Sunday 29 March 2015

The #tiefit perspective

         I've really enjoyed my participation in the #tiefit group this winter. As many of you are aware (because I say it every time I share on this topic), it's #notmylearningproject, but my activity in the group has enabled me to make so many valuable connections in my real #learningproject, #tieyoga.
         One of the things I really enjoyed about getting out and getting active as part of this group was just having the time outdoors; forcing myself out had such a positive impact on my energy and my emotional well being. I frequently paused on my walks to take pictures of the many views I enjoyed, along with the occasional selfie, knowing that building my image library would be considered resourceful by some (including this digital citizen right here).
         Today as I was looking through the photos, I wondered how I might use them, and decided to throw together a little video. I've used Youtube's video editor several times now, and I keep going back to it. After playing on Vimeo a bit, trying iMovie and having had experience with iMovie Trailer, I find myself defaulting to #videoeditor. I've also experimented with Explain Everything with success--and I can see that I have so much left to learn with Explain Everything, having barely scratched the surface. For today's purpose and my looming deadlines, however, Youtube's video editor is the answer. I appreciate its simplicity and accessibility. Some would argue it's too simple, with limited options around sound editing and image editing, but sometimes less is better. I already spend far too long on my blog posts and I could spend days editing photos and videos; the limitations, as it turns out, are a good thing.
         I realize the video falls to this side of corny, but the message is authentic--I appreciated stopping to smell the roses these last three months; I am the first to say I don't do it nearly enough. I could have also created a video to evidence the many impressive neighbourly connections I made on my walks--it seemed I regularly bumped into old friends, long lost soccer parents, and my kids' friends. Extending beyond the familiar faces, however, I became very cognizant of the benefit of just connecting with people--saying hello to fellow dog owners, commenting to a passerby about the beautiful day, or laughing about a seal popping up and back under the water. No matter what my emotional or physical state of affairs was when I stepped out the door, I never returned home cranky.
         Ultimately, #tiefit has energized me these last many weeks and made me easier to live with. I am looking forward to continued steps and benefits in the months to come. I hope you enjoy my little video.  Step on #tiefit peeps!

Bending Gender, Ramblings Inspired by Audrey Watters

         Last class I entered our EDCI 569 online session a little late, having just returned home from our 3 day surf trip to Ucluelet & Tofino. We had the privilege of a session with guest speaker, Audrey Watters, who spoke to gender inequality in the world of tech. As I was late, it was hard to bring myself up to speed in the moment, to be able to really catch the scope of what was being discussed. What I did hear got me thinking, though, and while in many ways we have “come a long way, baby”, it still can seem very much “a man’s world”.
         It was interesting to listen to the discussion, as it evolved, particularly as it moved into the idea of gender identity, briefly touching on nature vs nurture. Living with 5 men, it may surprise people to learn that I rarely feel outnumbered.  While I can claim to know boys and know them well, I would also say that 75% of the male energy in my household is surprisingly soft and sensitive--not so stereotypically boy. Our boys have been (& continue to be) raised similarly and while our home has been filled with numerous trucks and diggers and many things-blue (literally) over the years, we have very much embraced each child as an individual, celebrating whatever interests and talents emerged. 
         As a stay at home mom, my boys identified with me. They helped me bake, they wore aprons, played house, tried to make their hair go into “ponies” and pushed their bangs back with “clips”. My two eldest went through a stage where they regularly put on my maternity tops and wore them as dresses, adorning themselves with many pieces of old costume jewelry supplied by Grandma. We never discouraged any of this; in fact, both my husband and I thought it was pretty adorable.  Unfortunately, I learned that not everyone felt as we did. At a family dinner, one of my boys’ uncles made loud exclamations aimed at our eldest, about 4 at the time, who arrived sporting one of my hairbands in his hair. When I think back on this it still perplexes me--it was hard for me to see a family member poke fun at my son and ask him if he wanted to be a girl. Unfortunately, this was not the last time we were on the receiving end of such gender-biased statements. 
         Our boys went on to try their hands at many different activities, ranging from the boy-acceptable soccer and lacrosse to the less acceptable activities of Irish dance for one and 8 years of ballet and modern dance for another. Along the way, we were met with many raised eyebrows and comments cloaked in sardonic humour. However, for every comment that held muddy, negative undertones, there were many more that landed in the sunny fields of positivity. These boys are now young men, ranging in age from 15-21 and they are very confident in who they are and truly accepting and supportive of all aspects of individual identity and self-expression in others. As a family, we not only survived hurtful words and scowls of judgement, we flourished in hope, tolerance and understanding.  In my opinion, issues centered on gender biases, in North America at least, are as much about values, as it is about individual interests, skills, abilities, strengths, and wiring.
         Boys and girls, men and women, males and females, and everything in between: we are mostly different, as well as very much the same.  Gender, we are learning, is not, never has been, and never will be, a simple thing. As far as we have come in the way of equal opportunities and blurring the lines of sexual stereotypes, we continue to live with an imbalance of power between the sexes.  That imbalance of power continues to shift and change, just as our world, in so many respects, also continues to evolve, and manifest or resurface in new, and sometimes surprising, ways. I regularly find myself continuing to believe we have come so far, only to be disappointed by various news events that pop up in my Twitter feed.  Just this week I stumbled upon a link to a Global news video where meteorologist, Kristi Gordon, personally shared messages she had received (both electronically and through the mail) criticizing her appearance and her choice in clothing. If that's not bad enough, the "hate mail" somehow takes hurtful to a whole new level in that the writers are attacking a woman who is visibly pregnant. We don't know the gender of the "haters", and I don't think it is fair to assume them to be one sex or the other, and perhaps this point adds another layer to the complexity of gender issues; while there may be a highly visible imbalance of power that still exists between men and women today, the passing of judgement, the inequitable opportunities and voicing of sexually biased criticism is certainly not limited to one sex over the other. Further, actions rooted in gender inequity are no longer limited to a simple division between men and women. We have learned that gender is not strictly blue or pink, but in fact reaches across many hues, none of which comes with a set standard of behaviours or interests. 
         Social media, with its capability for immediacy and anonymity, allows those people who are inclined to cowardly throw their darts of criticism and judgement. On the flip side, however, it also provides a platform for empowering the victims/targets of such unfounded criticism, such as Kristi Gordon, and their many supporters, to speak out against the ignorance and narrow mindedness that keep resurfacing through our many decades of progress.
         I would love to believe that we are close to resolving issues in gender bias and imbalances in power, but I don't know if that moment will ever fully arrive. Continuing to strive towards the ideal of recognizing each individual as unique with his/her own set of skills and strengths, and practicing tolerance and acceptance as a society certainly helps us move in the right direction. Navigating gender, however, is not always a route that is easily mapped out, and as our world maintains its speedy rate of change, we never know what challenges we may be facing around the corner. Advances in technology have connected us on a global level and we now have greater insight into the sexual discrepancies that exist both locally and in the various nooks and crannies around the world. It’s crucial that we continue to scrutinize and speak out against such imbalances in power, whether founded in a web-based and anonymous context or a real-world, real-time face to face one. 
         We have come a long way, indeed; I'm not sure if it's entirely a man's world, but it's certainly a muddy one with a lot of room for improvement. Thanks Audrey Watters for inspiring some heavy thinking and reflecting in my old brain.

