APC Week 27 - Contemporary Issues or Trends

Trends in Education

Global or mega trends are identified as contemporary trends or issues that have the potential and power to shape the direction of the world's politics and economies. The undeniable role of technology has important implications for understanding the future direction of learning and behaviour. 

Trends in New Zealand Education

Each year, CORE Education identifies the top ten trends expected to make an impact on education within a New Zealand context.

(Retrieved from http://www.core-ed.org/thought-leadership/ten-trends).


Within the context of my own communities of practice and my developing identity as a teacher and leader, I feel two areas in particular are worthy of closer examination.

Digital Literacy

Schools identified as doing well in this area were:

• focused on adapting school systems, programmes and resources to meet the needs of the students

• were innovative in how they responded to students‟ learning needs

• resourced programmes through creative problem solving

• worked effectively as teams

• used information about students‟ strengths, interests and needs to develop and review programmes for students 

(http://www.core-ed.org/thought-leadership/ten-trends/ten-trends-2016/digital-fluency)

These areas are of continual focus for improvement and discussion both within faculty and school -wide PD at my school. The scope for developing this area further lies in moving beyond mere technological mastery but into creative approaches to lessons and assessments, greater and more effective use of the collaborative aspects of digital technology and recognising the importance of students' own interests and strengths. 

Changing Education Paradigms Animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

Harnessing the strengths of our 'digital natives' means we won't lose them to all the learning available to them outside the education system but hopefully keep them engaged with it via a more agentic role.

These factors will all contribute towards a greater focus on student-centered and more authentic learning. This is an area I'm focusing on in my TAI and I'm enjoying surveying my students for feedback on how we collaborate, their own areas of interest and their input for possibilities for collaboration and research. In this way I can help my students engage meaningfully with the technology at their fingertips and apply it in ways that are relevant and connected to the future they are preparing for. I continue to seek feedback from and engage with other teachers on new and experimental ways to collaborate with the students and this is providing some really useful ideas for use in my own practice. I'm looking forward to continuing to track the progress and feedback from my classes as we try different programmes and techniques.

Changing Education Paradigms Animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

Change Leadership

Core identifies the trend of Change Leadership as another component in successfully navigating the rapidly evolving digital environment and that "newer and more agile arrangements are required".

This has been an area of growing awareness and development for myself this year. The Leadership component of Mindlab forced me to consider more deeply the structures in place at my school and how I fit into them. Change has certainly occurred over the past year as my school adapts to the need for sharing in the overall vision of the school with less of a top-down structure. There's been some good steps towards creating a more open attitude towards change.

Each Faculty has a Lead Person who undertakes weekly training in technology with the responsibility of filtering out the knowledge most relevant to their group. This will depend on particular subject areas, levels of mastery etc. This encourages and promotes change leadership to flourish - my role as an FLP has enabled me to see myself as a leader and to help others develop their own confidence to become leaders themselves.

Our staff PD sessions on a Friday allow choice for areas of interest and levels of mastery. Staff who are 'early adopters' take small sessions. This more fluid and flexible approach to leadership allows for individuals (myself included) to recognise and develop their own leadership skills and distributes the responsibility outwards not just down.

These sessions have been a really positive element within my community of practice and one that shows a good awareness of the need to adapt and change. I'm looking forward to holding more sessions - especially aimed at some of the collaborative and creative uses of technology in the classroom.


References

Core Education Top Ten Trends (2016) Retrieved from http://www.core-ed.org/thought-leadership/ten-trends

Changing Education Paradigms Animation (2010) retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

Education Review Office. (2012). Evaluation at a Glance: Priority Learners in New Zealand Schools. Retrieved 18 May 2016, from http://www.ero.govt.nz/About-Us/News-Media-Releases2/The-three-most-pressing-issues-for-N

National intelligence council.(2012). Global trends: Alternative Worlds. National Intelligence Council: US. Retrieved from https://globaltrends2030.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/global-trends-2030-november2012.pdf

APC Week 26 Current Issues in my Professional Context.

School Culture

School culture is one of the most complex and important concepts in education.

