Old Dog New Tricks

Staying relevant in the digital age!

You can teach a Labradoodle new tricks! So, if you’ve been reading my articles you will have seen my recommendations for more outside time (“getting hands dirty time”!), imaginative play and daydreaming away from technology for students. So, I thought it was time to address the elephant in the room – technology and its use in the classroom.

When I completed my Uni degree (BA with majors in Geography & Psychology and Dip Ed), I was required to submit an assignment which had been typed on a computer. Everything else was hand written. In my first years of teaching there wasn’t a computer in sight. When I was 30, and my children 4 and 7, I received an inheritance and bought our first home computer. A Pentium! I loved playing Solitaire on that old beast and writing the occasional poem or children’s stories. I wanted my children to get used to computers and they played numerous, very basic, games on them. 

The classrooms were still mainly devoid of them, but slowly a few crept into the backs of the classrooms and were attacked with glee by students on wet weather lunchtime days. There was a computer lab in the High School that we could book for an hour and get everyone on at the same time! We started teaching keyboarding skills and word processing and printing our good copies of stories and other work on them. We had simple maths and spelling games.

“Everything else was hand written. In my first years of teaching there wasn’t a computer in sight.”

All my school planning was still done by hand. I had my teacher’s journal and planning folder. All my curriculum documents were on my shelf behind my desk. My assessment book was in my journal. Reports were a printed template that was filled in by hand. Both my children’s Grade 6 reports were done this way. It was considered very cutting edge at the time. There was only a general comment for each student. I remember Dirk Petrusma telling me to write it as if it was going to be read to a grandparent. I have an interesting memory of a parent coming into my son Jake’s Grade 5 class and teaching the students how to make a Powerpoint!

Fast forward to today. Each student from Grade 3 up at Emmanuel has their own individual laptop. My entire mathematics program is now computer based through Maths Pathway. It assesses students and guides them individually through, with me as the co-ordinator and facilitator. As a school we completed NAPLAN online this year. Our Standardised testing is done online. I use a Reading Program and our reward system linked to it. My students have email accounts and complete assignments in a variety of online ways. They often email me their work. Our students can access and research information online. In the last three years our school has adopted SEQTA as a program for everything from completing the role, to writing reports (10 comments required) and behaviour management notes. My curriculum is no longer printed, but online. All great innovations, but continual upskilling of teachers required. Our First Aid training and Compliance training all have modules to be completed online.

As a teacher I am working in a time when I have to be willing to jump in and learn things with my students. I need to be willing to make mistakes and not get it right (Growth Mindset challenges) and have some of my students teach me! Just recently I decided we would create Stop Motion videos of the ‘Patriarch Era’ in the Bible. Drew Roberts told me which app to download on my iphone, I borrowed his camera stand, and lots of LEGO from the Library. We broke into groups and I asked them to create sets and record a small scene from a Patriarch’s life. I suggested they could show moving an arm or a head. One of my students, Poppy, got very excited as she has made these movies at home before. Another student, Charlotte, brought heaps of LEGO from home and now we have four amazing movies we are going to edit ready for the end of Term 2 assembly. They are excited about their learning and really engaged.

We have also been creating Kahoot quizzes. The students have been reading short stories and articles in pairs and creating quizzes using this app with them. We, as a class, then read the articles and play the quiz. We then have a positive and negative feedback session on each quiz. English skills galore, but don’t tell the students, they’re just having fun. And maybe, so am I!

So, I will still argue for outside time, hands on learning, daydreaming and lots of person to person engagement, but, I will keep learning, growing, failing at times, and experimenting with my students.

Annie Joy - Primary Coordinatior

The next education revolution

Are we ready for the next education revolution?

For those that know me well, I am far from an academic. However, I love learning new skills and believe that being a lifelong learner is a key ingredient to achieving success in whatever field you decide to follow. A topic of conversation that Mr Scott Winkler and I discussed earlier last week was, “what does a successful Year 6 Emmanuel student look like? Or What does a successful Year 10 Emmanuel student look like?” 

