Wednesday, 2 October 2019

Future of Learning Day 2 afternoon sessions

Notes from Day 2:

We were blessed with a performance from Daisy Lavea-Timo at the beginning of the afternoon. She was stunning as always. You can see her TED performance here.

JAMES HAYES - Changing the baby in the bath


Education today is designed by people who did well in the style of education that we are still using today
Used to be uni students straight from school. Now 25% are not

Advice about a career, become a hairdresser, it will be a long time before a robot can cut hair
Recognition needs to be given to all learning styles, if they can't write, don't assess that way
RPL - recognition of prior learning too hard to get
Education system gets our learners to a destination
Sunk costs
If you need to change the baby in the bath it won't work
Spent money, not doing it badly, do we need to change it?
Need to forget about sunk cost and we need to think in a new way
Let's start again.
It's difficult, like internet banking changing, don't know how to use this…
Change has to be done with great care
Very linear approach at the moment, same material, same order, same experience from start to finish
Why are credits measured in hours, why are degrees measured in year
Why are we measuring this in time?
Multiple choice questions used a lot for assessment, can usually spot the answer even without ability
Skillitics Health can login in any device
Because we can do something in it that we can't do in another paradigm then VR is useful
Depending on answers they go down different pathways.
Need to give them information on their progress and then they can fill in the gaps
Can do it on phone as well
Confidence on getting the right answers, 5% confident they have it right is better than 100% confident of a wrong answer
Big data platform
Send out assessment that is relevant and individualised. Problem it's same marks for easy task and hard task 

The next two sessions are breakout sessions 

Piripi Prendergast - Look to the Past to Embrace the Future


Are industry ready for the jump in Maori workers?
Makes sense for the future of NZ to have or Maori youth qualified
Year 11-12 lost 17% then 42% not entering yr 13
19% leaving school with no qualification
Tertiary numbers deceptive, many into low level courses
What are the solutions?
Engineering apprenticeships have great outcome, carpentry not good outcomes, only 50% complete them
Q: How might we reshape the awa to ensure maori success?
How might we block off some channels?
What new channels might we open?
Challenges transitioning to tertiary
From an early age they have it ingrained they are not good at things
Woman applied for job under two names , got the one with pakeha name, not the Māori
Mixed ability maths teaching, much better
Changing workers to represent Māori
30% of minority in a workplace normalises them
What can you personally do?

RAY O'BRIEN - Microcredentials

Micro credentials as an 'and', not replacing qualifications
Problems:
Low transfer of pd learning into the workplace
Low level of people who can work and learn
Content driven not need driven
Closed system in an open world, several pathways
Lack of responsiveness
High up front costs

Māori course, not knowledge, just assessment to show how you put it in the workplace
50-100hrs activity
Learning just enough when you want it
Like learning outcome
Naturally occurring evidence important
What's your edubit idea?
Small chunks
Not doing at a distance
Identify a gap in NZ quals
Reflections can contribute to the assessment

THE J TEAM: JOHN BALASH, JASON SWANSON & JESSICA TRYBUS - PANEL: REFLECTIONS ON THE CONFERENCE AND "WHERE NOW?"

What has changed in your thinking?
Reinforced youth at the centre of conversation
Proposition of collector future
Fascinated by digital humans
Refreshing to know we are not alone
What didn't we talk about that its critical for fol?
Include visions and youth perspective on the future, ask them
Where's the student in the room?
What's the role of industry?
Where is the money to push this forward?
Tip or idea to use tomorrow
The answer to how is yes
What type of problems do you want to solve, not what job do you want
Stay connected
What did you learn from NZ?
Just get it done
The people in this room
Equity and native populations
Different perspectives
Tuakana
Mental health
CBT using a bot online, journal, share more with a bot than with people
Fol, systems should prepare us but also create healthy young people and adults
What would you do if you could wave a magic wand?
Would create an entirely different education system
Finding the joy in learning, erase the gunk
How will AI affect free will?
Happening now
Use search engines to take you out of that system
Tech more available than 5yrs ago
Maker and the hacker - can re purpose
The change has to be created together
Ashoka changemakers best school for future proof
Passion to continue to learn
Share that learning is enjoyable. Celebrate the learning. Then be the mentor
Mentor is most important job
Sense of love and help

Pay forward

Cheryl and Hamish:

45-75 % of our work will change due to technology - what steps can we take to help adult learners change and adapt
Are you busy designing a future assuming it will be the same?

