The Future of Work is uncertain, Schools should worry now!

Read this article published on the 26 September 2017 in Education Week and written by Benjamin Herold.

—Taylor Callery for Education Week

Automation and artificial intelligence are disrupting the labor market. What do K-12 educators and policymakers need to know?

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Special Report: Schools and the Future of Work

• What Will Our Students Need to Know?

Technological change, globalization, and climate instability are happening at an accelerating pace all across the world.

Artificial intelligence and automation are the engines driving much of the transformation in the workplace. Some experts even predict that 47 percent of today’s jobs could be done by machines within a couple of decades.

So what skills do students need to succeed in the uncertain, intensely competitive workplace of the future? Education Week begins answering that question in this special report, “Schools and the Future of Work.”

http://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/schools-and-future-of-work/index.html

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Free, multimedia Internet safety presentations

We live in a digital age and our children are exposed to so much. NetSmartz offers free, multimedia Internet safety presentations tailored for specific audiences – parents and communities, tweens, teens, and younger children. Visit their site - there's some great material posted there.

Homework is wrecking our kids

Read this interesting the thought provoking article on the merits of not giving homework to primary school children written by Heather Shumaker.

http://www.salon.com/2016/03/05/homework_is_wrecking_our_kids_the_research_is_clear_lets_ban_elementary_homework/

SUNDAY, MAR 6, 2016 01:00 AM SAST

Homework is wrecking our kids: The research is clear, let’s ban elementary homework

Homework does have an impact on young students — but it’s not a good one

HEATHER SHUMAKER

(Credit: KatarinaGondova via iStock)

“There is no evidence that any amount of homework improves the academic performance of elementary students.”

This statement, by homework research guru Harris Cooper, of Duke University, is startling to hear, no matter which side of the homework debate you’re on. Can it be true that the hours of lost playtime, power struggles and tears are all for naught? That millions of families go through a nightly ritual that doesn’t help? Homework is such an accepted practice, it’s hard for most adults to even question its value.

When you look at the facts, however, here’s what you find: Homework has benefits, but its benefits are age dependent.

For elementary-aged children, research suggests that studying in class gets superior learning results, while extra schoolwork at home is just . . . extra work. Even in middle school, the relationship between homework and academic success is minimal at best. By the time kids reach high school, homework provides academic benefit, but only in moderation. More than two hours per night is the limit. After that amount, the benefits taper off. “The research is very clear,” agrees Etta Kralovec, education professor at the University of Arizona. “There’s no benefit at the elementary school level.”

Before going further, let’s dispel the myth that these research results are due to a handful of poorly constructed studies. In fact, it’s the opposite. Cooper compiled 120 studies in 1989 and another 60 studies in 2006. This comprehensive analysis of multiple research studies found no evidence of academic benefit at the elementary level. It did, however, find a negative impact on children’s attitudes toward school.

This is what’s worrying. Homework does have an impact on young students, but it’s not a good one. A child just beginning school deserves the chance to develop a love of learning. Instead, homework at a young age causes many kids to turn against school, future homework and academic learning. And it’s a long road. A child in kindergarten is facing 13 years of homework ahead of her.

Then there’s the damage to personal relationships. In thousands of homes across the country, families battle over homework nightly. Parents nag and cajole. Overtired children protest and cry. Instead of connecting and supporting each other at the end of the day, too many families find themselves locked in the “did you do your homework?” cycle.

When homework comes prematurely, it’s hard for children to cope with assignments independently—they need adult help to remember assignments and figure out how to do the work. Kids slide into the habit of relying on adults to help with homework or, in many cases, do their homework. Parents often assume the role of Homework Patrol Cop. Being chief nag is a nasty, unwanted job, but this role frequently lingers through the high school years. Besides the constant conflict, having a Homework Patrol Cop in the house undermines one of the purported purposes of homework: responsibility.

