Educational Origami

Educause publishes a series of useful resources for administrators and teachers. Here are their latest offerings:

• http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-connected-learning – One of the critical skills universally identified for thriving in the 21st Century is the ability to communicate and collaborate.
• http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-infographic-creation-tools I love infographics and the research about our brains ability to process images and develop meaning from these back up their use.
• http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-video-communication Video conferencing is no longer the domain of the special few with the expencive equipment. Tools like Skype for education, which allows multi person video conferencing for free for educators are change this.
• http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-makerspaces – this is an interesting one – this isn’t so much about a technology but about a physical space that enables the use of technology for all users – a must read for anyone investigating libraries, multi purpose spaces etc.

These resources are slightly older but are very useful for teaching IT theory or providing accessible PL resources for teachers

• http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-ipv6 7 things you should know about IP version 6 – this is the new IP protocol that is being gradually being implemented
• http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-mobile-app-development This is a briefing paper on mobile application development – we only have to look at the rapid emergence of tablets and broad acceptance of smartphones to see the relevance of this.
• http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-agile-development Agile project management is a very useful approach to the development of software and IT based projects (its not the only one though). This is a useful resource for this.

Its that time of the year again when staff and schools roll out examinations as a way of assessing the students learning. Examinations are a useful tool in summative assessment, but of course they are not the only tool in the tool kit.

I have been thinking about the advice I give to staff about examinations to support them in making these assessments as useful and beneficial as possible.

My first question would be “do you need an examination? are there better ways of assessing the learning and development of the student?” the answer is invariably yes to both questions. Often we are required to use examination as a tool of assessment and yes there may be better ways but this is one of the ways we have been told to use.

The next piece of advice is this…

Write the examination and the mark scheme simultaneously.

To often we write a question and discover after its gone to print that its unanswerable, beyond the scope of learning, too simple, too hard or is not identifying the aspect of learning we wanted it to. If you can’t write the answer as you develop the question how are your students meant to.

Do my marking descriptors allow the students to achieve or have I written them in such a way to mean a student can only achieve in one way? Am I limiting the students to a low grade by the criteria I have written, is it a “they ahve to do this and this and this and this and this…..” and if they miss out on one point they have failed even if they show higher level understanding.

Does the question allow the student to show depth and extent of learning?

This obviously does not apply to multi-choice or bubble test questions, but does the question allow the student to demonstrate their depth and breadth of understanding to show a progression from…

Identify –> Outline –> Describe –> Explain –> Analyse –> Evaluate

Am I expecting the students to be multi-lingual?

Do my students have to understand two languages – the language of assessment and the language of my subject. How many of my students are lost before they have started because they do not understand the language of assessment.

If I was to ask what is the difference between describe and explain would they know? My students are provided with definitions of the assessment terms on the cover of their examination –

• Outline - give a brief account;
• Describe – give a detailed account;  
• Explain – give a detailed account including causes, reasons or mechanisms.
• and so on

Are the questions structured and balanced?

is there an appropriate balance between lower order thinking and higher order thinking in the number of questions.

I ask my colleagues to proof my examination.
I ask them to please ask these questions as they are working through the examinations.
•    Does it make sense?
•    Does it suit the audience?
•    Does it flow from lower order to higher order questions? from topic to topic?
•    What is the purpose of the task, question or instruction? Does it show the learning outcomes?
•    Does the weighting match the complexity of the task?
•    Is it achievable? allow the students to show excellence?
•    Is the examination manageable and realistic for the time frame?
•   Is the coverage of the examination suitable in terms of the students learning

I have been wondering about what the role of the librarian is?

This is actually a hard question, some people might answer that they don’t think its changed, the role remains the same. I would argue that those people have libraries that have not adapted and changed with the world we live in.

Some might argue that their is no longer a role for the librarian. I would again disagree, I believe the role is so much more now.

So where do I stand? Librarianship as we know it has changed . It has changed as the mediums of information distribution of changed. It has changed as the speed of information growth has increased, it has changed as the access to online media has become increasingly ubiquitous. Therefore the role of the librarian has to change.

