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Category: edci565

How my Metaphor has Changed in Relation to Curriculum Discourse, Development, and Documentation

“Effenaar Bar” by allert is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

My original metaphor for curriculum gives the presence of the machinery of learning, such as the bar itself being a chain of bars throughout the country representing the same basic concept replicated over and over again. However, my metaphor has become more complex because I noticed Ted Aoki and Ralph Tyler sitting at the bar and had a conversation with them.

Now the new version:

To me curriculum is a game of darts in the bar, where success is not always hitting the dartboard but with the game itself.

Aoki would tell us that curriculum shouldn’t always be planned but also be lived (1993). If one paid close enough attention you would notice the dart hit the poster next to the dart board that showed Jasper National Park. Although the learners are still playing darts, the conversation about the park, how bird feather was found, and how it looks similar but different to the feathered fins on the dart has already added personal meaning and depth to the game. I always enjoyed having these conversations with students that would take me away from the dart board, but never thought of how important those moments are, and how they are described as “the lived curriculum” by Aoki. I feel more comfortable in giving students time to explore the lived curriculum, and have the ammunition in applying a theoretical framework in justifying my actions.

I also find Ralph Tyler sitting at the bar. Who knew he was the one who gave the basic blueprints as to how the bar could be run as efficiently as possible! However, the blueprints are quite general, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that a bar has to be built to play darts, or that darts has to be the game. I feel Tyler’s principles on curriculum development and instruction (1949) are a logical set of principles that can be universally understood. However, this is my own anthropocentric view, and must understand that I am a product of the system itself, and my thoughts on curriculum, and my thoughts on how I process information are distinctly of Tyler’s doing.

Reflecting upon the poster of lacrosse on the wall, I realize that post-humanism may have a place in education and that of decolonizing education. The movement of post-humanism is overall a challenging process for me to understand, as I don’t have an anchor to start from. Being a human, it is natural to make connections from myself to everything around me. However, from my interpretation those connections are ones that have already been explored by First Nations people throughout the globe, who interpret their world with an alternative perspective and have thought less of humans that conquer all and more to the inter-connectedness between all matter in space surrounding them. For Aoki, this lens is already part of the lived curriculum, and the story itself, even in a post-humanist perspective, is part of the curriculum. Considering post-humanism in curriculum, I think the first step in self reflection is how little I know of the subject, and how moving forward with post-humanism is itself a big (D)iscourse in curriculum.

Going back to the game of darts we notice lots of commotion in the room. Everyone is standing two meters apart with the bartenders, servers and bouncers all talking about the dart video game. The bar has lost all of its patrons, as everyone either connected synchronously or asynchronously with the game through this bar. 

Here emerges Marshall McLuhan (1988), and he asks us to question the dart video game as to what it enhances for the players, what does the game make obsolete that was there before when the players were in the bar, how does the game retrieve skills that were taught  or lost before, and what will happen if players just stick to playing the dart video game without ever stepping foot back into the bar? No one could answer McLuhan’s questions, as the online environment had hastily been put into place. In addition, all the servers are trying to teach the video game remotely and the bouncers are continuously putting new rules on which console to use. As well, the servers are telling the players that certain buttons can’t be pressed on their controllers at home and are asking players to put tape of them as prescribed by the bouncers. 

Just then, Vgotsky just walks into the room. His footsteps shake the wooden planks that vibrate throughout the building. Vgotsky takes a look around and only sees bartenders, servers, and bouncers. He asks how can you run a bar when all of your patrons are playing video games online and aren’t talking to each other? How are they going to become better players when they have no one to practice with? Vgotsky explains that students build their cognitive development from their social interactions (1978).

From the chaos one thing is clear, a loss of human connection between each other and a need in setting up guidelines and expectations for learner-to-learner communication. Over the last three weeks I have been talking to the patrons in the bar and reading the books which have been past down. Maybe the bar will be filled in September, but in the meantime it is better to be proactive and make a change if we are back to dartboard video games.

