Tag Archives: personalisation and choice

Apple, Impact on learning, Sharing devices, Teacher, West Dunbartonshire

Linnvale PS: Sharing Devices and Impact on Learning

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Sharing devices at Linnvale PS

Linnvale PS in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire has been using sets of iPads and iPod Touches to support and enhance learning across the school. Their experience has been similar to the one at Dalreoch PS in that they have a limited number of devices and as a result these are shared by the learners. We spoke with Linsey Thomas (HT) about her school’s experience in using the devices and we asked her to discuss the methodology that she wanted to see employed when the devices were used in her school.

Mrs Thomas didn’t feel that her school was in any way disadvantaged by not having what may be seen as the gold standard of having enough devices to deliver 1:1 provision.  On the contrary, Mrs Thomas saw the limited numbers of devices that she had access to as an advantage because she believes that devices such as the iPad are great tools to help facilitate collaboration. She describes seeing groups of 4 children sharing an iPad and there being a genuine sense of sharing and participation around a device that is so portable and flexible.  Mrs Thomas expressed some concerns about what might happen to the collaborative nature of group work should all her pupils have their own device.

lvale_devicemethodology Mrs Thomas discusses the methodology for sharing devices at Linnvale PS.

The issue around shared devices in school be it due to lack of resource or a preferred methodology as opposed to 1:1 provision is very much one that is open to debate. The perspective from Linnvale PS is one that contrasts with the setting and perspective from colleagues at Sciennes PS. What is your take on this? Is sharing devices or 1:1 provision a preferable option? What do we collectively know about the benefits of either? Can both work equally well? Comments and thoughts welcome.

lvale_impactlearning Mrs Thomas discusses the impact on learning that the  devices are having at Linnvale PS.

Following on from her thoughts on the advantages of sharing devices Mrs Thomas went on to discuss what she thought she was seeing in terms of impact on learning on the children at her school now that the devices were in use. She again emphasised the enhanced collaboration between learners in her classrooms and corridors but she also remarked on what she was seeing as real learner discussions about learning as a result of having shared access to devices such as iPads and iPod Touches. The freedom to respond to tasks in a manner of the learners choosing due to the range of apps that were accessible on the devices was also seen as something to help address the personalisation and choice agenda and all of these benefits, she believed, appeared to have a motivational impact on the learners at her school.

Impact on learning, Learner, Sharing devices, Strategic vision, Teacher, Trusting learners, West Lothian

Balbardie PS: Learning with any device

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Balbardie PS: learning with any device
Balbardie PS: learning with any device

Balbardie PS in West Lothian has been working closely with their Local Authority development team in order to develop a learning strategy to ensure that their Anytime Anywhere Learning channel can have real impact on the life of learning in the school. Greg Welsh (headteacher) took time to explain that after consultation with staff and pupils it was decided that a focus on numeracy and literacy would be a main target for their learning strategy. This curricular focus was complemented by the determination to establish a learning culture in the school that would enable learners to be comfortable with any connected device that they could access and use to support their learning.

…a huge focus on not teaching around a device. The device is there to support the learning that is taking place.

Mr Welsh pointed out that he and his staff did not feel that there was any real need for the children at the school to be trained in the use of any of the devices that were available.

Balbardie PS: Impact and vision Mr Welsh discusses the vision for the AAL channel and the impact that he is seeing

The school has a range of devices for use to support learning and teaching  including netbooks, laptops, iPads and Nintendo DS. These devices can be seen to be in the same class at the same time in a mixed economy style. Mr Welsh took us to visit to a P7 class to see this policy in action and during this time he again explained the rationale for encouraging the use of a range of devices to be used across the fabric of learning in his school.

Balbardie PS: Mixed economy of devices Mr Welsh discusses the rationale for having a mixed economy of devices

We visited a number of other classes at Balbardie PS to see the school’s policy on using a range of devices being put into practice. In one of the classrooms we visited we saw the children in groups where there were netbooks and iPads available for use. This discussion with them shows how at ease they are in using any device to assist them with their learning and it helps to show how the school’s aims are becoming realised by the way learners are confidently using any device to help support their learning.

Balbardie PS: Learners and a mixed economy of devices Learners discuss their experience of a mixed economy of devices at their school

Similarly, this short interview with a P7 learner who is using the Pictochat facility on a  Nintendo DS gives us an insight into this confident attitude and ‘at ease’ nature of learners with devices that appeared to permeate the classrooms that we saw during out visit to this school.

Balbardie PS: Learner with DS in a mixed economy device classroom Discussion with P.7 learner using Nintendo DS in a spelling lesson

Some food for thought on how such an approach to using a variety of learning devices in your school and helping to develop the associated learning culture can be planned for and nurtured.

