The use of Microsoft Teams to enhance communication and collaboration amongst high school teachers

Click the link The use of Microsoft Teams to enhance communication and collaboration amongst high school teachers to view the presentation done during my three week remote learning module, which is part of my PGDip course I am attending during 2020. It attempts to apply the principles of the AODM 8-Step-Model (Mwanza 2002) & the socio-cultural garden metaphor (Lim 2002) to the activity outlined.

Presentation on Activity Oriented Design Method's (AODM) Eight-Step-Model (Mwanza 2002) & Activity Systems Triangle (Lim 2002)

Below is a link to a presentation that details the application of the AODM 8-Step-Model (Mwanza 2002) & illustrated through the Activity System Triangle (Lim 2002) on a blogging activity designed by Prof. Ng'ambi. The blogging activity instruction was for course participants to blog useful apps for families to use during the COVID - 19 Lockdown of 2020.

• AODM and AST on blog

Sociocultural view of understanding learning and teaching with ET using a garden metaphor, Lim (2002).

The garden metaphor resembles an onion diagram. I look at each layer and how it influences the activity systems which are a the core of the garden (Lim, 2002). Firstly, societal requirements and norms guides educational activity's purpose. The changing environment for society has an impact on the context in which many activities are set. Currently, with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also impacting on the design and delivery of activities. Due to the lock down, later possibly limited physical presence at schools, all educational activities need to be remotely done.

The educational system sets standards for the aims and goals of activities; however, I feel these are very slow to change with the requirements of society. This is understandable as it takes considerable cost and labour to change these standards. However with the digital platforms used in today's world it should allow for more flexibility.

Schools regulate the day to day aspects of the learning and teaching process. They provide the underlying ethos for activities and provide the structure to the schooling environment. Schools want teachers to be innovative in their activities, but still want the most consistent results possible. I personally don't know if these two ideas are always compatible. This is going to be highlighted even more now that teachers and learners have been forced into remote learning due to the lock down. Many were required to do so without proper guided instruction on how these lessons and remote learning tools work.

The type of students also impact of the level and type of activities that can be done, as well as their access to resources. The diversity of learners' socio-economic backgrounds in a single school make activity design and deliver a formidable challenge.

Course study is again something that is slow to change at school level and can sometimes constrain ambitious teachers. The new circumstances with lock down is going to have a big impact on assessment policies and standards. It is challenging to set assignments that need to be done remotely now, that once was done under control conditions in the classroom.

Each of these layers impact and influence the others at different levels as well. I, as a teacher, need to take in account the layers that influence how I design and implement activities for learning. Similarly, I look at how I can influence the delivery or acceptance of the activities.

Reference: Lim, C.P. (2002). A theoretical framework for the study of ICT in schools: a proposal. British Journal of Educational Technology. Vol 33, No 4, 411-421

Authentic assessment - element 9 of authentic learning

Authentic assessments need to align with the tasks main goal. This meaning not assessing individual steps but rather completed and refined final products. In a scholastic context, this takes the form of rubrics for projects students would complete over a number of weeks. The rubric should assess the learning and development the students have achieved as wells as the end product the students have delivered (Herrington, 2011).

Unfortunately, the current Curriculum Assessment Programme relies heavily on a student’s individual performance in exams and other written tests. These tests and exams do not align with real world problem solving skills and performance assessments.

Reference: Herrington, J. (2011, September 30). Authentic learning 9: ASSESSMENT [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/gjzER-FDByE

Coaching and scaffolding - element 8 of authentic learning

The element of coaching and scaffolding speaks to the idea that the educator not submitting to merely giving answers or delivering solutions to students posed questions, but rather guiding the students through posing questions to them. I school context it would mostly come down to inquiring whether the student has probed various resources for solutions or even discussed the issues with more knowledgeable peers (Herrington, 2011). The educators can use technology in inventive ways of having the learners ask questions such as social media platforms like twitter or like in my case posting questions to me, the educator, on a MS Teams channel or even messaging me directly.

It is also useful to post questions on a public platform so that other students can share their experience of solving similar problems.

Reference: Herrington, J. (2011, September 30). Authentic learning 8: SCAFFOLDING [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/b1ZXJExy9eE

Articulation - element 7 of authentic learning

These element looks at ways to achieve the previous element, reflection. Specifically, it looks at providing opportunity for the student/s to present their ideas and thoughts to a public audience which could include their peers or experts allowing for various perspectives. The reflection can be a presentation or in written form. Either way requires the audience to give feedback or present questions to the student/s. The discussion or argument that takes place forms a basis of reflection for the student/s (Herrington, 2011).

Mostly in school context the presentations would be to their peers in a classroom, however technology affords the opportunity to present to individuals that work in a relevant field to be reached and for them to be part of the audience.

Reference: Herrington, J. (2011, September 30). Authentic learning 7: ARTICULATION [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/ndwW1GztWRk

Reflection - element 6 of authentic learning

Reflection is an important part of the learning process and therefor an authentic learning process must have reflection as one of its elements. Reflection allows the student to think about decisions made during and after a task. Reflection in action refers to the reflection taken during the activity and can provide the student with opportunities to changes aspects of the work they have done (Herrington, 2011).

Reflection on action refers to the reflection done after a task or activity is completed and provides benefit in retrospect. Thus, allowing the student to think of improved approaches in future tasks.

This reflection happens individually with students but should also happen socially through discussions with experts, their peers and educators (Herrington, 2011).

In a school based assessment, it would be good to have a check in with the students every few days to have them reflect their progress to the teacher. The teacher can also include the making of a reflection journal, whether it be hand written or electronic, part of the assessment criteria.

Reference: Herrington, J. (2011, September 30). Authentic learning 6: REFLECTION [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/7cjks3Yo7Y8