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Just a reminder about the final free Apple Regional Training Centre event of the year and the last ‘open’ public event for a while. We currently have 5 spaces left so sign up below!

We will cover:

1) A pedagogical framework for thinking about using technology and mobile devices in schools
2) Hands on session – using the framework to improve student contextual awareness and performance (Comic Life and Wikipedia)
3) Mobile learning project at Felsted (discussing use of iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches for pastoral and academic support)
4) Hands on session: iPod Touch Mobile Language Lab (please bring iPod friendly headphones)
5) Finance of mobile solutions and environmental considerations

Hope to see you there!

I have recently finished reading Lucas and Claxton’s ‘New Kinds of Smart’ and was struck by the idea of ‘functional fixedness’. They describe it as ‘the inability to see more than the most obvious and habitual affordances (ideas about the perceived uses of a thing)’. I came across this concept before in Daniel Pink’s ‘Drive‘ using Karl Duncker’s ‘candle problem’.

‘You sit at a table next to a wooden wall and the experimenter gives you the materials shown below: a candle, some tacks [drawing pins for us UK folk] and a box of matches. Your job is to attach the candle to the wall so that the wax doesn’t drip on the table’.

The key to solving this problem according to Duncker is to overcome the ‘functional fixedness’ of the box containing the drawing pins and seeing it as having more than one function. The solution to the ‘candle problem’ can be seen in the image below.

By itself, this is instructive for confronting our established perceptions but what really caught my attention was the way Lucas and Claxton talked about education and using tools to amplify your intelligence. Blogging is one example and so can playing games as Dawn Hallybone has demonstrated but this is not something inherent in the tool. Having an iPhone/VLE/Laptop/Interactive Whiteboard does not inherently give me or my pupils the power to amplify our intelligence although the possibility exists if the perceived use of the ‘thing’ is expanded. This change can only take place if we are able, as Lucas and Claxton suggest, to develop a ‘tool-mindedness’ where we are able to be resourceful enough to look out for ‘tools to expand [our] own internal capacity, as well as get interesting things done.’

As I’m learning to play the Cello (not the most rock and roll instrument I know, but kindly described by a friend as being ‘retro’ so I’ll take it) I came across the work of Zoe Keating. She is a fantastic cellist in her own right but what makes her unique is her ability to overcome the ‘functional fixedness’ of the Cello and produce something which amplifies her intelligence and ‘get interesting things done’.  I can honestly say that I could not conceive of doing such a thing whilst struggling with the nuances of the many nursery rhymes I have to master but her work has shown me the possibilities that exist once I move beyond my perception of what a Cello can be used for (although I am still concentrating on my Grade 1).

Overcoming ‘functional fixedness’ in relation to technology, teaching and learning can only happen when we are open to continually testing our own conceptions of what we think ‘works’. A pretty hard job but if we can’t do it, how can we expect our pupils to?

Cello image: Marty.FM @ Flickr

Original article published in the October edition of Independent Schools Magazine.

Will bringing iPads and iPod Touches into the classroom distract students from the main business of learning? As a new two-year trial using Apple mobile technology in lessons gets underway at Felsted School, Essex, assistant headmaster Dr Nick Dennis explains the reasoning behind it and the theories he expects it to prove.

Many schools are still very wary of introducing mobile technology to the classroom. The main fear is that it prevents students from becoming properly ‘engaged’ in lessons, that it distracts from the main business of teaching and learning. We believe this is a result of the technology becoming the focal point rather than the learning. Placed within the correct pedagogical context, a mobile enhanced teaching and learning platform can usher in substantive benefits in terms of students’ academic progress and also pastoral care throughout the school. As a history teacher with a particular interest in the relationship between historical processes and the use of ICT to help further understanding, I was very concerned that the use of ICT was often thought of as a panacea to what is essentially a teaching and learning problem. After becoming aware of the growing body of research on effective teaching and assessment strategies by Dylan Wiliam and John Hattie, I began to think about the ways technology could aid effective classroom practice at Felsted. I was also keen to explore the possibilities mobile technology offered with regard to safeguarding and easy accessibility to information to help the administrative side of running a school.