How do we help people in the journey - wellness

Future of Learning Day 2 morning sessions

Notes from Day 2 - morning sessions

Cheryl Doig and Hamish Duff - Day 2 Provocation

Learning City Christchurch - access, equity and innovation - Where learning is possible for anyone in our community
Facebook page

Dr Mahsa Mohaghegh - THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON EDUCATION

She# -group that addresses gap of women in tech

Uber doesn't own cars
Sensors, cameras, smart devices collect lots of data
1955 Artificial Intelligence name was coined
Bigger than fire and electricity
AI are far from perfect - It relies on use to improve them 
When you ask hard questions it improves them
A Moley robot cooking 2000 different meals
Google Home Assistant - children growing up with it normal
Will AI replace teachers? What impact will it have?
Squirrel AI learning - AI super teacher, can assess knowledge and can change and adopt as it goes,  in China
Anything requiring creativity stays in class room - conversational writing
Pronunciation done by AI
Facial recognition to see how they are feeling
Amy maths AI
Soul machine - digital teacher -Will - renewable energy
Will AI replace teachers?
Good teachers don't just impart knowledge, they provide wisdom, inspire, imperfect -is human. Teachers have empathy
Al can do admin, grading, assessment
Use AI as a digitised system
Al predicted to increase by 47.5% from 2017 to 2021
Al would free up teachers to focus on students and provide understanding
Ethics - be careful about data collection
Marshall Brain - book Manna - read chapter 1 here

Seeds podcast on Mahsa - Episode 132

Jessica Trybus - COOL TECHNOLOGY, SOLVING REAL PROBLEMS AND 21ST CENTURY SKILLS


Sim coach-games
Pittsburgh. 25 Universities 2 known for healthcare as well
Use tech to change behaviour
Play for adults and youth
Design thinking -game design
providing strength in some skills - they could be resilient
Goals, rules, roles in games as well
Effective tool for communication
How do we apply game design to solve problems
Brain training game
Cashier safety
Core standard around pathways as well as math and reading
Why are youth so clueless?
Stigma around certain industries. Don't often have role models. Simcoach skill arcade
Give opportunity to try careers
Also regional targeted messaging
Valuable data and certificate tracking
Phones help equity
How to do this… player centric solutions
Shift from training employers to enabling the job seeker
25 disadvantaged interns
How are 30 million dollars paintings relevant to you?
Games around professionalism - job pro, get hired
Work on a team, positive power of collaboration and success.
Power is having kids solve problems
Play video games and innovate 
Bring students in to solve industry problems
Test and market 

SHAILAN PATEL, MARGARET PICKERING & DAVID GLOVER - PANEL: HOW CAN WE PERSONALISE LEARNING TO MEET DIVERSE NEEDS?


Unitech. 50%  of students first in family to do tertiary
73 languages spoken
What role does tech play now and what will the future be?
Tech is an enabler. How do we use that?
A lot out there already. Access and awareness
Unitech they prefer face to face. Understand student need. Put student at centre
The further you go up the education system the slower the change. Scale makes it hard
People are taking things into their own hands. Don't have to wait for the govt to do anything
Democratisation of tech.
Ormiston college, going to industry and saying what is your problem and our students can solve it
Involve parents in that conversation as well
Long division, had lots of different inputs, teacher, book, father etc. Need a few different solutions. We focus to much in trying to find a solution that encompasses all solutions
Digital access still a problem. Need laptops and WiFi. Some basics still need to be solved
Do we still need universities?
Large part of education getting a job, but not just that, research, coming together and learning together. People important
Uni have a role to play, but can choose not to too. Not the only place, lots more options now
Use tech to present options. Learning City Chch there to do just that.
Studyspy Will give a breakdown of different courses
Shailan didn't do education, accounting or software and now managing accounting software for education!
Give them info to guide themselves with support
Get benefits through things you didn't know you get benefits from
Margaret dropped out of school at 15. None of her learning was relevant
What role does education play in understanding what their passions are?
Education is core to who we are as a species
Encourage curiosity and creativity to design those new jobs
Think outside the box
VR Can be useful for ADHD. Can tailor for specific needs. Games can be paced
Number of solutions, immersive reader
Microsoft AI for blind , can read texts for them, tell them what is in a room
Emotions for aspergers
Access the biggest issue
We have to reskill our own workforce. Have to refresh pd.
Breathe, pat ourselves on the back. We are creating it now and there is no end point
Use phones, don't ban them. Embrace tech and use it in the right way

