National Partnership Year 3 and 4 data sets.

The NPP year 3 & 4 data sets have been returned.  This data is being imported into our LMPS assessment sheets.  On completion, this data will be given to team leaders for stage perusal.  If you are on leave and would like a copy, please contact me and I will ensure I email the data sets to you.

Glenn.

NAPLAN data sets

The 2009 NAPLAN data sets have been imported into our triangulation assessment sheets.  I am developing a script to group students on area of item need for classroom use through the remaining semester.  Please see me if you would like the sets mailed to you for your perusal or if you would like to assist in data interpretation.

Glenn.

New TPL Podcast/Vidcast

Don Tapscott is one of my favourite authors/commentators on technology and how it is impacting on education and the children of today.  Here is a video cast of Don discussing a variety of topics surrounding contemporary education, business and technology.  Consider how it impacts on our late stage 2 and 3 students and their community now and into the future.

Vidcast

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Institute outcomes: All element 6 and 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 3.2.4, 4.2.4, 4.2.5, 5.2.5,

Glenn.

Lesson Study Evaluations

There have been requests for the lesson study evaluations to be posted. Here are some early bird evaluations from two extremely dedicated practitioners.  The responses really demonstrate how lesson study adds value not only to the teacher’s professional learning, but also develops a deeper and richer content base.

Initial Lesson Study Evaluations

Appreciation again to our Lesson Study team.

Glenn.

Let’s not forget pedagogy in ICT pt 2

After re-reading Hattie (03) and once again considering the effect size and the source of influence on student performance of which 8 of the top 10 are teacher based, it will be an interesting study to review where we can influence the effects using IC Technologies.

The effects in order of influence.

1. Feedback: Effect size 1.13
2. Instructional Quality: Effect size 1.00
3. Direct Instruction: Effect size 0.82
4. Remediation and feedback: Effect size 0.65
5. Class environment: Effect size 0.56
6. Goals: Effect size 0.52
7. Peer tutoring: Effect size 0.5
8. Mastery learning: effect size 0.5

As Hattie (03) states ‘Therefore, the focus is to have a powerful effect on achievement, and this is where excellent teachers come to the fore – as such excellence in teaching is the single most powerful influence on achievement.’

The Professional Learning Forum at LMPS will be considering how we can manipulate the effects over the next 4 weeks as part of our TPL process.  We will be using the Hattie coding framework as previously posted as a launch pad.

Glenn.

Let’s not forget our pedagogy and ICT

Now that I have been teaching with a IWB for a solid year now, with some very challenging students and supervising teachers who also use IWBs, I thought it timely to post some benchmarks our team have developed.  I have just spent the last week browsing through my 2008/9 diary and day-books again.

When I first got the board I went straight to the net and bashed the ICT link sites to death.  I must have downloaded every link posted, spent countless hours trawling the relevance of each piece of software.  From there, lobbed the software on the board and was so proud of the oohs and ahhs from the class.  This strategy lasted about 3 weeks. I was down hill from there.

From my professional learning and self reflection I undertook from that Friday afternoon in 2008, some benchmarks became apparent.  These are the critical 10 values our team work towards with ICT.

