The Power of Inclusiveness Google Site

Click here to view my Google Site filled with tips, tricks and resources to help inclusive practice in the classroom. 

Tool Kit Session - Google Earth

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Exploring and levelling up is always fun and the Toolkit sessions with the Manaiakalani Team provide just that. In this toolkit lesson I learnt how to help students to tell stories, create and explore with Google Earth. I will a lot of practice to learn about the world with Voyager. I like the way you can tour the world with a collection of map-based stories. Explore topics like travel, culture, nature, and history. Start Quizzes, Find Carmen Sandiego and even view data layers. At the click of a button you can begin Exploring.

So excited to level up my skills and implement this in the classroom. How cool would it be to create your own local stories and share them with your community. Let's get practicing. If you have any tips or tricks that your have discovered please leave a comment below. :)

The Power of Inclusiveness

Here is my pre-recorded MIT Pecha Kucha from the Manaiakalani Wānanga 2021.

Manaiakalani Wānanga 2021

Wānanga 2021

We came together face to face in regional clusters or from far and wide online during this wānanga. Here are a few notes I recorded from today's session.

Pat Sneddon - Amplifying the learn, create and share - Pat shares an important message especially in these challenging times and the impact of Covid 19 has had on our communities. Manaiakalani learn, create, share pedagogy has helped close the gap when in online learning and demonstrates just how important it is to maintain and build on this pedagogy in our current changing environment.

Dr Rebecca Jesson - I always enjoy listening to Dr Rebecca Jesson. She has a wealth of knowledge and I always walk away with another gem or to or a different perspective to investigate. She spoke about the importance of the purpose of the 'why' behind reading and the importance to fine and review.

Looking at the data

• Interrogate evidence of strengths and needs
• Identify strategies likely to work, based on research evidence
• Close interrogation of implementation - so that strategies adjusted to learners’ strengths needs
• Refine and review

Design with the end in mind

This model was developed this year bringing together elements of the Manaiakalani pedagogy, high leverage practises and digital affordances and has informed the observations, questionnaires and these recommendations.

T-shaped Literacy

The importance of purposeful text to go of surface and depth

Up until recently, the selections were not chosen to build knowledge from one lesson to another. The units of study, five or six weekly lessons, were all too frequently a hodgepodge of selections organized under a vague theme, such as serendipity or adventures. Fortunately, the most recent versions of core programs present units of instruction with unified themes and selections that build knowledge over several lessons (LaVenia, 2019).

The importance of higher order questioning and extended discussions.

Students are invited to speak and students build on from each other to extend the discussion. The importance of teaching discussion skills.

Learn, Create, Share

Reflecting on my own professional practice and exploring ways I can implement more SHARE opportunities in our team

Currently our students have the opportunity to share within reading groups, use of blog to share across the team and give feedback to others, creating to share e.g poster or direct action of their learning. 

How can we increase the SHARE platform in our school community?

It's MIT time... after an informative morning the time came to share our pre-recorded MIT Pecha Kucha. It was a surreal feeling sitting with our cluster watching myself online. It all went well and I feel painted a good overall summary of my journey this year. I am proud to be amongst a great cohort of teachers during this 2021 MIT inquiry and each and everyone of our tools or websites will be valuable resources in the future. GO TEAM! 

KPMG Hui #3 Online

 

In this current Covid climate life is back in lockdown which for many work comes to a screaming halt. For many educators life becomes very busy as we adapt back into online preparation and learning.  Learning never stops and each lockdown brings new ideas and collaboration amongst those in our industry.

Today our MIT 2021 cohort were meant to be meeting for our termly hui at KPMG in Auckland. Lockdown didn't stop this team of innovative teachers, we meet for an online hui. We shared our experiences of online teaching and successes and challenges it brings. 

One of our tasks today was to split off into pairs or small groups and retell our inquiry as if we were explaining it to a Beginner Teacher. I worked with Sarah & Manpreet. The buddy I was reporting on was Sarah. 

Sarah's inquiry was based on the gaps she sees in her classroom in Mathematics. 

The Problem - she has identified that this gap in her students number knowledge is preventing them for moving up a level. 

Her Goal  -  to create teacher directed resources to support her learners. She is collaborating with Rebecca who also sees this gap in her students even though they are working at a different level. Sarah and  Rebecca are formulating google sheet worksheets with a range of number strategies and levels within the curriculum. 