JASON SWANSON  - NAVIGATING THE FUTURE OF LEARNING: FORECAST 5.0

Seeds podcast up online - one on Jason here - Episode 131
Only conference they go to that has a sole focus on future of learning
Personalised competency based learning
Importance of vision
What are our ideas for future of learning
Equitable, adaptable, relevant, be themselves, continuous, accessible
A new era is unfolding
Accelerating technologies, need to partner with the code in our devices
Conference like this are critical
Drivers of change:
Automating choices
AI, machine learning help us make informed choices
Best brownie recipe from Alexa, what was the decision tree that got to that recipe. Are they inscrutable?
Civic Superpowers
Use digital tool to help concerned citizens, march here great example . Resistor, can easily put to people, out of town square to digital world
Accelerating brains
Playing with own cognition, increase intelligence, calm down.
Google search affecting our long term memory
Toxic narrative, measures of success
Epidemic levels of chronic health issues. Putting pressure on kids to succeed. Pressure get to uni under traditional forms of success
Remaking geographies
Resurgence out migration patterns
Finding a sense of place
Economic revitalisation. Margaret Mahy playground good example. Using community to honour unique culture 
Ecosystems: City of learning here

Human centered: Can we design our own
Safeguard student data
Voice, how can we stream info outside
Community network builder, we have it in city learning site 
Create a school that follows the learner
Equity has to be embedded from the beginning
Human development at centre
Know the difference between transformation and efficiency
Make decisions together, schools industry and students
Undercurrent of fear - shrinks aspiration of vision
Is it the purpose to train young people to work for a living, or to train them for life?

Future of Learning Conference Day One afternoon sessions

Notes from the afternoon sessions of Day One:

Judy Boshoff - WHY EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT CONVERSATIONAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS A GAME CHANGER FOR LEARNING


They put a face on chat bots
Transform interactions between computers and humans
John Kirwan, can't be everywhere. Made a digital clone of him. Can be used to talk to people in workplace
National disabilty scheme UneeQ came out of this
Digital James can take multiple calls at once
Digital clone of Pietro
Taking ideas for use of the clones
AI to practice talking for deaf students
Human influence and machine, never gets it wrong, never has a bad day
Josie Can ask questions about almost anything.
Patient asking to go through things over and over
Pull up marketing data
Harvard business review study - within the next 10 years only 15% of business interactions will be with a human
People don't want to go over and over basic things like interest rates so can use ai
Business mentoring. Coaching. Lectures able to be repeated
People prefer interacting with digital human rather than chatbot
Cardiac coach. Helps cardiac patients at home. 
Need humans to program it
Not at a stage of having a normal human conversation
Google dialogue flow.
Conversation designer as a job. Creativity and empathy
I am a digital human and I was designed to…
Can do other languages
High security asked ethics
Framework on AI
Launch in a month around AI, ethics, digital humans
Use is doubling every month

The next two sessions were breakout sessions - these are the two I attended

John Balash and Kendall Flutey - Panel: Converting projects into the real world


Got to have purpose to have sustainability.
Themes, collaboration between
Courage. Easy to stay with our own classes name it, know it, share it
how to catapult it .
If we aren't experts, collaborate with others.
find people to partner with.
Openness to collaborate. Partner for success.
Listening.
Won't always fit to start
Learning City Christchurch there to support projects
Barriers in traditional schools for innovation . Banqer not just for accounting, want to catch other students
barrier is matrix of success - building culture of success. Some schools want immediate wins. Need to be in for the long game . Success is different for a lot of people, change is not easy
How do we use small bets to build a community. How do we help each other build.
Ed from Ministry of Education keen to support.
How do we create space for people in the system who want to stay in the system but don't think in straight lines

If you let schools run it, it could be the death of it .
learning that enables failure, learning how do we not get hung up on assessment
Soft skills.
Can jump into a team - means they get students into jobs. Class at a school, business model - he's providing a better product than other classes and students want to go to that rather than normal class
Is doing 25 % of what you want to do enough to get started ? I % is enough - what can you compromise on.
knowing when to ask and when to say sorry later.

Chris Henderson - Recontextualising Learning for our Asia-Pacific Future

What do we mean by an Asia-Pacific future?
How much knowledge done have. 85 % know very little
How do we stay open to other cultures
We are used to being innovative but so much going on outside of NZ
Democratic Dividend in Indonesia
Communities value people more than anything
Shift in world order. Western culture has been prominent. Now it is Eastern culture
no UK, France,Australia, EU
Youthful population greatest indicator of growth
Soon most rich consumers will be non-westerners
growing global confidence. How are we preparing our students for an Asia-Pacific future?
Employability
Iwi Maori have a better connection with Asia than we do
We are great at surface level cross-cultural learning (knowledge) but we are not so great developing & demonstrating values, attitudes and connect things into a theme such as Hauora
Exchanges . A lot of our young people are ok. Often the teachers struggle to define our own culture
Bring A-P into your classroom. Website: Teaching for the Asia-Pacific is coming in a month
self assessment, NCEA resources
If we want to be good global Citizens we have to better at talking about ourselves
Pūtātara -a call to action - useful site