Saturday 28 March 2015

Why So Stressed?

         

         A couple of weeks ago, as our EDCI 569 class came to a close, our instructor Alec Courosa commented on our low energy and wondered aloud why we were all so stressed.  An awkward silence ensued.
6 a.m. picket shift Jun 2014
         As a cohort-we have all seen the stress levels of our group rise and fall over the course of this winter. Between us there have been births, deaths, floods, financial hardship (helllloooo Teacher Strike of 2014), injuries, illness, full time work, full time parenting, full time domestic drudgery, to name just a few of our sources of stress! When Alec asked, "What's everyone so stressed about?" after our session with Audrey, I was intrigued by the silence. I found it a little bit funny that none of us really jumped at the chance to explain our stress in any sort of specific detail. We might expect similar silence amongst our tenth graders, but it was a little surprising within the safety net of our cohort!I could almost hear us all responding simultaneously in our heads, "What's everyone so stressed about?...everything!". It's been a long, tough winter.
         Even though we didn't delve into our own personal sources of stress when Alec asked, we can all pat ourselves on the back in acknowledgement of our adoption of some very good coping strategies over the last year and a half. We have reached out to each other through one off messages, spontaneously arranged small group meetings, and scheduled gatherings of study groups via platforms such as Twitter, Google+, GHO's, Bluejeans, and Facetime, as well as face-to-face when our lives and geography allowed it. We are a strong network of support for each other and it has made all the difference. Whether it comes as a cheer or a taunt, the realization that worries are shared or far removed from one another, we have been there for each other. Our sense of community is unshakable.  Individually, or as a (virtual) group, we have practiced meditation strategies, structured breathing exercises, and physical exercise to manage our stress. We name it, calling it what it is: stress, anxiety, overwhelm and we do our best to move on from there.  Our instructors, while not quite in the thick of it, demonstrate their support through their quick responses, words of encouragement,directing (or redirecting) to resources, and the offering of a different perspective, option or alternative, as they are able to.
         Reflecting on this, I wondered how we monitor the waves of stress within the walls of our own school communities, be it the stress of our students or of our colleagues (or both).  I often consider how amazing it would be to be part of a staff that was made up of our #tiegrad cohort members; I consider what I can do from my end to nurture this same level of trust, openness, and support that we have established with one another, in my own school environment to positively impact my own relationships with staff members. Further, I would like to know how we can extend what we have developed in our virtual classroom to our own students. 

  • What do you see as integral to establishing healthy school culture at the staff or student level? And how do you go about it?
  • How do you monitor your own students' stress levels? And how do you respond?

         As educators, I feel many of us pay significant attention to the importance of knowing our students and building relationships with them, but I think we often overlook the importance of our relationships with our peers within our schools and how healthy relationships at the staff level might just trickle down to encourage healthy relationships between students, ultimately impacting whole school culture. I have reflected frequently this semester, especially in my readings for my lit review, on the idea that what we do at the staff level impacts the social tone, interactions and learning of our students.Working so closely with so many students burdened with mental health challenges, I recognize that many of them fall through the cracks. 