Classroom Practice - Sarah has introduced the Google sheet workshops into her daily maths program as a ten minute warm up. The students are required to take a screenshot of the completed sheet and of a photo of their working out to put in a blog post. She has seen an improve me in the students understanding of different number strategies. This is a great way for students to reflect on their learning and also awesome evidenced based practice by tracking their achievement through the students blogs. 

Next steps for my own inquiry is to continue to check my to do list and keep on track. I have a clear understanding of what I been  doing and what outcomes have come from the introduction of tools to support my learners with their understanding of instructions. I now have to practice being more succinct in my preparation for the upcoming wananga in October. 

Huge shout out to Matt and the MIT cohort for our hui today. It was so great to SEE you all and to connect with others outside of my bubble. 

Until next time team. 

Covid 19 Lockdown August 2021

 

With the return of Covid-19 the DELTA VARIANT we were plunged into a sudden level 4 lockdown with hours notice. 

As we have been here before is wasn't so daunting. Lockdown is such a busy time for educators and can be a real juggle managing your own whānau, online preparation and teaching. Our kura focuses more on well being than replicating the daily life in the classroom, which is so important during this time. 

Being part of the senior team our tamariki are familiar with a digital platform so the transition was quite smooth. Our team set up 'Learning from Home buttons' in our Goggle site where we created a variety of  interactive mahi. Reading, writing and our inquiry could carry on as normal and we tweaked maths, science and art. We also developed a choosing board with a range of learning activities that the students could select. 

I then created a series of screencastify (videos) to support our whānau and teach them how to navigate our Toroa Google Site so our message to both students and whānau was transparent. Lockdown always creates unique opportunities like connecting with whanau, following teacher social media platforms where so many resources are shared, professional development by attending Manaiakalani Tool kit sessions and of course for me time to continue to work on my MIT inquiry project. On so many levels I find Level 4 lockdown a blessing, a moment in time where we can take a pause, adapt and grow as an educator but also time to yourself to fit in that walk or run, bake and whānau fun. Literally you have time to stop and smell the flowers (totally cliche I know!)

Has lockdown affected your project? 

Not at all. Lockdown has allowed me to catch up on some mahi, adapt and research ways to improve my knowledge for preparation of my Google site, which will be a curation of resources for teachers. My inquiry is based on supporting learners with specific needs to understand and unpack instructions. Being in lockdown is a gift of time. It gave me the opportunity to create instructions audio and/or visual informative videos to support whanau. If anything the shift to Level 3 is going to create more barriers for my Inquiry as 'Bubble Teaching' is very restrictive, you work with a range of students across the school and from whānau bubbles making it more challenging to have time for  connecting online with your own cohort. Finding the balance moving forward with be a challenge as Bubble teaching is more like a holding pattern until the return of a 'normal' school day. 

Next Steps

After our recent adventures in the Cook Islands I'm still on a high. Time to bring myself back reality and reflect on my Inquiry. 

Where am I at? 

Time to; 

• Review recent data and compare to last data collection. 
• Does it show a shift in academic learning with the changes I have made during this Inquiry.
• Re-interview the students to gather student voices? 
• What are the differences? What has helped? 
• What tweaks can I make to support this particular group of learners? 
• What evidence have I gathered to support my findings during this Inquiry so far? 
• Continue to build  a curation of resources on my Google Site 
• Get feedback from colleagues on Google Site, is it easy to navigate?
• Create and insert a Google Form into my Gsite for other educators can add to the collection of resources. 

Still a lot to do... better get busy! 

Rarotonga August 2021 - Day 2

Day 2 started bright and early. We headed back to Apii Te Uki Ou to pick up Principal Mark Harris who was our tour guide for the day. We were privileged to visit six schools around the Island. Our day started with a stop at the sacred site where in the early 20th century the Māori Great Fleet of seven canoes (the Tākitimu, Tokomaru, Kurahaupō, Aotea, Tainui, Te Arawa and Mataatua canoes) departed for Aotearoa. This was especially special to me as my ancestors we part of this journey upon the Mataatua waka. 

This garden in Rarotonga with its seven stones was constructed to represent the seven canoes.