There is no denying that our world is changing, the landscape has shifted and we are headed toward the fourth industrial revolution. A long standing assumption of our school system is that we need to prepare young people for a full and rewarding future. However, how do we really prepare our students for a future that is unknown? The image to the left depicts how quickly the value of certain skills can change. In the past 50 years, our education system has managed to more or less keep pace with societal change. Our educational philosophy of focussing on the three R’s of reading, writing and arithmetic have been sufficient. We haven’t seen nor needed any radical changes in our education system.

Last week I also came across a paper, Towards Education 3.0 - The changing Goalposts for Education. The beginning of this paper discussed that within the next 20 years, society will witness unprecedented levels of disturbance and change. These changes will not be disciplinary specific but in fact, will affect all areas of schooling and that a fundamental rethink will be required for our education system.

Skills that were vital in the past may not be so important for the future. The following graphic depicts the rise and decline in percentages of people working within roles with specific skill types.

• Routine Manual - This skill type is characterised by manufacturing and assembly-line type jobs.

• Routine Cognitive - This skill type is defined by roles such as, bookkeeping, accountancy or paralegal work. Both of these skill forms are slowly being automated through computing and robotics. Artificial Intelligence will see these forms of work steadily decline and eventually disappear as a job option for our future school leavers. 

• Non-Routine Manual - This skill set is made up of technically unskilled workers undertaking jobs such as waitressing and the Hospitality industry. Although these roles are susceptible to automation, they are less easily replicated by computers and robotics as they are based on effective people skills and therefore they will continue to flourish and be valued in our modern society. 

• Non-Routine Cognitive - The unknown….. People entering these jobs will typically require high levels of complex problem solving, creativity, entrepreneurship and resilience. They will need to have the ability to adapt to changes rapidly, learn quickly and embrace uncertainty. These skills, are almost impossible for robots to emulate and will remain the least affected by Industrial revolution 4.0.

There will be many doubters who will dispel this article as a doomsday scenario but history shows us that technological-driven disruption creates large job losses in some occupations. As educators, it is our responsibility to change the way we think about learning. Our school system needs to focus more on ‘the way’ we learn not on ‘what’ we learn. If we are really preparing students for an uncertain future, there needs to be less focus on what we think children need to learn and more on equipping them to become effective learners, capable of coping with uncertainty.

For the senior staff at Emmanuel Christian School, we need to consider what our teachers should be doing to support and further develop these capabilities in our students. Thankfully, we are already seeing many of our teachers enabling students with these exact opportunities. Our early childhood teachers engage students in the newly installed mud kitchen and bush kinder experiences, allowing students to develop creativity. These coming holidays, ten students have signed up for a three day Robotics Camp that is running in preparation for the upcoming Robocup Jnr. competitions, developing complex problem solving. Next term our Primary drama production will begin preparation with many of these complex skills being developed in our students.  Our senior students are also engaging in a new hands-on learning program where students will be creating a space that will include a wood fired pizza oven and meeting area.

Each of these opportunities is giving students a chance to think about the ‘why’ rather than just ‘what’ when it comes to their learning. It's a daunting, yet exciting time for education and it will be fascinating to see how we continue to refine our practice.

Drew Roberts - Deputy Principal

What Next?

“He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

— Isaiah 33:6

A question I often ask myself when I am thinking about Emmanuel Christian School is, “What next?” Our 40 Year Celebrations are a good time to think about our future with some nostalgia. Our founding principal, Mr Dirk Petrusma, is still passionate about Emmanuel and speaks so joyfully about the school and all that has been accomplished in it by capable staff and committed families.

The Board is committed to seeing Emmanuel Christian thrive and be a leading force in education on the Eastern Shore of greater Hobart and southern Tasmania.

Over the last few years, Emmanuel has been growing in size. We have grown from around 150 students to over 215. This steady growth has been encouraging. We are seeing our community growing and being enhanced by many new families. 

We have been growing in maturity, too. Our new Media Crew is an innovative group lead by Mr Drew Roberts covering video, photos, web design and audio. This, on top of Code Club and the robotics and coding done across grades, show how dynamic and rich our learning program is from Kinder to Grade 10. This is a big part of the ‘what next.’

