Dear App Developer....

I have spent time recently downloading and trialing heaps of new (and old) 'educational Apps' on our family iPad, both for my 5 year old and classes I teach.

I feel like I keep experiencing the same problems, so here is my 5 pet-hates for any Educational App.

1. Don't have large 'Sign-Out' buttons that children can access on subscription based Apps.
2. Don't have links to social media (or have the option to turn this off).
3. Don't have 'games' where a child can hit every single answer on the screen until the correct one lights up. Tapping an incorrect answer should result in feedback that stops the child making the same mistake nest time.
4. Have less buttons/options. Make it two/three choices per screen.
5. Don't have small icons that need to be dragged from the sides - I actually need to take the cover off our iPad to access some of these!

Now if only I could delete these Apps from my purchasing history, it is now overrun with Apps that have not made the cut...

Filling the void...Life without SAMR

Despite previous ramblings, I do like a lot about the SAMR model. It is a guided focus for professional discussions and personal reflection. For many educators it is also inspirational, with Modified and Redefined tasks a 'holy grail' that can be strived for. 

It is easier to criticise than to create, so my challenge has been to create an alternative to SAMR, something that is equally aspirational for educators.

To achieve this task, I have considered learning experiences that are exceptional and found common the threads between them. As per my previous SAMR post, I believe 'Redefined' tasks should not be limited to tasks completed with technology. 'eTools' are just that - electronic tools for learning. They cannot be put above other learning tools.

I would like to disclaim that this is Version 0.1. I have already changed words multiple times...Like any blog post, here is my current thinking.

SAMR - Some Apps Model (without) Research

Recently, I was googling (creative commons free) images of the SAMR model and saw these images;

I could not help to question.....2 weeks later and I am making my own meme.

Why SAMR is like ordering 'pumpkin spice'.

1. There is no research behind it. This shocked me. I have seen SAMR all over the show, at conferences, in publications and referenced by people I respect. How could it be that a model so widely used has no research behind it? What is confusing is watching Ruben Puentedura (the creator of SAMR - yes he has a PHD after his name, but for Chemistry - not Education) talk. He mentions research throughout, even stating that "redefinition tasks can improve student outcomes by as much as the equivalent of roughly 2 letter grades"..... the study that shows this 'jump' is unseen, like all of Mr Puentedura's research. Equally unfortunate is that he simply states 'student outcomes' without defining what student outcomes means. Does it mean progress, engagement, ability? Research from other people is cited in his talks, which is genuine, such as having an authentic audience improving student motivation, but no research is available that shows the SAMR model improves student outcomes. Without research, I think it gets relegated to an idea, not a model. 
2. It is misunderstood. Countless examples of the interpretations of SAMR are around to the point that I do not even know what the correct interpretation is. I have watched Ruben Puentedura describe SAMR as a ladder model, with the end goal to reach redefinition. I have seen it being used as a planning model, with teachers assessing what 'level' of SAMR a learning activity or (gulp) App is. I have always thought of it as more of a 'check in' - something for teachers to consider, mainly to ensure they are not always at the 'substituting level'. By definition a model is something others can follow and we have no shared understanding about what SAMR is about.
3. What is wrong with substituting? At times, substitution is fine, possibly essential. We may want to take notes on a device so we don't lose them or so we can copy and paste them into another tool at a later time to further analyse key ideas. Or we may find it quicker and more convenient to read a book on an eReader. The point is, there is no point analysing what 'level' a task is, as there is a time and place for all learning tasks.
4. What is so great about redefinition? By definition, a redefinition task is a task that was 'inconceivable' before the tech. So that means cyber-bullying would fit great into redefinition, as would re-sharing cat videos on Facebook and messaging friends instead of visiting them. Newer is not always better. Sure, SAMR advocates would say 'of course these things are not redefinition - they are not even learning tasks' which is exactly my point. The model is not even about learning - it is about using technology. Which segways nicely into...
5. Why are we placing technology on a pedestal? This has always bothered me. Why do we have a model that is supposed to 'level' a learning task only apply to learning with devices? Can other tools 'redefine' learning? I have seen some amazing Enviro-School projects that allows for tasks 'inconceivable' without a school vegetable garden. Are these tasks as important? Do we need a model to show 'types of Enviro-School tasks'? Would it improve our collective abilities to use school vegetable gardens if we did? 

I think the SAMR idea is an OK reflection 'tool' for teachers, whereby teachers can look back at their technology integration over a term/year and reflect on their use of technology. Has it always been simply substitution? Or has the technology gone beyond simply replacing 'pen and paper'? 

Until some serious peer reviewed research occurs, I believe we should focus on a more simple model - "Use technology purposefully'.

References

http://charlielove.org/?p=10025
http://royanlee.com/?p=3375

http://cognitiverigor.blogspot.co.nz/2015/05/mapping-samr-to-blooms-taxonomy-no-can.html

http://cillajohansson.se/?p=533

http://spelvetenskap.blogspot.co.nz/2013/10/open-letter-to-dr-ruben-puentedura.html

http://www.e-ohagan.com/a-critical-review-of-puenteduras-samr/
http://thelearningcounsel.com/article/what%E2%80%99s-wrong-samr-education-0

Presence. Amy Cuddy

Judging by the fact Amy Cuddy's “Your Body Shapes Who You Are" is the 2nd most-watched TED talk in history (behind Sir Ken Robinson) I am probably in the minority in that I read (or listened in my case) her amazing book 'Presence' before watching her talk. 

