Reflective Entry #4

Reflective entry #4:

Planning is well under way for the changes taking place within our school next year. Many staff will be moving from single-celled classrooms into the new open classroom block, many will be switching teaching levels, and we will be introducing a number of new staff. With the support of an external facilitator developing our staff’s capabilities on collaborative practice, frequent korero have been providing staff the opportunity to discuss the pedagogy behind the new systems and processes we need to establish for next year.  From these korero, two key issues frequently entered the conversation. How could we ensure all teachers were able to collaborate, reflect and be a part of each student’s learning journey and, what would be the best digital tool to use to increase engagement from both the students and their families? 

One of the benefits of the recent Lockdown was that we were able to explore the advantages and drawbacks of a range of different digital tools and platforms within our educational setting. In an effort to provide comprehensive and user-friendly distance learning, teachers explored online tools such as Google Classroom, Google Drive, Epic, Reading Eggs, Scholastic, and Seesaw, as well as video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Teams. While all had merit, one tool seemed to gain the most traction, especially amongst our younger tamariki and their families. Parents, students and teachers all commented on the user-friendliness of Seesaw. Teachers valued the collaborative aspect of Seesaw, with the ability to share, access resources and activities amongst and across the teaching teams, the ability to connect with students and parents with ease, the ability for students and families to easily access work assigned, and vice versa to share their own work with the teachers and their peers. Some parent survey responses after the lockdown around the use of Seesaw corroborate this:  

• Super accessible and informative. 

• Both parents and kids were kept up to date with the schedule and tools were provided for how to access them as well.    

• Easy to access for both of us   

• Wonderful selection of activities and easy to access through Seesaw.

Therefore,  by connecting the research we have done to date around the principles of Universal Design for Learning, Cultural Responsiveness and Indigenous Knowledge, as well as exploring the benefits and drawbacks of a range of digital platforms, and finally, considering parent and student voice and discussions amongst staff, we have narrowed down our Research Question to the following:  

If we connect our teaching teams to work collaboratively within the Seesaw For Schools platform, will we achieve our goal of raising student achievement and also increase whanau engagement of our learners, especially those of Māori and Pasifika descent? 

Some of the benefits already experienced by pockets of the students and staff previously using Seesaw, has been a noticeable increase in digital literacy amongst students, staff and families, and increased opportunity for building students’ collaborative skills. If we take a focused, school-wide approach to implementing Seesaw for Schools, it should create a school-wide culture of collaboration as well as increase digital capabilities amongst families enabling more avenues for family engagement.

How this research question embodies a Kaupapa Māori approach

Implementing Seesaw for Schools will enable our team to have access to the school and digital activity libraries. Therefore, sharing amongst our staff, local schools, across the country, and even globally allows for the development of the whole educational community and this collaboration aligns with the Kaupapa Maori approach of a collective vision. Aspiring to build a community of learning that educates our students across all lines, will be for the betterment of all our students.  

Without the confines of the limitations of geography, funding and resourcing we can follow the principle of Kia piki ake i nga raruraru o te kainga - the Principle of Socio-Economic Mediation. Removing the pre-existing barriers known to hinder a child’s growth and development will further enable them to reach their full potential.  Also, utilizing the resources from other schools, perhaps with a higher Māori staff and student population, would also educate our staff on using practices that are inherent and unique to the Maori community and further develop the Ako Maori principle of creating a culturally preferred pedagogy. 

Lastly, as discussed in Russell Bishop’s (2019) book, Teaching to the North-East, relationships are fundamental to learning and throughout the book he stresses the importance of creating an extended family-like context for our learners. “The impact of our relationships will stay with them and impact upon their lives forever” p.58. This means, in our new classroom setting, where many students will be working within one large space, moving between a team of teachers, it is vital that we find ways to maintain the close personal relationships Maori students find so valuable to their self-belief in their potential. Seesaw for Schools will allow for teachers to relay material to a large group of students, eliminating the need for exces teacher “chalk and talk” time,  while also providing them more opportunities to communicate one on one with their students, increasing opportunities for discursive interactions to create caring relationships that can also be extended to the wider families.

