Technology is sometimes used in isolation of pedagogy and used a substitution in many instances or becomes a consumptive practice, not one enhancing creativity and sharing. The devices are often under utilised, which can cause whānau to question the use of devices in school. Systems and policies are not in place to ensure effective and smart use of devices.
The challenge is to get teachers to transform their teaching practice using technology to support a rich pedagogy.
As the Principals and eLeaders drive the direction of digital fluencies within the schools there was a great opportunity for Te Ara Tūhura Leaders and Teachers to visit a cluster where evidence based application of a Learn Create Share pedagogy is very visible.
The beginning to a transformation was to visit 3 school within a highly effective cluster where research is ensuring the transformation is meaningful and effective. For teachers and principals the aim was to come away with an understanding that the pedagogy is the driver for accelerated achievement and the device supports that and enables key affordances for teaching and learning.
These affordances are
- Engagement
- Powerful Teaching Conversations
- Complex Tasks
- In Site and On Site Support
- Connections and Visibility.
This project provided information and options for support for the Te Ara Tūhura Cluster leaders to look at highly effective classroom practice using a Learn Create Share Model in 3 schools in the Uru Mānuka Cluster at a range of year levels. Uru Mānuka is in their third year as a Manaiakalani Outreach School.
The schools visited were
Ako Ngatahi - Kate Mclaughlin and Simon Scott - Hornby Primary School
The visit offered opportunities to investigate
- the possibilities of digital immersion learning and how learn create share, rewindable learning, google sites and individual student blogs support this.
- the systems and processes to support this at cluster, school and classroom level.
- Leaders from schools and centres to look at the success of Manaiakalani Outreach Cluster - Uru Manuka.
- Provide teacher mentoring and Online support
- Improving engagement and learning experiences for learners
- Structured visits to schools and opportunities to speak to learners about their learning
- Continued relationship building
- Visits between Schools
- An opportunity to share strategies and systems to manage digital tools and the associated issues across schools and sectors.
The day was a great success with good feedback from participants and follow up with individual schools to begin implementing individual blogs.
The Cluster leaders and other participants (as determined by cluster leaders)
- developed a deeper understanding of effective pedagogy, digital fluency and digital technologies in education settings
- identified clear next steps for improving practices and systems for implementing digital fluencies within a cluster, school,and classroom using the vision as a lense
- were supported to consider a wider range of evidence and perspectives using a transformative and/or future focused lens
One of the benefits for the host cluster Uru Mānuka leaders and teachers, that was not foreseen, was the confirmation of how far they had come in their journey over the previous two and a half years. The opportunity to receive positive feedback on their practice was very affirming for them.
In hindsight and something that could still be done is to create a network where the participants on the day and the host cluster could continue to connect to support one another.
Some feedback from participants was
- My staff were buzzing at the end of the day. I'm sure we will digest this and think a bit more and possibly get you to talk to us some more. We would certainly like to explore this more as a cluster. Pity not every school was represented.
- WOW – my teachers have come back buzzing and really inspired! These resources are so good. Thanks so much Mark. This is fantastic!!
