Problem Solving for Maths

This is my problem solving - do you agree with my solutions?
Problem solving

DFI Day 9 - Revision - 30 May 2019

Started with WWW

I sat the Google Exam - I passed and am now a Google Certified Educator Level 1.

Ubiquitous

This is the final word about the Manaiakalani pedagogy and really means that our learning or teaching needs to be available for our students Anytime, Anywhere and Anyhow. The 3 A's mean that there are o excuses for learning to happen. Our sites are the best way for this to happen and this is where video's of our teaching are most helpful. I can see that in Maths this would be vital. I need students to be able to not rely on me to be beside them all the time to explain everything. This will also help with the students being able to be life long learners which is part of the NZ Curriculum. I will be looking into how this can happen and what I need to do for this to work for me. Our next topic in Maths is Algebra skills so it will be vital for the students to be able to go back and look at video's and check out explanations.

This 9 weeks of the DFI has been truly enlightening for me. I have moved from being a teacher who was scared to share their teaching and resources to one who is willing to show what I am doing and not be afraid of having a go at everything. There have been parts of the course which I won't use but that's ok. Not everything works for everyone. I've still got a lot of learning to do but that's life in general. Overall this has been PD that I'm so pleased I took the plunge to do and would encourage any other teacher to do it. 

My understanding of the Manaiakalani pedagogy has improved heaps and I'm now actively looking at how I include it across the board in my teaching.

Thanks Vicki and Makaore!!

My badges for my hard mahi

DFI 8 - 23 May 2019 - Devices

What have I learnt this week?

This week I had to problem solve a few things. I shared a form with my Year 7/8 class in Hapara and ended up giving them editing rights which meant that they couldn't submit the form. I then changed the way I shared it with them by using the link and they have been able to fill in the form. I also used sheets to help me make a table with the Kamar passwords for my new yr 7/8 class. I was also really pleased to be able to publish my site and share it with my senior class to have a look at. It has a few things that need to be changed but I have managed to get over the psychological hurdle of being visible.

Being Cybersmart

Learning to be at home in a digital world. This is very important with the world we are living in today. Many teenager's need to learn to ask - Do I keep it private or is it something I would share?
Having the Kawa of Care being developed with your community makes it more relevant and means the whanau have a connection to it. We have to train ourselves to use the language of the kawa of care so we are continually referring to it and normalising it. This also can help us make connections with the cyber smart community.  

Hapara 

Even though I use Hapara, I don't feel like I know how to use it very well. Today I learnt how the folders work and also what we as teachers can see on it. I was amazed to see that we can access the students blogs as well as their files. I will be using this in my Maths class. Now that I know that every student has a blog set up I can use this in my Maths class. I would also like my Junior Music classes to do a blog as well.

Devices - Partners, participation. Protection

Just a short look at how this fits in with the Learn, Create, Share kaupapa. It was a reminder that we need to keep our learning Ubiquitous, Visible, Connected so we can empower the students to be better learners.

Digital Dig 

I really enjoyed this and will go back and complete it. I need to make sure I know how to do everything so that I can make sure the students know how to do it. One thing I think would be good to know is what skills the students need to know. Maybe we should have a skills list which could be like a digital drivers licence for learners to complete. This could be something they need to be able to complete and give the skills they will need for the outside world when they leave. 

Explain everything 

This is an app on the iPad which is good for young learners and languages. Students are able to record into it. I would not use this in my classes at all but it was interesting to see what it could do.

Screencastify

Wow! This was not as difficult as it seemed. I was a bit nervous about doing this today and now think it could be something I could do with showing students how to use new software. Little video's like this could be used to explain concepts and how to navigate websites easier than writing instructions. I'm thinking I could use it for Mixcraft, Incredibox, Sibelius and maybe how to work the sound equipment. 

Today I did a screencastify on how to surf the net safely, using SMART tools.

I have realised this week that I have really found an increased zest for learning which is very exciting. I have spent the last 8 weeks improving my own digital skills and now really want to see how I can use them in my classes. I would like to be able to do more in my Maths class but know I am really pushed for time. This will take a bit of thinking and reflecting on how to do this.

I am looking forward to the last week and sitting the google test and I am sad that it will be finishing.

DFI 7 - 16 May 2019 - Computational Thinking

Empowered

Originally used the word agency - meaning students having choice around things.

