itstimetomakeadifferenceblo-blog

[itstimetomakeadifferenceblo-blog]

Six elements make up Significance, seen in figure 1.

Hmmm, so what makes learning significant? Well, in my classroom, learning will be seen as something that relates to the students. Something that is significant to them by using skills that can be used not only at school but also at home. Students will use contemporary digital technologies to learn media skills which are relevant to life after school. Page & Christian (2012) suggests technology used within the classroom has a huge role in developing a student’s critical thinking skills. I will select ICT related activities to build upon and address student’s needs. For example, completing an assignment about a certain KLA through a blog, creating a website about a topic, learning media skills, communicating online answers to other classmates, uploading documents, presenting an assignment using a podcast or just presenting information in a unique way. Biggs 1999, “If the subject doesn't take students' prior knowledge into account, students are not able to engage meaningfully”. This just means in your classroom, understand that every child has their own worldview and values, has their own background knowledge and their own cultural knowledge that can make the learning significant. Be a teacher who will guide your students through relatable projects and activities to stretch them to analyse, produce, and apply what they’ve learnt across the KLA’s and apply it in an engaging way using ICT. Students improve their analytical skills by researching and understanding information they have found themselves.

 Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for quality learning at university. SRHE & Open University Press.

Page, T., & Christian, B. J. (2012). Computer Technology in the Geography Classroom: Quality Teaching and Learning. TEACH Journal of Christian Education, 3(2), 4.

[itstimetomakeadifferenceblo-blog]

Six elements make up Intellectual quality, seen in figure 1.

We as teachers need to plan effective lessons that involve deep knowledge, understanding and higher order thinking. HOW? And WHY? Well, these lessons encourage higher levels of intellectual quality from our students. This concept allows students to construct a deep understanding of key concepts, abilities and ideas. Hattie (2009, p. 36) “teachers need to be actively engaged in, and passionate about teaching and learning”, this means in order for our students to learn, we NEED to have an actively constructed understanding of concepts, skills and ideas. Quality teaching also needs diversity to cater for each student’s specific needs. When using ICT in the classroom, it’s essential to utilise the technology effectively. Mishra & Koehler (2006), “technology and content are reciprocally related” and as technology evolves, so must our teaching methods. We have to keep the tasks relevant and use technology to assist our lessons being purposeful and not just ‘filling in the gaps’. There are many benefits for using technology when completing tasks, a podcast for example would encourage students to use appropriate metalanguage. My classroom will use technology to encourage deep knowledge so students develop an understanding of what they’re learning, to create meaning and help them make ideas their own. The way students approach a task will influence the quality of their learning, therefore, to get students learning at a deep level, students must be actively engaged with the topic. Encourage a ‘deep’ approach by encouraging engagement. For example, if students are engaged in research based tasks, or investigations, explore these issues, problems or case studies using technology as resources. Students are able to relate the material to their own lives which keeps students engaged. By giving the students control over their own task, higher order thinking skills are used as students engage with each other debating how the task should be presented (McLeod & Reynolds, 2006). This gives students the chance to develop the skills for lifelong learning. Students are to “thrive in the knowledge rich, constantly-changing world of today and the immediate future.” (Bryce & Withers, 2003, p. 1)

 Bryce, J., & Withers, G. (2003). Engaging Secondary Students in Lifelong Learning. Camberwell: Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd.

Hattie, J. A. C. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. NY: Routledge.

McLeod, J.H., & Reynolds, R. (2006). Quality Teaching for Quality Learning: Planning through reflection. South Melbourne: Thompson Social Science Press.

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. The Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054. New South Wales Department of Education and Training (2003). Quality teaching in NSW public schools. Discussion paper. Sydney: NSWDET

[itstimetomakeadifferenceblo-blog]

Six elements make up a Quality learning environment (QLE), seen in figure 1.

How is a QLE achieved using digital technology in the classroom for different key learning areas (KLA’s)? Using the Australian Curriculum (2016), students develop an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability as they learn to use ICT successfully and properly. My classroom will ensure students utilise ICT to gather, generate and talk about information and ideas, to answer problems and work collaboratively at school and home. I’ll scaffold lessons so the students know what they’re doing; using explicit criteria students can ask “we are learning to…” and “we are learning this because…” The expectations set for the lessons will be high and achievable but also differentiated for the learners- modified tasks for specific students. To keep students engaged, the topics will interest and relate to my students and I’ll use routines. Social support is a great tool in the classroom when using ICT; the need for partners and working together in small group activities is greater when students have different learning abilities. Ivers (2003), “planning for the use of technology within the classroom requires just as much attention as planning to use other tools in the classroom”. Teachers using ICT are encouraged to plan and use it to benefit the students. ICT can help satisfy the requirements for the QTM because the technology assists the lesson being purposeful, the ability and needs of students is recognised and the need to assess, reflect and evaluate the learning has been considered prior to the lesson. Teachers often believe behavioural issues occur if students use digital technologies, it’s the 21st century! The need for technology in the classroom is at its highest! Students NEED to be encouraged to use technology effectively, through self-regulating set tasks. Encourage students to have self-control, know how much time they have… Let them be in charge of themselves (differentiated for each student for self-regulation; time self-regulation, progress self-regulation and goal self-regulation). This ensures students are continually ‘on task’ during integration of technology within a lesson. ICT CAN be student directed, allowing the student to choose what to write, the teacher can control the learning by managing several activities which include ‘must do’, ‘should do’ and ‘could do’ tasks, allowing the class to engage in high quality teaching and learning in an equal learning environment.

 Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2016). The Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities: Information Technology Communication capability. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/information-and-communication-technology-capability/introduction/introduction

Ivers, K.S. (2003). A Teacher’s Guide to Using Technology in the Classroom. California. Libraries Unlimited

[itstimetomakeadifferenceblo-blog]

Figure 1: The elements of intellectual quality as given in the N.S.W Quality Teaching Model (Adapted from McLeod & Reynolds, 2007)