The video is a must watch for all, but the book goes so much deeper, into a wide range of tools, research and strategies. I have found myself recommending the book to everyone, to the point that I wish it was the compulsory Year 9 English text.

Here are my 5 takeaways for educators.

1. Presence is about being our truest selves. This means believing in our own abilities, values and feelings. If we do not trust ourselves, others will never put their trust into us - and trust is the medium that ideas travel though. As teachers, we need to ensure we are not trying to make 'imperfect versions of ourselves' and allowing each individual student to shine. 
2. Expectations. One of the best things we can do is have high expectations for all students and believe in their abilities. Amy notes the 1970s experiment where teachers were told a random selection of students were expected to have phenomenal learning growth over the coming year. No surprises that these randomly selected students had phenomenal growth over the year due to the teachers high expectations.
3. Self Affirmation Theory. Self affirmations should not be about lying to ourselves, trying to fool the brain into thinking we own something we have no idea about. Rather, research shows self affirmations work when we recall times that we have demonstrated values that are important to us. As teachers, we can help students get through stressful situations by having students write about when they have demonstrated their values. The research shows that this will keep cortisone (stress hormone) levels steady in stressful situations.
4. Our bodies change our minds. The studies in this book demonstrate that by positioning our bodies into powerful poses (power posing) hormonal changes occur that configures our brains into being less stressed and more assertive, confident and comfortable in ourselves. 'Power posing' for 2 minutes before an important exam, speech or event would be a great 'life skill' for everyone. If there was ever evidence to finally squash the idea of children sitting on the mat it lies within this book. 'The mat' is a submissive position for students and power position for teachers. Yes, there may be times where students need to sit for short periods of time, but squashed on a mat will not allow students to be their best.
5. I'm excited. Another study with implications to education is what to do when a student is stressed. The answer is not telling the person to calm down, rather it is telling the person to get excited! This shift, from nervous to excitement is easier and more beneficial than attempting to shift from nervous to composed.

Learner Agency - when does it stop?

We are born with 'learner agency'. No one would question the intense learning all babies work through; learning to walk, communicate and keep themselves safe. When we are learning these important skills we are very much independent; a parent does not set up a 'walking timetable' with weekly 'check-ins' and monthly 'assessments'. Rather, the job of the parent is to provide opportunities (like a trolley or pram to push) encouragement and a safe environment to practise in. The child is in control of this learning. They self-regulate, making independent choices. Children and (most) parents are not phased by whether others are walking or not, it is a matter of when, not if.

Moving forward to pre-school years and learner agency is still dominant. New Zealand ECE's are set up with student choice in mind, the teachers support learners to make independent choices and follow their passions. In the pre-school years, learners have the power to act and are actively involved in their learning. The teachers are creating a safe environment for learners to explore. I have never seen a student sitting on the floor saying 'they do not know what to do' at an ECE.

When students enter school the great work of parents and ECEs can become unstuck. I question the idea that schools need to 'support' students to being agents of their learning, they have done nothing but that right through to the day they started school. Sadly when students start school their agency is frequently taking away from them through teachers taking ownership of the learning, telling students what they need to learn and when. 

Here are 5 ways in which students can keep retain their agency when they enter their formative school years.

1. High Expectations. Four year olds think of themselves as undestructable. They dream big and persevere. Much like a Year 13 student at High School, 4 year olds stroll the grounds of their 'campus' with confidence, helping, questioning their peers and teachers and making independent choices. When they hit school they are so little in comparison to others that we seem to have an intrinsic need to 'mother them'.  Sure, we need to help them transition in, but we need to maintain high expectations of how independent they are.
2. Better ECE/School links. Spending time in ECE's always shows how our young tamariki are so independent. It is pretty crazy to think most New Entrant teachers get no or very little time observing their new students in action at ECE's. The more school teachers see of ECE's, the higher their expectations will be.
3. Focus on 'yet'. It is difficult not to have national standards at the fore-front of our decision making. Until children get to school there is a universal understanding that different kids have different strengths; some kids can swing on monkey bars, some can write their name. Both will learn to do the other, in their own time. But when we reach 5 the assumption switches to all students needing to learn at the same rate. In the right environment all students will learn to read and write, it just may be they cannot 'yet'.
4. Control. Students quickly learn that teachers are in charge at school and that they will get praised for doing exactly what the teachers asks them. I believe students, especially younger students, spend alot of their thinking resources into understanding what teachers want from them, rather than thinking about what they need to do. Students are praised for their quick responses to teacher commands rather than their independent action. Teachers need to 'flatten the hierarchy' and emphasise the importance of our students own active choices over passive responses to teachers .
5. Decision Making. No one learns to make good decisions by having decision made for them. Like a busy parent who makes lunch for the kids because it is quicker and easier than having the child make it themselves, we are often time poor and find it easier to tell students what to do rather than allowing them the time to think for themselves. It should be a 'quality over quantity' approach when it comes to learning to learn.

By the time learners are 10, they have been at school half of their lives and can be 'institutionalised' to the school system. For some learners, the idea of having the power to act is scary as we have taken it away from them. Let's make sure we never remove it in the first place.

