Day 72 - students are the winners

Competition. This one word has many different effects on people. If you add a prize to the mix, then people's perceptions change and sometimes an unwelcome edge can creep into the scenario. The prize is all. The process forgotten. 

Our students were invited to take part in the local schools gaming competition. The aim was to incorporate a makey makey as a controller for a game created in scratch. Sponsored/supported by a local game company Creative Assembly the competition was made very real for the students. 

Having been lent a makey makey by CA the right representatives from the class went to the first training session. Keen and curious with only iPad based on Scratchjr as experience the students were tested by being faced with a PC. However, overcoming this hurdle was easier than they had thought as their skills were easily transferable. 

Back in the class the original 8 reps became leaders and formed their own gaming company. Working together, sharing skills and most importantly documenting their progress in a multi media diary using Book Creator. 

The class then voted on their favourite game and this went through to the finals 

Today we arrived with our shoebox controller; in a plastic carrier bag to protect it from the rain- proud to share the journey of development with the other schools. At first sight there were some very ingenious and ambitious entries . Enormous controllers and expansive games. Gloriously presented with complicated code and wizardry. Our  game was humbled by such competition and effort. 

Nevertheless our game a healthy fitness simulator and accompanying diary of creation was judged alongside the other worthy entries. Competing in  four different categories. 

- best controller & use of makey makey 

- best coded game

student award voted by fellow competitors on the day 

- overall winner (combining all elements)

The overall winners were cited as having produced a relevant, challenging game which worked simply with the controller and also was accompanied by a diary of how the game was developed and the team overcame difficulties. This element, it was judged, would enable other developers to use the idea and create their own version- as in the real world - if an idea can be shared then the benefits are doubled! 

So well done team, the best way to learn is collaboratively and with an open mind to think beyond quick fixes and learn

 skills which will support life beyond the classroom. I look forward to using this experience to inspire the next group of open minded, talented coders. BRAVO! 

Day 71- Transformation complete?

 As the end of term approaches it is a fitting time to reflect on how much has changed and whether targets have been met. In Barns Green Primary's case they have been surpassed. The use of the iPad has now transformed learning and elevated teaching to new heights. Mobile technology is an accepted, everyday part of the tools employed to ensure learning is fun, accessible and appropriate. As an advocate it is all too easy for me to include iPad into my planning, my reward is when I see my colleagues picking up the baton and run with it - skills full, talented teachers embracing new ideas and ways of working and succeeding! 

What have I seen being used in school today ? 

Entry to celebration assembly - work being played on the big screen that was completed during Wimbledon week but was a result of collaborative work using green screen between year 1&2 with help from some students in year 6. Added to TrilbyTv by the students . The fact that the work was planned and shared collaboratively using Showbie amongst the teachers and then in turn to the students was another triumph and shows real change. 

Explain Everything was used to complete a maths treasure hunt where the focus on self assessment was high as to find the next clue maths skills needed to be sharp! A self initiated independent task which incorporates challenge, skills mastery and buckets of fun. 

 

Motivated, responsible and independent learners, tick! 

Teachers utilising the mobile device in their own classroom making huge strides in introducing opportunities for their students. This confirms that 21st century learning is not only an expected way to share an extend knowledge but it is developing our students into life long learners who have a greater degree of mastery and control of thier own journeys. 

Working this afternoon on Scratchjr projects, Quik videos and uploading to celebrate the work using Trilby Tv. 

 

Day 70 - Advantage iPad

So what's the advantage of having an iPad in the classroom?

Answer: Ease of planning, delivery of bespoke, rich and targeted resources, easy assessment and work flow and, and, and... Actually having thought about the advantages it's hard not to be smug and be evangelistic about the iPad as a tool for learning. This week is creative curriculum focused on Wimbledon. 

What have I used in the classroom today? 

Showbie remains my go to app for sharing files and assessing children's work, because of the reliable & flexible way I can add resources and the simple pathway for students to access and post their work. 

I use it without thinking and take for granted the amount of time it saves me in planning and marking work. 

