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Teacher work loads

30/4/2015

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The issue of teacher burnout how it does not receive the attention it truly deserves. We now accept that some soldiers who return from the battle field suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome, and yet it is not too long ago when such men / women, who exhibited the same symptoms, were labelled as malingerers or cowards. Teachers are also in ‘a line of fire’ where fatigue, disconnection with family / friends due the volumes of marking and the hours dedicated to lesson preparation, and overall work intensification is taking its toll among thousands of teachers.

We need to find ways where we are able to alleviate a significant load of through some well thought out strategies. Make use of technology. Have students use their laptops in class to collaborate with one another through chat rooms, offered by software such as DyKnow. You are able to see work flows from each student’s screen,  observe the threads of communication bouncing around, and stop the class if required to display a scaffold or even show a class an exemplary piece of work (naturally, with student consent). The transformation is remarkable. Students are far more engaged in the process of learning – some exploring and expressing themselves in a manner never seen before. Discussions still take place, lessons are planned, but diffusion of knowledge has changed.

Set up virtual classroom as it will allow students to acquire prerequisite knowledge for the next lesson. You can check if the reading has been completed (students are provided with a class drop box acknowledging the set expectations have been completed). Parents are invited to be partners in their child’s learning and are sent a pro-forma email if the requirements of the flipped classroom have not been met.

Connected in-servicing is another means to lift an individual teacher’s load. Many schools have an embedded culture whereby only the designated few are regarded as all knowing visionaries. More often than not, its death by PowerPoint. Each school has a vast pool of talented and inspiring teachers. Yet, it often appears these teachers are not afforded the opportunity to share their knowledge. For a moment, envision schools where teacher exuberance brims to the point where the bountiful flow of ideas also leads towards making a teacher’s day so much easier. Collective knowledge is a powerful tool.

Schools should make a concerted attempt to ‘buddy up’ with other schools; forming knowledge repositories which will ignite a new form of professional learning. The technology is available, but what seems lacking is a resolve by school leaders to give permission for this model. Many schools, unfortunately, are competitive entities who zealously guard intellectual property and inhibit this avenue where teacher workloads have the possibility of being significantly diluted.

Teachers are a precious resource and require assistance in both a world of information overload and their time intensive work environment. Overall, technology and knowledge networks needs to be better utilised to accommodate for a rapidly changing pedagogic landscape. If not, then perhaps the legacy may be a generation of teachers who have succumbed to their own form of post-traumatic stress syndrome.


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Trends in Education Technology

1/4/2015

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There is a plethora of technology that has blossomed in the field of secondary education; cloud computing, crowdsourcing, mobile learning, augmented reality, wearable devices… The list is exhaustive in its breadth.

One primary issue arising from the tech-glut is how do contemporary teachers keep up with the pace and magnitude associated to profound technological change (Bajpai 2012). In most cases they cannot: “The toughest, ‘wicked’ challenges include the need to improve the teaching of complex thinking and ensuring students are co-designers of learning” (European Commission 2014 p1). But educational institutions should endeavour to provide in servicing for teaching staff to uphold core proficiencies in hardware and software (Bajpai 2012).

There is no doubt students of today are far more engaged in the learning process, especially so with the convergence of technology (Martin et al 2011). Students are able to collaborate using platforms which allow unfettered access to an array of tools associated with multi-media / social media, and are not as constrained by traditional linear learning (Horizon Report 2014). This is quite liberating as the onus of retentive knowledge acquisition becomes more of a student responsibility. Various studies have indicated when students acquire a sense of ownership, they are far more likely to succeed (Hattie 2010).



(Source CDW Report, 2011)

Students are demanding greater freedom from the restrictions imposed upon them by an antiquated ‘industrialised’, authority focused classroom setting (Horizon Report 2014). There is an obligation upon teachers to allow students to explore different pathways towards reaching a desired outcome. This also includes the redesign of classroom spaces to accommodate more fluid learning styles. The Cassandras will decry change as mentioned, labelling it derogatorily little more than ‘free range’ learning. However, their fear may have more to do with a fear of ambiguity (Weldon 2010). Students are not a sole entity in mastering this competency. Teachers must acclimatise themselves to a new role amongst the emergent technologies – that of mentors, advisors and facilitators.