Dr Eruera Tarena - FUTURE FLOWS: TRANSFORMING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE

This session will explore how iwi have used big data to map current education outcomes for Maori to identify key actions for us to take together to bring an equitable future closer.
We get stuck in our day to day and are at risk of losing our future
If you don't have a plan you are just a part of someone else's vision: All rangatahi are inspired by their futures thriving in education, confident in their culture and determining their own path
We are not there yet. Need to deliver for all of our kids
How do we have a systemic approach rather than putting bandaids on.
Thriving population . Major demographic changes. By 2050 his children being in a browner population
Our rangatahi exist in an ecosystem that has a major bearing on their trajectory
How do we see what is happening in our systems so we can innovate
What happens if we retain the status quo for the next 20 years? A good reason for change
Journey from High school into tertiary
By getting NCEA makes a difference. Level I is not a destination
Can get back into central flow but really have to push against the current .
Apprenticeships a good way - social change that is impactful
Learning at tertiary what they should have learnt at school - want those courses gone -not helping to get them into work.
Upstream causes, downstream impacts. Only so long fishing people out of the river before you think what is upstream pushing them in
Streaming is a cultural bias
Teacher thinks I'm dumb so I'll play up
Wasn't that Maori were failing but they were not put in those courses at once .
Don't equate skin colour with culture
Remove obstacles . How do we remove them. Start by starting
How do we create the awa to move forward - paddle together as a crew.
The future is not something we have to inherit, we can make the future what we want.

Collective action -power of a group working together.


Future of Learning Conference Day One morning sessions

These are a few of my notes from the conference. Well worth going to - the world is changing and we need to keep up!

Day One - Opening - Cheryl Doig and Hamish Duff

See the exponential rise of technology. Some people don't know that exists
X shaped learner -human and technology

Opportunity to learn is important. Everyone has the opportunity to learn
Optimistic and idealistic - need to be this way
If we want to adapt, we need to change education. Need to help educators to embrace the new technologies. Want to bring everyone together to change
Students need to have hope for a better future

Jan Owen - THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW DEMANDS A NEW MINDSET


Automation Flexibility Globalisation,
What will the pace of change be, rather than will automation happen?
What will it mean if we collaborate rather than compete in Globalisation?
What are we doing in education to facilitate and accelerate learning?
Bilingual skills and cultural intelligence really important

Can they solve problems?
2017 Workplaces saw skills as equal with qualifications but now "We will recruit for mindset and we will train for skill"
Want people who can speak, who can argue. want people who can get up and present ideas
By 2030

30% more time learning on the job
100% more time solving problems
26% more time engaging in self directed work
There is more complexity in the world and we need more complex solving skills
Brief, build a team, do the mission. More autonomous
Students now are studying, doing own business thing pIus working part-time . They are more flexible
Build enterprise skills in NZ - Like a Boss programme 
You practice to fail - Start again and again
@fya_org
Apprenticeship-5000 hours relevant paid employment
Open up many more pathways

Career Education Toolkit @fyA
Ylab global-getting young people at the centre of learning
Educator the role of teacher no longer exists

Mindset of life long learning.
Re-training and upskilling is really important
How do we become a learner alongside our learners?
How do we look after mental health with all this learning?
We have been learning forever. How do we credentialise this?
Mental health increases when we contribute
Age care big growth in this area. They needed 2500 people. Went into retail asked showed them how they can transfer skills to a new area. Need to make it seamless transition
Optimism is an accelerator. Need it for growth mindset.
Indigenous drone pilots - story about how they made it happen

Kendall Flutey, Sam Johnson, Mia Sutherland  CHANGE OF THE CAREER PATH

Kendall Using Banqer
Mia climate strike
Sam, teaching students to volunteer, framework for that
SDGs
People who strike are more likely to get jobs

Have overcooked uni learning, does not transfer into jobs
Risk of being overwhelmed by choice
Education, need to take courses that are relevant to them. Not enough yet though. Need to have ways to learn differently. Need to cater to different needs
Learnt from strike, standing up for something, how to take rejection,
Students organising their own thing, through Sam's course on how to be a volunteer. Let students do things
Create space for students to experiment
One thing you could add to your schooling:
Persuasion
Concepts of money how much is lots and how much is not ? whatever number comes into your head, double it. Money can make things happen.
Not to be bullied - young gay guy in private school-hard on who he is-better ways to do it.
Hunter Johnson - man cave - masculinity have conversations in a facilitated way
Less bubble wrap -how do you deal with confrontation. No one says "people are going to be mean "
Comments -get a loved one to read them and pull out the top 5 nice ones. Cyberbullying
Teach concept of different people have different skills
Give permission to every student to know they are valued
Shy and anxious. Found a purpose and stepped out of her shell. Give them a reason to stand up .
Public pressure, internal, up wards - always pressure
Focus on something you can achieve. How can you keep this going
Partnership with CareersNZ . How many people are doing this at home. Framework can push that forward.
Platform Banqer for Maori looking at it from a different angle


