Education Technology Solutions Issue 83 by Interactive Media Solutions

FOR PRINCIPALS | EDUCATORS | NETWORK ADMINISTRATORS

ISSUE 83 - JUNE/JULY 2018

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CONTENTS ISSUE 83

32 REGULARS

FEATURES

6 FROM THE EDITOR

26 COVER STORY

8 CYBER CHAT 10 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 70 PRODUCT SHOWCASE 72 NOTICEBOARDS 74 SPOTLIGHT

Jane Hunter speaks with Vanessa Pirotta, a PhD student at Macquarie University in Sydney about her recent victory in the Australian final of the British Council’s FameLab; an annual event recognised as the leading science communication competition in the world, which attracts early career researchers to explain a scientific concept to a general audience in just three minutes. In this issue’s cover story, Jane explores Vanessa’s research to find out more about how experts from the STEM disciplines can support learning in schools.

18 SCREEN TIME MYTHS Peter West, Director of eLearning at Saint Stephen’s College in Australia, looks at the myth around the amount of time a child spends in front of a screen being an issue as opposed to the type and quality of the material on the screen.

32 WHAT IS YOUR ONLINE PERSONA? DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP FOR TEACHERS Helen Kardiasmenos, a primary school teacher and digital leader in Sydney, looks at three important questions every teacher should consider with regard to being an effective digital citizen.

54 AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS ALREADY FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE! Across Australia, there are many schools and teachers demonstrating

4 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

outstanding leadership and practices who should be celebrated for their expertise. Identifying these practices and effectively sharing that knowledge is a significant strategy to evolve education.

16 INTERACTIVE LEARNING

56 TEACHING TOOLS How can you use research and digital technology to create change in mathematics and STEM?

60 GET CONNECTED How do we lead academic innovation through technology?

Mal Lee and Roger Broadie look at the role digitally connected families of the world have played over the last two decades in leading digital education.

24 PLUGGED IN Brett Salakas draws on the international hit TV show The Walking Dead to illustrate a paradigm shift from traditional to next generation education models.

36 OFFICE SPACE How can you accommodate part-time staff more quickly and effectively in school timetables?

40 NEXT STEP Shelly Kinash examines why accessible education needs to be more than a tick-box exercise.

44 LET’S TALK PEDAGOGY Author, journalist, editor and former educator living in Austin, Texas, Leah Anne Levy, looks at the difference between STEM and maker education.

48 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Peter West examines the growing need for consistency in technologyenhanced learning.

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

FROM THE EDITOR something like an Olympic or Commonwealth Games and you would, without exaggeration, not be far from the mark. Over the next few days, the level and quality of the events in which students participated was incredible.

www.educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

EDITORIAL

EDITOR John Bigelow EMAIL john@interactivemediasolutions.com.au SUBEDITORS Helen Sist, Ged McMahon

CONTRIBUTORS Jane Hunter, Peter West, Helen Kardiasmenos, Brett Salakas, Caroline Linne, Lora Bance, Keith Roberts, Mal Lee, Roger Broadie, Shelly Kinash, Akshay Sahay, Sue Beveridge, Matt Lambert, Chris Cooper, Jonathan Powles, Leah Levy, Matt Lambert

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Keith Rozairo PHONE 1300 300 552 EMAIL keith@interactivemediasolutions.com.au

John Bigelow

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

recently had the pleasure of joining the Destination Imagination (DI) team, led by the Australian affiliate Director Jackie Slaverio, for the DI global finals in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the US. For those readers who are not familiar with the Destination Imagination program, it is a fun, hands-on system of learning that fosters students’ creativity, courage and curiosity through open-ended academic challenges in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), fine arts and service learning. The participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative problem-solving process. Since its inception back in 1982, DI, a non-profit organisation, has impacted more than 1.5 million participants. Today, more than 150,000 students participate in the Destination Imagination program each year, with the support of more than 38,000 volunteers worldwide. Through collaborations with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 3M, Disney, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Oracle Academy, Mayo Clinic, Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, ShareSpace Foundation, PCG Education, National Geographic, U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Partnership for 21st Century Learning and other industry organisations, DI has been able to continue inspiring and engaging its participants for more than 30 years. With the support of Jaycar, along with Jackie and Bob who run the Australian DI affiliate, I was able to join students from five Australian schools who had been chosen to represent Australia at the global finals. I had imagined something akin to a typical school science fair where students were divided into groups and given some challenges to solve, which they would then be judged on and so on. What I encountered upon entering the Thompson-Bowling Area for the opening ceremony at the University of Tennessee was so far beyond my expectations it is quite literally difficult to put into words. Imagine the opening ceremony for

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6 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Editor