The Librarian is still the curator, but they have three key roles or features of their craft. They are the:

• Media Expert
• Ethicist
• Scholar

So what do I mean by each of these different roles.

The Many roles of the librarian

Curator – Maintaining the real and virtual space, the mediums and materials,the processes and standards that underpin the library as a center of learning and information. Critical to this role is the:

Media Expert, they have expertise in many different forms of Media, both the traditional book style format and the varied digital media

• Written Media – Book “style” media
  • mediums
    • paper based  – books, journals, magazines etc
    • electronic – ebooks
  • roles
    • access – they know where to access these resources, whether this is by ordering from the national library or such institutions
    • order/purchase/archive/disposal – they can manage the lifecycle of the resources from discovery to acquisition to disposal
    • Retrieve and distribute – they are able to distribute these resources
    • review/validate – they are considered and critical about the veracity and validity of the resources
    • organise – they can organise in what ever required form or process the materials
• Other Media
  • mediums
    • Audio visual – video, film, television, radio, podcast, vodcast, online media (youtube, clickview, teachertube etc)
    • internet based – webstes, encyclopedia etc
    • Video conferencing- accessing primary  sources
  • roles
    • access
    • schedule and record – where applicable they can schedule and appropriate record and archive materials
    • order/purchase/archive/disposal
    • Retrieve and distribute
    • review/validate
    • organise

Ethicist – The Librarians second key role is that of the ethicist. They understand the complexities of ownership, attribution, copyright, fair use, creative commons and intellectual property. They support and assist in the development of suitable ethical practice, acting as role models, guides and facilitators

• Information fluency leader (see http://fluency21.com)
  • asking good questions
  • acquire suitable resources – online and off line, primary and secondary sources
  • analyse – validity, accuracy, reliability
  • apply – apply to learning experience/opportunity
  • assess – debrief, assessing process and accuracy
• Copyright
  • understand copyright law, intellectual property, ownershipand attribution
  • apply ethical principles appropriately
  • understand fair use, and apply this
  • Creative Commons
    • liciencing
    • accessing
    • publishing
    • Acknowledging
• Bibliography
  • APA
  • MLA
  • other

Scholar – The librarian also has a scholarship role. Understanding adn supporting inquiry, promoting and teaching process working with curriculum leaders, teachers, students and parents to support learning. Applying their diverse skills to maximise the learning opportunities

• Understand the inquiry process – embedding this into everyday practice and process
• Deep understanding of and assisting in the development of information fluency
• Linking to curriculum areas
  • planning for units of learning
    • order suitable resources at suitable levels in suitable mediums
    • support the learning process
      • asking good questions
      • acquiring suitable resources
      • analysing validity
      • applying it to learning
      • assessing
  • supporting the development of units of learning
  • reviewing
• Understanding of current stock, physical and electronic – able to apply to clients learning requirements, age, interest
• Understanding of search engines, databases etc. able to apply understanding in age appropriate modes

This isn’t a role that is limited to the physical confines of teh library. That is an artifical limitation that is, I believe, self imposed. It is a role that touch all aspects of teaching and learning.

IS this a complete list? IS it a job description? No, but its my thoughts on a starting place for what a librarian is…

What have I missed? How many people would say they are already doing all of this and more?

privacy
noun [ mass noun ]
a state in which one is not observed or disturbed by other people: she returned to the privacy of her own home.
• the state of being free from public attention: a law to restrict newspapers’ freedom to invade people’s privacy.

[Dictionary Version 2.2.1 Apple]

I read this morning in Stuff that Google Glass is being send out, for a small fee, to the lucky winners of the contest held in the US (8000 winners and US$1500 per pair) – http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/8573092/Google-Glass-distribution-begins-this-week

The Google glass’es look amazing and they are the forerunner of a wave of wearable technologies. In fact the Horizon report for 2013 – higher education edition has wearable technology on its 4-5 year horizon – http://www.nmc.org/publications/2013-horizon-report-higher-ed and http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2013-horizon-report-HE.pdf.