By adding in links to Padlet  work is made challenging but interesting as we collaborate not just at the start of a lesson brain storming ideas but use it as an opportunity for AFl. Students like to look at others work, the inherent satisfaction of knowing your on the right track can make someone's day. So, a interesting way is to upload video clips onto the Padlet so others can be inspired or encouraged to try a new angle in their own work. Here year 3&4 share their beta versions of alternative games based on tennis created in Scratch jnr. The recording of the video as evidence of work was also easily uploaded to TrilbyTv to share in the creative ways the children decided tho shape their task. This transforms the students ability to edit their work and improve or refine ideas. 

The older children used Hopscotch to work out their skills in positioning and movement using iPad.  

Advantages here are based on seeing exactly the skills of each partner, as pairing students can result in pre-conceived outcomes. But with this task, each partner is forced to show their ability as the task demands full participation from each person. So no-one left on the side lines of learning. 

As the school has a creative curriculum week based on Wimbledon, maths was a focus today and in Y6&5 was ran a Negative number tennis tournament. The students started by watching a video clip that I added to their Padlet showing the comparisons between Fred Perry and Andy Murray. This led to them watching a tutorial, that I had constructed in Explain Everything  on how to construct a negative number tennis court, the rules and how to score. This meant that the questions of those - who find aural instructions difficult to recall after the second instruction - remain independent in control as they could re-visit, pause and remain focuses. 

By taking photos whilst the class were working it is easy then to convert a series of images into a album and set up a slideshow as a plenary. The slideshow is motivating and allows for the students to relive and appreciate the work they contributed to the class success. It also means that the photos are easily accessible when making a video in Quik and then after tapping a few buttons uploaded speedily to Trilby Tv to create a QR code for the display or share on the screens for the community's benefit. Advantage iPad. 

https://app.trilbytv.co.uk/public/view/0C8D0B4B-465F-40BC-9F9F-8E209752FA12

Day 69 - trail blazing

When a school fully embraces technology the possibilities are endless - thinking big becomes the norm. 

Take charity work - the disaster fund created for the displaced of Nepal's earthquake prompted a den building day. The day was recounted via Quik and shared by the students to TrilbyTv - this easily generated a public link which could be shared using a QR code. These codes were displayed and the ability to be transported back to the event was created. 

What have I used in the classroom today ? 

Numbers - currently my year 6 are enjoying the freedom from SATs so functional maths comes to the fore. Setting the work easily on the file sharing app Showbie - I can set up templates and encourage entering functions to make calculations more exciting. 

The students worked collaboratively to produce the profits for their Fairgrouund company and tackled tiers of word based problem challenges without complaint! 

GReen Screen and iMovie - excellent creative partners to encourage and support creativity and team work. putting in a production of 'Shakespeare Rocks' has meant a multitude of marketing opportunities which expand the use of functional literacy skills alongside developing digital aquity. 

The end result a class who are able to express themselves whilst reinforcing the key skills that will strengthen the foundations as they embark on their journey towards secondary school. 

Day 68 - Amnesty

Today, working with the students I have come to question whether or not iPads can disrupt more than enhance learning. It's a thought that I've always tried to rationalise and think positively about. Educating the children in how to use their device to support their learning is easy- as the students enjoy using their device and enjoy working as a result. But as the end of term looms and tiredness sets in, attitudes can alter. So, if I'm unhappy about the diversions that I have heard about today - it stands to reason that other less confident teachers with iPad will be questioning the reasons behind using iPad in their classroom. 

So what can I do about it? 

Reflect: what is causing the disruption? Is the work pitched correctly to ensure challenge level matches ability? Do the class appreciate why they are using the device? Is it time to revisit online safety and appropriate use...especially with the 'Y6 - leavers'...there could be many reasons.  

Having just recently chaired a really positive Digital Genius Ambassador teacher forum - I demonstrated the yet to be release classroom app from Apple. This boasts the features of putting control back in the hands of the teacher. Classroom organisation and 'power' to oversee, refocus and ultimate stop the students from straying of the designated (pre planned) path to knowledge. It certainly ticks all those boxes - it also allows the teacher to operate 'Classroom' with a TA as support and another pair of digital eyes across the room. All positive. Today - this setting or imposing limits would be a quick fix in preventing diversions from the task. 

