FOR PRINCIPALS | EDUCATORS | NETWORK ADMINISTRATORS
Issue 73
l a u t r i V e h T n I y t i l R ea m o o r Class
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CONTENTS
73
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Cover Story
Virtual Reality In The Classroom In this issue’s cover story, James Jenkins, Coordinator of Digital Pedagogy at Canterbury College, looks at new and innovative ways to use virtual reality tools in the classroom. Learn how virtual reality can help create a more immersive and engaging education environment for your students.
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Feature
Using Technology To Tackle Dyslexia Brisbane-based educator Jacqui Kirkman looks at specific technologies that can assist teachers in tackling dyslexia.
032
Feature
Security In Schools: How To Do More With Less Getting computer security right in a school is much trickier than doing so in a business setting. How much money can you spend? How much time can you devote to the problem? Should you have an environment in which you enforce or merely guide? How do you win the co-operation of parents, staff and students?
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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 03
CONTENTS
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Interactive Learning
Mal Lee and Roger Broadie look at the importance of trust in building an effective digital school.
022
Plugged In
Emily MacLean of Chatsworth International School in Singapore looks at the importance of allowing students to be heard when developing effective technology leadership in schools.
036
Office Space
We help take the fear out of technology by demystifying techno-lingo for educators.
040
Next Step
Dr Shelley Kinash and Robin Orr look at the power of video as a tool in education.
044
052
Let’s Talk Software
Why is Australia dropping in international education rankings and how can STEM help reverse this disturbing trend?
048
Professional Development
Most educators would agree that flipped learning can be beneficial, but what do students think about it?
052 How To Protect Your School From The Threat Of Ransomware As one of the biggest threats of 2016, ransomware is quickly building its impressive catalogue of victims, including hospitals, government departments, banks and even law enforcement agencies. With educational institutions holding more personal data about children than ever before, it should come as no surprise that schools have become the latest addition to e-criminals’ list of targets. What can you do to protect your school?
056
Teaching Tools
What if you could replace expensive school lab equipment with a simple iPhone?
060
Get Connected
How can you use online study to get ahead in the real world?
006
Letter from the Editor
008
Cyber Chat
010
Calendar of Events
064
Tech Stuff
066
Product Showcases
070 Noticeboards
004 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Vir t
t en
u
a
g arnin Enviro e nm lL LMS
Portal
Intranet
Technology to transform K–12 schools Enhance learning, collaboration and communication at your school with Schoolbox Schoolbox is a virtual learning environment (VLE) for K-12 schools. It’s a unique all-in-one learning management system (LMS), portal and intranet. Schoolbox is self or cloud hosted, integrated, flexible and secure.
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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 05
EDITOR’S LETTER EDITOR’S LETTER www.educationtechnologysolutions.com.au EDITORIAL Editor John Bigelow Email: john@interactivemediasolutions.com.au Guest Editor Brett Salakas Twitter: @MRsalakas Subeditors Helen Sist, Ged McMahon CONTRIBUTORS James Jenkins, Jacqui Kirkman, Tom March, Nick FitzGerald, Mal Lee, Roger Broadie, Emily MacLean, Selena Wood, Shelly Kinash, Robin Orr, Sivam Krishnapillai, Sheena O’Hare, John Bergmann, Blake Seufert ADVERTISING Phone: 1300 300 552 Email: keith@interactivemediasolutions.com.au Keith Rozairo DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Phone: 1300 300 552 Email: graphics@interactivemediasolutions.com.au Graphic Designer Jamieson Gross MARKETING AND SUBSCRIPTIONS Phone: 1300 300 552 Email: admin@interactivemediasolutions.com.au $57 AUD per annum inside Australia ACCOUNTS Phone: 1300 300 552 Email: accounts@interactivemediasolutions.com.au PUBLISHER
ABN 56 606 919463 Level 1, 34 Joseph St, Blackburn, Victoria 3130 Phone: 1300 300 552 Fax: 03 8609 1973 Email: enquiries@interactivemediasolutions.com.au Website: www.educationtechnologysolutions.com.au Disclaimer: The publisher takes due care in the preparation of this magazine and takes all reasonable precautions and makes all reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of material contained in this publication, but is not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission. The publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omission in this publication, or from the use of information contained herein. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied with respect to any of the material contained herein. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in ANY form in whole OR in part without WRITTEN permission from the publisher. Reproduction includes copying, photocopying, translation or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form.
Written Correspondence To: Level 1, 34 Joseph St, Blackburn, Victoria 3130 Phone: 1300 300 552 Fax: 03 8609 1973 Email: enquiries@interactivemediasolutions.com.au
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06 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
The future is a hard thing to predict. Only a few years ago, most people in the education sector would have said that interactive whiteboards were a revolution (which they were), and would be the future of education. This was true, for a while, but then newer, alternative technologies began to emerge. Within a very short period, educators were spoilt for choice when it came to creating interactive classrooms. Within a few short years, interactive whiteboards had moved from being the greatest technological education evolution since the invention of the printing press, to… just another education tool – albeit a very useful tool. Now Virtual Reality is set to become the next big thing. If you have not begun exploring Virtual Reality, I strongly recommend you read this Issue’s cover story. My point is, technology is developing and evolving so quickly that it is impossible to know what is coming next, let alone try to predict the impact these new technologies may have on the way we learn and teach. Anyone who had the opportunity to visit Edutech in Brisbane last month can attest to this fact. In reality, technology is evolving at such a rapid rate, that we cannot even begin to imagine the sorts of challenges today’s first graders will be facing by the time they are in year twelve. The simple fact is, many teachers don’t know what to do with the technology they have right now. Education does not need more tools, it needs more collaboration. The education sector desperately needs more people who are willing and able
to explore new technologies with students in an effort to conceptualise and understand how these tools can be applied in an educational context and then work with other educators and students to bring those visions to fruition. Many educators agree that there has never been a more challenging period in Australian classrooms. A great many teachers I spoke to at Edutech admitted to feeling equal parts exhilaration, borne of the new possibilities arising from emerging technologies, and terror, borne of the realisation that he or she is no longer the most experienced and knowledgeable person in the classroom when it comes to using technology. Students often have an intuitive understanding of the many technologies currently used in education, which surpasses the teacher’s knowledge, leaving the teacher feeling exposed and at a disadvantage. Teachers, however, understand how to create lesson plans, curriculum and learning outcomes. Perhaps by working together with students, educators and students together can design amazing lessons that will not only engage students but will also inform educators and pave the way for an exciting new future in education.
Regards,
JOHN BIGELOW Editor-in-Chief
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REGULAR
C Y
CYBER CHAT
The Top Eight Things To Avoid in School Newsletters | By Blake Seufert | There are some consistent areas where schools can all do better with their newsletters. All the studies show that people’s attention spans for concentrating is waning. They expect information to be more summarised, more to the point and more exciting. Authors have to continually fight for the attention of their readers. It is easy to understand why a school’s parents miss information or totally ignore the newsletter; they are not excited to read something that has not changed in format or presentation for 10 years or more. So, below is a list of things schools should avoid when creating newsletters – it is these simple mistakes that detract and taint parents’ expectations of what a well-produced newsletter should be.
1
No photos When parents are asked what the number one thing they look for in the newsletter is, it is photos of their kids. The most engaging thing schools can do for parents is to include plenty of photos. The more the merrier.
2
No Comic Sans Schools should be exciting and enticing their readers to want to read. The same old look and font is not compelling. First impressions matter. If the newsletter looks slapped together, parents will notice and disengage.
08 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
3
Designing for desktop screens Parents are on their mobile phones. The newsletter should work on tablets and phones as easily as the desktop. Most parents read a newsletter in and around their busy schedules. If it is clumsy to read, or parents need to pinch to zoom on a phone, it is not going to happen.
4
No point of view Writing is hard. But writers need to do all they can to liven it up. Make it more casual – parents are human and want to see the writer’s perspective or flair in their articles. Just sticking to the facts comes across as mechanical and is not great to read.
5
Spelling mistakes
When an educational institution misspells words in the newsletter, it does not project quality and effort. Everyone makes mistakes, and spell check is far from perfect, but doing a good proofread is worth the effort. Parents need to feel that the newsletter is high quality and put together with lots of thought and care in order for it to be worthy of their time. Being able to fix mistakes quickly is a good way to ensure quality.
6
Thinking only the school’s parents will read the newsletter If the newsletter is good, the school’s students and wider community will read
it too. This is a golden opportunity to impress the school’s values and beliefs on the school community. Make sure anyone can read and understand the articles. Pro tip: Try to avoid abbreviations for camps or school events.
7
Not listening How often do schools ask their parents about the newsletter? Do schools check the readership data or statistics on viewership? If schools are not listening to what their parents want, it will be hard to create something they want to read.
8
Biased articles Newsletters help build relationships and being as honest as possible is best. This generation can smell disingenuity. Writers, if not excited about something, should not say that they are overwhelmed with excitement. Luckily, schools have so many great things to share – simply pick something great and talk about that. Is your school making any of these mistakes? A lot of the issues have now been covered, so what are the options for a better, more streamlined newsletter? In the next issue, ways to get some quick wins, regardless of how a school builds its newsletter, will be investigated. ETS Blake Seufert is the Systems Manager at McKinnon Secondary College and the co-founder of Naavi and iNewsletter.
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shaping tomorrow with you EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 09
REGULAR
EVENTS CALENDAR
Leading a Digital School Conference 2016 25–27 August 2016 Crown Conference Centre, Melbourne The 2016 Leading a Digital School Conference features three big days, three mega themes, tightly focused professional development for K–12 school leaders, leadership teams and teachers, and a powerful networking program. Reflect with colleagues on how digital technology can be leveraged to advance three critical issues in schooling. This year’s themes include: Day 1: Rethinking Schooling How do we reinvent the traditional classroom and how do we rearrange the entire school experience? Educators have been talking about this for a long time. Digital technology is now making all of this possible. It maximises our ability to undertake innovative learning approaches, which in turn accelerate the change in schooling and enhance the quality of the change. Attend the conference if you are curious about how digital technology can help you ‘rethink your school’. Day 2: Shift To Deeper Learning Digital technology can take students deep into their learning. It can deliver rich core content in innovative ways that allow students to learn and then apply what they learn. It creates opportunities for authentic, active learning experiences, connecting the curriculum with real-life experiences. Good teachers have always encouraged their students to learn this way, but the
The Education Show
right digital technology assists them to do it better. Attend the conference to see compelling evidence of how digital technology can take your students’ learning deeper. Day 3: Develop Students Who Create Schools are facing a powerful trend to encourage students to be creators – and not so much – consumers. The Maker movement is inspiring educators to encourage creativity, learning by making and creating, innovation, and even ‘tinkering’ in students. Makerspaces abound! Digital technology has borne digital fabrication, gamification, 3D printing, robotics, coding and programming – all of which assist students to acquire skills that are immediately applicable in the real world. Attend the conference to reflect on the importance of creativity in learning and to focus on students as creators, not consumers. For each mega theme, explore major considerations for successful implementation as you engage with expert keynote speakers, school case studies, workshops, cutting-edge technology and powerful networking. Get excited and be inspired as you explore how digital technology provides us with a golden opportunity to rethink schooling, shift to deeper learning, and develop students who create! Visit www.iwb.net.au for more information. Email: team@iwb.net.au Phone: 1800 760 108
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2–4 September 2016 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre The Education Show is a key event of The National Education Summit which draws principals, school leaders, business managers and educators from K-12. For more information on the National Education Summit, please visit nationaleducationsummit.com.au
K-12 Digital Classroom Practice Conference 2–3 September 2016 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre A conference exploring best digital practice to achieve superior teaching and learning outcomes in the digital classroom. The K-12 Digital Classroom Practice Conference explores best digital classroom practice to achieve superior teaching and learning outcomes. This exciting new event is part of the new National Education Summit. Attend the conference to see the amazing ways digital technology can be used in your classroom to support your pedagogy, deliver the curriculum to your students and to unlock their learning potential. Whilst at the conference take the opportunity to kill two birds with the one stone. Make some time to visit The Education Show 2016, a well-known and well-respected free trade exhibition in a new venue (2–4 September 2016, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre). The Education Show is also a part of the National Education Summit.
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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 011
REGULAR
EVENTS CALENDAR
The keynote speakers at the K-12 Digital Classroom Practice Conference, Zeina Chalich and Paul Hamilton, have been chosen for their reputations as best practice classroom teachers, their understanding of the place of digital technology in education and their ability to motivate and inspire. • Zeina Chalich will present in her keynote Retinkering Learning through
FlipCon is a national conference embracing Flipped Learning. Emerging and established flipped educators will want to attend this concentrated high touch, hands-on conference. No prior experience in flipping a class or school is needed. When delegates return to their school after attending, they will have the skills, knowledge and passion to start or continue to cultivate a learner-
a Makerspace. Zeina will also run two workshops: Coding in the Curriculum and Making to Learn. • Paul Hamilton will present in his keynote Classroom Stories: Creative tools and effective pedagogies for the student-centred, 21st century classroom. Paul will also run two workshops; Storytelling with iPads in the Primary School and Coding with iPads in the Primary School. Early Bird rates are now available. You can register for two days @ $525.00 per person (Group 2+ $495.00 per person), one day @ $295.00 per person or attend a Single Session at just $45.00. Take a look at the comprehensive program, download the brochure and find further information at www.iwb.net. au/classroompractice
centred classroom and get to know their students better.
