5.4.4: KNOWLEDGE BUILDING

These are the ideas regarding knowledge building and the power of collaborative KB that remained with me:

The power of collaborative learning emanates from its potential to coalesce multiple people into the coherent cognitive effort of a group.

The nature of the interaction  was  sequential – the  weaving of  contributions from the other members of the group as individuals into group processes of meaning  making - as each responded to previous entries and elicited new ones. The meanings — shared by the group - by virtue of their having been co-constructed in the collectively experienced sequential interaction — were embodied in team knowledge about knowledge building. This collaborative knowledge building produced the team’s outcomes, which was driven by the group’s task – For this purpose- Knowledge on knowledge building.

Individual Participation and engagement produced a collective understanding of what knowledge building was and the rubric too. The thoughts that emerged were new to the members of the group, superior to their previous understandings, and for the good of all.

 Knowledge building went beyond sharing of thoughts and moved toward new collective thoughts that emerged only because members were committed to pushing the basis of existing knowledge and learning ideas for others to expand further.

The Knowledge-building activity was a success because the subject matter  was  problem-focused –coming up with a rubric on knowledge building and also what knowledge building was all about..

The success of this activity lay in its dual capability to support the collective learning of the members of the group by building on the information artifacts produced by another and improving upon what each member knew about knowledge building.

In order to help the members in the group to avoid repeating themselves but to encourage creating and testing new ideas, a collaborative knowledge-building framework that accounts for participation, collaboration, and shared understanding - a wiki was used.

In order for a member to participate meaningfully in collaborative knowledge building, members were to be ready (to generate knowledge) to help formulate initial thoughts on the discussion topic and also build on the same.

 Connecting to collaborate was achieved by brainstorming, exploring all points of view, challenging perceptions, ensuring equality of voices, and stretching individual perspectives to embrace others’ perspectives.

 Shared understanding is individual. The ownership of a new perspective accepted by the group is collective.

 Any challenges  during  this activity?

The difficulty in generating knowledge, given an artificial classroom situation, time constraints (the election saga) and a lack of commitment to the ideas of progressive discourse.

 At first I was primarily concerned with sharing information rather than with adding to the existing content on knowledge building as contributed to by my group mates. However, In order to bring myself back to the reality of knowledge building as it should be I had to accept the idea of distributed learning and understand that each group member plays a part in it within the group. In that way, I came to realize that knowledge building supports the collective learning not only of the present group but also of future groups as well. 

5.3.4: Learner Engagement with Technology.

What is the Essence of Engaged Learning?

How Nellie created this venn diagram and how Nellie STRUGGLED to have it onto her blog answers the question on engaged learning:

My involvement with the CCTI course is the example per excellence in the delivery of engaged learning. Today I am able to use technology to suit both my social and my learning needs. I save all my work in the Google drive and I can retrieve it any time to continue from where I stopped previously anywhere any time at my own volition. Nellie is self-regulated.

Since I am responsible for my own learning, I have a functional smart phone (Microsoft) because of it I am able to benefit from all the tools that Microsoft Office has to offer. I also have a router from Africel and can use my MTN network through my phone through which I connect to my laptop via Wifi and I have data all the time. I load my data on a monthly basis to make sure I am able to log on to the CCTI course anytime. I make a sacrifice to manage my lessons and I go to bed   at 2:00am nearly every day. Nellie is energised by her learning and because of this I do lots of research; curate my resources in a repository, save some e books that I find relevant to which I can refer anytime. Nellie knows how to learn.

 Since the CCTI family is always connected through Email,Telephone, Whatsupp group, Blogging, etc I take advantage of this by consulting or working together with my colleagues to solve a problem. I value the members of my group therefore, I collaborate with them. The ideas we share helps build my knowledge and skills which I use to solve problems in the office. My colleagues know that if there is anything to do with digital technology, they consult Nellie. In this regard, I can evaluate my progress and tell that I am a formidable force in the use of technology in learning.

