Virtual Learning Network

This term our Senior Team have been focusing on integrating ICTs and the 'Nature of Science' effectively into our science teaching and the inquiry process.

With this inquiry we are really wanted to embed the inquiry process so that children could explain what happens at each stage, as well as explaining the purpose of the activities they are doing with regards to the inquiry process. Additionally we focused our teaching and learning on the nature of science/working like a scientist, as well building knowledge of science.  I also personally wanted to develop the use of ICT in my class for collaboration.

During 'Tuning In' I focused on developing children's ability to make careful observations, theorise and wonder from those observations and to be able to construct and critique questions like a scientist.

During this process children used voicethread to 'See, Think and Wonder'. The process of this was really slowed down so that the 'thinking' and 'wondering' related to what they were 'seeing'. The use of voicethread as a collaborative tool allowed the class to collect these together and listen to others' ideas (http://room3stjames2012.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/we-are-tuning-in-to-our-new-inquiry.html). We then took all the wonderings on the voicethread and used the following criteria to decide whether our questions were worth inquiring about:

WALT create open questions to guide our inquiry.

SUCCESS CRITERIA: My questions need to…

• Begin with Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How, and follow with a verb like: would, could, were, might, can, do, is, are, did, was. For example: Who were…?  How do…?  When could…?

• Lead me to information that I do not already know.
• Help me to find new and interesting information that is connected to my topic AND will develop my deep understandings.

We were then left with three questions. The class then took the closed questions that we had discarded and reconstructed them into open questions, we then went through a further critiquing until we were left with some suitable and worthy questions to inquire about. To support this second round of constructing and critiquing, the children used a Google doc to do this. This allowed them to collaborate to construct and critque question and it meant all our questions ended up in one document. We could then discard any repeats and select the questions we wanted. (https://docs.google.com/a/stjamescatholic.school.nz/document/d/1joYyBRTMchz3sK6uDj1OR92G3tH8-2AiiY9PLoJt3rk/edit?pli=1 - The yellow questions are the ones we decided to keep and the red questions are the ones we decided to discard.)

The level of collaboration between the children during 'Tuning In' could not have occured without the integration of e-learning. Children now have a good understanding of the 'Tuning In' process, as well as how scientists work to make careful observations and construct and critque questions. The use of ICT for collaboration also allowed the construction of inquiry questions to be more student driven than in previous inquiries.

The need for the use of more student voice was identified as an area for development in last year's Mantar Cluster student survey. At the end of last year, St James' teachers asked their students what they would like to learn about. The popular choice in the Middle Team was dinosaurs and in the Senior Team it was animals. Teachers have used this student voice to develop inquiry units with deep understandings which were drawn from the National Curriculum subject areas of science (Living World) and design technology, that will developed in the context of dinosaurs and endangered animals.

Evidence of this learning can be see in the blog links from the different classes below.

Middle Team

Room 2: http://room22012.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/tuning-in-term-2.html

Room 6: http://starsixessjs.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/visit-to-te-manawa.html

Senior Team

Room 3: http://room3stjames2012.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/walt-generate-our-first-ideas-using.html

Room 4: http://learningfourusall.blogspot.co.nz/search?updated-max=2012-04-03T10:36:00%2B12:00&max-results=7

Room 5: http://roomfivesjs.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/endangered-species_30.html

The following is a summary of National Goal 1 for 2012 for the Mantar Cluster (Milestone 5).

National Goal: Students to become successful digital citizens.

Cluster Goal: Students empower with the skills to learn in a way that enables them to become life-long, 21st Century learners.

Cluster: Year 3 of Cluster Programme - Primary Cluster Years 0-8

Cluster Type: ICT PD

Context: The Cluster has developed five key areas of development that fit within the National Goal 1. It is the Cluster's intention to enhance student learning through the integration of ICTs into the Inquiry  process through developing their information literacy skills. Clearly, ICTs will also become widely used across other areas of the curriculum as students become more confident and competent in their skills and knowledge. However, the Cluster has chosen Inquiry and Information Literacy as the vessel in which to use ICTs to develop digital citizenship amongst the students.

