Designing with Tinkercad

Liam and Kobe are Year 9 studenst at Greymouth High, part of our Toki Pounamu cluster on the West Coast.  During term 4 Liam and Kobe have been learning about Robotics.  On their individual blogs Liam and Kobe have written quality blogposts sharing what they have been doing as part of their Robotics learning.  Liam and Kobe explain the learning that they needed to do, the processes they went through and reflections on their learning.  Both Liam and Kobe have used Screencastify to share their Tikercad projects where they has created a Mars Lander as part of their learning process.    Great blogposts to unpack Learn, Create, Share as part of the Digital Technologies|Hangaru Matihiko curriculum.   You can also see by watching their Screencastify videos the various curriculum links that Tinkercad crosses over.  Some incredible maths learning happening as well as problem solving, design and innovative thinking and persistence.

Explaining Rewindable Learning - 'Just do it!'

Damian is a teacher at  Paroa School who has created a short video clip explaining how he goes about creating 'rewindable learning' experiences for his learners.

Madeline Campbell has created these Google Slides that explain the 'why' of rewindable learning as well as step you through the process of the workflow.  

These Google Slides and Damian's short video clip would be beneficial for all teachers, especially those new to the concept of rewindable learning.  

Credit - +Damian McAulay +Madeline Campbell

Let's go on Tour - Visible Teaching

In this blogpost, Karen Ferguson, a Design and Visual Communication teacher at Tamaki College, takes you on a tour of her class learning site.  A great example to share with Secondary School teachers for inspiration and to build their understanding around the why, how and what of a Visible Teaching Site.  This would also be useful for parents/whānau to develop their knowledge of utilising their child's class learning site as a window into their learning and assessments.

Making Teaching and Learning Visible - An online CV

Clarelle Davis is a beginning teacher at Pt England School.  During 2016 Clarelle has been part of the Manaiakalani Digital Teacher Academy.  As part of finishing the year in the MDTA each participant had the challenge of creating a CV page to share their learning.  Clarelle has created a Google Site to make her year totally visible and accessible to others.  Clarelle has used a very multi-modal approach to share her learning and on her Google Site you can listen to videos of Clarelle introducing herself and sharing her reflections of the year.  You can follow links to both her class blog and her inquiry blog as well as check out the Google Sites she has built to support learning throughout the year.   This 'CV' is a brilliant example to share with all teachers, beginning and experienced, to provide inspiration as they move into a 1-1 digital learning environment and/or continue their journey through the pedagogy of Learn, Create, Share.

Manaiakalani Online Secondary Connect

On Wednesday 23rd November we welcomed participants from Northland College, Hornby High, Greymouth High, Tamaki College and Papakura High to our first ever Manaiakalani Online Secondary Connect through Google Hangout.   We were inspired by our 3 guest speakers.  +Nicola Wells, +Jason Borland, +Rowena Clemence, three of our Spark-Manaiakalani Innovative Teachers (MIT) who shared their stories.

Nicola, a Biology teacher at Tamaki College focused her MIT inquiry on 'Improving student outcomes in a Year 13 University Entrance subject (Biology) through visible learning'.  Nicola shared how the structure of her visible Google Site has changed over the last three years to become a highly multi-modal site to engage learners.  Nicola has also shared her teaching practice in 2016, as part of the Manaiakalani Google Class on Air.  

Jason, a PE teacher at Papakura High focused his MIT inquiry on 'Addressing the problem of NCEA underachievement in my senior classes.'  Jason began his story by sharing his initial reluctance to utilise digital technologies as a PE teacher and his lack of confidence.  When he realised the advantages digital technologies were able to provide for his students he began his journey into capturing learning to ensure rewindable, accessible learning for his students.  He now utilises his Google Site as a 'One Stop Shop' for teaching and learning.

Rowena, a visual arts teacher at Hornby High focused her MIT inquiry on 'Assess, Critique, Extend - Learn, Create, Share Visual Arts Junior Curriculum Levels.   Rowena shared her story of starting blogs with her junior visual arts students and the process of reflecting and sharing on their work. Rowena also identified her Site and Blog as a place for students to go for rewindable learning.