We have quite the challenge ahead of us though, as Barnes (2013) states, “Through critical research inquiry, Pākehā and non-Māori can take proactive steps in affirming Māori educational aspirations, while also facilitating discussion about common educational visions for the 21st century.” And so our research continues...

References

Barnes, A. (2013). What Can Pakeha Learn from Engaging in Kaupapa Maori Educational Research? Working Paper 1. New Zealand Council for Educational Research. PO Box 3237, Wellington 6140 New Zealand.

Bishop, R. (2019). Teaching to the north-east: Relationship-based learning in practice.

Ministry of Education. (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners.

Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Education. (2013). Ka Hikitia: Accelerating success (2013–2017). Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Rangahau.(n.d.).Principles of Kaupapa Māori. http://www.rangahau.co.nz/research-idea/27/

Smith, G. H. (1992). Research issues related to Maori education. In NZArE Special Interest conference, massey University, reprinted in.

Reflective Entry #3

 Reflective Entry #3

“More and more Pākehā and non-Māori are attempting to work with a variety of Māori groups throughout the education landscape” (A Barnes, 2013). A very true reality for many schools across New Zealand and one clearly evident in our own school where we have no members of our staff that are of Maori descent. 

Therefore, building the Cultural Competencies of our teachers has continually remained a top priority for our school and as an annual goal derived from the school’s Strategic Plan. We could make the assumption that this is a continual focus for many schools across the country as it has also been identified as a strategic goal for our own South Auckland Catholic Schools Kahui Ako as well as the local Franklin School’s Kahui Ako Cluster of 19 schools. On a wider scale, from conversations with personal colleagues and those working across New Zealand within the Mindlab June intake, it remains a focus for many of their schools as well. On an even broader scope, having many colleagues working across Canada where Lori emigrated from, we can attest to the fact that cultural responsiveness remains a focus there as well. This would suggest that it is a competency that is continually shifting and evolving and that we know directly affects student achievement, hopefully the priority and goal of every educational system, so it is a focus that must continue to inform and influence our teaching and learning pedagogies and practices. 

 

In our own school, we have made it a priority to unpack the Tapasā document. Firstly, through professional development provided by the Ministry in 2019. Then, through a number of staff PLD held throughout the year, where we called on external expertise from guest speakers in the local community as well as within our CoL, we have been able to grow our staff’s capabilities in Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsiveness. It has been a powerful experience, to say the least, to work alongside our colleagues as we were challenged by the preconceived biases and many misconceptions that existed amongst the staff around how our Pacific learners, families and communities engaged with their education. Through this journey we discovered the same could be said for our ignorance around our Maori learners, families and communities as well. By being honest in identifying where they sat within the framework of each of the Turu, our staff felt more open in moving forward in our journey towards growing our capabilities in indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness. A common area that we identified as a staff for further development was Turu 3: Effective Pacific pedagogies (2018) and how we could implement approaches that would be most effective in connecting with our Pacific learners. 

Well-named, this document has established itself as a “compass” for our staff in navigating the intricacies of building our understanding of the dynamic and constantly evolving nuances that make up the diverse cultures represented at our school.  Another resource helping to inform our teaching practice has been the 2020-2030 Action Plan for Pacific Education. Our key focus from this document in relation to our research has been in enabling every educator to work collaboratively to become culturally competent with our diverse Pacific learners and to support them to thrive in the educational setting. Simply put, we need a pedagogy within our school that will value and understand the unique identities of our students.

An observation to be made is how effortlessly all these documents mentioned above, align with the competencies of Ako, Whanaungatanga, Wananga, Manaakitanga, and Tangata Whenuatanga explored in the Tataiako document (2011). Again, it is no surprise that these documents give such a similar message; the strategies we put in place for our Maori and Pacific learners will ultimately benefit all students within our schools, no matter their cultural make-up. Within our school community we currently have 12% Maori, 23% Pasifika (consisting predominantly of Kiribati and Tongan descent), and a rapidly growing Filipino community making up 11% of our student population, with the rest of the students coming from a range of other ethnicities. Through our research, which will ultimately inform our practice, we are aware we need to identify strategies to cater to the cultural mosaic that exists within our school community. 

