It’s not about BYOD, it’s about TFAL!

When I think about how many schools are struggling with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies and practices, I believe we need a new acronym and way of thinking for the use of technology in schools.  For students who bring their own devices to school, they use them for non-school, non-learning applications such as texting, Facebooking and other social media applications.  When they bring these devices to school, they want to use them in ways they are comfortable with and we, as educators need to show them the learning applications.   Indeed, even when students bring their tablets to school, like PlayBooks and iPads, parents are worried they will be playing games in class and being off-task.  This is no different from students passing notes or bringing in their Nintendo DS’s to play at school.  The teachers who use technology tools at Park Manor have created a culture of respectful digital citizenship for their classrooms and it doesn’t matter what the tools is or whether it’s the school’s or the student’s.  Therefore we should be focusing on Technology For Accelerated Learning (TFAL) policies and practices.  The more we can show students how technology can support their own learning and make it easier for them, the more buy-in we will get from them. 

Remember, it’s about TFAL not BYOD!

Changing From Traditional To Digitial Learning #1

The first step in changing from a traditional to a digital learning community is to get the technology into the classroom and make it easy for teachers to access it by leaving it in their classrooms all the time.  Second, you need to build capacity and increase social capital (http://www.michaelfullan.ca/home_articles/SeminarPaper204.pdf) on how to use the technology to accelerate student learning.  The third step is to then gather evidence from educators and students in order to share successes and create irresistible engagement by the whole school community.  I will write more updates as I have time.

Please watch the video (http://youtu.be/K7u6DVny_uA) to see how Park Manor Public School (pkm.wrdsb.on.ca) became a PlayBook pilot school and used the donated and purchased PlayBooks along with other technologies such as; document cameras, HD data projectors, SMART Boards and iMacs to become an Accelerated Learning Community.  Indeed, we now have a PlayBook tablet for every 2.5 students and have found that it’s not the technological tool that is important, but how the tool is used by teachers to support learning

PlayBook Charging In Classrooms

Here is our very inexpensive, simple charging device for the PlayBooks. It’s a plastic magazine rack with the chargers plugged into a power bar.  It works great and is very easy and efficient to use.

Accelerated Learning Success Criteria Evidence Tracking

As we continue to refine our Accelerated Learning Framework (http://playbookclassroom.wordpress.com/) and look for processes to gather evidence of accelerated learning and going deeper, we co-developed a list of Technology Success Criteria to help both educators and students think about how the technology tool, program , application or website helps learning.  It also asks them to assess whether the technology accelerates student learning by allowing some students to meet the learning goals at all, allowing students to meet learning goals faster and/or achieve higher.  We are hoping to encourage educators to reflect on their technogogy (technology + pedagogy) and then students to think about their own learning to determine what adds the most value.  Below is a sample blank chart and I will post some examples soon.

Accelerated Learning Framework Success Criteria

Grade:	Subject:		Name:
Context:
Learning Goal(s):
Tool(s):
Program-Application-Website:
Success Criteria Teachers and students can determine that the technology tool, program, application or website adds value to student learning based on the following success criteria:		Evidence (What does Success look and sound like) (What are students doing, saying or producing) (Record observations in appropriate boxes only)		Type Of Accelerated Learning (Circle appropriate acceleration)
				M – Meets Learning Goal F – Faster To Learning Goal H – Higher Achievement
­ Increases Student Engagement				M    F    H
­ Increases Active Learning				M    F    H
Easier Learning				M    F    H
Assessment FOR Learning (student feedback) (instructional next steps)				M    F    H
Assessment AS Learning (students monitor their own learning and use feedback from teachers, peers and self to determine next steps and set their own learning goals)				M    F    H
Assessment OF Learning (concrete evidence)				M    F    H
Develops 21st Century Skills (creating, collaborating, communicating, critical thinking and citizenship)				M    F    H
Supports High Yield Instructional Strategies (differentiated instruction, gradual release …)				M    F    H
Easier Instruction				M    F    H
Summary (V+/W-):

Our Accelerated Learning Community

When I realize that it was less than six months ago that we started using the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in our school, I am totally amazed at how far the thinking of educators and students has come regarding using technology to accelerate student learning.  Check out our case study video produced by Research In Motion (RIM) on Youtube (http://youtu.be/K7u6DVny_uA) to see just the tip of the iceberg of the awesome things happening with the PlayBooks and other technologies at Park Manor.

I have been posting a lot of the practical applications and success stories on Park Manor’s Digitally Rich Learning Without Limits site (http://blogs.wrdsb.ca/pkmdigitallyrich/) and will continue to do so in the future.  Also, one of the teachers at Park Manor, Liz Anderson, who created and led the development of our Accelerated Learning Framework continues to share her applications of technology to accelerate the learning of her students (http://playbookclassroom.wordpress.com/).

We have developed a list of Success Criteria for educators use to help them gather evidence and make informed decisions that their use of the technology tool, program, application or website accelerates the learning of their students.

Accelerated Learning

1. Enables students to meet the Learning Goal and demonstrate the Success Criteria faster
2. Enables specified groups students with special needs or English language barriers to meet the Learning Goal and demonstrate the Success Criteria
3. Enables students to achieve to a higher level than they would without the framework

 

PlayBook – Video Camera

Great App that comes preloaded on the PlayBook.  This App could be used for all the same applications as Voice Notes and extend them in new ways.  Below are some applications so far and I’ll add more as we go.

Video Camera Applications

1. Teaching and learning tool (See http://playbookclassroom.wordpress.com/)
2. Teachers could video their own instruction and watch it privately or with a group
3. Create videos for assignments or activities
4. Used as an assessment tool for, as and of learning
1. Video students performing in Physical Education class or during games
2. Video student presentations to reflect on later with the students
3. Support students who may be nervous presenting in front of a class
4. Share before and after videos to show learning
5. Video cool science demonstrations (I used to teach science and did this all the time)
5. Create instructional videos to help students when they don’t understand a concept or skill
6. Record and playback answers to questions
7. Record teacher instructions to listen to again as necessary
8. Practice new languages both speaking and listening

PlayBook – Voice Notes

Great App that comes preloaded on the PlayBook.  During a collaboration time with some of my teachers, I showed them how they could record audio easily with Voice Notes and they could immediately see the applications for all students.  This App could be used as part of Differentiated Assessment to assess a student’s learning when writing may not allow them to demonstrate their learning the best.  Moreover, students could record their responses and then listen to them as they write the answer.  English Language Learners and students with Special Education needs could use Voice Notes in a variety of ways, which I will list below and continue to add to as I discover them with my teachers and students.

Voice Notes Applications

1. Record and playback answers to questions
2. Record student discussions
3. Record teacher instructions to listen to again as necessary
4. Practice new languages both speaking and listening
5. Create an audio file for a book to make it a read-along
6. Create audio assessments for students who may struggle reading