The schools we visited were Imanuela Akatemia, Arorangi School, Tereora College, St Joseph's School, Avarua School and Takitumu School. Such diversity between schools with passions coming through for the importance of preserving the culture, sustainability for the Island and the importance of creating more connectivity. 

The day ended with our fabulous hosts at Apii Te Uki Ou preparing an Uma Kai. We came together with staff, whānau and community to share the delicious kai. The setting was at the least stunning with the sun setting in the sky creating warm colours tones that was picturess. As if this wasn't enough they had prepared gifts for us, so special. We had prepared gifts also and with this exchange we forged new bonds with our friends at Apii Te Uki Ou.

                

Overall a rich experience that I will treasure. 

Thank you to all the wonderful Cook Island educators, whānau and students that made us feel so welcome. We were truly blessed to have visited your pacific island paradise. 

Kia Orana - until next time!

Rarotonga August 2021 - Day 1

 

Kia Orana from Rarotonga.

The Manaiakalani Innovative Teachers cohort for 2020 and 2021 were fortunate enough to go to Rarotonga to present our challenges and Inquires and work with local educators.

After an early start we exited the plane to be met with a gush of warm air, sunshine and the realisation that our adventure was underway.  I met up with my travelling buddies and we made our way through customs and on the Resort. 

I found the rest of the MIT group soaking in the shallows of the warm ocean having a chat, we joined them and as the sun set on the first day I was filled with warmth and in no hurry to return to Aotearoa's winter weather. We then gathered for an evening hui to discuss the next few days mahi. 

Day 1 was great fun. The welcome we had form Apii Te Uki Ou was simply stunning. The performance by the students was beautiful as they shared an official Cook Island welcome. We enjoyed the morning sharing kai with our hosts, partaking in some cultural activities with the students and exploring the school. We visited different stations where we had a go at Pareu Printing, Coconut Husking and Weaving Plates. The senior students that lead us around were full of confidence and shared their culture and knowledge with such pride.

Another highlight was the opportunity to walk around the school, seeing the teachers in action and the students in their element. What a colourful, warm environment with the sound of the waves crashing in the background. What we see as a unique setting is their everyday norm. They face many challenges, especially with connectivity but have so many other rich experiences. For me this experience was so rich and rewarding with so many highlights! Where do I apply!!! Here are a few photos to sum up our day. 

That night was the night many of us were anxiously waiting for. We had to do our Pecha Kucha presentations. Nervous was an understatement! The turn out from local educators and those involved in many Ministry areas from all over the Island was fantastic, although it made it more daunting it was also heartwarming. No matter how far along you are in your journey it's such a special moment to share ideas and relate to educators that face many similar issues in the classroom. The feedback was fantastic and an immense amount of pride followed not only for the accomplishment of my own presentation but watching my fellow colleagues being successful in their presentation. The commandery after the main event was the highlight, connecting with others and sharing different ideas, exchanging emails and building new friendships. It was an amazing experience. 

  

I wonder what day two will bring? 

Rarotonga Workshop Prep

As part of our preparation for our MIT adventure to Rarotonga we had to prepare a workshop to be held in a local school. The workshop didn't have to link with our project.  In the eyes of the School it was a chance for those "cool techy teachers" to demo a "cool techy thing". It could be fairly casual, and unscripted. We did have some barriers as internet was limited and unreliable on the island but we could download something to our laptop or phone to share. 

Ummm what to do? 

Having a digital component or the use of a digital platform for delivery of our daily curriculum is so ingrained in my classroom practice. What cool techy thing could I share at this workshop that doesn't require a strong digital component that is still techy! I know, very thought provoking...

I wanted to do something that could be easily used but bring a different perspective to a multiple of curricular areas. I decided to do a Science session that could also cross over into literacy and/or photography. A while ago I found these little gems at Kmart. They are a smartphone microscope converter (only $5 each, gotta love Kmart!) and are fantastic to use in the classroom. Simply attach to any iPad or cell phone to view the surrounding world from a different perspective. 

I ordered some to take over to Rarotonga and put together a kete with other resources like journals, a Science Learning Hub lesson plan, a House of Science lesson plan and a print out of my presentation. Below is the outline of my presentation, it is a few simple ideas I have used in the classroom, I didn't wanted my audience to be listening for to long, I wanted to allow maximum time for hands on discovery. 

