Activity 10: Postgraduate Learning Journey and your plan for the future: Create a blog post where you reflect on your personal learning journey through the whole postgraduate programme with regard to the 12 Practising Teacher Criteria.

Learning Journey

My learning journey over the past 32 weeks has enabled me to try new digital technologies and select more meaningful activities that create critical thinking. For me, the most significant outcome of this programme was being able to link my previous Mind Lab assignments to my school wide inquiry programme in the area of writing. This has challenged me through conversations, professional readings, students’ feedback and observing student engagement. We are all learners and learning takes place when there are high levels of trust, inquiry, open conversations and action.

This past year I have been teaching in a “Modern Learning Environment” (MLE). Working in an innovative learning space where teaching and learning is collaborative, reflective and future focused. The Mind Lab has helped dislodge ‘traditional mind-sets’. I have been continuously rethinking my teaching practises opening myself up to new ideas, faster systems, adapting my planning and tried several flipped learning lessons.

Teacher Criteria.

Chan, (2015)

Future vision

In regards to collaboration I aim to continue cultivating professional relationships with my colleagues and welcome any feedback or advice regarding my practices. I will endeavour to be mindful of planning and continue to trial new digital and collaborative learning tools, because I belong to the e-Learning cluster and at times I lead professional development in my school. I have two future goals one being Leadership and the other Reading Recovery.

To reach my goals I need to:

• Focus on my current teaching role.
• Use a wide range of digital technologies.
• Offer authentic learning experiences.
• Seek out professional development in the areas of leadership and literacy.
• Have meaningful discussions ‘in action’ and ‘on action’.
• Integrate and respect others heritages, languages, and cultures of both partners to the Treaty of Waitangi.
• Visit other collaborative classrooms in other schools to see current best practise and ways of working.

References:

A Goal without A Plan Is Just A Wish. Digital image. All Posters. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.

Chan, R. (2015) Registered Teacher Overview. http://www.freemansbay.knowledge.net.nz/index.php?page=nav_page&rec_id=freemansbay:276536&type=rep

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum

Open to Learning Conversations. Prod. V. Robinson. The Education Group, n.d. Slide program.31 Oct. 2015.http://connect.vln.school.nz/olc

Activities 9: Evaluations of the cultural responsiveness in practice.Create a blog post where you share your own views on your indigenous knowledge and culturally responsive pedagogy and then evaluate how you or your school addresses cultural responsiveness.

New Zealand has been concerned for some time now about the lack of an agreed structure regarding Māori responsiveness. Bishop, & Glynn, (1999) suggests that there needs to be more curricula opportunities that link to meaningful experiences. Effective teaching and learning needs to support Māori achievement and adopt the current pedagogic practices.

Indigenous Knowledge.        

If we can look through a cultural lens and not leap to assumptions regarding other people’s cultures, but stay mindful and acknowledge estranged cultural practices in our day-to-day practice, then we may better interact and celebrate others ethnicities, Shaw (2013).

Indigenous Knowledge includes the understandings of ethnicity, gender, beliefs, faith, race, and traditions. It is also vital to acknowledge the social, physical and spiritual practices which have informed people’s survival and influenced their sense of belonging in the world. However in order to apply a cultural lens and promote cultural responsiveness, schools ought to monitor student attendance, adopt school-wide practices for assessment, review student achievement data, set goals, initiate relationships with whanau and raise the expectations for achievement, Villegas & Lucas, (2002). In order for this to happen learning needs to be student-centred and cultural strengths need to be identified and nurtured. I agree that in being a responsive practitioner I should quickly identify the students within my class with cultural orientations and discover how they might best learn.

Our New Zealand curriculum acknowledges Indigenous Knowledge and supports the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi , also the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand. All students in Aotearoa have the opportunity to obtain knowledge of Te Reo Māori me ona Tikanga. A culturally sensitive school relies heavily on communicating and receiving information with the intent to deepen ones understanding.  We ought to celebrate and embrace indigenous knowledge and customs while still cultivating equitable access for learning, Ministry of Education (2011).  Keeping in mind that helping students construct and apply new knowledge generally happens through the process of trial and error, Brown (2007).