Apple and Orange involvement
Apple were aware that we had a slightly different view on the use of technology in education and after a series of meetings with them, they understood the goals we had for our students and the school.
As a result Felsted has been named a Regional Training Centre for Education – one of the few independent schools to have this status and the only one in the UK with History as its focus – and Apple initially loaned a selection of MacBooks to Felsted. However, we decided to expand the programme with a particular focus on mobile learning over a two-year span, using class sets of iPods and iPads, the results of which Apple will monitor with interest. We are hosting a number of events throughout the trial period to show other schools and interested parties just how the technology complements traditional methods and what other benefits it can have for the school and its students. Mobile phone company Orange is also closely involved and has provided iPhones so that Felsted’s Housemasters and mistresses can stay in touch with their charges throughout the school day and access medical, registration and academic information necessary for their role.

Research strategy
Our project is focused on four academic departments in the Senior School, covering a range of age, ability and examination groups. These subject areas were chosen specifically as they have no clear link with technology in the classroom – Business Studies/Economics, Biology, Classics and History. Baseline student data and target grades will be used as the benchmark for measuring student progress and we are currently devising an approach where we can measure the actual learning taking place using the work of Graham Nuthall as a basis. One area we are keen to explore is Dylan William’s idea of ‘Hinge Questions’ as part of improving assessment of learning and providing the next steps for improvement. A ‘Hinge Question’ is where students face a number of multiple-choice questions during the lesson on their mobile device but instead of having one right answer, each answer refers to a particular level of understanding. Student answers are recorded and collated by the software and the teacher can then use this to give effective feedback to help move the student on. The devices can also be used to personalise content to students based on their performance so that learners are always challenged in relation to their performance.

To ensure that the research is rigorous, Miles Berry, Senior Lecturer in Information and Communication Technology at Roehampton University and Apple Distinguished Educator, is one of the academic advisers.
On the basis that the results of the first year of the trial prove to be successful, the plan is to roll out the mobile enhanced teaching platform to all other areas of the school in the second year and to monitor its effects there.

Benefits
The benefits of using mobile devices in a pedagogically focused way are enormous. Not only do they move us away from the ‘office model’ mode of using technology, but their battery life, portability and multi-functionality allow them to be used in a variety of contexts. They offer basic academic staples tools, such as an electronic dictionary, thesaurus, calculator and planner, but also serve as note takers by using the camera/video and typing interface they provide. Outdoor and international visits take on a different dimension with the ability for GPS use and to create video blogs without the need to go to a computer to edit footage. We are also developing a mobile interface so students can gain easy access to their academic information, such as target grades and reports, and link to personal and school calendars, thereby removing the need for a paper planner. Pastorally, it is anticipated that the use of mobile devices will promote the quality of tutoring at Felsted by giving staff finger-tip access to student information, such as sanctions and commendations, medical details and contacts for parents, across the school campus and beyond. We also see the devices as having a key social effect in promoting the school community by the ability to respond to social- networking groups such as Houses, Year Groups, or the School Forum.

The desire to use these devices at Felsted is not driven by them being ‘cool’ (although the students perceive them as such). We believe that they may offer a vehicle to help improve what are already effective teaching, pastoral and social practices but with more speed, precision and in a context focused on striving to help students achieve their best. While the ‘office model’ of computers has promised much and has led to some improvements, it often meant that students had to be chained to desks. Learning can happen anywhere, and we believe that mobile devices may be able to help promote, capture and extend learning within and outside the classroom.

I have been talking up the potential of SCVNGR since I first heard about it earlier this year as I thought it would provide a vehicle for games based learning at the school and beyond. Initially marketed as an electronic scavenger hunt, the direction and feel of the application was changed during the course of the year to incorporate social networking functionality similar to Foursquare. Even with this change in orientation, I believed that it would be possible to use the platform to implement a game based learning approach to historical trips/visits. Questions (or ‘challenges’) can be set and answered by typing specific answers, free form text, submitting a picture or scanning a QR Code. The experience today has made me reflect carefully on the further use of the tool with the students.

The use of SCVNGR in school today was meant to provide a fun activity for the boarders and also test the application in a relatively controlled environment. As I was building the ‘Trek’ (it used to be called a scvngr) I realised that one of the aspects of the earlier build has disappeared, namely the ability to display large images in the game and attach questions to it. The screenshot below shows the original implementation.