Aims/Purpose: The Cluster has had a two-pronged approach to this goal, the first of which has been covered by our TeKids programme. However, the broader Cluster wide goals have also involved the integration of information literacy skills as part of the Inquiry process in each school and the use of ICTs to support this. All four schools have undergone considerable internal and Cluster wide PD around Inquiry including workshops by Jan Watts and Debbie Roxborough from the National Library and Kath Murdoch. This has lead to each school's development of their own Inquiry model and process These have been developed this year to include appropriate information literacy skills at the different stages of the Inquiry process. In relation to the students, this has meant the up-skilling of teachers in this area has allowed the introduction of information literacy into the Inquiry process in the classroom. This programme's outcomes were aligned to National Goal 1 and consequently to our Cluster goals concerning:

* Developing high levels of information literacy skills as a foundation for learning

* Students are able toconfidently use the inquiry process applying and articulating their thinking.

* Students are confident to transfer their ICT capability to new situations.

* Students are making choices about the most appropriate e-learning tools to use.

* Students share their leadership within their schools by developing expertise across and beyond the cluster.

* TeKids are developing understanding and applying a range of information literacy skills using a variety of ICT tools.

Methods, Interventions and Actions:  Last year one of the Cluster co-ordinators attended a National Library Workshop to assess whether it would be beneficial for the whole cluster to help work towards a range of success indicators of our cluster goals around information literacy and inquiry learning (see reflection: 

/pg/blog/read/175158/national-library-workshop-supporting-inquiry-creating-21st-centruy-learners-as-skilled-users-of-information). Following this, our Cluster professional development kicked off this year with all Principals, teachers and librarians attending this workshop entitled 'Supporting Inquiry: Creating 21st Century Learners as Skilled Users of Information.' 

Just prior to this Milestone, all teachers will have attended a Teacher Only Day session with Kath Murdoch. The reasons behind this session were to work towards a number of Cluster success indicators surrounding inquiry learning planning and process, including the use of student voice.

The TeKids programme has continued this year (/pg/groups/51682/tekids/). This is a group of children who are chosen to be extended in their knowledge of e-learning and use of ICT tools. TeKids sessions are run three times a term when all Cluster schools meet and a session is run. The aims of this year's sessions are:

• Students are developing high levels of information literacy skills as a foundation for learning using a variety of ICT tools.
• Use thinking skills enhanced by the use of e-learning.
• Students are confident to transfer their ICT capability to new situations.
• Students sharing leadership within their schools by developing expertise across and beyond the cluster.
• Community involvement and celebrations.

The following is a summary of National Goal 1 for 2011 for the Mantar Cluster (Milestone 4).

Cluster: Year 2 of Cluster Programme - Primary Cluster Years 0-8

Cluster Type: ICT PD

Context: The Cluster has developed five key areas of development that fit within the National Goal 1. It is the Cluster's intention to enhance student learning through the integration of ICTs into the Inquiry  process through developing their information literacy skills. Clearly, ICTs will also become widely used across other areas of the curriculum as students become more confident and competent in their skills and knowledge. However, the Cluster has chosen Inquiry and Information Literacy as the vessel in which to use ICTs to develop digital citizenship amongst the students.

Aims/Purpose: The Cluster has had a two-pronged approach to this goal, the first of which has been covered by our TeKids programme. However, the broader Cluster wide goals have also involved the integration of information literacy skills as part of the Inquiry process in each school and the use of ICTs to support this. All five schools have undergone considerable internal and Cluster wide PD around Inquiry including workshops by Jan Watts and Kath Murdoch. This has lead to each school's development of their own Inquiry model and process. In relation to the students, this has meant the up-skilling of teachers in this area has allowed the introduction of information literacy into the Inquiry process in the classroom. This programmes outcomes were aligned to National Goal 1 and consequently to our Cluster goals concerning:

* Developing high levels of information literacy skills as a foundation for learning

* Students are able to apply the Inquiry process to their learning

Interventions: As stated above, each school was required to attend the Kath Murdoch workshop offered and reported on in Milestone 3 this year. Further,  a workshop was offered by Jan Watts (National Library Advisor) on integrating information literacy into the Inquiry programme for which some school opted to attend. A reflection on this workshop may be found here: /pg/blog/owner/group:61402/   (National Library Workshop blog).  This up-skilling of teachers allowed them to develop Inquiry units that integrated information literacy and ICTs to support students learning. The focus was on the ability of students to also understand this process themselves so that they may apply it to their own learning.

Summary of Key Results: Each school was required to conduct at least three Inquiry units with the intention that these would allow the students the opportunity to engage in learning activities that helped them to develop information literacy skills including critical thinking and reflection. Although this has taken on a different vision based on each school's individual needs for its specific students and community, there has been a shift in the use of information literacy skills, and particularly such tools as graphic organisers and thinking tools, across the board for students. Examples of this can be found here:

/pg/blog/read/178191 (see blogs: 'Following a Passion Inquiry Unit', 'Practising the Skills Needed for a New Experience', 'Consistency, Scaffolding...', 'Students Sharing Leadership'.)

