / culture / family / confidence • Not knowing what to say • Frustration of teacher with students – less likely to try new things • Danger: • Time wasted • Disenchantment with technology • No differentiation • Strong emphasis on traditional learning – maybe excellent focus on thinking and essays writing • Nobody pressured (or allowed?) to use technology • Danger: • Misses 21st Century – e.g. N vs. S Korea Low

17. Constructivist • Divergence • Open-mindedness • Fun • Enjoyment • Curiosity • Thinking • Creativity • Mastery-orientation • Love geography • Do well at exams

19. Accelerated Learning Cycle

20. Thinking Tools

21. CTL / Intro X-word generators Windows Movie Maker quizzes Family Fortunes Electronic dominos Big Picture VLE – structure Freemind maps Engagements KS5 Blog Twitter Convos Pinterest Consolidation / HW Forums for P4C Videos on YouTube Minecraft Conceptboard Input of new ideas IWB Games PS work – flexibility with tablets YouTube videos Activity – making meaning IWB Decisions Visualisers to review ScanMouse Replicate But must add value

22. RSA, Sept 2012 • Now, more than ever, we need young people to use their collaborative and technological skills to overcome economic challenges and help shape a more prosperous future (Adam Lent) • One-dimensional cultures or approaches are inflexible and prone to collapse

23. Philosophy for Computing • 6 themes • Addiction • Viruses & Contagion • AI • Hacking • Censorship • GIS & Privacy

24. Rice on chessboard • Contagion film • Fears • Mix-match viruses

25. Kill the man • Circle of friends • Circle Game • P4C

27. Have something useful to say • Do teachers know what active learning is – from beginning to end: lesson / topic / year • Are children confident and engaged with learning • Use technology to replicate those activities – to engage and prevent disaffection • Don’t try the other way around – using technology to engage with the ideas • Ultimately – the brain is the best learning technology available – need to do everything we can to promote them using that

29. Big Picture • CTL (Knowledge recap) • Input – Active learning • Activity or Making Meaning • Homework and Consolidation – high level, creative and abstract • Engagement and social consciousness • Collaboration & Learning to learn • VLE – structure • Interactive crosswords • Tablets for Private Study work • E-textbooks • IWB for tools • Visualisers