The grandeur and spectacle of the various events across the four days of the competition was equally impressive. Students had the chance to attend things like a STEM expo featuring exhibits from names like NASA and Space Camp, a host of amazing workshops at no charge, a block party featuring live DJs and bands, a costume ball and an equally amazing closing ceremony. What I found most impressive, however, was the quality of the projects that students from around the world had prepared as part of the competition. In speaking with the Australian teams across the course of the events, it quickly became obvious that the entire experience transcended the obvious learning that came from being part of a STEM competition. Yes, the students achieved value learning outcomes across the various disciplines in which they competed across the year leading up to the finals. However, of equal importance were the lessons that came from being part of an international event. During our conversations, students spoke about the confidence they had gained from having to travel to another country and perform in front of a global audience. They spoke about having to learn to function in a team, to listen to and work with other people’s ideas. They spoke with enthusiasm about learning problem-solving skills, the ability to think through situations and challenges and develop workarounds on the fly and, equally importantly, they spoke about the insights that came from meeting students from other countries and cultures and learning about how they had approached the same challenges set before the Australian students. The Australian curriculum has been designed to teach students a wide range of very important skills. However, some skills just cannot be learned in the classroom. These are incredibly important life skills that help students be better people. It is my solemn belief that events like Destination Imagination, that have the power to engage students in critical STEM skills while also imparting valuable interpersonal skills, life lessons and social skills, should be an invaluable part of any school’s curriculum. Over the next few months, we will be presenting a video series showing the journey of the Australian teams competing in Tennessee at the global finals. I would encourage you to keep an eye out for the videos which will appear on our website and check out DI (www. DIaustralia.com.au). It is a competition that is open to any school around the country and is an invaluable experience for every student who participates. n

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 | CYBER CHAT

The Flipped Classroom, Mastery Model & Education Perfect: A perfect combination

BY KELLY HOLLIS

he flipped classroom

educators to shift the lower end

that provides teachers with an

effort into their learning (Cushman,

model has been

of Bloom’s taxonomy out of the

online learning and assessment

2015). The Education Perfect platform

identified as a

classroom (Sams & Bergmann, 2013),

platform for Languages, English,

helps to enhance this process by

pedagogical pathway

allowing them to be present with their

Maths, Science and Humanities. The

adding an element of gamification

for teachers to follow to move toward

students while they are facing more

platform includes content to suit the

by awarding the students points for

more powerful learning and teaching

difficult activities. By completing a

Australian Curriculum, as well as the

completing activities, which place

strategies by leveraging the technology

range of easily achievable activities

state-specific syllabus from NSW

them onto a school-wide and global

that is emerging to deliver lessons

at home, students interact with the

and Victoria.

scoreboard. By introducing the idea

(Bergmann & Sams, 2014). The

‘remember and understand’ levels of

flipped classroom is an active,

Bloom’s outside the classroom without

designed to focus on mastery and

kinds of activities, students may be

student-centred approach that was

their teacher, reserving time spent in

customised learning. It supports

more willing to share their expertise as

formed to increase the quality of

class for the higher order levels of

learner-centered approaches where

it is an area that they are passionate

face-to-face time spent in classrooms

thinking including creating, evaluating,

each student is able to work at his

and motivated about. This is evident

(Ozdamli & Asiksoy, 2016).

analysing and applying (See & Conry,

or her appropriate level and pace

as when the students become

2014). These activities usually take a

based on their actual existing skills

passionate, they will be inspired to

Flipped learning allows teachers to

longer period of time to complete and

and knowledge.

play and then go discuss, modify,

provide their students with:

often require the support and input of

Flexible learning environments:

the classroom teacher. The ‘traditional’

to easily assign students work to

about the game that they are playing

where they are able to implement a

classroom model sees students often

complete before they arrive in class.

with others (Gee, 2012).

variety of learning models, physically

take notes from the board or read

This introduces concepts to the

rearrange the learning space (as well

information before completing project

students outside of the classroom

are able to analyse the detailed data

as the digital learning space) and

tasks at home. Flipping this process

space, a concept that aligns with the

provided by the platform to understand

provide students with a choice of when

allows for those higher order activities

flipped classroom model. The Smart

how the students have interacted

and where they want to access the

to be explored where students feel

Lessons produced by the Education

with this material. This will help to

information needed.

safe and supported. Subjects that

Perfect Content Team introduce the

guide the teacher on how to start

Learning culture shift: the culture

consist of educational content that

concepts to students in a variety

the lesson where the students will

in the classroom changes from a

falls within these lower levels of

of ways, including simple text with

be further exploring this content.