Schein (1985, p.6) considers the basic essence of an organisation’s culture to be: the deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organisation, that operate unconsciously, and that define in a basic ‘taken for granted’ fashion an organisation’s view of itself and its environment (cited in APC, Week 26 Class Notes).

Reflecting on the culture at my school is a natural step from my reflections on my communities of practice. Deal and Peterson (1999) defined that school cultures as a collection of “traditions and rituals that have been built up over time as teachers, students, parents, and administrators work together and deal with crises and accomplishments” (p. 4, cited in Hongboontri, C., & Keawkhong, N. 2014).

My school is rich in history and tradition. The school was set up in 1909 by the Religious Society of the Sacred Heart. The essence of a Sacred Heart education is a deep concern for each person's total development - spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, cultural and physical. Though only halfway through my second year at the school I feel the over-riding values and principles create a culture that really 'walks the walk', my daughters attend the school and I'm an old-girl myself.

Stoll (1998) defines school culture as three dimensions:

• the relationship among its members
• the organisational structure including the physical environment and management system
• the learning nature.

The organisational culture is an invisible powerful force that influences the members'ĵ behaviour. Hongboontri and Keawkhong (2014) show that the school culture impacts on teachers’ beliefs and instructional practices but this relationship is also reciprocal. 

Stoll (1998) places the importance of understanding school culture as the starting point for leading change towards school improvement. Leading change in my school was the focus of my LDC 1 and 2 assignments and I identified aspects of school structure and leadership that affected the increasing challenges presented by BYOD and the transition to becoming a Microsoft Academy school.

Challenges facing my community of practice include the sustained and successful use of digital media tools not only in the classroom but for faculty and school-wide organisational structure. Resistance to change was impacted on by a lack of overall clear vision from the school in PD sessions and a level of dissonance was identifiable in the latter part of 2015.

Within the context of the teaching profession it is vital to harness and engage the digital media tools available to us and was the focus of my literature review. Literature reinforces the need to create meaningful, authentic, student-based learning in order to meet the challenges facing our 21st century learners (Polly and Hannafin, 2001). A vital component of the successful and sustainable use of digital media in the classroom is on-going, relevant PD within a supportive school culture (Loveless, 2011).

The structure of PD and the filtering out of new technology skills and resources is now managed in such a way to support more personal and subject specific training. Staff have a clearer picture of the 'big picture', an essential element in leading successful change (Fullan, Cuttress & Kilcher, 2007). An element of 'gamefication' has been incorporated with staff being able to choose from small workshops that best suit their level of interest and mastery and is proving very successful.

The Friday morning PD sessions we hold allow for ticks to placed alongside each of these steps considered necessary in creating change within a school (pg 10, Stoll, 1998). I play an active role in these sessions - leading some where possible and also holding the role of Faculty Lead Person (FLP) for the Social Sciences Faculty. This position allows me to pass-on relevant and useful information gained from attending weekly technology meetings.

The notion of perception in teachers’ responses to technology can be considered one of the most influential predictors of satisfaction and intention to continue with its use in the classroom (Underwood & Dillon, 2011). By continuing to focus on and enable individualised PD, a positive and forward-thinking culture is enabled and contributes towards teachers' own self -belief regarding their use of the new tools at their disposal - another vital step in meeting the challenge facing my community of practice.

References

Hongboontri, C., & Keawkhong, N. (2014). School Culture: Teachers' Beliefs, Behaviors, and Instructional Practices. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(5), 66-88. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2332&context=ajte

Fullan, M., Cuttress, C., & Kilcher, A. (2007). Forces for Leaders of Change. Journal of Staff Development, 26(4), 54–64. http://doi.org/10.4135/9781452218991.n2

Loveless, A. (2011). Technology, pedagogy and education: reflections on the accomplishment of what teachers know, do and believe in a digital age. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 20(3), 301–316. http://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2011.610931

Polly, D., & Hannafin, M. J. (2011). Examining How Learner-Centered Professional Development Influences Teachers’ Espoused and Enacted Practices. The Journal of Educational Research, 104, 120–130. http://doi.org/10.1080/00220671003636737