  • What can we do better or differently to acknowledge and support the quiet, introverted learner who is not easily recognized as a ball of stress and worry?
         I recently read and tweeted out a link to this article, Anxiety in Kids: How to Turn it Around and Protect Them For Life, by heysigmund, that recommended adults respond to kids who are struggling through anxiety with these strategies:

  1. Don't talk them out of it--basically acknowledge it.
  2. Normalise it.
  3. Explain why anxiety feels like it does.
  4. Explain how common anxiety is in kids and adults.
  5. Give it a name.
  6. Now get them into a position.
  7. And breathe.
  8. Practice mindfulness.

         The actual article explains and elaborates on the various strategies; I was struck, quite frankly, with our #tiegrad group's grasp on our own anxiety, both within ourselves and in our responses to each other. As I lamented one day to a small group of my #tiegrad peeps about my state of overwhelm, Melody Watson reminded me to break down the task at hand, which enabled me to gain the perspective I needed to move forward. She basically "got me into a position"; it may not have focused on breath, as the article describes, but the effect was the same and it was what I needed. My husband commented afterwards that he has heard me give the same advice to our children when they are "stuck", no longer moving forward, in their own school work. His comment hung in my head for a bit and I realized the significance of it. As educated adults, our brains know, theoretically, what to do to deal with stress; we are well-versed in stress and the impact anxiety has on our learners, yet my own innate stress-based response impeded my ability to access the good strategies to deal with it. What I did do, however, was share the fact that I was overwhelmed. Unlike many of us, our young learners often aren't able to effectively communicate their feelings of stress or anxiety, so I ask again: 
  • What can we do better or differently to acknowledge and support the quiet, introverted learner who is not easily recognized as a ball of stress and worry?
         For us in #tiegrad, we can be thankful for each other, thankful for the safe PLC that has been established over time through so many meaningful opportunities to share, goof up, recover and learn. For me, personally, I am grateful for Melody Watson and, oh, so very appreciative of my #tiegrad PLC.

Thursday 19 March 2015

A remix of Chapter 17: Action Research (Creswell)


         I decided to summarize Chapter 17, “Action Research”, in John W. Creswell’s book, Educational Research, because I knew it would help me to get a firmer grasp on the content as well as act as a quick reference for me down the road, should I need it. 
Action Research can be defined as a systematic method for collecting data in an educational environment, that is either quantitative, qualitative, or both. This research method's outcome provides information and enables improvements in learning, teaching, and/or the learning environment.
          Action research is used when there is an identified concern or targeted issue that needs to be improved, resolved or changed. Action research encourages educators to act on a problem by providing an opportunity to actively learn more about the issue and work towards a resolution of change or improvement.


3 stages of development of action research

  •        identification of a process
  •        involve participants
  •        the group assumes responsibility for making change for resolving an issue

       This chapter explains that, historically, group discussions were identified as a possible way to improve social conditions by social psychologist Kurt Lewin in the 1930's & 40's.  There were four steps in the group process:  planning, acting, observing, and reflecting.  Action research as a process slowed in the 1950's, but re-emerged in the 1970's and is now recognized as a significant factor in educational reform, professional development, and shifting practice.


Criticism

·              Critics of Action Research cite its informal approach as a negative and criticizes the fact that it is conducted by people who are not academic researchers using a less-than scientific approach. Another criticism lies in the fact that results are not typically shared with scholarly journals in education,  but instead shared informally on online journals, web sites, or within a specific local group (district, community, or school-based).

 

There are two distinct types of Action Research: practical and participatory.

·                Practical Action Research is the one I immediately think of when I visualize what Action Research is. It focuses on the practices within a localized area (school or classroom), targets shifts in practice for teachers and learning for students, and uses a collaborative inquiry approach.  The purpose is to establish a plan of action and implement it and sees the teacher move into a role of teacher-researcher. The challenge is finding time for teachers to engage in practical action research; as teachers, our days are full and there is little time available for meaningful collaborative planning and reflection. Funding and administrative support are integral to successful Practical Action Research. 
·                Participatory Action Research is focused on social and/or community issues outside of education and has social change as its goal.  PAR is usually used in the context of improving an organization, municipality or community, a neighborhood or the lives of families.  PAR can be applied to individuals/groups within the field of education, but its purpose would be to empower the individuals within the system or organization as related to education.
Principles of Action Research

Participatory Action Research or PAR
Teachers-as-researchers have autonomy

A social process that focuses on the relationship between an individual and other individuals
Teachers-as-researchers are committed to Professional Development
The inquiry is based in participation, meaning I would participate in the study and be one of the researchers.
Teachers-as-researchers are reflective both individually and as part of a team
PAR is practical and collaborative in its approach
Reflective practice is based in a systematic approach
PAR is emancipatory: it helps remove limitations within an organization/group that impede personal growth & self-determination
Teachers-as-researchers choose a problem, determine a method of data collection, participate in data analysis & interpretation, and build/implement an action plan.
A goal of PAR is to empower people to remove constraints that result from public perception derived from social media
PAR is characterized by a reflexive practice that works towards bringing about a change in practice

Potential ethical issues
         Being so close to the participants in an action research study can lead to potential ethical challenges where people may feel obligated to participate or results might be skewed due to personal biases. Some participants may be led to believe the study is more significant in terms of importance than it actually is, simply based on the consent form, for example or they may feel they aren't able to opt out midway through a study because of personal relationships.  It’s crucial to keep the research process as transparent as possible to help avoid conflicts of interest and the influence of a subjective voice. The chapter recommends, “continually (renegotiating) the purpose of the study, to consider how the results will be used, and to involve participants in as many phases of the process of research as possible” (p. 588)