FlipCon Australia 2016 with Jon Bergmann FlipCon Gold Coast – 13, 14 and 15 October 2016 @ Saint Stephen’s College, Upper Coomera (Second keynote: Aaron Sams) FlipCon Adelaide – 17, 18 and 19 November 2016 @ Brighton Secondary School, Adelaide (Second keynote
You will have the choice of attending: • Boot Camp with the keynote speakers (Thursday) • Conference with Boot Camp, secondary and primary panels, discussions and hands-on workshops (Thursday and Friday) • Conference with school visits, concurrent sessions, secondary and primary panels, discussions and hands-on workshops (Thursday and Friday) • Masterclass (Saturday) spending a full day with the keynotes and other expert flipped educators • Conference and Masterclass (Thursday, Friday and Saturday). Sessions will focus on: • The flipped classroom • The flipped school • The flip outside class time • Technology and ‘how to’ tips • Going beyond to deeper learning. Take a look at the comprehensive program, download the brochure, check out the costs and find further information at www.iwb.net.au/flipcon
Professor Ken Bauer)
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EduTECH 2017 8–9 June 2017 Sydney Convention Centre EduTECH is Australasia’s largest annual education technology conference and exhibition. In 2016, EduTECH will host 8 conferences, 8 masterclasses, 8,000+ attendees, an official event dinner for 800 guests, 250+ exhibitors and free seminars for exhibition visitors. EduTECH is the only event that brings together the entire education and training sector (primary, secondary, tertiary and workplace learning) plus libraries, plus government, plus suppliers ... all under one roof. Why Attend? Because EduTECH makes a difference! We are passionate about education; and we believe the ideas, learnings and inspiration that people take away from EduTECH are helping change the future! Be part of something BIG. EduTECH is the only education event in Australasia to bring you so many delegates, suppliers, and the world-renowned speakers all under one roof. As a delegate, you can choose from one of eight conferences designed for your role, ensuring you get the most out of your professional development investment. Furthermore, EduTECH is affordable… We know the education sector has limited funds, so we work with industry to subsidise registration costs, making this an accessible investment in your learning. ▪ Access the very best speakers from Australia and around the world. ▪ For more information, please visit www.edutech.net.au
a great opportunity for professional development and access to the latest products, services and resources for your classroom, school and career Friday 2 September - Sunday 4 September Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
NEW VEN UE
Why should you attend:
Discover 100 exhibitors with NEW products services resources and technology for your school and classroom Hear 50 seminars on topics including: •
teaching and learning programs across the curriculum
•
classroom management and engagement
•
learning technologies
•
literacy and numeracy
Register to visit The Education Show at educationshow.com.au For further information: educationshow.com.au 03 9596 9205 education@iecgroup.com.au
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The Education Show is a key event of The National Education Summit which draws principals, school leaders, business managers and educators from K-12. For more information on the National EducationEDUCATION Summit pleaseTECHNOLOGY visit nationaleducationsummit.com.au SOLUTIONS 013
interactivelearning
Trust and
Digital Schooling | By Mal Lee and Roger Broadie | Trust is critical to the digital evolution of schools and in achieving digital normalisation. At first glance, the prominence accorded this key human trait might appear exaggerated. However, the deeper the authors delve and the more they work with school leaders globally in the digital evolution of their schools, the more critical becomes the willingness to trust, genuinely collaborate, empower and to distribute the control of the teaching, learning and school resourcing in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth and evolution. Without trust, schools cannot thrive in a socially networked society and sharing economy. The principal needs to trust and empower all staff, students, parents and the supporting community. That trust will be repaid in numerous, very positive and as yet not fully appreciated ways. Trust fundamentally changes the nature of schooling and opens the way for a more collaborative 24/7/365 mode of schooling and resourcing. When pupils are trusted to take responsibility for their
learning and collaboratively create a culture where disruption of learning is not acceptable, the pupils become a major new teaching resource. This can be used in all sorts of ways, including peer tutoring, peer assessment, pupil leaders of learning, in co-constructing the curriculum and even leading lessons. The traditional hierarchically structured school is based on distrust, even if there is an appearance of devolved control. It is deemed imperative that a small executive team exercises unilateral control over all school operations. Neither the classroom teachers, the support staff, the students, the parents nor the
014 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
community can be trusted, and their roles must be carefully managed from on high. The ethos is at root one of teachers and pupils doing what they are required to do on pain of sanctions, rather than an ethos of mutual expectation that what is required will be done because that is the job that the whole community is collaboratively engaged in. The history of the use of instructional technology in schools (Lee and Winzenried, 2009) over the last century has been characterised by its distrust of teachers to use the technology wisely. That history sees teachers being obliged to secure licences to use the gear, instructional technologies being ‘teacher proofed’ and ironically, from around 1984, the ‘ICT experts’ controlling every facet of digital technology.
While ostensibly intended to promote the use of digital technology in teaching, the unilateral control exercised by the ICT experts and the distrust shown towards all users of the technology – and that includes principals – has and continues in many instances to stymy the digital evolution of schools. Most will have experienced or will still be experiencing ICT experts who refuse to trust teachers with the choice of their digital teaching tools, administrator rights, the network password or the unblocking of sites or services. In many schools, the students have to use the prescribed device, the specified software and have every keystroke monitored. Students most assuredly cannot be trusted with their own digital technologies within the classroom or indeed to use the school’s technology without a teacher supervising. That distrust extends through to current times, as witnessed by the California iPad debacle. The distrust stymies the school’s facility
EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 015
interactivelearning
to make best use of its greatest resource: its people – salaried staff, students, families and community – and the very sizeable body of resources those people can bring to the play. All feel disempowered and unrecognised, most unwilling to put in the extra yards to assist the school’s growth. In their consultancies and teaching, the authors continue to be amazed by the distrust shown by those in positions of power, their often petty and irrational distrust and seeming inability or unwillingness to consider the part they ought be playing in shaping the desired school ecosystem. The experience of the pathfinder schools, extensively documented in the authors’ Taxonomy of School Evolutionary Stages (2016), is that when schools move to a digital operational mode they begin to use the technology to reach out beyond the school walls, to genuinely collaborate with their parent community and to recognise and respect the contribution the teachers, support staff, students, families and wider community can make to the holistic teaching of each child. If this process is not led by the principal, it is very likely to start happening surreptitiously, particularly amongst the pupils but with aware teachers also starting to use online systems and social networks. These schools begin to appreciate the benefits of more fully trusting all, empowering them and distributing the control of the teaching and learning. That said it invariably takes time – likely years – before the leadership, and indeed the teachers, are willing to cede some of their power and distribute the control of teaching, learning and, significantly, the digital technology resourcing. In many school settings, as the work by Lee and Levins (2016) will attest, some of the most reluctant to cede that control and trust others are the ICT experts. While in general terms most who have had control of the school’s digital technology have led the way in the distribution of the control, there has been many a rump
group that has refused to change its ways, with some having to be dismissed or sidelined. Yes – for many, the ICT ‘empire’ has been their power base, but if schools are to normalise the whole-of-school community use of digital technology, the control has to be distributed and all within the school’s community must be trusted.
If schools are to normalise the whole-of-school community use of digital technology, the control has to be distributed and all within the school’s community must be trusted. The school’s and, in particular, the principal’s willingness to trust will be crucially tested when faced with the decision of letting students use in class the suite of digital technologies they already use 24/7/365. Is the head prepared to trust students and parents and go with bring your own technology (BYOT) or declare his/her continued distrust by going the bring your own device (BYOD) route where the school specifies the personal technology? Is the principal willing to trust students and parents, accepting what to him/her might not appear to be a perfect solution but which, in time, with genuine collaboration will not only work well but yield many other dividends? It is a critical decision in the school’s digital evolution. Until the principal is willing to trust and respect each student’s and parent’s choice of technologies, and to genuinely collaborate with them in teaching, learning and technology resourcing, the school’s digital evolution will be
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stalled and digital normalisation will be unachievable. While there are schools with ‘successful’ (though expensive) approaches that provide all pupils with the same device, at the root of this is the school wishing to dictate the use of certain software or device functionality. This puts the focus on the technology rather than on the task to be achieved and denies innovation as the devices and software inevitably age. Far better to decide what human and interaction functionality is necessary for all pupils to use their devices. Readers should reflect for a moment on their children’s normalised out-ofschool use of digital technology and they will appreciate it is dependent on their trust in them to use and maintain the technology wisely. Children will invariably respect and build upon that trust, such that in a relatively short time their use of the technology becomes so normal as to be largely invisible. Reflect also on how socially networked people now answer their questions and solve their problems collaboratively, whether that be by contact with colleagues or strangers in forums, or by using reviews posted by others and pointers to resources via Twitter and blogs. In everyday life, people are learning how to learn collaboratively. That is what is wanted within the school walls, but it is only achievable when the school has created a whole-of-school culture – ecology – that trusts, respects and empowers the students and their parents, and values the contribution they can make to the workings, safety, resourcing and growth of the school. ETS Mal Lee is a former director of schools, secondary college principal, technology company director, and now, author and educational consultant. He has written extensively on the impact of technology and the evolution of schooling. For a full list of the bibliography contact: admin@interactivemediasolutions.com.au
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feature
Using Technology To Tackle Dyslexia
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| By Jacqui Kirkman | Following up on recent articles in Education Technology Solutions about assisting students with dyslexia, here are some ways teachers and parents can assist their students using technology. Dyslexia is not something that a person ‘grows out of’, so dyslexic students need to develop ways of working that use their strengths and bypass their limitations. These technologies are not intended to replace specialised, evidence-based literacy teaching, but rather to provide options for students to access resources and produce work without being hampered by their challenges with spelling and other language conventions. For work where the real aim is that students can show their content knowledge and ability to use higher order skills, some of these apps and programs can put them on a level playing field with everyone else. This is commonly referred to as assistive technology (AT). In the past, AT has been expensive and obvious, but the rise of 1:1 technology and bring your own device (BYOD) programs in schools is making AT simpler and cheaper to access and much easier for teachers to integrate into the mainstream classroom. This article merely scratches the surface of assistive technology, but options for different types of devices and different budgets are presented. In some cases, negotiation with the school’s IT department may be necessary. In many cases, a lite (free) version is available so teachers can try out the app and see if it suits their learners. 1. Speech to text Something really simple but very liberating, especially for students in the middle primary age-range who are starting to conduct research and work more independently but are still struggling with reading and spelling, is to teach them to use a voice command for internet searching. On an iPad or iPhone, ask Siri to search. In a Google browser window, tap the microphone button and speak. iPads have a built-in dictation feature, which can be enabled in Settings, General, Keyboards. An internet connection is needed for dictation to work. Once in an app and ready to type, users tap the screen and, when the keyboard appears, tap the microphone picture and start dictating. Users can give commands like ‘new paragraph’, but corrections need to be made manually. To finish dictating, tap Done. Setting up speech recognition in Windows 7, 8 or 10 is a little more complicated. Users need to set up a microphone and train their computer to understand their speech. There is a tutorial on the Windows website which takes users through how to talk to their computer so their voice is understood accurately. Over time, the computer builds up a profile of a user’s voice, so accuracy should improve. There are a number of programs and apps which also provide a speech-to-text feature. The best known of these is Dragon Naturally Speaking for PC and Dragon Dictate for Mac. There is an accompanying iPad and iPhone app, Dragon Dictation. There are many dictation programs on the market and many
free apps, although the robustness of these apps varies. Some are glitchy or do not allow easy export of text. 2. Text to speech iOS, the operating system on which iPads work, has a variety of settings which allow text to be read aloud. This could be an article in itself but, in short, to enable text to speech, go to Settings, General, Accessibility, Speech. Turning Speak Selection on allows users to select sections of text or particular words by tapping and holding down on the screen in any app where they want text read aloud. A box pops up which gives users the option to copy, define or speak that selection. Turning Speak Screen on allows users to then swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to hear the contents of that screen spoken. A little box appears here too, giving options to pause, fast forward or rewind, to speed up or slow down the rate of speech. Many iBooks have a text-to-speech function. There are also other sources for talking books which can help a struggling reader to enjoy literature and the many benefits that being widely read brings. Voice Dream Reader for iPad is a good option to import text from other sources to read aloud. It is integrated with many other programs, has a lot of features and is robust. One thing it does not do is optical character recognition (OCR), so to be able to scan a non-electronic document (such as a worksheet or homework page) and have it read aloud, then Prizmo or Readiris might be the answer. Mac OSX (10.8 and later) has dictation and speech-to-text features which work in a similar way to the iPad features and can be accessed via system preferences. For something that works on a PC, WordTalk is a free add-in for Microsoft Word, developed at the University of Edinburgh. It highlights and reads text in a Word document. Once the addin is installed from the website, an extra tab labelled Add-ins will appear when Word is opened. That tab contains a toolbar with the available options, such as speak a word, speak a paragraph, speak from the cursor. Texthelp produces Read&Write for Google, a Google app which provides text-to-speech, editing and translating tools. It is free for teachers, but there is a cost for individuals and schools. It is a good option for someone who wants to work with the Google suite of apps. There is an app version of Read&Write for Google which is free for the lite version. iReadWrite is an iPad app also produced by Texthelp with text-to-speech and word prediction features, as well as a dictionary and a number of sharing and display options. 3. Text prediction Text prediction is a feature commonly used on tablet devices and smartphones. Many people without a print disability use it routinely. Imagine how much dyslexics appreciate it! Many of the EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 019
feature programs and apps already mentioned include this feature, but another couple of apps which use it are Typ-O HD and Spell Better. These are quite simple apps without a lot of exporting options and extra features, but that can be a good thing for younger students and those who are easily distracted by a lot of clutter on the screen. 4. Reminders/organisation Dyslexia often goes hand in hand with executive functioning challenges, so apps and programs which help people with dyslexia to plan, organise and remember are also useful. Of course, dyslexics are not the only people who want to improve their planning, organisation and ability to remember to do things. Because of the wide market demand, there are a huge number of possibilities here, such as the apps Nudge (by Simple Tailor), VoCal (reminders can be created using voice recording – no need to type), Alarmed and Forgetful. Google Calendar can be set to give reminders or alerts, as can Calendar for Mac and the Notifications feature on iPads and iPhones. These are all essentially time based. There is another set of apps which can also give reminders based on geographic location, for example, when I arrive home, remind me to feed the fish. Some apps with this feature are Todoist, IFTTT (If this, then that) and Tasker. Smart watches also have reminder features and can be hard to ignore when they are attached to a person’s arm! 5. Note taking Older students who need to make a record of classes or lectures can really struggle if the only option is to write notes. These programs allow varying combinations of typed text, handwritten notes (could be pictures or symbols), audio recording, photos, PDFs and PowerPoint presentations: AudioNote, Notability, GoodNotes, ShowMe, ScreenChomp and Explain Everything. Different students will have different preferences for how they like to work. 6. Mind mapping Good planning leads
to
a
good
outcome. Planning is especially vital for those with a learning disability and they often find a planning system which uses symbols, diagrams and maybe even audio more effective than one which is purely print-focused. Mind mapping is often recommended to enhance learning for all students, so this is another example of an AT strategy which can benefit the entire class, not just those with a disability. With that in mind, here are some examples of mind mapping programs and apps: • Popplet – a simple-to-use iPad app designed for students. There is a free version which allows one popplet (or mind map). Images, text and drawing can be included in a popplet and it can be exported via email or saved as an image in the iPad camera roll. • Tools4Students and Tools4Students2 – each of these low-cost apps includes 25 different graphic organiser templates, for example Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Main Idea and Detail, Problem and Solution. The developers consider the apps suitable for students in Years 4–12. • Inspiration and Kidspiration – part of a suite of products for planning and mind mapping. The software is purchased by licence, but there are also iPad versions. Kidspiration is designed for K–5 and Inspiration for Grade 4 up. Like Tools4Students, there are templates to choose from or users can start a mind map from scratch. The finished products can be exported to a variety of other programs.
come up with some strange substitutions and the flow is often interrupted when a phrase is substituted for a single word. Single words can also be pasted in to get their meaning and there are other features which provide activities for learning vocabulary. More features are available for registered users, but it is not necessary to register to use paste and substitute functionality. Readability.com is a free web and mobile app which declutters the web page to remove distractions which can be very... well... distracting for some students. Once the Readability bookmarklets are installed, an icon will appear on the browser toolbar. When the required page is open, users click on the armchair icon and choose Read Now. They will then be presented with a ‘clean’ version of the page. There are other features in Readability which allow users to mark articles on their reading list to read later and to send articles to a Kindle. The Readability.com option obviously needs a bit of setting up, so it is harder to use when users are away from their own computer. The previously mentioned Read&Write for Google includes a simplify and summarise button in its many premium features. Sadly, Google has removed the option to filter search results according to reading level, but the student’s favourite research tool, Wikipedia, still has a simple English version for many of its pages. The learning future is bright for students with a learning disability who have access to technology to allow them to learn in the ways they learn best. ETS
7. Simplification Those with poor reading skills can struggle to research effectively, although their content knowledge may be very good. Ads and banners on websites can be very confusing and distracting for some. The following suggestions either declutter the page, provide a simplified version of text or both. Rewordify.com is a free website into which users can paste text or a url for a website. The site then substitutes words it judges to be difficult with a simpler word or phrase. It is a useful tool, although it does
Jacqui Kirkman is a Brisbane-based educator and is the director of Potential Learning (www.potentiallearning.com. au), a consultancy which helps learners achieve their potential through providing professional development, consultancy and advocacy. She is a member of the Apple Consultants Network and a Specialist Literacy Teacher accredited with SPELD Qld.
