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For this example I created a Grammar quiz for introducing the topic of Homophones. After discussing the topic and examples with the students, this could be used as an AfL to ascertain the grasp of the topic – if students had access to ipads / computers it would be great to submit answers individually and then be able to pin point students who were struggling. Otherwise it could be shown to the whole class and they could show their answers to each question on mini-whiteboards, discussing any mistakes to enhance understandings. a longer quiz could also be used as AoL at end of topic.
After reading and reflecting on the paper ‘Formative Assessment and Self – Regulated learning’ , along with the learning from previous modules, I would be inclined to use alot more AfL in my classroom – using digital tools to support where possible to enhance engagement. As the paper indicates, “checking for understanding” is a necessary part of every learning process and journey, and increasing AfL through digital technologies I believe will keep students engaged as well as givng me concrete information and feedback to work with.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GKS2dk5AwXHE9YEedh6nfvzG9LpYidMxNIQd40dmWc0/edit?usp=sharing
The above digital story could be used and edited n a whole/class basis to teach introductions to stories, using adjectives to make a story more interesting etc. It could be a great way to invite students to continue the story and learn to build narratives together, also in small groups.
It is undeniable that Google workspace for education contains a suite of tools and apps that greatly support and enhance teaching and learning, as well as collaboration between staff and with the wider community.
I have used Google Drive, Google Slides and Google Docs in a limited way over the past few years and I find them fanastic for content creation and also accesible storage of documents. I would love to use Google Classroom and try it out as a tool for communicating with home also, for storing and sharing resources, assignments, links etc with the guardians and students at home. It offers opportunity for flipped learning and making correcting and assessing much easier for the teacher, as well as collating work in a portfolio for each child.
I would love to see my school take on the Google Workspace for Education so we could learn as a staff to maximise on the potential of these products. I would like to experience Google Meet and tools like Jamboard as collaborative planning and commuication tools. I imagine with use and further training we could tap into a much more streamlined and easy use of digtial technology as a staff, as well as in the classroom with the students.
Hi Maria,
I loved how you used ‘Matilda’ as a base text to explore these different skills , and use digital technologies to support the children’s learning each time. I will be taking inspiration from you this year – I love that idea.
Thank you.
The new AI powered tool sounds very interesting Eoghan, thank you for linking it here. Could save an incredible amount of time for creating short AfL quizzes, as well as supporting the creation of AoL quizzes.
I loved the clarity of how you laid out your response here Maria. I would love to try Google Classroom this year to support me with organisation.
Upon reviewing the paper ‘Redesigning Education: Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century’, I found that the writer speaks to an urgent need to transform traditional education systems to better equip students for the ever-changing demands of modern workspaces.
The importance of building digital literacy skills is emphasized as well as collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking skills. A more individualised approach to learning is called for, centring the student’s engagement and agency and moving educators to a role akin to a facilitator / mentor.
Barriers to this educational revamp are discussed, such as outdated curricula, resistence to change within institutions and inflexibility in teachign methods.
Project-based learning and utilising digital tools are recommended by the author to support students in gaining real-world experience and relevant skills.
The skill I have chosen to focus on is developing good people skills, as I think this is fundemental to living a healthy and happy life, as well as supporting students in the modern workplace.
I have chosen to use Google Slides to enhance this skill in my classroom.
Google Slides can be used for collaborative presentations, lending opportunity for peer review sessions, interactive story telling and cross classroom collaboration.
In order to enhance the development of good people skills in my classroom this year I will be making use of collaborative presentations. This can be used in a cross-curricular manner throughout the year, giving children an opportunity to work in various small groups to research and construct specific topics. A student can be responsible for creating slides on different sub topics for the overall presentation, thus emphasising the importance of collaboration.
Supporting the students in offering feedback on their peers work will provide students with an example of real time collaboration. it will build people skills in a meaningful way.
Presenting their finished product to the class or other groups, allows students to improve their public speaking and communication skills.
As a sidenote to this assignment I think it is important to note that while preparing students for the modern workspace is an important aspect of primary education, it should not be it’s only aim.
Hi Damien, I am taken by that quote also. It speaks to the speed that societies and life in general are moving and changing. Maybe giving students opportunity to learn how to use various digital apps in small groups, and then teach other groups how to use the one they were exposed to would be a nice lesson for supporting this, giving them opportunity to be learners and teachers and work collaboratively with different groups.
Google Slides is a fantastic app which gives an opportunity for flipped learning as instructional content can be created by the teacher for children to interact and engage with at home. Google Slides allows for pre-recorded lectures and videos to be embedded in the slides, surveys can be hyperlinked through google forms, and links to youtube videos can also be added. Children can access and engage with this content in their own time, at their own pace, with support from their guardians at home. This flipped classroom set up allows the time in class to be used for active participation and tasks which the teacher can dedicate their time to supporting students. The limitations of this are that not all children may have access to computers at home, not all children will have the same level of support from guardians at home, and it puts alot of owness on the child to ‘learn’ a topic on their own digitally potentially without adult guidance, which not all children will have the capacity for.
