The Flipped Classroom

On the 18/12/12, I will be running an IPACA Engage, Innovate and Inspire C.P.D session entitled: 'The Flipped Classroom - A Beginner’s Guide'. IPACA colleagues can still sign up for this session by clicking here. This session will explore how many educators are exploring the flipped classroom model which uses technology to deliver instructions online which can be used outside of the classroom. The session will be held at RM Campus and will explore the model and provide practical examples of things to try out in your classroom.

In advance of this session I wanted to give a stronger overview of what is meant by the term 'Flipped Classroom'. After a little searching I feel Wikipedia gives a good definition which supports my understanding and application of the term:

'Flip teaching is a form of blended learning which encompasses any use of Internet technology to leverage the learning in a classroom, so a teacher can spend more time interacting with students instead of lecturing. This is most commonly being done using teacher-created videos that students view outside of class time. It is also known as backwards classroom, reverse instruction, flipping the classroom, and reverse teaching.^[1]

The traditional pattern of secondary education has been to have classroom lectures, in which the teacher explains a topic, followed by homework, in which the student does exercises. In flip teaching, the student first studies the topic by himself, typically using video lessons created by the instructor^[2][3] or shared by another educator, such as those provided by the Khan Academy. In the classroom, the pupil then tries to apply the knowledge by solving problems and doing practical work.^[4][5][6] The role of the classroom teacher is then to tutor the student when they become stuck, rather than to impart the initial lesson. This allows time inside the class to be used for additional learning-based activities,^[7] including use of differentiated instruction and project-based learning.^[8]

Flip teaching allows more hands-on time with the instructor guiding the students, allowing them to assist the students when they are assimilating information and creating new ideas (upper end of Bloom's Taxonomy).^[9]'

Extract taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip_teaching

For some local examples of 'Flipped Teaching', check out the DASP (Dorchester Areas Schools Partnership) Maths website. This website contains

 short video clips of DASP students explaining how they do a particular sum.

http://www.dasp.org.uk/DASPMaths/mathsvideo.html

Year 7 use Socrative

I had the real pleasure of teaching a group of Year 7 pupils this morning at RM Campus. I will be working with this group of IPACA pupils across the coming weeks to explore how new technologies can be used to support and inspire the development of their writing skills and also to provide the learners with a real audience for their work (more information on this very soon).

Today was an introduction session and together we explored various visual prompts to stimulate short bursts of writing. In the lesson, we used the brilliant (and free) App 'Socrative' as a smart student response system. Socrative is perfect for classroom use because it is safe, secure and can run on any tablet, smartphone or laptop. For more information check out: http://www.socrative.com or watch the below video:

Google Docs - Entry Level

Google Docs is a free, web-based office suite and data storage service offered by Google within its Google Drive service. It’s great for education because it allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users. On Tuesday 27th November, I led a session which explored the basics of Google Docs and showed how you can go about making your first document.

Please see below for a video from the session which was recorded on Tuesday 27th November at Brackenbury Campus. The event was attended by around fiftenn members of IPACA staff.

Clevertouch Fusion Multi 42"

Today was a great day as I had the first opportunity to work with a small group of IPACA Digital Leaders. Digital Leaders are learners who will support me in my role as Director of Digital Learning Innovation as I explore the new technologies that will support teaching and learning here at IPACA. In total, thirteen Digital Leaders from throughout IPACA visited Southwell Business Park to explore the Clevertouch Fusion Multi 42" which had been lent to IPACA by Hugh Symons.

The Clevertouch Fusion incorporates an inbuilt PC, a multi touch screen, and an electronic mobile stand. It is essentially three products in one – an interactive easel, table, or whiteboard. Please see below for reviews from our Digital Leaders (coming soon) and a video showcasing the Digital Leaders hard at work.


If you would like any further information  on the Clevertouch Fusion Multi 42" you can contact Alicia Asquith (Hugh Symons AV Account Manager) on the below contact details:

Email - Alicia.asquith@hughsymons.com
Mobile - 07989345359
Website - www.hughsymonsav.com

Big Bad Wolf Wanted Poster

A colleague asked me today if it was possible to create some fun and engaging wanted posters for a unit of work on the Three Little Pigs. I came up with the above image using nothing other than an iPad. See below for my solution: 

I used FaceGoo HD to manipulate my image (this App is free and contains some wolf-like hair to add to the image). I then used Pic-Collage to make the poster. Pic-Collage is another brilliant free App that even the very youngest of children can use with no problem at all.

There are free 'wanted poster creators' in the App Store, however, one is a Facebook App and the other contains shooting sounds as it loads, which is not suitable for a classroom environment. Other 'wanted poster creators' are paid apps but may be worth looking at if the above is not suitable.

Twitter for Teachers

It has taken me a while to write this but on Tuesday (20/11/12) I led my first IPACA Engage, Innovate and Inspire C.P.D session.  This was entitled: 'Twitter for Teachers - a basic introduction for non-users'. A full recording of the session can be seen by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSA4xhk4io4 or by playing through the embedded player below. I choose to start with a Twitter session as Twitter has transformed the way people connect, collaborate and share. I wanted IPACA colleagues to see how the social media platform can be used in teaching and to support CPD.

This first session was a great success and it was brilliant that people left inspired to give Twitter a go and start tweeting using the hashtag -  #IPACA. See a small sample of tweets so far below:

Provider of the Year

EXCITING NEWS - The Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy sponsor The Aldridge Foundation was named Academy Provider of the Year 2012 at the EducationInvestor Awards, sponsored by Lloyds TSB.