 

References:

Aoki, T. T. (1993). Legitimating lived curriculum: Towards a curricular landscape of  multiplicity. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 8(3), 255-268.

McLuhan, Marshall and Eric McLuhan. 1988. Laws of Media: The New Science. University of Toronto Press.

Moore, M. G. (1989). Three types of interaction. The American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2), 1-6.

University of Chicago, & Tyler, R. W. (1949). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction: Syllabus for education 305.

Vygotsky, L., & Cole, M. (1978). Mind in society. Harvard University Press.

 

Assignment 3A: Evidence-Informed Design and Content for Learner-to-Learner Communication in High Schools

“books” by stebulus is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Learner-to-Learner Online Communication Review

Moore stated there are three types of learning in online environments: learner-to-learner, learner-to-teacher, and content-to-learner (1989). Since spring break, teachers have made adaptations for delivering content to students, and have used alternative methods for communicating such as e-mail, phone calls home, creation of websites, the use of centralized online learning spaces, and the use of video conferencing. However, I feel one of the foundational pillars Moore stated has been left out, and that is learner-to-learner interactions.

Learner-to-learner communication is a part of the British Columbia curriculum. It is outlined by the B.C. Ministry of Education as one of the three core competencies that is fundamental for students to acquire (“Communication | Building Student Success,” n.d.). Informally, my online students described to me the challenges of not being able to talk with their peers freely, feeling disconnected, and not having the opportunity to have small group conversations with their peers. In order to meet the education guidelines set by the government, we need to change our online teaching practices.

Lev Vgotsky stated, “Human learning presupposes a specific social nature and a process by which children grow into the intellectual life of those around them” (1978, p.88). Vgotsky’s social development theory describes how social development is imperative for cognitive development. If we are limiting student social interactions, we are limiting cognitive development. 

Additionally, Ted Aoki’s ideas on the polarization of the lived curriculum and planned curriculum (1993). The planned curriculum being the core competencies mandated by a governing body such as the B.C. Ministry of Education, and the lived curriculum, the stories, metaphors, personal aspirations, and the phenomenological expression of the students themselves. It is an embodiment of celebrating the uniqueness of individuals, and how those shared experiences with others enriches the learning experience. 

In an online learning setting, you can’t replicate the same experiences in a classroom. However, you can be more proactive by giving the opportunity for learners to communicate with their classroom peers online by establishing clear expectations and guidelines for parents, educators, and high school students.

References:

Aoki, T. T. (1993). Legitimating lived curriculum: Towards a curricular landscape of  multiplicity. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 8(3), 255-268.

Communication | Building Student Success. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies/communication/

Moore, M. G. (1989). Three types of interaction. The American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2), 1-6.

Vygotsky, L., & Cole, M. (1978). Mind in society. Harvard University Press.

Evaluation and Rationale of the Resource Document: Expectations for Communicating with Peers Online

“Books” by Jules Hawk is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Resource Purpose

I have reached out to multiple school districts in British Columbia on finding clear policies that outline peer-to-peer communication for high school students, and found that there is a gap with this resource. The British Columbia Ministry of Education is going to roll out their back to school plans any day now, and quite possibly accompanied resources may follow. At the present time, I feel it is better to add material to the learning community and provide a document that can be modified and changed to fit the school culture and policies of not only British Columbia, but those of all educational facilities that want to support peer-to-peer communication in learning spaces without the continuous presence of an educator. An example of such an environment would be students working in groups of two to four in break-out rooms facilitated by the teacher using Zoom video conference software or the use of Microsoft Teams.

The   Expectations for Communicating with Peers Online document is intended for educators to use in communicating with parents and students for use in the following:

  •  A guide for structuring lessons that reinforce the principle outlined in digital citizenship and peer communication.
  •  A document that students need to acknowledge prior to building online relationships with their peers.
  • Communication for parents with an understanding of school policies and online expectations for their child.
  • Acknowledgement from parents on expectations of student behaviour with communication in an online school facilitated environment. 
  • Information on consequences with unexpected behaviour for all parties involved with student communication online
  • The document is intended for the reader to make modifications to tailor for school policies surrounding bullying and harassment. The school policies in the current document are a reflection of Prince George Secondary School’s policies, which are a reflection of my work environment.

