Developing Digital Worlds Session Two

Today we had our second session Developing Digital Worlds Session with Jacinta. Below are the main ideas that I took away:

1.  The importance of 'Activating Prior Knowledge'. We discussed how sometimes this is not given enough time or importance. Using what students already know as building blocks is a critical tool.

2. After having a go with an augmentation board. Evaluate what texts the students were on the most, using the screen time section on teacher dashboard. This will give me a good idea of what text types students are using/ compare to the ideas they are coming up with.

3. Checking that sources are credible and reliable. This is something we have been doing in writing when note-taking. We have been giving a note a tick when we see it in another text. This helps us see what information is reliable as we have seen it in multiple texts.

4. Text sets- Possible the most important aspect of a successful argumentation board. Using a range of texts that offer alternative views.

"How many texts will support the principles of argumentation (below) in your subject area? Rationale?

To be able to substantiate, and evaluate, the integration of claims, reasoning and evidence to support rational decision making or belief, while also giving appropriate attention to counterclaims, reasoning and evidence that informs a critically reasoned conclusion."

Prompts for Attending to Overlooked Evidence:

• What do you make of this (reference data/information)?
  
  
• What else do we need to take into account?
  
  
• Who has another observation that can help us look at the whole picture?
  
  
• Is there anything we’re missing?
  
  
• Who has a different idea?
  
  

I have filmed two class on air episodes using a critical literacy approach with an argumentation board. Click here to see Lesson 6. My next lesson will demonstrate the new skills I have taken from my session with Jacinta; Using alternative texts, focus on APK, prompting questions and less teacher talking, more students thinking! 

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Class On Air 2018 What's That?

#ClassOnAir

Throughout the year I will be updating my Manaiakalani Google Class OnAir site with links to my planning, resources, reflections, videos of my teaching, and links to the learners work on their blogs. There are 10 Manaiakalani teachers from various schools and levels for you to check out.

Click here to view my latest video

Direct Instruction

The learning intention for this lesson was to use our senses to describe a substance.  Students were given two substances (baking soda and malt vinegar) in pairs, they had to use their 5 senses to describe the substance and collect data to help them figure out what the substances were. They also observed how the substances interacted together and why. 

The video shows the class instruction, and then two groups working on the experiment. 

Class On Air Term 1 Reflection

This term I have been working with Manaiakalani and Google taking part in Manaiakalani google class on air. The experience has been allowed me to reflect on my practice and notice what I am actually doing when I am teaching. I think how we think a lesson goes to how it actually goes watching it back differs. I learned that at times I miss key teaching moments as I am distracted by other students - Working in smaller groups helps minimize this as it is hard to know what 28 students are all thinking and what they are gaining from the lesson. My lessons have had a science/ technology type focus. Science is one of my weaker curriculum areas as I don't have much experience teaching it. This term we have been given P.D by Susan heeps, this has helped me immensely. Next term I am going to focus on Literacy and reading. My inquiry this year is how can I increase critical thinking in Reading- so the knowledge and skills that I develop in my inquiry can add to my class on air episodes. 

So what next term?

- Camera angles (Light reflection- blackout class windows to ensure that the quality of the footage is easy to see) 

- Sound- Use the plugin mic and my phone ( ensure the phone is facing the speaker) 

- Create: What are students going to create next term to demonstrate their understanding and learning?

- Will observe at another school. See what other year 5-6 students are doing. 

- How are we using the digital tools to enhance our learning ( Modelling book, working collaboratively on docs) 

-  Look at Bloom's taxonomy, Reading comprehensions.

- Smaller groups (Science was a whole class and was great when starting out my science journey but now I need to target specific needs). 

- Key learning and teaching focus- develop critical thinking.
- Making cross the curriculum connections. 

Manaiakalani- Google Classon Air - Reflection

Over the last two weeks, I have filmed two lessons for Manaiakalani- Google Classon Air. The experience has been challenging and enjoyable. It is still a challenge to get the footage and the sound during the lesson and to capture those 'ahh huh' moments. It is a great learning experience to watch back the footage and episodes for myself from a teacher perspective- I often think- I should've asked it differently, I should've made a connection there etc. We also watch back the videos as a class and look at ways we can improve. My inquiry goal is looking at critical thinking and problem solving and how to enhance this through questioning. 

So what? 

After reading 'Content-Area Conversations: How to Plan Discussion-Based Lessons for Diverse Language Learners by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Carol Rothenberg. I have gathered some next steps that will help me promote more discussion based lessons. The key things that I noticed missing from my science lesson is that the discussions and questions are surface level discussions, and although I have improved with my questioning around noticing I still want to get my students thinking at a deeper level and I am wanting my students to be able to compare and contrast ideas, ask questions, and describe phenomena in science. (This will then benefit other curriculum areas). 

The reading highlighted the need for different types of talk and discussion and how to prompt students to do so. Below is a language learning poster. I am going to use this to base my questioning and the language I want to students to use. I will put it up in the class and refer to it often when modeling my own language in science. 

Figure 5.1. Language of Learning Poster Language objective	What is it?	What does it sound like?
To instruct	Giving directions	"The first step is …" "Next …" "The last part is …"
To inquire	Asking questions	Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? "What do you think?"
To test	Deciding if something makes sense	"I still have a question about …" "What I learned is …"
To describe	Telling about something	Use descriptive words and details
To compare and contrast	Showing how two things are alike and different	"Here is something they both have in common …" "These are different from each other because …"
To explain	Giving examples	"This is an example of …" "This is important because …"
To analyze	Discussing the parts of a bigger idea	"The parts of this include …" "We can make a diagram of this."
To hypothesize	Making a prediction based on what is known	"I can predict that …" "I believe that _________ will happen because …" "What might happen if …?"
To deduce	Drawing a conclusion or arriving at an answer	"The answer is because …"
To evaluate	Judging something	"I agree with this because …" "I disagree because …" "I recommend that …" "A better solution would be …" "The factors that are most important are …"