Week 5 Digital Fluency Initiative - Collaboration/Google Sites

 

Week 5 Digital Fluency Initiative - Collaboration/Google Sites

A return to the online format for DFI for Maria and I yesterday.  This saw a change of cohort and day to make up the lesson that we were going to miss through our Accord Day, Kahui Ako professional learning.  I don't know what it was, but yesterday, was considerably easier for me. Wendy (the Assistant Principal at New Windsor) has given me a good name for this - I'm developing 'match fitness'.   I felt more confident in the online space and am finding it easier to attend throughout the days as my skills develop, and I get used to the speed of the facilitation. 

I was a fairly early adopter to google sites and have operated both personal sites (for a variety of reasons) and professional school sites (staff intranets) at three of schools.  I even remember the original google sites - classic, which I think makes me sound a little long in the tooth.  I think the refresh has been incredible and it's links seamlessly to google drive, the full suite and as always it's ease of use making it incredible for collaboration.  I often use the metaphor of a 'filing cabinet' for google sites, but yesterday's professional learning gave me some great insights into the power of the 'look and feel'.  "Multi-modal" was probably my buzz word from yesterday and it's given me a fresh perspective on the power of the hook for engaging the audience.  

The notion and importance of the landing or home page as the window or hook into the content for the learner made me think that I need to spend some time looking at the NWS site and planning for:

• Refresh/tidy up
• Hook/engagement
• SiSoMO - Sight, Sound, Motion
• Ease of use

I love to come away and think of an opportunity to use my new found skills and tips in an authentic task/opportunity and I have decided to commit to moving one of my google slide presentations on the school Local Curriculum development/school history into a 'site'.  I think there is more opportunity in this app to share the resources using the SiSoMo philosophy of * Sight * Sound * Motion.  With some time over the long weekend, I'm going to make a start!  

I really enjoyed the opportunity to have a look at the T-shaped Literacy database created by one of the wonderful contributors to the Manaiakalani Innovative Teachers.  I'm going to follow up with Paulette, Maria and Phil next week on how we plan to introduce this into our teaching and learning programmes.  I am mindful of the number of initiatives we have on the go and how full everyone's plate is, but I think it is worthwhile putting this pedagogy on the table for discussion and seeing where it fits in the 'grand plan'.  

Insights

* The Hapara Hot tips are always a really interesting and valuable 15 minutes in the programme and as New Windsor School gets up and running with our individual student blogs this will be very helpful in being able to contribute and make the learning 'visible'.  

* Some new tips and reminders in Google Site and considerably more understanding on the importance of layout

* In the busyness of a working week it's not very often that I get an opportunity to check out teacher websites and it was great to see some high quality examples of multi-modal sites, and also T-Shaped Literacy.  I really appreciated this opportunity.  

* The importance of the notion of visibility in the learning and removing barriers - e.g locking parents/whanau out through passwords!  Visibility is essentially set as the default mindset.

A big thank you to Vicki, Phil and the wider team for being so welcoming and accomodating in facilitating our request to move days. 

Note to myself that I need to go back and ensure I can 'present' with the new update to Google Meet.... I think I need to set up a system preference in my Mac to enable this....  

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

 Springboard Trust - PLD Journey

On the back of my last entries it seems this Blog is morphing into a PLD journal.  I'll take some time in the holiday's to actually work out who my audience is, and the potential for how I am using it.  I must also take some time to see what the other Principals in the Kahui Ako, are doing with their ones...However, in the meantime I wanted to do a post on my Term 1 PLD with the Springboard Trust and how much I am loving working with my capacity partner.  

Firstly, a little background on the Springboard Trust and the PLD that our Leadership Team is engaged in.  The Springboard Trust has a lovely little catch phrase 'It takes a village to raise a strong school environment'.  I agree with this wholeheartedly, and further to this, it is important to bring that journey to each and every member of a school's leadership team. 

Springboard Trust's High Performing Leadership Team programme helps schools develop a shared vision, understanding and planning for high performance. This term our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) has been lucky enough to engage in this PLD, and I for one, am loving it.  

One of the strategies I really enjoy is connecting with colleagues/experts in their field to share practice and problem-solve collectively. While I am incredibly fortunate to have be able to connect and collaborate through my local Principal Association, Kāhui Ako,  Ako Hiko, and friends (a number of who are Principals). I have realised there are other opportunities to build a strong professional network outside of the education sector and I am going to invest time in strengthening these relationships.

I am working with a 'Capacity Partner' her name is Nicky and for privacy I won't tell you what company she works for but she is an expert in Human Resources.  I meet with Nicky about once a fortnight and we discuss lots of topics -

• strengths
• next steps/challenges
• up and coming professional learning..what's on top - really'.  

I love talking with Nicky, she is highly relational and has a plethora of amazing experiences and resources which she is happy to share with me.  Last week Nicky and I discussed the schools coaching and leadership programme and she shared a new clip and book with me and it really resonated.

The book is called: Wayfinding Leadership: Ground-breaking Wisdom for Developing Leaders and I have to admit to not reading it (YET).  However, I have watched this Youtube clip and I made lots of connections. 

By way of background, Chellie mixes modern theories of leadership with the ancient Polynesian traditions of wayfinding, such as how the Maori found their way to New Zealand. This clip presents a new way of leading by looking to traditional waka navigators or wayfinders for the skills and behaviours needed in modern leaders. It's a very approachable 20 minute journey into wayfinding and leading, discussing principles of wayfinding philosophy, giving examples of how these have been applied in businesses and communities, and providing action points for leaders to practise and reflect on the skills they are learning.

I am really keen to share this clip with the wider SLT and get their feedback on leadership through a Te Ao Maori lens…..

Nicky is an absolute gem! I feel incredibly fortunate and come away each and every session with something practical I am going to follow up on.