With the impending massive shift from single-celled classrooms to a new purpose- built collaborative flexible learning environment looming for the start of next year, we know the implementation of the core principles of Universal Design for Learning such as Engagement, Representation and Action and Expression, will be key when developing our new pedagogy and how we will decide to use our new space. Connecting these principles to our growing understanding of cultural responsiveness and indigenous knowledge, we need to keep some key considerations at the forefront throughout this design process. Considerations such as our Maori and Pacific students ethnic-specific learning styles and preferences, to ensure we are creating culturally safe spaces and settings within the new building and grounds. We also need to ensure we are up to date on professional learning and development in our understanding of Pacific and Māori pedagogy. This is where utilising resources such as Tapasā, Tātaiako, the Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030, Ka Hikitia, and Tau Mai te Reo are so vital in the design process. And lastly, we need to consider how we will demonstrate in our school’s pedagogy our ability to value the identity, language and culture of all our students to create productive partnerships for all our tamariki as outlined in the Ka Hikitia strategy. No small feat, but we feel up to the challenge.

References

Barnes, A. (2013). What Can Pakeha Learn from Engaging in Kaupapa Maori Educational Research? Working Paper 1. New Zealand Council for Educational Research. PO Box 3237, Wellington 6140 New Zealand.

Education in New Zealand. (2020, October 21). Action plan for Pacific education 2020-2030. https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/overall-strategies-and-policies/action-plan-for-pacific-education-2020-2030/

Education in New Zealand. (2020, August 17). Tau Mai te reo. https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/overall-strategies-and-policies/tau-mai-te-reo/

Ministry of Education. (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners.

Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Education. (2013). Ka Hikitia: Accelerating success (2013–2017). Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Education. (2018). Tapasā. Retrieved from http://www.elearning.tki.org.nz/News/TapasaCultural-Competencies-Framework-for-Teachers-of-Pacific-Learners

Reflective Entry #2

 Reflective Entry #2

The world of education has had a dramatic shift, it has moved from being driven by content knowledge to a focus on our tamariki's wellbeing and their diverse educational needs. We as educators need to find a way to bridge the gap between what we know works as educators while still involving our stakeholders, bringing them into the new era of education where they still feel safe and informed. Bae states “without a systematic way to interrupt current practice in the classroom the impact of these barriers is repeatedly faced by each generation without significant forward motion to break the cycle once & for all” (2018). Therefore, our stakeholder's views are integral to the development and implementation of UDL within our school. While researching the principles of UDL we have discussed the needs of our Tamariki, the influence of our local community, the alignment to our national education system and connections with current global theories.

In the design of our new building we have discussed, researched (and stressed) over the setup and what will work for our tamariki and the various stakeholders. We have discussed how we can use digital technology and collaborative practices to empower our tamariki to produce better student outcomes.  We have researched the ways in which we can develop systems where our stakeholders are aware of the philosophies we are using and how they are improving our student's knowledge and behaviour.  We have dissected the various ways that our national colleagues are approaching education and best practice in UDL.  Finally, through research, we have noticed a trend developing internationally where there is a growing shift towards a more inclusive and collaborative approach to teaching and learning.

 

When looking at the perspective of our students using UDL, it allows for equal learning opportunities over all the subject areas.  They have access to tools as well as the support to discuss and show their own learning in ways that work for them as an individual.  Their teacher will be responsive and be open to discussing their next learning steps and invite feedback on their own teaching methods. UDL also encourages problem-solving and the development of students learning through their own interests, and encourages student problem solving and decision making. 

 

The lack of this is a massive issue in single-cell schools in New Zealand, where timed tests, whole-class instruction on the mat and no chance for "student voice" has been the norm. Boaler (2005) states that time limitations for learning can have a very negative impact on learning outcomes. She discusses how students who have to do tasks in a certain amount of time will then avoid answering any questions that need deeper problem solving or decision making.  The Ministry of Education states that UDL actually “ identifies and removes barriers to learning hidden in the way we routinely do things”.  This is our goal; a newly designed space that is made with the individual student in mind with a curriculum that allows them to discover and reach their full potential.

The Ministry of Education states that as educators implementing the Universal Design for Learning philosophy, we need to “partner with whānau and welcome their diverse perspectives” (n.d)  These are our second set of Stakeholders.  Traditionally, parents are on the periphery of education, they wait at the door at the end of the day to pick up their child and might see their child’s teacher once a year to look at their child’s progress.  With UDL our parents are invited in to not only discuss their child's progress but to participate in the development of the learning environment for their child, being involved from the ground up.  With UDL our whanau will see that we understand that their child is unique and that their teacher and the environment that they learn in will be catered especially for them.  Most importantly, their child’s learning needs will be met.  In our diverse culture at St Joseph’s Pukekohe, we will also have a range of digital tools available for our students where it will not matter the socio-economic status of their family.  All of our whanau will have equal access to all learning opportunities.

 

The Ministry of Education is very clear in the development of the NZ Curriculum and the goals that they have set share philosophies similar to UDL in all schools. The Ministry states that “a foundation principle of The New Zealand Curriculum is inclusion….As every student learns differently, schools must create flexible, barrier-free learning environments if all students are to become successful, lifelong learners.”(n.d)  The Ministry is spending time and money making sure that all new schools and building are being built to support this type of educational philosophy.  They are also encouraging schools through a very thorough professional development process to develop the knowledge and skills of their staff in areas such as collaboration and digital literacy.  Nationally, more and more research and money have been invested into UDL to guide deliberate coherent innovation in inclusive design for learning.

 

When we look at the wider world context we can see a shift in the way that education is being delivered.  Since the World Declaration on Education for All (UNESCO 1990) and the Salamanca Statement (UNESCO 1994), inclusive education has been a major focus worldwide. The Policy Guidelines on Inclusion in Education (UNESCO 2009) add strength and urgency to this discussion.  

 

Globally, UDL is a recognised philosophy that encourages input from all stakeholders and values their perspectives.  In developing our new space and in growing our capabilities in collaboration, digital technology, culturally awareness, we are excited as we can see how this will promote inclusive education and the philosophy where children of any background, ethnicity and needs are encouraged, inspired and given every opportunity to reach their full potential.  

 

References

 

Boaler, J. (2014). Research Suggests Timed Tests Cause Math Anxiety. Teaching Children Mathematics, 20 (8).

Bae, S., Ofiesh, N. S., Blackorby, J. (2018)

 

Ministry of Education. (n.d.-a). Developing an inclusive classroom culture. TKI. https://www.inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/developing-an-inclusive-classroom-culture/

 

The IRIS Center. (2015). Early childhood environments: Designing effective classrooms. Retrieved from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/env/

 

World Conference on Education for All: Meeting Basic Learning Needs. (1990). World declaration on education for all and framework for action to meet basic learning needs adopted by the World Conference on Education for All: Meeting Basic Learning Needs, Jomtien, Thailand, 5-9 March 1990. New York, N.Y: Inter-Agency Commission (UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank) for the World Conference on Education for All.

 

UNESCO (1994). The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education. Adopted by the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality. Salamanca, Spain, 7-10 June. U.

Reflective Entry #1

Reflective Entry #1

After seven years of funding delays, the wait is finally over. The digger is on-site and we are ready to replace our six, 1950’s single-celled classrooms with a new purpose-built two-storey flexible learning environment. What has been clearly evident throughout this planning exercise is that we need to have clear systems and processes in place before we shift to this new teaching and learning space.  We have the perfect opportunity to research the principles of UDL- Universal Design for Learning to ensure our student’s many diverse needs were catered for within this new space and discover how this approach utilises collaboration and digital technology.

In Moore’s article on Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age, she states that “at the heart of UDL is the view that ‘failure to learn’ is not a measure of the inherent capacity of the learner but a reflection of learning systems that fail to address the needs of all learners.” (2007)  Therefore, we need to consider; how do we incorporate this philosophy and the main principles of UDL into the design and development of our new classroom block that will represent our school’s pedagogy around collaborative and digital learning that will address the diverse needs of all our learners? As the Ministry of Education states "what matters most in schooling" is "achieving equity and excellence in outcomes for an increasingly diverse student population" (Ministry of Education, 2015, p.7). 

Neuroscience has established that each person’s brain activity is unique, not one person is the same. (Kanai 2011) Which means every student’s learning needs are as unique as their fingerprints.  This then makes the case for UDL where Al-Azawei, A., Serenelli, F., & Lundqvist, K. (2016) in their review of UDL, state the “traditional teaching approach of  ‘one-size-fits-all’  cannot meet learner diversity in contemporary learning” anymore. Each student will develop and learn in a very different way to their peers. This is where the UDL guidelines that have been set out so that the educators can design the learning in a way that can cater to the individual needs of each student.

Universal

If we are to understand UDL we need to fully explore each term and it’s potential in the UDL framework.

Universal means that any student anywhere in the world can access and understand the curriculum content, so true Universal learning is ubiquitous and equitable.

Figure 1

                                                                  Flow chart on Brain Networks

Note. Explanation of the three primary brain networks. From Cedar Education. Website URL. https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/mtss-udl-di-dev/UDLstart.html

Learning

Cedar education as seen in figure one names the three primary brain networks in learning that guide the set up of a UDL space.  Recognition, skills and strategies, caring and prioritising. (Cedar education n.d)  Below are the networks and the way in which they have been developed within the UDL model.

Figure 2 - The different networks pathways

Note. Primary brain network. From Cast.org Website URL. 

https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl

Caring and prioritising- (Affective network) Why we are learning

This has also been called engagement. This is where interest is stimulated and the motivation for learning occurs. Cast states in their guidelines that many factors affect this area of the brain some are; “neurology, culture, personal relevance, subjectivity, and background knowledge”.(CAST n.d) Our learners are motivated intrinsically by different external factors. Some are motivated by exciting sensory experiences others find this frightening and would rather strict routines to adhere to. 

Recognition network  - What we are learning

Another term for this is Representation, our learners perceive information differently, this can be because of a special need, culture, familial background or some may find it easier to listen and others to visualise.  So it is vital in a UDL setting that students have a variety of representations of the curriculum for them to learn especially in a digital environment.

Skills and strategies (strategic network) - How we are learning

This is namely action and expression. Each child will express themselves in a very diverse way.  Again this is affected by their physical ability as well as their own experiences.  Some students may enjoy speaking rather than writing information others may find that they can show someone their understanding rather than voice it and so on. It is also important to utilise multiple media forms to teach students as well as allowing them to use that same media to demonstrate their own understanding, in UDL no child will be singled out which shows that it is also a collaborative philosophy.

Design

Design is how we tailor the curriculum and learning experiences to fit the unique fingerprint of our students’ learning needs.  The guidelines also give a framework that teachers can use to make sure that they are covering all aspects of the UDL philosophy.  Core Education as shown in figure 5 has developed a framework for educators to use when they are considering their UDL and if they are truly making it inclusive, collaborative and accessible for all students.

Figure 5 - know your learners

Note. Predictable variability. From Core education.or

UDL develops the 21st-century skills that our students need to ensure their success in the future.  With this philosophy, students will also be engaged in their learning and have access to all the tools for learning, including digital, available to them.  UDL engages not just our tamariki but also their whanau and the local community.  It also supports genuine inquiry with our students and their interests while allowing students to grow in their collaborative relationships with peers.  For this reason, we know that as a school, implementing UDL in our newly built learning environment will enhance our teaching and learning programme and develop agentic students providing them with the tools they will need to succeed.

Al-Azawei, A., Serenelli, F., & Lundqvist, K. (2016). Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A Content Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Journals from 2012 to 2015. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 16(3), 39-56. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v16i3.19295

CAST.  (2011).  Universal  Design for  Learning (UDL)Guidelines version  2.0. Wakefield,  MA: 

Retrieved from http://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/about_ud/about_ud.htm.

CAST. (2015). CAST. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.VW1yKyFViko.Center for Universal Design. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/about_ud/about_ud.htm.

Jonassen, D. (2001). How Can We Learn Best from Multiple Representations? The American Journal of Psychology, 114(2), 321-327. doi:10.2307/1423521

Kanai, R., Rees, G. The structural basis of inter-individual differences in human behaviour and cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci 12, 231–242 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3000

Moore, S. (2007). David H. Rose, Anne Meyer, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning. In Educational Technology Research & Development (Vol. 55, Issue 5, pp. 521–525). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-007-9056-3