My response to this problem has been to restrict access temporarily for those renegade learners to reinforce that using the iPad is an essential tool to learning and when it is not available makes the learning more difficult to access...I'm not sure though that now, that is enough. Only time will tell. I will be revisiting acceptable use policy and the sanctions that are clearly outlined. The transient nature of the classroom means that it is ever more important to educate the student to be responsible, informed and flexible digital citizen. This is the ultimate aim for our students, whether it takes a few misdemeanours in a controlled environment, perhaps the additional thinking and reflection time is the most valuable experience that school can provide. Doing what's right and knowing what's wrong is the bedrock of any society...

Day 67 - Exposed

The Ŷ Teaching exposes you to amazing opportunities and never fails to surprise and delight. 

Working with iPad allows me - as a teacher - to use all the tools available to make the process of learning as accessible as possible. I try to remind myself how difficult learning is...as adults we don't often put ourselves in a position where we are not in control. School can feel like this everyday for some people - alien in fact. It's my job to utilise all the tools at my disposal to make the experience in the classroom as effective as possible. Notice not easy - thinking is hard and school without a challenge is, well - worthless. 

What did I use in my classroom today? 

Listening, comprehending, acting and following through is a complex task for some. Especially if you haven't yet developed the sophisticated skills of decoding words and communicating meaning. For whatever reason, following instructions is hard. To help those in my class who find multi step instructions tricky and fall short of expectations to replicate or reproduce similar modelled work - filming  the introduction and posting it back in Showbie to be replayed as and when necessary by the children .

The resulting work was noticeably more precise and looked controlled and considered, dare I say cared for?  I was proud of the efforts of the class, making nets is never easy (all those tabs) but today there was real success, no curved edges on the cuboids. Taking no more time as it was filmed when I delivered the lesson. 

The class have been working on a computer competition entry. The task is to use a Makey Makey into a control pad for a game made in Scratch. Today was beta testing day...

The game is a culmination of teamwork, the collaboration within the class makes this everyone's game, even though a selected few will present it to the judging panel. 

The idea is that the athlete runs and collects healthy food, the four objects change when bumped from healthy food when you gain points, to unhealthy food which reduces your score... Today records were broken and a score of 27 points gained! The students gathered both positive and negative comments and used this to refine and tweak their code. Debugging at its most relevant. This ideas were then captured in a Book Creator visual diary of the whole process. I am very proud of the children they are the opitome of digital learners - achieving above and beyond what they believe possible. The final diary was then exported as a movie file and uploaded instantly to Trilby TV, so others could marvel in the students aptitude. The public link providing a QRlink for instantly exposed for public scrutiny and praise. 

Day 66 - Ultimate understanding

As a teacher we always put out practice under the microscope and dissect it.  This micro management can prevent the students from expressing themselves. Independence of thought as well as independent choice of how to present understanding is the ultimate goal. It was refreshing today to see how the youngest pupils and their talented teachers are providing a child centred and rich learning experience by incorporating the iPad in the classroom. By embracing the possibilities to transform the learning environment that the iPad provides - powerful learning is released.

This moment was captured and at first sight it looks isolating for the student, but this year 1 student was actually completing an independent challenge. The challenge was set up with a verbal instruction and the necessary resources on Showbie. This student had decided herself  to sit quietly as she wanted to record her response which was a prediction of the characters and plot that they imagined this unknown book could present. The ability for this child to talk without an audience and without the pressure to perform with an adult listening, freed her to show her true understanding. 

The challenge was repeated by a few of the other students and shared back In the classroom before the book was read aloud. The teacher here has used Apple TV to share the work, which prompted and modelled good speech and encouraged the younger reception pupils to explore this method of sharing their understanding, 

 Later that afternoon a reception child asked his teacher if he could explain what a Perch fish is like as he had made a model and wanted to share his knowledge, he picked up an iPad and asked to use Adobe spark  but he couldn't log in quickly enough to so he switched to Book Creator. He soon returned to show his teacher what he had done. He had photographed his model, and unprompted experimented with the tools and labelled his model, using  a colour code. In his own words - fin, spikes & tummy. But he went further and added a voice note - to help everyone understand about his Perch. AMAZING! The success was shared and celebrated in the classroom. 

This was added to Showbie and quickly added to this child's digital portfolio as evidence that this child has a voice and is in control of his learning. Expectations met - and exceeded.