Each year we conduct satisfaction surveys of staff, parents and students. The valuable information supplied has helped with our planning. A good example of our response to these surveys is the Media Crew, where students wanted a student newspaper. This has exploded in size as it has been supported by Mr Drew Roberts and also Mr Brett Galbraith and the Christian Schools Tasmania Marketing team.

A team from CST, Emmanuel and our ever skilled and patient architect are looking at upgrading the Masterplan for Emmanuel. This is an interesting project as we look at refurbishment works at the same time as planning for new works. Our expansive grounds are also being looked at. These are also part of ‘what next.’ The masterplan is addressing needs identified by those of us at school and also referred to in the satisfaction surveys as we strive to provide quality Christian Education. 

As a Christian School, as Isaiah 33:6 reminds us, God will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. One thing we can be sure of is that with God as our foundation, Emmanuel Christian School will still be going strong in another 40 years.

Scott Winkler - Principal

Growth Mindset 2

Feedback

In my previous article, I wrote about developing intrinsic motivation in students and the importance of Carol Dweck's research into Growth Mindset. Through her research, Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford University, identifies two core mindsets that individuals can hold. A Fixed Mindset and a Growth Mindset. 

The traits we see for an individual with a Fixed Mindset are that they believe their abilities are etched in stone and were predetermined at birth. They approach tasks with preconceived ideas about what the outcome will be, based on their own beliefs, before the task has even started.

However, individuals who possess a Growth Mindset believe that their skills and abilities can be cultivated through effort and perseverance. These individuals view tough situations as challenges and are willing to apply multiple strategies or seek assistance to solve the problem.

“individuals who possess a Growth Mindset believe that their skills and abilities can be cultivated through effort and perseverance.”

For most of us, going between these two mindsets is a daily occurrence depending on the task we face. Being able to identify when we are developing a Fixed Mindset and being able to turn that around is critical.

For educators trying to motivate students, this can be a challenge. Being able to identify students who get stuck can be tricky, particularly if they are quiet. Fostering an environment and creating a culture where students feel safe and are able to make mistakes is vital. At Emmanuel, teachers are doing this by actively engaging students in discussions about Growth Mindset, having students refer to Growth Mindset statements, displaying Growth Mindset vocabulary, and of course, modelling a Growth Mindset. All these examples can assist students in changing their thinking and their approach to learning.

Next time you are in your child's classroom, look out for the Growth Mindset displays. You will see statements like:

• Instead of thinking I’m not good at this try thinking what am I missing?

• Instead of thinking this is too hard try thinking this may take some time and effort.

• Instead of thinking I made a mistake try thinking mistakes help me to learn better.

• Instead of thinking it’s good enough try thinking is it really my best work.

• Instead of thinking plan ‘A’ didn’t work try thinking good thing the alphabet has 25 more letters.

Another important strategy for teachers in developing a Growth Mindset is by giving feedback. Feedback is also an integral part of the Visible Learning approach that we, as a school, are committed to. Feedback has an effect size of 0.70. Remember last article, 0.40 is effect size that we can expect from a year’s schooling. Therefore, a score higher than this can only have a positive impact on learning.

Feedback needs to be given with consideration though. Teachers and parents alike need to ensure that praise is being given in a meaningful and purposeful way.

“At Emmanuel, we want to see every student become the best version of themselves as possible.”

Unfortunately, some people provide feedback that centres on effort and praising effort and believe that they are promoting a Growth Mindset. Sadly, this is what Carol Dweck refers to as a ‘False Growth Mindset’. Learning requires more than just effort. Effort is a single part of a larger process. This process involves a variety of factors, hard work, perseverance, multiple strategies, collaboration, and focus, to name a few.

Feedback needs to be given with ‘where to next’ in mind. Students need to understand where they currently are in the learning process and what they can do to take themselves to the next level.  At Emmanuel, we want to see every student become the best version of themselves as possible. Growth Mindset is a journey and needs to be encouraged at both home and school. Students engaging with a Growth Mindset will help them achieve success in their lives.