Engagement - At What cost?

No one can would deny the importance of student engagement, and I am not going to dismiss it. 

As professionals, we should always question the 'unquestionable'. The 'technology is essential' 'class size is paramount' and  'testing is bad'. Everything has its place, but within reason. I see student engagement as no different. 

Five (possible) consequences of student engagement at all cost.

1. Students do not 'expand their world'. Students following their passions is popular, no doubt because of the engagement that 'passion led learning' brings. No one would question the great integrated learning that can occur, and the high levels of student engagement. However, if a student is not exposed to new ideas and concepts, their 'passions' would be very limited. How is a child meant to know they love Space, Africa or Maui Dolphins without being exposed? When does a child move beyond their 'Train and Truck' fascination and into Nanotechnology without exposure? As teachers, we need to know our student passions, and at times allow them to follow them. However, I would hate for us to forget to introduce them to potentially new life-long passions.
2. Extrinsically motivated kids eager for the end (extrinsic) outcome Another possibility for teachers that want engagement at all costs is to extrinsically reward students for an end result, not progress, effort or resilience. I recently read a post about an American school that had charms  (i.e. charm bracelets) that students received when they passed specific maths tests and completed a series of reading books. With any reward system, I would question if the engagement is with the end reward or the journey to get there. In other words, does the learner that progresses in their maths thinking, takes a risk in their learning but ultimately fails a test resulting in not getting a 'maths charm' feel engaged to take another risk next time? Or will they attempt to rope-learn the 'teachers answer' in order to get an extrinsic reward.
3. Subject Bias. 'Either reward everything or reward nothing'. In many ways, I agree with the above statement. By having some learning areas 'reward worthy' e.g. Maths Charms (above) and other learning areas left out (as usual, Science is probably the loser) we are telling our learners "This is important, this is not". 
4. Fixed Mindsets. If we reward a child for winning and scoring highly in a test, that child learns that winning or scoring high in tests is something ingrained - they are a winner, they are smart. But if winning makes us a winner and scoring high scores makes us smart, then losing makes us a loser and scoring low makes us not smart. (Josh Waitzman). 
5. No control of student learning pathways. I love the fact that students can have multiple learning pathways to reach the same learning outcome - that one learner can sing a song, another record a video, another create a model, yet all achieve. Where we need to not throw the baby out with the bath water is forgetting to ensure students have a wide variety of learning opportunities. Yes, some learners may be highly motivated editing videos, but if they are not forced into other pathways (acting on the video) a fixed mindset of 'I am good at editing and not acting' may eventuate.

My thinking in this post has all come about from my daughter attending her second ever school assembly and being presented with a certificate. Every day since I have been asked if it is Assembly day, and every Assembly Day since a look of disappointment has set in from the lack of said extrinsic reward. The thing is, she loves learning and loves school, the certificate was like a drug, giving her instant gratification, but she is now hanging out for more.

My ideal would be a balance. Students who are engaged, but not through extrinsic sources and fun for the sake of it, rather through intrinsically feeling great for taking a risk, through adults praising them for their efforts and for passionate teachers exposing them to the world.

What no one ever told me about Twitter

I joined Twitter six years ago with the promise of a tool that will keep me connected, be easy to use and keep me up-to-date with best practise. I eagerly jumped on and started looking for people to follow. My criteria for people to follow was 'anything that interested/inspired me'. It was this vague criteria that ultimately led me to never getting into Twitter. I had followed multiple news organisations and companies. I had followed authors and international speakers. I had followed my favourite sports teams and musicians. I had followed to many people. 


Fast-forward a few years and I have had another, more successful, go with Twitter. 

Here are the 5 tips I wish I knew back in 2009.

1. Limit the people you follow (to begin with). As mentioned above, following to many people can become overwhelming at first. Because you can follow anyone on Twitter, it is tempting to go crazy, hitting follow on all sorts of accounts. I liken this approach to trying to read 10 daily newspapers 
simultaneously. You will inevitably get a lot of the same information - while also missing a lot of great stuff.

My more thought out approach is to follow local educators, people I know (or know of) and - most importantly - only Educators. 

I consider my Twitter as a professional learning tool. If I really wanted to I could have a second 'personal' account - but I do not have a need for this currently.

If you are just starting out on Twitter, experiment with only following 10 - 20 local educators. You can always add more people as you get to understand the tool more.

 2. Twitter Chats. One great way to discover local educators that actively use Twitter is joining in on a local Twitter chat. You do not need to join in the chat - or even follow it live. Simply search a hashtag within Twitter like #edcahtnz, #BFC630NZ or
 #scichatnz  and you will be able to read through tweets published under these chats. See something that inspires you? Favourite and/or retweet it then Follow that user!

Twitter chats are a great tool to prompt reflecting and critique your own practise, as well as gain insights into others ideas. 

An awesome guide to #edchatnz (that can also be applied to other chats) is over at http://www.edchatnz.com/getting-started


3. Tweetdeck. I watched a couple of Twitter Chats in complete disbelief before I discovered Tweetdeck. I could not understand how people could possibly follow that many ideas at once! Tweetdeck changes all this and makes Twitter chats completely manageable (most of the time).

Others have explained Tweetdeck better than I can - like the explanation at http://www.theedublogger.com/2014/06/25/twitter-chats/ Just know that you should use it to be a part of Twitter Chats.

