No more Chalkdust

Technogy in the classroom has been the topic of most of my blog posts. Today is no different (obviously since this course is called DIGITAL pedagogy). The topic for today is... drum roll please... Interactive Whiteboards. So before we get to the good part, what is an Interactive Whiteboard? It involves a large interactive display that connects to a computer and then a projector that projects the computer's desktop onto the board's surface. The user (in this case the teacher) can control the computer by simply using a pen or your finger. Yes I did get this definition from Wikipedia so if you need more info just Google (see I'm being modern).

So now that we know what it is how do we use it? And more importantly is it important? In my personal opinion I prefer a whiteboard to a chalkboard. A chalkboard can be a messy restriction. I call it a restriction because engagement is key (again my opinion) and its difficult to engage when you are viciously writing info on a board and its even more difficult to engage when you back is contantly turned to the classroom. And its messy obviously. I've had to clean enough classrooms to know that you can never truly get rid of chalk dust. So a whiteboard gets rid of both those problems. You can focus on your class because the whiteboard is easy to use and the best thing is you can make your notes at home and simply project them on the screen. And the best thing... No chalk dust (hallelujah). Now playing videos is as easy a tapping your finger to a screen. Playing a video is simply opening a file and putting on the sound. This technology also enables you to scan your textbooks and project the pages you will be using unto the screen. So yes the Interactive Whiteboard is useful. There is no arguing about that and I know I find it both confusing and extremely useful.

The flip side of course is not to let the technology control your classroom. If you've been reading my blog posts you will no my opinion already but let me say it again. Technology should be used as a tool and should not control the teacher. If you as the teacher can be replaced by an interactive whiteboard, you are doing it wrong. So by all means use it! Play a song to explain poetry, display pages from a book on the screen and use pictures for the learner who prefers visuals. Use the whiteboard is it works with your teaching. Use it to help engage with your learners and not as a barrier of a tool to "fool" them into thinking you teaching.

So enjoy the techology and keep being great teachers!

Communication is Key

"Communication and Trust are two main ingredients for a successful Relationship"

School isn't a place a lot of people remember with affection. I know going to school wasn't my favourite thing to do and that's how it is for many kids. The important question here is why? Why do most kids hate school? Well, out of my experience it was because for most part school felt really irrelevant and restricting. Most kids see school as something that is forced upon them and they have no say in what is happening in their school environment. So the point I's trying to make is school isn't as learners orientated as we all like to think. Let me explain. School is for learners, right? Its purpose is to educate learners, right? So if school is made for learners why are we not making them part if the decision making within the school? Why are we focusing on what we THINK they should learn instead of what THEY want to learn? 

For me as a teacher communication is what makes the classroom go round. So if we are talking about meaningful involvement in the classroom and the school (and that is what we are talking about) all that I can think about is communication, communication and COMMUNICATION. Now going back to the idea of school not being truly learner orientated... In my opinion the fact that we don't include learners in the decisions made at school is simply a lack of communication. If we communicated with our learners we would know what they wanted. And that is what I would ideally want in my classroom. A place where communication takes place. Where my learners feel comfortable enough to not only talk to me but they feel comfortable enough to share their thought and feelings about what is important to them! And I would want to listen. To be someone they can talk to and share what they want and what they feel they should be learning. 

Meaningful involvement in my class would be centered around communication between me and my learners. Being able to form a relationship with them where they are so comfortable that they can share with me what they are feeling and that they can be part of the decisions that is made in class. So to sum everything up... We need to make school a place where learners feel they are a part of the school. That they have a say in what is happening in their school environment. Let the kids have a say in what is happening to them. Don't silence them but let them communicated with us so that they can be involved!

Viva la communication!

Technology - My New Frontier

If someone asked me a few weeks ago about using technology in the classroom my first instinct would have been hell no! I’m from a school where having a cellphone in class was equal to kicking your teacher between the legs (which is bad, obviously) and was seen as a capital offence. So naturally my ideal of teaching did not involve technology at all, except maybe an interactive whiteboard if I’m feeling particularly techno-savvy. So when I was asked how I would use technology in my classroom I had to think for a moment. How do I implement technology in my classes (Afrikaans, English and History)? The last few blog posts I’ve been preaching that technology shouldn’t replace a teacher and that we should “teach naked”. So how can I implement technology and not be a hypocrite? At first it seemed like a difficult question but then when I started thinking about it, it started to make sense.

First I was inspired by what we have been encouraged to do during our Digital Pedagogy class. And I thought why only now? It doesn’t make sense that I waited until my fourth year of study to start sharing my thoughts online with my peers. So why not do it at school level? I’m not saying have the kids blog in class (remember we like “teaching naked”) but have learners use blogging as platforms to practice and share their creative writing maybe even poetry. Create a community were learners and you as the teacher can read your learner’s ideas and help and encourage them even before they hand in any essays. Groom them while their at home simply writing what they feel. Of course this train of thought led me to Twitter. Why not create a hash tag for learners to use for certain discussion? For example discussing History topics (since no history teachers every has enough time to discuss EVERY angle) that learners find interesting or maybe even questions they find themselves pondering over after class (teachers can dream). Social media can be a great place to discuss relevant class topics if the situation can be controlled for example creating a private Facebook page where learners can ask about work, discuss homework and even share ideas as they continue to further their thinking. Keep learners in the loop about what is happening at school. I know about this nifty little app called School Communicator that teachers in South Africa can download, log in to the school you are at and BOOM! you can talk to the learners, share news about school events and even inform parents about what the child is up to or what the child didn’t do (no more late homework).