teacher-centred to a student-centred

Bloom’s taxonomy are those that may

keywords highlighted, short videos

Through the mastery model, most

approach where the teacher goes from

benefit the most from a shift towards

or a combination of both. After

students should have been able to

the ‘sage on the stage’ to the ‘guide

the flipped classroom model of

students have been introduced to the

develop a grasp of the content by

on the side’.

teaching (Sams & Bergmann, 2013).

content, the platform assesses their

completing the Smart Lesson and,

understanding of this through a range

therefore, the class should be able to

Intentional content: the flipped

With the advances in technology

Education Perfect has been

Education Perfect allows teachers

of games and point scoring into these

research and explicate everything

Before arriving to class, teachers

classroom needs a teacher who is

occurring all the time, educators

of question types. A cycle of content

participate in activities that allow much

able to evaluate what content needs

are in possession of a paradigm-

learning and assessment continues

deeper understanding of the concepts

to be taught directly versus the

shifting toolbox that will help them

until the lesson is finished, however,

being covered.

content that can be explored outside

to change the shape of education

students are only able to move

the classroom. This will maximise

and enhance the student learning

forward once they have mastered

classroom model, class time is now

classroom time to allow students to

experience (Albert & Beatty, 2014).

each section.

able to involve more problem solving,

explore other learning strategies such

The wide range of technology available

as PBL and peer-instruction.

to educators today enables them

education has been linked to higher

it be in practical work or research

Professional educators: teachers need

to provide students with access to

intrinsic motivation and enjoyment,

activities – with the students working

to be reflective and collaborative when

more advanced content, the tools

positive affect, engagement, deep

with their teacher as a mentor rather

implementing the flipped classroom

for constructing and sharing created

learning, and persistence in students

than provider. Collaboration and

model. The role of the teacher shifts

products, as well as opportunity to

(Simon, et. al., 2015).

group work become the norm with the

from one of content delivery to one

develop critical and creative thinking

where they mentor the students.

skills (Siegle, 2013).

(Hamdan, McKnight, McKnight & Arfstrom, 2013) The implementation of a flipped classroom model also allows

8 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

For those who are looking to

The mastery-approach to

It has been found that when

After introducing the flipped

creation and investigation – whether

whole class working together towards

students realise that it is the process

the common goal of improving the

that helps them to build their

outcomes of all students in the class.

explore flipping their classroom,

understanding and expertise in a

Education Perfect (www.

particular field that they are studying,

a free teacher login by visiting

All teachers are able to sign up for

educationperfect.com) is one tool

they are more willing to put the extra

www.educationperfect.com. n

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

NAO is a cute, programmable humanoid robot that will help you create unique, interactive classroom experiences. With about 10,000 robots in more than 70 countries around the world, NAO has truly made a home in education. Discover programming with Choregraphe Introduce coding with Choregraphe, our intuitive programming software, using simple drag & drop and algorithmic reasoning. Teach various programming languages with our SDK (Python, C++, Java, Javascript). Explore Mechatronics with Monitor Demonstrate and explain mechatronics by monitoring the robot’s activity thanks to our Monitor application. Enjoy project-based teamwork with NAO modules for Webots™ Encourage students to test their algorithms and projects with this 3D simulator program that places NAO in a virtual world governed by real physics.

In line with today’s educational content and challenges • Ideal platform to introduce STEM related subjects such as Math, Physics, Computer Science and Programming. • Cross-curricular applications that connect theory with practice. • Fully adaptable to current school programs. • Powerful platform to engage students and teachers • Hands-on, project-based learning to encourage teamwork. • Interactive lessons to drive greater participation. • Comprehensive and versatile educational solution.

Alix Chen Telephone: +86 21 6135 8998-170 Mobile: +86 18621050353 E-mail: achen@softbankrobotics.com www.ald.softbankrobotics.com +86 21 61358998

 | EVENTS CALENDAR

EduTECH Australia 2018 7-8 June 2018 International Convention Centre, Sydney EduTECH is Australasia’s largest annual education technology conference and exhibition. In 2018, EduTECH will host a multitude of conferences and masterclasses attended by over

• Access the very best speakers from

ideas are shared, new learning

achievements with the delegates. The

Australia and around the world.

technologies are unveiled and

conference will be held at the Twin

collaborations form that will impact

Waters Resort, Sunshine Coast QLD on

classrooms everywhere. Claim your seat

Thursday 16, Friday 17 and Saturday 18

• Discuss, debate and take away

at the table among education’s most

August 2018.

implementable outcomes.

innovative change agents. You’ll have

• Share ideas, successes and challenges.