4. Purpose - It ain't email! Talking of following twitter chats, an important lesson that I never grasped in '09 was Twitter is not email or Facebook. You do not have to read every tweet in your feed. No one is going to require a response from you or be disappointed in your lack of 'liking' something. 

Twitter is more like that old school friend that you never catch-up with, but when you do you hit if off every time. So do not worry if you don't catch every tweet sent - I estimate I would only read 10-20% of my twitter feed!

5. Saving content for later reads. Often something will grab my attention but I will not have time to follow-up. I used to 'favourite' items, but soon discovered that I had a heap of favourite tweets - and I had no way of filtering them (yes, I admit I once copied and pasted all my favourite tweets into a Google Doc...)

My solution to this now is a quick 'favourite/star' within Twitter which then triggers a recipe to run in IFTTT that in turn creates a note in EverNote. The advantages of this is that I can organise these tweets within EverNote and delete them when I am finished with them. If you use Pocket you can use a similar recipe. See my post here for more IFTTT recipe recommendations.

 

Finally, what no one ever told me about Twitter is that it is actually not a 'simple tool'!

New #sketchnote: Should You Use Twitter?(Flowchart) cc @coolcatteacher #edtech @edutopia @TeachThought @MindShiftKQED pic.twitter.com/O6PbzAeW9t

— Sylvia Duckworth (@sylviaduckworth) August 20, 2015

EduCamp Quiz

In 3 short months I have now experienced the complete suite of EduCamp goodness - from going along as an attendee (Auckland), to presenting a few slides in a SmackDown and running a breakout (Napier) to organising an event (Hamilton). I have seen EduCamp's from many perspectives and know that it is learning that works for me. 

Are EduCamp's for you? Take the EduCamp Test* and see... 
* (This is a completely anonymous, tongue-in-check reflection).



Quiz Highlights...

The Power of "Tell me about ..."

When my daughter was 2 years old she went to Playcentre. Playcentre is an Early Childcare provider where the parents are the educators - a beautiful concept. In order to secure government funding (I assume) parents need to gain some qualifications (makes sense). 

My wife, who is not a teacher, completed a Playcentre creativity workshop.

One of the stand out messages in the resource she brought home was a simple phrase that adults should use when talking to children about their art work 'tell me about your picture?' 

This is a simple idea but the more I use the 'tell me about..' phrase the more I realise the deep importance of allowing a person to tell you about something they have created.

So, here are my 5 reasons why you should use 'tell me about' when talking to children about their learning.

1) It stops your judgement on their ideas. Though "I like your picture of a witch - she looks scary" sounds like great praise, if the little cherub is actually attempting a beautiful princess this comment will cause her to do one of 3 things; a) Cry b) Lye ("yes - it is a good witch") and/or c) never want to attempt to draw a beautiful princess again. Enough said.

2) It allows 'authors voice'. Often artwork, movies, TV shows and books are more enjoyable to the viewer when we hear or read the creator talk about them. I recently read a biography on Walt Disney, and immediately watched (and appreciated) a series of old Disney movies. The enjoyment comes from understanding the intention of the artist.

3) It encourages story telling. The 'tell me about it' question to my now 4 year old has often lead to great stories - about how the circle and stick (princess) is trying to find a true friend (scribble with stick) or how the tiger is chasing the man through the forest because he is crazy. The questions allows for the art piece of art to be a true form of communication.

4) Growth Mindset - You value the process - not the end outcome. My favorite piece of art that my daughter has made is by no means her best picture - but it was the idea that went with the picture - something I would have never known if I had have praised with a 'I like your car'.  The conversation went something like this.

Me: "Tell me about your picture " (I never say "You finished" - who am I to say a picture is finished?)

3 year Old: "They are driving to get married"

Me: "Can you tell me more?"

3 year Old: " They are smiling because they are happy - there are 3 sisters and a Mum, all the girls are in this car. They all have hats on it is a special day"

Me: "Weddings are special days. You have thought really carefully about making your picture a wedding day - and I like your idea of putting hats on all the girls. 

3 year Old: And dresses.

Me: "I think you have done a great job because you thought carefully and tried really hard - and you took a long time to add all of your ideas into the picture"

I am no Growth Mindset expert, but I am pretty sure this conversation would develop more of a growth mindset than "You are great at drawing cars and people - I love it - it looks like our family going to the beach!"

5) Insights. This approach can (should) also be used in other curriculum areas. Before reading a piece of writing I try to ask a child "Tell me about the writing you have done". 9 times out of 10 the piece will reflect exactly what they have said (my trip to the ice cream store) but occasionally the answer will give an insight that astonishes me - "I was wanting to write about how much I love my family, but all I could do was write I love you with a list of reasons why I love them. So I wrote about the time we went for ice cream so I could show how much I love them." 

Often in maths I will ask the student to 'tell me about what they have done' when solving a specific problem. Their answer to this question always gives you far more knowledge than reading what they have written.

Really, the 'Tell me ...' approach works in everything with life. There is nothing worse than people assuming something about you and jumping in with opinions before asking you a question. Take the time and listen :)

Sunk Cost Bias in Education (and Life)

I have enjoyed listening to the book Essentialism. The Disciplined Pursuit of Less By Greg McKeown over the last week. Many ideas have challenged my thinking, but one that I want to act on is a relatively well-known theory - The Sunk Cost Bias. 