John Balash - SMALL BETS: 20 YEARS LATER


Enjoys building with Lego.
Small bets in innovation and education

2018 Ocular swift
2017 360 cameras
2016
2015 unicorns ar
2014 robots
2013 temp social media
2012 crowd funding
2011 kinect
2010 cloud computing
2009 Intelligent sure
2008 Android
2007 Smart phone 
2006 Wii controller
2005 Video sharing
2004 Facebook
2003 Skype
2002 Irobot vacuum
2001 Natural language processing
2000 PS2
1999 info tech centre founded
Remake learning network

Common goal want print to be equitable, engaging and relevant
Remake learning days
Youmedia hang out, mess about, geek out
Museumlab opens 2019
Importance of museums in learning, see knowledgeworks stuff on this
Skill to explore is Listening
Otto Scharmer, downloading stuck in fragment process
Factual, can hear info and then adaptive
Empathetic, can adapt
Generative,
Creative chaos, Drew Davidson
Improv lives and dies in the team and how they are playing
First penquin award for most spectacular fail
What's your small bet today
Key elements of collaboration:
Yes and…
Taking risks
Ok to fail and fail forward
Don't have a hub in nz yet..
Fail and media catches onto it. Celebrate failures and successes.  Map out steps in process that led to failure

BOMA Fellows - PROJECT PITCH

Brad Milne, St Thomas
Innovation in leadership
Create a toolbox to develop capacity for middle leaders
Make leadership aspirational

Alicia Poroa
Haeata
Revolutionising Engagement by Humanising Data
How we measure success
Using Sensemaker
Asking 300 ākonga about morning karakia

Josh Campbell
Burnside
Student driven project based course model
Primarily ncea but could be others
Learning how to assess your progress
Designed a poster on his website

Jacqueline Yoder
Linwood
Alphabet mana
Design thinking model for schools to change Maori into x
Can't it doesn't have x in your language
Make sure you are not building something for you.
Students to define own shape

Lisa Heald
Riccarton
Student led social media in schools
Conjunction team it students. Mad, media advertising division
3hrs a week in class
They create billboards, video, websites, FB, snapchat, instagram
Minimad for yr 10
Inform, promote and celebrate your school

Tim Kelly
Hurunui
A new framework for combined science and dt project based learning
Soft skills and design thinking process for projects
Electronic possum lures for 2020
General framework that others can use

Jackie Brown
Mount Hutt college
Changing perceptions in mathematics
Protect based learning to engage students and to give real context
Authentic audience.

Tam Yuill Proctor
Hagley
Microcredentials and liberatory design thinking, David Clifford
Equity into the design process. Deep self awareness
Beginner to expert micro credentials in lib design thinking.
SDGs,

Bronwyn Hoy
Rolleston
Activation space, creating room for authentic learning experiences
Create, innovate, problem solve and present
Chch innovation hub, fail

Josh Hough
ARA
Authentic context project based learning toolkit



Tuesday, 18 December 2018

Genealogy - Eason website

You may have read my previous blog on my addiction. I think I have finally gone overboard on this addiction! Over the years I have been collecting a number of different Eason trees in the search for my own line. They have been all sitting in a database, with some in trees and some just individuals with no connections as yet.
In searching for yet another line, I came across the Guild of One-Name Studies. I searched for Eason. None there, just a couple of marriages into other families. I dismissed it at the time, but it got me thinking...
I had decided a while ago to finally put all the information I had online. I needed to check this with others who have done a large amount of research on my own tree as I wasn't sure if everyone would be keen to share or not. After meeting with a couple of them while I was in England this year, I decided to go ahead with the website. Lots of research then - how do I host it, what do I use that is best for a genealogical website, lots of questions. This led me back to the Guild which hosts websites for their studies and after a bit more research I joined up.
It's been a busy few months! I have put a website together, learnt a lot about the TNG software that runs the site, and I have been learning more HTML (this is an awesome help site) so I can make it look how I want it to look - that's still a work in progress. The software is great, it makes it super easy to load a GEDCOM from my Legacy software (jargon for all my data) and it has a lot of different templates to use if you want to just get something up quickly.
So I have been trawling through parish records, census documents and Army records, finding lots of Eason families that I have managed to link together in most cases. A few good stories and lots of questions later I have my Eason Genealogy website up and running, my Facebook page to go with it, and a challenge now to find all the Easons I can from all over the world.
If you know anyone with the surname Eason, please head them my way!! I am really keen to get as many lines as I can onto the website.
I sure have plenty to do in my spare time.

