WEEK 19: Community of Practice

This week’s reflection is based on Jay and Johnson’s (2002) reflective model.

A community of practice defined as “groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis” (Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002, p.4).  A community of practice, according to Wenger (2000) is usually defined by three distinct elements: joint enterprise (domain), mutual engagement (community) and shared repertoire (practice).

Descriptive:

Inquiry Topic #1: ICT for Learning (21^st Century Skills)

Domain: How can ICT used effectively in class to improve pupil’s learning.

Community: Myself and other two Mind Lab colleagues.

Practice: Face-to-face meeting twice a week. Having conversations and open discussions around the digital tools/strategies to support the teaching and learning programmes in our three classes. Also reflect on our successes and challenges, provided constructive feedback, supporting each other.

Inquiry Topic #2: Blended Learning

Domain: How to flip our classrooms with a virtual focus using Hapara and e-Portfolio.

Community: Myself, two Mind Lab colleagues, all the classroom and specialist teachers at our school.

Practice: Meeting and PLD on flipped learning initiative. Also having ongoing conversations and discussions on how to share students learning with their whanaus using Hapara and e-portfolio. Sharing ideas and best practices and supporting each other. Reflecting on what works and what not and make an alteration.

Comparative:

My students benefit more if they spent more time working at or practising the skill being learnt using ICT. According to Higgins’s (2003) research, he stressed the fact that ICT can make a difference to pupil’s learning. He also adds that ICT offers a wealth of opportunities to support our teaching and learning programme. Our CoP shared a focus on how can ICT used effectively in our three classes. Some of the digital tools and strategies we learned from other researches throughout our Mind Lab journey have gradually implemented to cater for our 21st-century learners. Preferably, one student per device is ideal but we only have 10 chrome books to share between 30 pupils in class, and every student has a very limited practice time. This is why “flipped learning” sounds like a great solution. It allows students to learn in anywhere at any time. Students also share their learning with one another and with their whanaus. I feel I have more time to focus on teaching the content knowledge and skills in class. The major challenge of flipped learning is to get all students completing the flipped learning tasks. And if they don’t, then I get them to complete it in class.

Critical Reflection:

ICT changes rapidly and each change opens up new innovation for us teachers and our learners. In my own experience, it takes time to learn the skills necessary to use ICT effectively. Therefore, it is vital for me to upskill and learn the most up to date and effective digital tools for teaching and learning to cater for my 21st-century learners.

References:

Higgins, S. J. (2003). Does ICT improve learning and teaching in schools?. BERA, British Educational Research Association.

Jay, J.K. and Johnson, K.L. (2002) Capturing complexity: a typology of reflective practice for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 73-85.

Osguthorpe, R. T., & Graham, C. R. (2003). Blended learning environments: Definitions and directions. Quarterly review of distance education, 4(3), 227-33.

Wenger, E.(2000). Communities of practice and social learning systems. Organization,7(2), 225-246.

Week 18: Reflecting on the change in my future oriented teaching practice

My personal reflection will be based on Gibb’s Reflective Cycle (Finlay, 2009: p.8).

Theme 4: “Change the script”: Rethinking learners’ and teachers’ roles.

Step 1: Description

Through the effective use of ICT and changing from traditional to the digital classroom is one of the “massive and ongoing social, economic and technological changes” (Bolstad et al., 2012) in my teaching practice. “Blended Learning”, that is, in which students are mostly learning in the classroom (face-to-face learning) and partially do online learning off-site. This change encourages me to look at innovative teaching strategies to equip all students with essential skills so they become 21st-century learners.

Step 2: Feeling

Prior to the change, I thought that this initiative would change my teaching practice forever. For me, this is the stepping-stone to innovative teaching and no more traditional classroom. Such experience, I felt excited in knowing that “blended learning” will provide future-focused education for my learners as they continue to learn the required essential digital skills to further their learning at secondary schools, and beyond. It also gives me the opportunity to upskill my pedagogical practice with the current innovative teaching and learning tools. Overall, it was a great and positive feeling indeed.

Step 3: Evaluation

During this implementation, I burrowed through many challenges, in terms of digital learning tools, innovative ideas, and time. Through Mind Lab, I have integrated into my “blended learning” programme through the use of relevant digital learning tools. This has motivated my students to engage with their learning more. They are now able to interact, collaborate, and support each other through networking with one another. Blended learning also allows students to access their schoolwork before and after school, and share their learning with their parents/caregivers. At home, students are virtually reinforcing what they have learned in class independently. Cyber safety is an important part of this implementation, and Hapara gives me the authority to monitor what my students are accessing to online.

Step 4: Analysis

This change is part of our school’s strategic plan, which is linked directly to the identified theme above. That is, teachers’, students’ and their whanau will gain a strong voice, share knowledge and best practice (Vermeulen, 2015). Families and communities were informed at Whanau Hui Fono (School Community meetings) prior to the change. And along the way, students are able to voice what and how to learn.

Step 5: Conclusion

In conclusion, “blended learning” has changed the script and allow my students and I to work together in a knowledge-building learning environment. My role is to facilitate learning and work alongside my students’ strength. This change allows all stakeholders (students, teachers and school leaders, families/communities) to engage productively in a collaborative and digital learning environment.

Step 6: Action Plan

My future implication on this change is to build on my student’s strength and my relationship with their parents and families. Meaning, I will look at including students and parents’ voice about the use of ICT and work together to support their learning.

Reference

Bolstad, R., Gilbert, J., McDowall, S., Bull, A., Boyd, S., & Hipkins, R. (2012). Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching — a New Zealand perspective. Report prepared for the Ministry of Education. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306

Finlay, L. (2009). Reflecting on reflective practice. PBPL. Retrieved from http://www.open.ac.uk/opencetl/sites/www.open.ac.uk.opencetl/files/files/ecms/web-content/Finlay-(2008)-Reflecting-on-reflective-practice-PBPL-paper-52.pdf

Gibbs, G. (1998) Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. London: Further Education unit

Vermeulen, A. (2015). Leading change in collaboration [Video]. Retrieved from http://edtalks.org/#/video/leading-change-collaboration