It is recommended modifications are made in the document that reflect your own school’s policies on harassment and bullying.

Date of Publication and Resources

The resource document was created in July 2020 that relied on resources from the British Columbia Government and from the current high school I am working at as a teacher. Resources for creating the Expectations for Communicating with Peers Online document can be found in the document itself.

About Me

I have been teaching in Canada since 2009, but started my teaching career in South Korea in 1999 as an ESL teacher. I have taught in various roles from K to adult learning in both countries, but currently teach at Prince George Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada, as the newly designated business education teacher.  Over the years I have drawn on support from my peers and administrators in teaching various subjects by integrating technology tools with the new British Columbia curriculum guidelines. I am also a part-time student and currently engaged in my second year of the Masters of Educational Technology Program at the University of Victoria through online education.

 

Final Note

The University of California’s Evaluating Resources guide was used as a guideline to provide a rationale and reflective evaluation of the Expectations for Communicating with Peers Online document.

Supporting Resources for Peer Online Communication in High Schools

“Computer Processor on Keyboard” by danielfoster437 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Expectations For Communicating with Peers Online.

With a pivot in providing learning opportunities for students outside of the classroom, it is important that students learn what is expected and what is not expected in being a digital citizen when interacting online with or without the presence of an educator. The British Columbia Ministry of Education has made adaptations for our School District to include online cloud-based tools into our teaching methods to keep students connected and moving forward with their learning. The following resources are pieces to the puzzle in supporting peer to peer collaboration.

For each resource selected, I used the University of California’s Evaluating Resources guide. It outlines six criteria to determine if a resource is relevant for consideration through the following guidelines:

  1. Authority – Who is the author? What is their point of view?
  2. Purpose – Why was the source created? Who is the intended audience?
  3. Publication & format – Where was it published? In what medium?
  4. Relevance – How is it relevant to your research? What is its scope?
  5. Date of publication – When was it written? Has it been updated?
  6. Documentation – Did they cite their sources? Who did they cite?

 

 

Resource Links:

B.C. Digital Literacy Framework (PDF)

The framework can be found on the Government of British Columbia’s website as a guide to identify the tools, thinking, and learning needed for finding success with a 21st century environment. The document is more relevant now due to our unpredictable circumstances with Covid-19, where we need a back-up plan for remote learning. The document was created from resources based on the International Society for Technology in Education’s  (ISTE)-NETS Students Standards and Performance Indicators. The B.C. Digital Literacy Framework was published in 2015, with clear headings and learning objectives for students from kindergarten to grade twelve. You can also find links to resources used in creating the document. The B.C. Digital Literacy framework encompasses more than expectations of peer-to-peer online communication, and overall find it a credible resource that  is still applicable to B.C. educators. Educators can justify lesson plans and activities in relation to the building of peer-to-peer relationships in online environments through this document.

 

Harassment Brochure (PDF) from School District 57 (Prince George B.C. and Surrounding Area)

The brochure was created in School District 57 for Prince George Secondary School (PGSS). The document has greater relevance for me, as I recently transferred to teach at PGSS. The brochure is nicely organized and is targeted towards parents and students. The document was created in 2015 in partnership with education staff from various schools in Prince George, and with Perspectives Hr Consulting. Since this is  a school district document, the actions and consequences towards bullying online are specific and relevant for me in the upcoming school year. All schools in British Columbia have a action plan for bullying, which brings into mention the next resource for B.C. educators.

 

Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship

The website is run by a non-profit organization based in the United States with offices located throughout the country. Their website focuses on supporting students with technology and media, with their section on digital citizenship supportive for educators and students. There are lesson plans with developed resources that are free to use within their website. The grade nine to twelve content on Relationships and Communication provide support on appropriate communication with peers online. I found the grade eleven curriculum on Connecting to Digital Audiences very supportive, as it presents strategies on communication with others in an online environment. Materials have a Creative Commons license that attribution must be provided along with restrictions on making modifications to the content. All content was created by Common Sense Media.

