Networked Learning Communities of Practice - Learning Frontiers Group

This session was one of my favourite ones today, because of the specific case study from an amazing group of school leaders and students from Campbelltown Performing Arts College. 

The key message was that learning  needs to be co- created; connected; personalised; integrated. They are part of a community that has formed clusters of schools - teaching, learning and assessment based on the 4 principles  - I guess this is the IES communities of practice model?

It is clear that focussing on literacy and numeracy is not enough - what you can extrapolate from what you know is more imp than what you know.

What are we doing to prepare students for the future?

The idea that many students are un-engaged - not just disengaged - is problematic. Agency is the way to reverse that. Many schools fail to give the students agency over their learning - agency is much more than student voice - students with agency are 24/7 learners 

Passion projects - enigma missions - same name really - what youngest to learn!  Authentic problem solving, real world issue - a key theme was providing a community focus. This echoes the work of HPSS and Alfriston in Auckland.

What do we mean by engagement? I liked these definitions 

Academic engagement- commitment to all school work and study

Social engagements - outside of the normal curriculum often more impt 

Intellectual engagement -serious emotionalcognitive investment in learning 

Engaging learning is - 

Integrated - how do we harness the power of students' social contexts to deeply engage them in learning  

Connected - how can student learning result in valuable products and services - community project in second semester - real world contexts 

Co created - how does completely open and shared learning lead to engagement of all stakeholders - blog learning journal daily - opening up the classroom environment 

Personal - what happens to people like me ? 

Deepening engagement through inquiry - the need to be outward looking - are we achieving what we think we are achieving - use the technology to overcome  the tyranny of distance

The design thinking process essential.

Leadership and Governance Model  - leadership says 'yes, do it', a middle tier hub looks at what it might look like, working parties investigate how we do it. 

Technology enables  engagement in deeper learning to meet the 4 dimensions

Learning Frontiers - http://www.aitsl.edu.au/learning-frontiers

Case Study - Campbell Performing Arts High School - Learning Frontiers 

The term brave has been used a number of times to describe staff who are changing pedagogy to engage students more actively in their learning.

What does this look like 

School Level - this is the action research/action learning model - empowering teachers and respecting expertise - research in our own context

- it's ok to fail 

- teacher collaboration - pedagogy not content

- evaluation all the way through 

- evidence based classroom practice 

- if our teachers can do it with our kids in their classroom, all teachers can 

- more regular feedback loops - if we're heading didn't he wrong path, we need to move on earlier

- identify promising practice early 

Teacher - Team Level

- plan develop collaborate team-teach integrated content

- connections across subject areas led to deeper classes - Eng/Science

- authentic nature of content

- partnership with local

- 3x3 subjects - self regulate; collaboration across learning areas

Student Level

- connects with and uses real world contemporary issues 

- supporting teachers to be better at what they do

- 3x3 Eng Mus Art 

- online one note - tracking across the subjects 

- personalised approach - build on student passions - foster individual talents

- can work in allocated cluster groups 

Co - creation 'voice and choice' - the best phrase yet!!

A great presentation - 

http://m.cpahs.nsw.edu.au/

Enabling Digital Classroom Airwatch - Sam Singh

While this was essentially a 'product presentation' the ideas underpinning this are relevant fir us.

Mobility is more of a strategic discussion, not a technology discussion.

Simplify mobility in education.

Tsunami of devices!!! 

50% of parents believe schools should make more use of mobile technology.

What policies exist? 1 device? Use out of school hours? How do we connect the students experiences with devices outside of school, to the school device strategy? 

Create custom terms of use - secure device within the classroom, protect student info and privacy

Levels and targeting of learning  - control over the air - control or education. 

Enable mobility - make it collaborative - how do we secure manage and distribute apps? Enable real time access to learning.

Compliance checks and watchdogs of student use - do we need these? 

Not interested in your product - but great underlying ideas! 

Great Pedagogy for the 21st century - Dr Michele Bruniges

This session began with a humorous  look at how technology has 'developed' - and asked the question  - but what has changed with pedagogical practice ?

