Chromebook in the Hands of Grade 2 Students

I recently acquired an Acer Chromebook to test out its capabilities for student and teacher use. I blogged about my initial response to the device here, where I discussed the Chromebook's ease of use and the possibilities it holds for blended learning with my students. Shortly after blogging, I handed the device over to the students to see what they would do with it and find out what they think.

We were working on adding and subtracting with and without regrouping and the students had just been introduced to base ten blocks.

The students were presented with the task of adding and subtracting two digit numbers using base ten blocks. A few of my students found this task to be relatively easy so they were tasked with the responsibility of helping me discover on-line sites/activities that would allow us to blend their learning.

We found a great site that had two activities that we thought would be great for remediation and enrichment. Base Ten Fun and Base Ten Bingo  were deemed appropriate and were presented to the students. Using the Bright Links projector via the class desktop I introduced the two activities to the students and explained that they would all get a chance to use a 'computer' to try them out. As we progressed though our learning cycle the students got to use the various computers in our classroom (Chromebook, Laptop, Desktop) to try out the two activities.

 

The students knew that we wouldn't have the Chromebook for a long time so they all wanted to use it. I placed few limitations on its use - I wanted it to be treated with respect and survive its stay in our classroom. Every student had the opportunity to use the device and as they were using it I observed them and questioned them with respect to their mathematical learning and about the device.

The students loved how portable it was. Some of them sat at their desks and other laid down on the carpet. They liked that it wasn't plugged in and that they could walk around the room with it to show their friends what they were doing. They were happy to be "free" to move about the room. THEY commented that they don't like calling people over to the desktop or the laptop to look at their work, they prefer to simply go to the person they want to talk to - this includes me! Side note: there is nothing better than having many students want my attention at the same time to COMMUNICATE their THINKING.

Even though they are very careful and respectful with the computers, they commented that the laptop is too big and although they could walk around with it, I would probably not allow it. They are correct, the laptop is pretty hefty compared to the Chromebook and the iPads and iPod Touches that they use in class.

One of the students asked why we couldn't use the iPads to do this work. This question came from one of the students that was limited in mobility due to the use of the desktop computer. She wanted to find a comfy spot in the room to explore and enjoy. I explained that the iPads are not "Flash" compatible. The students wanted a demonstration so I showed them using our document camera. Due to the incompatibility with Flash based software I rarely, if ever, get the students to connect to the Internet when using the iPads and iPods. I logged on to the Internet with an iPad and showed them that we could not use the tablets to use the activities we found on the site.**

Here is what my students said about the Chromebook:

• the screen is big enough to see what is going on
• they like moving around with it, just like using the iPads/iPods
• not trapped in an app, can move all over the Internet to get to different places
• they can use sites that they use on the computer
• they can use sites that they already know about (tvokids.com, starfall.com)
• turns on quick
• can move around the room easily
• don't have to keep it plugged in
• it is small and light

The Chromebook proved beneficial to my students while it was in our classroom. The key benefit is that it allows my students to use Flash based software that seems to be everywhere we want to be. For the purposes of our project, compatibility with Flash based software to start us off is key. My students did not have a chance to use any of the Ministry's online learning resources while we had the Chromebook in our possession (which are all Flash based by the way) but I did and everything worked fin. It is integral that we have a device that is compatible with the software used to create the learning resources that my students will be using. Moreover, the Chromebook is the perfect device for what +Ferdinand Krauss will be doing next school year with teachers. Ferdinand has blogged about his plan to leverage the Chromebook mainly with educators while my prime focus will be on blended learning with the students.

So far so good. My students only had one issue with the Chromebook - that they won't be in my class next year when I have once device for every two students!

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**I must admit that I have relied heavily on the use of apps with the tablets so I took it upon myself to research web browsers that I could download onto the iPads so that my students could use Flash based software. I downloaded the "Photon" Browser onto one of the iPads and then proceeded to the two online activities listed above. Sadly, we were still not able to load Flash based activities. We got a message that said something about installing the most recent Flash software. Although I am not easily dissuaded most of the time, I threw in the towel on this ongoing issue due to the fact that we have discovered a relatively affordable device that can do what we want and a lot more.