Fostering Student to Student Communication Online (PDF)

A great two page outline stating the benefits of online communication between peers and tips to facilitate peer communication. It is a document that was created in collaboration with three different universities in providing post secondary instruction. The foundational pieces on peer online communication expectations are concise and to the point. Links for additional resources are provided in the document to explore as well.

7 Rules for Online Etiquette

A quick seven point guide for supporting online communication that was composed from a variety of online sources. A publishing date is not shown, but from the date of the sources cited  one may conclude the document was created in 2015. The document was created to support online learning for high school students and adult learners in Indiana.

Student to Student Interaction Online

Fantastic resource that outlines the following:

  • evidence that supports the positive impacts of online interactions between students
  • how to facilitate student to student interactions online
  • additional resources for the reader to further inquire about student to student interactions online

The document is geared towards post-secondary learning at the Rochester Institute of Technology. There are various links on the website, and a downloadable PDF version is available with built in links to provide extra resources for the reader. Although some of the documents were published in 2014, all of the information relates to communication in online learning environments for adult learners. I found the the tables, headings, and the organization of all documents very easy to read and understand.

So You Want to Temporarily Teach Online

The material was written by Stephanie Moore and Charles B. Hodges in an online publication titled Inside Higher Ed in March 2020. Both of the writers are professors at post secondary institutions in the United States with backgrounds in instructional technology.  The article gives some great tips in facilitating online learning. The document appears to be tailored for post-secondary education, but with simple modifications you can tailor your pedagogy for high school students.

A Beneficial Resource Not Listed

A resource that I’ve had challenges finding is a specific set of guidelines that outlines expectations of peer-to-peer communication in online classroom environments. It would be exciting to have small group collaborations between peers online with the educator acting as the facilitator.

Mike Caulfield, a professor at the University of Washington, gives an excellent presentation on the possibilities of utilizing technology to facilitate learners who are either physically in the classroom, synchronously online, or a communicating asynchronously. Although geared towards post secondary education, the foundation for building relationships between learners is created with his approach.

 

The next step in my project is to create a document that is transparent for students, teachers, and parents for the facilitation of collaborative, social, and emotional learning for students. With Covid-19 not going away anytime soon, giving educators and students the flexibility to build online relationships is a need not only for learning, but for mental health as well.

 

 

 

 

Reflecting on the Pivot

Finding a Line“Finding a Line” by vpickering is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

 

Everyone had to pivot their approach to education without a choice after the spring break, but we are very privileged to be living at this period of time where technology has allowed us to support both teaching and learning online. In our current summer course session we are focusing on the pivot moving towards remote learning, and how we can best support our learning community when we meet in September.  We are fortunate to have already been immersed in an online learning group with the ability to find resources, communicate with peers, and to have a sounding board to bounce off ideas with each other.

In reflecting the past few months of teaching in an online environment there were things that worked, things that didn’t work, things that need tweaking, and things that you knew should be there but weren’t present at all. It’s challenging to find the best solutions to all of these “things” and even define what that missing “thing” is. As such, it is natural to start with a messy canvas of thoughts and ideas before a clearer picture can be presented.

One valuable activity that worked for one of my courses was for students to communicate in small groups with each other in designated Zoom rooms. Some of the communication revolved around curriculum, but it also blended into a social and emotional support for students who have a natural need to connect with people outside of their isolation due to Covid-19 restrictions. I was unable to be present in each Zoom room at all times; however, I am not always present at each student space in the classroom. Creating a safe online learning environment with transparency for all parties is imperative for the opportunity to continue peer to peer interactions to continue. In September, we may not have the opportunity to develop those interpersonal relationships within physical proximity of each other. Having a system in place and a set of consequences to deal with harmful behavior is needed. My current goal is to reach out and find if there is anyone who has already developed the wheel on this topic. If not, with help from a community, we can develop the wheel and share it to all.