The Sunk Cost Fallacy is explained on Freakonomics as;
 A “sunk cost” is just what it sounds like: time or money you’ve already spent. The sunk-cost fallacy is when you tell yourself that you can’t quit because of all that time or money you spent. We shouldn’t fall for this fallacy, but we do it all the time.

I found it remarkably easy to think of times I have falling to this fallacy. I guess like anything when you are aware of a problem you are halfway towards a solution, so I write this post to aide my awareness (and yours...);

1. Do you pay more to maintain technology than you would pay to purchase it if you did not own it? E.g. spending hundreds on technicians servicing computers that you would not purchase in their current condition for more than $50 if you did not own them. 

The hard thing about this is research has proven we value things we own more than things we do not own. So we may only be prepared to sell something we already own for $200 - but if we did not own it we may only be prepared to buy it for $100. 
Counter: Ask yourself how much money you would spend if you walked into a store to purchase the item before you commit to spending more on its 
maintenance. 

2. Do you spend money on a service or product because 'you know how to use it now' or you spent a long time setting it up? When a product or service is complicated to set up and learn I believe you are far less likely to move away from it - even if it is no longer meeting your needs. Any product in which individual accounts have been created for every student seems to stick around longer in schools than products with minimal user input - which seems completely counter-productive; but if you have invested time in setting something up you often want to 'reap the rewards' even when the ship has long since sailed.

This is the reason so many companies offer 'free trials'. They know that once you have invested your time into learning their system you are likely to use it.
Counter: Balance the time you will save with the superior product - and acknowledge that time spent on the old product served its purpose and probably provided you with transferable skills. Understand that ongoing commitments to services, ideas or products should depend on their continuing usefulness - not their past history.

3. Do you persist on using an idea you have spent lots of time with - even when it does not work effectively? I was once part of a group that spent alot of time with an external facilitator on an Inquiry Learner Model. The more time we spent with the facilitators model, the more we knew it did not met our needs; but the more time we spent the harder it was to let go of - after all we had invested so much time!
Counter: Chances are there will be takeaways from any learning - even if you ultimately do not fully subscribe to the ideas. Recognise that knowing what you do not want is just as important as knowing what you do want.

4. Do you use technology for no purpose - because you previously spent money on it and time to learn? I often wonder why teachers can fall into the Substitute trap (i.e.  SAMR model). Thinking of the Sunk Cost Bias it makes some sense, time and money has been invested in this new device - so it needs to be utilised now - even if it is not achieving anything beyond what pen and paper could.  A classic example is seeing calculators being utilised on devices - even though a set of class calculators has gathered dust on the shelf for years before the shiny new device was brought in!
Counter: Utilise the Sunk Cost Bias productively by having teachers spend some time learning something new; be it attending a conference in the school holidays or joining in a twitter chat. Know that by investing some time we will be more likely to invest further time - no one wants to invest something and see no rewards from it! 

5. Do you continue with a lesson/idea/project - even when the students have lost engagement? When you have spent hours over the holidays planning the most amazing learning for your students but the students do not share your enthusiasm....how easy do you find it to flag the concept, talk to your students about alternative ideas and forget about the late nights you spent researching ideas and developing resources? 
Counter: Don't spend hours planning something for others, thinking that your excitements means others will also be excited! And if you still find yourself in this situation, remember you cannot reclaim your time! 

Be proud to admit your mistakes - and have an honest conversation with your learners to show that you have a Growth Mindset.

I have been binge thinking about #bingelearning

While writing my 'Neflix Generation' post I become more and more interested in the concept of Binge Learning, so much so I decided it needs its own post...

What is Binge Learning?
To define Binge Learning, you first need to define binge-watching. Cue Wikipedia; "Binge-watching, also called binge-viewing, is the practice of watching television for longer time spans than usual, usually of a single television show". Therefore my definition is;

Binge Learning is the practice of learning content for longer time spans than usual. 

When is Binge Learning effective?
Binge learning is usually not 'cramming for an exam'. The difference lies in the why you are binging. I once watched the BBC for 4 hours while waiting for a plane - why? I was a captive audience, there was no other channel. Binge learning should be something the learner is fully immersed in - they do not want the learning to end. 

By definition, Binge learning is any learning that continues for a longer time than normal. It may be as simple as flagging writing as the students are so gripped in solving a question in maths - or as complex as an entire term in a completely integrated topic about 'flying'.

So, why Binge Learn? 

1. Binge watching and learning means you do not forget what happened last time, making the viewing/learning more enjoyable. 
2. It allows for more complex storylines/learning. If a viewer/learner has to wait a week between shows/lessons the emphasise then becomes on either catching them up with the action or having episodes/lessons that sit in complete isolation (they can be viewed/taught without any previous knowledge). This leads to shows and lessons that are, to be kind, simple. One off shows/lessons may be enjoyable enough at the time, but you are probably not likely to lye awake at night thinking about them!
3. Binge watching/learning is more exciting as you know your learning/viewing will not come to an abrupt stop. I feel this allows you to 'let go' more and become emotionally invested in the viewing/leaning.
4. Time is not an issue. So often in our learning, time becomes a barrier. It may even be the reason we use to many closed and not enough open questions in our teaching. Binge learning allows us to throw away the clock and focus on the learning - no matter how long it takes. Not worrying about time also allows students who may be slow to pick up a new concept - but fast to apply concepts learnt - a chance to succeed.
5. Better lesson design. Often our lesson planning restricts around chunks of time, so our thinking as to possibilities stays within these windows. Planning for Binge learning means we can get more creative - we can allow for more options for students and free ourselves up to support individuals more effectively. One of the aspirations of Binge learning should be to have students emotionally invested in their learning. To do this, we need to plan exciting and relevant tasks. Binge lesson cannot truly occur with worksheets!