The tutor (Senzo) is an apt facilitator and guide. He gives the sense of direction but leaves Nellie to chart out the path on her own. Thus Nellie is always challenged and forced to learn.The modules provide the rich environments and learning experiences needed for collaborative study. The nature of these materials turns Nellie into an explorer through research, and into a critical thinker through having to draw conclusions after reading from various sources. The tasks are challenging, authentic, complex and multidisciplinary: Take how to constructively come up with a the venn diagram, how to find one’s way round kahoot and  clickers- Nellie was forced into collaboration and into asking the right questions. Nellie had to work with her  peers collaboratively.

Instruction encourages Nellie to construct and produce knowledge in meaningful ways –again, the example of constructing and feeding in the salient ideas in the  venn diagram –promoting engaged learning. 

Now I have to reflect here on my blog. This reflective practice galvanises my learning. What question runs through my mind? Is there something that defines this family? Whenever we engage in a conversation, the first question always is: ‘How is CCTI?’

Is technology a critical role-player in engaging learners?

Because technology is both highly customizable and intrinsically motivating to students, it is particularly well-suited to expand the learning experience. Technology highly supports learning by providing engaging environments and tools for understanding and remembering content. For example, game-based courses use features familiar to game players to teach core subject content, such as history. The model below illustrates this:

Technology provides access to a much wider and more flexible set of learning resources than is available in classrooms and connections to a wider and more flexible set of “educators,” including teachers, parents, experts, and mentors outside the classroom. Engaging and effective learning experiences can be individualized or differentiated for particular learners (either paced or tailored to fit their learning needs) or personalized, which combines paced and tailored learning with flexibility in content or theme to fit the interests and prior experience of each learner.

Using technology for purposes, such as writing, research and analysis—rather than simply drills and practice— engages learners and can enhance student competencies that surpass the knowledge and skills typically measured in achievement tests. These competencies include problem solving, creativity, collaboration, data management and communication.

I will illustrate my idea further by referring to the Xbox 360 gaming console whose role I evaluated as a tool for learner engagement. I choose to use a general term - games.

Digital games can be computer-, game console- (XBox, PS3), or handheld-based (Nintendo DS, iPhone), and are defined by two key elements: an interactive virtual playing environment and the player pursuing a win-state (Salen &  Zimmerman, 2003). Games are virtual worlds in which learners “play at” some role as they solve problems and make connections by learning to “think like” scientists, historians, journalists, soldiers, diplomats, or any other group that employs systematic methods of inquiry and problem framing in order to investigate the world. Games also provide a way for teachers to meet students where they are.

Games do not necessarily teach content. However, Gee (2005a) has proposed that games can provide kids with experiences that teach them valuable higher order thinking skills and some habits of mind that are very valuable in today’s post-industrial society. Groff, Haas, Klopfer, & Osterweil (2009) have observed teachers using games to get students to take on the role of scientist, engineer, mathematician, journalist, etc., and found that students developed the higher order thinking skills associated with those professions. Gee (2005b) has demonstrated that game playing can help to develop users’ thinking skills, such as the ability to quickly process information, to review information and decide what is relevant and irrelevant, to process information concurrently from a variety of sources, to explore content in non-linear fashion, to become familiar with digital collaboration networks, to take a relaxed approach to play and problem solve by exploring, to form hypotheses, and to experiment.

Digital games infuse teaching with energy, spark innovative thinking and provide diversity in teaching methods. Games make learning concepts more palatable for learners and supply learners with a platform for their creative thoughts to bounce around. Games encourage creative behaviour and divergent thought. (Fuszard, 2001) and are excellent ice breakers. Games will often act as learning triggers inducing lively discussion on learning concepts amongst students following game play.                

Research concedes that games can be powerful educational tools when they are used as a springboard for engaging in critical thought and play.

What are the limitations of technology in engaging learners?

In Uganda today, the School culture and structure do not  support specific uses of technology. Often, technology is not aligned with the school s’ vision, mission and curriculum. As a result, there is no foundation in place to provide consistent access to—and use of—technology throughout the years of schooling.

Also, most teachers lack confidence in technology as well as their technology skills. They feel unprepared to integrate technology into their instruction. Those who use technology do so primarily to present information rather than to provide hands-on learning for students. Some are unclear about policies governing the use of technology. Others are uncomfortable with investing instructional time to deal with possible equipment failures or slow Internet access.