Google glass is the start of what we are to see, but I am left wondering if the price we pay for these technologies isn’t just financial but also with our privacy. I love the the idea of voice activated functionality, the immediacy and potential that this technology has. The promo videos are amazing, but they are meant to be. The concern is giving all my information to Google. (I know that’s an exaggeration, but…..)

Would Google, or in fact any other global cooperation actually be interested in me beyond the general trends about what I do and see? I don’t think so, I am not that interesting, but the general trends that I contribute to that is a different matter. Am I prepared to pay this price for the potential that these technologies hold? Yes, I think I am, because with my member ship of social media site, I have already given this away. But my decision must be a conscious one, informed, aware and deliberate.

Resources:

http://www.google.com/glass/start/

http://www.google.com/glass/start/how-it-feels/

Above video on Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1uyQZNg2vE

Social media, like twitter or facebook, is neither positive or negative. It isn’t good or bad, its just a tool, a facility or a feature we can use. On the traditional medias like television these mediums are collecting a bit of criticism for the comments, tweets and posts published in light of the recent tragedies we have witnessed in the US.

Its not the medium that is at fault here, rather it is the behaviours of the users that is more of a concern. We have seen the power of twitter to help facilitate the change or regimes in the Arab Spring, to break the news to the world of devastating earthquakes in China. But we have also seen it used to organize flash mobs in the London riots or recently to do the equivalent of spreading rumors in the digital medium around the unfolding nightmare that is the Boston marathon.

There has to be balance.

As a good digital citizen we are expected to:

• respect and protect yourself – looking after yourself
• respect and protect others – looking after others
• respect and protect property – looking after property

Part of respecting and protecting others, is considering the impact, accuracy and significance of the material that we post. While sometimes the tweets we post can change the world in a positive way. Sometimes, the speed and ease at which we can post these comments and the potential size of the audience we can reach means we need to consider the impact, importance, significance and relationships effected by the material we post.

In a world of immediacy, and instant communication we need to stop, take a deep breath and wait. Taking a considered and deliberate pause, and then……

Resources:

Digital Citizenship – http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/The+Digital+Citizen

The Fluencies – http://fluency21.com/fluencies.html

This is a very interesting infographic examining generation media consumption http://adage.com/article/adagestat/infographic-generational-media-usage-time-day/229831/ especially if we start to link this with the recent BBC article and the anecdotal vignettes from teenagers about their sleepless habits – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21876118

There is a definite digital citizenship aspect to this. The students in the BBC article are not looking after themselves or others. They are struggling to maintqain healthy relationship and this is supported by the inforgraphic showing the timing of their technology use.

In this update of on the wire I have a couple of interesting articles and the odd infographic to share

1. BBC Future – Why your brain loves to get feedback – http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130226-why-your-brain-loves-feedback An interesting article on the importance of feedback. This supports the research from Professor John Hattie in his book Visual Learning about the importance of feedback (not that I think Hattie’s work needed further support – http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/media-speeches/guestlectures/pdfs/tgls-hattie.pdf)

2. Free Stock Photos – There are some excellent sites that will provide you with access to good quality stock photography for free. Here are a couple to check out

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images
• http://www.kozzi.com/
• http://www.morguefile.com/

3. On a lighter note – Paper is Not Dead. This video about the iPad and paper is doing the rounds at the moment, and it makes a valuable as well as humorous point that is worth considering. technology isn’t a replacements for traditional approaches to activities, its an alternative. We need to consider the best tool for the job.

paper is not dead

4. Virtual Tours from Mountain peaks and Base camps – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10872387

This is an article from the NZ Herald that contains a number of virtual tours of mountain peaks and base camps. Here is the link to the blog post by the adventurer who created the tours – http://googleblog.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/explore-everest-kilimanjaro-and-more.html

and finally an infographic on apps and the impact these are having – http://mobilefuture.org/resources/app-infographic/

Source: http://travelblog.portfoliocollection.com/FeaturedImage/BBC-Africa1.jpg

The kids have just finished watching the final episode of the Brilliant BBC series Africa, hosted and narrated by David Attenborough. As we watch the last part of the last episode, Attenborough made a point about the importance of the wild places and the need for these to sustain the planet.

