@Ideas_Factory The blog of Julian S. Wood

I was asked to present a 5 year vision to school Governors last week by my headteacher. I have reproduced my report at the bottom of this post and I have also posted some links to information I used.

As a quick summary (if you can’t be bothered to read the whole report) I have mentioned these aspects-

•New hardware-ipad/pods, tablet, consoles, net books

•BYOD-Bring your own device.

•Using Social media to communicate with parents.

•Blogging/Publishing.

•Game Based Learning.

•Free Web tools.

•Collaboration/Social Learning.

•Free ‘open’ WiFi

Apologies to those tech aficionados who will be annoyed by my, probably wrong, interpretations of the new technology I have mentioned. I can only go on what I think is right.

As always would love to hear what people think-please post a comment-feedback ALWAYS welcome!

A Vision for implementing new technology and ICT at Wybourn Community Primary School

New Learners are…

•more self-directed

•better equipped to capture information

•more reliant on feedback from peers

•more inclined to collaborate

•more oriented toward being their own “nodes of production”.

Education Trends | Featured News
John K. Waters—13 December 2011

Now

Blogging

• Pupils work ‘published’.
• Parents have quick access to pupil work.
• Showcase for pupil writing-pupils have an ‘audience’ and are writing for a purpose.
• Easy Peer-feedback to edit and re-draft work via comments.
• Encouragement for those pupils with low self-esteem.
• Proven to raise writing standards.

Free Web 2.0 tools

• Free
• Web based-trouble if internet ‘down’.
• More and more new products-always a better alternative-just have to know where to look!
• Stimulating for pupils-especially for those who find ‘traditional learning’ difficult to access.

Laptops and Computer suite-used by all very regularly.

• Old, slow, unreliable and not good value for money.
• Cluttered with programs that are out of date and rarely used.
• Mainly used to do ‘research’ for topic subjects or old style ‘Word-processing’ using Microsoft Office tools.

The internet-used mainly for research and games.

• Many pupils and adults don’t understand e-safety and are too over-reliant on YGFL filtering.
• Pupils mainly play games in own time at school-surprisingly high amount playing ‘educational’ games!
• Most pupils and adults don’t understand basics of ‘Search’.

VLE(virtual learning environment) and website-

• signed up to excellent Purple Mash.
• Pupils love it and use a great deal ‘out of school’.
• Website up and running. Regularly updated and getting 700 ‘hits’ a month.

Recommendations

• Staff and pupils encouraged to blog more regularly.
• Staff and pupil training on e-safety and safe-search.
• Regular use of Purple Mash.
• Staff signposted free web tools.

In 1-2 years

Games Based Learning-pupils and staff using games in lessons to stimulate learning and to access curriculum areas that are impossible to achieve. (Visit to moon for Space topic etc)

Mobile learning-ipods/Ipads in classroom-Class sets of ipads/ipods that can be used for collaborative learning-cost saving because of availability of free ‘Apps’. Ipods/Ipads offers freedom, accessibility, value-for-money.

‘Mobile technologies are finally being accepted as educational tools. The wealth of apps that exist for these devices makes the banning of them completely absurd. Schools have to accept that mobile learning is here, in the learners pockets and is going to make a difference to education.’

Kevin Mclaughlin (@kvnmcl)

Online Collaboration projects (Social Learning)-already done a few of these but opportunities for schools working together because of new close ties to cluster schools. We should look internationally and establish links from around the globe-encouraging diversity.

Raising School’s online profile-Using Social Media to communicate to parents-makes sense to have a school Facebook page-most parents on FB. We need to embrace this side of the internet-we should not worry about negatives. Your Facebook page becomes what you put into it. I feel it should be an extension of the school website.

Technical help- serious consideration needs to be given to establishing a full-time tech role in school-employed by the school. Especially as this side of the curriculum will dramatically expand over the next few years-it’s essential that school stays ‘in-touch’. It doesn’t have to be a teacher, person would have responsibility for Technical problems, training, creating resources and maintaining online profiles.

Free WiFi for the community-The greatest move to banish Digital inclusion would be creating free WiFi. Would have no affect on current school system as separate line. But would immediately benefit those families who cannot afford to access internet through fast broadband. Most of these families have devices that can access the internet but rely on expensive phone tariffs.

In 3-5 Years

BYOD (Bring your own device)-pupils own devices allowed in the classroom and actively allowed to take part in lessons-teachers using them as part of learning-linking to schools network and accessing homework.

Learning everywhere and anywhere-Classrooms would be anywhere as pupils would be using mobile devices-which would be as thin as paper and projected onto any surface.

Web 3.0 and Learning analytics-Loosely joins a variety of data gathering tools and analytical technology to study pupil engagement, practice, performance and progress. Teachers and school would tailor educational opportunities to each individual student’s level of need and be able to adapt in ‘real-time’. Using ‘smart’ devices pupils learning, attendance and achievement would be monitored by computer programs that would automatically change to suit the ‘level’ of the child’s ability and practice. Even be able to monitor health, tiredness, diet etc

Gesture-based computing,touch screen and voice recognition- Keyboards would not be needed as devices controlled by human gestures and voice (already in use-Kinnect,ipad,Siri)

Social Learning

• Most of what we learn, we learn from other people – from conversing with others – and networks promote those conversations
• Social Learning can create more powerful and enduring learning experiences through the use of online communities and networks, where learners are encouraged to co-create, collaborate and share knowledge and fully participate in their learning.

‘Social media tools are powerful building blocks for enabling learning and development, while also documenting the learning journey and leaving a path for others to follow. Put emerging social technologies to work for your organisation, and you’ll open the door to greater knowledge, a richer learning experience, and an enhanced culture where ‘Brain Share’ is a way of life.’

The New Social Learning:A Guide to Transforming Organizations Through Social Media by Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner.

Value for Money

It’s up to us to use money wisely especially in times of changing budgets and getting value for money is very important. Staying up to date with rapid technological change and taking advantage of new innovations and developments can be a challenge.

For example, ‘the most powerful computer (or other digital device) that you can afford today will cost half as much in two years time; second, in two years time for the same money you will be able to buy something twice as powerful.

The compound effect over decades is somewhat more dramatic:

•a digital device bought today [2008] for £1000 will cost less than £31.50 in 2018, and less than £1 by 2028;

•the same £1000 will, in ten years time, buy a device 32 times more powerful in 2018;

•by 2028 a device more than more than a thousand times as powerful as the 2008 version will be available for that same £1000’.

Cliff et al, 2008,

Future Issues in Socio-Technical Change for UK Education

This document shamelessly *borrowed* from Camborne Science and Community College brilliant ICT Vision Poster.

A Warning!

‘It is clear that technology needs to be thought of more as an enabler than as a driver. Investing in it and assuming that the wonders of the digital world will carry the day is not wise.

The essential idea is to get the right learning embedded in the technology and that technology will be a dramatic accelerator if we can put instruction, skilled and motivated teachers and students in the lead.’

Michael Fullan

With this in mind (& thanks to gr8ict for the nudge) introducing a Digital Leaders programme is a must.

Digital Leaders

Places I visited for research and inspiration

Professor Steve Wheeler (@timbuckteeth) Slideshare account is fabulous-some of his slides are brilliant, especially this Digital Futures one.

The Horizon 2012 report is essential basically a bunch of futurists in US who predict what new tech will be used in Education. Although about Higher Education obvious parallels can be made for all key stages- a great youtube video condensing whole report also worth watching.

Future of Technology in Education website

Twitter ;^)