 

The steps of action research:

  •      Determine of action research is the best fit for gaining insight to and resolving a given problem
  •      Identify a problem to study
  •      Locate resources to help address the problem
  •      Identify information you will need
  •      Implement the data collection
  •      Analyze the data
  •      Develop a plan for action
  •      Implement the plan and reflect


Criteria for evaluating an action research report

Does the research process:
  •       Focus on an issue in practice or an issue in the local community?      
  •     Select multiple sources of data?
  •        Allow for collaboration with others?
  •        Show respect for all collaborators, making them equal partners in the research process?
  •        Result in a plan of action for trying to resolve the problem?
  •        See the practitioner reflect on his or her own development and learning?
  •        Improve the learning environment, conditions, or experience for learners or participants?
  •       Develop a plan with recommendations changes in practice?
  •       Share research results out in a way that is user friendly and easily understood?


My thoughts on Action Research as presented in Chapter 17…

         I found the chapter to be very clear and feel that I have a pretty good understanding on the process of Action Research.  I can see that there is potential for the waters to get muddied by personal relationships in a Participatory Action Research study and it would be extremely important to be clear, concise and open throughout the process. By regularly revisiting the purpose and process, providing regular opportunities for communication and collaboration, and maintaining transparency one could avoid difficult situations and ethical complications. 

         I was able to draw connections between the Collaborative Inquiry approach and aspects of Action Research and I am intrigued about the possibility of Action Research as school based professional development. While I am excited about some of the possibilities and ways Action Research could be incorporated into addressing inquiry problems and supporting educational reform and shifts in teacher practice, I'm not leaning towards using it as the basis of my final project.  It’s percolating in the back of my mind for sure, however, and I’m wondering what it could look like in other contexts. 


References:

 Creswell, John W. "Action Research." Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Boston: Pearson, 2012. 576-95. Print.

Wednesday 18 March 2015

Expectation vs Reality or Product vs Process: My #tieyoga update


       A while back I made a Haiku Deck to document my #learningproject progress (or lack thereof) and changes to my plan in my #tieyoga practice.  Often in learning and teaching, we need to assess and reassess our progress  as we move through any given lesson, task, or project. I'm taking a bit of time today to reflect on this particular reassessment of my #tieyoga plan..
       The idea of dropping into a community or studio class once weekly is a great one. It allows me to access an environment that is more conducive to true yoga practice and mindfulness and provides access to the ever important yoga instructor, an expert, to monitor my postures and make corrections as necessary. This strategy has been difficult to implement due to the limitations of time in my life, largely due to my responsibilities as a mother, daughter, student, dog-owner, and full time teacher.
       Five at-home sessions each week is my ideal goal; it's a goal that will see observable results over a relatively short amount of time. Some weeks this has been achievable and other weeks it has not, for exactly the reasons noted above.

       I chose to focus on five key postures that directed my yoga attention to my "problem areas". Plagued by runner's hips and hamstrings (ie. tight), I included hip opening and hamstring stretching postures and feel that I've been successful in increasing my flexibility in these specific areas. I also wanted to target back bends because they are incorporated into many of the postures I am in awe of, such as standing bow and floor bow. Seeing a master yogi perform these postures is a beautiful thing and I wanted to feel the exhilaration of seeing the wall behind me during camel pose. In reality, however, I'm a little bit fearful. I would appreciate some help and guidance through the back bending postures and find them difficult to do at home on my own. Maybe I'm just not ready or maybe it's something that will be more achievable when I can actually practice 5 or more times per week. The other obstacle to my overall achievement of this goal has been the fact that I don't always know what is specifically covered in the yoga video I use (until I use it) and, while I have repeated my use of some videos, I have tried to really explore the different videos available to figure out what I like and don't like. This has been helpful in gaining insight to what's available, but it has slowed the general progress of my identified targeted areas.
       My expectation was to record my #tieyoga practice in my "Accountability Log". This is where expectation and reality actually met! I have been consistently committed to keeping a log of my practice, including time of day, video used, length of practice session, how I felt and goal(s) for next time.
       At times the fact that I have not been achieving my #tieyoga goals has caused me great stress, but I always go back to this script: My learning process is more important than my learning outcome. And, I have learned a lot. I've learned that life has limitations and distractions that are out of my control. I've learned that it's okay to change the game plan, adjust the route, or switch topics completely. I've learned what helps my practice and what doesn't. I've learned that I can do yoga at home, and I can do it enough that I actually notice the benefits. I've learned to have a sense of humour when the dog comes over and licks my face when I am in downward dog or when my kids are being so lovingly loud and fiercely physical with each other that I can't even hear the yogi's serene, rhythmic voice reminding me to breathe.  I've learned that I can reorganize my priorities to a great degree and that it's okay to sometimes just let things go--for awhile--even things I never thought I could, like social engagements and putting clean laundry away.  I've learned that logs and reflections do work and that my #tieyoga community is just me and, at the end of the day, that can be hard. Not impossible. But hard. 
       So, what does this all mean? How can I transfer this learning and insight to my own practice as a teacher? How can I use this information to enable me to better support my learners?  I can follow my own advice: My learning process is more important than my learning outcome and ask students, "But what have you learned? How has this decision or that mistake enlightened you? Explain your thinking."
Merriam-Webster's definition of "process"
       The learning process is what shapes us as learners and what influences our decision-making and skill development as we participate in future learning tasks.  The end, of course, can matter greatly, and as many of us have seen firsthand both in our classrooms and in our #learningprojects, it may or may not be reached by all learners. However, my #tieyoga #learningproject has stressed the importance of the journey for me and that's what I hope I can take to my students; I want them to understand that growth is not only possible, but likely, as an outcome, regardless of reaching a destination. Get on board, keep trekking on your path (as twisted and switchback as it can sometimes seem) and make the most of your journey.