1. Our core business is teaching and improving all student outcomes, not spending countless hours trawling the net for link sites or that wonderful piece of software.
2. I repeat ‘Our core business is teaching and improving all student outcomes’, not spending an inordinate amount of time designing the flashiest piece of notebook software that has a life span of one or two lessons.
3. Question, question, question….  a visitor or an ‘expert’ on the web recommends a site or piece of software.  Have they actually used the product in anger ie: over an extended period of time in a classroom situation to test its legitimacy? Do they offer a review of the product from a classroom perspective or from afar?
4. I repeat again ‘Our core business is teaching and improving all student outcomes’.  We must remember that IWB’s and wiz bang software are tools we use to enhance our pedagogy.  They are not replacements to effective, rich and engaging content.
5. Content is prime.  Integrate ICT through the content, not in isolation as so much proprietary software demands.  Students and the appropriate content drive our pedagogy, not the technology at our disposal.  ICT does not differentiate the curriculum, we do.
6. Collaborate, share and have an ‘open source’ mindset.  What we design could be developed further or in another direction by a colleague.  A collective mindset of design will drive the innovation.
7. Seek expertise.  Using ICT is a dynamic and fluid experience.  It changes daily; new technologies emerge and die rapidly.  Start conversations with colleagues.  Seek knowledge.
8. Review, review and review. A review framework based on the tenants of lesson study is not a bad start.  ICT is just one resource we can review on a regular basis.
9. Keep a journal of your learning.  It is a great place to review your professional development in the use of ICT through your teaching.  Re-read your journey regularly.
10. Consolidate your personal pedagogy prior to radical risk taking.  Take risks, but be mindful that you are risk taking with a tool not your content.

This is by no means exhaustive, but these are values that can guide an integrated approach to ICT in a teaching program.  Glenn

Lesson Study Interview Questions

Questions I will use when interviewing our participating Lesson Study teachers.

1. Were you exposed to this process in your undergraduate teacher study?
2. Had you ever used a framework such as lesson study prior to this process?
3. Prior to this process, can you outline how, if at all, you undertook self reflection of your pedagogy.
4. Could you outline any fears or the like you may have had prior to undertaking this process.
5. What expectations did you bring to the initial lesson?
6. Did you find the four key questions useful when reviewing the lesson?
7. Were major modifications made after your reflections?
8. Did you find yourself dynamically if you like, ‘self reflecting’ during the revised lesson?
9. Did the process heighten your awareness of outcomes 1.2.1 and 1.2.3 and embedding the QT Framework in your pedagogy?
10. Did the design of the process assist you in reflecting on each lesson, with emphasis on the deep knowledge that is addressed in the revised lesson?

Forum responses will be posted on September 12.

Glenn.

A Reflection

The Credit Belongs

The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly:

who know the great enthusiasms,

the great devotions,

and spend themselves in a worthy cause;

who at best, know the best of high achievement;

and who, at worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly, so that their

place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither

know victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

I think this sits nicely with my post on why we do what we do at qtatlmps.

The efforts and the results we have seen over the last 16 months are etched into those words.

Glenn.

Five Most Popular posts for the month of August

Here are the most popular posts and categories for the month August.  Thought you might be interested.

1. Lesson Study – Sample reflections
2. Triangulation of data
3. Behaviour and Learning Module 3 – Readings
4. Concrete to symbolic – Counting On research
5. Quality Teaching Framework – Reference check.

Total visitors 981.

Glenn.

Alternate Coding: Hattie (03) format.

Here is a coding doc I developed using Hattie’s (03) prototypic elements of an expert teacher. I have trialed this using my Cogs unit (Products Services and Systems) and found it very useful. It is not a locked doc. My open source mind working again

If you make any changes please filter them back as I would love to see what happens.

LMPS Hattie (03) Coding Framework

Have a play around with it. I’m going to try to develop a blend between this and the QT Reference Check seen in the previous post.

• 2/9 Answer to John: Yeh, I probably would use it as a dynamic doc throughout the unit, scribbling all over it. I guess if you fill it up print a new one off. I find with the QT sheet, it turns into a great evaluation tool at the end of the term. Also NSW DET Connected Outcomes Groups are found in the blogroll if you haven’t already found it. Also drill around in the Cogs programming starters also in the blogroll and you will find the English portal. Great resources there too. I use them extensively. And Yes, a skype hook up is possible.  NSW DET does not allow it on their server though. Weekends are ok.  GMail back. Have fun in chilly Vic.
• 3/9 Answer to Leonie: Do what ever you want to the doc.  All I ask is throw it back so I can see what you did with it.  I’m interested to see how we can develop Hattie in line with the QTF for coding and lesson study.  Gmail it back.  Cheers.

Glenn.