  

Chrome is as good as Gold!

+Ferdinand Krauss and I are on an exciting journey, one that we believe will lead students to success by employing 21st Century strategies and a blended learning model. Although our journey has just begun, we have already had to make some changes to our project.

One of the changes involves the device that we will leverage to benefit the learning of primary students and the professional development of teachers interested in using blended learning in their classroom. After extensive research and experimentation we realized that the Acer Chromebook would be the best suited device to support us in our above mentioned goals. 

We want our primary students and teachers to be able to view/experience on-line interactive sites, particularly Flash-based learning activities created by the Ministry of Education without having to change/configure any settings. We want their experience to be as seamless as possible with their focus squarely on the learning/teaching and not the technology. 

Enter the Chromebook: not complicated to learn, no expensive software to buy, and it starts in seconds. As I use a Chromebook to write this blog post I can attest to the simplicity of the device. The fact that it starts up in seconds and requires almost no set-up or maintenance is a dream. As a classroom teacher much of my  attention is placed on instructional time and I can see how this device will not take away valuable time from my teaching or student learning. 

The Chromebook is often referred to in a negative light because it is seen as, simply, a web browsing device. It is for this very reason that for +Ferdinand Krauss and I, Chrome is as good as gold! Blended learning is all about combining face-to-face classroom methods combined with "online" content and instruction. We want our students and teachers to engage with a device that will facilitate excellent and fast web browsing. The faster the better!! The web browser (Chrome) is a modern one that includes tools that allow standardized and easy deployment and management that are welcome in educational settings. 

Moreover, the Chromebook houses the best that Google has to offer. With respect to teacher professional development, Google Drive (a file storage and synchronization service provided by Google which enables user cloud storage, file sharing and collaborative editing) and Hangout (places used to facilitate group video chat) are just two examples of apps that facilitate collaboration and are easily accessible on the device. Combined with the speed of the device these two apps function very well and add to the positive experience. 

I look forward to blogging more about the the other capabilities of this device for the purposes of our project. Stay tuned to read more about our exciting journey!! 

Building Capacity via Self Directed Learning

I recently spent several days in Toronto with +Ferdinand Krauss for the Teacher Learning & Leadership Program. We spent our days learning the 'ins and outs' of the program, things like the fundamentals, project management/budgeting, and time to work on our project. This was my second time attending the training and even though I participated last year, the experience was not lost on me. In fact, I gained wonderful insight and "heard" things that didn't get absorbed last year. I looked forward to the training and was mentally ready to engage in it.

Informal discussions around integrating technology in the classroom, project design & implementation, digital resources, and social networking helped "stretch" my thinking and has caused much reflection on my part. In his TED Talk about motivation, Daniel Pink  mentions that one of the ways to engage people is by allowing them to self-direct their learning. The project we are working on, the professional learning network I am part of on Twitter, and the reading I engage in are all self directed and based on my professional needs and interests.

Essentially, I am building capacity by going after what I need and doing so with an open mind, prepared to deal with the critical questions and cognitive dissonance that comes my way. This is no easy task, but what makes it palatable is the understanding that it will make me a better teacher and leader.

As I reflect on the 2012-2013 TLLP that is coming to an end, I can't help but reflect on the learning that has occurred. I must admit that during my project there were times when I was not open or comfortable with the critical questions and dissonance that came my way. If my recent training experience is any indication of what is to come, I feel like I am better equipped to deal with what comes my way and do what I can to leverage it in order to continue to benefit my students, my colleagues, and myself.

Your comments are always welcome - please feel free to comment here or at rtwcdsb@gmail.com

Engaging Students using Video Messages

Many months ago I read about using video messages to "hook" student into the learning that they were going to do in class. I read about this on Twitter and I was intrigued. The idea comes from the fact that many people have smart phones that have video camera capabilities, so why not take short video of a real-life situation that can be used to engage students in their learning. I have played around with the idea and have tried it a couple of times but I didn't really feel good about it until today.

