‘Do I have anything useful to say?’How can ‘learning technologies’ be about learning?

Daniel MaceAdvanced Skills TeacherLangley Grammar School, Slough

Google Image Number 1

Nail in the coffin

Too much technology

Structures: plans to no avail

Conferences: so many ideasno actual time

Wordles – engagement?

The teacher ‘fear’

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?

Why? Generation Y

Positive Negative

Image • Reactive parenting• Come of age in

societal shocks• Mid-life institutionally

powerful• Focussed on external

world• Find solutions to

contemporary challenges

• Narcissistic• Cynical• Hedonistic• Brand obsessed

Technology

• 3D printing technology• Open-source software• Wikipedia• Huge

entrepreneurship

• Search engine culture• Alienated• Distracted• Reduced capacity to

think abut the world

Things that have worked

GoogleEarth

Conceptboard

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

High

Low

High

Low

Teacher’s confidence

Child

ren’s

confi

dence

• 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…

• 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

• 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?

• 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

• Constructivist• Divergence• Open-

mindedness• Fun• Enjoyment• Curiosity• Thinking• Creativity

• Mastery-orientation

• Love geography• Do well at

exams

Accelerated Learning Cycle

Thinking Tools

CTL / Intro

X-word generatorsWindows Movie Maker quizzes

Family FortunesElectronic dominos

Consolidation / HW

Forums for P4CVideos on YouTube

MinecraftConceptboard

Activity – making meaning

IWB DecisionsVisualisers to review

ScanMouse

Input of new ideas

IWB GamesPS work – flexibility

with tabletsYouTube videos

Big PictureVLE – structureFreemind maps

EngagementsKS5 Blog

Twitter ConvosPinterest

ReplicateBut must add value

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

Philosophy for Computing

• 6 themes– Addiction– Viruses & Contagion– AI– Hacking– Censorship– GIS & Privacy

• Rice on chessboard

• Contagion film• Fears• Mix-match

viruses

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

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

• 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