Want to set up Binge Learning for you students? The conditions to help make Binge Learning happen are;

Content that is relevant and engaging ....to the point that the learner is emotionally invested in it. To really have the learner emotionally invested, you may need to have a 'so what' or 'action to take' outcome in your learning. 

The content is all there for the learner. Binge learning can not take place with a worksheet. Why? Worksheets end - like an old school TV show. Just as Netflix releases the entire season of a TV series, we need to release entire 'units of work'. Giving learners all the content at once would have created a huge 'paper monster' with 30 'baby paper monsters' in the past. With the advent of devices, content can now be made available through a series of online resources that students can navigate through at their own pace. 

Take them on a journey. The most popular 'binge watching shows' are those that have story-lines that flow into each other like chapters in a book. Likewise, to design Binge Learning we need to 'map out' the learning. Pose some questions or a problem, alongside some tools and resources that will guide thinking. Watching TV is not as fun when you know what happens - likewise telling the learner what is going to happen (and when we finish you will make a video about ...) is not as gripping. 

#bingelearning. The Netflix Generation.

Recently I realised that I had not watched more than a few hours of live TV all year. Only 5 years earlier I would have returned home from work to turn the TV on in time for the news (OK - maybe Home and Away at 5:30...) and the TV would have been on until I went to bed. Where has the 5 hours+ per night of TV watching gone? I would love to say solely into more productive pursuits, but mainly it has gone to Online TV streaming services. The interesting (exciting) thing is my 5 hour a night habit is now more like a 1 hour a night habit. I genuinely look forward to it and actually gain pleasure from it - a big shift from the 'flick through until I found the best of whatever's on' years.

I believe there are some parallels with teaching to my (our) new TV viewing habits;

Modern TV Watching	Modern Classroom Learning
Binge Watching. Viewers becoming so engrossed in a show they continue it for the entire day/week rather than stop watching after 45 minutes to move onto the next show.	Binge Learning. Students becoming so engrossed in a concept they continue it for the entire day/week rather than stop learning after 45 minutes to move onto the next lesson.
Flexible Viewing. Viewers watching content when it suits them through the use of on demand services. They can pause, rewind and repeat shows through the use of technology.	Flexible Learning. Students learning content when it suits them through the use of flipped classrooms and flexible timetables. They can pause, rewind and repeat learning through the use of technology.
Passion Viewing. Viewers get deeply involved in the shows they watch - they follow news feeds about them, tweet and blog. They make connections with other like-minded individuals to deepen their understanding of the show (e.g. GoT fever)	Passion Projects. Learners get deeply involved in the lessons they engage in - they follow news feeds, tweet and blog. They make connections with other like-minded individuals to deepen their understanding of the learning.
Personalised Viewing. Viewing habits are monitored and suggestions and recommendations given based on their individual interests and history of shows watched. Feedback after each show is seeked to better understand the viewer.	Personalised Learning. Students learning is monitored and suggestions and recommendations given based on their individual interests and history of learning. Feedback after each lesson is seeked to better understand the learner.
Viewer Agency. The viewer has choice in what they watch - they are not restricted to what’s on - they can make their own decisions around their viewing. The viewer is able to use technology to create their own show and share with the world.	Student Agency. The student has choice in what they learn- they are not restricted to what’s on - they can make their own decisions around their learning. The learner is able to use technology to create their own lessons and share with the world.

2014 Study...

Digital Badges - Part 2 of 3. Why use Digital Badges.

Not matter how I look at it, badges are a form of motivation. I am not comfortable with the 'carrot and stick' mentality of learning - do this and you get this. I want students to be intrinsically motivated and have growth mindsets.

However, I believe that Digital Badges have a lot of other positive attributes, and as far as motivational tools go are better than certificates, awards and stickers. 

To ensure I encourage growth mindsets, I would like to see Digital Badges feature a wide range of 'Growth mindset qualities' - badges for 'taking a risk' by tying something new 'Obstacle Clearer' by persevering despite obstacles, 'Action Your Feedback' for taking on feedback and 'Feedback Giver ' for giving feedback to others learning. 

With these disclaimers in mind, here are my reasons for using Digital Badges in the classroom.