• This is a second-to-none networking opportunity. • Tailor-make your own experience

more than 1,000 opportunities to create

Conference Overview

the learning path that works best for you

The conference is focused on school

and covers what’s important to you.

leaders and leading teachers striving to

8,000+ educators, as well as hosting

and choose from eight large

Immerse yourself in powerful ideas and

offer the highest quality programs in:

an official event dinner for 800 guests,

congresses, with multiple streams,

inspirational speakers, while connecting

• mentoring and coaching in a leading

250+ exhibitors and free seminars for

plus focused breakout sessions,

with innovative educators who share

exhibition visitors.

masterclasses and interactive

your passion for transformative learning.

exhibition seminars and displays

Save the date for ISTE 2018!

(not to mention hours of networking

For more information visit https://

functions).

conference.iste.org/2018/

EduTECH is the only event that brings together the entire education and training sector (primary, secondary, tertiary and workplace learning) plus libraries,

by meeting with suppliers in one

renowned speakers all under one roof.

place, at one time.

As a delegate, you can choose

leading digital school • digital technology and numeracy in a leading digital school • digital technology assisting students

• See what is on offer and save time

government, suppliers and world-

digital school • digital technology and literacy in a

with disabilities in a leading

Visit www.edutech.net.au for

2018 Leading a Digital School Conference

Developing the themes:

more information.

digital school.

16-18 August 2018

The conference is structured around four

streams designed for your role,

Twin Waters Resort, Sunshine Coast

perspectives on leadership:

ensuring you get the most out of your

QLD

• mentoring and coaching • digital technology and literacy

from a wide variety of conference

professional development investment.

ISTE 2018

Are you a digital leader in your

Furthermore, EduTECH works with

24-27 June 2018

school interested in all forms of

• digital technology and numeracy

industry to subsidise registration

Chicago, USA

digital leadership?

• digital technology, literacy

costs to make the conference an

Where Inspired Learning Begins

We are very interested in you presenting

affordable and accessible investment in

Unbelievable things happen at the ISTE

at our 2018 Leading a Digital School

your learning.

Conference & Expo. Groundbreaking

Conference to share your work and

10 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

and numeracy and students with disabilities. Calling Presenters: If you would like to

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

 | EVENTS CALENDAR

(If you have already completed the online course, please contact us for a special offer) On Day One of the conference, delegates will delve deeply into practical, hands-on workshops we are calling Cohorts (The Individual Space). In each Cohort you will work with a Flipped Learning certified trainer across a number of session times (four hours in total) to create handson, practical resources to take back to school with you and use immediately. The Cohort sessions to choose from are: • Cohort 1: Masterclass for Leadership & Professional Developers, with Jon Bergmann. • Cohort 2: First-year Flippers, with Aimee Shackleton. • Cohort 3: Flipped Mastery in Maths and Science, with Steve Griffiths and Stephen Crapnell. • Cohort 4: Flipping Humanities, with Ryan Gill. • Cohort 5: Flipping the Primary Classroom, with Matt Burns. • Cohort 6: Are you ready? Preparing our students for learning, with Kirsten Schliephake and Barbara Macfarlan. • Cohort 7: But do I really need to know this?, with Sophie Karanicolas. • Cohort 8: Gamification in the flipped classroom – Making mastery learning explicit and

The theme for this year’s

• Grant Jones

Leading a Digital School Conference,

conference is Teaching literacy |

• Aaron Davis

please email to team@iwb.net.au for

Teaching numeracy – with the support

• Lisa Connell and Chris Drake.

On Day Two you will select from

more information.

of digital technology.

For more information visit

sessions that will focus on the Group

www.iwb.net.au/classroompractice

Space (The Extra Time in Class).

know more about presenting at the 2018

This conference has selected as

effective, with Pete Whiting.

Some topics will include: Mastery,

its keynote speaker and presenters a

The K-12 Digital Classroom Practice Conference

group of teachers highly skilled and experienced in using digital technology

FlipCon Australia 2018

Science/Maths, English/Art/Language,

31 August 2018

to support literacy and numeracy

14-15 September 2018

Primary, Tech Tools, In-Flipping,

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition

teaching programs.

Monash College (Monash University),

Gamification, PBL, Inquiry Learning

Collins Street Centre, Melbourne

with Jon Bergmann.

Centre

The conference program offers

Active Learning, New Flippers,

The Keynote speakers at this

Where Inspired Learning Begins

skills-based sessions, so come

In 2018 we will “Flip FlipCon”

The K-12 Digital Classroom Practice

prepared to roll your sleeves up to

Prior to attending FlipCon, delegates will

conference will include:

Conference is one of the parallel

learn new transferable skills that will lift

have access to a 10-hour online training

• Jon Bergmann

conferences being run under the National

your literacy and numeracy teaching to

and certification course – Flipped

• Peter Wagstaff

Education Summit banner.

even greater heights.