/pg/blog/owner/group:61402?offset=10 (see blogs: 'Students Applying the Inquiry Process', 'Developing Information Literacy Skills', 'Students Using E-learning to Enhance...".

Next Steps: The Cluster Management has acknowledged that further staff training and student learning needs to be developed around information literacy and this will be a key focus for next year. There has already been confirmed bookings across the Cluster with another opportunity for staff to work with both Kath Murdoch and Jan Watts. Clearly this is a focus for teachers but the trickle down effect will mean more targeted learning opportunities for students in this area ensuring that Inquiry Units involve rich tasks that incorporate the use of ICTs with graphic organisers and thinking tools

Our Inquiry focus has been developed over the past 4-5 years.  Over this time we have seen the evolution of what we do as teachers as well as the change in our students.  We developed our own Inquiry Process based on Kath Murdoch's model.  Our next step was to then discover the interests of our students.  At the end of 2010 our Principal surveyed our students to see what their interests were.  This became the basis for our Inquiry over a two year period - with one exception.  We decided at a staff meeting that to truly ensure we were following the interests of our students that we would make one term per year a 'Passion Project' term.  This meant that each student would be able to follow their own interest both at home and school, supported by their classroom teacher.  It was decided that each student needed to follow the school Inquiry Model of - 

• Finding Out
• What we now know
• What do we need to do next?

This process is supported by DATT (Direct Attention Thinking Tools) in order to give structure to the process.  They initially use such Tools as CAF (Consider All Factors) in the in the 'Finding Out' stage and then move onto tools such as A.P.C. (Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices), P.M.I. (Plus, Minus, Interesting), O.P.V. (Other People's Views) and K.V.I. (Key Values Involved) for the 'What we now know".  A key tool for the next stage is C&S (Consequence and Sequel).  By taking a key point from the 'What we now know' stage, a C&S is the tool to take the thinking further.  

Our next step was to let the student's know.  They were really excited and had no problem coming up with their very own 'Passion Project'.  We also let our families know what was happening.  For our Jazzy Juniors it was very obvious what the interests of our students were.  Instead of having it totally individualised we gave the students a choice of three topics.  We sent home a letter before the school holidays to let them know.   Letter Home - Passion Project.  This was also posted on the class blogs - 

http://aokroom7.edublogs.org/

 http://marvelousmiddles.edublogs.org/2011/10/11/passion-project/

Our senior class recently had an excursion to Capital E in Wellington.  Prior to the trip the students practiced their interviewing skills in preparation.  They wrote questions, they got into character and worked together as a team.  They filmed each other in order to critique.  You can take a look at this on their blog site: 

http://aokroom2.edublogs.org/2011/11/02/jordan-and-reilly/

The first thing our Room 4 teacher, Lisa, did was showing actual animations that were on Youtube.  She then showed the class "Monster's Bad Day", which was an animation Lisa and two other staff member made during some animation P.D. with Lyn Ross. The step was to view "Pig's Revenge" which some other teachers produced.  The class then brainstormed their favourite toys. They talked about story lines and keeping it simple.  The criteria was that they had to take between 50-100 photos with a storyline.  They then made their backdrops using cardboard boxes. The students brought in their resources and toys to start animating.  The students were given practice time before they started.  One student was on the camera and the other was to move the characters.  They had to show the teacher 'shot one', 'shot two', 'shot three' etc before they actually used the digital camera.  At the end they evaluated what they had learnt - you can see this at the end of the animation.  

http://aokroom7.edublogs.org/2011/10/01/zoe-ella-and-scarlett-present-naughty-ponies/

I attended this workshop last term to gage whether it would be worthwhile Cluster-wide for teachers.

It covered:

• Exploding some myths about 21st Century learners -what the research tells us.
• Tips for developing and scaffolding students' skillls in criticallly evaluating, analysing and using online information.
• It's on the internet, so why can't we copy it? Exploring issues around the use of online information.

Having attended I feel that this workshop would be good PD for all Cluster teachers at the beginning of next year to help support the following success indicators from the Cluster goals in particular:

• Developing high levels of information literacy skills as a foundation for learning (SI Goal 1).

• Students are confident to transfer their ICT capability to new situations (SI Goal 1).