1. They are student driven and student managed. As outlined in my previous post "Setting up Digital Badges" I recommend having the Digital Badge process student driven - where students decide what badges should be awarded for (along with you) and students create the badges for everyone. Likewise, I believe in 90% of cases students should be able to determine if they can 'award themselves' the badge, according to the criteria set for each badge. All this means students have ownership and autonomy over the badge system.
2. Reflection. As a teacher, my purpose of having students post badges on their blogs is not so their blogs look cool, filled with funky badges. Rather, it is for badges to provide a catalyst for reflection, feedback and discussion. When a badge is posted on a blog the expectation is for some reflection to be posted alongside it. Sentence starters like "I am proud of this badge because..." or "This badge demonstrates my problem solving/creative thinking/perseverance because..." allow for the reflection to be focused on the process of gaining the badge - not the outcome of achieving it. Having other students, parents and teachers comment also adds to the depth of learning and reflection.
3. Fair. Compared to other 'awards' badges are fair. Watch any Assembly where certificates or trophies are handed out to see the disappointment that comes with the many that miss out. Why should this be? If 20 students have succeeded in fulfilling the criteria, why should they not all get an award? Digital Badges place no limits - if a cohort of students are amazing problem solvers, they may all earn the 'Solve it in Multiple Ways' badge - rather than the 'top' problem solver chosen.
4. Expectations. We all know that 'what gets measured gets taught'. Likewise, 'what we award, students (and parents) will aspire towards'. By having badges for specific activities, like 'Lead a student workshop' or 'Taking a risk in my Learning' we make clear what we value as educators.
5. Identity. In today's world of selfies and self-promotion, students want to show their peers how they are unique. When a student gets into a Rep Sports team, they can post a photo, when they perform at a concert they post a video - but what about students who have skills that are not as 'visually tangible'? How does the student that collaborates effectively share their identity with others? The advantage of sharing your skill-sets with others is more than just an ego-trip. In the classroom, it allows for students to see who has strengths in areas they need support. It allows for students who may otherwise go unnoticed to be recognised by their peers. In an ideal setting, I imagine students approaching peers for help. One way to make this happen is for students to have a true map of their peers strengths - and this can effectively be achieved through badges.

My finial thought is to reiterate that Digital Badges should be used with careful consideration. Though they are a strong motivational tool for students they should not simply be used as a carrot. 

Interesting Reads around Badges

I Don’t Get Digital Badges

More on Badges and Assessment

Intended Purposes Versus Actual Function of Digital Badges

Boosting Intrinsic Motivation with... Extrinsic Motivation?

Digital Badges - Part 1 of 3. Setting up Digital Badges.

This post is intended to be the first of three posts about Digital Badges. 
Part 1 is the 'How' Part 2 the 'Why' and Part 3 the 'Outcomes'. I am writing the 'How' before the 'Why' as I am still grappling with an idea - "Do Digital Badges led to extrinsic motivation and fixed mindsets'? (would love anyone's opinion on this)....

Digital Badges are 'Brownie Badges for your Blog'. They could be for any achievement; from completing Triathlons to Learning a musical instrument. Here is my recommended process of how students can earn these badges.

1) Explain the concept of Digital Badges to your students (maybe bring a Girl Guide/Brownie/Scout uniform to show 'old school badges') Have students brainstorm a list of what badges could be awarded for. This list does not have to be definitive. I had 3 criteria for my students;

1. It has to be an achievement that is accessible to anyone i.e. winning a musical scholarship for 10 year old is accessible to all 10 year olds as any 10 year old could apply. Riding the tallest rollers coaster at Disneyland is an achievement - but not everyone has the opportunity to do this.
2. It has to be able to be self-managed by students. By this I mean students need to be able to know if they have achieved this, so a 'kindest person in the class award' is not appropriate as it would require others (teacher) to determine. Having 20 'gems' in your writing book can be self managed though, as the teacher indicates these in their feedback and students can count them.
3. It has to be measurable. 'Being good at cricket' is not measurable. 'Being in a Rep Team for cricket' is.

2) Have student make badges. I used www.openbadges.me as it works with our students iPads and Chromebooks and is pretty easy. You could also use Google Drawing or Paper and Pen (then take a photo). You only want one student making each badge, so have students write their name or cross out ideas as they begin to create their badge.

3) Store badges in a shared location or have students share badges with you. This is where my method splits into 3 methods.. 

Method 1 (quick and easy) is to have all the badges stored in one Google Drive folder that is shared with all students. 
Method 2 (requires some work from the teacher - but may be essential) Is to have all the badges, along with a description of how to achieve them, on a Class Website/Blog.
If you are all about quick and easy jump down to Step 5!

Method 3 (slower, but with more transparency) is to have students share the badges with you, then....

4) Create a Google Form for each badge. See the form example below. The main purpose for having a form is so a teacher can look at the 'Google spreadsheet' that the form automatically creates and quickly see students that have been awarded badges. The Google Form collects students login name, adding extra transparency to the process. Overall, I feel that the form makes students take more responsibility than simply having a folder they can access and download badges from - but really depends on the students as to what method to use!

Forms would then need to be embedded or linked from a central location (your class blog/website) for students to see what badges are available.
Here is a link to a live form to see how they look.

5) Let students Save the badges and upload to their Blog. At any time, students can go to the shared folder or Blog/Website that hosts the 'Badge Forms' or 'Badge Images and descriptions' and save/copybadges. They will then need to upload/paste the Badge Image into a Blog Post or Digital Portfolio.

My expectation is that some reflection needs to be included when students post their badges to their own blog. e.g. "Here is my Eco-Warrior badge for being part of the Eco-Warrior team in 2015. I am proud to be in this team as a lot of students wanted to be in it. I am also proud because I think the work we do is really important, like composting and recycling".

Do you teach Science? Or Inquiry?