Learning Certification Level 1. This will

• Errol St.Clair Smith.

Sessions will be presented by:

provide you with fantastic learning,

co-located at the venue and is the

• Anthony Speranza

ideas and practical advice before

For more information visit

exhibition component of the event.

• Aimee Shackleton

attending the face-to-face conference.

www.iwb.net.au/flipcon/au n

The Education Show will be

12 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

ETSP.

| INTERACTIVE LEARNING

14 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

BY MAL LEE AND ROGER BROADIE

It was – as most are aware – an

families and supporting children’s

The digitally connected families of the

Critically, it is also time to

world over the last two decades have

understand that those families

informal education, largely self-

independent learning because of their

played a remarkably successful, yet

employed, unwittingly but naturally,

directed, highly individualised, where

own drive to do so, often battling

largely unseen, lead role in the young’s

a laissez faire model of digital

the learning was invariably non-

education authority regulations

learning with digital education.

education. It was, and remains today,

linear, seemingly chaotic, dynamic,

and systems.

fundamentally different to the highly

undertaken in context and just in time.

personal mobile technologies on the

controlled, structured and linear

It was an approach the young found

schooling and government, the young

digital education of the world’s young

approach used by most schools.

highly appealing, exciting, relevant

and their families took charge of

between 1993 – the advent of the

Importantly, they used an approach

and intrinsically motivating. From

their learning with digital technology,

World Wide Web – and 2016, the lead

appropriate for an exponentially

the outset, the learning took place

continually growing their capability

role of the family became increasingly

evolving digital, socially networked

24/7/365 and, by the early 2000s,

as the technology grew in power

apparent. It was the young, with their

and connected world. Schools, in

the evolving technology allowed it to

and sophistication. Internet uptake

families, that primarily provided the

comparison, used a teaching model

happen anywhere, anytime.

figures globally reveal the families of

requisite technology, support and

from the Industrial Age, within

education, not the schools.

linear hierarchical organisations

role of the young and the family was

2002; Lee & Winzenried, 2009). In

that struggled to accommodate the

bolstered by the schools’ insularity,

1999, a comprehensive study of the

accelerating digital evolution.

their worldwide retreat to behind their

use of computers in Australian schools

cyber walls and their purported desire

concluded that the majority of the

In researching the impact of

In 2016, 3.4 billion plus people (ITU, 2016), nearly half the world’s population, were digitally connected,

The digital education of the young

Ironically, from the early 90s, the

Free of the controls of formal

the young led the way (Allen & Raine,

which is on trend to reach 70

occurred primarily outside the school

to protect children from the dangers

students who have the basic skills

percent by 2022 (Meeker, 2017).

walls. It took place within a market-

of the internet. The young and their

developed them at home (Meredyth

Over a billion were young people

driven, naturally evolving environment

families were left by default to fend

et al, 1999). That was happening

(Futuresource, 2017).

where government had no voice and

for themselves in the 80 percent of

naturally and largely unseen globally.

provided no support. For the young,

learning time available annually outside

mainly mobile, digital technology in

it enabled learning from incidental

the school walls.

schools. Rather, their understanding

opportunistic moments to, in some

was acquired in the developed,

cases, very focused and intense self-

schools still work behind those walls,

so too did their parents, as they used

developing and underdeveloped

driven learning. It was the young who

not recognising, supporting or building

the technology more in their work

worlds with the money and support

took control of their learning. Critically,

upon the out-of-school learning with

and came to rely on increasingly

of their families. It is time the world

it was the parents who believed in

digital technology. Indeed, France, as

sophisticated mobile technology.

– and particularly the parents, the

the educational importance of digital

late as 2017, reinforced its ban on the

young themselves, educators, policy

technology for their children who

school use of smartphones, reaffirming

study entitled The Networked Family

makers, governments and the media

funded the technology and connectivity

schooling’s general insularity.

(Wellman et al, 2008) which noted the

– recognises and builds upon that

and empowered, trusted and supported

remarkable contribution.

their children’s largely unfettered use.