 

With the last of my preparation done, I am starting to get excited. It seems so bizarre to be travelling overseas in this unpredictable world of Covid-19 and was something I did not expect to be happening this year. I am so grateful to be part of this MIT 2021 journey and the opportunities it is providing.

 Now it's time to pack and countdown for the day of departure...

We got this team, we are ready! 

         

Pechu Kucha

Pecha Kucha??? when I first heard this word I thought what on earth is this... I had never heard of it before and was unsure even where to begin.  The thought of 20 slides in 20 seconds to deliver a presentation seemed crazy. I can't believe that you could deliver the key information of an inquiry in this time frame. This was going to be interesting learning for me... best place to start was by researching what a Pecha Kucha was and where the idea came from. 

What is discovered ... Pecha Kucha (Japanese for “chit chat”) is the world’s fastest-growing storytelling platform, used by millions around the globe. Pecha Kucha is what “Show and Tell” always dreamed of becoming.

20 slides. 20 seconds of commentary per slide. That’s it. Simple. Engaging. Spurring authentic connections. Pecha Kucha is the ideal tool to share passions and drop some knowledge. Global innovators like to use the Pecha Kucha platform to create powerful, visually-compelling stories that move audiences in less than 7 minutes.

Ok, that sounds easy... I found this task a little daunting and procrastinated about it for days. I guess it's the fear of the unknown which is a great reminder of how our learners may feel when faced with a new task.  

I broke my inquiry to small chunks and added 20 secs of explanation to each slide. It was great to have Matt (MK) to share it with to get feedback. After a few tweaks I felt it was ready. I just need to practice, practice, practice in the lead up to Rarotonga. 

Super exciting... wish me luck! 

MK Toolkit Session

In this Toolkit session I learnt how to use Mote within a Google Form not only for hearing the questions but to leave a response. I love Mote and use it all the time, especially in the multi model slides I create for reading. It's supportive for all but a real gem for the many tamariki that have a learning barrier. It allows the student to hear the instructions or the questions as many times as they like and they can record their thinking without getting caught up in the mechanics of writing. essentially removing barriers for their learning and empowering student agency. I was super excited to learn more ways I can use this extension. 

 Cheryl's session was so informative with little tips and tricks to improve the use of Mote and the many different ways you can use it. I enjoyed learning how you can view the responses from your Google Forms in Google Sheets and how you can track who has seen it and responded in your Mote activity & engagement folder.  

 

I am looking forward to using Mote in a Google form in our curriculum program. I  have started creating a bank of self assessments for the tamariki to do at the end of our Natural Disaster inquiry. I think it will be great to change it up a bit as we tend to use our trusted and known Google extensions and apps

. Mote is so user friendly and fast. If you haven't tried it... you must. It's great. 

MK Toolkits Session

 

Exploring and levelling up is always fun and the Toolkit sessions with the Manaiakalani Team provide just that. In this toolkit session I refreshed my memory of how to use Gamefroot (we used the Mihi Maker with our tamariki in 2020). It was like being a beginner again, I created my character but it stood stationary doing all the things I had asked it to do but not move. I had forgotten to build in the code the instruction to move, walk, run, anything!  I enjoyed learning all the new tips and tricks from Herman. I think it's fantastic that the tamariki can build their own characters, upload photos for backgrounds or even insert a picture of your own pet. I liked the idea to create your own story or a story from your region. 

Some of the key messages, tips and tricks I recorded were;

• The platform is larger than other coding websites e.g Scratch. This larger canvas allows the creator to create layers & levels within the game.

• When creating your own characters you may need to resize the 'hit box' to allow for the character to move correctly within the game. e.g not fall through floors.

• Once students are confident with coding, look at collaboration and divide the parts of the story up between them. E.g, images, storyline, movement etc.

• For beginners and when refreshing it is always good to start with the tutorials!

• When teaching in the classroom build in checkpoints like taking a screenshot of the code they created that day and posting to their Blog with next steps. Another good tip was to set time limits to prevent students spending all there time on character building... making them look groovy! 

Reminder to myself... Keep an eye out for the changes in Gamefroot as they are working on it being able to embed directly into the Blog. This will  allow students to play it within the blog and leave a comment.

Now I had better finish my game! 