Drew Roberts - Deputy Principal

iGeneration: A balancing act

I’ve always been interested in the identification of distinct generations by social scientists. I am a 1964 birth, which is on the tail end of the Baby Boomers and the beginning of the rise of Gen X. I identify with traits from both.

Baby Boomers were linked to post WW2 baby boom and grew up in a time of social change; Woodstock, the Vietnam War, civil rights and equal pay for women, the first man walking on the moon and television. They hold the view that the world will improve with time; they’re active and physically fit; believe themselves to be a special generation.

Generation X occurred with the decline of births following the contraceptive pill being released. They often had both parents working, or were bought up with a single parent; Latch-Key children. Divorce was commonplace. They grew up with the energy crisis and saw the Berlin wall come down. Computers became more commonplace. They’re less likely to marry young, quicker to divorce. Have more than one career in their lifetime and generally live with debt.

All very interesting and of course then there’s Gen Y or Millenials as they are also known. They were shaped by 9/11, the rise of Terrorism, the Great Recession and the huge increase of the internet and social media. They’re more likely to live at home longer and launch their ‘lives’ later. They’re also the generation of my own children.

“What I’d like to look at in more detail is the current generation of school–aged children that are being identified today. The iGeneration or Generation Z.”

This generation have been so named because they have grown up in a hyper-connected world where social media and screens are the norm. They are aware of conflict around the world, and of a planet in natural crisis. Considered to be those born around the late 1990’s to present day. 

I don’t in any way want to be an alarmist, but I have been reading a few articles and listening to podcasts talking about the negative effects this reliance on iPhones can have on this young generation. There is a TED talk by Jean Twenge where she outlines some of these. She identifies a rise in negative characteristics of this iPhone reliant generation. They are less likely to go out without their parents, more likely to feel isolated, feel left out and lonely. More likely to feel they can’t do anything right or useful. There has also been an alarming rise in mental health disorders. They don’t sleep enough and are twice as likely to be unhappy. 

She ends her lecture asking people not to give up their phones, but encouraging people to put their phones down and go live their life. Go for a walk, run, swim, watch a sunset, sleep, interact with friends seeing the expressions on their faces and tone in their voice, hug and be hugged.

“Let your phone be a tool you use, not one that uses you. ”

— Jean Twenge

I also opened a couple of educational magazines sitting on the staffroom table, to see if they had anything to say about this subject. In the March issue of Nurture I found an article written by Chris Parker entitled Connection requires conversation: parenting in a digital age in which he looks at the need for rich connection, authentic connection, empathetic connection, which requires conversation. He asks the question; …have the dazzle and demands of our digital communication technologies distracted us from the dialogue that trains us to listen, develop empathy, and grow in confidence that we can both listen and be heard?

The other magazine I perused, March Education Review, had a few relevant articles. One cited that a Canadian study has shown that screen time can delay development. When young children are observing screens, they may be missing important opportunities to practise and master interpersonal, motor and communication skills. It also contained an article by Loren Smith called, Screen it Out. This article looked at lots of differing opinions on screen time effects but generally all agreed that 1. Digital mediums can be used positively and 2. It’s when they’re used in excess that problems arise. It encouraged parents to ensure that children have opportunities to explore the physical world around them, that they have opportunities to have interactions with other humans, and so on. This article made me beam with pride at the work of our Kinder Teacher, Amanda Sargent and the Kathy Walker program she runs in our Kinder space. Children interacting with the physical world. I am also excited about Nature Play Professional Development we are all going to in a fortnight, where we’ll be encouraged to take all our students outside and immerse them in, and teach them from, nature. 

“It encouraged parents to ensure that children have opportunities to explore the physical world.”

So, the iGeneration; our young students saturated with digital technology, yet living in a physically wondrous and socially interactive world, that they need to be guided and taught to interact with. Such an exciting and challenging balancing task ahead of us all. 

Annie Joy - Primary Coordinatior