Stoll (1998). School Culture. School Improvement Network’s Bulletin 9. Institute of Education, University of London. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Understanding-school-cultures/School-Culture:

Underwood, J., & Dillon, G. (2011). Chasing dreams and recognising realities: teachers’ responses to ICT. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 20(3), 317–330. http://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2011.610932

RCP Week 25: Applied Practice in Context

My community of practice - hmm, interesting question and it has certainly challenged me to do some reflective thinking (tick). Wenger's article, Communities of practice and social learning systems (2000), provides an excellent jumping off point from which to start.

The term 'community of practice' may be defined as “groups of people who share a concern or a passion or about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis” (Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002, p.4, cited in Mindlab Class Notes RCP Week 25). The more I read about and watched clips on this concept the more groups I realised I am actually part of, but first I need to give a little background about myself.

I am new to teaching and currently also completing my PRT 2 year as I work towards full registration (it's been a busy year...). Changing careers this late in life (I'm 48 now) has been totally challenging, terribly hard at times and ultimately very rewarding. I teach at my old school - If you'd told me that would happen when I was 15 I would have been very surprised to say the least.

I trained to teach in the areas of Social Studies, History and Religious Education and I'm currently teaching SOS and RE to year levels 8-12. I love the varied and multi-faceted nature of Social Studies and I'm enjoying the challenge of the senior RE topics I teach: The Reformation, World Religions and Christian Art and Architecture. Taking on new subjects and year levels this year has meant a lot of reading and prep as I try to stay at least one step ahead of my students.

My school has a fantastic sense of community and it is an integral part of the school culture. The sense of community among staff is high and there are many school-supported initiatives to promote the well-being of staff. A staff member (including senior management) leads a short reflection at meetings three mornings a week. The insight into another colleague's life/interests/passions/faith/humour is a real treat and there is frequently laughter and sometimes tears. This community of practice impacts all my relationships at the school.

My Communities of Practice?

So how do I belong, how am I a member? In each of these communities I engage (talking, planning, producing artifacts), utilise imagination to inform, orientate and reflect and I align and co-ordinate my perspectives with others. 

These reflect the nature of the 'social learning systems' suggested by Wenger (2000) and that 'knowing is an act of participation' in such systems. We all experience our 'knowing' in our own way as our individual experience intersects with that knowledge.

Considering this quote (pg 227 - got chopped off) makes me think more deeply about the function and purpose of my practice and how I contribute to my communities. I bring my own unique set of experiences to any new learning or 'knowing' and my engagement within the communities impacts on other members as they in turn engage, align and reflect with the group. It made me feel more confidence in the role that I may play in some of my communities - as a new teacher I sometimes feel unsure of my decisions or initiatives but on reflection my contributions are a valuable and vital part of creating new learning within them.

I'm a really active contributor wherever possible. I really love researching and creating new resources aimed at extending and engaging all our learners. I've had positive feedback on this from many areas which is good affirmation to keep it up. Trying new techniques, group activities and strategies for teaching and behaviour are all ways I seek feedback on and feedback to others. As with any teacher I'm sure, we are constantly reviewing, reflecting and reacting to our day. The point of this blog will hopefully allow me to formalise that a little more and to use it to consider what next. 

I have specialist ares of practice in my subject areas and I'm also the Faculty Lead Person (FLP) for the Social Sciences Faculty. This role means I attend weekly meetings aimed at improving the level and mastery of technology use within the school. This role combined with my Mindlab studies has made me more aware of the broader professional context of this community. The importance of harnessing the amazing tools we have available to us is a key focus for education as we move towards a new future. Ensuring student learning needs are met and key competencies developed remain at the core as professional seek to rise to the challenge of the new media.




Dawson, P (2012) Reflective Practice. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1aYWbLj0U8

Ministry of Education (2009), NZ Curriculum. Retreived from: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Key-competencies

Wenger, E. (2000).Communities of practice and social learning systems.Organization,7(2), 225-246