Dealing with Data - Session 4 "Hump Week"

Dealing with Data - Session 4 "Hump Week"

I had to laugh when Dorothy opened the session with an explanation that we had hit 'hump week' of the Digital Fluency Initiative PLD. I think I breathed an outward sigh of relief that the sessions weren't going to get trickier.  I am surviving and I'm quietly chuffed each week with how many new tips I pick up and implement.  I can confirm that Phil's earlier claim in 2020 was indeed correct... this is the best PLD! (Big statement... I know... you have to do it, I guess to believe it). 

Today's session was about the 'Share' component of the Manaiakalani kaupapa and I love it when the team uses the metaphor of the 'hook from heaven'.  In addition to 'Share' we were also tackling spreadsheets and I think the word 'tackling' works in nicely with spreadsheets because they can be tricky - conditional formatting, formulas (are your eyes glazing over at the mere thought) etc...

First of all, I'd like to start my Blog with a revelation from one of the last sessions of the day.  I think (?) it was Mele's blog (student blog) that we looked at, and I was staggered to see that she'd had over 130,000 hits since 2014.  The reach and impact  is phenomenal on so many levels and you really get a sense of the importance of audience and the power of Blogger as a tool.  I had a quick catch up with Maria about our students blogs today and my understanding is we are ready to deploy, so I am keen to discuss - audience engagement, cybersafety, blog commenting etc... with the team at our next catch up.  

I'm not sure it's very politically correct to admit to not being the biggest 'Blogger' fan when you are actually using the platform.  That's probably not the best look.  However, I had a shift in perspective today and Dorothy's explanation/metaphor of Blogger as the car/vehicle that the children learn to 'drive' on (the Granny car if you like), rather than the Ferrari that they all wish for.  Made a lot of sense to me.  Blogger is absolutely, 'meat and potatoes' but if it does what we want it to (and it does) then let's not jump to the fade.

I think it would be fair to say that opinions on the humble spreadsheet often diverge - some of us are traumatised by complex formulas and others celebrated as spreadsheet ninja's.  The facilitators did well to cater for the range of abilities in the group and I picked up some great tips from Jeremy on conditional formatting, data validation etc... I felt quite proud that I managed to keep up in this session and I picked up some excellent tips.  I made a solid start on a simple 'Fale' (House Points) table for our New Windsor Way competition and Jeremy showed us a great example of how we can expand this tool across classes/school.  

I have another list of LOVES from today 

• Access and tips on Hapara dashboard - I also signed up to the Hapara forum on a recommendation from Dorothy.  
• Google Forms and a reminder that I can break up my survey's into sections.
• Google Maps and a good overview of how I can use this tool for tasks such as mapping out the school Cross Country

As an aside, I also really enjoyed the opportunity to have a walk around Papakura Central School and could make a number of connections to New Windsor - same decile, similar size, similar demographic, they even had the same Auditorium as us.  Realisation #2 we desperately need heat pumps in our space.   I'm all over that!

DFI goes online again for us next week and because we can't make the Friday session because of our Kahui Ako CoLference we are online.  

Another great day.  Thank you team. 

Week 3 and DFI goes online

Week 3 and DFI goes online. Friday saw a change to the Digital Fluency Initiative with a move from the Face to Face format to Online via Google Meet.  Seven hours of online concentration was certainly intense and it's interesting to reflect on the pro's and con's for my learning style preference.  

Pro's for online learning

• It was WONDERFUL to have an extra 45 minutes in bed, and given Auckland's traffic it was great to not have to battle my way from the West (Onehunga) to East Auckland (Point England).  
• Great to practice my Google Meet skills.  Our initial platform of choice for Online Learning last year was Zoom, and we came across Google Meet at the beginning of this year in response to our commitment to Ako Hiko. So I'm fairly new to Google Meet and it's great to be able to pick up some tricks and tips on maximising the potential in this app.  
• Sunshine (my puppy) loved having me at home.  I sorta rued the decision to not her take her to doggy daycare, which is our usual routine for Friday's but after her initial over excitement she did settle down to being good company. 
• I had to really concentrate the whole time and not try and multi-task, answer emails etc... as I couldn't rely on Maria and Paulette to repeat what I'd missed. 

Con's for online learning 

• I missed my buddies (Paulette and Maria) and I find I consolidate my thinking and processing by making connections to my own and others thoughts.  I really enjoy the in between chat with colleagues and I find this really suits my learning style - I'M A TALKER :-)

All in all I think it was great to try a change of format for the day, but on balance I'm happy that I elected to participate in the Face to Face programme.  