Sunday, 11 November 2018

The changing face of education

There have been a few things coming up in the media lately around the changes in education in New Zealand. Two have really caught my eye in the last week. One of them I kept reading and going, yes, yes, and one of them got me riled up about what people think we should and shouldn't do with education. That one inspired me to write this and put my own personal thoughts out there in the public forum.

Learning Revolution or Pathway to Ignorance?
Insight Article- link
Podcast link

I took a few notes while listening to this podcast. After reading the article I felt the real disconnect between many schools about where education is heading. There certainly is a divide and I'm glad I am on the side I am.
Hobsonville Point 
Most learning in 2 subjects done in modules of 2 learning areas together.
Deep understanding comes from links between subjects. Students and teachers co-construct contexts. Most schools the teacher decides the contexts. Can engage students more. They don't do NCEA Level 1. Some parents don't understand about what they are trying to do.
One student found it was a shock to do this style of learning, but was loving it. "Instead of just doing work for the sake of a grade and then get ranked, I was doing stuff that I was interested in and that meant something to me and my future".
It doesn't work for everyone. Lots of talk about why it doesn't work. It's up to the student to make it happen.
It's hard for parents to get their head around.

Haeata Community Campus
Working towards a model of students developing their own learning
Want the passion for learning, rather than being credit driven

Teachers have to be a facilitator of learning. Students need to have control of their learning.
Modern approaches in learning are widespread in Primary Schools but not so much in Secondary. Some have adopted the changes and some have not. Some think they shouldn't be moving this way.
Schools need to do more than just teach subjects to get students through NCEA
NCEA review results will be out next April - looking at having a project at Level 1 NCEA.
I think all schools would agree that involving students in designing learning, collaborating and use of technology are important factors in education.

Some comments made in the podcast that I want to say something about:
Teachers can't teach all those subjects in a transdisciplinary way
This is where collaboration between teachers is so important. We have strengths, we have areas of knowledge that are stronger so we need to team up with other staff to help our students get the depth and knowledge around areas we might not be so strong in. We also need to model that we don't know everything. This is an opportunity for us to upskill and learn new things and be passionate about learning. We need to facilitate learning, rather than be the fount of all knowledge.
Revolutions in technology have changed schools a lot
I am not sure many schools are using technology to change education. I see many just swapping the textbook for a pdf and pen and paper for a doc. I'm wondering how many are at M or R in the SAMR model. Perhaps this is something all schools should look at as an overview for use of tech.
You can't show a video or have open debate about things in the new Modern Learning Environments 
I would argue that, as we have breakout rooms and spaces if you need an ecnclosed space, plus we are often using our open spaces in small groups having debate and discussions and teachable moments. We often have debates and show videos, even in our open spaces.
Secondary schools are for learning specialised knowledge not for play
See my blog on Lifelong Kindergarten. I believe that we should be playing - we should be doing projects and that the specialised knowledge will be learnt as required. The old style of passing on knowledge from teacher to student is no longer applicable - the students can learn pretty much anything online if they want to. We need to be teaching them how to access that knowledge, then guiding them through projects into more depth.
Universities are finding huge gaps in knowledge I agree this will be happening - it has happened for a long time. From my own experience I know that in music, many students don't do the aural and theory externals (chosen by teachers to not sit them), but still go to Uni to do Music. There will be gaps in this area. What is needed is for the Universities to rethink how they are also delivering their courses and what they are expecting their students to do. We have so many graduates coming out of Uni not getting jobs. Why? Jobs are changing (check out this infographic). Employers are wanting more than content. They are looking for skills. Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity - the list goes on. Having a degree with purely content is not enough anymore. Workplaces have had to adapt - so does the education system.


