“ In New Zealand and internationally there is widespread interest in the use of technologies to enhance learning in schools and the debate has extended to include the way educators also use technologies to support their own professional learning. (Melhuish 2013)”
Some key features of social media that are beneficial for teaching and learning:
This week I attended the Christchurch Primary Principal’s Association conference. It was on the theme of Design Thinking. I found it thought provoking; at times challenging and other times, affirming. Most of the keynote speakers and workshop facilitators spoke about the use of technology in schools. One such keynote speaker that had me thinking was Chris Betcher. (Director of Professional development for EDTech team in Sydney). He asked us to consider and discuss how we use social media and to what extent it in“ In New Zealand and internationally there is widespread interest in the use of technologies to enhance learning in schools and the debate has extended to include the way educators also use technologies to support their own professional learning. (Melhuish 2013)”
fluences our professional development He also had us discussing the use of social media in the class. Most of the people in the room indicated that they use twitter, facebook, and blogs as a means of gaining information on current educational thinking. Most people present also use social media personally to stay in touch with people (twitter and facebook) that they have made connections with in a face to face capacity. (Such as meeting at conferences, courses etc). Most people in the room now use social media in some way in their everyday lives. Almost everyone uses YouTube as as a professional development resource, (especially Ted Talks) and many teachers now use YouTube as an instructional video in the class.
An interesting point made separately by both Chris Betcher and Derek Wenmoth (CORE) in their presentations is that technology has been around a long time, however, it is our use of it that has had to undergo a transformation. It is our global connectedness that has enabled us to use technology in a more transformational way. This resonated with me. If technology is being used as an alternative to pen and paper and books, then it is not being used to enable and enhance learning. It is merely swapping out a text - book for an IPAD. No wonder that in schools where this is the case, studies are showing that technology is having little or no impact on student achievement. The connection between technology and pedagogy needs to be made and it needs to be reflected in our school vision. We need to be using technology for things that we couldn’t do any other way. Such as connecting with people and working collaboratively, globally. If we want our students to be developing the fundamental skills of collaboration, connectedness, creativity, critical thinking and communication then we need to be thinking about the use of technology and asking; “what is the learning? how does it connect with developing fundamental skills?.” (Derek Wenmoth, CPPA conference 2016). Technology needs to be the vehicle for causing learning, not the reason for the learning. As Chris Betcher said in his keynote, “ Using the technology can be easy, it’s the rest that requires wisdom … bringing students to excellence has little to do with the technology”. The example he gave was how easy it is to learn how to create an imovie. That takes five minutes. The skill is in the crafting of the script, the acting, the direction, the effects, the collaboration and cohesiveness of the participants. That is not about the technology. The technology removes the friction. It makes the end product easier to access and achieve. (Paraphrased from keynote presentation Chris Betcher CPPA conference 2016)
Using Social media to enhance my professional development:
In the past 18 months, I have increasingly used Twitter as a platform for my own professional development. I engaged in a facilitated Twitter challenge at the beginning of last year and this helped me to gain confidence with using twitter as a way to engage with other educators globally. I am now able to research educational topics on a grand and accessible scale. Participating in twitter chats makes me feel connected to educators around the world. Through Twitter I am able to access links to research and blogs and discussions that are shared by inspirational people. I am emerging out of the ‘lurker’ world and I am tentatively participating. It is an exciting place to be.
References:
Melhuish, K. (2013) Online Social networking and its impact on NewZealand educator’s professional learning.
Quotes and paraphrases from presentation by Chris Betcher, CPPA conference Christchurch 2016.
Quotes and paraphrases from presentation by Derek Wenmoth, CPPA conference Christchurch 2106.
Thank you for this post Maire. I found it a very interesting read. I particularly like the discussion Derek had around the fact that this technology has been around for quite a while, yet it us that have had to undergo the transformation. Since looking at this topic for this part of the assignment, it has been interesting to listen to the news at night and breakfast the amount of times they refer to using social media, or getting items from the social media platform. It very much a part of our everyday lives and permeating not only our social but also our professional lives. I do wonder though whether social media within primary schools will be as effective as at the higher education end. At our school, using our Google Apps, we opened Google+ to our teachers and this also opened it for the students and at one stage we did entertain the idea of student using this platform..but read on. However, when one of our students went onto Google+, innocently, put his details in, Google shut down his whole account because he was underage. That meant he couldn't access his google account, drive etc. It wasn't an issue to reinstate, but with many of these social media sites having age limits, it does then pose the 'ethical' delimena on whether primary students should be using this.
ReplyDeleteNot sure where I sit on this one.
Thanks for your comment Andrea. I so know where you are coming from. Our children are all so comfortable with social media as part and parcel of their lives. They are very much digital people and from here on in will be. I do worry about the connectedness that this allows and whether our students are aware of the pitfalls of living their lives so publicly.
ReplyDeleteAnother good post! I enjoyed listening to Chris Betcher as well - I thought he had a great message about how much technology has changed and how little education has changed. You have articulated the challenge that comes out of this well - the challenge to enable and enhance learning with technology. I love this quote from The Innovator's Mindset, "Learners are the driver, technology is the accelerator". (Couros, 2015, pg 148)
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