I love the suggestion to plant more trees to balance carbon footprint. We have begun planting more trees I our school and I hope we continue to do so each year.
Some changes happening at a local level as a result of climate change are weather patterns changing which contribute to shifts in farming practices and increased pests and viruses; changes in ecosystems and habitats; water management and flooding; also increased awareness and sustainability efforts. Ways to engage children in these topics would be through observing weather patterns locally and planting / taking care of plants in the school garden and noticing the affect the weather has on growth; also measuring and monitoring energy usuage in the classroom and brainstorming how to reduce usuage – and empowering students to act in the class and school.
Three ways to make the world a better place; to reduce energy output at home and in school; support and advocate for sustainable practices; reduce, reuse and recycle – adopt this mantra in all areas at home and in school and get excited about ways to be creative about it!
Claire, I also am planning to show that Amnesty video to my class this year along with trying some of the lesson plans shared to support awareness and empathy development. It sounds like your school is doing great work, v inspiring.
I am grateful for the many resources and links to organisations that were linked in this module. Our school has a multi-national student population and many refugees and migrants in the past years.
I liked the lesson depicted where the class discussed the difference between voluntary and involuntary migration, and learned about circumstances that may lead to a person choosing to or ebing forced to leave their homes. I think awareness of circumstances is important to allow for and create empathy. I liked how the lesson highlighted the gifts of immigration too such as opportunity to learn languages, culture, food and workers.
I think cultivating a school wide culture of inclusion and respect for all sentient beings is an important baseline for supporting all of these development education topics. Celebrating diversity of all kinds and creating awareness of the beauty inherent in all of it. On a whole school level, having a display that recognises and celebrates all of the nationalities / cultures in the student population, hosting multi-cultural and multi-faith celebrations – inviting students to share about their heritage. It would be a benefit to invite people to donate uniforms, books, clothes, supplies etc in good condition to the school that can be offered to students who may need them. I think it would be beneficial to set up an intercultural commitee with teachers and parents who can organise educational / community gathering events to create opportunity for relationship development and support cohesion within the community.
Hi Stephanie, I enjoyed reading your post. Our school’s Green School team do great work to lead development education on a wholeschool level, it is alwasy so inspiring and beautiful to witness children engaging with activities and daily actions to care for and create a more healthy and positive collective.
I really enjoyed this article.
It spoke clearly to the importance of Global Citzenship and Development Education. I often think that a classroom, and school community can be a microcosm for national and global communities. Adopting an inclusive, compassionate perspective in the classroom and allowing that to permeate through all learning, class agreements, behaviour management styles etc is fundemental to cultivating an attitude of respect and inclusivity for all people in the community. Empowering children to recognise that everyone matters, and everyone is capable, competant and responsible for contributing to a positivie,healthy and joyful culture and atmosphere in the classroom, and the school communnity, emboldens them to feel that same agency and responsibility in the wider, national and global community.
‘Within the nucleus of recognising one’s role as a global citizen, is the realisation of our deep, symbiotic connection with all humans within the global family. This is an epiphany that sees us viewing the problems of our neighbours, as problems of our own.’
Recognising within the classroom daily how the actions/ inactions of one person can affect the entire classroom climate in positive and negative ways, and how if someone is struggling with something – others can support and share their knowledge and capacity to help them.
‘However, acknowledging a bulk of the major issues that the world confronts at once, can lead to exhaustion and deceptively tempt us into dwarfing our capacity to ‘change’, which can result in melancholy and at times, self-defeating nihilism.’
I appreciated the acknowledgment of this as I often get swept up in overwhelm and exhaustion, and all to frequently find myself in melancholic states that are self-defeating.
‘The key element of being an effective global citizen is appreciating our place, and the place of others, in the interwoven yarn of kinship, that encompasses all people. It is done by seeing right through the superficial elements that distract us from our shared essence. ‘
‘We are living in a global village that we all have a stake in’
‘However, as difficult as it can be, it is important to place those who arise to promote regressive ideals that may not be on the side of social progress within the context of the common humanity that we all share. ‘
Alongside Development Education lessons taught through History, Geography, English etc which can provide knowledge and opportunity to discuss Ireland’s history of emmigration and collonialist suppression of our culture, systemic injustices and stereotypes that affect people locally and globally, I think cultivating a culture of respect and inclusivity through using Restorative Practice as a form of conflict resolution is incredibly valuable for creating healthy communities.
Hi Riana and Eoghan, there was a very interesting BBC docuseries years ago that explored gender stereotypes through an experiement observing how childcare provider encouraged children to play with certain toys depending on their gender – as described above. However the childcare provider was not aware of nature of the experiment and the children [toddlers] were dressed as the opposite gender as part of the experiement – it was a really interesting example of how we as adults and teachers / caregivers unconsciously perpetuate gender stereotypes.