Few learned to use their current,

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

Tellingly today, many if not most

The schools that are notable exceptions to this are engaging with

As the young evolved their digital capability and facility to readily use all manner of current technologies,

In 2008, Pew Internet released a

US had reached the stage where the new norm was for all within the family

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS | 15

| INTERACTIVE LEARNING

They created a learning environment

Conclusion

where the new norm was for all the

The way forward, as we address in a

family to naturally, almost unwittingly,

forthcoming publication on the Digitally

contribute to the ongoing digital

Connected Family, entails some

learning of all members. How often

major rethinking.

does one hear, “Dad, you can do it easier this way?” In the decade after the release

For that to occur, governments and educators must recognise that for 20-plus years – at no expense to

of the iPhone and touchscreen

government – the digitally connected

technology, the educational capability

families of the world have played the

and leadership of the digitally

lead role on the digital education of

connected families grew at pace. As

the world’s young, and are on trend to

parents normalised the use of digital,

continue to do so, regardless of what

became more digitally empowered,

governments or schools might do

embraced the mobile revolution and

or desire.

better understood the need for family

In 1993, schools were given a

cybersafety, so the gap between the

monopoly of digital education. Since

digital education provided in and out of

then, billions have been spent by

the schools grew – with most schools

governments supporting a monopoly

lagging ever further behind.

where learning with the digital

The capability and lead role of the

technology provided by the schools in

digitally connected families of the world

2016 markedly lagged behind that of

was evidenced in the last three to four

the families and the rising societal norm

years of the period when pre-primary

and this is on trend for the divide to

children from as young as two and

widen at pace.

three embraced mobile touchscreen

While the digitally connected

technology. As the 2015 European

families of the world have been able

Commission study (Chaubron, 2015)

to successfully normalise the use of

use of digital technology. They were

eminent observers interviewed in the

of 11 European nations attests, the

digital technology with a billion plus

working within a digital and socially

research, had concerns about the title

families of the young very successfully

young people, few schools in 2016 had

networked mindset, normalising

‘networked family’, believing it did

guided their children’s learning with the

succeeded in normalising its use. It is a

the use of all manner of digital

not fully capture the essence of the

technology. They, like the other digitally

reality governments and educators need

technologies in nearly every facet of

development. The strong preference

connected families of the world, led the

to better understand. n

their lives.

was for the term ‘digitally connected

learning, well before most schools and

to base their lives around the everyday

The authors, and the 50-plus

According to the study, “…this

families’, in that there were three key

decision makers understood that the

survey finds that couples use their

components, that together generated

pre-primary children of the developed

admin@interactivemediasolutions.

phones to connect and coordinate

all manner of synergies:

and increasingly the developing world

com.au

their lives, especially if they have

• the ‘digital’ that made it all possible

would enter formal schooling having

children at home. American spouses

• the ‘connected’ that linked the

normalised the use of digital technology. We are not suggesting for a

For a full list of references, email

Mal Lee is a former director of schools, secondary college principal,

often go their separate ways during

family to the networked world, and

the day, but remain connected by

which allowed both the nuclear

moment that everything was or is

author and educational consultant. He

cell phones and to some extent by

and extended family to employ the

perfect with digital and digitally based

has written extensively on the impact

internet communications. When

technology in all facets of their

education provided by the digitally

of technology and the evolution

they return home, they often have

lives when desired

connected families of the world. There

of schooling.

shared moments of exploration

• the ‘family’, where all (children,

was – and is – much that needed to

technology company director and now

Roger Broadie has wide

and entertainment on the Internet”

parents, grandparents) enhanced

be done to improve the model. What,

experience helping schools get the

(Wellman et al, 2008).

each other’s digital learning

however, was apparent was that a

maximum impact on learning from

and capability.

naturally evolving global development,

technology. He is the Naace Lead for

The Pew findings, coming as they did around the time of the release

Digitally connected families are thus

a megatrend the likes of which the

the 3rd Millennium Learning Award.

of the iPhone in 2007, correspond

those where the parents and children

world had never seen, had successfully

In his 30-plus years of working

with our own, which saw those

use the evolving suite of digital

readied the peoples of the world to

at the forefront of technology in

families becoming the norm across

technologies naturally in every desired

use digital technology every day in

education, he has worked with a huge

the developed, and increasingly the

facet of their lives, that employ a digital

their lives had the potential – with

range of leading schools, education

developing, world in the 2007–

mindset and which have, or nearly

astute support – to take their digital

organisations and policymakers in the

2009 period.

have, normalised the use of digital.

understanding to an even higher plane.

UK and Europe.

16 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

Teaching Kids to Learn... by Teaching Kids to Code

| FEATURE

18 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

SCREEN TIME MYTHS BY PETER WEST

The amount of time a child spends in

biggest health concern for kids,

time without these problems, it just

front of a screen is not the problem.

parents say.

takes knowledge, planning and effort.