A key fact about the touch screen generation is not that they havec the skills of touch, swipe etc but rather their p  independence as a learner is what is fascinating? How do we make learning relevant for these students? What are the implications for teaching and learning?

Have we really embraced anywhere anytime? I doubt p so. 

Teenagers 'modus operandi' is to collaborate - it is what they do! 

3Rs  and 5Cs - communicate, cooperate, communicate, collaborate, co construct - are the essentials that underpin learning. 

Interesting comments around Indigeous research - listen to the community - cultural curriculum  - you cannot go in and tell them what they need - very much the Kotahitanga model. Australian research and strategy way behind where we are in NZ on this issue!!

Stop, look and listen to the students - what is the purpose? Why is it relevant? 

Aim - a classless school - learn anywhere anytime, Merrylands  - be brave enough to change your vision - personalised indivualised learning - anywhere anytime. 

Future Schools Day 1 - Keynote Charles Leadbetter

Chairperson for the day - Anne Knock - SCIL - change for an education that's worth having - a nice quote 

Charles Leadbeater -  Demos think tank

http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/parramatta/early-start-and-finish-times-work-at-merrylands-east-public-school/story-fngr8huy-1226844807512

And his  latest publication to read 'The frugal innovator ' 

Learning to make a difference

When we think about the future of learning and schools we need to be thinking that being innovative is more about 'looking hip and funky' - technology is not the answer - schools that look cool, may not be cool and funky in terms of learning.

Instead we should be asking what is missing from our education - the 'why is missing - the purpose - what and who is this for? Children want to feel that their learning means well to them.

Students are often physically present but psychologically somewhere else - I think we can identify with this. 

Interesting comment made on exams - they are about guessing what the examiners are looking for and the ones who guess best do well.

 

Countries with high tertiary stats are not doing well in employment stats - for example South Korea stats - 75%  unemployment rate of graduates - in the  Uk 25% of catering workforce are graduates - scary 

How do we make learning relevant for that - need to look from the future back - 'how not think about it...

Broad terms and not specific - Leadbeatter sees the issues facing education are based on constraints 

- tightening constraints on spending an incomes; climate change and environmental

- rising aspirations 

These lead to frustration - 

BUT an  outcome of frustration is innovation

Limitless collaboration - powered by technology

Endemic uncertainty - especially in big corporations

Particularly like the phrase 'An age of oxymorons. - the working day extends - frenzied stagnation 

What kind of organisations thrive in a world like this?

- open, adaptive,min ovation, purpose

- creative community with a cause - a mission 

Great innovators ask the difficult questions!

Intuitive collaboration 

Flat open communicative structure 

What kind of assessment would go on in places like these?

- continual, diverse and generative

What would a school like this look like?

What would you learn at a school community like this?What capabilities and habits be?

- knowledge - how do you know, how do you test and then apply the knowledge

- questioning - how to pose good questions- challenge debate resond- learning how to ask questions 

- communication - present, persuade 

- collaborate - achieve more if you can collaborate with others who are not like you - skills need to be developed

- making - how to create tangible products in the real world 

- persistence - overcome obstacles - set challenging goals - be supported to learn in action

A violin is as important a technology for learning as a laptop! Fabulous image of all Yr 7s who are given a classical instrument on the first day!

In the real world learning - pig farm Paraguay - self sustaining economic community - with a purpose - businesses  pay for teacher salaries

Experience how to be self governing

Apps for good awards - link here - most important thing - you start with them - it's about people not apps  - confident, capable young people who can communicate 

Under the radar movement of teachers who want to make a difference - who want to do more than just get through an exam

Ask the why question to start with!

Hear Charles on TED - 

https://www.ted.com/speakers/charles_leadbeater

Day 2 - Brisbane Water Secondary College - Woy Woy Campus

Change of plan today - the DP of the school I was going to visit was ill and the rest of the management team were tied up planning meetings for most of the day. Instead I went with Sara Matthews from AIE  http://www.aie.edu.au/ to Woy Woy -  http://www.woywoy-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/  - a public school also about an hours drive north east of Sydney. Our trip was slightly delayed due to our car being tail ended by a rental car just out of Turramurra! Not much damage to Sara's vehicle, but Yaris that hit us did not look good! 