The Google Slides are shared below and from these you are able to access links to Nicola, Jason and Rowena's inquiry blogs and class sites.  The recording of the Google Hangout is also shared below.

We finished our Hangout with sharing our Manaiakalani Outreach vision and engaging in collaborative thinking around how we can reach this vision.  You can check out our ideas on the padlet below.

HUGE gratitude to our guest speakers for sharing their stories.  We look forward to 2017 and connecting further with our secondary school teachers.

Learn, Create, Share in the Digital World

Danni Stone is a Year 7/8 teacher at Glenbrae School.  During 2016, as a beginning teacher Danni has been part of the Manaiakalani Digital Teacher Academy.   Danni's latest blogpost reflects on her first year, both in teaching and in a 1-1 digital learning environment.  Danni has created a video to share her thinking on how she has embedded the Manaiakalani pedagogy into her practice to support the learning.   This video would be a great watch for teachers new to the 1-1 digital learning environment.  Danni's blog is also a good example to show teachers the process of sharing their reflections through the blogging platform.  This video could also be shared with whānau to develop their understanding about how chromebooks support the learning in the classroom.

Multi Modal Sites

The Google Drawing below links to a variety of Multi Modal Sites created by innovative teachers within the Manaiakalani cluster of schools.  These sites can be used to inspire teachers and/or can simply be used by teachers as a resource.  The Current Events site, created by Manaiakalani Digital Teacher Academy teachers, is freely available for colleagues to use. Most pages have the HTML for the page attached at the bottom of the page. 

We have offered this so that our colleagues would have a quick way of accessing our content and repurposing for their own teaching.  Help yourself!  If you would like to acknowledge using our material, send a Tweet to @clusternz or comment on our Manaiakalani Google+ Community.

Supporting Students to get Exam READY!

Mitchell Denham is a English teacher at Northland College in Kaikohe.  Through the use of PowToon, Mitch has created a 'What is Unfamiliar text' video to explain this part of the external exam to his students and prepare them in knowing what to expect.  Mitchell is examplifying visible teaching and rewindable learning by sharing this with his students through his class Google Site.  As this Site is totally accessible it is also a good resource for parents/whānau to develop their understanding of what is expected in the exam.

Credit - +Mitchell Denham

Secondary PE - A Collaborative Department Site

The Physical Education and Health Department at Greymouth High have set up a collaborative Google Site linking off to all year levels.  This is a 'one stop shop' for all PE and Health students and the one place they know to go to access the information they need.  Vitally important is the visual aspect of the front page, from the front page, both students and their whānau can see photos of the teachers and email them from here.  The Google Site is a work in progress as all teachers begin to share their visible teaching sites with the students.  This is a great example of a secondary school Google Site to share with teachers.

Link to Site

Credit - +Cara Sibtsen and team

Planning and Evaluating NCEA Course Content with Students

Karen Ferguson is a teacher of Design and Visual Communication at Tamaki College, part of the Manaiakalani cluster in Auckland.  Karen is a very experienced teacher who has been reflecting on her teaching and learning using blogger since 2012.  Currently Karen is planning and developing her NCEA Level 2 course for next year and is focusing on improving the results for her Year 12 students.  The difference being, that Karen has asked her students to support her in the evaluating and re-designing of her course content.  This is an authentic example of a teacher listening to student voice. In the first blogpost , Karen describes the course and the discussions she has had with Level 2 students.  In her second blogpost, Karen continues the conversation and shares her focus questions for the students.

Karen's blog is an inspiration for all teachers and a great example of the Learn, Create, Share pedagogy starting with the big people!  Check out this blogpost from Dorothy Burt to read more.

"If we are to successfully implement the Learn Create Share pedagogy with the children we teach, it has to begin with the big people - the adults."