Monday 16 March 2015

#tiefit & Personal

I took some time to reflect on my #tiefit journey and the #learningproject that is #notmylearningproject.  I used piktochart to create this infograph to act as an outline of sorts for my ramblings in my (very first) vlog post. I initially vlogged using iMovie, but had some difficulty uploading it from my iPad, and then, after a 2nd failed attempt at vlogging (more uploading issues) using my iPhone, I gave the app, Explain Everything, a try. My third time was lucky, indeed, and my novice attempt at vlogging is posted here for all to see.


I would have liked to have spent some time doing at least a bit of editing, but there are only so many hours in the day, so I'll save that for next time. As well, I think I need to work towards being "tighter" in my ramblings; you'd think that by the 3rd try things would have become pretty polished, but apparently not! At any rate, I am glad I tried vlogging and want to say that I'll do it again, but it certainly takes some effort to get past both listening to and looking at myself. One thing is for certain:  I could never have pursued an acting career.

Saturday 14 March 2015

Making Meaning of Mendeley

I'm excited to share this blog post because it's my first time writing a blog collaboratively. This particular post is a shared effort based on a meeting of #tiegrad minds to discuss reference tool options for our Master's #litreview. It represents a collaborative effort, combining thoughts, reflections, knowledge and learning by Heidi James, Jason Kemp, Jarod Fong, Mardelle Sauerborn, Harprit N, Angela Dop, Melody Watson, Liane Loeppky and me (Tanya Ross).
Recently a group of us from #tiegrad logged into a Google Hangout session together (after a less than successful attempt to meet via Bluejeans) so that Jason Kemp could school us on Mendeley as a reference tool.  In the past, we had each used a variety of reference tools with success, including EasyBib, Refworks through UVIC, EndNote, and Zotero, but many people were recommending other tools this fall and exploring some of them seemed like a good idea. A number of us found ourselves overwhelmed when looking at each of the options, however, and similar requests for help and information began to surface.  Believing that Mendeley might be The One, a group of us emerged from the #tiegrad pool, all wanting to learn about this tool; we all boarded the collaboration train. If there is one thing we have learned about ourselves in this last year and a half, it’s the benefit of sharing the load and hashing things out together.
After a request for help from the group was posted a out on Twitter, Jason agreed to host a Mendeley sharing session. He admitted to being a bit nervous (as any of us would have been), as he had only recently made the switch to Mendeley himself. He explained that he was looking for a reference management software that was user-friendly and had obtained a copy of Endnote from a friend, but had difficulties using the program. Jason had used Mendeley briefly for another course, but this was only to create a bibliography.

We initially decided to meet up on Bluejeans for our Mendeley session, but soon after we logged on, we began experiencing major issues. As Jason was sharing his screen with the group, it became unresponsive. Unfortunately, Jason didn't realize the participants could not see his screen and continued to proceed with the presentation while the audience, similarly, remained unaware for several minutes. This is a problem when presenting using a program such as Bluejeans to screenshare; it’s not always immediately apparent to either side that there is a problem. After several attempts to rectify the situation, we decided to switch over to Google Hangout (GHO). For many, it was their first time using GHO to present and we found it to be very slick and easy to use. After the presentation was finished, a few other members were able to share some of the features they had discovered (such as the chat window, screen captures, using accessories to dress each other up and other useful and entertaining tools). This was an awesome way to learn about GHO’s capabilities.
As many of us do when learning a new program, Jason had viewed a quick tutorial on Mendeley on YouTube and then began to play around and learn a few of the components of the program. Jason noted that it was very intuitive and had an easy help option; these were features that many of us were looking for in a reference tool. Mendeley easily imports .pdfs, cites as you write in Microsoft Word, creates a bibliography for you, and allows sharing libraries between users. Check out the short, user friendly tutorials that can walk you through the basic functionality of Mendeley.  Mendeley Minutes cover such topics as: importing topics, organizing your library, and how to use the group feature.
It is easy to get started on Mendeley. Simply sign up for an account, download the appropriate software, and then download the tool bar plug-in for Word.  Mendeley trumps many other citation tools with its built-in Literature Search. As articles are curated, Mendeley suggests related articles based on key terms, authors, and tags. Mendeley will indicate whether the articles are available through its library, or directs you to where they can be found. Logging into your UVic Library account while searching makes it easy to copy and paste titles suggested by Mendeley into Google Scholar to acquire a found article. Your library builds quite quickly! Each article suggested by Mendeley comes with an additional list of suggested related articles to explore. The program then auto populated the information for referencing. There is also a Chrome extension tool that will allows for clipping articles directly into Mendeley which is very convenient.
Another Mendeley advantage is the fact that there are apps available so you can access the program on other devices and it syncs easily. Once an article is added on your computer, you can see it from any of your devices. Annotating articles using an iPad, for example, will update the article in your library, making all changes visible from any platform you choose to use. One #tiegrad lit review team has been using the group feature in Mendeley to successfully share articles. This feature works well for small groups, as it automatically syncs the articles to each member but, unfortunately, the group limit is 3 participants; adding more members requires paying a substantial membership fee.
  In the end, our fabulous Mendeley Guide, Mr. Jason Kemp had us comfortably navigating our way through the world of online resource curation and citation. Mendeley has proven to be an efficient and effective tool that allows us to search, read, make notes, curate and cite our sources. It organizes our sources however we need, offers collaboration amongst colleagues (three maximum),  and integrates beautifully into Microsoft Word making it easier to insert citations and create bibliographies as we progress through our lit reviews.
Our Google Hangout session was a success. It is nice to know that with so many of us using Mendeley, support and new ideas are only a tweet away. While the business end of our session was very productive, we also laughed and enjoyed our #tiegrad community. There is nothing better than dressing as a pirate or mixing and matching props and backgrounds online. The collaborative nature of Google Hangout offers a wonderful mix of business and play. Just remember, that only three microphones can be active at once. Perhaps this is something that Google can increase in the future. Are you listening Google?