Homework supporters say homework teaches responsibility, reinforces lessons taught in school, and creates a home-school link with parents. However, involved parents can see what’s coming home in a child’s backpack and initiate sharing about school work–they don’t need to monitor their child’s progress with assigned homework. Responsibility is taught daily in multiple ways; that’s what pets and chores are for. It takes responsibility for a 6-year-old to remember to bring her hat and lunchbox home. It takes responsibility for an 8-year-old to get dressed, make his bed and get out the door every morning. As for reinforcement, that’s an important factor, but it’s only one factor in learning. Non-academic priorities (good sleep, family relationships and active playtime) are vital for balance and well-being. They also directly impact a child’s memory, focus, behavior and learning potential. Elementary lessons are reinforced every day in school. After-school time is precious for the rest of the child.

What works better than traditional homework at the elementary level is simply reading at home. This can mean parents reading aloud to children as well as children reading. The key is to make sure it’s joyous. If a child doesn’t want to practice her reading skills after a long school day, let her listen instead. Any other projects that come home should be optional and occasional. If the assignment does not promote greater love of school and interest in learning, then it has no place in an elementary school-aged child’s day.

Elementary school kids deserve a ban on homework. This can be achieved at the family, classroom or school level. Families can opt out, teachers can set a culture of no homework (or rare, optional homework), and schools can take time to read the research and rekindle joy in learning.

Homework has no place in a young child’s life. With no academic benefit, there are simply better uses for after-school hours.

Heather Shumaker’s new book It’s OK to Go Up the Slide (Tarcher/Penguin Random House) will be published March 8, 2016.

Terms, Laws and Ethics For Using Copyrighted Images

We all like to use images in our presentations and projects to make them more visually appealing. We need to make sure that we correctly reference any images belonging to someone else and that we use the images according to legal and ethical standards.  Follow these links to find out more about what you can and can't do with images: copyright, fair use, creative commons, and public domain. 

Curtis Newbold created a useful guide and infographic to help explain the do's and don'ts. 

Flipping the classroom

Flipping the classroom is the new buzz word in education but I prefer rather to use a combination of electronic material to create a blended approach that maximizes the value of teacher contact time. In this way we use technology to support the learning and teaching process. We try to articulate the course content in a uniform way so that pupils have a one stop shop - web pages that clearly lay out the content to be covered, the activities they will be engaged in, all rubric, instructions and supporting resources.

Cyber Savvy - things Parents, Pupils and Teachers should be aware of

Digital Citizenship is the combination of technical and social skills that equip people to live and work in our  highly technical, modern world. Digital literacy is an essential component in raising confident, connected, and actively involved life long learners.





The below site provides some useful links to things we may already understand but may need more information about http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/05/a-must-have-list-of-resources-on.html

Using a blog to support communication

I'm a great fan of blogging and as this very busy educational year draws to a close (and not a moment too soon), I thought I would share one really simple and effective blogging idea.

Every year a number of staff take our grade 10s to the Cederberg where they hike with staff and on their own; they cycle along country roads; challenge themselves on the banks of the Clanwilliam Dam and work with school children at Elizabethfontein in the Northern Cederberg . At Sanddrift and Jamaka they learn a range of skills and contribute to the upgrading of the environment in which they find themselves. We have named this journey the Bishops Epic. The boys experience a wide range of activities which test them physically and mentally and allow them to appreciate the landscape as well as the people and the history of the area.

Obviously the boys' families want to follow the journey and so we use this blog to communicate. Internet access is not always possible and the staff have limited access to technology. They do, however, have their cell phones and so we set up the blog so that it will automatically upload an email (with photo attachment) as a post on the blog. We chose to have a proof reader supervise the posts before accepting publication. Making possible a simple posting process worked really well. 16500 hits!

Digital Footprint

How to behave appropriately, safely and responsibly online; how to stay safe and to create a positive personal profile, a digital footprint that you are proud of...These skills that are very topical in educational discussions.

• awareness of the consequences of online behaviour 
• respect privacy and personal information – your own and others 
• select appropriate spaces to work in and contribute to 
• encourage appropriate, ethical and responsible internet use 
• be proactive about inappropriate online behaviour 
• actively create a positive digital presence and be proud of all you put online

We are preparing pupils for both their working lives and their personal lives by teaching skills of communication, collaboration, research, independent learning and networking. Many current vocations include the integrated use of technology and it could be argued that technology has become integral to everyday communication. Schools spend significant portions of their budgets on monitoring, limiting or restricting access to certain technologies or Internet usage. In many ways, while appreciating school liability and safety concerns, restricting access to technology creates a false environment and limits the development of those skills required for 21st century living and learning. Limiting access to technology reduces pupils’ skills in learning how to behave appropriately and keep safe when using technology. Our role as educators is to equip our learners and parents with the skills and resources they need to that they are able to understand and make sensible choices about cyber behaviour.