Old Scvngr image based question

However, the new version of the game only allows (as far as I can tell) thumbnail displays (as the screen shot below also shows).

Current SCVNGR question with image.

Continuing with the image theme, the students had some issues uploading to the game the pictures they had to taken in order to answer a challenge. It seems to be an iPhone issue (seemed to work on Android devices) and this severely dented the enjoyment of the students taking part.

Uh oh...

The short game today has made me think very carefully about the use of such software in a classroom based environment. I still believe that it has massive potential for learning outside the four walls of the classroom and could lead to a significant modification of task design to help learning. However, the platform needs to be developed to to able to meet the high expectations of the learners and staff, especially with image submission. I had intended to use it for the Apple Regional Training event at the school this week but I am undecided at the moment. If you are coming to the event, be prepared to test it out and let me know what you think.

The start of term is usually very busy but this year is unusual in that we have a number of new projects running. The first is our brand new MIS which looks fantastic and we are currently ironing out the issues as they arise. A lot of thought has gone into this in-house system and one of the most impressive things is how it is geared towards student achievement. As things progress, I will post a more detailed update on the system and how it is helping to help support the learning environment at the school.

The second project is the use of iPhones for the management team and the pastoral/house staff. This has already improved communication within the school and I am hope to talk a bit more about at the third project, the Apple Regional Training Centre event next Thursday from 2-4pm. Overall, 10 people have signed up for one of the three events this term and we have expressions of interest from a few other colleagues in other schools. I am looking forward to sharing the exciting plans for learning using mobile technology with the group next Thursday and there are a few spaces still available so head on over to here if you want to sign up.

Finally, #edjournal is coming together. If you want to contribute, please get in touch!

Image: Daniel Morris@Flickr

The first Apple Regional Training Centre event at Felsted is approaching. I am particularly looking forward to it as it will start our own research project into mobile learning and we are delighted to share some of our thinking and work using Apple technologies.

We will cover:

1) A pedagogical framework for thinking about using technology and mobile devices in schools
2) Hands on session – using the framework to improve student contextual awareness and performance (Comic Life and Wikipedia)
3) Mobile learning project at Felsted (discussing use of iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches for pastoral and academic support)
4) Hands on session: iPod Touch Mobile Language Lab (please bring iPod friendly headphones)
5) Finance of mobile solutions and environmental considerations
6) One more thing…

If you would like to attend, please fill in the form below. The training is *free* and the only catch is that we will ask you to fill in a survey about the session. I look forward to seeing you on the 16th September!

In Highland, we have a partnership approach to promoting e-safety by encouraging children and young people to use new technologies safely and responsibly. This has involved a programme of education about internet safety in our school communities.

As part of our approach we would like to offer all Parents and Carers of pupils in Highland Secondary Schools advice on the use of mobile technology. We also wish to raise awareness and specifically highlight the dangers of young people finding themselves in uncomfortable or compromising situations.

Research reported by the BBC has indicated that there is an alarming increase of instances of young people receiving unwanted images / texts or sending inappropriate images of themselves. Using phones in this way has become known as ‘sexting’, which is defined as ‘the act of sending sexually explicit images, videos or messages electronically’. There are also future implications for young people who may not know that they could be breaking the law by receiving or sending such images. They also may be unaware that images may be circulated far and wide without their permission or knowledge.

Mobile Technology Advice – Questions and Answers

Owning a mobile phone for the first time can be very exciting and be seen as a step towards independence. As newer mobile phones become highly developed and internet accessible, they are more akin to a personal handheld computer which is constantly online, think about the same kinds of risks you would talk about with your child as if you had purchased a mini computer with integrated webcam.

What can I do to keep my child safe?

In purchasing a mobile phone, discuss firstly what your family boundaries might be, financially, insurance, theft and appropriate usage. This also may include not sharing their number with strangers or posting it on social networking site profiles.

Keep lines of communication open with your child to ensure that they are not afraid to tell you if they have received an image or are being pressurised to send any inappropriate photos of themselves. Remind them to report any images they receive to yourself or an adult they can trust. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (CEOP) Report Abuse Button is a way of them finding out about how to report concerns too. The CEOP Report Abuse button can be found at www.thinkuknow.co.uk and on many social networking sites.