A Tech Tool for School: VoiceNote II

    Recently, out on a #tiefit walk with a non #tiegrad friend, I was introduced to a new speech to text tool that I hadn't heard of. It's called Voice Note II, available through Google Chrome.  While our friendship's grounding is found in our youth and runs 30+ years strong, both of us happen to be special education teachers and we often share resources and discuss tools and apps that might help some of our students. My friend is using this particular speech to text recognition tool to help a student who is struggling with written output. I was very excited to hear that there was something that was effective and easy to use, as well as being free.  

       In the past, I have tried speech to text tools with my students such as Dragon Naturally Speaking ($$), its app counterpart, Dragon Dictation (free), WordQ+SpeakQ ($$), and Talk Typer (free), among others, with hit and miss results.  Generally, I find that these speech to text tools are okay, but there always seems to be an obstacle--if it's not the price, it's a glitch of one kind or another relating to challenges with accuracy, punctuation, editing, background noise, verbal pauses or idiosyncrasies in speech.  I 'm actually writing this blog post using Voice Note II and so far I have to say I'm extremely excited. It's surprisingly accurate even with  the background noise that exists in my busy household. And it's free. 
Image Attribution: e-magic (Eric) on Flickr

       Finding a good speech to text tool is like finding a pot of gold for the special education teacher.  Concerns around written output for students is an area that seems to be consistently growing.  My own son, now 21 years old, has a written output deficit that nearly made school impossible and this was further compromised by other learning challenges, including a processing speed that lived in his boots.  Through high school we had to try to line up teachers that would (pro)actively support a flexible approach to learning and output so that my son's level of understanding (typically strong) and depth of knowledge (frequently deep) could be accurately communicated.  That may sound like a manageable task, but let me tell you it was far more challenging than you would ever imagine.  My son also struggles to speak fluently so many of the speech to text tools that we tried did not work for him and this became a source of frustration for him.  He had to rely on someone to scribe (and often there was no one  available) and opportunities to show what he knew through oral interviews, sound clips and other alternate means.  Long story short, my son did graduate from high school, albeit late, and is now working in a field that requires minimal written output. He has expressed interest in pursuing a university degree and has passion for things like history, fiction, earth science, and the outdoors, but the thought of all the writing that would be part and parcel of most university degrees has been off-putting for him.  However,  my introduction to Voice Note II has me excited to share with him what this tool can do and encourage him to play with it.  Technology is evolving at an unfathomable rate and this tool is a great example of the progress that is being made; I can see that a post secondary education might now be within my son's grasp. 
       Professionally I have worked in special education for eight years and actively supported hundreds of students during this time.  I would guesstimate that approximately  half of these students could have benefited from a speech to text tool.  However, the number of students I have supported who experienced success using a speech to text tool (success=using it regularly to complete written assignments both at school and at home) has numbered less than 10.  In my experience, many learners with written output challenges rely on a scribe or, eventually, their own keyboarding skills (if they are able to achieve proficiency), or more commonly, try to manage with minimal, if any, support for writing. The obstacles to increasing written output often extend beyond the difficulties with or limited access to tech tools and may include things such as a learner's own desire to appear like everyone else, a lack of teacher or EA support, lack of support at home, and for some students other learning challenges which may impede the development of the skills needed to achieve success with the assistive technology that supports written output. Like my son, many of these students are extremely bright, with psych ed reports that point to perceptual reasoning skills and/or verbal skills at the 95th%ile + and/or an IQ or General Ability Index (GAI) score of 120-140. I liken the lack of an assistive technology tool to support written output to the unavailability of  a mobility tool (wheelchair, walking cane, leg brace) for the person who struggles to walk or corrective lenses for the person who is visually impaired.
Image Attribution: Sean MacEntee on Flickr