A colleague recently commented that with education one isn't sure until significant time has passed as to whether a particular method or technology has been successful or not. We therefore need budget to experiment, to try new things and to keep asking the question as to whether what we do adds educational value. I consider myself fortunate indeed to work at a school that has a single rule for the use of technology in the school; it must be used to improve educational outcomes. If pupils choose to use it in other ways then we regard that as a behaviour issue, not a technology issue. 

I do however, agree that there is plenty more that we can and should be doing to improve awareness and to educate about Internet behaviour...Watch this space!

Resource Centres

Brisbane Grammar was a highlight for me. They have recently opened the Lilley Centre, a new 26 million dollar library centre, a state-of-the-art building equipped with the latest technology. Access to information– in all its various forms – audio, video, internet or printed material, is a priority. As the information centre of the school, the centre is multi-functional and exceptionally practical, designed to meet the pupils’ needs and likes. New technologies make so much possible and the centre offers video conferencing facilities linked also to a teaching training venue for professional development. The geography of the learning spaces is impressive. Classrooms are comfortable and practical; bright and airy with lots of glass. Furniture is easy to move and so rooms are able to be adapted to suit a particular class’s needs. Australians term this a flexible learning space.

The Lilley Centre is extremely popular with the pupils, and is an important social space, for collaborating on learning tasks and also for collaborating socially. Their Head of eLearning said that information literacy and the ability to access and evaluate information that promotes both independent learning and social responsibility, is a main focus. The aim is to empower and transform pupils by providing opportunities for critical thinking, meaningful creation of knowledge and a deeper understanding of complex world issues. There are spaces for pupils to work in small or big groups or on their own – and the technology is there to encourage publication and to equip pupils with the skills they will need to become flexible, innovative and reflective thinkers. Pupils’ work is displayed on large monitors all over the library. 

Information skills taught in isolation are of little value and their librarians are working partners with classroom teachers to plan, develop, implement and evaluate units of study.

•      reflect on information

•      select what is useful

•      evaluate its value 

Learning Spaces

BBG Brisbane

Classroom design has changed little in decades, other than aesthetic improvements such as colour, better lighting and furniture. Although modern classrooms are now equipped with computers, projectors, screens, sound equipment and possibly cameras, scanners and so forth, fundamentally the design has remained unchanged. Indeed, in many instances, classrooms have been adapted to accommodate technology in ways that make the technology problematic to use e.g. power or network points positioned poorly, inadequate wireless coverage, poor seating options or desk arrangements.

The learning space has a profound impact on the learning experience and my experiences confirm this. Many Australian schools have implemented what they term “flexible learning spaces” - rooms specifically designed to allow for easily adaptable classroom layouts and situations. This has enhanced the openness of the traditional classroom. Flexible classroom spaces are set up with multiple points of vision, with practical chairs and with light furniture that is easily rearranged. They are superbly kitted in terms of technology and particularly so that the technology is easy to use. Many too are able to be easily adapted to form part of a larger venue.  

St Hilda’s Head of School, Peter Crawley, believes that sight and access are the goals of better classroom design and that the use of glass is key. He says that classrooms are better for pupils and staff when designed using glass and allowing connectivity between spaces. To this end he designed classrooms with plenty of glass to enable the pupils in the room to see out and the room (and its activity) to be seen from the outside. Pupils and teachers are able to see between rooms and teachers enjoy the interaction that is possible between rooms. More of the great daily classroom experiences are thus visible and inadequate learning experiences are exposed.  He has found that pupil discipline is more self-directed in an open glassed environment. Furthermore, glass allows the classroom to be connected to other spaces but not be dominated by other spaces. Teachers are able to see each other in action and are easily able to assist each other or buddy-teach. Teachers appear comfortable and not isolated.  They feel welcome in each other’s space and the energy and collaboration that results is exciting to witness.