The type and quality of the material on the screen is the problem. Would we complain about a child who spends six hours each day reading books? Possibly. If the six hours was spent reading trashy novels, it may be a problem. If it was six hours

• Too much screen time creates health risk for children. • Research links children’s

It takes adults to guide and modify a child’s behaviour if necessary. After all, that is also what parents and schools

• have good interpersonal relationships and lots of ‘normal’ friends • have plenty of interests outside of screens, including sports, cultural activities and so on

psychological problems to

do – help children develop positive

• have excellent communication skills

prolonged screen time.

habits that are needed for life rather

• have plenty of knowledge in many

• Lack of exercise leads to

than simply allowing them to do what

unhealthy lifestyles.

they want; habits such as resilience,

of areas and can converse well with adults

self-regulation, social skills, getting

• do not have posture problems

means too much screen time

enough sleep, getting enough exercise

• do not generally have lack of sleep

for kids.

and so on. There is a big list.

but, if they do occasionally it is

spent reading the works of the great

• Devices in schools and at home

philosophers or scientific research, then it is not a problem. One enhances the mind; the other may not.

Yet these headlines make an

In the past, guiding children to develop

because they are working hard,

Screen time is similar, as a screen,

assumption. They assume that the

into well-rounded people was a part of

for example, on exam revision, a

like a book, is simply a window

situation is black and white; that their

good parenting and good schooling.

into another world of information.

headline and a positive outcome are

What has changed? Adding technology

It can allow a child to interact with

mutually exclusive; that if you have a

should not change anything.

great minds and ideas, or it can be a

lot of screen time, then you must have:

distraction. Frank Lloyd Wright said,

• social problems

am a father of three daughters and I am

are generalisations that are designed

“Television is chewing gum for the

• posture problems

a teacher. This is not just uninformed

to attract attention and feed a fear of

eyes.” In some cases, computer

• insufficient exercise and obesity

theory. I also lead eLearning in a high

something new. They may be true in

screens can be chewing gum for the

• lethargy

tech K12 school where I can introduce

situations where technology has not

brain, but only if parents and teachers

• addiction to games, internet videos

you to many students who use screens

been introduced properly into a school,

a lot who:

or where parents feel overwhelmed, but

allow it to be.

and so on

For those who may be wondering, I

dance final or music exam • are not lethargic and in fact try to fit more into a day than many adults. The headlines mentioned previously

Yet we get headlines such as:

• lack of sleep.

• are successful academically

they are not true everywhere. Perhaps

• Too much screen time is

You can have lots of positive screen

• are fit and healthy

the authors of those headlines should

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS | 19

| FEATURE

visit schools where technology works

Good teachers also know what

There are many sites that provide

computers. In fact, they are one of

and families where technology is used

students are doing. Students who

guidelines and support for parents,

the final pieces of the puzzle. There

but is not a problem to determine what

may be distracted should be in a

such as Internet Safe Education (https://

are many articles about successfully

should be done, rather than focusing

location where their screen is visible;

www.internetsafeeducation.com/), The

developing technology-enhanced

on the situations where technology

they should not be in the back corner

Allanah & Madeline Foundation (https://

learning in school and there are

enables poor outcomes.

of a room. Students in classes of

www.amf.org.au/), iParent (https://www.

known solutions.

active teachers are rarely off task with

esafety.gov.au/education-resources/

their computer.

iparent) and ThinkUKnow (https://www.

What Else?

thinkuknow.org.au/parents-portal).

There are so many other negative

Does it take extra planning and effort to guide children now that technology is in the world? Yes, but

Students in some schools bypass

kids are kids and adults are adults. It is

school-filtered Internet access by

They help parents set guidelines

points raised about screen time that

the job of parents and schools to guide

connecting to their phone’s Internet, a

and boundaries.

can be refuted, yet space here does not

children to become well-rounded and

process called tethering or hotspotting.

successful adults. We had better get

Good schools are aware of this.

Hours in Front of a Screen

it right as the technology is not going

Students at my school know this is

Long hours without a break in front

away. If we do not teach children at

not allowed and that it has negative

of any screen is not good. Children

Conclusion

school and throughout their younger

consequences. We actively look for

need to know this. Ensure it does not

Technology is not going away and it

years to be the masters of technology,

student hotspots, therefore, their use

happen at home. After all, who is the

continues to improve our lives. We

when will they learn? When they

is rare.

adult and who is the child? Can it

must be more than the ostrich with its

cause arguments and tension? Yes,

head in the sand ignoring it. Children

Ensuring Internet Content is Appropriate (at Home)

particularly at the start. However,

and screens are just another phase and

problems generally disappear once the

good parenting and teaching allow the

their brain when they leave school and

Parents have many resources at their

rules become the norm.

problems to be overcome. We need

everything will be okay? Really?

disposal, including ‘rules’ for the use

graduate school and are at TAFE or university? When they get a job? Do we expect a switch will just flick in

So, what about some of

permit. However, I will be dealing with

If it happens at school, the school

these in later articles.