Credit - +Karen Ferguson 

Weather Presenters of Glenbrae

Danni is a Year 7/8 teacher at Glenbrae School and during 2016, part of the Manaiakalani Digital Teachers Academy.  In this blogpost, Danni shares the teaching process she used with her learners enabling them to become 'weather presenters' with the support of Google Maps.  As you will read in Danni's reflection, this was part of a problem solving mathematical investigation into time and temperature.  The digital learning object, a video clip of learners as weather presenters, is a fabulous example of presenting work in a creative way.  Danni's blogpost on her professional learning blog is a clear example of reflecting on teaching and sharing reflections with a wider audience.  A great post to share with teachers and learners to inspire and motivate.

Creating and Sharing with Sketchnote

Thomas is a Year 8 student at Panmure Bridge School who has been learning about Sketchnote as a creative tool to make notes.  In Thomas's reflection, you will read about how he finds sketching a great way to stay focused and that it only needs to make sense to him as the sketcher.

Many teachers are using the idea of sketchnoting for both recording professional learning as well as for a tool for their learners.  The Manaiakalani Digital Teachers Academy teachers have been exploring this concept as well.  You can check out their blogposts here.  I am sure all of their examples will motivate and inspire you to give sketchnoting a go within your classroom environment. Please click on their names to take you to their blogpost and remember feedback and comments are always appreciated.

Chelsea

 Georgia

 Latai

Clarelle

Hannah

Create 2 learn - MDTA Animations

Juliana Treadwell titles her blogpost - 'Creativity is intelligence having fun' a quote from Albert Einstein.  As part of the Manaiakalani Digital Teacher Academy, teachers have been immersed in creativity to support not only their learning but also the learning of their students - to be part of the 'create' process and realise the value of creating to learn as part of the everydayness of our New Zealand curriculum.

All of the MDTA teachers blogs are well worth checking out with a wealth of examples to inspire both teachers and learners.

Ashley created a stop motion movie using 708 photos - A Train Disaster - a perfect example to share with learners for inspiration.   In this blogpost, Ashley has used the concept of RSA animate to create a movie to explain her teaching as inquiry.  A great example to share with teachers who are wanting to share their teaching as inquiry process in a creative way.

Clarelle has used the simple process of drawing on a whiteboard, through animation, to explain a part of her teaching as inquiry process in a creative way.  Clarelle has used Star Wars characters in this creative animation blogpost to inspire and motivate learners around collaboration.  Both great examples of create to learn.

Steph has used iMovie to share her teaching as inquiry process and in this blogpost, Stop Motion Animation to create 'Hippo's first day at School' video.

Hannah has used Stop Motion Animation to create a movie to demonstrate the concept of working together and overcoming challenges for her learners.

Georgia created an intro into anatomy using Stop Motion Animation focusing on the major bones of the body with a skeleton created with playdough.

Heath used his lego skills to create a Stop Motion Animation for his learners around collaboration and being in the learning pit.

Chelsea created a Stop Motion Animation to support beach safety and awareness of rips.  

Latai created her Stop Motion Animation around geogaching and the learner qualities and processes needed when you find yourself stuck in the learning pit.

Please remember to leave comments for these teachers as you view their work.  Huge thanks to these MDTA teachers for reflecting and sharing through their professional blogs.

Whakawhanui te Kaupapa - Quality Blog Commenting

+Katie Nisbett a teacher at Grey Main School, part of the Toki Pounamu cluster, has created the following slides - Whakawhanui te Kaupapa - Quality Blog Commenting - these can be utilised by all teachers. Feel free to open the slideshow, make a copy and share with your team, whānau and learners.  

Student Appreciation of Rewindable Learning

This post shared on Google + by Jason Borland, a teacher from Tamaki College, shows the power of rewindable learning for students.  As you can read in the image below, Troy England received an email from another teacher who has been inspired by a student to seek support in setting up his visible site.

Malo Troy I need to learn how to screencastify after this busy week please. Helen talking to me how it helps her to learn better, being able to playback a lesson certainly has made a difference with her (and according to her others in the class). She actually showed me one of your videos. And now I understand how I need to get my site done.

This shows clear expectations that students are beginning to understand and utilise teachers visible learning sites for rewindable learning.  A great post to share with teachers as they explore the 'why' of a visible learning site.