Remind them to switch off location devices such as Bluetooth^® and maps that automatically update where they are. However some parents may wish, at certain times, for these devices to be kept switched on so that a young person could be located in emergency situations. Keeping Bluetooth^® switched off keeps the device safe from receiving unsolicited images or videos. To prevent unauthorised use it may be advisable to use a password pin to unlock the phone to activate.

Remind them of the future consequences of pictures or text messages that can be widely distributed without permission or knowledge only to embarrassingly re-surface at a later date!

Mobile phone theft is often opportunistic and it is wise to remind them that they should not leave their phone in full view unattended. Each Highland secondary school will also have a policy on using mobile phones and this should be adhered to.

Remind them of street safety; it is important to be extra careful when walking, running, crossing roads or riding a bike whilst using music players on mobile phones, browsing the internet, chatting or texting.

What is the law regarding images and ‘sexting’?

The future costs for children who find themselves the subject of a Police investigation are potentially severe. They may find themselves charged with offences under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 in relation to making, possession and distribution of indecent images of children.

Ultimately this may lead to them finding themselves convicted of a serious sexual offence and placed on the Sex Offender’s Register.

What about Cyberbullying?

Being targeted by Cyberbullying, which is the use of mobile phones or technology to deliberately upset someone can be very distressing. If your child receives abusive calls or messages, it is important that they do not respond. They should report this to a parent / carer, trusted adult or teacher rather than delete the message so that evidence is kept.

Cyberbullying may also involve recording/videoing events without permission and uploading them to the internet, videoing events on mobile phones may also be a good discussion point with your child.

Where can I find further help or advice?

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (CEOP) has a dedicated website that is for all children, young people, professionals, parents and carers. www.thinkuknow.co.uk

You can also find out more about the Facebook ‘Report Abuse’ CEOP application here too. We recommend all Facebook users add this application to their profile.

Childnet International www.childnet.com advice and guidance and a specific section called ‘Know it All’ advice for Parents and Carers.

General mobile phone advice and safety www.mobilephonesandsafety.co.uk

Also, check with your preferred mobile phone service provider, they may have further advice and guidance on specific networks and internet access.

What should I do if I am concerned about a child?

Tell someone what your concerns are – speak to a teacher, a doctor, a social worker, a police officer or school nurse.

Phone 01463 703488

or contact the National Child Protection Line on: 0800 022 32 22

For General Enquiries e-mail:CPAdmin@highland.gov.uk

Protecting Highlands Children, for information on the work of the Highland Child Protection Committee

www.protectinghighlandschildren.org

I was reminded recently how much I love Gustave Flaubert after absorbing Denis Shemilt’s latest chapter on improving historical understanding and developing historical consciousness in pupils (a later blog post). I was introduced to Flaubert by my departing A Level English teacher Mr Johnson and I was struck by Flaubert’s turn of phrase and the awe I felt when I learned that he would spend weeks on a single sentence. Reading Shemilt’s chapter I wondered how long it took Flaubert to think of the arresting sentence that ‘writing History is like drinking an ocean and pissing a cupful’.

This vivid image captures a lot of thinking I have been doing recently on educational technology. The BETT show clearly demonstrates that educational technology is big business and this was reconfirmed with figures from last week’s TES estimate that nearly £600 million is allocated to schools to spend on technology. You would think that with all this money being spent and the many conferences arranged to discuss and showcase the technology on offer, the teaching and learning aspect, the ‘how’ and ‘why’ (not the ‘what’) would be fairly prominent. Over the last year I have felt this to be lacking and I kept returning to a simple but often unanswered question; where is the teaching and learning? It seems, following from Flaubert, that general encounters with educational technology is like drinking an ocean but pissing a cupful of learning.

I approached a variety of people about the idea for a journal where the above recurring question would be the central theme. Doug Belshaw mentioned that James Michie had discussed with him something similar and I contacted him. What happened next is discussed on James’ blog and the result is that #edjournal is here. Written by educators for other educators, we aim to share our educational technology experiences guided by the simple question: where is the learning?

We are currently gathering together articles for the first and second issue. If you feel that you would like to contribute, get in touch. I hope, no, I believe, that collectively we can produce more than the tepid cup.

Image: Gunjan Karun@Flickr