Recently I had a conversation with an on-to-it 10 year old about school. 

They stated they 'did not do' Science at school.

On the surface this may be concerning, but it went deeper - this student was in the middle of an Inquiry with a heavy Science focus. 

When I asked this student what their favourite subject at school they answered 'Inquiry'. Why? 'I like the experiments we do and learning about real things'. 

Obviously this student was learning about key scientific principles - but had no idea this was Science. Maybe this is just semantics but I see this as a problem.

Before I continue I would like to point out I have no issue with an Inquiry Learning approach. With this statement in mind, here are my Top 5 reasons we should stop calling our Science/Social Studies/Arts subjects 'Inquiry'.

1. Making Connections. Adults talk about Science and History - kids bundle all these things into a 'subject' named Inquiry (see above). This makes it harder for students to make connections with the world outside of the classroom.

2. It's a Learning approach - not a Subject! Only calling some subject areas 'Inquiry' and not others implies (to teachers and students) that the Inquiry approach to learning only lends itself to certain subjects. This is wrong. Why not call Maths 'Inquiry'? PE 'Inquiry'? I know many teachers use an Inquiry approach for these subjects, but imagine if every time we did an Inquiry process in Maths we stopped teaching Maths and started teaching 'Inquiry'.

3. Subject Bias. By removing the word 'Science' from our teacher vocabulary (just look at any primary teachers planning to see how hard it is to spot this word) we emphasise subject importance to our students. Of course our students struggle in Science - they don't even know it is a subject! Every 7 year old could explain what they learn in Maths - ask them what they learn in Science...

4. Further Subject Bias. Maths and English is put on such a pedestal that we even tell students what area of the subject we are learning e.g. Geometry, Narratives, Statistics etc. I have yet to see a primary school teacher (including myself) put on their timetable Chemistry, Sociology or Physics. Are we teaching these things? Absolutely. Can young children learn the various sub-areas of Science and Social Studies? Of course - they do for Maths and English.

5. Is it even always Inquiry? To me, unless the students are going through some sort of 'Inquiry cycle' it is not really Inquiry Learning.

I will put my head on the block and say that I taught a 2 week integrated unit about Waitangi Day and wrote 'Inquiry' on the board every afternoon. Did we have a true Inquiry process? No. We went through some Inquiry aspects - but no more than what I would in Maths or Reading.

Maybe if I had have written 'History' on the board for 2 weeks a Grandfather may have seen it and offered to talk about his experiences, or a seed may have been planted for a child that they enjoyed learning about something called 'History' that stuck with them. Maybe a child would have made a connection with the outside world and realised the 'History channel' on TV was relevant to something they are learning at school...

So, lets either stop calling it 'Inquiry' or start calling every subject 'Inquiry'. The name of a subject holds more importance than we give it credit.

Why I can now see the wood from the trees

I have now been without my 'own class' for 18 months*. Having been in the classroom for 8 years prior to my break, I worried I would miss the craziness of never having enough time, the constant interactions with people and deep down I worried I may 'lose it' and slowly exit out of the education world for good.

I do not think I have 'lost it' - in fact after 18 months I finally feel like I have the inspiration, networks, skills, vision and inquisitiveness every teacher should come out of university with. 

*I should clarify I have not been on an extended holiday - just taking a step out of the classroom to look after our 2 little ones for 3 days a week and work 2 days at school :)


Here is my list of things I have discovered that inspire and challenge me.

1. TED talks. I stumbled across TED when our bank gave us a new TV with very few apps (hint - if you live in NZ - buy Samsung TVs - not Sony). One of the few Apps was TED. For close to 6 months I had TED talks on in the background for some part of the day during my time at home. I did not exclusively listen to the Ed talks - though a Growth Mindset talk by Carol Dweck set me off on a self-discovery voyage about Mindsets that has become a new passion. 

2. Twitter. I heard of the educational possibilities and signed up for Twitter at a uLearn conference in 2009. In November 2014 I finally got round to writing a Tweet. My favourite discovery has been the #Edchat discussions, using Twitter to search (true story - I had never used anything but Google) and building some connections with like-minded educators.

3. Podcasting. My wife reintroduced my to Podcasts on a recent road trip when we listened to show after show. Like TED, I listen to a variety of shows outside of education, including technology and politics (what else influences education more?) though I now religiously listen to the ITSE #epicYEN podcast's.

4. VLN. Again, the virtual learning network was something I have known about for years but never contributed to. The importance of the VLN is in clichés like 'no man (school) is an island' 'two brains are better than one' and 'If you see a path that you want to follow, first talk to those that have walked it'. I guess what I am saying is the VLN gave me a place to learn from other school's that faced similar challenges to our own and help other schools who now face challenges similar to what we have overcome/learned to deal with!

5. My Own Project-based Learning. During my part timing I have kept busy with numerous projects, some successful (building a school website) some not (attempting to build a school App). Some of these projects have been implemented school wide (Digital Citizenship curriculum) while others have yet to see the light of day (watch this space..). All of these projects have had one thing in common - I have had to be the learner - reading, asking questions and taking risks. All things I did not have enough time for when dealing with a classroom.

I would like to think I have created some habits that will stick when I get back into full-time teaching. In reality I know paperwork will bog me down, but at least I will have 'inspirational vehicles' to go back to so that I can continue to grow my mind.