DFI Computational Thinking

DFI Computational Thinking

Today Dorothy's kaupapa on empowerment really struck a chord with me as although at our kura we are mindful of families that have challenging situations, we don't always know how children are interpreting events that are occurring to and around them, and how they are making sense of the world. I remember my own daughter revealing that she thought the sound of the trains passing through town on a frosty night was actually the sound of clouds passing by! We don't know what we don't know and unless we are informed or think to ask...

Digital fluency for all learners is empowering.

Today's session gave me the opportunity to check out Scratch Junior on a class iPad. It was interesting to see the 'saved' projects. I initially thought the tamariki were quite accomplished at this ( I would need to catch up) but discovered that their projects were mostly just backgrounds and not coding movements. So this will be some future teaching. I enjoyed 'Scratch' also but the Junior version is more suited to my learners.

DFI devices

DFI devices

Having an explore with the chrome book and ipad. Unfortunately, I was unable to share my Explain Everything as the admin settings wouldn't let me do this with the old class ipad. I'll be getting a new teacher one soon!

Explain everything could be useful in my class setting. It is basic but it will mean the pupils need to be quite clear with their thinking. I am looking forward to trying this.

It has become apparent that 1:1 iPads could be really useful and so I will ask management if this is a possibility. The Year 4's will be moving to chrome books next year and so this would be a good bridge.

Also navigating around the devices as an inexperienced user ( not a stretch of the imagination) was useful as was learning some keyboard shortcuts - practice, practice, practice required so they become second nature.

Screencastify - not sure where my trial ended up.

All in all great to see the possibilities again of these devices but I just need loads of practice to use them and share the outcomes!

DFI enabling access

Beginning to create a Room 10 - Waita class website that aims to have user friendly navigation , is informative to the pupils and their whanau and also has enough flair to entice the learner/user to explore further.

I decided I needed a decent plan and sketched out some ideas.  ideas first; window dressing; layer the content to suit my learners' levels and kaupapa of the school.



Paper and pencil brainstorm


Still need to practise how to link
How to add photos
How to add macrons in blogger
Need to check out rewindable videos
Time management to block in practise time 1!!
Take small bites of the elephant because lofty whizz bang ideas cannot materialise without the digital skills

Feeling overloaded as - professional blog, class blog, class website and then repeating again for requires school newsletter

DFI Collaborative Teaching and Learning

For me today's session had the important message of teaching and learning should aim to be visible.
Visible to the learner, teacher, colleagues (sometimes a bit unnerving- as we like to be seen by our colleagues as professional and knowing our stuff!), and whanau. Knowing the audience and what will 'hook' them into learning as well as be engaging cognitively.

As an natural introvert it is always a little scary being on show for everyday actions. I think some of my pupils can relate to this as when you've had time to prepare and rehearse you can feel and exude a different type of confidence to when being 'put on the spot'. This is one of the reasons I enjoy teaching drama and create an end of year performance because I often see shy children shine and the confident kids push the creative boundaries with their ideas to just add a bit more. Scripting a play together based on a simple story line is a wonderful collaborative adventure and all children can come up with a few ideas to enrich the final product from scenery ideas to jokes to add, music to play or costuming...and that is when The three little pigs can morph into something exciting for an audience.

Knowing where you are going and having an idea of what the teacher's expectations are, actually frees up creativity because there is a framework and the big picture in the mind.

My favourite take away from today was Kerry's phrase of having our  'Bag of Tricks' to support our teaching that engages the learner. Setting up my own website around a theme and trying to employ a few engaging tricks and using collaborative ideas. I'm looking forward to exploring this further.


https://sites.google.com/otaki.school.nz/superseeds/home

In class:
Check students know what we are doing
Steps to achieve this - have this visible and accessible
Exciting ways to achieve the outcome
The opportunity to share the outcome/learning with others

DFI- Dealing With Data

DFI - Data
Although I'd had a chance to look at the agenda prior to today's session I still struggled to keep up with the create and share and navigate my way around my screen, drive and open tabs. I feel a simple written set of instructions to the side for quick reference would help as I'm not really an auditory learner.

This is a reminder for me to have a set of easy written instructions for my class when giving them a new task or talking through a new process. Also thinking perhaps I need to create a set for myself from my hurried notes. This would be useful as I revisit past sessions AND to look at the rewindable videos of course.

Learning to create a spreadsheet with data. The group I worked in had a slower pace and this was helpful for me. I am still thinking where creating spreadsheets may be useful or relevant for my year 3 and 4 class apart from displaying  achievement data.

Graph of views- posts and comments on class Room 10 blog
ospansters.blogspot.com





The map work could be useful, however I need to practise using, creating and sharing as I got a bit lost. Where did it go?

Google forms - must remember to check settings with who I can share with. I think my google form is stuck and unable to be shared with those outside of my school.


Remembering to add labels, replying to comments


Add the Manaiakalani theme?

As I complete this draft post - left hanging from 6 days ago, I realise now that school is back to 'normal' my energy levels are taxed. Responsibilities and pupils' needs remain very much at the top of the priority list. However, it is good to be exposed to possibilities which are now tucked away. I'm hopeful I can use them to spark good teaching and creating one day.