The Futures of Learning
Education  Research and Foresight Working Papers by Cynthia Luna Scott
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I read this and highlighted lots of things that I really believe in. I found it really inspiring and affirming that my beliefs about education are on the right track. It's a long document but worth a read if you are really interested in the future of education. Even if you just skim read the headings, it will give you an overview. This paragraph (taken from Pg16) sums it up for me:

"What adaptations can be expected in education in the near future? Teachers will remain, but their roles will be extended as mentors, mediators and guides, facilitators, learning coordinators, assessors, and designers and compilers of learning tools. Testing will most likely continue, but assessment will become more individualized and formative. Learning will become more personalized and customized to reflect students’ individual needs and interests, and informal learning opportunities will become recognized alternatives to traditional formal education. Transformed learning environments will encompass customized learning for each student, wider availability of diverse sources, and collaborative group learning (students will learn together as they work collaboratively on authentic, enquiry-oriented projects). Real-world experience will permeate learning activities. Most likely, schools will remain but classrooms will become more open to diverse learning experiences and instruction will likely move out into the community. Education providers will still offer face-to-face learning, but this will be supplemented by informal and virtual opportunities. Self-responsibility for learning will be essential and learners can expect to determine what their learning profile will look like. New tools for learning will be developed. Technology will support personalized learning processes and facilitate inclusion and equity."

This is what we are heading towards. This is what I believe in. This is why I am at Haeata.

Saturday, 1 September 2018

Innovative learning spaces and teacher/student outcomes

I went to a session last week on ILEs and the outcomes they have on learning. These are my notes from that. 


Learning environments for stressed communities

Dr Kathleen Liberty


Focus on elements of design that calm the school and improve learning by reducing environment with stress.
Link to the research article Behavior Problems and Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms in Children Beginning School: A Comparison of Pre- and Post-Earthquake Groups

First studies descriptive, saying what was happening. More children presenting with stress after earthquakes.
No successful strategies apart from providing mental health one to one.
So many children affected. 70% symptoms of ptsd.

Behaviourism model.
Behaviour is controlled by here and now. Very simplistic. Come much further since then. Now learned that experiences in infancy are expressed much later. Risk factors can influence behaviour and learning. Not just here and now.
Adverse experiences in childhood. Good Wikipedia article.
Abuse , violence etc. More you accumulate the more likely you are to get cancer, mental health. It's how many you have, not just one experience. These experiences change our biology. Changes our DNA and can be passed onto our children.
Adverse experiences in children change brain development. If they experience 10000 earthquakes then they are flooded with these hormones. Not like adults who can say it's just another, I'm safe.
All in study were under 42 months at time of earth quakes
Affect their ability to understand and learn.
Can see differences in ages due to brain development at the time.
Not just earthquakes.
Ptsd 3rd highest rate in NZ. Most likely domestic violence.

Characteristics of stressed children. Can see behaviours in adults as well. Children have difficulty and have negative thoughts about others and themselves. Too hard, leave me alone, don't want to. Emotions are disconnected sometimes. Used to be an anxiety disorder now ptsd.
Different characteristics for young children.
Evidence of stressed children in NZ showed an increase in mental health referrals, increase in psychiatric medication, increase in bullying and absenteeism and an increase in teacher burnout and dissatisfaction.
5yr old being stood down
Absenteeism. Withdrawing is a sign of ptsd.
Not just confined to Christchurch.
Having a parent go to prison, being in an accident, having a parent die.
Schools have a duty of care. Well aware of what is happening.
Schools are not mental health clinics. Provide for learning.
Students are afraid of new things and think they will fail. For some people it is more stress.
Adhd, dyslexia etc all related to childhood.
Other children can cause stress. Need to provide an environment for children to learn

Symptoms should go down.
Why did they increase? Either accumulated more stress or they have delayed onset, go into shock then see symptoms.
28% had high and stable above ptsd cut off.
Tired of documenting children getting worse.
Low and stable no symptoms
We had years, not just one event like the hurricanes

Strategies
Effects 60% reduced stress when changed the school environment.
One school refused to do the strategies and got more increase in symptoms.
Best adoption for 65% increase in no symptoms. No adoption 41%increase in ptsd.

Strategy 1: Recess first, play eat learn
Benefit through this.
Children eat more which improves health and concentration.
Morning tea then play. Didn't eat so they could get out quickly. Huge food wastage, didn't drink.
Play first, then come in wash hands, come in and sit and eat and drink and eat all of the food. Much more alert and able to take on information.
One school saw effect within one week. Shared mealtimes.
Reduces body weight as well.
If distracted, don't need a run around, they need food and water.
Learning 9-11.30
Worst time after breaks and end of school day
Provide additional food

Importance of shared meal times
Most schools design for playground not for eating.
Preparation of food. Hand washing. Disposal of food

Strategy 2: Address dehydration
Affects growth, reduced cognition affects memory
Drink when you feel tired, confused, upset
Helps mental performance and ability
Lots of studies
If they are dehydrated, they will be irritable, tired. less able to concentrate, little energy

Many symptoms overlapped with symptoms of dehydration
Many have limited access to water at school
Afraid of drinking fountains
Quality of water poor

Teachers to model drinking for the students
Thought they might have more children gong to the toilet, only 1 school had an increased use. Shows how dehydrated they were. Most drank the bottle straight away.
Principal had a rule that the student had to have a glass of water before they saw her.
What is the access to water in your kura?
Where can they wash the lid?
Use of water fountains?

