DFI Last Day - Week 9

Ubiquitous

Anytime, anywhere, anyplace!

This is something I have learnt during this DFI course along side with starting a new journey in a collaborative classroom this year. It has always been important to capture those teachable moments but I have learnt many new platforms to deliver this, both teachable moments from my students and myself. The tamariki are so talented and teach me something new everyday. Starting the Manaiakalani facilitation this year in class has seen us learning along side each other. It's been great!

Google Exam - Challenge is on... 

Panic stations kicked in when I realised the day before I had not registered for the exam. It completely slipped my mind as I prepped for my busy week. Thankfully with the support of Maria, Dorothy & Gerhard I was able to get it sorted in time. 

It's been many years since I sat an exam as long as this but to be honest once I got going I thoroughly enjoyed it. The tip to read the questions, check and double check was great. Being aware of the clock ticking down I had to make myself re-read the questions to make sure I understood what they were asking. I completed it using every minute of the time. I answered everyone questions but one - I had bookmarked to go back to and ran out of time. All and all I was proud of my effort and yes I passed! (whew!)

Reflection

As I reflect on the last 9 weeks I am proud of myself and my achievements in light of what can only be described as unforeseen challenges. There were many reasons why I have been successful in my digital learning. 

First, I need to acknowledge the start to our learning year and having Maniakalani facilitation in the classroom with Amie. Although we only had a few sessions before Covid-19 hit, it created an online platform to recap prior learning and learn some tips and tricks with the tamariki. 

Secondly, Maria and the Manaiakalani facilitation team who came to run sessions with the Tairawhiti crew, I valued our face to face sessions and I am glad we made those important connections before we continued our online learning. Proud of us all! 

Thirdly, my team at Kura. I was lucky to have one of my team members join me on this DFI Journey. This has helped as we have shared ideas and problem solved together. Joining this knowledge with our other team member who is a graduate of DFI a few years ago we are set up to continue successful digital learning for our tamariki. 

Finally I need to acknowledge our principal Nik for providing this opportunity and the team at school for the organisation of relievers and all the behind the scenes stuff.  It really takes a village! 

I will continue to use this platform to highlight any new learning or celebrations I have. 

Ngā mihi nui

Janine 

Computational Thinking - Week 8

Empowered

Future of Tech

This deep dive is a timely reminder of the speed in which technology moves. I was amazed at the clip showing Sophia on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Her expressions and ability to show this and have some wit was incredible. It seems that the time frame is shorting from an idea to conception. I don't know if I should be excited or terrified of what may come.  

It shows us the importance of preparing our learners to be good problem solvers and digital citizens as we teach them for jobs that have not been invented yet. 

Computational Thinking

A digitally fluent person can decide when and why to use specific digital technologies to achieve a specific task or solve problems.

A digitally capable person can create their own digital technologies solution.

Ministry of Education Summary Report 2018 

Teachers who are confident to deliver lessons online-turbo charge the tamariki learning. Understanding Computational Thinking is an approach to problem solving. Taking apart a problem and figuring out how to attack it. The four stages are;

• Decomposition -breaking something down. 
• Pattern Recognition -finding similarities to make predictions.
• Abstraction -finding general principals that generate this patterns.
• Algorithm Design -developing the step by step instructions that solve similar problems.

Explore: Coding

A highlight for me today was exploring coding. I have been to Mind-Lab several times with the tamariki and enjoyed watching them create using coding many times. I have a basic understanding of it but was super keen to give it a go. I decide to try Flappy Bird as I had played around with Scratch in the classroom. Well I was immediately hooked. It became quite addictive and I enjoyed myself. In fact you could have heard a pin drop in our regional group as we were all concentrating and were determined to complete this task in the time frame and share. Click here if you would like to have a go at my Flappy Bird Game! 

Super excited I even got a certificate! 

This coming week provides the challenge of online teaching, teaching on site in a bubble for two days for our essential workers tamariki and exam prep. 

Busy week ahead!