Social Media/ICT to engage History Students: An Exploratory Design

Lloyd Yeo (St Gabriel’s Sec)Ezal (Fairfield Methodist Sec)Chew Ee (St Andrew’s Sec)Tee Koon (St Margaret’s Sec)

Designing History ICT lessons using Flow design

Networked Learning

INTRODUCTION: PROBLEMS OF DESIGNING ICT LESSONS

• The digital native (Prensky, 2001)

• Teacher attitudes towards technology predict teacher and student technology use and instructional approach [p<0.05]

(Palak & Walls, 2009)

Pedagogic use of ICT:“3 important characteristics are good quality T&L in ICT are: autonomy, adaptability, creativity (Lowther et al.,2008)

The tech-savvy who loves everything but your subject/ learning

Technical or design of the ICT project? The ICT enviornment? Pedagogical use of ICT

How we tackled the challenge How we wanted to expand on our thinking

about the challenge (thus our sharing at the History LT/ ST network meeting)

ST-LT Network as a platform and the notion of networked learning.

What did we do?

Networked Learning in retrospect

Networked learning occurs when people from different schools in a network engage with each other to inquire into practice, innovate, exchange knowledge and learn together

New knowledge and mindset created:

Collaborative work and inquiry

Public knowledge:

theory, knowledge &

effective practice

Practitioner Knowledge: Practitioner

experience and contextual knowledge

Address a problem or interestReflect together by:o Reflecting together on tt problem/interesto Relate theory, practice to experienceo Develop ideas Inquire into own practice through critical

reflectionLearn from others through their

experience and tap on their expertise/ strengths

What is it we did?

Methods & theory: Flow

BLOOM’S NEW TAXONOMY

Anderson, Krathwohl, Airasian, Cruikshank, Mayer, Pintrich, Raths, Wittrock, 2000; Pohl, 2000

Part 1: Creating a closed andsafe environment on social media: Teaching the content, exemplars and use of music

www.animoto.com

Toon-Do

Part 2: Task designSimple rubrics: historical accuracy +

images + music choice + rationaleStoryboardingGroup workCaption/Words Image Location/

Who

Person Role

Part 3: Show & Tell/ Feedback/ Class inquiryWeekly show and commentsUnderstanding thought processes for the group

Findings/ Evidence

• Students reported spending between 7-21 hours on the project to get the image and sync it to the music. This self-report is symptomatic of ‘flow’.

Their group process and decision-making skills involved a ‘leader’ who ‘put things together or having a space /place large enough for them to work together for about 5-6 hrs

DiscussionThe need for some assumptions to be re-evaluated when designing ICT enriched lessons:• Students need to be trained first. Also teachers.• CA and marks are important drivers/ motivators for

performance tasks• Use of Flow [challenge and support protocols] for

designing ICT lessons • The Medium is the message (McLuhan, 1964)

Limitations

Small sample size (not really with a research design) Anecdotal evidence based on unstructured interviews Reliability and validity of tools to measure ‘flow’. (eg.

Self-report and beep test) How do you know what students find challenging/

enjoyable? References

1. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990) Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper and row2. Prensky, M. (2010) Digital natives, digital immigrants, On the Horizon, MCB University Press, 9,5.3. Inan, F.A. & Lowther, D.L. (2010) Factors affecting technology integration in K-12 classrooms: a path model. Educational Technology research & development, April ,58 (2), pp137-154.4. McLuhan, M. (1964) Understanding the Media: The extension of Man. New York: Mentor5. Palak, D., Walls, R.T., & Wells, J.G. (2006) Integration of Instruction Technology: A Device to Deliver Instruction or a Tool to Foster Learning. International Journal of Instructional Media

Think of an ICT activity you want or have and discuss

DESIGN PROTOCOL 1Challenge Was there complexity for the learner based

on his/her skill level? How was this complexity bridged?

Were there clear goals and was it perceived as important by the learner? What was the main motivator for the learner?

Was there a clear goal for task in terms of developing a deeper understanding for a concept and/ or language task? (Eg. "Talking like a historian etc")

How was the opportunity to demonstrate one's performance done? How was recognition given for good work?

Support

How does the task build positive teacher-student relations and positive relationships among group members?

How was timely and constructive feedback given?

What are the opportunities for the person and group to be active and interactive?

DESIGN PROTOCOL 2

Beginnings and Development of Project as a network

Some thoughts: What was done which was different from typical practice?

What made the project successful:?Individual and group level

How were challenges overome?

New Knowledge: with LT-BT interest group: - Analysis of other schools and

introspective approach to project

through joint presentation

Literature review and technology availability

PK: Sharing on Flow at LT-

BT History Subject Chapter meeting

Student work/ Design Protocols/ Student ad-verbatim as basis for

discussion

Where do we go from here?

Ezal : Rubrics/ measurement tools

Tee Koon: Narrative writing/ multiple lenses/ lens of journalist

Joint platform/ paper presentation using ST-LT platform

The Next Step