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g n i k a M ’ s t n e Stu d : d r a e H s e c i Vo n I p i h s r e d a Le e g A l a t i g i D A | By Emily MacLean | At the start of a new school year, I remember being excited about showing my Year 5 students our new class website. I showed my students all the different components of the website and with great enthusiasm asked, “What do you think?” I was not expecting the rather honest response that I received. “Well Ms. Mac, it is kinda boring.” After accepting the initial shock, there were a few different ways I could approach it, but I felt it was best to ask the students for some feedback and suggestions. Immediately, a flurry of ideas came bursting out of the mouths of students as we generated a list of possible ‘updates’ to our class site. From there, they started breaking off into teams to work on different aspects of the site, from creating page banners to redesigning the resource buttons to creating an introduction video to the individuals in our class. The website came alive the moment the students began designing it to reflect who they were as a community. The next day, the students wanted to brainstorm jobs they could have in the classroom and instantly the role of ‘techsperts’
was established. This role would be for two students each month who would provide support and be the first person of contact for students to seek out with their questions when it came to technology. No longer were students asking me ‘How do I….’, which allowed me to support other students in need. Together, the students would problem solve their technological issues, brainstorm creative ways to display their findings and provide constructive feedback to improve each other’s digital work. Digital peer coaching empowered the students to use their knowledge to help others while consolidating their own understanding of the knowledge and skills. Students also wanted to make sure their parents knew what was going on in their class each week, but from their eyes and not just the teacher’s. To solve this problem, they created weekly slideshows called the 5EM Files that were embedded in the website, with each student having a slide to design in whatever way they wanted and to share their ideas, thoughts and opinions about the week. Every week, students created these slides without EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 023
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any support from me as the teacher, but yet the quality and enthusiasm for creating and sharing grew with each passing week. As the year progressed, the students continued to push the boundaries of expectations by using technology as a means to express themselves and support each other. This happened daily in classes with students creating individual inquiry presentations to share, digital posters to advocate for a cause, developing their class assembly featuring a fully greenscreened newscast with commercials and even students teaching lessons to the class. Technology was never the main learning intention, but through technology the students were empowered to show who they were and share their knowledge and abilities.
Start Small Developing student leaders with technology will not happen overnight. Rather, it is about developing a culture of collaboration and community in the classroom. Start by asking students what it is they want to do and what their opinions are about technology use and then, most importantly, actually listen. Students are full of great ideas, so even just allowing them to explore the possibility of one idea might be the spark that brings out the digital leaders in a classroom. This could be as simple as asking them what resources they want to use to publish their writing or if an expert with website design would support another student who is just starting out.
Role of the Teacher In these moments, it was evident that I could not be the teacher I once was and needed to change the role I played in the class community to support the facilitation of learning and creating. As students worked, I moved around the room asking questions, acting as a soundboard and giving small suggestions where necessary. No longer was there one teacher, but a room full of learners and educators who were willing to share and build upon each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideas. The biggest change in my role was to not say no when students had an idea, but rather ask them how they were going to do it and support them in the process from planning to executing.
Developing Skills By providing students opportunities for agency in their classroom, they will develop a multitude of transdisciplinary skills. Students may collaborate online through Google Docs or Padlets or design innovative projects requiring organisation, time management and problem solving. They often develop critical research skills as they navigate the digital world through the curation resources and notetaking. They might demonstrate their communication skills through developing a public service announcement video and publishing on YouTube or writing a blog together. These skills can be explored both digitally and by interacting with others in a learning space. Allowing them to explore which way works best for them will lead students towards a path of staying motivated to create and be curious.
students may want to do, I first asked them what they wanted this group to become. The students decided to create weekly webcasts featuring the news for the week, special features and upcoming events that they would plan, film and edit. The key to the success of this group was ensuring all students had a role that was valued and roles that they could rotate through so everyone could try every aspect of the team if they wanted to. From anchor to editor, videographer to director, everyone was valued in this inclusive community. They also filmed each primary school assembly to share with the parent community on the school website. Throughout the year, other projects have taken form, such as creating posters for school events, banners for exhibitions and photo slideshows that are played on screens around campus. When guest educators visited the school from overseas, it was powerful to give students the opportunity to share how technology impacts their educational experience. Their words from experience were far more meaningful than mine, as these students are the ones using the digital resources and tools every day to promote and explore their inquiries, learning from their mistakes, growing and ideating. Technology continues to be an amazing tool for supporting student needs and bringing out the best in students. Student leaders can demonstrate confidence in developing who they are within a community and as individuals. With a little support from a teacher to encourage the exploration of innovative ideas, students can flourish as incredible student leaders. ETS
Extending the Opportunities As I transitioned to an education technology coach role and out of the classroom this year, it was important that I still found ways to support student leadership beyond the classroom setting. I had seen so much growth in the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; technology skills as well as immense personal growth through encouraging them to take the lead, that I wanted to find suitable avenues to continue to support them. After talking to some students, a digital media team was developed in the primary school. While I had some ideas of things the
Emily MacLean is an international educator working at Chatsworth International School in Singapore as the Education Technology Coach. She is a Google for Educator Certified Innovator (GUR14), a Google for Education Certified Trainer and an Apple Distinguished Educator (Class of 2015). She enthusiastically supports teachers across the primary school to effectively integrate education technology into the classroom. She is currently completing her Masters of Education (Information Technologies) from Charles Sturt University.
The Importance of the Student Voice When students are given choices and have an opinion that matters, they are invested and engaged with what they are learning. By allowing my students to take the lead, through the use of technology, they began taking ownership and constructing an environment that was conducive to the collective community. Every student knows more about something than the teacher. Often, it is just a matter of tapping into the community of experts that will allow these students to shine. It has also been shown that encouraging student voice influences academic achievement. The use of technology helps students find the right medium to showcase their knowledge and share with others.
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Virtual Reality In The Classroom
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| By James Jenkins | In my years of teaching, I have been quite aware that student expectations when it comes to content delivery are constantly changing in line with technological advances in society. When I was a student in the late 80s and early 90s, we were content to watch a VHS recording on a small TV that was wheeled into the classroom. This was comparable to the way that we consumed media at home. Students today are interacting with a variety of rich media outside of school. It makes sense that the more that teachers can utilise similar technology in school to suit their objectives, the greater the chance of student engagement they have. Outside of school, students are consuming movies in 3D and using a variety of interactive games and apps that are very immersive. Although I had given some thought to the potential of 360-degree videos previously, it was not until the FutureSchools conference in Sydney earlier this year that I entertained the idea of using this format of video in my classes. I attended a session by Jennie Magiera, who is the technology officer of a public school district in Chicago. She spoke of her experiences using Google Cardboard, which I had not previously seen in action. Google Cardboard was released in late 2014. It simply uses a headset viewer to place a phone into, which then makes use of various apps and 360-degree YouTube video. When back at school after the conference, I was talking about wanting to start using these types of headsets in class. One of our IT support staff mentioned that he had purchased one a couple of months earlier, which he kindly lent me for a couple of days in order to check out what they could do. From the outset I was impressed. The experience for a firsttime user of Google Cardboard was quite stunning. In the first half hour, as well as using the introductory Google Cardboard app, I visited New York City, experienced an African safari and transcended space
and time to attend a Paul McCartney concert. I could immediately see the potential for use in the classroom. Being a science teacher, I first started searching for apps that could enhance the science curriculum. Within a short period of time, I had found an app called Titans of Space that I thought would be great to use in the Year 7 Earth and Space unit and a chemistry app called VR Chemistry that could be incorporated into the Year 9 chemistry subject.
to fit most size devices, the well-designed select button, the head strap and some adjustment control of the lenses. Canterbury College is a bring your own technology (BYOT) school. Students can register one device to use on the school wireless network. It was decided early on that students would not be able to also register their phones into the BYOT program, so another solution was needed to allow students to access the required apps and video without them using their own data allowances. The solution in the
Students today today are are interacting interacting with with aa Students variety of of rich rich media media outside outside of of school. school. variety makes sense sense that that the the more more that that ItIt makes teachers can can utilise utilise similar similar technology technology teachers in school school to to suit suit their their objectives, objectives, in the greater greater the the chance chance of of student student the engagement they they have. have. engagement Once I had decided to use the potential of Google Cardboard and virtual reality headsets, I needed to make this work in our situation. The decision was made to buy a class set of viewers that could be booked out and used by different classes when desired. Google Cardboard viewers are, as the name suggests, made of cardboard, with the exception of the lenses. Although these are perfectly functional and cost effective, I had doubts about the durability if they were being used often. After a short amount of research, I discovered that for not much more than the cardboard version there is a wide range of plastic models. After reading quite a few reviews and working out the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget, a class set of the Ritech Riem 3 headsets were purchased from an eBay supplier for about $15 per piece. The main reasons for this choice were cost, the large phone slot
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end was to set up a new wireless network that could be turned on when teachers wanted to utilise student phones in their lessons. The password also changes with each session, meaning that students do not automatically rejoin the network the next time it is switched on. After taking possession of the class set of virtual reality headsets and setting up the network, I was now ready to try these out in class. I have always been careful about using technology to enhance the curriculum rather than technology for its own sake, so I wanted to find something useful. I was teaching a unit on body systems with my Year 8 class at the time, so I had a look around to see what I could find. As an introduction to using virtual reality viewers with my class, I wanted something quite simple. I found a reasonable 360-degree animation on YouTube which focused on the respiratory,
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coverstory digestive and circulatory systems. This looked like a good place to start. I also discovered that YouTube actually have a 360-degree video channel that has more videos being uploaded each day. Despite having a wireless network that students could use to stream video to their devices, I decided things would run more smoothly if students downloaded the apps needed before class. Google Cardboard is available for Android and iOS platforms. As well as this, students need to use the YouTube app (older versions of this will need updating). Most students in my class have iPhones and a few have Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy. Something to consider is that, although some apps that utilise Google Cardboard may be available on both Android and iOS, some may only be available on one or the other. In this case, there may be slightly different apps that could be used on each platform that both help with the same learning objective. The good thing about 360-degree videos on YouTube is that they can be accessed by all phones. The majority of students in Years 7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 have phones that make utilising Google Cardboard technology and virtual reality easier. Something else that became apparent was that some students have a phone, but adding apps is password controlled by their parents. This is another reason for asking students to download apps in advance, as they can ask their parents to do this if necessary. Some teachers in the junior school are keen to use the virtual reality headsets with their classes. As these age groups do not have their own phones, the school will need to invest in purchasing some if it chooses to move in that direction. When it came to running my first lesson using Google Cardboard and virtual reality headsets, I wanted to be quite explicit with my instructions to students. I thought that if we took a bit longer getting everything sorted this time, things would
run more smoothly in future use. Although most students had already downloaded the apps required, some had not and needed to spend time doing this at the start of the lesson. The Google Cardboard app prompts the students to scan the QR code for the virtual reality headset; this will optimise the phone to work with the particular type of headset viewer. These are usually supplied with the headset, but if not can be easily accessed on the Internet. Rather than moving straight into the video I wanted the class to experience, I got them to play with the Google Cardboard demo app for 10 minutes, which was a good way for students to become familiar with using the technology. I discovered that it is also wise to talk to the students about safety. They really need to be standing up when using the virtual reality headsets; this allows them to see different things by orienting their
engagement that they feel from these immersive experiences. My next virtual reality outing with this class will be to use some apps next term to explore atoms and molecules. After talking to other staff about using Google Cardboard and virtual reality headsets, there has been a fair bit of interest. The class set of headsets has been used in quite a few science classes, in English, geography and the high school preparation class for international students. Other subject areas are also keen to try them out next term. I see a big future for virtual reality in education. It has the potential to allow students to become immersed in situations and places that would not be so easy in the real world. Google Cardboard and these simple headsets that hold mobile phones are a stepping stone to higher grade technology that will be available and cost effective in the near future. There will be some very exciting times ahead. As more organisations outside of school start leveraging this type of technology, it makes sense for teachers to also use it to enhance teaching and learning in their classrooms. ETS
Students comment comment on on the the extra extra Students engagement that that they they feel feel from from engagement these immersive immersive experiences. experiences. these heads in different directions. However, as some videos and apps are quite immersive, students tend to want to move around. Since they are in a virtual world and cannot see, this could potentially get dangerous, so raising this concern and establishing some rules on zones of movement is wise. Student feedback after the first use was very positive. They said that they actually felt like they were inside the body. Since that first lesson, students have also visited some volcanoes during a geology unit and the Great Barrier Reef in an ecology unit. Students comment on the extra
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James Jenkins is the Coordinator of Digital Pedagogy at Canterbury College. He can be contacted at: j.jenkins@canterbury.qld.edu.au
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Security In Schools: How To Do More With Less | By Paul Ducklin | Getting computer security right in a school is much trickier than doing so in a business setting. How much money can you spend? How much time can you devote to the problem? Should you have an environment in which you enforce or merely guide? How do you win the co-operation of parents, staff and students? No matter whether the school provides the technology, or embraces the new Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend that has taken the business world by storm, there are a number of key network and security issues to consider. Simply put, how do you keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff out when you are being stretched to offer more flexibility, for less money, in a shorter time? Covered In Clouds One popular approach is to embrace so-called ‘cloud computing’, where you not only entrust running your network to other people, but also let them own and operate all the hardware, typically far away from your school in a data centre somewhere. Cloud email, for example, relies on the idea that you outsource both the ownership and operation of your school’s email to a third party – to Microsoft, perhaps, or to your ISP, or to Google. This third-party takes care of sending, receiving and filtering all your email, so that you do not need to run your own email infrastructure at all. Similar arrangements can be made for access to the web, for calendaring applications, for discussion forums, for school administration software, and more. Cloud computing can simplify your IT operations, because external companies – who typically enjoy great economies of scale by sharing their service infrastructure across tens, thousands or even millions of customers – take care of the day-to-day running of various parts of your network. But there are risks too, since you must trust your cloud computing companies absolutely, especially from a security and availability perspective.