KPMG Hui #2

 

It is always enjoyable to reconnect with the 2021 MIT team at KPMG. 

Time to reflect & challenge our thinking as we continue with the design process, not to mention how spoilt we always are by Justine and the KPMG team. 

It had been awhile since I last spoke with the MIT team as I was unable to attend the last Google Meet. 

Like always we started our day with the WWW reflecting on our projects.

• What's working?
• What's not? - barriers / road bumps
• What's next?
• Challenging Statement & Title of Inquiry
• What Data have we collected?

Just when you think you are getting your head around your inquiry someone gives you feedback that challenges your thinking. Of course this all part of the Inquiry process and it is so valuable to help you go deeper into your inquiry, as it is always evolving and in some instances slightly changing your path. Today for me was reaffirming I am currently on that path but also highlighted that I have A LOT of mahi to do. As my inquiry is slightly out of the box I am always second guessing and rechecking with myself so that I stay on the path...

In a sense to 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road'... well at least I hope that's what I do and not fall down a rabbit hole like Alice! (not sure why I am quoting The Wizard of Oz or the Alice in Wonderland Movies!!)

The afternoon then took a turn with the announcement from Jenny that out trip to Rarotonga in July was a GO! Quickly the discussions turned to the organisation and expectations of our visit (albeit with COVID still on people's minds) Once the excitement settled we set out a timeline of tasks to do to get prepared. Exciting times ahead and more mahi to do. Time management is going to be my biggest challenge moving forward especially that it is a data collection term at school. Do little but often and it will fall into place! (hopefully) Not to mention the mighty reward for all our hard mahi of the upcoming trip to Rarotonga. The old saying goes "you have to do the mahi to get the treats!"

Thanks MET team for providing these opportunities that will not only add to our kete of knowledge but also enrich our lives with these experiences.

Data Collection

I was left pondering what data I could gather that would show the impact of how giving  clear instructions to students can ensure that they fully comprehend what is expected of them in order to achieve.

I pulled our school data apart particularly focussing on years 5 & 6. Raw data shows us patterns, areas of strengths and weakness but it doesn't tell us the whole story. I dug deeper in order to understand the needs that suit behind the numbers. 

Looking at the students individually paints an informative picture. With a range of diverse learning needs in this cohort of senior students it showed the many barriers they have to overcome and highlights the need of explicit instructions to support their success.

This also started me on a journey of looking at other ways to collect data. With our team still early in it's collaborative journey (16 months) and with the challenges Covid-19 provide in 2020 saw the use of a digital platform become the main portal for the delivery of our curriculum program. By creating this digital platform for all curriculum areas it provided a transparent, rewinable environment for tamariki and whānau to engage in. So the best place to start is always with the tamariki...

Types of data I am in the process of gathering is;

• Student voice - interviewing students
• Whānau voice?
• Student & Teacher observations
• Google Form Survey questionnaire to teachers across schools 
• Google Form Survey Questionnaire to RTLB, LSC, SENCO

Once I have gathered and received a wide range of data I will create a continuum to show my findings from the surveys and display the student voice in a Google sheet.

The gathering of student voice in my own team has been reaffirming and heart warming that we are providing consistency across the team and that students enjoy the Digital platform to support their learning. 

Next steps... 

To look in to Dr Rebecca Jesson research. Dr Jesson is the Associate Director, Woolf Fisher Research Centre, Faculty of Education. Her focus is on designing, with teachers, innovations that will improve the literacy outcomes for students. 

To collate the data and record it's findings.

To observe other teachers across different school settings and talk to the tamariki about what type of instructions helps them the most. 

To have a korereo with whānau about the use of our digital platform to see if they feel their child has  engagement and  helps them understand their tasks? 

KPMG Hui March 2021

It was great reconnecting today with the 2021 MIT team at KPMG. Time to reflect and continue with the design process.

We started our day with the WWW reflecting on our projects

• What's working?
• What's not - barriers / road bumps
• What opportunities do you sense?

Reflecting on my Inquiry challenge I am not 100% in it's direction as it continues to evolve and feel I still have some barriers and road bumps to overcome. As we shared our thoughts on the WWW I got the sense everyone was feeling the same. What are we actually trying to achieve with our inquiry challenge and who is the target group.