I was at the hockey arena on the weekend with my boys for their skating lessons and as they were doing their thing I couldn't help but wonder what my students would say if I asked them how they would measure the perimeter of the skating rink using non standard units. We are talking about perimeter right now so it seemed like a great opportunity for me to try this out without too much stress. The video is "raw" and impromptu so please don't be too harsh in your judgement. I fumble a couple of times and even use the word 'area' as I am trying to set it up for my students. My wife (who is also an elementary school teacher) commented on the 'flaws' of the video but I am sticking to the idea that it is an authentic video and that this whole process would not be so effective if things were planned and polished. Here is the video:

After watching the video the students worked with a partner to talk about what non standard units they could use tho measure the perimeter of the ice rink. After a couple of minutes we brought things back to the whole group and I recorded their ideas. We had a great discussion!

Here is what they came up with:

The students had a lot of fun with this! They enjoyed watching me talk to them about the math and they loved seeing all the items in the video that they could use to measure the perimeter of the ice rink.

I'm looking forward to trying this again! I hope that I can continue to catch real life experiences that I can use in the classroom to help engage my students in their learning. I already have some ideas to try and get them to make connections and work on point of view. I am also interested in asking richer questions/applying Blooms Taxonomy in order to reach my students where they are at and work with them to bump things up.

Plans Change, Shift Happens! (TLLP 2012-2013)



Tweet from Simon Sinek (April 23, 2013) - https://twitter.com/simonsinek

 I read this tweet this morning and it seemed to fit perfectly with what I have been experiencing with what I affectionately refer to as the iProject. There has been a lot of 'change' with the project - the only constant has been ME and my mentor. Nevertheless, I felt a strange comfort when I read Simon Sinek's message.

This project has taught me a lot about a variety of things, but what I am taking away from it today is how it has helped me transform into a better collaborator, communicator, and problem solver. While working on the project this morning I was wondering how my morning would go as I search for apps to assist our grade 2 student. Without question, each student is unique but usually there are similarities. All three of the students in this project are different and all of them are on a unique learning journey. One of our students is really doing well and able to meld a social aspect to it. Another student responds well to the use of the device but the social aspect is nearly non existent. Our youngest student has good days and bad days but has come a long way.

The main plan was to provide our students with an innovative way to meet their needs and help them learn and I am pleased to say that it has been happening, as we planned. Everything under the umbrella of the main plan has shifted and even changed. If someone had told me a year ago about all the changes that would come our way I would have laughed out loud and told them that what they were telling me would never happen.

I am 'ok' with what we have experienced throughout this journey so far and I look forward to the last couple of months as we lead our iProject students to success!

Success for all Students: 21st Century Teaching/Learning using Tablets & A Blended Learning Model

Over the past few years my school board has invested in technological advancements/ideas in order to improve student engagement, achievement, and encourage the acquirement of 21st Century skills. Every classroom in our system is equipped with a Brightlink projector/interactive whiteboard. This combination allows for access and use of digital resources (e.g. You Tube, interactive websites) for teacher and student benefit. Also, teachers have been provided with training and access to software that allows for the creation of interactive lessons to be used via the projectors in the classrooms. On top of the investment in the classroom, all of our schools have wireless Internet hot spots that allow staff, students, and visitors to bring their own device for appropriate use in our buildings. 

 

With such great developments in our system, Ferdinand Krauss and I created a proposal for the Ministry of Education's Teacher Learning and Leadership Program (TLLP) which is an annual project-based professional learning opportunity for experienced classroom teachers. The TLLP "...funds proposals from classroom teachers who seek a peer leadership role in curriculum, instructional practice or supporting other teachers. The three goals of the program are to create and support opportunities for teacher professional learning, foster teacher leadership and facilitate the sharing of exemplary practices with others for the broader benefit of Ontario's students" (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teacher/tllp.html). Ferdinand and I are pleased with the Ministry's decision to fund our project for the 2013-2014 school year.