to rise to the challenge; our children

of technology that greatly reduce

has not set up its eLearning programs

problems at home. Home Internet

properly. It is worth noting that just

filtering is available relatively cheaply.

because laptops or other computers are

Ensuring Internet Content is Appropriate (at School)

It can even automatically turn off

used in a school, it does not mean the

of eLearning at Saint Stephen’s

Internet access at a scheduled time. It

learning has changed. In some schools,

College in Australia. He has over

Good schools have filtering software. Is

can also limit mobile phone or tablet

computers are used mainly for research

15 years’ experience leading K12

it perfect? No. Is it generally effective?

use, even during school hours. Family

on the Internet and typing notes. If this

schools in technology enhanced

Yes. My school has a system where a

Zone is one example (https://www.

is the bulk of what is happening, then

education, particularly blended

teacher can list the websites, videos and

familyzone.com/au/). I know parents

there are big problems.

learning using online learning

so on that each student in the class is

who swear by it and would not be

accessing. It is effective when needed.

without it.

the problems?

20 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Changing to technology-enhanced learning requires much more than just

deserve it. n Peter West is currently Director

environments. He can be reached at peterwest_@outlook.com

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

Transform your device into a mobile production studio. Contact us for more information or to place an order. Email: sales@aptech.com.au | Phone: 02 9452 6001

| PLUGGED IN

EDU-WALKING DEAD - CAN YOU BE A PROPHET IN YOUR OWN HOME TOWN - WHERE IS YOUR GRIMES?

22 | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

Recently, I have been working with Amanda Fox (known online as @STEAMpunksEdu). She is a teacher from Kentucky, US, and has just written a zombie-themed book for teachers, which will be released later this year by Dave Burgess Publishing. Amanda tapped into a popular genre and asked what metaphor zombies have for modern education and what can we learn from these films that can help us become better teachers. It got me thinking about The Walking Dead and the mistake systems make when we act with no ‘braaainnnnsssss’. BY BRETT SALAKAS

Many teachers would be aware of Sir

professors, parents or even the

Ken Robinson’s discussions about

students themselves, has caused a

various educational paradigms. Most

strange symptom that could be likened

Where is our Rick Grimes? Who can Fight the Walking Dead?

would be familiar with Sir Ken talking of

to “The Edu-Walking Dead”.

We are blessed with a plethora of

education systems as a 19th century

educationtechnologysolutions.com.au

The Edu-Walking Dead are people

innovative educators who are able to

invention that was created out of the

who have switched off from the

add transition to the contemporary

need to look after the children of the

concept of 21st century pedagogical

paradigm. Dr Allan Carrington from

Industrial Revolution. He is also well

practice. They do not prescribe to

Adelaide fights the good fight. His

known for his work on creativity and

the concept of personalised learning,

Padagogy Wheel highlights the need

the establishment of a 21st century

collaboration across student groups

to put pedagogy before technology.

education system. A new paradigm if

or even country boundaries. Their

He interweaves the SAMR model with

you would! Sir Ken has an answer to

zombie-like minds think thoughts only

Bloom’s taxonomy to create a usable

what the new paradigm should be. He

of back to the basics, I have always

tool where teachers can embed good

says, “The answer is not to standardise

done it this way, or it did not do me

practice into their lessons through the

education but to personalise and

any harm! Their goal is to have their

use of an appropriate technological aid.

customise it to the needs of each

students score elevated scores in the

At the centre of the wheel are graduate

child and community. There is no

high-stakes standardised tests that

capabilities that using the tool will help

alternative!”

many governments have imposed

to develop. These capabilities include

The trouble is, we do not live or

on schools. In my own hometown

having passion and enthusiasm for

work in a new paradigm (yet). We live

of Sydney, Australia, the principal

one’s work. Students also develop the

in a time of transition. We are between

of Sydney Grammar showed signs

ability to learn from their errors, be

paradigms. Yes, we have witnessed

of this thinking in his actions to

collaborative and to think strategically.

amazing innovations within our sector,

ban laptops in his school for fear

These are the desirable corporate

but we have not brought along all of the

of distraction. His rationale was

skill sets that we need to develop to

parties involved in the understanding

honourable (although his actions

make our students more effective and

of what a new paradigm would look

were highly questionable); he wanted

productive members of society when

like. In Australia, there has not been a

to improve the test results of his

they transition into adulthood.

clear, open debate about what a new

students. The question is, is our entire

education paradigm should be. This

education system worth more than

recently released a report compiled

is an issue that education systems

merely scoring high on your finishing

by Professor Chubb into the future of

globally have grappled with and has

exams? Surely as a society we want

a Science, Technology, Engineering

caused a lack of a shared vision.