Chromebook, East Lothian, Impact on learning, Learner, Trusting learners

Preston Lodge HS: The learner perspective

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Preston Lodge HS: The Learner's Perspective
Preston Lodge HS: The learner's perspective

Hugely motivated and empowered by the learning, teaching and assessment approaches used at Preston Lodge HS Higher biology learners have collaborated to create a website ‘Neil takes on science‘ to support others in attaining this qualification. They then purchased a domain and created additional content during the summer holidays. They felt that creating videos about biology concepts was a great way to learn and to help others learn. East Lothian has allowed access to YouTube for practitioners and learners since November 2008. S5/S6 learners use YouTube to access learning content, publish content and post events. It is a fundamental tool and they felt that there would be a ‘massive’ barrier to learning if it was blocked. They rely on online resources during study leave and made reference to Khan Academy and accessing their teachers’ PowerPoint presentations online.

Learners spoke sensibly about the choices and decisions they face as individuals. They respect the view that with ‘great power comes great responsibility’. They compared behaving irresponsibly online with swearing in class. You could swear in class but you don’t, it isn’t appropriate. Individuals have to make a choice not to behave inappropriately or access to devices and tools is removed. Practitioners commented that ‘we are in the business of educating people to use web resources responsibly and it shouldn’t be the case that resources are blocked or filtered so that we don’t have to’.

With support and experience learners are using tools effectively and responsibly for successful learning but also to make a very effective contribution to their learning communities and beyond. There have been instances of inappropriate use of tools and resources but these occasions have been used as learning opportunities and are rarely repeated.

Tools from the Chrome Web Store are also used to add fun to lessons and the webcam toy has been used to great effect with customised login icons appearing for each learner on devices they have used.

Listen to our interviews with the team behind Neil takes on Science:

The Neil Takes on Science team discuss how the idea for their site started to grow and how the Chromebook and the learning infrastructure they experienced helped them enhance their learning by writing for the web. They also discuss the importance of YouTube to their learning.

Preston Lodge HS: Neil Takes on Science team no.1 Interview 1 with the Neil Takes on Science team

The Neil Takes on Science team discuss other ways in which digital learning is happening at Preston Lodge HS. They also talk about the nature of learning and how the process of building their site has not only helped them get to know the subject material but, more importantly, develop as learners.

Preston Lodge HS: Neil Takes on Science team no.2 Interview 2 with the Neil Takes on Science team

BYOD/BYOT, Pilot overview, West Lothian

West Lothian Council: Anytime, Anywhere Learning overview

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West Lothian Council: Overview of AAL programme
Strategic focus on transforming learning

With a clear strategic focus on  increasing attainment and achievement and transforming learning, teaching and assessment approaches West Lothian Council has been implementing a substantial programme and investment to improve infrastructure to realise their vision of having ‘Anywhere, Anytime Learning’ (AAL) available across the school estate.

AAL is intended to support a transformation in learning and teaching by enabling a school and classroom environment where every pupil and teacher can use personal mobile devices to communicate, collaborate, research, share and expand knowledge. In parallel with a curriculum and pedagogy which promotes: active learning, independent learning, collaborative learning, learning how to learn, investigating, exploring, purposeful play, personalisation and choice in contexts that are relevant to life and work; AAL can help us engage learners in the highest quality learning activities.

To enable a change in culture, pedagogy and behaviours and to ensure social inclusion and sustainable approaches the Learning and Teaching (ICT) Development Team planned with Corporate IT Services to design an infrastructure which would allow West Lothian funded devices and personal-owned devices to access the network.

John Low and Laura Compton from the Learning and Teaching (ICT) Development Team shared West Lothian’s vision for their AAL programme.

West Lothian Council: Overview John Low and Laura Compton discuss the vision for West Lothian Council’s AAL Channel

Aberdeenshire, Android, Device management, Sharing devices, Teacher

Mearns Academy: Sharing and managing devices

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Mearns Academy: Learning tools
Sharing devices at Mearns Academy

We spoke with Stewart Fleming (class teacher) at Mearns Academy in Aberdeenshire about how teachers at the school planned to manage and share the devices that they had available to them in their Android pilot. Mr Fleming stressed that the school was still in the early stages of the pilot and that initially they had decided to focus mainly on using the browser as the means by which learning tools could be accessed. At the time we visited the school no concrete decision had been made about the ways in which the devices would be managed centrally in terms of accessing and installing apps, although they had been looking at Learnpad and Splashtop for this purpose. Mr Fleming was of the opinion that a shared and managed device scenario might make it a bit more challenging to address the personalisation and choice agenda but where he could accommodate this he would.

Mearns Academy: Sharing and managing devices Interview 1 with Mr Fleming

Mr Fleming stated that the principles for curriculum design for Curriculum for Excellence were such that it was important that the school explored different ways in which technology could play an integral part in the learning and teaching experience. He also discussed the importance of teachers and schools recognising the appeal that digital contexts have for learners and how methodologies can be adapted so that positive outcomes for learners can be maximised.

Mearns Academy: Embracing new tech and ideas Interview 2 with Mr Fleming