1. Using technology to develop skills and collaborate Joining the dots This version of the presentation is meant for web and email distribution. The embedded media files have been removed. You can click on most images to be taken to the relevant media which has been uploaded to the internet.
2. Jack Sloan Chorlton Park Primary School, Manchester Ferry Lane Primary School, Tottenham Using technology to develop skills and collaborate
4. Don’t try to be ahead of the game in your use of technology… You’re not cool enough… Secondly
5. So what AM I doing here? Practical ideas on how to combine collaborative teaching structures with ICT. Ways technology can help you collaborate in the classroom; with parents, and with people outside your school community. Free and easy to use tools you can use tomorrow in your school.
10. Skills developed through this approach Collaboration/cooperation Creativity Critical thinking Writing skills Art skills ICT sk ills… Microsoft Movie Maker Camera skills Audio-recording/editing Voicethread Photo-editing skills Word-processing skills Internet research skills Using the internet to develop an audience Blogging
12. Some figures from our class blog 1,925 comments 467 posts (mainly children) >10,000 unique visitors More than 100 countries In 7 months… Our children have quite an audience!
14. If THEY want to write on our blog, why won’t our parents? Collaborative Distributive How do we communicate with our parents?
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16. “A blog is a website where you learn how to improve your writing… BLAAH, BLAAH!” . Oh come on, think outside of the box. Of course you will learn to improve your work. However, when have you ever thought that billions of people from around the whole world would even bother to comment on your work? Well it has happened, and you’ll never guess who commented on my work. No it wasn’t an Arsenal football player, or Cheryl Cole. In fact it was someone ten times better. VALERIE BLOOM!! You know, the famous poet, an inspiration to all. I just came to school like regular and all I heard for the rest of the day was ” Oh Sharon you lucky girl, Valerie Bloom commented on your work AAH!” I felt like fainting (literally!) And from that day forth I had a term full of opportunities glimmering in my heart.
17. Tools we have discussed… Wordpress Voicethread.org Windows Movie Maker Audacity Sumopaint Twitter
Interested in raising attainment and developing key collaborating and critical skills with young children.
Technology is NOT the answer. ICT cannot make learning collaborative, creative or develop skills. It is TEACHERS that do that…I’m not one of those people who believe that ICT is a way to make learning fun.
Key issue. Technology is not the answer here, our children are at home using technology. It is their world and context. Because of this, we have to be very careful as teachers. We need to make sure that our use of tech is based in pedagogical theory and finding a solution to a problem. Don’t use ICT for the sake of it, and…Don’t try to be ahead of the game with technology. You’re not cool enough…
I got into thinking about collaborating whilst working in Year 2. Ideas are great in KS1. EYFS curriculum encourages collaboration. Children often stifled in Y2. Wanted them to THINK, to engage with a long-term project, to be challenged by their peers, and for each child’s skills to not only be recognized, but also for them to be REQUIRED.
In KS1, wanted to develop the creativity and collaboration from EYFS.In KS2, wanted to develop writing skills as well as cooperation.Both effective – resulting films demonstrate high level of engagement, significant improvement in writing levels.Structure used to develop collaboration, cross-curricular engagement and writing skills in KS1. Embedded use of ICT.Not meant to be a polished product – this is ALL the children’s work. Only guided element – editing the writing. Traditional Tales unit extended. Included all literacy, ICT, DT, Art, Drama for a whole half term.Discuss workflow: Mixed ability groups of 3:
Purposeful use of ICT – for this project, Year 2 children…Took photographsUsed voice-recordersLearned Mirosoft Movie Maker and used it to video-edit.Used Wordpress blogs to comment and postSome posted HTML codeUsed Voicethread to share ideasUsed Polldaddy to voteThey also created a whole-class project over a 6 week period, working largely independently. They HAD to collaborate at all stages as their sections had to fit together. They HAD to collaborate to meet deadlines, to edit and improve their work, to advertise and promote the film, and to learn the technology. Each child’s skills were valued and extended, and the worked brilliantly together. Developed this structure over 5 years. Works really well in KS2 as well. Show T&M.
9:50. Theseus killing the minotaur – special effects!
We use blogs as a learning hub. They provide a portal for the children to see outside the school, and for parents, other stakeholders and the public to see into our school in a secure and managed way.AUDIENCE is important!Brings the community in and exposes the children to aspects of the world they would otherwise not be able to access.
Children motivated to write, write write.
If people want to read our kids’ work, why aren’t parents involved? Key issue for us. Discuss issues with parents – security, lack of internet access.How to get them engaged – blog leaflets, in school training, teaching of blogging explicitly
Beginning to have an impact. All but five parents in Y5 have commented. EAL issue. Next steps – coffee mornings, ICT workshops after school, EXPECTATION.
I hope you will have found some of what I have discussed useful. The development of collaboration is key in the primary school. Charles Deforges and others have made clear links in their research between parental and community engagement and levels. We have a duty to help our children become critical, thoughtful and cooperative. They will need to compete in an extremely complex and dynamic world, and these skills are essential for their future success.”In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed." - Charles DarwinIn the current political climate, it’s important that we as teachers collaborate also. My contact details are to follow – I’d love to hear what other people are doing, and am always interested in working across schools.