Next step Dorothy asked us "Can you ‘see’ a prototype you could create for your solution and for your ‘design team’ to give feedback on?"

The mind started to boggle... some reflection time was needed. I revisited my Inquiry challenge for what seems like the hundredth time and then read through five of the most popular user testing techniques used by UX designers and design thinkers!

1. Concept Testing - In the very early stages of the design process, you’ll want to test out your initial concepts before actually designing them. Low-fidelity prototypes—a simple sketch, or even static images—can be used to communicate your idea to your target users. You’ll then interview your users to gauge how they feel about the concept. Is it a product or feature they’d be interested in using? Does it have the potential to solve the user’s problem?
2. A/B Testing - A/B testing is used to compare two different versions of a design. This method can be used at any stage of the design process, whether you have paper prototypes or fully clickable digital ones. In A/B testing, you’ll create two different prototypes and test each version on a different set of users. You might test two different layouts, for example, or different copy for a certain CTA button on a certain screen. It’s important to only A/B test one variable at a time so as not to skew the results. 
3. Usability Testing - A crucial user testing method that should be used repeatedly throughout the design process, usability testing shows you how easy your design is to use. Usability testing is usually an observational exercise: you’ll ask your users to complete certain tasks, and observe them as they do so. Throughout the test, you’ll see which aspects of the design caused problems for the user, as well as which aspects appear to be user-friendly. In doing so, you’ll identify usability issues which you’ll seek to fix in the next iteration of your prototype. 
4. First Click Testing - When designing an app or a website, you want to make sure that the user takes the intended action whenever they land on a certain page or screen. First-click testing shows you what your users first steps are when they encounter an interface; in other words, where do they click first?
   This helps you to determine which visual elements and content should take priority, where buttons, icons, and menu items should be located, as well as the kind of language you should use for buttons and labels. First-click testing can be conducted using both low and high-fidelity prototypes. 
5. Tree Testing - Once you’ve come up with the information architecture of your digital product, you can use tree testing to see how user-friendly it really is.
   You’ll present the user with a “tree” of information—representative of how your site menus would be laid out—and ask them to find specific items. If users struggle to locate certain information, you’ll need to rethink your information architecture. Tree testing is often conducted as a remote, unmoderated study, but it can also be done in person using paper prototypes.

Progress update... once the feeling of being overwhelmed passed I was able to focus on who, why and the what. With the help of my MIT colleagues and valuable discussions had throughout our hui, I came to the conclusion that I am focussing on supporting teachers by creating a curation of resources to scaffold giving of instructions for learners with specific needs.

Ideation

 

 Idea generation represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes. For this part of the design process we used the Crazy 8's method. Using keywords or sketches to record innovation ideas. The goal is to push from our first idea, to produce a wide range of solutions for our challenge. In this process I struggled with the 'going wide' my views were narrowed by restricting them to what I already know or think I know! I found the discussion inspiring and thought provoking, opening up new pathways for me to investigate. 

Interestingly when my MIT colleagues added their stickers to what they thought was a good idea, I was surprised as for me it was not a new idea, it is something we already do in the classroom to support our learners. My idea that I was leaning towards only got one sticker. This is yet another stage in the design process that is making me challenge my own ideas, rethink and tweak my inquiry. 

Interpretation

 

During this stage we looked at how to analyse and unpack our problem.  Interpretation allows us to create opportunities for action in our plan. The "How Might We ... encourages us to turn our problem into an opportunity.

After we recorded our ideas of HMW on our posters we then put them up around the room. We read each others poster and gave feedback in the form of HMW questions on post its and placed them on each poster. 

This process made me really think and question my inquiry and how others interpret it. It has helped my narrow down the key aspects of what I am trying to achieve but at the same time has given me much to reconsider. Definitely food for thought in this design process. 

Who

Who does this Moonshot project involve?

Who am I collaborating with on this project?

Who are my team?

Who has a voice in this project

Who: 

Learners - exactly who

Colleagues: co-designers, collaborators, sounding boards etc

Experts: who is being invited to add expert opinion

This process found us looking at our inquiry problem and focussing on the who... This poster is a brainstorm of some of the supports I can tap into throughout my inquiry. 

As I zoom in on my inquiry I can see how many of these support networks will strengthen my ideas around scaffolding instructions for a range of learner needs.