Outages in service are no longer within your own ability to fix. Data leakages are no longer within your remit to control. Security policies are no longer necessarily yours to decide and to enforce. You may even lose legal jurisdiction over your students’ data if you partner with companies which operate outside your country – companies which may, paradoxically, seem more attractive by virtue of their increased operational redundancy. And, of course, recent revelations about the pervasive surveillance on online data by intelligence services around the world have cast something of a cloud over the cloud – excuse the pun. So, deciding whether to do IT security yourself or to entrust it entirely to others is a tricky decision, and needs careful consideration. One thing, however, is clear: you cannot ‘cloudify’ all aspects of computer security. Cultural Factors The main reason why you cannot offload all the responsibility for your computer security, especially in an environment dedicated to learning, has to do with the learning itself. Modern internet usage is heavily oriented towards online social activities, in which friendships (and, increasingly frequently, relationships and businesses) are forged and built online. Social networking sites make it easy for internet users to share information about themselves – not just with friends in their own school, suburb or town, but almost anywhere in the world. The problem, of course, is how much to share, and with whom, since today’s schoolchildren are the first to live in an era in which even the most inconsequential things they say and do online may end up indexed and archived forever. This is causing many schools to rethink their attitude to online security. Prevention and enforcement are still important. For example, there are many well-known websites which are unarguably inappropriate for children to access whilst at school. If the EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 033
feature school can unambiguously block access to such sites, it should do so. But most schools now recognise that prevention alone is not a solution, since children need to be kept safe not only from explicitly malicious, illegal or dangerous sites online, but also from apparently innocent behaviour on legitimate sites – especially social networking sites – which puts them at risk from predators, bullies and cybercriminals. Schools can no longer be expected to create closed networks in which everything not blocked for students is assumed safe. Instead, school IT staff should be permitted – by principals, parents and administrators – to adopt security practices which encourage an open network in which limits are defined by policy. Safe online behaviour should be taught, and learned, as an integral part of modern education. What Is The Right Choice For My School? Whatever your attitude to BYOD, both staff and students are likely to bring their own phones and tablets anyway, and to use them in parallel with their officiallysupplied devices. Even if they do not plug them into your network, they will nevertheless be using them while they are on school property – so you will still want to get them to take security seriously. While you are encouraging this you will want them to take those attitudes home, too, and to stay secure outside the educational environment. That sounds like a lot of work, and for most schools having a dedicated IT team at all is often a bit of a pipe dream, let alone a sub-team just to take on security challenges. So, one approach to the network security side is to simplify your operation – not by throwing out individual aspects of security so you no longer spend any time on them, but by consolidating your solution with what is known as UTM, or Unified Threat Management.
... most schools now recognise that prevention alone is not a solution... At the bottom of the market, UTM devices are often deliberately built down to a price. They may offer only very basic features, cobbled together from a range of different sources, in what is essentially a commodity product, not an ongoing service. Updates, whether to software functionality, or threat detection capability, may be nonexistent. But UTMs that combine best-of-breed security solutions from a single vendor can be a great way to do more with less, so that a single appliance (or virtual machine), with a single management console, will let you take care of email security, web filtering, your wireless access, and more. Another term you will hear a lot about is MDM, short for Mobile Device Management. MDM capability is built into most modern mobile device operating systems, such as Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, allowing an organisation to take on some degree of central control over the devices, wherever they may roam. But the central part of MDM – the console that actually does the device management part – needs to offer you a suitable mix of flexibility and control. That ensures you can move safely from 1990s-era IT, with its motto of “thou shalt not pass”, into a more accommodating era of “let’s meet each other half way”. Good MDM products will help you to manage all aspects of mobile
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device security, whether the school or the individual owns the device, and whether the device is connected directly to your network, or accessible only over-the-air via the mobile phone network. This means the MDM can cover all aspects of device usage, from the initial setup and enrolment, through its ongoing configuration and control, to what happens when the device is decommissioned – including what to do it if is lost or stolen. More With Less In short, a combination of UTM and MDM is a great way to simplify and consolidate your school’s computer security, helping you to do more with less. Securing devices and networks is not a set-and-forget task but, with the right choices, even your non-technical staff can be part of the effort, not just to make students safe online, but also to teach them how to stay safe even when school is over. ETS
Paul Ducklin is a passionate security educator and proselytiser (that’s like an evangelist, but more so!). He is one of the world’s leading security experts and loves to share his knowledge. Paul won the inaugural AusCERT Director’s Award for Individual Excellence in Computer Security in 2009. You can follow him on Twitter on @duckblog
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Demystifying Tech Business Lingo For Schools
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officespace | By Selena Woodward | According to the government, there is a current ‘ideas boom’. The buzz word ‘innovation’ is all around – in the community, in business and in education. It is a word that conjures up images of people with one-off ideas, those who think outside the box, the geniuses, the disruptors. To some, innovation means something so big it is completely unconceivable to most; to others, innovation means opportunity. In business, an innovation is simply a solution to a problem, a ‘pain point’ that prevents a client from achieving something they want. Entrepreneurs are people who spot these pain points, have an idea about how to solve them and go ahead and create the solution. Usually, that idea spawns a startup business and, with hard work, it grows to great success. Take Dropbox for example. Drew Houston, founder and CEO, could see how hard it was to share files, large or small, easily and across platforms (like Windows or Apple). He created a system that, with little configuration from the client, shifted the norm from USB sticks to cross-platform, cloudbased storage. Where does this idea of innovation fit within the teaching profession? Are teachers innovative entrepreneurs? When looking to incubate a progressive idea, a start-up might begin with a key question that will enable it to better understand the market it is attempting to appeal to. “What is the fundamental activity of a teacher?” That is an incredibly big question. A teacher’s job is many things. Teachers inspire, nurture and connect their students to learning and to the wider world and all of its opportunities. They build environments in which students develop skill sets to learn new skill sets. They aim to help students to grow into individuals who are able to learn, adapt, change and operate in a future world teachers can know nothing about. To achieve all that, teachers follow models, practices, pedagogies and protocols. The world of business is no different. It has triedand-tested methodologies designed to
maximise its potential for increased efficiency and growth. Most new innovations come from humble beginnings. In order for a startup to survive, the team within it needs to be agile and respond quickly to change. There is one very well-respected model of practice that many start-ups follow (including Dropbox). Its author, Eric Ries, has a vast amount of experience as an entrepreneur and his text, The Lean Startup (2011), contains a feedback loop that teachers might well be able to relate to. First of all, Ries quickly points out that, in his experience, the key to being a successful innovator has nothing to do with genius, or indeed the idea an entrepreneur began with. Instead, it has everything to do with grit, determination and a scientific process of listening and responding to the client. The feedback loop he devised and discusses in great detail in his book is designed to help entrepreneurs gain these outcomes as quickly as possible. He advises that, instead of spending too long thinking and considering their solution, entrepreneurs get to work building a minimum viable product (MVP). This product will not be perfect. The team wants to learn more about those pain points and find out whether they have provided a solution. When the start-up delivers their MVP, the team who created it can measure its success by asking questions and listening to the feedback from their client. They take this feedback and create the next iteration (or version) of their product; hoping to improve it to meet the demands of even more customers. They do not stop there though. This new iteration is then treated in the same way as the first and continually passes through the feedback loop of build, measure, learn. What teachers might not have realised is how close the feedback loop of build, measure, learn aligns to the basics of good teaching practice. That process, which Steve Blank of Stanford University considers “the roadmap for innovation for the 21st century”, is something that teachers have been doing for a very long time. Innovation is already at
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the heart of teaching and learning. The classroom is a start-up. The teacher is an entrepreneur who is aiming to find the pain points which stand in the way of his clients (or students) achieving their goals. The teacher’s job is to build a product or service to solve these issues so that students can make solid progress. In order to maintain his success and grow his reach, the teacher will need to make sure that he is responsive to his students’ needs and is agile in his response to them. Teachers need to deliver curriculum content to their students in a manner which will maximise their potential to learn, critique and develop a deep understanding. They build their solution, their lesson plan. As they do so, they make judgements about the value of the resources, tools and teaching strategies they have at their disposal. They also make assumptions about their students; about their needs, their personal interests, about how they will respond to the environment and learning that will be presented to them. In the world of the entrepreneur, these assumptions, which often come from a teacher’s trained gut instinct, are referred to as ‘leap-of-faith’ assumptions. These assumptions will help form the first iteration of the product which can be used to ask questions and validate that leap of faith; a waypoint. This really is the only way to get started. Teachers cannot assume to have all the answers as they start their journey, or even to know the final destination. As teachers work with students, they will need to learn, to gain an understanding, if not an insight, into the pain points that might be preventing students from meeting their goals. Teachers cannot get a better understanding of that until they start to teach and to experiment with their techniques and resources. That is how relationships are built and intrinsic knowledge of students is developed. Every single one of them. Lesson plans become teachers’ MVP – their first attempt at connecting with their learners and helping them to meet their goals. Of course, teachers have done their
Teachers validate their learning by reflecting on their practice. Not just the students’ learning, but their own understanding of how their teaching affected student progress.
best to plan a lesson in which they hope to address the learners’ needs and meet their demands. They have addressed the assumptions they made in their leap of faith. The result will involve a complex mix of people, technologies, resources, knowledge, words and experience. Teachers may share their MVPs with their students and be quite pleased with the outcomes at the end of the lessons. It may have gone well, and the objectives seemed to have been met; progress was made. However, in order to ensure that the assumptions were correct, and in order to enable continued success, teachers will need to measure the depth and breadth of that outcome. Teachers are experts at this. The reading of the room, the relationship building, the marking, the formative and summative assessment. Teachers will measure the impact of their MVP and they will learn from the outcome. Perhaps the pace was too fast? Some more differentiation was needed? The SSO could have been directed a little differently? Maybe an app that will allow Miss X to overcome Y? Perhaps there is a need to listen more, talk less? Teachers validate their learning by reflecting on their practice. Not just the students’ learning, but their own understanding of how their teaching affected student progress. By going through one iteration of the MVP, teachers can learn more about their clients – their students. Teachers accept that they are not perfect and they use their new knowledge to make a decision about how to move forward. In his book, Ries gives the entrepreneurs two options – pivot or persevere.
Were the assumptions correct? Do they persevere with this plan, giving students more time to adopt or catch on if needed, or do they pivot and make a “sharp turn” (Ries, 2011). Teachers can change direction, bring in new resources, apply a different teaching strategy – anything it takes to achieve a better result for students. Either way, teachers re-build – they alter aspects of the lesson, change the plan for the next iteraction and begin the cycle again. The very best of teachers are so good at validating their learning that they can do this on the fly; minute-by-minute during a lesson. In those moments where a teacher can tell that someone is not benefitting as well as they might from his approach, the teacher makes decisions. Teachers develop an instinct, a skill set, that is rare in any other profession. They hear the mad raucous of the class charging back towards the classroom door after recess and quickly realise that the starter they planned is not happening. Time to pivot that part of the solution and find something that will help improve the climate for learning. Halfway through a lesson, they realise that a couple of students are off task. They consider a hundred reasons why this might be and they might pivot. Whilst keeping one foot firmly in the original, they make a subtle change to the plan that will enable those students to re-connect with their learning and move forward. This is innovation at its best. The ability to adapt in the face of uncertainty and complexity so that a client, a student, may overcome a pain point and achieve. Start-ups might build, measure, learn, but good teachers have always followed
the feedback cycle of ‘plan (teach), assess (reflect), analyse (grow)’. The key to successful innovation in the classroom is not necessarily in the big idea or new technological tool they want to introduce. Innovation is a scientific process found in the details of the complexities of teaching and learning. Every new idea or tool teachers bring to students starts as a minimum viable product; a gamble, an experiment that may or may not succeed. True innovation in the classroom involves an understanding of how agile teachers need to be and the ability to “focus on the boring stuff: how to measure progress, how to set up milestones, and how to prioritise work” (Ries, 2011). Moving beyond simply delivering one response to a perceived need and, instead, following a teacher’s version of Ries’ feedback model to create a perpetual loop of innovation and growth. Through deep reflection on teaching and on the outcomes of students’ learning, through giving students opportunities to delve into meta-learning practices that help inform (equally important) meta-teaching practices, teachers are able to respond to the needs of students, to identify the pain points that are preventing progress and to help everyone overcome them. This is a continuous cycle of innovation. Throughout this process, teachers promote growth for themselves and their students in order to motivate everyone to continue the joint validated learning journey together. In the classroom, teachers are entrepreneurs. ETS Selena Woodward is a mum, an English and Drama teacher, author, consultant and change maker. She is co-founder of Reflect Growth, an online teaching community and start-up focused on empowering teachers to define and improve teaching quality. Selena is passionate about edtech integration and has spent many years working with pre- and in-service teachers to demystify technology in the classroom. Connect with Selena at reflectgrowth.com
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Show Me A Video | By Robin Orr and Shelley Kinash |
I remember my first video lecture clearly. The teacher came into the classroom to present a session on nutrition. The video was of another teacher standing in front of a whiteboard presenting a session with the occasional student head bobbing around at the bottom of the screen. With the technological advances pouring into the educational environment, my first thought was, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;how was this any different from a typical lecture?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. With cascading technological advancements and the availability of multimedia in classrooms, there are now plenty of opportunities to optimise learning through multimedia and, as such, video education sessions should be more than just a recorded video of a standard classroom lecture. The Basics If a video is being prepared as a teaching resource then (just like for any other lesson), dedicated planning (specifically for a video educational lesson) needs to take place. A key initial step is to consider what the video is to be used for. Is the video a revision of a presented session? Is it intended to enrich a given session? Is it for students to watch at home or in class? Is it a dedicated stand-alone resource? Each of these considerations comes with its own challenges and requirements. If the video is for revision, the production could be relatively short, focusing on key points as opposed to a video recording of the same session students have already attended. Whereas if the video is a stand-alone presentation, the topic may need to be covered in more depth, with opportunities taken to enrich the environment through actively increasing student engagement.