Chromebook not just a tool - need to use it to transform their learning and have new experiences.

Often students are coming to school with less language skills due to parents working and the use of a mixture of English and the home language.

If you are strong in one language then you will be able to transfer the skills to another language. Extended conversation is good for developing literacy - 5 + challenge

Deep Dive 

Pam Ferguson Charitable Trust - teaches kids to innovate with technology

OMG Tech

Mana Tangata

e-Pou

IGD Project

Institute of Awesome

Voluntari.ly

Mainly working in communities where there is a sense of deprivation.

If a robot can do the same as humans then what is the cost? What needs to change with the vision of the future world? How will this affect our kids?

What does it mean to be human?

Driverless cars - programmed in the factory, avoidance tactics included. Questions around who programs the cars, do we know?  

Technology has become a mystery - we have ceded responsibility. It is important we need to be present with regards to how technology is introduced. Where is our tech going? What is the moral responsibility?

Are we preparing our students for the future in a technological aspect? I'll explore this with my Kaiarahi class. They need to know how to use tech and how it is already being used in the future. How do our students fit into a future that is very foreign to them? We do have entrepreneurs around that are in NZ. A lot of companies are foreign owned. 

Technology needs to be taught in context. How can we use technology to make a difference?

Curricular

Is in context - "In authentic contexts and taking into account the end users"

Computational Thinking and Designing &developing digital outcomes - the two strands

Interesting to see that Music composition is seen as a digital technology - I try to do this in my classes. 

Digital Fluency is different to digital Technology

Need to start to use the discipline language

Coding - Scratch

It is free, doesn't have a large literacy component. Comes from www.scratch.mit.edu 

Makey, Makey - can turn anything into a computer, can look at science, conductivity, electricity, etc.

Binary

Went over the Binary code and did some maths problems.

I found today quite difficult and very intensive. The discussion around Ethics and Morals was very good and I appreciated Adie's input. He really helped us to think about how all the new ideas/concepts related to our life and job. As I come back to this blog post days later I am still thinking about the AI robots and how they will affect our life and the ethics of the programming position for the driverless cars. This is the future of our rangatahi - maybe not in my lifetime but definitely it is coming. I do find it pretty scary.

DFI 6 - 9 May 2019 - Dealing with Data

Connected - the Manaiakalani focus for the week.

The shared kaupapa has helped to create close connections with schools in ways other than just on a digital level.
A wide variety of schools now involved in Manaiakalani kaupapa. The connections across the clusters mean that we are always able to find others who can help. The shared language is very helpful.
Generally schools decide to collaborate in their teaching and learning. A trust is set up to support the schools and communities. It can't really be just a come and try situation.
Countrywide PD - Term 1 - Learn, Term 2 - Create, Term 3 - Share, Term 4 - bring all together
There is a Manaiakalani Cluster Twitter account. Illegal for students to be on Twitter but there is a way for students blog posts to be put on this account.
Tuhi Mai Tuhi Atu (write to me, write to others) - sign up to be involved, a way to look at different classes blogs, so that the audience can be extended. Good for kids to be able to connect with a different world. A good way to write thoughtful, helpful comments.
Online toolkits - a way to do some more PD - run by Manaikalani facilitators and teachers. The are video'd so you can watch them later. Using Hangouts.

If we are connected we need to share as well - we can't only take. Sharing is our way of giving.

This is my takeaway from today. I would like to be able to share more of my work and will be working on my site to get it up and running as soon as possible. I feel that this will actually make me be more accountable for my teaching and really think about the learning of my students. I would like my students to start to use blogger to reflect on their own learning journey in Music and also in Maths.

Google Forms

Can be used for surveys and assessments. The data is made into graphs and can then be exported into sheets. Can add Youtube clips, photos, etc Use checkboxes for multiple answers. Need to check the settings so that you get the data that you want. Email addresses are helpful so you know who has completed. Can embed it, send as a link or email.
Hover over a graph and you will see a doc in the top right corner which means you can copy it and save it in docs. Can turn off the responses when you don't want it closed.

Here is the google form I have made for my Year 7/8 classes. I have decided to change my program for my next option change so that they are able to assess themselves at the beginning and then again at the end of the time. I think that if I am able to make this change then they will not get into the downward spiral of only working towards an assessment.