       Even with access to an effective speech to text tool, many students with written output challenges will need extra time beyond what is typical for proficient writers, especially at the start. Today, being my first time using Voice Note II, I can see that it's not necessarily a faster way for me to write this blog post. I've struggled this semester with an  overuse injury to the muscles in my left forearm that has resulted from too much time spent on my laptop (along with, admittedly, poor laptop posture).  The strain has been quite unbearable  and these last few weeks I've had a hard time producing any written work at all,  so you can imagine my joy at finding something that will not only benefit my students, but also benefit me.  I can confirm that, thus far, the pace of output for this blog post using VoiceNote II has been relatively slow, but as a tool for someone who struggles with any written output this tool will translate to success.  I assume that, with practice, I will only get faster and more efficient with VoiceNote II and the same will hold true for students.  
       While I would consider the support that a scribe provides as invaluable as an adaptation for students who struggle with written output, the reality is that the people who typically provide this service in schools (Learning Support Teacher, Classroom Teacher, Educational Assistant) are spread thin. And, quite honestly, knowing my own son's limitations in the context of adult life, a scribe is not a practical solution or one that leads to independence, which should really be our goal. In fact, the BC Ministry of Education document, "Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities: A Guide for Teachers" (Sept, 2011), states that an "element of student dependency" may exist through the introduction of some adaptations, noting scribes as an example, and recommends that these adaptations "should be temporary, until the student learns to access...scribes using technology." (p 32) Effectively supporting learners to see them move successfully from a place of non-writing to scribe supported writing to independent tech-assisted writing, requires skilled bodies (teachers, EA, admin, volunteers) to act as a bridge and time; I want struggling writers to see how incredible their wonderful words and ideas can be when they are turned into a body of text, but it isn't a quick fix. We can't just give students a quick introduction to the technology and leave them to it. There is also the question of when; at what point do we say, "We need to do this differently", and actively shift away from pencil paper activities for these kids? 
       It's important to remember that adaptations should be available to all students and a learning disability designation is not a prerequisite for accessing adaptations. At a time when the queue seems to be ever-growing for district based Psychology services, it is appropriate to consult your Learning Support Teacher and use your discretion as a classroom teacher to implement, request or arrange for adaptations as you see fit. However, not all students will meet criteria for access to these same adaptations for provincial exams and other formal testing situations later on, so it's important to keep this in mind when supporting students to access adaptations and/or use assistive technology such as Voice Note II. Be clear in documenting how your students learn best and what adaptations or tools help them to yield the greatest success.   
       As a special education teacher, I am constantly trying to figure out how I can help to level the playing field for the many students I work with, with such diverse strengths and needs, and varied interests and abilities. I want to see all learners access what they need to expand their minds, build their skills and share their knowledge and understanding in a meaningful way. VoiceNote II may not be the answer for removing obstacles to writing for everyone, but it's the tool for me today and may be the best one for many others, including my son, until something better comes along.  
       I'm glad to have a friend, who loves to walk and talk, and who is such an amazing resource, so willing to share what she learns in life and in education. 
My bestie & me

Saturday 7 March 2015

Confessions of an EdCamp Newbie

#edcampvic

       I’m a newbie to EdCamps and it was with slight trepidation that I responded to my VP’s invite to attend the recent EdCamp in Victoria. I’m not feeling like I have time to pursue more pro-d on top of my personal pro-d that is my masters, but I've been curious about EdCamps as a pro-d activity and this one was happening in my backyard.  Besides all that, it’d be another thing to blog about!  A colleague from my school jumped on board and suddenly giving up my Saturday didn't seem quite so terrible.
       Saturday arrived, sunny and gorgeous, and Emily Kirzinger (@maczinger) and I met for an early breakfast to strategize, guzzle coffee and enjoy some good eats. Neither Emily nor I really knew what to expect from EdCamp, although we both had some vague idea how an EdCamp runs thanks to following past EdCAmp hashtags on Twitter.  We arrived to the venue, which happened to be our own school site, with time to review the topics that were growing on the board at the front.  


       I was surprised to learn that, while topics had been suggested in the weeks leading up to EdCamp, people were still encouraged to add to the list as they arrived on the day of the event. I didn't see anything on the board that related to “Anxiety in Ed”, a topic close to my passionate heart, but I bumped into Valerie Irvine (@_valeriei) who quickly scribbled “Anxiety and UDL” on a sheet of paper and shot up to the front to pin it on to the board before I knew what was happening. I’m glad she was there!  Once all the ideas were sorted and scheduled, I made my 3 choices for the day: Assessment and Parent Communication, Anxiety & Universal Design for Learning, and Developing School Culture.
       In my first session, Assessment and Parent Communication, I participated as an active listener, and was inspired by the fact that so many people want to do better.  The questions used to guide the discussion were:
  • What are people doing for assessment and parent communication?
  • What do they want to be doing?
  • Difference between elementary and middle school assessment/communication?
       What really struck me during the discussion, and in discussions we've had in our #tiegrad class since, is that as much as many educators and experts value a move away from standardized testing, grades and percentages, towards more formative assessment,many parents and post-secondary institutions maintain the value of "results". It can feel difficult to defend a shift in assessment and pedagogy, a shift that demonstrates valuing student engagement and the development of high level skills over teacher-centered learning and rote memorization, for example, when you are part of a minority. I can see that, personally, I would need to feel confident in my ability to defend it.  For me that confidence comes from starting small and gradually expanding shifts in practice to other areas of the curriculum and working with others who can lead and work alongside me, reinforces my belief that I can do it. I just get overwhelmed by the idea of jumping straight into the deep end. It’s clear that there is incredible support that comes from being part of a community of peers, sharing their vulnerability, learning and expertise as they explore and experiment with shifts in teaching practices. Deal maker: I can be modelling good learning to our students by pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, be it through assessment, parent communication, teaching and/or learning practices.