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Nextstep When it comes to the practicalities of the session to be filmed, there are likewise multiple considerations; from what to wear (horizontal stripped clothing being notorious for creating flickering distraction) to location. The use of location can be a valuable tool if applied properly. For example, filming a video on a local beach with the sun and surf in the background may provide a fantastic backdrop for a resource on ocean ecosystems. However, people walking across the beach, surfers on the waves and the white noise of the beach waves and seagulls may become a distraction. As such, locations should be considered in regard to potential distractions (such as people walking along a footpath) which may be avoided by taking the time to consider optimal camera angle. Even within a classroom there are considerations and the room may need to be reconfigured for optimal quality. For example, another electronic screen in the background may add a constant flicker and need to be moved or switched off. If using a whiteboard, some marker colours would be difficult to see and the whiteboard itself may reflect the overhead lighting and create a light halo. Apart from the practicalities of the session, there are some media-specific considerations to take note of; perhaps the most important of which is file size. Larger files are slower to download and may take up too much space on the user’s system. As such, if the session is intended to be one of notable duration, longer than 15–20 minutes for example, consider splitting the session into small chunks. This would allow the student to download (or buffer) and watch one video while another is downloading. In the classroom, this break can be used to re-engage with the students. Students could be given the opportunity to ask questions on what they have seen so far, rather than waiting for a protracted period where the context of the question is forgotten. Another consideration when preparing the video file is the type of file to be created. There are a variety
of file types available and they all have their own benefits and detractors. However, failing to have a dedicated IT department to consult, use files that are well recognised and generally do not require additional codecs or software to run (for example avi, flv, wmv and mp4). In essence, take time to plan for the session (as a video session), and ensure aspects like the reason for the video, the practicalities of the session and the length of the sessions and potential file sizes and types are considered. Engaging the Student With adequate preparation and consideration of the basics, the educator can move on to the fun part – engaging students. With creative thinking, there are multiple strategies that can be used to engage the student, from ‘pause for thought’ and ‘knowledge checks’ to quick quizzes and ‘choose your own adventure’ ideas.
Knowledge checks are micro-revision points along the video presentation that can be used to check that the student is still engaged and has been paying attention. Before progressing beyond a given topic, students could be asked to answer a progressive series of questions that confirm their knowledge so far and then lead into the next topic. For example, following a discussion on the muscles of the thigh, tables, pictures and text could be provided asking the student what muscles are displayed or are missing from a list. A following question could then focus on movements the student thinks these muscles may perform in a given sport, thus leading into the next topic being What movements do these muscles perform? One potential benefit from this approach would be to provide figurative ‘sandwiches’ whereby students are asked a question (or series of questions) to assess their initial knowledge on a topic, then watch the video presentation before answering
With cascading technological advancements and the availability of multimedia in classrooms, there are now plenty of opportunities to optimise learning through multimedia. Self-reflection is an important piece of the educational puzzle; the magical ‘what is in it for me?’ On this basis, video presentations can be designed to purposefully direct self-reflection moments. After a point is made (for example, scents can be used as a form of communication) an icon of a question mark can appear with a 60-second countdown timer. The student is then asked to ‘pause for thought’ and reflect on what a given statement, question or fact would mean in a given context. What scent would you use to describe the colour blue to someone who had been blind from birth?
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the same questions. The student can then be guided into comparing preand post-video question answers to discover what they learnt from the session. Of course, the knowledge checks could also be quicker and simpler – following the above muscles of the thigh topic, the teacher would quickly confirm knowledge by asking, “What muscle was this again?” when showing a picture of a footballer kicking a ball before using that same picture to discuss the muscles in action. Of course, engaging the students’ creativity will be the key and teachers should try and capture the interests
In essence, take time to plan for the session (as a video session), and ensure aspects like the reason for the video, the practicalities of the session and the length of the sessions and potential file sizes and types are considered.
that would be most applicable to their audiences. Considering this, there are a multitude of ideas available, such as quick quizzes done in the form of a game show or ‘choose your own adventure’ where students can choose the means in which they wish to explore a subtopic – How would you like to explore gravity, as a spaceship, a dinosaur or a dancer? Pitfalls to Teaching via Video Before rushing ahead with exuberance to create a series of video sessions, potential pitfalls should be discussed. One notable pitfall is the loss of direct student contact and therefore engaging with the student can become a greater challenge. Some educators have experienced decreased student attendance when content videos are provided, thus reducing student–educator interaction and engagement. While there is always the capability to have funny embedded videos, snappy quips and amazingly detailed photographs, another key consideration is how to engage the student in the learning process when watching a video. Teachers cannot see or hear key cues that they are attuned to during face-toface teaching sessions, like a puzzled look or student falling asleep. There are also other potential losses to video sessions, whether they are to a group or for the individual to watch at home. The separation from the teacher and student/s provides a barrier to questions
and, more importantly, informal learning. Consider a live student asking a question. Other students hear that same question, see a potential different view of the information, consolidate their own knowledge when hearing the teacher answer or gain new knowledge when the approach or answer was not one previously considered. Another potential trap is to use video sessions to provide more work, with the video becoming a backup if the student does not understand the session or, if the video is to be watched in the student’s own time, it is not considered as part of the daily curriculum work load. As such, care should be taken to consider the video, whether provided during program time or personal time, as part of the entire educational package for a given topic. Some Production Tips When creating the video: • Where possible, use video production software (like Camtasia) as this will allow for the ability to edit but, more importantly, enhance (a well-timed arrow highlighting a key point in a photo, for example) the presentation. • Check your background to see what is behind you (or may move behind you) when filming. • Check props to see if they are clearly visible (and readable if required) on a typical computer or laptop screen. Remember some multimedia screens are not very large.
When using a PowerPoint: • It is preferable to record the PowerPoint presentation separately (using production software) rather than have it in the background. This will reduce background flicker but, more importantly, allow for a clearer image of the presentation. • Text (and text in tables) needs to be large and clear sans serif fonts (for example, Tahoma, Arial). • Avoid overloading a slide with too much information and design to supplement (rather than replace) what is being heard. Avoid reading the PowerPoint presentation line for line. • Use the PowerPoint as a tool, but not the only tool to enhance the presentation, and avoid the dreaded ‘death by PowerPoint’. Conclusion With these potential pitfalls acknowledged, video sessions can and should be carefully prepared to minimise any educational opportunities lost through this medium whilst seizing the exciting and engaging opportunities that can be gained. When prepared with care, video presentations can be so much more than just another session and, if they are to form part of a teaching repertoire, they should be. ETS Dr Shelley Kinash is the Director of Learning and Teaching at Bond University. She can be contacted via email at skinash@bond.edu.au
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Battle 4 Chatz: An Example Of Games-Based Learning In The Classroom
| By Emily MacLean | All children love playing games and the concept of using games to foster learning is nothing new in education. When a few teachers got together to see how they could leverage their students’ love of playing games, a narrative of quests, competitions, bonus levels, points and badges evolved. The Battle 4 Chatz took games-based learning to a new level, where the students became the game in a blended learning environment. The game was created for a Year 5 Space and Shape mathematics unit at Chatsworth International School in Singapore, where three classes battled each other to take control of seven zones around the school through seven levels of learning. When the idea was first discussed between the Year 5 team and the Director of Education Technology, they thought that it would be a fun way to deliver mathematics content, but they never expected the level of engagement, excitement and learning that would ensue because of it. Each level began with a video provoking the objectives for the level by a mysterious redhooded character known as MR. ME, who wove the narrative of the game together. From there, students were given the main quest activities that were directly linked to the curriculum expectations, along with optional additional activities that pushed their thinking further, explored other mediums of self-expression and even allowed for students to create further tasks as challenges for other teams. Each level was associated with a number of learning expectations where points would be awarded for tasks completed. Students would earn points individually, with the goal of having the highest cumulative points as a team for each level in order to gain control over that particular space in the school. The tasks for each level of the game were posted online on the
game site. This allowed the students to access the activities at school and from home. Having the game content available online required extensive collaborative planning amongst the teachers to ensure all of the activities were created for the beginning of each week when the next level would begin. There was little teacher-directed instruction; students used the online training dojo for support, with the instructional videos and games, and inquired into how to solve their queries or asked their teammates for support. As students completed each task, their work was reviewed by the teacher to receive points for achievement and instant feedback. Their points were documented in a spreadsheet that was used to update the level leaderboard (a graph) on the game site in real time. Students were empowered to learn at a comfortable pace and to support other students on their team in order to help further the class within the game. For the culminating task, the students battled against the boss – the teachers. All points from the previous levels were destroyed by the teachers and the students had to work with members of the other classes to complete the final task and win the game. This eliminated competition between classes and encouraged collaboration and support within the whole year group. The students moved around the seven spaces to find creative ways of documenting their understanding of the learning expectations by recording audio, constructing a model, videoing a demonstration or any other method they felt would show their learning. The data gained on this day confirmed the student data that had been collected throughout the unit and was a way to celebrate the students’ success in learning individually and collaboratively throughout the unit. EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 045
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When planning out the game, teachers thought about which game elements would be crucial to the storyline they wanted to create for the students. It was important to focus on the game elements that were most relevant to the goals when constructing the game, as there were many to choose from. Looking at successful games that they wanted to model their approach after, they focused on the following game elements: • Narrative hook: Firstly, teachers wanted to have a narrative that was continuous throughout the game. They did this through their weekly videos and the concept of the teams battling each other for supremacy throughout the game. • Sandbox approach: Teachers wanted to give students the freedom to explore the entire environment the game took place in. This included the online realm and activities in the classroom, but also the school campus that became a part of the game with the seven game spaces and QR codes for bonus activities hidden throughout the campus. The students were encouraged to explore their learning in all of these environments to unpack how mathematics evolved in the game. • Instant feedback: Teachers wanted students to receive instant feedback throughout the game as a way to improve and motivate them to continue. The instant feedback was given to students when they conferenced with their teacher after they completed each task, with a score of 1, 2 or 3. This gave individual feedback to students so they could continue to revise their work if need be until they were able to achieve a score of 3. These scores were then represented visually as live graphs to show team standings and motivate the teams to continue to work towards taking over different areas of the school. It was important that students saw the value in both individual and team progress. • Achievements: Most games have rewards or achievements throughout the game. This can be unlocking new levels, gaining bonus points, or extra gear for the player. This is extremely motivating for the players as it is a way to show praise for accomplishments while pushing them to
Teachers wanted students to receive instant feedback throughout the game as a way to improve and motivate them to continue. The instant feedback was given to students when they conferenced with their teacher after they completed each task.
move further in the game. In Battle 4 Chatz, badges were awarded for various things such as completing a certain number of tasks, supporting other players, contributing new tasks, or creating instructional tools for others. These digital badges were shared with students by the teacher, which the students could then display in their personal ePortfolios. • Choice and agency: Inquiry learning promotes student- directed and student initiated learning. In Battle 4 Chatz, students completed core tasks but then were encouraged to choose from a range of additional tasks and challenges to show their understanding in different ways, allowing students to be in control of how they were learning, the pace of learning and the difficulty of the tasks. • Player-generated content: Many games allow for players to construct their own environments and narratives. The students were encouraged to create their own challenges for their peers while also consolidating their own content knowledge in the construction of these tasks. • Fun: This was essential to the vision. Teachers wanted to make something that students would want to do each day and
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something teachers wanted to be a part of too. The more the game evolved, the more the students wanted to play and the more teachers were driven to continue to construct the game. There were a lot of laughs as a team and with the students throughout this journey. Along the way, there were many unexpected benefits to this model of learning. The school received positive feedback from parents, who were delighted by their children’s excitement towards mathematics, the conversations they were having with their children about mathematics at home and the level of transparency of content with the game site online. The students really internalised the idea of game elements to enhance learning, with many students using various game elements in their future projects and assignments to enhance their own work. After sharing the project at a number of conferences across Asia and online, other schools have successfully adopted this learning model. This type of games-based unit could be created for any grade or subject by using different game narratives. Battle 4 Chatz positively changed the way the school’s students engaged with mathematics, making learning fun, engaging and far from traditional models of teaching. ETS For more information, please see a complete overview of how the game was constructed at bit.ly/battle4chatz and the game site used by students at bit.ly/ B4Cgamesite Emily MacLean is an international educator working at Chatsworth International School in Singapore as the Education Technology Coach. She is a Google for Educator Certified Innovator (GUR14), a Google for Education Certified Trainer and an Apple Distinguished Educator (Class of 2015). She enthusiastically supports teachers across the primary school to effectively integrate education technology into the classroom. She is currently completing her Masters of Education (Information Technologies) from Charles Sturt University.
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| By Jon Bergmann | I am about to complete a book about the relationship between flipped learning and homework. While writing the book, I realised that I needed to hear from students about their perceptions and thoughts about flipped homework. I reached out through my network of flipped teachers and asked them to have their students take a survey. Before looking at the survey results, I want to emphasise that there is great debate about the value and purpose of homework. Some educators feel that homework should never be assigned, while others see it as a vital part of learning. I have read the research and have found studies on both sides of this issue. The intention of this article is to focus on students’ perceptions in classes where teachers are sending home the flipped videos as homework prior to class. The survey revealed some interesting data and insight into how flipped learning homework is perceived by the most important stakeholders in education, the students. A total of 2,344 students from all over the world took the survey, with the majority of responents coming from the United States.
Students from all grade levels took the survey, with most in Grades 6–12.