Brisbane Water Senior Campus - Woy Woy is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Barker College. The junior campus (on a nearby site - but with no shared facilities)  runs a more integrated approach to learning, with groups of tutors working around students. However this model is not continued through to the senior campus, largely, it seemed, due to the very prescriptive control of the Board of Studies (our NZQA). The vocational counselling team works hard to build relationships with students, in order for them to gain a meaningful qualification. 

The school is an 'equity access school' which means that the ATAR scores are somehow adjusted to reflect the special needs of the school community. A reasonable percentage of the students do not meet ATAR requirements due to the courses selected. The school offers a wide range of  TVET (vocational) course - where tertiary providers work in partnership with the school to provide high interest career pathways. All vocational courses run on Tuesday afternoons, and all students are able to take one of these, without affecting their ATAR (tertiary ranking system) results. 

The two impressive VET programmes  were the animation and game design courses provided by AIE and the prenursing/health delivered by TAFE. 

The nursing training facility is an impressive one, with mock beds, patients and with training  procedures carried out. The school has a high success rate -  one of the highest in the area - for these courses, especially amongst indigenous students. 5 of the last year's class went onto the nursing diploma course, and one into a Bachelor of nursing programme. The facility is one of the newest buildings on campus. This course attracts students to the school - which is a very positive outcome. 

The animation and game design courses are run through AIE - these are held in the Technology Futures

Block - which sounds grander than it was. While these courses do not contribute to the ATAR results, students do achieve a Level III certificate in Media. These courses require high spec machines capable of running programmes not usually available in schools. This year at least 3 students have gone into advanced diploma courses at the AIE campus in the city. Game design and programming is a growing field and these courses provide an amazing opportunity for Woy Woy students. 

A few years ago a Federal Govt policy (DER - digital education revolution) saw EVERY Year 9 student nationwide,  regardless of the wealth of school and community, being given a laptop for school use. This was to see them through to Yr 12. I was told that they were reasonably low spec, students and schools were unable to load extra programmes and that the cost of the infrastructure for and technical support of, grew exponentially!!!! This programme is no longer in place and in schools like Woy Woy, the one size fits all approach to technology integration, appears to have not had any great impact on engagement or academic outcomes. 

It was interesting to visit the school when a number of the vocational courses were running - and engagement was high across the groups of students. Like Barker College, the timetable wanted to create less disruption for classes. Assessment must be one of the next big conversations to address. Ranking schools and students must impact on how innovation and creativity develop in any school.  

Day 1 - Barker College, Hornsby

Barker College is a 45 min train ride north of Sydney. It is an independent school (Anglican) with a 125 year history. It is situated  on magnificent grounds with facilities 'to die for!' With a roll of 2000 students from new entrant to final year of secondary, it is a successful school in a very competitive, traditional, independent school market.  93% of the senior school students have 'personalised' programmes, or timetables. 

Barker College was recommended to me by Northern Beaches Christian School, as a school focussing on innovation, and I was impressed with the school's committment in particular to ongoing teaching, learning and research initiatives. The newly founded 'Barker Institute' aims  to 'contribute to 'education at a local, national and global level' through 'professional learning, research and innovation.' 

The school had a very clear strategic plan around learning, collaboration and innovation - and staff are encouraged to undertake research, not just as teacher inquiry, but as part of their work and 'mission.' 

Upskilling staff to be able to support learners with new technologies was a clear  strength of the school's professional learning model. Four full time teachers (not technicians) supported teachers in the classroom (especially around the 'iPad' classes - all Yr 7 and 10 students). These teachers regularly visited classes 'teaching key skills', manned help desks in the library and ran ongoing professional learning sessions.  None of the four taught any other classes. A science teacher was also part of the strategic team with a .2 loading. 