Relevant Teaching

My school welcomes and accepts “Culturally Relevant Teaching”, we integrate our students background and prior knowledge. My school’s vision and core values encourage community participation also allowing families to speak in their own language at community meetings. In addition we send home newsletters or documents in the student’s home language. My school is also fortunate to provide Maori immersion classes. My school is committed to providing Kaupapa Mäori and Te Reo Mäori me ona Tikanga. We have bilingual, bicultural tauira to strengthen learners tino tangatiratanga-ihi, wehi, mana, tapu, mauri, Freemans Bay School (2016). We have a strong focus on integrating authentic learning experiences such as Kapa Haka performances, cultural festivals and art presentations. I understand cultural teaching to be a journey towards equity and inclusivity.

Figure 1 Learning for Sustainability Freemans Bay Primary School

 Authentic Planning and Assessment

Figure 2 Authentic Planning and Assessment

This graphic model on Principles of Culturally Relevant teaching can be incorporated into any classroom. The primary purpose for authentic assessment-for-learning is to motivate students and help them progress. With this in mind, schools need to consider how they will give feedback, gather, analyse and use assessment information so that learning is effective and relevant.

Planning and assessment follows curriculum objectives and school wide policies. Assessment helps teachers to clarify next steps and desired outcomes. Schools also use assessment information as the basis for changes to policies, programmes or changes to teaching instruction, as well as reporting to parents and the board of trustees, The Ministry of Education (2007).

Essentially I need to be continually looking through a socio-cultural conscious lens and further deepening my knowledge of subject matter, curriculum, resources and offer stimulating learning experiences. However the most important component is to identify the varied cultural student ethnicities within my class and then form authentic relationships, which in turn helps them integrate with the whole.

References:

Brown, M.R. (2007). Educating all students: Creating culturally responsive teachers, classrooms, and schools. Intervention in School and Clinic

Freemans Bay Primary School (Waiatarau). Freemans Bay School Strategic Goals 2013 – 2016. N.p., 2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2015. http://www.freemansbay.school.nz/upload/usermedia/files/11196/freemans%20bay%20school%20strategic%20goals%202014%20to%202016.pdf

Glynn, T., Cowie, B., Otrel-Cass, K., Macfarlane, A. (2010). Culturally responsive pedagogy: Connecting New Zealand teachers with their Maori students. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education.

Bishop, R., & Glynn, T. (1999). Culture Counts: Changing power relations in education. Palmerston North, N.Z.: Dunmore Press Ltd.

file:///C:/Users/larissab/Downloads/Culture+and+Assessment+for+Maori+in+NZ+Education.pdf

Minisrty of Eduaction. (2007). School Curriculum Design and Review. The New Zealand Curriculum to School Curriculum. file:///C:/Users/larissab/Downloads/Design_and_review.pdf

Ministry of Education. (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners. Wellington: Ministry of Education. Retrieved 24, October, 2015 from, http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/EducationInitiatives/Tataiako.aspx

Villegas, A.M., & Lucas, T. (2002). Preparing culturally responsive teachers: Rethinking the curriculum. Journal of Teacher Education. https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_ResponsivePedagogy.pdf

Activity 8: Legal contexts and digital identities: Create a blog post where you identify an ethical dilemma in your own practice linked to digital or online access or activity

Social media can be an effective resource for connecting with parents, whānau and communities. My aim is to grow learners who are respectful and understand the benefits of using digital media.

Potential issues.

Potentially there can be numerous ethical dilemmas relating to digital access and activities, for instance gamified gimmicks, competiveness, BYOD, (bring your own device), photographs, privacy, religious beliefs or just having tangible access. I personally have had several parents concerned with how much time their children spend using social and digital platforms, socially and academically. Some parents did not want their child to become too addicted to the gamified learning tools. In my classroom we often use Twitter, Blendspace, Pinterest, Reading Eggs, Mathletics and other gamified based learning activities to promote curricular engagement. Most research to date has been done on engagement – getting people to engage by strengthening student’s participation in the instruction periods, (Kapp, Blair, & Mesch, 2012). Most of my lessons do require a lot of online learning.