The most common subjects flipped were maths and science, but there was a great representation of students in other subject areas. The data below might also be deceptive as the percentages do not add up. This is because many of the students were in more than one flipped class at their schools.
The first set of questions revolved around the issue of time: How long were their teachers’ flipped videos? How much time did it take students to complete a flipped video assignment, and did a flipped homework assignment take them more or less time than a non-flipped homework assignment?
This response was encouraging because I have been teaching teachers for years that to effectively flip a classroom, it is imperative that the videos be short. Most teachers seem to be following best practices.
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I was a bit surprised by this data. I generally think students should take between one and one half to two times the length of the video interacting with the video content. I see two options: either I am wrong and good comprehension can take much less time, or students could grow and learn how to more effectively interact with a flipped video.
This data was very promising, because the vast majority of students report that flipped homework is taking them less time. But if students are spending less time on a flipped homework assignment, does that translate into lower performance and comprehension? This question was followed up with a question about comprehension of class content. Note, this data is all from the student perspective and has not been correlated with actual student achievement. There are studies which have shown student achievement gains in flipped learning. The data below suggests higher student achievement, but does not prove it. The question was asked on a 1–5 scale, with a 1 indicating that flipped videos hurt their understanding of class content and a 5 indicating that it greatly helped their understanding of class content.
The students were then asked if they had to choose between a flipped or a nonflipped course, which would they choose? As can be seen below, most either prefer a flipped course, or have no preference.
There is a need for greater training on how to ensure access for all students when a teacher first flips his/her class.
The survey was finished with two openended questions about advantages and disadvantages of a flipped video homework assignment. With over 2,000 responses, the following is a fair sampling of the students’ thoughts. Advantages We can do assignments at all hours of the day. You get to ask questions about homework while doing it in class. It helps us to do less work but understand better.
Disadvantages As a note, a large percentage of students said that there were no disadvantages, some being quite insistent about it. If you are confused you have to wait till tomorrow or it takes a while and sometimes they do not help us so sometimes it is really confusing. We cannot ask questions while watching the video, we have to email our teacher or wait until class the next day. Some of the disadvantages are that sometimes the video can be too long and I will have less time for other subjects.
When you watch the video first and then take notes and finally do the homework, then that makes it a whole lot easier and less stressful.
I am a ‘hands-on’ learner so I do not get it quite as much as I do at school.
I am more focused on the task and can learn at a better pace compared to when the teacher is teaching the entire classroom.
I have to use my computer and my WiFi is awful.
You can re-watch the videos if you do not understand. It is easier to understand and the homework does not take as long. We have a chance to do homework inside and outside of school. You have time to think and it is easy for you to pass your assignments and assessments. My class has more time for discussion and my teacher can answer more questions that I have. Students do harder things in class, and can have questions prepared for their teachers. You can do it even if you are confused and then ask questions when you get to class, rather than not being able to do it at all. In a traditional classroom the homework is a piece of paper that can easily be lost, but in a flipped class with electronic homework we can retrieve the homework as long as we have access to a computer. It is a lot easier and you do it on your own time and you learn at your own pace.
It is difficult to stay focused on the subject.
The survey highlights several key findings: • Most students prefer the flipped classroom model. • Most students spend less time on homework in a flipped class. • Most students feel they understand class content greater in a flipped classroom. • Students like the increased interaction they get with their teachers in a flipped class. • There is a need for greater training on how to ensure access for all students when a teacher first flips his/her class. • For those students who do not prefer a flipped classroom, more research needs to be done on why this is and what, if anything, needs to be changed or adapted to meet the needs of these students. Though the survey has been finished in preparation for publishing the book, it has been left open. Teachers using the flipped classroom model are encouraged to have their students take the survey (available at http://bit.ly/fliphw). For those interested in learning more, I will be hosting FlipCon Gold Coast 2016 (13–15 October 2016) and FlipCon Adelaide 2016 (17–19 November 2016). For more information or to register, visit FlipConAus.com ETS
If a student does not do a homework task they will not know what is going on, or if they are attempting to take notes and do not understand something they cannot get another explanation that they might understand (unless the teacher lets you ask questions about the notes the next day which our teacher does). Sometimes we need a teacher to teach us if we do not get it.
In looking at the responses above and the remainder in the survey, there were definitely students who had some difficulty accessing the content. This illustrates how important it is to ensure equitable access to a flipped video for all students. The other major theme is that students wanted help when they were first interacting with the content. This is also touted as a strength in the increased interaction during class.
Jon Bergmann is one of the pioneers of the Flipped Class Movement. Jon is leading the worldwide adoption of flipped learning by working with governments, schools, corporations, and education non-profits. He is the author of seven books, including the bestselling book: Flip Your Classroom, which has been translated into 10 languages. He is the founder of the global FlipCon conferences which are dynamic engaging events that inspire educators to transform their practice through flipped learning.
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feature 052 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
How To Protect Your School From The Threat Of Ransomware
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feature
| By Nick FitzGerald |
As one of the biggest threats of 2016, ransomware is quickly building its impressive catalogue of corporate victims, including hospitals, government departments, banks and even law enforcement agencies. With educational institutions holding more personal data about children than ever before, it should come as no surprise that schools have become the latest addition to e-criminals’ list of targets. Horry County School in South Carolina, USA, is a compelling example of the ransomware rise in schools. Cyber criminals used a breach in an older server with software that contained out-of-date applications. The school could not recover all of its data and, with the significant time spent on solving the issue, decided to pay a US$8,500 ransom to retrieve the data. As seen from this example, the payload of ransomware attacks can be particularly damaging for organisations. However, paying criminals is strongly advised against, even when it seems expedient. Ransomware authors are under no obligation to actually give victims what they pay for. Suffice it to say, cyber criminals are not generally renowned for their devotion to customer service. Judging by the number of attacks being reported and the number of new malware forms being researched in ESET’s labs, ransomware is not only on the rise but is also becoming more sophisticated and aggressive. Measures to help repair ransomware damages can offer a solution to the fear and drama caused by these extortion costs, but not all damage by all fileencrypting ransomware can be successfully reversed with custom decryption tools. Hence, the best solution for ransomware is to have effective security in place to avoid it in the first place. Why is Ransomware Dangerous? Ransomware is a particular form of malware, where access to data is blocked and held hostage by criminals, until a sum of money is paid. Whether they specifically target large organisations, such as hospitals and schools, or just ‘get lucky’ and happen to notice
that some specific victim appears to be such an institution, the cyber criminals behind ransomware attacks know these organisations are more likely to pay large ransom amounts in order to gain back access to their sensitive data. What makes Schools Unique? Schools have various types of corporate, personal, health and financial data for students, parents and staff – all of which is highly sensitive and thus very lucrative for criminals. While organisations such as hospitals are fairly limited by which devices are approved to enter the network, schools generally encourage their users to bring their own devices. These untold numbers of unmanaged machines connected to the school’s network bring about higher levels of challenge for effective security management, leaving the network vulnerable to various forms of malware. What Can Schools Do? The best line of defence against malware is being prepared. Here are a few ways to best avoid the damages possibly caused by cyber criminals: • Back up data: This may be obvious, but it is also crucial. Having regularly updated and (more importantly) secure backups of data can prepare schools in emergencies and against ransomware. Ensure this backup is on an external drive or backup service – one that is not assigned a drive letter and is disconnected from the systems and network when not in use. • Test the backup restoration process: This is less obvious, but even more crucial! Having regular backups of data is worse than worthless – because of the wasted time and effort, and the false sense of security – if that data cannot be restored should the need arise. • Keep software up-to-date: Having updated software can decrease the potential of malware infections. This can be done in a number of ways, including enabling automatic updates, updating through the software’s internal update process, or going directly to the software vendor’s website.
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• Use a reputable security suite: Having both anti-malware software and a software firewall can provide layered protection, helping identify threats or suspicious behaviour. Choosing the right security suite can be a challenge in schools; however, some are designed specifically for tailored needs. • Use the principle of least privilege: Creating access barriers for users within the school’s network can slow or halt the spread of malware. Students, teachers and administrators should only have access to systems that are necessary and appropriate to their scope of work. Personal devices brought from home should also be treated differently from machines that always remain within the school network. • Educate users: It is essential to inform all users in the network about what constitutes an acceptable use of school resources. Proxy firewalls can be used to limit harmful and inappropriate content being accessed by students. Other measures, such as posters and educational material, can be displayed in computer labs to educate users on how to recognise the warning signs of malware. These can also encourage users to inform the school when an accident has occurred, so damage can be limited by quick and corrective action. The valuable data under the care of schools is a lucrative target for cyber criminals looking to turn a profit. Once a target is identified as vulnerable, the criminals are likely to return and attack again. By taking the time to prepare before an emergency happens, schools can minimise the risk of losing access to their data or having to pay criminals to regain it. If there is one lesson to remember, it is this: prevention is always better and easier than the cure. The best way to ensure prevention is to take responsibility for education about, and protection against, ransomware. ETS
Nick FitzGerald, a renowned information security expert, is a Senior Research Fellow at ESET. He holds a degree in Education and Psychology and is a member of numerous groups in the field of cybersecurity.
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teachingtools
Has The Phone Now
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Replaced The Laboratory? | By Sivam Krishnapillai | Many schools see mobile phones as a source of distraction and consequently have banned their use in the classroom. Then there are those schools who are not quite sure – because they harbour doubts about their ability to hold back the tsunami. The mobile web is already bigger than the desktop web and will soon dwarf it. The Internet’s next billion users will be mobile only: young learners will be the bulk of these users. PCs are in for an existential crisis, as is a good part of the education network that was built upon it. What was the School Laboratory for? The early history of science in the Western world is often forgotten, particularly its battle against religion. But then, thanks to Newton, God’s laws could be understood and could be demonstrated. Science demonstration was born – to convince the disbelievers of what was to become a religion in itself. The Victorians did a great job at establishing the new faith, with mantras that are still memorised, along with their accompanying rituals. This had a dual purpose: to establish the new religion and to create practices that would be passed on to generations to come as the ‘scientific method’. Victorian-era Science in a Post-Modern World While there are clearly pockets of anti-science activism, as evidenced by the fury of the climate change debate, most kids are born into a world that is deeply ingrained with the scientific method. Is there a need for science to be validated in schools through routine laboratory practicals as the great, great grandparents of today’s students would have done? The challenge for today’s teachers is to interest kids in science because they are bored. Most laboratory practicals today are routine and utterly predictable. Students have no role other than to follow strict procedures, using old-world tools (though now digitised) that are essentially unchanged from the 19th century. Educational practices have moved on to some extent, but most school laboratory practices have not. Educators are now faced with the challenge of interesting children born amidst a deluge of data, sensors and connectivity. Do educators really want to teach students how to use a stopwatch, that things are predictable and that they obey without fail the laws of science? Do educators expect students to be more employable
if they know how to use a stopwatch? And do educators think students will develop a love for science by doing routine scientific experiments? Are educators not deluding themselves here? Little has Changed Although most people see this era as one of massive change, perhaps this is how historians of education technologies will view these times: “... books were being turned into e-books, blackboards were being turned into YouTube videos and lecture hall monologues were being turned into MOOCs – massive online open courses. And if you think about it, all we are really doing here is taking the same content and the same format, and bringing it out to more students – but the teaching method is still more or less the same, no real innovation there.” (Michael Bodekaer) Few would have failed to notice the galactic changes in education caused by the Internet. Educators face these changes by keeping what they do constant, but add technology tools to it, like the early days of the Internet when existing practices were often simply replicated. For instance, most shop owners thought, “Great! Now we can put our catalogues online” and that is what they did. Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education, by and large, is still at that stage, missing out on the greater potential of ubiquitous new technologies. What does the Phone Bring to the Party? Sensors. People make sense of the world with their inborn ability to sense it. It took many centuries to develop the ability to measure what people sense and a few more centuries to figure out how the things that can be measured relate to each other. This was the magic of science – but that was many centuries ago. There is no magic in it any more or the need to inflict its rituals on today’s students. Schools should not be banning the use of the best sensor platform ever invented – their phones. Using phones for lab experiments is not a new idea. There are quite a few efforts from far corners of the world, including Bilbao, Spain; Pinar del Rio, Cuba; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Santiago, Chile; Uruguay and Bucharest, Romania. Interestingly, 88 percent of schools in Latin America do not have school labs. The academics of these remote places are making good use of smartphone capabilities. They are
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teachingtools
poised to potentially leapfrog over their better resourced colleagues, who are still investing in out-of-date, expensive, specialised lab equipment such as data loggers, digital timers and the like. There are also now Bluetooth connectable sensors that will easily connect a smartphone to a whole range of sensors. Some examples include SensorTags by TI and Node Sensors by Variable, Sensor Module by PocketLabs and Mantis open STEM platform by Hip Science. These devices will take phone use beyond physics into the domains of chemistry, biology and geology. What could be the Bigger Change? Fuelled by parental anxiety about future careers, lab modernisation in many schools is now in full swing, often along the lines of ‘advanced’ use of tools funded by ‘investment in STEM education’ aligned with old-world school practices. Meanwhile, in a typical class of 20, at least $10,000 worth of fantastic lab equipment is on shut down mode. Each of those 20 students is likely to have a phone worth $500 in their pocket: that phone is a data logger, sensor platform, calculator, camera, display device, record keeper and a connected computer. Phones are indeed better at doing what old-world lab equipment can do. They come with a greater promise at the level of learning experience. Phones can completely alter the experience of learning STEM made boring by routines that are centuries old. Phones may finally liberate students from the clutches of routine and empower them to follow their own adventures. At the Australian Science and Mathematics School (ASMS), great learning happens when students are encouraged to design and carry out their own experiments. The phone is a perfect medium for connecting learning to making. For instance, 3D printing opens up entirely new possibilities. Students are able to design and create their own components with relative ease and create their own experiments. ASMS’s initiative in using phones (PhoneLabs) to unleash the ability to visualise phenomena such as acceleration
had striking results. Phenomena that were previously explained in abstract were now experienced through students’ phones, through their own activities. All the students surveyed felt that using phones was “a much better way of learning” physics than conventional methods. It seems sensor technology connects students directly with understanding of physical phenomena: a connection that conventional physics teaching destroys through abstractions. The benefit of abstraction is that it provides a much higher level of understanding that the students can then apply across domains. But it is in this very abstraction that educators lose students because they do not see the connection to real life. There is a real opportunity with sensor technologies to teach in-situ, to invert the lab, to make the lab the learning session, based on real-world phenomena. As a result, students will never ask the question “So how is this related to life?” and forget physics when they leave the lab – because they take their phones home with them. In this way, the world becomes a lab and physics becomes real. Ready for Rapid Adaptation? There are now plenty of free, highquality sensor apps in both Android and iPhones. Lab4U is a fine initiative led by Komal Dadlani based in Chile. An equally impressive initiative, Tool Box Apps by Rebecca Vieyra and Chrystian, comprises a suite of free apps and excellent lesson plans. Her article Turn Your Smartphone into a Science Laboratory is certainly worth a read. A comprehensive set of lesson plans published by The European Platform for
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Science Teachers gives a clear indication that the use of phones in labs is well underway in Europe. The first physics MOOCs course using phones by Professor Joel Chevrier, Professor of l’Université Grenoble Alpes, commenced in January this year. The American Association of Physics Teachers now has IPhysicsLabs focused on smartphonebased physics teaching. Most interesting of all is Google’s belated jump into this world through what appears to be an app called Science Journal. It is surprising that they waited this long. Perhaps they realised, as the early movers in this scene have long realised, that it is time to connect data collection, learning and recording in contemporary ways. Google’s timely and welcome entry will create massive impetus to change the game. The phone is now a lab. ETS
Sivam Krishnapillai is an educational game changer. He ran a cutting edge education experiment “Innovation Space” at the Australian Science and Mathematics School (ASMS), where students learned 3D printing, CAD, programming and circuit design entirely by themselves. PhoneLabs was born out of this initiative. Sivam has been a design educator, teaching technology subjects at the university level to students of Design through a hands-on, studio-based approach. He brings to education significant entrepreneurial experience and a very different perspective on how to indulge and inspire the next wave of creators. Sivam is currently an adjunct associate professor at the University of Canberra.