So back to the reflections on the kaupapa from Friday - CREATE.  

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge what a talented facilitator Dorothy is. The team is all very engaging in their own rights and styles :-)  Our weekly Connecting with Manaiakalani sessions are fast becoming my fave part of the day. Dorothy oozes passion and speaks with real conviction and expertise on the pedagogy behind "Learn, Create, Share'.  I, too am a big fan of 'Create' and we can make real connections to our school values - where 'Creativity' is front and centre.  My take-away from this session was that the 'Learn' can be embedded in the 'Create' experiences and that also simply making a slideshow - isn't Create!  It's what are doing with this....good food for thought as we support our teachers with this mahi.  

I really love any professional learning where you have something that you can take away and use immediately.  I have made a good start on my digital pepeha and I picked up some great time saving tips in this session with google slides.  

I saw some excellent potential in Google Drawing and the chalk and talk session with Jeremy in our digital bubble was a great way to get ourselves familiar with this app.  I've decided my portrait won't be featuring on here, but I have the gist of how I can use this for creating flow charts, using it for art lessons with the children.  Times like this I wish I had my own class!

Here is the link to my digital pepeha  I wasn't going to post this until I had finished and then I realised that was silly and I it's ok to show it as a work in progress.  

 

Week 2, DFI - Workflow

 

DFI Week 2 and the word of the day was TAMING! - 'Ways to efficiently manage and keep track of our lives'.  It was like the whole day was designed just for me!   As the last blog post will testify to (check out Jeremy's face in the photo) 'taming' is definitely what my google apps needed * specifically my tabs.  

Maybe it was the lollies.... but I coped better with the pace in DFI this week. It could also be that my brain was back in work mode!  The agenda kept a similar format to Week 1, and this week's programme was all about 'workflow'. I am now cued into concentrating to the facilitator -  "Learn", then afterwards we have an opportunity to have a 'play' in our own space/making meaning.  Maria/Paulette and I then have some time to discuss and "Share" how we might use this individually or with the wider school.  

Certainly another week of 'I LOVE THIS' moments, with so many tips that I can integrate back into my workflow.  

I am going to scale my 'takeaways' into a bullet point list again with my most important 'a-ha's' at the top

• Google Meet:  I really enjoyed the opportunity to practice some new skills in Google Meet.  NWS was late to this app as we originally started our Digital Learning in Zoom in 2020 and transitioned across to 'Meet' this year as part of our commitment to Ako Hiko.  Sophia (my new DFI friend from May Road) was very patient with me as I learnt how to use my new headphones that Paulette bought me (notice the pink).  Note to self - it helps when you turn the mic on (face palm).  So key tips for me in this session were 'recording' and 'presenting mode' which I am going to make sure I use in my consulting role over the next few weeks.  Check out my nifty video from my practice session with Sophia.  

• Learn - connecting with the kaupapa. This workshop was a Google Meet session with Dorothy (who was in Christchurch) and I made lots of connections to our local curriculum development that is underway. Great question - 'What does 'Learn' look like at NWS and what are our 'go to' high leverage practices. I immediately scheduled a meeting with our Senior Team to discuss our T-shaped literacy and to explore this further with the team.

• Google Keep - I LOVED Fiona's suggestion to add in an email (as a reference) to a To Do list, such a sensible idea for helping to support workflow.
• My Gmail and Calendars are relatively under control (ish) but there were more great tips on - shortcuts, scheduled send and I will take some time over the next week or so to go back to the helpful presentations to follow up on the teaching points.

After looking at Jeremy's Blog - I am also going to commit to adding in a Bio and picture of me across in the gadgets, and look at trying to add in a New Windsor Picture/logo at the top of my blog.... let's see how I get on with those tasks.

Question for Jeremy?   Did the team get a pass mark today?  

Realisation - DFI is online next week!  So no lollies and Maria and Paulette, holding my hand.  

Note - Maybe moving to the front of the room did help... 

Friends - It was lovely to make a new connection on Friday.  A shout out to Sophia from May Road.

Digital Fluency Initiative - Mind Blown...

You know you really enjoy the PLD when you find yourself doing your homework on a Friday night at 9.00pm!

Today was our first session of 'DFI'  professional learning and as purported it was INTENSE.  In fact, there were times in the session that I was having some real 'learning pit' moments. 

