DFI Day 9

 DFI Day 9

I made it. What an excellent experience. 

It has been good to learn face to face so we can learn from each other. I have been reminded what it feels like to be a learner and that is a good thing for supporting my students and teachers in the future.

I have learned alot about how to use functions of Chrome. Some have made my work life more efficient and some will be useful when working with students.

I am impressed that the DFI has catered for my needs as a leader, as well as the teachers and teacher aides attending. A well balanced course.

Also, the background to Manaiakalani was done extremely well by Dorothy. So inspiring and throught provoking.

Perfectly named - digital fluency intensive. Fantastic learning experience. Very grateful for the experience.

What an awesome DFI group

 

DFI Day 8

 DFI Day 8

Today we used Chromebooks and Ipads. I also made a Screencastify about being cybersmart, I believe if our students use their hoe then they will be successful in being cybersmart. Here is the link to my (first ever) Screencastify recording.

I enjoyed Dorothy's korero about ubiquitous learning. This is learning anywhere, anytime, anypace and with anyone. Rewindable learning is essential for all learners - this has been highlighted to me by my attendance at DFI!

Explain Everything

Here is my very first attempt at using the Explain Everything app. I can see educational benefits for using this app. 

Programming in maths

 Check out my programming of Blue Bots to find all the equations that equal 8 - it blinks twice .

Stop Go Motion

 Check out our Stop Go Motion animation!

DFI Day 7

 Just great to be at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds Education Centre today. What a great resource.

We had a look at how far technology has come - robots, driverless trucks, 3D houses, etc. It boggles the mind and makes me nervous at the same time for future generation - especially employment opportunities and social interaction.  

Technology can apply to any area of learning at any year level. The opportunities are endless. The digital affordances of the devices through Manaiakalani empowers all stakeholders, especially parents and whanau as they invest in their child's future and they can be involved in the learning anywhere, anytime.

Enjoyed the computational aspect of the new technologies curriculum. This is an area for empowered, creative opportunities for teachers and students. It was refreshing to hear that someone who is digitally fluent is someone who knows how to find out - they don't have to know it all. This is particularly important for teachers to understand as some of our students are naturally more competent and greater risk takers than some of us. We cannot be expected to know everything - that is the joy of ako - we can learn from our students. How empowering! 

DFI Day 6

 DFI Day 6

So good to be back at the DFI after missing the last two. If only I could be in two places at once. 

As always a highlight was listening to Dorothy's korero. Today the focus was on being connected. Being connected means being inclusive - it is a two way process. 

One of the things that attracted me in 2013 to Manaiakalani schools was the opportunity for students to learn anywhere, anytime with anyone. How liberating for our rural, low decile students. In addition to this our parents and whanau can access their child's learning at any time of the day, where ever they are. 

Furthermore this kaupapa fits perfectly with our Kaikohekohe Education Network achievement challenge that came about as a result of extensive consulting with all stakeholders - learning together is empowering. Being connected is empowering.

Also we cannot work in isolation. It is liberating to work with like minded colleagues, removing the sense of competition and almost xenophobia that used to exist between schools. 

The analogy of the framework of a whare makes it clear to understand. Every house needs a systematic structure in order to be strong yet what happens within that structure reflects those within. This is the freedom afforded by being part of the Manaiakalani kaupapa. 

I remain in awe of the outstanding support we all receive through Manaiakalani - this DFI for starters but also things like Class on Air, MIT Teachers, Online Toolkits, Tuhi Mai, Tuhi Atu, etc.

It is heartening to know that this work is not a three year intervention but an on going commitment. 

Today we worked on our site. Sites allow for teachers, learners and parents to be connected to the learning. They are the perfect place for ubiquitous, empowered and visible teaching and learning. I have made a new site for all staff to be able to access all documents and information such as the Charter, timetables, Staff Handbook, etc. This site will be developed for the Board of Trustees too.

I have a new appreciation for the learning about setting up a site that our teachers have had to go through while having to plan and teach. I remain impressed with their tenacity and professional approach to a lot of learning. 