Strategy 3: Lighting
Lighting reduces hospital stay length
Stress affects attention in dim light.
Need 1000 lux to learn
More than half the observations most were around 300lux
How do we fix this? Open curtains, turn on lights, desk close to window if needed.
School designs need higher levels of lighting

Strategy 4: Room colour
Stressed children are over stimulated
Turn devices to night light setting, get rid of blue.
Schools had lots of things because they needed stimulation. Now need to go back in colour and decor. Can distract from tasks.
Pops of red and orange, be more aggressive
Cram with things and colours. Distracts attention
Don't paint walls. Take down hanging decorations.
Affirmations are fine at children's eye level and below, not lifting head and losing track
Decorations on windows block the light

Strategy 5: Noise reduction
Room noise was a real problem, in both normal classrooms and ILEs
Huge problem of noise, learn to be quiet.
Wanted staff to use App to monitor
Even 5db reduction can make a difference in beginning reading
ILE in Sydney. Decibel range at 45
Learning can occur in a calm environment. If teachers have to shout or students are stressed then it is not as good.
Their research cannot say ILEs are bad.

Place for classes to have pets
Any wilderness spots onsite. Nature
Sensory system responds to environment
Environments sustainable in looking over change in future, children who come to schools in 2025
Data relevant to new environments.
Can't say the change in environment has changed anything for the children.
School that had no change of improvement is a single cell high decile school.
Similar pattern over schools. Some things we believe can't relate to ILE or trad learning environment


Emerging findings from ILETC research project: Innovative learning environment and teacher change Chris Bradbeer @chrisbradbeer



This room at the moment is at 55dB
Low sounds, can take away those needed and make learning difficult.
Reggio very much about natural materials and natural finishes.
What does learning look like now and what might it look like in the future? What space best offers the conditions to hold that learning? 
Life long learning and dispositions.
Relationship between pedagogy and space.
Shift saying , in a school context, space has been largely ignored. Single cells sound like prison, trad classroom. How do students feel being locked in a classroom having to stay in one place?
What is relationship between learning outcomes and space. Is it working? Working for what?
Relationships between computers and learning outcomes, natural new teaching pedagogy.
Quality design environments, quality learning pedagogy giving quality learning outcomes.

Lots of money being spent on new buildings.
Need for evidence. My child is not a guinea pig article
They don't often ask "Was a classroom with 1 teacher and 30 students good for a child?".

Can changing how teachers think about space change how they use the space.
Can altering teacher mind frames unlock the potential of learning environments?

Smart green schools, future proofing schools, e21le, ILETC focus now on teachers
Lots of people working on the project and partnerships including MOE this one has 15 partners

Assumed there were some common understanding in how they were designed and used.
Assumed teachers were not using well
Key concepts:
Learning space, teacher mind frames, students do learning, teaching approaches

ILE =innovative space designs +innovative teaching and learning practices

Doesn't become innovative until the stuff going on in there changes
From "Type and Use of ILEs in Australasian schools"
Teachers and learners need to be innovative in it.
What physical facilities do schools actually have?
Dovey and Fsher. Study on learning environments

This picture the starting point.
Then teaching approaches as well. 
What is preventative is type a, type b
Are they teacher centric, or more group or more student based.
Did a survey of Principals
Typical school 70%type a and b spaces and predominantly doing teacher Led approaches
Mind frames positive but not deep learning outcomes


Teacher mind frames - Hattie
I am evaluating my impact as a teacher
Need to do all the time

Student deep learning
What is it, shallow is facts and figures.
Dispositions are deep. Aims  for character, building capacity. Innately harder to measure.
7cs, character, citizenship etc
If we want deep learning then what is the exam doing? What's the stuff that is worth learning?

Teacher's mindsets define practice
What causes them not to change?
Confirmed assumptions
Real need for simplifying language
Huge lack of evidence. They are new but the thinking behind them is not new.
Schools seemed to have common pathway when they started to transition. Key ideas. Different strategies that supported teachers but lots of gaps in tools to help. Very individualised.
Need to trial and test. 
Fact sheets and technical stuff on the website. Lots of publications.
Subscribe to newsletter. Looking for schools
Learning to use the space is really important.
Equity and square meter age.
Global square metered, entitlement yr 8 in Germany, yr 5 in Australia. How much space does a child need?
Research coming out soon.