 

Image courtesy of Michael Redfearn

 

 

Our project title is "Success for all Students: 21st Century Teaching/Learning using Tablets & A Blended Learning Model". Our plan involves the use of the collaborative inquiry framework to design blended learning projects that target a specific area of achievement and engagement for primary and junior students. A review of current instructional practice will help us to identify an innovative approach to achieving the stated learning goals. The Blended Learning activities will incorporate resources from the Ontario Educational Resource Bank, and tools from the provincial Learning Management System in order to differentiate instruction and provide enrichment and remediation for student learning. The use of tablets will allow students to actively participate in Blended Learning on a regular basis and help them to become more proficient at using Web 2.0 tools for collaboration and communication. Professional development will occur with the use of the Blended Learning model and the tablets so that educators interested in adopting this approach can use their own experiences to inform their practice.
 

Participating in the design, implementation and evaluation of a Blended Learning project will allow us to determine the specific instructional practices and strategies that are required to improve learning for primary and junior students. For example, what activities and formats do the students find most engaging and which ones are most successful at enhancing their learning? We will also be able to determine how to use the tools and resources to become more effective at differentiating instruction for a variety of learning styles and aptitudes in order to meet the needs of our students. Gaining experience using the tools in the LMS will help us to better design learning pathways for remediation and enrichment in a Blended Learning model. The knowledge we gain will be shared with other educators that would like to adopt this model as a result of our Board’s recent decision to support Bring your Own Device.

 

We believe that our project will contribute to increasing student learning and development by differentiating instruction in order to meet each student's needs. Helping all students succeed in their learning is an enormous challenge that requires an innovative approach such as the one we have proposed. The use of technology as a learning tool is an engaging one that allows for differentiation of content of instruction, processes & techniques to help make sense of content, and what students produce to demonstrate their learning. Differentiation is further supported with the use of Blooms Digital Taxonomy which is appropriate when using web 2.0 tools in combination with mobile devices. Moreover, the use of the blended learning model & tablets would also help facilitate student learning/development of critical thinking skills known as 21st century fluencies, making learning relevant to life in our digital age.

Image courtesy of Michael Redfearn

 

We are both very excited to have this learning and leadership opportunity. We look forward to engaging our students in such an innovative way while meeting their needs. Your feedback is welcome, please consider leaving a comment here or via email at rtwcdsb@gmail.com

Professional Learning via the iProject

I recently spent some time with the other two teachers participating in the project to talk about our thoughts/feelings about the use of the iPad with our students. The discussion was a valuable one as it provided us with an opportunity to talk about our experiences thus far and learn from one another.

All of us see the technology leading our students to success. The device is playing a key role in keeping the students in line with what the class is working on with the added bonus of making things more 'social' for them. From our perspective, the use of the device seems to lead to instant differentiation that is meeting the needs of our students. The iPad is aligned with the IEP and it is as dynamic as the IEP - apps are often added and deleted based on the needs of the student.

There is a greater sense of team work with the Educational Assistants due to the constant communication around student learning. There is also a heightened awareness around technological literacy due to the manipulation of apps in order to meet the needs of the students. Each of us noted that the EA's that work with us are effective and efficient in directing their student to apps based on what the teacher is doing. It is as though we are all speaking the same language because the curriculum (IEP) is connected to the apps that the students are using to learn and demonstrate their learning.

Everyone involved (Students, EA's, Teachers) seem to have a heightened sense of responsibility and are taking great pride in the work that is happening with this project. The teachers spoke about the concept of equity and that the technology is providing a great example that fairness is not the same as providing students with what they truly need to learn and be successful. For the most part, the other students in the classroom understand what it means to be equitable and the novelty of the device in the room is no longer an issue - it is recognized as an essential learning tool for the student that uses it.

The student's participating in the iProject are not the only ones that are benefiting from this unique experience. The staff that are working directly with the students are growing professionally and the hope is that there will be ripple effects with our colleagues who are peripheral to this project. As the iProject approaches the end of its formal timeline we plan to meet again in order to fully consolidate our learning and celebrate our successes.