Enhancing student learning through the use of digital pedagogies

1. Enhancing student learning through the use of digital pedagogies Workshop designed and facilitated by Dr Jennifer Nayler at Forest Lake College (10 September 2009) Jenny Nayler – learning aJeNcy jenny@learningajency.com.au Thinking differently/Acting strategically

2. Our common purpose... ...increased learning for the people who matter most. About the workshop (and the project generally): • It’s about your professional learning and action and learning and action in relation to your team and organisation. • Professional learning is most productive in a supportive and challenging environment. • Review and renewal is the routine work of a learning organisation. • Everyone is at a different points in their learning. • An approach that builds a community of learners is good for the individual, the team and the organisation.

3. Tune in...to the BIG question Activity Talk about things that matter through discussion circles. Activity Share examples of digital pedagogies that enhance student learning. Using large post-it notes, record a summary of each digital pedagogy on the graffiti wall, Digital pedagogies we’re using. (Note the year levels at which pedagogies are being used.)

4. Explore...knowledge, attitudes, questions and processes Activity • Consider the BIG question: How do we enhance student learning through the use of digital pedagogies? • Use ‘silent conversation’ through wiki or butcher’s paper to explore… • knowledge: What do you know (or think you know) in relation to the BIG question? • questions: What sub-questions would help us to answer the BIG question? • attitudes: What are your attitudes to the use of digital pedagogies to enhance student learning? Activity • Explore processes to be used in session including the inquiry model, TELSTAR. Negotiate any changes.

5. Explore...our workshop process

6. Look at...a range of info that helps us answer the BIG question Activity • Using a gallery walk (or guided perusal of wiki), look at participants’ knowledge, questions and attitudes. Discuss key issues + record questions for further investigation. Facilitator input • reasons for using digital pedagogies • what a scope and sequence of digital pedagogies might look like • possible frameworks that could be used to categorise/organise digital pedagogies • the importance of evidence-based and principle-driven evaluation Activity (after facilitator input) • Use a think-pair-share-square to brainstorm a wider range of participants’ best practice in relation to digital pedagogies (recording each on separate post-it note).

7. Look at…reasons for using digital pedagogies Some themes... Digital pedagogies engage students. Pedagogies that integrate information and communication technologies can engage students in ways not previously possible, enhance achievement, create new learning possibilities and extend interaction with local and global communities. (MCEETYA, 2005, p. 2) Pedagogies need to drive ICTs not the other way around. ICT is just another tool. You choose the best tools for the job—it might be the telephone, the Internet or a library book. If you get into that frame of thinking and your students have that frame of thinking, it is much easier to integrate ICT across the curriculum(Moss, 2002, p. 3). The computer—like the TV can be a mesmerizng babysitter. (Cordes & Miller, 2000, p. 3) Alignment of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment (and reporting) is the main game in town. A related theme...If it’s to do with ICTs it must be good. See Brown (2005) for critique.

8. What do we teach? Student knowledge, interests, needs &aspirations How do we gather and use information on student knowledge, interests, needs & aspirations? How do we assess (and report) student learning? How do we teach? A for alignment Source: Aligning for Achievement Module 3: Planning for alignment: What is required? (Nayler & Falls, 2009). Connie: It’s been challenging for the students. It’s definitely engaging them in higher-order thinking, stepping out of comfort zone. This is the first unit when I have given all of my assessment up front to the students and the students have known where they are heading.

9. Look at...reasons for using digital pedagogies TIP Model (Technology Integration Model) Phase 1: Determine the relative advantage. Phase 2: Decide on objectives and assessments. Phase 3: Design integration strategies. Phase 4: Prepare the instructional environment. Phase 5: Evaluate and revise integration strategies. TIP Model developed by M.D. Roblyer (2004) in Integrating educational technology into teaching (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Some additional food for thought... See Roblyer p. 43 for ‘learning problems’ and corresponding ‘high relative advantage’. See also Roblyer p. E6: How do you know when you’ve integrated technology well? (see handout).

10. Look at...template for scope and sequence of digital pedagogies Take a SWOT at this!

11. Look at... possible frameworks that could be used to categorise/organise digital pedagogies Q: Which framework should we use to categorise/organise our scope and sequence?

12. Sort through...knowledge to propose principles + scope and sequence Activity • Through small group collaboration based on mixed groups (re: year levels and campuses) develop principles. • As a whole group discuss: Q: What’s similar? Q: What’s different? Q: How could we develop a consensus set of principles? Activity • Working in year level groups, sort through all post-it notes (from ‘tune in’ and from ‘look’ phases) and distribute on scope and sequence according to the framework headings. • Take a gallery walk with tour commentary provided by representatives from each year level.

13. Test...(or plan to test) draft principles and scope and sequence Building the Scope and sequence of digital pedagogies in upper Primary at FLC • What are the key digital pedagogies suited to our particular year level related to each category of our chosen framework? Which sites are appropriate and effective for specific pedagogies? • How does our suite of digital pedagogies align with other framework/s? What other pedagogies should be incorporated? Testing our Principles for use of digital pedagogies at upper Primary at FLC • Do these pedagogies align with principles? Do principles need modification? What modifications do we need to make? Gathering evidence • What have we found through use of these specific pedagogies with our students? What evidence can we gather (and from whom) in relation to the usefulness/success of these pedagogies? How can we use our principles to evaluate our pedagogies? • What have we found through wider research about these digital pedagogies and whether they enhance learning (e.g. about digital pedagogies generally and about specific pedagogies)? Celebrating and sharing our findings • How will we celebrate and share our findings at 7 December session? How will we use digital pedagogies? Planning action • What are our plans for 2010? Q: What do you think of these as our community of inquiry questions?

14. Act... to plan individual and team actions prior to next session People learn when they seek answers to questions that matter to them. Dewey (1933) quoted in Anderson Steeves, p. 65) How could we go about working within a community of learners (at the year level + across year levels + across campuses) to investigate these questions. When? Where? Who? How can we use our wiki to share our work? Targets prior to 7 December session Develop your year level section of Scope and sequence of digital pedagogies in upper Primary College at FLC. Confirm (at your year level and beyond) the draft Principles for use of digital pedagogies in upper Primary College at FLC. Share your findings to inquiry questions via our wiki.

15. Reflect...using Jenny’s WoW reflection Thanks for completing the evaluation form. 

16. Talk does not cook rice. (Chinese proverb) A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. (Chinese proverb)