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Using Online Study To Get Ahead In The Real World EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 061
getconnected | By Sheena O’Hare | With everyone’s lives already so fused to the online world, it is not surprising to learn that 44 percent of 5.1 million current Australian jobs are at risk from digital technologies in the next 20 years (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2015). The education sector is under enormous pressure to advance in step with technology to ensure that students are equipped with the right skills to thrive in this technology-driven environment. A recent report released by the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association revealed the impact external factors such as digital disruption will have on universities in the next 10 –20 years. One key finding was the clear disconnect being felt by students between what is being taught at universities and what is going to be useful in the workforce. Online universities, such as Swinburne Online, are working hard to bridge this gap by placing an intense focus on teaching workplace skills alongside the academic content of their degree courses. Driven by Demand Students are increasingly demanding authentic learning opportunities where they have real-world experiences and problem-solving scenarios. Due to work commitments, the desire to travel or family responsibilities, many students do not want a rigid timetable or the expectation of physical attendance. They still want access to quality teaching and the ability to make connections with others, but this is now expected to be on their terms and timeframes. With so many processes in everyone’s day-to-day lives now taking
place online, when students face outdated administrative barriers that threaten to slow down or block their access to education, they become frustrated. Online education works hard to remove these administrative barriers so that students only have to worry about achieving their goals. The ability to study anywhere at any time without commuting, struggling with administrative processes or spending a fortune on study materials is, not surprisingly, becoming more appealing to the modern student.
They are encouraged to come to an understanding that all people are constructors of meaning and they do that much better and more successfully when they work together. The majority of today’s students are digital natives and, as a result, most of them can easily use the Internet to find resources, videos, podcasts and presentations on any subject matter. However, what they do need help with is in differentiating the valid online resources and discovering how to best make use of the information.
Advantages of Digital Literacy Today’s world is a digital world, one in which it is difficult to function without basic technological skills. Children spend a large amount of their time on computers or tablets both at school and at home and these days anyone under 30 struggles to remember a time without computers, mobiles and 24/7 connectivity. Digital literacy allows people to interact with the world around them. It facilitates 24/7 interaction and communication with friends, family and work even after they have left the school ground or office for the day. Online education provides a range of opportunities for students to make sense of the wealth of information that is available while also, almost subconsciously, learning to use technology effectively and appropriately. Students are able to engage with multimedia to read and interpret text in ways that allow them to construct their own meaning. They are encouraged to work with their peers to interact, discuss and share in order to build on their knowledge.
University 2.0 The rapid pace of technological change is felt by everyone. Every couple of years, phones and computers outdate, and most people are reluctant to get left behind using an old operating system. A recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, highlighting the characteristics of the newest generation of workers, revealed that 41 percent of those surveyed said that they would rather communicate electronically than face-to-face or over the phone. This millennial generation expects that the technology they use on a daily basis to enhance their personal lives is mirrored in both an educational and workplace context. Their affinity with the digital world, having grown up with smartphones, broadband and social networking, has resulted in a demand and expectation of instant access to information. In order to stay relevant and useful to this iGeneration, universities need to consider planning for resources that are needed in the dynamic demands of higher education.
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… many students do not want a rigid timetable or the expectation of physical attendance. They still want access to quality teaching and the ability to make connections with others, but this is now expected to be on their terms and timeframes.
Studying online, however, certainly does not mean studying alone. Students still need constant support, the ability to collaborate with peers and regular feedback. Swinburne Online students have access to support from liaison officers and learning advisors every day of the week. Collaborative learning is an important part of the curriculum, with students teaming up with online discussion boards and social networking platforms. The Global Office The traditional post-school trajectory of people studying in their 20s and working in the same career until retiring in their 60s is largely outdated. The Foundation for Young Australians predicts that today’s young people will hold as many as 17 different jobs, in five different careers, over the course of their working lives. A larger number of students and graduates are keen to study and/or work overseas and, in response, the workplace itself is evolving to cater to a progressively mobile population. In this increasingly globalised world, online learning can help prepare students to excel in today’s virtual office. While it can take time for students to adapt to a more independent learning style, fitting study hours around work, family or travel, the likelihood is that this ability to self-motivate will pay dividends well into their working careers. Teaching the Teachers It is predicted that by 2030, over 5 million jobs will disappear due to technological advances (CEDA, 2015). On the flipside, many new jobs will be created. The students of today must
acquire skills needed for the future, and teachers are a crucial part of navigating this new kind of industrial revolution. In working with primary education students, it is evident that the skills they develop will allow them to motivate children in their learning through technology, cater for a range of learning styles and enable their school students to be creative and reflective. If teachers are not confident in the use of technology, they will not use it in their classrooms. These are the skills that principals are looking for in their teaching staff. Acquiring these skills is not only crucial for the career prospects of teachers, it is also crucial for the students they will be teaching, for the jobs they will be doing that do not yet even exist. While all sectors are under immense pressure to keep up with technological advancements, the education sector simply must stay ahead of the curve. After all, educators are the ones teaching the future teachers and educating a future workforce that will look very different from the workforce today. ETS For a full list of references, email: admin@interactivemediasolutions.com.au Sheena O’Hare is responsible for delivering Swinburne Online’s range of Education degrees. She has been teaching and researching in the education profession for over 30 years in Scotland and different states of Australia. She obtained her PhD investigating the online interaction of teachers and students within a preservice teacher program.
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TECH STUFF
066 PRODUCTS Yamaha SLG200 Silent Guitar ASUS Transformer Book Flip Orbus Hard-sided Laptop Case sQuizya: A New Wave of Digital Education Dual Video Universal Docking Station Zoom F8 Field Recorder
070 NOTICEBOARDS Leading a Digital School Conference Flipped Classroom Bloom’s and the K-12 Digital Classroom Practice Conference Learn Snowsports… Without The Snow The Education Show
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showcases
Yamaha SLG200 Silent Guitar Music students often have to face a wide array of challenges, aside from learning their instrument. Firstly, they need to practice, but don’t necessarily want to disturb the people around them in doing so. Let’s face it, listening to someone practice is very different from listening to them perform. Secondly, they need to be able to travel to and from school with their instrument with a minimum of hassle, and third, they need to be able to play live with school bands and orchestras so the instrument must be of reasonable quality. The Yamaha SLG is the perfect instrument for practice, travel or stage use. Near-silent performance makes discrete practice simple, Yamaha’s exclusive SRT-Powered pickup system gives incredibly natural acoustic tone through headphones or line-out, while studio-quality on-board effects enhance your playing to perfection and line-in functionality makes jamming easy. Coupled with unique, striking looks and a rosewood and maple framed full-size collapsible body, SLG lets students play whenever and wherever inspiration hits. SRT Powered is a new system designed to recreate the body resonance of an acoustic guitar in a bodiless guitar. Yamaha developed SRT Powered, collaborating with recording artists to create a system tailored to the unique properties of the new SLG body and modelled after the tones of a high-end Yamaha acoustic guitar captured using a carefully selected microphone in a professional recording studio environment. By actually reproducing the sound of an acoustic guitar – right down to its natural sustain and decay – Yamaha lets guitarists experience the genuine body resonance, body tone and ambience of an acoustic guitar. SRT Powered sound can even be mixed with the sound from the instrument’s piezo pickups, allowing guitarists to be even more flexible in their creative endeavours. Because the SLG can virtually reproduce the sound of a guitar recorded with a microphone, players are free from complicated procedures involved in mic-ing up a guitar when recording at home or at school. This instrument is a great example of where technological innovation meets traditional music creation. For more information visit http://au.yamaha.com
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Unless otherwise expressly stated, the review of the product or products appearing in this section represent the opinions of the Editor or relevant editorial staff member assigned to this publication and do not represent the views or opinions of Interactive Media Solutions or the advertisers or other contributors to this publication.
ASUS Transformer Book Flip TP200SA Asus has a brand new offering that fits really well in the 1:1 Laptop Program category. It’s an 11.6 inch notebook that comes with Windows 10 and Windows 10 Pro. It’s slightly different insofar as it’s actually a Flip device that doesn’t detach from the keyboard. This means you can use it like a traditional laptop or you can pop it up in tent mode when you’re watching content or sharing stuff with others in group work. Speaking of sharing, you’ll be glad to hear you’ll be very well covered when it comes to connecting to peripheral devices because it comes with an array of ports including a USB-C port, USB 3.0 port, USB 2.0 port, a micro-HDMI port, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack. It’s light and ultra portable, weighing in at about 1200 grams and it looks great with the colour options we’ve seen in dark blue and crystal silver. To see more from Asus, go to http://www.asus.com/au/
Orbus Hard-sided Laptop Case Step into style this year with an innovative hard-sided case, the Orbus. Ideal for use as a protective cover for your laptop as well as a lap desk when on the go, the hard finish EVA outer shell acts as a protective barrier while the interior is lined with a new and improved patent pending dual layer foam protection system to safeguard your laptop from damage. The thoughtful internal design also aids in the ventilation of your laptop while in use and the silver interior gives it a fresh and trendy look. For teachers and students on the go who want to protect their technology; not a problem, it is a Targus. Visit http://targus.com/au/educationseries for more information.
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showcases sQuizya: A New Wave of Digital Education sQuizya is an interactive online educational platform that has been designed with future learners in mind. Engaging students, differentiating the curriculum and organising lessons in a timely manner are what every educator dreams of. sQuizya is proving very popular with trial schools as a means for assisting students with various aspects of learning including online NAPLAN preparation, remediation and consolidation of mathematical skills through Maths Mate practice, reading comprehension exercises like those in HistoriCool, and many more. Flexibility is a notable quality of sQuizya; subgroups can be used with the race function to turn any learning exercise into exciting team challenges. The iQ or Instant Quiz feature can be used to engage students in teacher instruction or to test students in real time. The authoring tool allows teachers to create interactive content
classrooms throughout your school. View student results as question-
and share it around the world, or even sell their own great ideas.
by-question responses, raw data or even performance graphs, and
Free or purchased, all content can be modified to produce
tailor the grading system to sit in line with your school’s philosophy.
individualised work that can be assigned via subgroups set up in
However you use sQuizya, every student response is recorded
accordance with individual student ability.
for evaluation, allowing teachers to know and understand their
sQuizya engages students and gives instant feedback to both
students quickly and efficiently.
students and teachers alike. With its self-correcting questions Call (03) 9899 9277 or visit www.squizya.com for more information.
and effortless reporting, sQuizya can assist in achieving efficient
Dual Video Universal Docking Station The ability to connect to peripheral devices such as extra monitors, printers, data projectors and the like is important in the modern classroom. However, actually doing so, connecting your laptop
spaces with elements like stacked ports. The raised grooves on the
to the school’s audio visual systems, can be a real pain. If you
non-slip, angled top create a comfortable typing position for a
forget a cable, or someone has accidentally taken a cable with
laptop while offering passive cooling.
them upon leaving a room, or any one of a number of other things
One of the features we particularly liked about this dock were
happen, life can very quickly become quite annoying and difficult.
the three inbuilt USB 3.0 SuperSpeed ports which make it simple
Unless, of course, you are fortunate enough to have access to the
to add the latest keyboards, exterior hard drives, and other
new Targus Dual Video Universal Docking Station.
peripherals to customise your workspace experience. The dock also
The Targus Dual Video Universal Docking Station creates a
includes a powered USB 3.0 port for charging your smartphone or
productive dual monitor experience for the workspace. Connect laptops, tablets and smartphones to the dock via a simple USB
other devices such as iPad, tablets and so on. Unlike proprietary docking solutions, which lock users in to a
connection and extend your screens by two, device connectivity
specific device and brand such as a PC or Mac, the Dual Video
by 4 USB ports and add an Ethernet port. This universal USB Docking
Universal Docking Station works with multiple platforms and
Station ensures current and future hardware compatibility with your
operating systems eliminating the need to replace it at the next
school’s audio visual systems.
device refresh and making it ideal for use in BYOD environments.
The dock supports use of either a single external 2K DisplayPort
Hot swapping of desks is also a breeze. A teacher simply unplugs
Monitor – the latest display technology with resolutions up to 2560
his or her laptop at the end of a class, and the next teacher can
x 1600, or a dual monitor set up at resolutions up to 2048 x 1152 x
walk straight in and, with one cable, be connected to a range of
60fps.
devices, no mess no fuss. A great new dock from Targus.
The most compact dock in the range and a sleek industrial design make this dock a sure fit for shrinking desktops and tight
068 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
For more information visit targus.com/au/ Unless otherwise expressly stated, the review of the product or products appearing in this section represent the opinions of the Editor or relevant editorial staff member assigned to this publication and do not represent the views or opinions of Interactive Media Solutions or the advertisers or other contributors to this publication.
