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The Broader Professional Context - Reflective Post Week 27

Contemporary trend in New Zealand or internationally

Reflecting on the current trends occurring at the present one that it highlighted for me as being the most relevant to my current practice is the development of the digital platform in classrooms.  This has been a major introduction for our school in the last 3 years and the pace in which this has happened is phenomenal. As the leader of the hub which has been seen as being the leaders in this initiative there has been a great deal of outside pressure. I have taken over the leadership role this year from the teacher who was instrumental in facilitating the introduction of 1:1 devices and I feel it is my responsibility to ensure that all her hard work is not going to be for nothing.

Our schools expectation is that all students will be on 1:1 devices within the next 3 years, whether it be on chrome books (which are currently 1:1 for all students Year 5-8) or ipads for our juniors. Are we as a school ready for it? Teaching is now no longer just the passing on of knowledge. Wright 2010 states “The provision of a tool isn’t enough, if people don’t know what it’s for or how to use it, but having them available can precipitate more relationships (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2005). Equipping the children with the skills required to know how to question things, having the skills to find that new knowledge and the passion to develop the love of learning on whatever level.

As teachers we need to be adapting our teaching to ensure that students are undertaking inquiry based learning that is student led and the digital devices they are using are the tools that will allow them to learn anywhere, anytime about anything. Digital learning is providing a collaborative/shared working space that is making it easier for teachers to exchange and share information with all participants.  It is enabling students to elaborate on their thinking and engage in more meaningful and purposeful tasks.  This is what educators are seeking for students learning outcomes in order to become  successful 21st Century Learners.
Image result for digital technology
I work hard to prepare my students for a future that is digitally focused so they can move into whatever jobs the future has in store for them. Some of these jobs are yet to even be created!  The recently released Digital Technologies Hangaru Matihiko  (2017) states that “Technology is much more than designing and making technological outcomes, it involves critiquing past, existing and possible future technologies, while considering their environment social and cultural impact.” This curriculum document comes into effect from 2018 and is there to ensure our students will be given the appropriate skills to keep up with this fast paced area.  By preparing our students well we are setting the community up with well rounded children who will be at the forefront of the digital advancements, people will be able to connect with others nationally and internationally, who will be able to bring some jobs back to the West Coast whether that be in person or via remote access connections.

As educators we need to ensure we remove those applications and programmes that are not future focused, we need to prepare students for the perceived negative side of digital learning and empower them to make the right choices around things like cyber bullying, internet safety, still staying active etc. As stated in the Ministry of Education document  Digital Technology - Safe and Responsible use in Schools (2015), 'Prevention is better than response'.   We need to ensure the students are aware of why we are doing this, what audiences we are aiming for and that is real world skills they will need for the future.  
References:

Ministry of Education. (2015). Digital technology - Safe and responsible use in schools. Retrieved from http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/School/Managing-and-supporting-students/DigitalTechnologySafeAndResponsibleUseInSchs.pdf

e-Learning and implications for New Zealand Schools: a literature review.  Report to the Ministry of Education, Noeline Wright, Ministry of Education 2010


Ministry of Education. (2017), Digital Technologies  Hangarau Matihiko; pg 4-5

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