       I went from active listener in session 1 to actively sharing and questioning in session 2, Anxiety & Universal Design for Learning, with Valerie Irvine. It was really a good feeling to be able to share some of what I have learned as a parent of kids who have struggled with varying degrees of anxiety and as a teacher working with students presenting with anxiety; 80% of my caseload as a Case Manager are students who are burdened with anxiety, among other aspects of mental health.  
       Unfortunately we had no "notetaker" for our session, but the questions I recall include:
  • What does anxiety look like in your classrooms before the kids hit 'crisis mode',? (Crisis mode would be spiked absenteeism or refusal to attend, immobilizing anxiety. This is where most of the students I work with seem to be when they arrive on the doorstep of our school.)
  • What are you doing to decrease feelings of anxiety among your students?
  • How is information being shared (between community & school team members and between schools)?


       I could write a blog every week on #anxietyined, so to keep it concise, the  highlight points for me in this session were:
  • Remember, anxiety is a symptom, and it's on a continuum; it's a healthy aspect of our nervous system that sometimes can run amok. For some people, the running amok is a default setting with "fight or flight" kicking in at regular intervals.
  • Anxiety is frequently misunderstood (by teachers, by parents, by friends & family) and/or not recognized for what it is. It manifests in many different ways and can look very different from one person to the next. Behaviours can be internalized (think of a system shutdown) or externalized (acting out). To the observer, it can be very difficult, sometimes impossible, to see any sort of logic in the actions of the anxious individual from one situation to the next.
  • Anxiety frequently impedes comprehension, memory, processing speed, and other skills needed for learning.
  • Learners struggling with anxiety need options that allow access to learning without the triggers (e.g. flexibility in the "when" and "where" a student learns: offsite, via Skype, in the hallway or a separate room), that increase their own sense of control (providing voice & choice). As educators, we need to recognize, identify, and understand the triggers of each student presenting with anxiety and adapt for/accommodate students to the best of our ability.
  • In extreme cases, students won't be able to engage in academic tasks until their anxiety is improved. We have to be willing to meet them where they are.
I know we have a lot of work to do on this subject, as educators and parents, and most certainly, as a society, with no sign of #anxietyined decreasing. 

       My third and final session at #edcampvic focused on Developing School Culture. I really enjoyed this topic and the discussion that ensued. Again there was no assigned notetaker, but q's I remember were:
  • How can we develop connections/relationships between our school and its community?
  • What are schools doing to establish stronger connections and relationships within the school community?
  • How can parents, who have been actively involved K-8, be more involved when their kids reach high school? Some parents feel like they are shut out.
Having a school liaison officer for a husband, I think it's important for schools to consider how they can use their community leaders and members to support their learning community. Don't be afraid to ask your School Liaison Officer (SLO) for what you want; the relationship between youth and our law enforcement officers needs to have a positive context. It's so valuable for kids to see Police Officers as approachable and as real people. SLO Sgt Nicholas Ross of Saanich Police (@SaanichPDsloSgt) has done things like join the middle school mountain biking club and grade 6 band, connect seniors and elementary students through cycling, coached teams and attended talent shows.  Schools should consider bringing their local mayor or council member into their classroom as a guest reader, turning to the retired community to find a crossing guard or guest gardener, and the local bike shop to run a bike rodeo. To be part of the greater community, we need to reach out to connect to the people within it. The connections our youth can make in their own community can influence how they behave and the choices they make within that same community and beyond; it can also hugely impact the public perception of our youth, who are often misunderstood because of their hairstyle, their skateboard, or their teen-speak.  During our discussion, this tune from my childhood drifted into my head, and as simple as the message is, it still holds true. Who are the people in our neighbourhood, after all?

       We could easily change the word "neighbourhood" to "--- School" or "community", to emphasize the importance of knowing our own school population. By seeing them all as "our kids" rather than "my kids" (limited to my own class) helps to establish a strong sense of community within the school. During our session, one suggestion was that staff go through each student list and ensure that each individual student is personally connected to an adult in the building. The point was also made that we need to be mindful of our own relationships "in the building". As teachers, the tone of our interactions with other staff members and the strength of our own school-based professional learning community (if we are lucky enough to have one) will influence the relationships of our students. Are we leaving doors open, stepping outside of our comfort zones, encouraging and reassuring with each other, building authentic connections and working as a team? Think of the kind of community we want for our students and then emulate it:  walk the talk.

And suddenly, it was over. My first EdCamp experience came to a close.  While I was devastated to not win the door prize (an iPad mini), my day at #edcampvic was amazing. The sun was shining, the people were smiling, the sharing was invaluable, and I left feeling more than satisfied with the Saturday I had "sacrificed"; I had gained so much in the way of inspiration, ideas and connections from this day of teacher-driven professional development, that my perception of a sacrifice had seamlessly evolved into a day of investment. 

For reference, have a look at the #edcampvic Google doc which lists all the sessions, some of which have great notes attached to them!