5.2.4 New Perspectives on innovative learning activities

These are my reflections on the power of innovative learning activities. These activities:

• Promote active, autonomous and transformative learning in the students.
• Provide students and teachers with competencies and technological skills that allow them to search for, organise, and analyse information and communicate and express their in a variety of multimedia projects.
• Enable teachers, students and the general school population to communicate and share information.
• Engage students and teachers in collaborative, project-based learning in which they work together on real-time, real-world like, language projects.
• Provide students with individualised or differentiated instruction at all levels of ability, interest and/or learning styles.
• Allow teachers and students to assess performance (a total interactive, interpersonal human process).

Although innovative learning activities are learner centered, the teacher’s role is the most important.

Who are innovative teachers?

These are teachers   who are alert to new ideas, forge them into something uniquely their own, test them, and persist until their students are engaged and their teaching is transformed.

Innovative teachers are passionate about teaching:

They devote time to being better teachers, are genuinely interested in students, and carefully analyze their teaching. They find out why things are working and why they are not.  They work with a number of different approaches. They are open risk takers They also help students take responsibility for their own learning, usually rely on active learning strategies, create a safe classroom environment, work with their students as colleagues, often measure their success by the success of their students, and seek out colleagues who also value teaching.

Innovative teachers recognize the need for freedom to learn:

 Combining challenge and flexibility can produce a moment of excitement for both the teacher and the student. Innovative teachers see opportunities rather than limitations in their students, facilities, their colleagues and institutions, and in themselves. They help students continuously grow with small steps that build both confidence and competence so they are more willing to become more innovative themselves.

They cultivate professional knowledge and skills.

Innovative teachers often stay up-to-date with the latest news and developments related to their field. They are critically aware of the politics, pedagogy and practices of school systems; they model learning in order to do better things for students. They themselves are “guinea pigs”   who immerse themselves into new learning opportunities. This  helps them understand the bigger picture of the system within which they work, providing the tools they need to diversify their practices and advocate for their students.

They are confident, yet aware of what they don’t know and keep themselves vital

 Innovative teachers are keen in the awareness that they will never know all there is to know about education or about learners—or about anything at all, for that matter! They are always learning, trying new things, reflecting on the outcomes and redesigning their practices in response to those outcomes. They see life as one giant learning experience. These teachers are eager to learn from colleagues, journaling partners, use of the Internet, and others. They also solicit student feedback continuously and view it constructively. They are also willing to connect and are able to connect. They are not limited to the ideas in their own school but connect with others outside and choose what works for their classrooms and remix it to be applicable.

Because of this; they are open to new ideas and are willing to take professional risks based on their experience. They are brave, open, honest and confident, but most of all, they are humble. They know that, as educators, they have a great responsibility to encourage all students to become the best they can be.

How can I as teachers adapt my teaching to include more elements of innovative learning in my own lessons?

I am going to centre on only one aspect from the qualities of an innovative teacher which I consider would create a difference in learning –Reflective Practice.

Reflective Practice involves  looking  at  what  I do  in the classroom,  thinking  about  why  I do  it,  and  thinking about if it works –a process of self-observation and self-evaluation. By collecting information about what  goes  on  in  my classroom,  and  by  analyzing  and evaluating  this  information,  I can   identify  and  explore  my  own practices and underlying beliefs. This may then lead to changes and improvements in my teaching.

As a teacher , I bring my own  background  and  experience,  certain  beliefs,  assumptions,  knowledge,  attitudes  and values to the classroom yet  teaching  takes  place  in  a  social setting    that    has    its    own    unique    characteristics, opportunities  and  constraints.  The  practice  of reflective teaching  will help me explore  the  implications  of  all  these  complex factors with the intention of helping me  understand and improve teaching-learning  practice.  

On the other hand,  reflective practice  would help me  develop an  analysis of feelings and the evaluation   of  experience  associated  with  reflective   teaching   practice   and   lifelong learning . This will develop me into an autonomous, qualified   and   self-directed    professional leading to improvement of the quality of care, stimulating personal and professional growth and closing the gap between theory and practice.