Zoom F8 Field Recorder
Before now, dedicated field recorders have been out of the
display for level meters (which can be set to monochrome mode),
price range of most schools. Any school audio-visual lab looking
making the F8 easy to use in any environment – from low light to
to record audio at things like school speech nights, interviews for
direct sunlight. What is more, the F8 records in BWF-compatible WAV
school videos and websites or other video productions have had to
format at 16-bit or 24-bit resolution, and at any standard sample
make do with hand-held digital recorders, which have been okay,
rate up to 192kHz. Furthermore, when recording files in MP3 format,
but are extremely limited in both function and quality. However,
you can choose bit rates of 128kbps, 192kbps or 320kbps.
Zoom – makers of the H4 and H6 portable digital recording systems,
To further enhance the professional appeal of this unit, the F8
two of the best portable hand-held recorders on the market in
incorporates a ton of redundancy. You can record on two SD/
recent years – have turned the audio industry on its head with the
SDHC/SDXC cards, up to 512GB each, simultaneously, allowing
recent release of the Zoom F8 Field recorder.
you to instantly backup or split recordings (for example, save eight
For around $1,700, this amazing unit gives other similar devices from Sound Devices and Nagra, two of the most widely used
tracks onto one card and a stereo mix onto another). The F8 also features a 4-pin Hirose connector, which enables the
professional field recorders, a genuine run for their money at less
use of external 9–16 volt DC battery packs. Alternatively, internal
than a quarter of the cost.
power is provided by eight AA batteries. The F8 can switch power
This amazing little unit is compact, light, extremely robust thanks
sources from a DC battery pack to the AA batteries at a user-
to an aluminium casing, and is packed with important features
defined voltage level for uninterrupted recording. You can also use
such as eight XLR combo inputs and Zoom’s best yet microphone
the supplied 12-volt AC adapter when not on the go.
preamps with an extremely low noise floor (−127dBu EIN) and high gain (up to 75dB), with +4dB line inputs. The F8 can record at 24-bit/192kHz resolution and is equipped with onboard limiters designed to provide overload protection. Limiting can be applied to all eight channels simultaneously at
Another great feature of the F8 is that files are saved periodically during recording. This provides an extra level of protection in the event of unexpected file interruption; for example, power loss or the removal of an SD card. Last but not least, while the F8 can be mounted to a tripod and
full resolution, with 10dB of headroom and controls for setting
attached to your camera using the included mounting bracket
threshold, attack and release.
(a feature which we loved and is great if you are shooting with
One of the most impressive features of the F8 is the in-built time
a DSLR), there is also a protective case available (the PCF-8)
code function which utilises a Temperature Compensated Crystal
which not only carries and protects the F8 but also a range of
Oscillator (TCXO) that generates time code at 0.2ppm accuracy,
microphones and leads, making it the ideal companion.
enabling rock-solid syncing of audio and video. The F8 supports all standard dropframe and non-drop formats, and can jam sync to time code being provided by external
When it comes to value for money, you really cannot go past the Zoom F8 Field recorder. This has to be one of the most impressive products we have seen this year.
devices. An input and output are provided on standard BNC connectors, enabling easy integration into any rig. The F8 also features a bright, 2.4-inch, full-colour backlit LCD
Visit www.dynamicmusic.com.au or contact Dynamic Music on 02 9939 1299 for more information.
EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 069
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Leading a Digital School Conference, Crown Conference Centre, Melbourne, 25, 26 and 27 August 2016
Leverage the Promise of Technology and Develop Students who Create Schools are facing a powerful trend to encourage students to be creators – and not so much consumers. The Maker Movement is inspiring educators to encourage creativity; learning by making and creating; innovation and even “tinkering” in students. Makerspaces abound! Digital technology has borne digital fabrication; gamification; 3D printing; robotics; coding; and programming – all of which assist students to acquire skills that are immediately applicable to the real world, allowing them and encouraging them to make. Keynote Addresses Two keynote speakers at the Leading a Digital School Conference 2016 will address the issue of what it takes to leverage the promise of technology to develop students who create and to move away from the dazzling, superficial applications of technology that can very easily trap us. In his keynote address Adrian Camm, Head of Teaching and Learning, The Geelong College, shares his belief that mistakes are the pathway to great ideas and innovation. He will show how pushing outside of your comfort zone can be a liberating experience and how inviting students to live the process with you enables them to share the joy of triumph that you can only feel when solving something that you didn’t think was possible. Problem solving
will be explored through the lens of creation and shown to be one of the most powerful contextual forces for students and teachers to construct deep meaning in and across every subject discipline. In her keynote address Karen Bonanno, Managing Director, Eduwebinar PL ATF Professional Learning Network, proposes that the future workspace for young Australians will be global, flexible, collaborative and complex. Making in education within a STEAM framework is one way to prepare our students for their future. A Makerspace is more than electronics, robotics, coding and 3D printing. It is a way of thinking and learning by doing. Karen will explore how a design thinking/inquiry learning approach to project based programs can help students to be thinkers and creators. She will share some curriculum connections within a STEAM framework as pathways to develop students who create. She will show how developing enterprise skills within this environment provides an opportunity for students to take their learning and creativity to another level. Creative Corner Another feature of the Leading a Digital School Conference which examines and showcases developing creativity, is the Creative Corner. The National STEM School Education Strategy asks that schools “…. support the development of skills in cross-
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disciplinary, critical and creative thinking, problem solving and digital technologies....” One of most powerful ways of doing this is via the Maker Movement and Makerspaces, places where students and teachers learn together through direct experience with an assortment of high and low tech materials. The Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum further elevates the place of Makerspaces from fringe to mainstream practice. The Creative Corner provides an opportunity for delegates to engage hands-on with a range of ‘toys’ suitable for inclusion in such spaces. These include robots, drones, electronic and control technologies and more, ranging across cardboard construction through coding, video production and the Internet Of Things. To add another flavour to your conference experience, you’re invited to come play in our little corner. Attend the conference to reflect on the importance of creativity in learning and to focus on students as creators, not consumers. If you wish to learn more about how to develop students who create, why not attend the Leading a Digital School Conference to be held at the Crown Conference Centre, Melbourne on 25, 26 and 27 August 2016. Keynote speakers Adrian Camm and Karen Bonanno tackle the critical issue of creativity in teaching and learning on Day 3 of the conference. For more information and to register go to: www.iwb.net.au/digital
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the information appearing in this section represents the opinions of the relevant advertiser and does not represent the views or opinions of Interactive Media Solutions or the other advertisers or contributors to this publication.
Flipped Classroom Gets Fuel from a Worldwide Coalition of Educators, Researchers and Technologists
Flipped Learning Global Initiative launched to support the effective adoption of the flipped classroom around the world. A worldwide coalition of educators, researchers, technologists, professional development providers and education leaders recently announced the launch of the Flipped Learning Global Initiative (FLGI). The initiative was created to support the rapidly expanding adoption of flipped learning in countries from China and Taiwan to Spain, Dubai, the UK, Turkey, Italy, Korea, Argentina, Iceland, Sweden, India and the United States. FLGI aims to fill the rapidly growing global need for collaboration across borders in three domains: evolving best practices in flipped learning, research curation and distribution, and technology selection and implementation. FLGI has brought together a global cohort of flipped learning mission partners to support these three domains – all of which are critical to successfully implement flipped learning. FLGI is the first global effort to address the emerging needs of the Flipped Learning Movement. “For the last 10 years I have travelled the world speaking and training educators in the flipped classroom model, and I’ve seen firsthand the promise, passion, and potential of the flipped classroom,” said Jon Bergmann, flipped learning co-founder, evangelist, and center of
a global network of flipped learning early adopters around the world. “I’ve also seen the pitfalls and myriad ways that flipped learning can be compromised by bad practice, inappropriate technology, and poor execution.” The Flipped Learning Global Initiative launched with 21 mission partners, including MT Groupo in Spain; TES Global in the UK; IWBNet in Australia and New Zealand; iSchool in China and Taiwan, Udemy in the United States; BAM Education Radio Network in the United States and a cadre of some of the world’s leading flipped learning researchers. FLGI will serve as a global hub for coordinating, orchestrating and scaling the key elements required to successfully expand flipped learning. FLGI’s primary focus is identifying and
developing strategic partnerships, initiatives, projects, best-in-class technology, vendors and services to introduce and support flipped learning internationally. “The global energy and scope of activity going on around flipped learning is breathtaking. The only thing more astounding is that most of the great flipped learning achievements are happening in silos. FLGI was created to be the bridge for worldwide collaboration,” said Errol St.Clair Smith, FLGI, Director of Global Development. Over the last 10 years, flipped learning has become a worldwide movement as countries all around the globe are flipping classrooms, schools, and entire universities. The passion for flipped learning is accelerating, and the flipped learning sector is projected to grow by 34.7% per year through 2020. “The most convincing way I have seen technology utilised in education is with flipped learning,” said Lord Jim Knight – Former Minister of Education for the United Kingdom and FLGI Mission Partner. FLGI is an outgrowth of the decades-long work of Jon Bergmann, one of the co-founders and pioneers of the Flipped Classroom Movement. For more information contact: Errol St.Clair Smith at 949-677-7381, esmith@flglobal.org or go to: www.flgobal.org
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Bloom’s and the K-12 Digital Classroom Practice Conference
Friday 2 and Saturday 3 September 2016 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre The K-12 Digital Classroom Practice Conference explores best digital classroom practice to achieve superior teaching and learning outcomes. This exciting new event is part of the new National Education Summit. When good teachers think about their digital practice their thoughts are not haphazard. They will have in mind a sound teaching approach or pedagogical model that gives form to and makes sense of what they are trying to achieve. At the K-12 Digital Classroom Practice Conference we have provided form and structure for thinking about teaching with digital technology by selecting themes based on the evergreen Bloom’s Taxonomy. We offer a great range of sessions that attempt to answer the following Bloom’s challenges. How can we use digital technology in the classroom to bring out the creative gene in students? How can digital technology help improve a student’s ability to evaluate, present and defend opinions by making judgments about information?
How can digital technology assist students to analyse, to examine and break information into parts by identifying motives and causes, make inferences and find evidence to support generalisations? How can digital technology assist students to apply their acquired knowledge? How can students use digital technology to demonstrate understanding of facts and ideas by organising, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating the main ideas? Finally, in what ways does digital technology improve a student’s ability to exhibit memory of learned materials by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts and answers? Perhaps it doesn’t – perhaps it impedes it! When you use digital technology in your practice where is your emphasis in this hierarchy of higher order thinking skills? Where should it be? Whilst at the conference take the opportunity to kill two birds with the one stone. Make some time to visit The Education Show 2016 a wellknown and well-respected free trade exhibition in a new venue (2–4 September 2016, Melbourne
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Convention and Exhibition Centre). The Education Show is also a part of the National Education Summit. The keynote speakers Zeina Chalich and Paul Hamilton, have been chosen for their reputations as best practice classroom teachers, their understanding of the place of digital technology in education and their ability to motivate and inspire. Zeina and Paul are joined by influential classroom practitioners who will share their knowledge and expertise covering key areas such as: coding in the curriculum; the Digital Technologies curriculum; STEM education; learning through Twitter; the Maker Movement; digital literacy; online assessment and a lot more! This conference is the one to choose if your goal is to significantly improve your digital classroom practice. For more information or to register visit www.iwb.net.au/ classroompractice/
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School Kids Learn Snowsports… Without The Snow
Brand new program comes to Australian schools Ski and Snowboard Australia have partnered with the Australian Sports Commission to bring children all over Australia an opportunity which has never before been offered. Little Shredders is a brand new ‘offsnow’ program aimed at teaching children the basics of snowsports without actually visiting the slopes. Based on the hugely popular Burton Riglet product, Little Shredders provides the opportunity for children to learn the fundamental skills of skiing and snowboarding from the convenience of the school yard or gymnasium, through game based learning. The program utilises modified equipment designed specifically for school children; and is an introductory program that teaches children the fundamental skills and knowledge required to prepare them for an onsnow experience.
“It’s a very exciting program and we can’t wait to provide every Australian child the opportunity to learn how to ski and snowboard before they actually hit the slopes. “The Little Shredders program will help develop a child’s overall balance, improve their communication skills and provide them an understanding of snow safety, all while having fun and working in teams”, said Nick Frayne, National Participation and Sport Development Manager, Ski & Snowboard Australia. The program has children learning the correct snowsports stance, practicing weight distribution and understanding how to be a safe rider. The main outcomes of the off-snow, Little Shredders program are teaching school children of all ages about: • Balance • Snow safety knowledge • Bodily and spatial awareness • Basic snowsports stance and skills • Physical preparedness • Teamwork • Communication
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“Our school loved being a part of the Little Shredders program. The program is aimed at teaching beginner snowsports and snow safety skills in a fun and engaging format. “Students were able to display great teamwork and sportsmanship and it is a worthwhile program that engages both students and teachers”, said Matthew Tomkins, Cairnlea Park Primary School. Skiing and snowboarding are among Australia’s largest and most popular participation sports, attracting over 1.2 million people to the slopes each year. Traditionally, Australian children have only been able to learn the basics of skiing and snowboarding at an alpine resort. Until now!
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the information appearing in this section represents the opinions of the relevant advertiser and does not represent the views or opinions of Interactive Media Solutions or the other advertisers or contributors to this publication.
Excitement building for the return of The Education Show
Taking place from 2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4 September in Melbourne, The Education Show will deliver the latest resources, products and services for classrooms, schools and also careers. It will be a great opportunity for professional development, with visitors able to earn CPD points simply by attending. Returning to Melbourne after two years, exhibiting companies are excited about the event which has a new home at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The spotlight will be on new products, services, resources, technology and information, with confirmed exhibitors including Thrass Institute, The Brainary, Zoos
Victoria, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Smart Education, Autism Behavioural Intervention Association, Scouts Victoria, NT Learning Adventures, Alannah & Madeline Foundation, Commbox, Lenovo, Monash University, IG3 Education, Colourful Learning to name a few. With Thrass Institute as the Major Corporate Sponsor, a key feature of the show will be the extensive professional development program, where visitors have the opportunity to attend over 45 free seminars on topics from teaching and learning programs across the curriculum, to classroom management and learning technologies.
The Education Show is a part of the inaugural National Education Summit, where principles, school leaders, business managers and educators from K-12 will come together and enjoy concurrent conferences, masterclasses and interactive seminars, all under the one roof. EVENT: THE EDUCATION SHOW DATES: 2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4 September 2016 VENUE: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre WEB: theeducationshow.com.au Interested in visiting? Register to visit today at: www.theeducationshow.com.au
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