This awards judging panel, which included representatives from the Department for Education and the CBI, as well as senior figures from the world of education, chose the Foundation ahead of a strong field of academy chains.  The award cites the Foundation's commitment to entrepreneurship, with one of the judges’ comments highlighting the Foundation’s "sheer innovation and clear direction."

Collecting the award with Foundation Chairman Sir Rod Aldridge was Honor Wilson-Fletcher, who said: "Our delight at receiving the award was all the greater on hearing that it was our commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation that really impressed the judges.  This is an award earned by and for all our academies. We are very proud of our family of schools, our students and the whole team that supports them."

Academy Principal Designate Alison Appleyard said: “It is a tremendous achievement and is absolutely fantastic news. It is further recognition that the children of Portland are being supported by the very best.”

The Academy was recently praised by senior Government official Adam Jackson, Director at the Department for Business, Skills and Innovation. In a follow up letter after a recent visit to Portland Mr. Jackson wrote:

“I have visited many schools in the last 4 years. I have to say that IPACA is the most impressive project I have seen. I was blown away by the commitment of all the schools in the Academy to come together to seek to transform Portland.”

What Kind Of Restaurant Is Your Classroom?

I love analogies and have heard lots of them but I thought this one was worth sharing and wondered what your thoughts were on the points made and how these relate to you. Comments welcome as always.

What Kind Of Restaurant Is Your Classroom?
(Originally from: http://thoughtweavers.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/what-kind-of-restaurant-is-your-classroom/)

We think classrooms are like (or perhaps even should be like) a good restaurant. However, this is not always the case, sometimes they are more ‘fast food’ than ‘gourmet’

Let me explain some of the classic features of a ‘fast-food’ model of the classroom:

• Pupils walk in with no-one to great them
• Adults talk really quickly; they’re impatient and want answers quickly.
• The menu is always the same.
• A diet of uninspiring food learning is supplied daily. (it does however hit all of the APP outcomes)
• Pupils will never remember there favourite or lesson when they’re older
• Standards are high because the criteria for judging them is so narrow. The ‘fast-food’ restaurant makes and healthy profit and the classroom produces high ‘standards’
• The tables and chairs never move.
• All posters and displays are professionally made by adults.
• Differentiation is made by the words ‘small,’ ‘regular’ or ‘large,’ or in classroom speak; ‘poor,’ ‘average’ or ‘bright.’ (Although occasionally ‘G&T is on the menu)
• Sometimes special menus/promotions are created, in schools these are known as ‘theme days,’ this is the only time when the menu is slightly more interesting.
• Feedback is standardised and irrelevant. In the classroom this might be ‘Good Work’ or ‘Well Done’
• No tips are given; the children will never go the extra mile.
• Customers can never change the menu and ask for something a little different; in the classroom children get what they’re given.
• There is no overt way of expressing pleasure or disappointment at the service provided.

On the other hand, a gourmet restaurant (or perhaps country pub!) model for the classroom might read as follows:

• A friendly smile when you walk in.
• Small talk at the table with staff.
• The menu changes regularly and there are lots of daily specials
• The meals (learning) are well deigned by experts who truly know what they are doing.
• Great memories are created by the quality of service and friendly atmosphere.
• Relationships with all adults and children are positive.
• ‘Difficult’ customers are treated with dignity and respect
• Standards are exceptionally high, because of the attention to detail at every step of the process.
• If something special is required or someone wants to deviate from the menu it is celebrated and explored
• Differentiation is the choice of the customer/pupils; there is a wide variety of activities/meals set out in a variety of ways.
• Feedback is personalised and unscripted, it feels natural but authoritative.
• Plenty of tips! Children bring in masses of things from home because they’ve been inspired in school.
• Pupils can personalise the menus, giving feedback to the lead adult about their performance.
• Pupils are encouraged to think about their decisions; they have time to evaluate the menu before making a decision

And so on…

Let’s make it clear. Classrooms are not restaurants and certainly shouldn’t be run as a business; pupils are not our customers, they are learners and we should be proud to facilitate their progress.

But, we feel the comparisons can be made. We believe that too often, the standards agenda pushes schools into a ‘fast-food’ model of education. Children deserve better! Whilst a ‘Gourmet’ classroom means hard work, it does mean that the children are the most important people and they will remember their experiences.

So how do you make your classroom ‘Gourmet?’

Why do you use Twitter?

Tonight I will be sharing with IPACA colleagues the power of Twitter and how it can be harnessed by teachers as a tool for learning and C.P.D. I hope to record this presentation and upload it to this Blog at some point. In my preparation for this training I asked my PLN (Personal Learning Network) on Twitter how and why they use the social networking service as a teacher. Below are some screenshots of the responses I had.

Mini Grip Coming Soon

I am a fan of the Big Grips Frame™ for iPad and have used a number of them effectively in my previous role at the Prince of Wales First School. I was pleased to hear tonight from the team in California that there is news on a mini version for the iPad Mini. Kirk Mills, President of KEM Ventures Inc, the company behind the brilliant Big Grips Frame™ for iPad replied to a question I asked him about the mini version stating, 'The mini case is progressing. We are getting setup with tooling and first samples, then we'll begin production. We are still aiming for an early 2013 launch, but we'll be "leaking" additional details in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned!'

This is positive news from the company which this week also launched Big Grips Buddy for iPod touch (4th generation) in the color blue. Featuring the same fun protection as Big Grips Frame, Big Grips Buddy also comes with a handy "loop" for attaching a strap or lanyard (not included) so you can keep your Buddy close. Big Grips Buddy for iPod touch will be in limited supply for $19.95 until January.

 To get Big Grips Buddy or find out more about Big Grips, check out: www.biggrips.com/store!