#9 Digital Fluency Intensive - Revision

Week 5 already - how time flies so quickly!  We had several celebrations this week, on Wednesday our Year 5&6's cricket girls took out first place for 3 years in a row for Auckland Champs!

On the same day, we all headed down to Sylvia Park to watch our Manaiakalani Film Festival movies.  Wow!  A lot of work and energy went into producing these 3 minutes movies - great work from everyone!

This is our last DFI course, so much has been learned.  I have a few things I will definitely implement on day one 2020, setting up routines as well as being more smarter with my time.  I've met some great people on this course, look forward to reading what they're be implementing 2020.

#8 Digital Fluency Intense - Devices

This week we've been preparing for Athletic Day (today) as well as students re-reading their plays to show to the whole class.  Funnily enough, all our students (low/high readers, shy/confident students) all want to participate in the play - especially wanting the main role.

My heart was chuffed when one of our low readers wanted to participate in the play.  This student was ready, willing and able to participate with a group of actors.

Week 8 at DFI - we looked at devices that our students use for their learning.  It dawned on me that our learners has the world at their fingertips.   

#7 Digital Fluency Intense - Computational Thinking

Malo Ni! This week we celebrate Tokelaun language week.

During DFI, we had an informative session on computational thinking.  We had the exuberant Vivian Chandra (OMG Tech PLD Facilitator) sharing her wealth of knowledge and information of coding but also looking behind the scenes of coding (Binary).

Computational thinking can be defined as "using different tools to show a way humans solve problems; it is not trying to get humans to think like computers." (Wing, 2006)

Look forward to implementing different ways to show computational thinking for our 21st Century learners.   

 

#6 Digitally Fluency Intensive - Dealing with Data

It's only week 2 but already it seems like time is slipping away. Last night our school had their disco, it was great time to see our students in a different light, but the reality they don't have long before they head into Year 6's. We've just started our testing however, I needed some tools to help me assess where the students are at. 

This is the session I have been looking forward to the most, as I know little about google forms, sheets and google mymaps. 

Normally during our team meetings, I'm in awe of how quickly our team leader produces these excel spreadsheets with data & graphs from our student's results. Then I will ask him "How do I do that??" .. then his ghastly expression which indicates his time is precious. 

I'm looking forward to this labor weekend, not so much the 1-day break but setting up google sheets to help me with my report writing .. YES!!

 

#5 Digitally Fluency Intensive - Enabling Access Sites

This week we celebrate our Niuean Language Week "Fakaalofa lahi atu!"  

Returning back from holiday - I was looking forward to getting back to class, seeing how our students have grown.  Day 1 - students were excited to share about their holidays, students were relieved to be back at school and connect with their friends.

Already have started on 'Gloss test' for our students, setting up reports writing and reminding my class they don't have long before they head to next year - so make it count!

Back to DFI - this part explained a lot why our team leader kept our site 'less' colourful -and font & images.

#4 Digitally Fluency Intensive - Collaborate Sites

Bonjour!  Been a busy week!  

On Monday our school participated in our annual cross country run.  Our Year 5's ran 1.5km, a great effort for those who participated. 

 On Wednesday, I graduated alongside my work colleague Sandy Lagitupu from Unitech - Postgraduate certificate in Digital and Collaborative Learning.  With hours to go before finishing and handing in our class Film Fesitval movie .. eek! 

Week 4 - we got to hear the importance of 'Share' from the Manaiakalani LCS, as well as creating our own google sites.  We also got to hang/meet with our Gisborne cohort, who shared tips on our google exams.  Key was to read the questions and copy & paste (lol!).

From last week, I decided to share a google slide.  Feel free to drop a line.  Au revoir.

    

#3 Digitally Fluency Intensive - Media

"Poipoia te kakano kia puawai"  

Nurture the seed and it will blossom.

Kia ora whanau - it's week 3!  We're celebrating our Maori Language week & looking at different forms of Media we can use.


What did I learn that increased my understanding of Manaiakalani kaupapa and pedagogy?
What defines create?  ‘Creativity focuses on the process of forming original ideas through exploration and discovery.  With children, creativity develops from their experiences with the process rather than concern for the finished product.  ‘Create’ - is the hook in your lesson plan/practice.  Begin with ‘create’ & then let the learning emerge.  The learning is richer now with chrome books using online.

For students who are disengaged - Start with the ‘hook/create’, what will they be designing.  Our students should be creators of content, instead of consumers.  Learn-create-share is a linear process.  Will look at ‘create’ to be a spiral inquiry.

What did I learn that could improve my confidence, capability or workflow as a professional?
Using youtube, I can create a channel, to begin a playlist.  Instead of asking students to research on youtube, I am able to direct students to the youtube video that they need to view. 

Google draw - able to create pages with pictures, even mind mapping or comic strips.  Multiple purposes of using google draw for our students to create.  Being able to set the canvas size, crop pictures, change the picture format including using word art.

What did I learn that could be used with my learners?
Google slides - creating animations slides.  From our inquiry this term, I was able to design an animation slide about the rocky shore featuring the starfish.  Being creative, not just using the standard themes including sound to accompany the slide.  By planning, plan and plan this will help our presentation be more effective.  The last slide is my pepeha, rather than speaking, but showing visuals to support my pepeha.  Feel free to leave a positive comment

#2 Digitally Fluency Intense - Workspace

Malō e lelēi! We're now at week 2, looking at how we can manage our workspace more effectively.

By using google keep - where we can keep our notes & thoughts, at its best is when we're using our phone. Important that we use labels to ensure that we group our documents & etc together.

Within google keep, we're able to set up a new note, include people into google keep. A great tool to have a checklist (& share with others). By using 'drawing', you can use your signature. You can organise your notes by pinning it to the top (priority) and then unpinning it when finished.

One tool on google keep that is valuable is having a photo of the screen and select 'grab image text'. The text from that image shows up underneath it on that same note. Incredible!

Another great tool on google keep is using voice memo (Only available on the phone), similar to voice type. You can record and share a voice memo to others.

My first attempt on google hangouts/meet, a timesaver tool to use for video conferencing. For
building connections outside the classroom, even buddying up with another class. Opportunity to
meet via digital space. This can be arranged and organised through google calendar.

Here's an example of our group Rachelle, Roy & myself recording our small group discussion about the students Summer learning journey blog.  Feel free to leave a comment!

#1 Digital Fluency Intensive - Core Business

Week 1: I wasn't too sure what this course entailed except that it would help me in my teaching practice by using digital learning to accelerate learning and achievement for our students.

It was only fitting to start with Manaiakalani karakia and introductions from our cohort 3 of 19 professionals including Dorothy and Gerhard.  

We got to hear the journey and humble beginnings of the start of Manaiakalani which begun November 2006.  From blending school    Spearheaded by Dorothy Burt who is now an international Apple & Google certified teacher.

The power of 'groups' - able to collaborate and communicate within a specific group.  This is easily created through group.google.com - it allows you to send emails through without waiting for 'accept' when an invitation has been sent.  This is useful when sending out emails to parents for 'sports' or small groups.  Not suitable for our students.  (Using Hapara is suitable).

Chalk n talk - learning shortcuts and tricks working with google chrome, such as using the omnibox, especially shifting the tabs by pushing 'control' & '#'.

My next steps:

Folders: One point that stood out for me was ensuring that our student's folders are 'sorted'.  Getting our students in the habit of going into the correct folder and 'create' a new doc/slide etc.  

Voice-typing: Using this facility to allow students to record their writing by voice, for students to proof-read and edit their work.  

I'll keep you posted with my DFI PD.  Feel free to leave a comment on my blog!