Understanding our Mihi and how it connects with our Whakapapa

Ruma Tahi at Karoro School, part of the Toki Pounamu cluster, have created their visual mihi to share both on their learning sites and their class blog.  The success criteria was 'We can show that we understand the purpose of mihi and how it connects to our whakapapa/family tree.  We have developed our sense of self and place.  We have built on our pronunciation skills.'  Take time to check out the students mihi, also note that Bev Kemp has role modelled the process of Learn, Create, Share as a teacher following the same process as her learners.  A great example of starting with the 'big people' as described by Dorothy Burt in her blogpost.

http://ksrumatahi.blogspot.co.nz/2016/05/mihi-mahi.html

Credit - +Bev Kemp

Manaiakalani Digital Teacher Academy - Collaborative Google Site

This Google Site has been created by the 2016 cohort of the Manaiakalani Digital Teacher Academy. It is a perfect example of how the minds of teachers working together can create a resource collaboratively to support the learning needs across a variety of year groups.  Lessons are structured on the Manaiakalani Learn, Create, Share pedagogy.  As they have used the context of current events, it allows learners to develop critical thinking skills and perspectives across reading and social studies.

As we continue to build our understanding across the clusters, we are hoping for more opportunities for collaboration amongst teachers on building cross-curricular and cross age group sites.  This site can be an example to inspire.

Current Events - a teaching resource -

This Site has been created by the 2016 cohort of the Manaiakalani Digital Teacher Academy. We have chosen the context of Current Events lessons to be used to develop critical thinking and perspectives in Reading and Social Studies. We have created sample lessons across a variety of age groups from six year olds to fourteen year olds. These are structured on the Manaiakalani Learn Create Share pedagogy. This resource is offered to our colleagues to use and repurpose, and to support this at the foot of each page the HTML of the page is available for download.  We intend to reuse the layout in future lessons and simply replace the content in the lesson. Anne Sinclair has created a structured page to support teachers wanting to develop their expertise in promoting critical thinking here The eleven lessons are available from the Home page of this site, or use the world map below to link to them.

Collecting and Sharing Evidence of Learning

Greg Wong is a teacher at Panmure Bridge School, part of the Manaiakalani cluster, in Auckland. Greg teaches in Learning Space 1, a collaborative learning environment.  Greg's Google Site  shares a great exemplar of how he uses Google Sheets to collate student's links to their evidence of 'must do's' across the curriculum.  The links are simply the students copying and pasting the link to their blogpost where they have shared their learning.  This is a great example of setting up good processes for student self-management and the visibility of sharing learning through their class site.  This would allow easy access by whānau to their child's learning through their individual blog.

Credit - Greg Wong

Quality Blog Commenting

Quality blog commenting is an integral part of the Manaiakalani Cybersmart programme. The learners at Karoro School have been working hard on building their quality blog commenting skills. You can check out the comments that they have left on this St Patrick's School blogpost (scroll down to see the comments section) Karoro School learners are part of the Tuhi Mai, Tuhi Atu Manaiakalani Blogging programme and have made connections with 3 other classes including St Patricks.

Methods and Principles of Training - Secondary PE Students Create to Learn

Students at Greymouth High, part of the Toki Pounamu cluster, have worked alongside their teacher to create a digital learning object.  Their DLO shares their understanding and learning around the methods and principles of training as part of Level 3 PE.   Their teacher, Cara Sibsten kindly shared the story with me via email...

'The methods and principles of training video was created by a year 13 PE class as a revision activity for a standard where they have to apply the methods and principles of training to an individual training program that will help them train for a 10km run in October. 

This class are very new to using technology for learning so we face lots of challenges but work through them together. Firstly we did a research task about the methods and principles then got into groups where we planned what video footage we would gain to demonstrate each of these, went and collected the footage and used WeVideo or Serif Movie Plus to put them together. The students then uploaded these into Zaption and created a zaption to share with our year 10 Sport Fitness Science class to teach them about methods and principles of training.'

Through sharing their creation in the Toki Pounamu Google + Community, Cara is role modelling the importance of SHARE as well as building an authentic audience for her learners.