What I guess I’m getting at is the idea of Digital Pedagogy isn’t as impossible as it sometimes feels when I read up on it. In the space of a few weeks I’ve moved from banning all technology in classrooms to realizing it can be useful and then to thinking about how I can use it (now that I’ve been exploring the new and exciting world of Twitter and Blogging). So yes, Digital Pedagogy can be used and achieved and I’m excited to test out these ideas for myself.

Keep things interesting

“Pedagogy has at its core timeliness, mindfulness and improvisation.”

So. There I find myself again contemplating the concept of digital pedagogy. Not only is it a strange word to pronounce but it gets even stranger when trying to identify what it means. Digital obviously has to do with technology and Pedagogy well that’s just a weird word right? Wrong. Digital pedagogy is not simply the use of technology is classrooms. Nor does it refer to teaching online (and I’m sure a few of us thought it did) or posting class notes online. So what is digital pedagogy? Well that’s a really good question.

Digital pedagogy is a way of living (yes I said it). It’s not strictly about the tools you use, the way you speak or going online. Pedagogy is a concept that forms part of who you are as a teacher. I know this sounds weird so let me explain further. First let’s drop the “digital” for a moment. According to @slamteacher pedagogy is present wherever learning is taking place. Pedagogy is about engagement between people that enables learning. Pedagogy is about innovation. Reinventing the way you teach when the situation demands it. It aims to create a passion for learning that doesn’t simply disappear when the exams are done (as most of our “knowledge” disappeared during school).

Pedagogy at its core refers to innovation and improvisation. So what does this mean? It simply means that a pedagogue (yes that it a word) always looks at what they are teaching and think, how can I improve this? How can I change what I am doing to make this a worthwhile experience for my learners?

Now for the “digital” part. Digital (pedagogy) is about adapting to the technological revolution our generation is experiencing. However (if you read my previous post, plus thank you for doing so) it’s not about bombarding your learners with technological tools in the class room. It means you don’t need to be afraid of it. According to @jessifer you as a teachers should teach your tools not simply let your tools teach you. Use the computer if you want but don’t let technology replace who you are as a teacher. Then you’re not a pedagogue and definitely not a digital one. So use the tools (don’t be one). And discover new things along the way. There’s no shame in stumbling around in the dark because how else are we supposed to find something new and interesting if we don’t go look for it in unknown places?

So no, digital pedagogy is not about teaching online (I hope we established this), nor is it simply about going “digital”. Pedagogy is a way of thinking and it’s a way of being teachers. It’s about seeing how thing are and what is being done and thinking how can I improve this. So be pedagogical (I really didn’t know this was a word but I guess it is!) and reinvent the way you teach. Take your learners outside to inspire them to write a descriptive essay, play monopoly to help them to understand money (I am not a math teacher so try this at your own risk). Screw around with different techniques (yes this material has some very dubious chose of words) and keep learning new things and play around with how you teach. Do something different and keep learning how to establish new ways of teaching and keep things interesting.

Going Nude (It's not what you expect)

We are all aware of how prominent technology is in our lives. I mean, list the few places where technology isn't used or important? I bet you can name them on one hand. So if technology is so paramount in our daily lives should we shy away from it in schools? Yes I know when people think about technology in schools we all relive that horrific PowerPoint presentation that basically put you into hibernation. But is that all technology can be used for at school? As a tool that is used to ram information down leaner's throats? (No students were harmed in the writing of this post).

Technology is being used to revolutionize the world but when it comes to classrooms everyone hits a blank. Yes we have the YouTube video's and the projector but is that using technology to benefit the learners or as a tool to make the teachers life easier? That is why the idea of teaching naked (it's not what you think) is such an intriguing idea. Strip away the technology in the classroom. Leave the YouTube videos and the PowerPoints and get down to the nitty gritty of what it is we want to do as teachers. We want to TEACH and to do that we need to engage. And learners don't need to engage with a YouTube video. They need to engage with you (the teacher - just to clarify) and with others in the class. (I bet you are wondering what happened to the "technology is revolutionary" line I had going but just stay with me). The intention of Teaching Naked is ripping away the technology in the classroom. It's about stepping out behind the computer and peaking from behind the projection screen and actually engaging with the budding young minds sitting in front of you. Just you and them. Keep it simple.

Now comes the "viva la technology" I promised. The concept of Teaching Naked does not exclude the use of technology (I know right? What??). It just argues against using technology as a barrier to prevent you from engaging with the learners. Now where does technology fit in with school education? Well why don't we let the learners use it for their school work at home? Assign then educational podcast to listen to at home. Have them blog about ideas or topics you give them in class. Have them engage with each other and with topics on Twitter. Social media has become platforms of discussion from political to social to personal. Why not use those platforms to help them engage with the world while discovering their own voice?

Bottom line is: Don't be afraid of Technology and don't shy away from it. Just use it to help the learners develop their own ideas and then engage with them without any distractions. So keep it Naked ;)

Talana Cilliers