Besides the obvious physical benefits of adaptable spaces, there is also a noticeable atmosphere change in such rooms. The pupils respond differently within these rooms and from my interaction with pupils I would say that they seem to feel happy to work in such venues and like the informality and responsibility it presents. They are part of what they can see is happening around them and they respect that. 

Australian experience: Funding models

Schools have different models of funding 1-1 technology; some charge the parents by including a lease amount on the fee bill. Others put the immediate burden of ownership of the device onto the parent... BYOD - even if the school stipulates what the device must be... What they are actually saying is Bring Your Own  Device, with the required software - all in working order! One school was experimenting with giving pupils the device as part of school fees. Another school provided mobile labs, but were finding that the maintenance and support overhead and expense was unsustainable. 

Each model has its pros and cons. 

My thoughts... To create a model that enables focus of the school's resources on actual classroom (and beyond) teaching and learning.

iPad Pitfalls to Avoid

We are going to be piloting a 1-1 iPad program at our school and I thought we could blog our thoughts and findings as we go… Our venture is about learning, not technology…

I was lucky enough to visit Australia and learn from people who have experience in 1-1 iPad programs…I’ve been advised and warned!

Some advice (from a variety of too many to give credit to!)

 Do not focus on apps. Focus instead on what it is you are trying to achieve. Explore effective integration tools and strategies. There are tools for annotation, screen-casting, audio creation, and video creation. Consider how you can use the above as a catalyst for change and innovation. 

Do  keep talking about the WHY and WHAT! Why I am consideering teaching this is this particular way? What can I do now that wasn't possible before? What value does this add? This is an opportunity to change practice, rather than an opportunity to use new technology to extend existing practices.  Use modern tools to teach modern learners, to support learning and teaching and to act as a catalyst for transformative change. 

Do focus on what iPads do best: Use the tool and its features to engage your class, to offer a variety of activities, to encourage self-directed learning and to encourage collaboration, communication and creativity. iPads are mobile and perfect for anytime, anywhere learning. 

Do explore content from a wide range of materials. Use the free tools and services available on the Internet to encourage collaboration and sharing.

Do share your resources with other educators.

Do involve yourself in on-going and adequate professional development (PD). Just having a tablet won't necessarily translate to expertise in or out of the classroom. Teachers need time for professional collaboration (and support) on how to integrate the devices into the learning process. Teachers need to develop strategies to cater for varying learning styles, ages and competencies. This is quite different from playing with a few apps!

Do not think it's going to be easy! Cloud computing, poor Internet access, software issues, hardware issues, understanding how to share files, understanding how apps work, problems with different file formats...Work together to overcome these hurdles.

Do not be afraid to ask for help. Ask your learners, your colleagues and the Internet!

Do not expect the iPad to replace your computer / laptop or even think that it will provide equivalent functionality. The iPad will access the Internet, email and online curriculum. It will allow you to do basic word processing, create spreadsheets, complete presentations, edit basic videos, do basic photo editing and record sound. It also operates as a camera or video camera. 

The iPad is suitable for some but not all computing needs. The iPad does not replace the need for another computer/laptop. It is an additional device. At this stage the majority of apps are not able to replace the full suite of productivity applications available on a PC or laptop. However, as a mobile computing device, the iPad may, particularly in junior classes, be sufficient for the majority of classroom work, provided that there is access to a computer for specialist software, printing and for backing the iPad up.

Do not try and share iPads. The   iPad is a personal device and it not easy to share e.g. it is set up for a particular person and does not offer multiple profiles like a PC/laptop would. An iPads is designed to be personal and permanetly connected , giving opportunity for collaboration, communication and creativity. 

Do not think that the iPad in the only solution. It is just a tool that puts technology into the hand of the teacher and learner. It's what you do with it that matters! There is no question that having the same device for all makes it easier to manage a 1-1 program – from a teacher preparation and management point of view…That’s why we’re piloting iPads…However, there are other options and many schools are having great success with a Bring your Own Device (BYOD) model.