* see that sweaty face... that was me!

The amazing Phil (Ako Hiko Trust) had really sold this PLD to Maria, Paulette and I, last year, as the 'best PLD, that he'd ever been on'!  Although we were a teeny bit skeptical of such a bold claim, I am already thinking that I can see why he would say this!

 

I'm going to start with the statement that Dorothy, Jacob and Jeremy are probably the most patient people in the world!  I asked a lot of questions (underline and bold) - much to Paulette and Maria's delight.  On  consideration, I think I'm going to move myself to one of the front tables next week!  This will help with my eye sight (I am new to glasses) but also, so that I don't miss anything.  It's a whirlwind pace!  

So, what is 'DFI' - it stands for:  Digital Fluency Intensive, and as the name suggests (and is explained) it is an intensive (more bold, underlining) nine week professional learning group focussed on the following goals:  

1. Our teachers/leaders are supported to acquire fluency using the basic tools our young people use for learning.  
2. Our teachers/leaders are supported to acquire fluency using the basic tools required for effective teaching, planning, assessment and professional learning.  
3. Our teachers/leaders are supported to understand how digital technologies used effectively can have a significant impact on accelerating achievement outcomes.
4. Our teachers/leaders are supported to understand how the Manaiakalani pedagogy and kaupapa has been co-constructed over more than a decade to maximise the impact of effective teaching and learning in a digital learning environment.  

Learnings from Day 1

Well, where to start!  By 9.30am I had learnt more 'tips' in an hour and a half than I had in probably years!  By lunchtime my brain was full and by 1.30pm I was thinking it would be nice to lay my head down on the table for a quick rest.

I love the format of the sessions and the agenda for the day is perfectly balanced and the timetable strictly adhered to.  I can see the commitment to this scheduling by the team is critical in ensuring that the material planned for is covered and that the pace in the sessions remains snappy.  A tricky balance, which I acknowledge is hard in a room with learners that are up and down the continuum of abilities in each of the topics.  * I hope that this paragraph doesn't sound like a yelp review of a restaurant visit... 

I really want to list out all of my learnings in a stream of consciousness because there were literally so many take-aways.  

It was GREAT for Dorothy to begin the day with an overview of the background of the journey, context on the Manaiakalani kaupapa.  What an incredible and truly inspirational journey it has been.  I am relatively new to the Ako Hiko Trust (17 months into the job) and I have missed much of this backstory.  

Learn, Create, Share is fundamental pedagogy and this is kept at the forefront of the programme.  I loved that this was modelled throughout the agenda and this was a very authentic way to reinforce this model.  

If you'd asked me yesterday, I wouldn't have described myself as a 'slouch' in google land.  I've been operating in the 'cloud' for around 15 years now when I reflect back to my early days at Reremoana.  We were fairly early adopters in this space - BYOD, Hapara etc..., and I can attribute (and thank) a trip out to Point England kura way back then, for setting us on the right track! However, doing PLD like this gives you a perspective on how much there is to know and the importance of committing to ongoing training and workshops.  One of the key reasons for engaging in this PLD is that I am self taught with many of my I.T skills, and I am cognisant and have now had that confirmed that there are many ways I could streamline my workflow and make my (and others) lives easier!  

Commitments, I am making: 

• Tidy up my blog, I have LOTS of homework to do in this space.  Thank you Jeremy for your patience with my questions.  
• Reorganise my google drive, with some nifty new tricks
• Find a new profile picture for my google profile
• Links to 'alias' folders - between the staff and board folders
• Streamlining comms and workflow
• Use my new google docs tips for my board reporting - headings, Table of Contents, explore and text to type
• Removebg - do you know about this little gem?  Wonderful for tidying up images and removing backgrounds. Easy peesy to use.  
• Follow up with Maria and Paulette about the Running Record Voice to Type function/activity
• Look at google groups for the Kahui Ako Principals, SLT at New Windsor
• The commitment from Maria, Paulette and I on sharing this new learning with our NWS staff. 

The list really goes on and on... OH!  I'd also better commit to tidying up my tabs, desktop and open folders.  I thought Jeremy was going to have a conniption when he saw my desktop.  I am worried, I am going to become the cautionary tale of what NOT to do, in the next couple of sessions. I guess we wait for the next instalment in that space.   

I can't wait for next week and I'm gushing about how FABULOUS today was.... well after I'd had a little nap.  

A big thank you to the team for their mahi today.  I am incredibly appreciative. 

Lisa