Responding to potential issues.

Dealing with these types of dilemmas requires me to power share. I defended my purpose and educational outcomes, but also honoured the parent’s concerns and respected their authority. After much deliberation with these parents it simply came down to lack of understanding regarding online expectations and setting sufficient time boundaries. Really it is about having regular conversations with parents and learners that relate to best practice.

All the students in my school are required to sign a cyber safety agreement and say they abide by the guidelines for when using blogs, social media and learning systems.  See figure 1 below relating to our schools ICT agreement and cyber safety information.

Figure 1 – Freemans Bay School Cyber Safety

Teacher Ethics and Digital Citizenship. 

It is imperative that I teach ethical issues, set boundaries, demonstrate, guide, and help families practice appropriate behaviour while participating in authentic learning experiences. I encourage all my students to participate in digital activities, because I want to extend their skills and knowledge using games and create an environment for thinking and spark curiosity.

The Ministry of Education suggest schools take full advantage of learning with digital technologies, Ministry of Education, (2007). In my opinion developing ethical connections is a key feature, because social media at times can be challenging.  I need to teach / remember concepts like, privacy, copyright policies and digital citizenship.

The Ministry of Education have developed many online resources so schools can look into digital citizenship and then correctly implement the necessary procedures and the site is called Netsafe. Netsafe offers interactive tools for staying safe on the Internet and is levelled for all ages. This includes information on cyber bullying, identity theft, plagiarism, computer viruses and helps teach children about online confidentiality. Netsafe has also set up a website called Digi-Parenting which assists parents with embracing the digital future. The site offers simple tips and teaches parents how to relate to their children in the online world and strengthen relationships in the offline world. This websites objective is to make families more digitally savvy and create a sense of generational connectedness.

The Educational code of ethics is still at the heart of every day practice, Dahlberg & Moss (2005) indicate that ethics encompass every day actions and decisions either individually or collectively and then are mindful of all groups concerned. My school has a Cyber safety Policy and Acceptable Use Agreement. The policies assist teachers, parents, and whanau when unpacking concerns in schools. I understand that professional ethics are part of my ongoing professional development.

In my opinion New Zealand teachers are fully aware and committed to delivering a professional service and remain extremely mindful of their learner’s abilities, cultural backgrounds and developmental stages when allowing learners access to digital media.

In conclusion I need to include learners, parents, colleagues and governmental communities when dealing with any digital dilemmas and seek support to help navigate a fast growing digital society.

References:

Cyber Safety. Digital image. N.p., 2015. Web. 8 Oct. 2015. <http://www.freemansbay.school.nz/freemans-bay-school/cyber-safety/&gt;.

Dahlberg, G., & Moss, P. (2005). Ethics and politics in early childhood education. London: Routledge.

Digi-Parenting. Vodafone. Net Safe, 2015. Web. 8 Oct. 2015. <https://digi-parenting.co.nz/learning-fun/&gt;.

Groh, N. Digital Citizenship and Netsafe. Digital image. N.p., May 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2015. <http://www.vln.school.nz/groupcms/view/48436/nancy-groh-digital-citizenship-and-netsafe&gt;.

Kapp, K., Blair, L., & Mesch, R. (2012). The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. John Wiley & Sons.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

New Zealand. Educational Council. Teachers Ethics. Ministry of Education. N.p., 1989. Web. 8 Oct. 2015. <http://www.educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/coe-poster-english.pdf&gt;.

New Zealand. The Ministry of Education. The Netsafe Kit for Schools. Internet NZ, Sept. 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2015. <http://www.netsafe.org.nz/the-kit/policy-and-use-agreements&gt;.

Teaching in a Digital World. Digital image. WordPress. N.p., Apr. 2015. Web. 10 Oct. 2015. <https://mayaprakash.wordpress.com/2015/04/22/what-is-the-digital-world-reflection/&gt;.

Activity 7: Social media: Create a blog post where you discuss your views on social media use in learning and teaching and in professional development.

Social media enhances my professional development and supports engagement.