• Students are critically aware of their own cyber safety and their digital footprint (SI Goal 1).

• A range of meaningful e-learning experiences are continuously planned for, modelled and used by students across the curriculum (SI Goal 3).

• Teachers are reviewing/contributing to a deeper understanding of the inquiry learning process (SI Goal 3).

This is a summary of data analysis and discussion around our student survey.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnV6jxyFX5K3dGtJZ0VPQnFndkNnWTNUN1NRZHlNaEE&hl=en_US#gid=0

Strengths

Q2 Who has the responsibility to make sure you learn?

74% either said me or me and my teacher, showing that teachers foster independent learnin and that children understand that they have responsibility.

Q3 Which of the words best describe your learning at school?

59% "Just right" and only 5% said "Unchallenging", showing that teachers are setting work to meet individual students needs.

Q13 In the last week, ICTs have been a part of my learning.

It is a strength that 80% of children responded that they had used ICTs sometimes of often as part of thier learning.

Q14 ICTs help me to oranise and share my thinking.

85% of children said that they "sometimes" or "often" use ICTs to help organise their thinking.

Q16 In my class we make choices about the best ICT tools to use in our thinkin and learning.

80% said "sometimes" or "often" showing children have freedom to make choices about their usw of ICTs.

Q17 The TeKids are good at helping us with ICT ideas.

78% said "sometimes" or "often" howing the strength of our TeKids programme and that it is filtering into the school. Students are getting what they want out of the TeKids programme, but not as much positive feedback from teachers. Are teachers expecting too much?

Q18 As part of my classroom learning I have learnt how to be safe online.

89% "I know some ways" or "lots of way" (56% "lots of ways"), showing successcful classroom programmes for cybersafety.

Weaknesses

Q1 Who decides what you are going to learn?

Still too teacher prescribed. Query: Is there too much prescription coming school wide that limits teacher's ability to give students more choices. Does student voice need to influence school wide planning more.

Q4 Do you generally know what you are learning about at school?

59% said "sometimes" and only 1% said "hardly ever". We feel that children should always know what they are learning about through LI, WALT, I CAN, Success Criteria. Why don't children know this if we are already doing LI etc? Does there need to be more revisiting effectively throughout the lesson(s)?

Q7 I can explain what we are learning about during Inquiry learning time.

Children need to be made more explicitly aware of the learning during inquiry (63% "some of the time" or "hardly ever"). (It is interesting that 48% of children said they understood the inquiry stages almost all of the time, when only 29% said that they understood the learning in inquiry almost all of the time.)

Q9 My class Inquiry learning challenges my think and makes me ask more questions.

69% of children said 'some of the time" or "hardly ever". Is this linked to lack of choice as indiciated in Q1.

Q11 During Inquiry learning we learn about thins I find interesting.

51% said "some of the time" or "hardly ever". Again, is this due to lack of choice as indicated in Q1.

Q15 I have the opportunity to look at others learning on blogs and wikis at school and I leave comments.

77% of students responded "sometimes" or "hardly ever". This is an area for development as teachers are at different stages with using their class blog. There are also issues about the comment facility always working.

Q15 My family look at/comments on our class blog/wiki.

57% said "hardly ever'. The ability to do this depends on decile. Will parents visit if blogs aren't up to date? How are going to increase this?

Other

Q12 We use our class blog or wiki as a way of sharing our learning

We have an ongoing commitment to use our blogs as a way of connecting to our community.

Q19 At home I use ICT mostly to:

Largely used for personal use and sometimes homework

It has always been our intention to keep our focus on doing a few things but doing them very well.  We laid these foundation with our thinking tools with a schedule of introducing DATT at each classroom level and building on this in the following years.  So it has been with ICT.  We introduced blogging two years ago and committed to making this a quality learning and reflective tool.  We search (and continue to do so) for Web 2.0 tools that offer opportunities for thinking, planning, learning and reflection.  One of these tools is Voicethread.  We use it from our New Entrants through to our Seniors.  This particular post focuses on our Years 3/4.  In the following example the students have used a recent unit on the R.W.C. to explain what they needed to do and how they went about it.  They independently scripted what they had to say and then set themselves up on Voicethread to record their thoughts.  They are practiced at presenting an 'audience holding' voice.  This has been specifically taught to students and they now self and peer critique themselves.  Each student has also offered reflective statements to peers learning. 

http://marvelousmiddles.edublogs.org/2011/09/18/the-students-from-room-2-hit-the-spotlight/