DFI Day 3

Another great day of learning. Once we got the technology working it was a lot easier and less tiring than I anticipated. Good to have the small groups online. 

I found the presentation by Dorothy about create food for further thought as we are in the process of refining our local curriculum. The following points are what stood out for me...

To create is to empower. I think empowered learners are engaged and will succeed. Creating often involves problem solving, effective communication and collaboration. These are essential skills for our students' future opportunities and employment. At primary school we sometimes lose sight of the fact that the NZC is not just about preparing our students for secondary school but to be active citizens of Aotearoa. 

Teacher mindset when planning needs to be providing opportunities for create through the learning regardless of the year level. Are our students truly being exposed to creative opportunities or just digital sharing activities? I understand that the digital world is new and so teachers may think they are being creative by allowing students to create a digital object or presentation. I believe there is a lot more to it. Teachers need to be thinking about the body, not just the mind.

The new addition of the digital technologies to the Technology curriculum is great to move us from not just being consumers but also creators. SISOMO is worth exploring.

I am going to visit the Exploring Create in Manaiakalani with my staff to see if we can be inspired by it and add to it.

I enjoyed learning about YouTube. I will use it more now that I have my own channel - it will make it easier to locate key presentations and videos. 

Am going to investigate live streaming. Our whare is a classroom at the moment as our school is a building site and so we have been having our hui a kura outside. The weather is becoming too cold to do so. During Covid Level 2 we used to have Google Meet assemblies but think they can be improved by going to live stream.

I enjoyed the learning around Google Draw - this is not something I had used very much before.

The learning is great and I am wondering how far behind my staff I am and if what I am learning are things my staff have been doing for years. I aim to find out so we are all paddling our waka together.

My animation creation

DFI Day 2

 Today was another valuable day - full on. DFI is aptly named - it is intensive.

The learning programme was developed for students and teachers. This is an area that is a great strength of the Manaiakalani kaupapa as it actually involves and empowers all stakeholders.

Delivery of effective teacher practice is an ongoing process in our school as we learn together. Our learning model is allowing us to experience ako with deliberate teaching and learning supported by explicit success criteria. I think that if students do not know what they are learning nor how to be successful in their learning then they are simply doing tasks. Building good relationships with culturally responsiveness is critical.  Relevance, pace, assumptions and expectations are somethings we continue to refine. 

For our learners rewindable learning is essential. This is highlighted to me as it is going to be key for me to continue to keep up with the learning in this DFI.

I enjoyed learning about pinning sites, One Tab and Toby, plus d,w,m for changing the calendar view is a handy tip. My gmail has had a nice revamp and am enjoying a bit of colour. I think it is important to recognise what is actually a useful tip or extension compared to what is good to know but not necessarily useful to me. 

The create activity was a good one as I have a lot more confidence to record and present on Google meet. 

My kete is filling up. 

DFI Workshop 2

Today we invited a colleague to a Google Meet, presented and recorded our meet.

DFI Day 1

I survived. The day was very interesting, informative, hands on, fast, enjoyable, challenging, positive, practical. Full on.

It was good to go over the back story of Manaiakalani as part of the learning part.

 A couple of points stood out for me ...

Firstly, our schools, staff, students and whanau have undertaken a lot of change being part of the Manaiakalani kaupapa and before making changes we need to gather evidence - our students are not guinea pigs. All students have the right to equity. We can’t do it on our own. We are in this for the long haul. How exciting! What a privilege to be part of this journey together. I am hooked!

Secondly, the Chromebook is the pencil not the book.

One thing I am wondering about as I went through the day is running a 'DFI' for parents. We could cover aspects such as:

• Background story

• Google Chrome

• Hapara (Learning visible)

• Site (Learning and teaching made visible)

• Blogs and commenting

• Being cyber smart

The Google doc 101 was very useful - especially the headings and titles, explore and remove.bg for images. What was covered was applicable to me as a leader - not just teachers. Much appreciated.

In the create part I made this 'fabulous' image for our local curriculum. This is my second attempt. It is a small improvement from my first attempt. Third time... I will employ a graphic designer! I will stick to my day job!

Attempt 1 (last year)                                                               

Attempt 2 (today)