The series was predictably brilliant, and for those schools in New Zealand who subscribe to screenrights, you can record and use this legally in our classes.

But the point that Attenborough makes about the importance of preserving the wild places and their vital role in powering the planet is important, but unless you experience “the wild” then often this is a concept with out support and or experience. To be able to understand the beauty, scale, size, variety and critically importance of these wild places can only be touched on by documentaries like Africa. That is not to decry the brilliant cinematography, stunning vistas and awe inspiring settings. But the wild is not just visual, it is not just sound it is a holistic experience.

To gain an appreciation of the diversity and complexity of the outdoors, of the wild places, it is best to experience them, even if it is in a limited setting.

I am fortunate that my school takes all of our students out for an Outdoor education week, and we run outdoor education as a subject at senior levels. It encourages adventure sports, promotes the brilliant duke of Edinburgh scheme and happily supports the Roots and Shoots club based on the work by another legendary figure in Biology, Jane Goodall.  Outdoor education is a medium for understanding, experience and developing a passion for the wilder places, and the need to conserve them for not just our future generations but for our very survival.

Outdoor education as a subject, and as an event is potentially one of the keys to our survival.

 Screenrights - http://www.screenrights.org/content-users/new-zealand-services

Here are a selection of interesting articles on education, technology and digital citizenship:

New Zealand Herald

Defence force highlights social network dangers – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10870096 – This is a Digital citizenship basic concept, look after yourself by not posting information that can potentially put you at risk. For these guys it could be life and limb at risk

Dotcom’s shut down good for studios – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10870142 This another DC related post, this time for respecting and protecting intellectual property. The big studios are reporting they are better off now Dotocom’s Megaupload is Mega closed.

New MOE figures show its true – Kids struggling at maths – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10870138 – Basic arthimatic skills are suffering. This is a bit of a powder keg, but its actually very healthy to take a critical eye and look at what we do. We expect our kids to be reflective, we need to model this.

BBC News

US state (south Dakota) to arm teachers – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21722377 This is sad. This isn’t how you fix a problem, by introducing more of the problem into the system. The answer isn’t peace through superior firepower.

Web based brain for robots goes live - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21714191 - This is both cool and alarming at the same time. The opening paragraph explains it

” Robots confused about what they encounter in the world of humans can now get help online. European scientists have turned on the first part of a web-based database of information to help them cope. Called Rapyuta, the online “brain” describes objects robots have met and can also carry out complicated computation on behalf of a robot.”

I will keep this in mind next time I encounter a robot on the street.

Stuff

Your new boss is a robot – http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/8399881/Your-new-boss-is-a-robot  – This robot being developed by MIT is learning to run a factory and give orders to artifical co-workers – this is an interesting topic and links with the interesting BBC article abot the web based brain for robots

3D printing revolution: Rethinking form – http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/8394655/3D-printing-revolution-Rethinking-form  – Fascinating article and the example of use are amazing – 3D printing is becoming affordable for the classroom and schools. This is a trend to watch.

One NEWS

News Corp unveils new tablet for schools – http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/corp-unveils-new-tablet-schools-5362867 – Interesting – an android powered tablet for schools, particularly secondary schools. “digital innovation to transform teaching and learning” hum

3 News

Beer Goggles to raise awareness of drink-driving – http://www.3news.co.nz/Beer-goggles-to-raise-awareness-of-drink-driving/tabid/423/articleID/289563/Default.aspx – This a driver education tactic by Auckland transport. I like it and its worth doing. I use a similar concept with my senior IT students when we are looking at accessibility and disability with computers – earplugs, glasses, think gloves you name it we try it.

I have been looking around for a simple quality assurance test plan that my students could use for developing multi-page websites. I haven’t found one that really seemed to cover the bases. So I made one up.

This is not a testing process, rather a guide for what should be asked. To put this in context – My students have to create a multipage website including graphics, images and potentially video and animation using Cascading style sheets to render the formatting and layout.

Here is what I came up with.