digital learning collaborative research

What the research shows

The conversation about what kids need to know and to be able to do by the end of high school has gradually shifted over the past several years to emphasize not just rigorous content goals, but also less tangible skills, such as creative thinking, problem-solving and collaboration. That shift has brought schools that are practicing "deeper learning" into focus.

Research into Gaming

Great quick reference

Creative confidence is really two things combined. It's the natural ability to come up with breakthrough ideas, combined with the courage to act on them.

"Among teachers in a 1:1 or BYOD classroom, 15% use subject-specific content tools every week. 37% use information and reference tools every week. 18% of these teachers use teacher tools on a weekly basis. 20% of those surveyed use digital curricula weekly."

"Video game Minecraft is being used to educate children on everything from science to city planning to speaking a new language."

"This address briefly traverses the successes and failures of the past before examining the evidence that may give some clues to the future challenges of using digital technologies and digital media in education. However, is Australian education and training in a position to address these challenges? The capacity of education to meet the future challenges of using technology for teaching and learning is the focus of this presentation."

"n this essay, Philip and Garcia argue that visions of mobile devices in the classroom often draw on assumptions about the inherent interests youth have in these devices, the capability of these interests to transfer from out-of-school contexts to the classroom, and the capacity for these new technologies to equalize the educational playing field."

The learning needs of today's students no longer fit the traditional model. Rather than simply learning facts and basic skills, they need to acquire more complex skills in conceptualisation and problem solving. They need affective and metacognitive skills, and the capacity to work collaboratively and to work across disciplines. They need the dispositions required to pursue such learning. They also need learning experiences of the kind of tasks that they may expect to meet in adult life. Such learning requires authentic assessment, designed to demonstrate their grasp of the skills and competencies needed to address real-life problems, and formative assessment, or assessment for learning, designed to provide learners with feedback on their progress to inform their development. The article discusses the application of higher-level questioning, marking and feedback strategies, the establishment of shared learning goals between teacher and student, and peer- and self-assessment.

This week DERN reviews an outstanding study about teacher's views of school practices that reveals the powerful effects of professional collaboration among teachers, with support from the Principal. The study surveyed 2,404 educators in schools across the US. Most of the respondents were experienced classroom teachers and specialist staff in public schools at all levels (elementary, middle, high) of schooling. The findings are reported in a 37 page very readable and ground breaking report.

"Blumenfeld et al. (1991) identified six contributions that technology can make to the learning process: * enhancing interest and motivation; * providing access to information; * allowing active, manipulable representations; * structuring the process with tactical and strategic support; * diagnosing and correcting errors; * managing complexity and aiding production."

"The eighth big idea is we are entering a digital world where knowing about digital technology is as important as reading and writing. So learning about computers is essential for our students' futures BUT the most important purpose is using them NOW to learn about everything else."

A recent research report of the take-up of laptops in a Sydney region of 14 secondary schools is very informative. The research examined the take up and use of laptops by 47 science teachers and 1245 students. The DER provided the laptops for the students whereas the schools provided the laptops for the teachers. The research developed a misalignment index that indicated differences between the use of laptops by teachers and by students that had implications for learning.

How can you get the best out of your teachers and improve student learning? Edutopia's research analyst explains some of the best practices found by researchers to help ensure educator growth and success.

Software in the Cloud: HOT Common Core Online: HOT iPads: HOT Tablets Other Than iPads: LUKEWARM The Flipped Classroom: LUKEWARM Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): HOT Textbooks: LOSING STEAM Social Media as a Teaching and Learning Tool: LOSING STEAM E-portfolios: LUKEWARM Interactive Projectors and Whiteboards: LOSING STEAM

Monitoring anticipated tech changes

This is a very helpful glimpse. Very useful for focusing our precious energy, time and budget.

"The NMC Horizon Report: 2012 K-12 Edition examines emerging technologies for their potential impact on and use in teaching, learning and creative inquiry within the environment of pre-college education. This article adapted from sections of the report. The report highlights six emerging technologies or practices that are likely to enter mainstream use within the next five years. Key trends and challenges that will affect current practice over the same period frame these discussi"

Cursive writing, once the backbone of the three Rs of schooling - reading, writing and arithmetic - has fallen into such disuse these days that many youngsters will grow up unable to read their own parents' handwriting.