There are web tools at various stages of development which are able to diminish the uncertainties of ambiguous learning. Semantic aware apps bring together relevant information on an area of study that would otherwise be invisible. This form of application accommodates students with varying levels of tolerance to ambiguity. A student is able to acquire an ontology based on their unique, specific needs.

With internet speeds increasing and the proliferation of mobile devices, micro courses are attracting a population of learners who do not desire formal recognition (Eades 2014) – their motivation springs compactness, cost effectiveness and upskilling (courses may include ‘how to use Twitter for education’, ‘how to use Google Scholar’, ‘how to buy a domain name…). TedTalks and Coursmos have both pioneered the micro emergent pathway.

Gamification is gaining credibility as a pedagogic tool for the classroom. It ‘nudges’ reluctant learners to become engaged in their studies, motivating students to seek rewards (badges, points…). Thus, the previously mundane task is transformed as it does not initiate a similar negative response as in a more public arena (Huang and Soman 2013). However, sceptics assert school work does not need to be packaged into entertainment. There is an obligation to teach children focused dedication and encourage students to continue working and not give up (Heffernan 2012).

Consequently teachers need to be courageous visionaries who are excited by the prospect of change. As President Roosevelt once said: “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” So be it with education.

(2011) What is an Ontology. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from http://21cif.com/tools/cite/apa/APA_webpage.html

Bajpai, S (2012). Education Technology Leaving Teachers Behind. EdTechReview. Retrieved from http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/trends/39-education-technology-leaving-teachers-behind.

Bloomberg Business. (2015) Wearable Device Expo: The Top Gadgets for 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij7r0UaPQcc

Braselman, M (2011). CDW-G 2011 21ST-Century Classroom Report. CDW Government, 1-20. Retrieved from http://www.cdwnewsroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/CDWG-21st-Century-Classroom-Report-0611.pdf

Cisco. (2012) Katy ISD Transforms Education with Mobile Learning. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCB_Q3gZOf4

European Commission: Education and Training. (2014) Horizon Report urges schools to tackle ‘wicked’ digital skills challenge. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-1075_en.htm?locale=en

Heffernan, M. (2012). Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril. New York: Walker & Company. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Willful-Blindness-Ignore-Obvious-Peril/dp/0802777961#reader_0802777961

Huang, W. (2013) A Practioner’s Guide to Gamification of Education. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from http://inside.rotman.utoronto.ca/behaviouraleconomicsinaction/files/2013/09/GuideGamificationEducationDec2013.pdf

Johnson, L, Adams Becker, S, & Estrada, V (2014). The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K-12 Edition. The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2014-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf

Martin, S, Diaz, G, & Sancristobal, E (2011). New technology trends in education: Seven years of forecasts and convergence. Elsevier, 57. Retrieved from http://cgit.nutn.edu.tw:8080/cgit/PaperDL/hclin_120601152456.PDF

McCaffrey, T. (2010) Augmented Reality in the Classroom. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukrDPyPPYnE

Microsoft. (2010) Cloud Computing for Education. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88ysB-EKA9U

Salter, M.B. (2012) Crowd Sourcing Education. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu8HJhWorYc

Sporny, M (2007) Introduction to the Semantic Web. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGg8A2zfWKg

Steinicke, S. (2013) Introduction to the world of microlearning. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ss8FoQhsg

Stevenson, A. (2010) Just shut up and listen, expert tells teachers. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/just-shut-up-and-listen-expert-tells-teachers-20110609-1fv9y.html#content

Weldon, L.G. (2010). Free Range Learning: How Homeschooling Changes Everything. Arizona: Hohm Press. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Free-Range-Learning-Homeschooling-Everything/dp/193538709X#reader_B004CLYG44

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    Marc Zaczek has a BA;Did Ed. and a Master of Education (Knowledge Networks and Digital Innovation).

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