Google MyMaps

Not the same as Google maps. Using recent in google is very helpful when finding docs you've been working on.
Not sure I would use this in class and I would need to have a real play with it. Although it would be good for measurement in Maths using real life situations. A watch this space area.

Google Sheets

Can freeze by dragging down the thick gray line.
Can change the width of the columns by highlighting the table and then dragging the final column back. All columns will change automatically.
Basic Sum and Average - =SUM(A2,L2) or =AVERAGE(B2, H2). You can drag and highlight the cells you want to have in the SUM or AVERAGE. This will carry on the formula automatically. Use the functions key to help with formulas. It is next to the functions icon.
Top Left empty cell is like a Select All on the sheet
To see filter view click on the filter icon - looks like an sieve.
Today I learnt how to crop a sheet so the data can be put onto a doc our included in a report without all the extra columns and rows. I also learnt how to move a chart onto a separate sheet. I was able to get a better understanding of how to use .csv data so that it can be upoaded into NZGrapher. I could have used this for the Census and School's data and may yet do this. Just need to work out how this is done.

DFI Day 5 - 2 May 2019

Enabling Access - Sites

Visible teaching and learning - can we see it, can anyone see it?
Often success is based on reading the mind of the teacher - I have found this especially in Music theory and Maths.

If learning is to be visible then what needs to be private? Some schools don't want students names on their sites. I have learnt that I need to have separate folders which are able to be viewed by anyone with the link so that my documents are visible if they are on the site. I have started to include an admin folder within my curriculum folders for my assessment schedules, tasks, etc.

Sites is a place for the whole learning journey. I think this is easier for Curriculum areas that do more structured learning. In music we are doing a lot of practical work and this is hard to show on the site. I am loathe to put up videos. However the students can share any videos on their own blog.

Have the work accessible, available and put it on in advance. There should be no surprises. Need to make sure that there are no barriers. When my site was shown to the class today there were documents that were needing to request access which isn't great. I have now fixed that problem

Google Class on Air the ultimate visibility in teaching and learning - I'm not sure I would be brave enough to do this but will have a look at the examples

Try to teach the students to not resolve the comments on docs so that the feedback is shown. This is a great thing to try and teach students - I have already had students in my Maths class resolving comments that I had put on their work and Learning Journals. I think this will be quite difficult because I know it is good to see a clean page.

Use png/jpeg image on drawing to create buttons. I have been trying to do this and have found that the text comes out a little fuzzy and that I need to be careful about how images are embedded so that I can add links to the other pages.

I have decided that I have a lot to do on my site and it will take a fair amount of time.

Some feedback that I got today about my site.

I am really enjoying this time to expand my digital skills and look forward to next week!

DFI Day 4 - 4th April 2019

We started today with the WWW and I feel like I am not using enough of the skills that we are learning each week with my classes. However, I am trying to use them myself and as I reflect now realised that when I am helping my students with setting up documents I am making sure they label docs with their names, reminding them to put documents in folders so they can find them again later. I think I need a little bit of time to embed these things myself so that I can then plan to use them with my students.

So we started our formal part of the day with a hangout with Dorothy on Sharing. There was quite a lot of talking on blogging and I have decided that the next time I see my Year 9 students I will ask them to write a blog on their performance of the Gumboot song which we did in class on Wednesday. I will make sure they have been sent a copy of the video which they can write about and then add if they want to.They should all have a blog and this would be the first time I have used it with them.

I find it amazing that most of our sharing sites, eg youtube, facebook, etc started in 2005. I do remember students talking about myspace back then and didn't really know what to do with this and consequently didn't explore it. I still think students need to be guided about what they share but their learning is a good thing. This may make them work towards the best. I have already had students showing anxiety about being seen on a video which seems odd when some of these same students will go up on stage in a show or be filmed for a digital media assignment.

Our deep dive was about multi-modal learning, not something I had heard about before. From my initial understanding today it seems to means learning in a variety of ways - reading, writing, audio, visual, creating various pieces of work, research, etc. This can be then put onto a site to make learning a little more interesting. Students are also able to choose where they start and how they want to learn the same content. We then started working collaboratively to plan a site on Gardening with Science. As part of this I experimented with google drawing to insert images, links, etc. I have then put this drawing onto my site and the links work. Link to my site



I hope to start to getting my Performing Arts site more ready for publishing and to start more blogging with my students.