The school had a BYOD policy - but apart from the year levels that had compulsory devices, the IT team felt that few other students bought devices to school  for classroom use - mainly because the use of them was not integrated into the classroom programmes - this was an area they were working to improve.  The learning platform eBackpack, is hopefully going to address implementation of a more blended learning model.

The school has begun a process of refitting learning spaces - and the History Dept is the first area to take advantage of the possibilities created for a more collaborative team approach. The classes I saw working in this space were engaged and there was a definite energy in the room. While the photos look quite static, once the boys were in the space, they moved into collaborative pairings and made use of the soft furniture. The Head of History notes that  proper effective collaboration time for planning was 'difficult to find.' The student common rooms could also double as collaborative spaces in the future.

While the curriculum was still quite 'siloed', the absolute focus on teacher led research and professional learning was impressive. In particular the use of a team of IT staff  whose purpose was to continually upskill staff and to support staff to be confident in their use of tools to support learning, is essential if schools are going to create future minded learners  - the level of this committment could not be achieved in a State funded secondary school. The importance of 'Space and Speed' is one I think we would identify with at RHS - space to be able use technology and the speed of any use. 

A newly created position, 'Director of Academic Performance' had the portfolio of analysing student achievement and of lifting student performance in the state 'league tables'. An aspect of this are the fortnightly focus days - when teachers negotiate time out for field trips and the like! He equated it to a 'rigorous round of bidding' by Heads of Departments. Not sure how that would go down at Rangiora, but it was a great idea in my mind, as it clearly reduced the out of class time.

As I said earlier, the facilities were impressive - 

iCentral - information centre - included 3 levels of student workspaces 

English staff room - separate workroom included English administration person.

A number of key staff took time out to discuss their ideas and philosophies with me and I also sat in with the IT team as they planned the delivery of their next professional learning session around the integrated learning platform -  which was great. Head of Senior School, David Giltrap, organised a programme for me which included a fab lunch in the staff and boarders dining room - which I had not expected.

It was great to see a 'silver fern' in a prominent spot on campus and to talk with two staff who originated in Christchurch.

The school has a huge potential for creating an innovative, integrated curriculum, if it chooses to go down that path. The 'refitting' of traditional classroom spaces, as they have begun to, I'm sure will continue, as more of the staff see the possibilities being developed by the History Faculty. 

I will follow Dr Brad Merrick and the Barker Institute with interest @bradmerrick  @BarkerInstitute

http://www.barkerinstitute.com.au/

Future Schools and beyond

Must say that at the present moment in time, the last thing I feel like doing is getting onto a plane at 6 am Saturday morning and flying out for two weeks in Australia. I am sure that once I get on that plane, it will all be fine.

The nest two weeks are courtesy of the Rangiora HIgh School Education Trust, who granted me a $3000 scholarship to investigate what 'modern learning environments' and ' curricula for the future' look like across a range of Australian Schools.

 The next two weeks will be pretty full on - 7 schools across 3 states and the 3 day 'Future Schools Conference' in Sydney will be keeping me busy.

Some of the schools have been recommended by our IT provider - Cyclone, the others are reknowned for their innovative curriculum. 


In Sydney I am planning to see: 
Barker College www.barker.nsw.edu.au and Cabrammata High School 

http://www.cabramatta-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/

The whole team will visit the Google 'go to' school Arthur Phillips High School  http://www.aphs.nsw.edu.au/

From there to Adelaide where I am planning to visit: 
Australian Science Mathematics School  http://www.asms.sa.edu.au/   and 

Birdwood High School - http://www.birdwoodhs.sa.edu.au/

My last school visits will be in Melbourne where I am visiitng: 

McKinnon Secondary College

http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au/  and John Monash Science School

http://www.jmss.vic.edu.au/

In between these visits a group from school will also attend the Future Schools 2015 Conference and I'm looking forward to the the dialogue that will take place.

Our school footprint is about to undergo a massive change - we now have 20 months to prepare for this. Exciting times!!