Using social media and collaborative networks allows me to work closely with my class and colleagues to problem solve. My school uses Google Docs and Knowledge Net. Both of these platforms are especially helpful during staff meetings, professional development and evidence sharing. We can all access the documents at one time and this is a significant time saver.

Social networks offer endless ways to connect with a wide-range of people with little effort.  I use Twitter, Google+, google slides, Instagram, kidsedchatnz, YouTube and blogging sites. I want to create an online platform for content sharing that permits me to question and seek answers.  I know technology will continue to develop and change over time, so I want to be in the ‘know’ and stay a connected educator, which requires me to delve deeper into using connected learning tools. Engaging in educational or social media I believe is a pathway to growing my professional practice and becoming a leading individual in my field of expertise.

I trust that by offering social media tools it will enhance digital citizenship.  Donohue (2014) suggests that, educators ought to create an atmosphere of digital creativity and spark curiosity, offering tools for exploration that build a culture of togetherness.  Social media supports us to better communicate with our chosen audience.

Potential challenges

There is always going to be potential challenges when using social networks,  for example; cyber bulling, continual changes to platforms themselves, ethics, professionalism, security settings, confidentiality, understanding content, inappropriate content and monitoring progress. The potential risks, I believe, can be avoid if there are proper policies in place that can prevent any unnecessary incidences. My school has cyber safety forms for families and students to fill out with a consent form attached. I also teach Cybersaftey and digital citizenship over four terms. See picture below.

Net Safety Plan / Policy

This is a legal requirement enforced by New Zealand’s legislation affecting technology. The responsibilities of schools are to ensure safety of staff and students and are covered by the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. It is the National Administration guideline that requires the Boards of Trustees to provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students and staff to work in. TKI Online, (2014).

Benefits 

In my opinion the benefits outweigh any potential challenges, because social media has visually stimulating gimmicks and advertising tactics and it offers the trial and error approach. Search results are quick. You can network with other significant groups and communities and there are plenty of opportunities to problem solve, it also allows for social communicative discussions. The best feature is that it is easily accessible. Social networking is relevant and offers authentic connections. The younger generations are portrayed as social networkers and are widely known for being glued to their devices. Research on effective social skills instruction indicates that it is important to provide a guide in social connections and build understanding through using a variety of social contexts. Quinn, Kavale, Mathur, Rutherford, & Forness, (1999). So I say “why not use social media to stimulate our learners and foster social capital”, meaning to form relationships with people and enable society to function effectively.

Social platforms offer authentic connections.

I use social media in my classroom to record student ideas, communicate with peers and participate in collaborative projects that offer authentic experiences. I have a twitter wall where my students can engage in instant messaging, just like twitter. I also use kidsedchat,  it’s a secure link with instant feedback and instant responses. I like the site because it is reflective, it offers discussions and at times debates. Kidsedchatnz connects people, places and events, plus integrates teaching activities.  Each week a question is tweeted and then classes from all over New Zealand tweet to each other and engage in connected learning. See pictures below if you would like your class to start twittering.

Social Media

In conclusion social media is a leading pathway to communicating with a world of information and provides resources that support lifelong learning and digital agency.

 

References:

Donohue, C. “Technology and Digital Media in the Early Years: Tools for Teaching and  Learning.” Connected Teacher – Connected Learner (2014): n. pag. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. <https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=0I49BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA258&lpg=PA258&dq=social+media+to+enhance+your+professional+development&source=bl&ots=0QoSbMmq-k&sig=vyJ0cSXAFyWIq8cc-zCtca2j8RE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CC0Q6AEwBDgUahUKEwil587b3qLIAhWDKpQKHaf7Csc#v=onepage&q=social%20media%20to%20enhance%20your%20professional%20development&f=false&gt;.

New Zealand. TKI. Safety in Technology Education: A Guidance Manual for New Zealand Schools. TKI Online, 2014. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. <http://technology.tki.org.nz/Technology-in-the-NZC/Safety-in-Technology-Education&gt;.

Quinn, M.M., Kavale, K.A., Mathur, S.R., Rutherford, R.B., & Forness, S.R. (1999). A meta-analysis of social skill interventions for students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders