Reflective model to discuss something that has happened during your Inquiry so far...

Apply a reflective model to discuss something that has happened during your Inquiry so far and how it impacts on taking action

 Gibb’s (1996) model of reflection 

Description
Using digital tools

In my practice our school has used a new program called Hapara. Hapara is a place you

can give the children the resources online to complete the task. 

At the beginning of the year the children were using books moderate of the time. This is because we were limited by the devices we have for the children.  Usually only 5 could go on at a time. We have since moved to devices. Hapara allows children to pick and choose the work they would like to do. It has the goals, resources, work samples, and reflection of learning all under this one workspace.  The children love it and are really engaged in the learning. They are starting to now collaborate on work using devices by sharing with their peers. Getting constructive peer-feedback and feed-forward for their learning. There are certain tasks they must do on their own, but most is open to them to discuss their learning. 

Feelings
Hapara is a big program it does seem to have it flaws like sending individual emails to students.  But, overall the planning for teacher is easier, the work for children is in one place, plus parents are able to see their work once they get home.  It is all online. I really enjoyed the concept and can only go up as I learn more. The biggest issue is tracking children on the device as some would like to play games instead of working. If I am with a group it is hard to monitor.

Evaluation
Loved how children are now engaged in the work.  The children are providing positive feedback and feed forward.  I do like how the students work collaboratively with each other.   For a teacher it is easy to track the work set. Plus you can see who has submitted the work and started it. 

My dislikes printing all the work to put into a hard copy portfolio.  There is a lot of time printing of work that children have completed. Plus, you need work to put onto your walls.  The other is children not showing their digital citizenship and going on to games, etc. Plus, if the net is down then there is no work for the children.  

Analysis
I really like when the children collaborate on their work. According to Chickering and Gamson (1987) collaboration helps children retain or maintain understand the new learning.  Workspace or any type of 21st learning children should be sharing ideas etc. Sulaiman and Shahrill (2015) believes that teachers need to directly and indirectly teach how to be collaborative learners in the classroom. Indirectly seems to be the way I have been teaching letting them solve the problems/arguments though I feel like stepping in.  I do not.

Conclusion
I believe just monitoring the situation better for the children.  Added extra work for the early finishers. Plus, add more reflections for the children to use not just Seesaw.  The children didn't like the voice or video part it put them off. I think they will get use to it.

The level of engagement has increased so has my attendance. Students are now making joint decisions. They are collaboratively problem solving to reach solutions. My next step will be to buddy the more able students with the less able ones. I would also like to use Coggle which is an excellent brainstorming tool. It will be great to see my students create their own games using Scratch.

Action Plan
I am going to be adding more activities to the workspace.  Teaching of other reflection and let them have fun with it.

Reference

Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE bulletin, 3,7.

Sulaiman, N. D., & Shahrill, M. (2015). Engaging Collaborative Learning to Develop Students’ Skills of the 21st Century. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(4), 544.

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