Thursday 29 October 2015




Hi everyone,

Here is the link to my video assignment.

https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/b315FLu7CMW/ciq-julie/#/

I was initially reluctant to try another video after making one once before (using Muv***), let's just say I was ready to throw my computer out the window  and I was not looking at all forward to making another.

However, once I got going, I was really getting into it, infact I was enjoying it so much I had to do many redo's because I was over my 5 minutes. I could see this being a bit addictive now! lol.

I am more familiar with the software now and trying to upload it, etc. I think for me, it becomes a balance of how much content and audio, a learning curve for sure. Anyway, I really liked the CIQ and plan to use it in my classroom. I have tried a version of this where I get students to journal their learning but I haven't done a 2 part (CIQ assessment) where I am also reviewing my teaching, so I will definitely attempt that.  I believe I addressed all the guiding questions and I really did enjoy it!


The reason I chose this technique and tool is that when I seek feedback from my students I am often wanting more information, more specific information and I don't have much to work with. The students are in such a hurry to get on with their day that I am left with feedback such as "everything was good" or "I wouldn't change anything"......what can I do with that?!

I also find that when students journal it is often superficial and the student is reluctant to really reflect, go deeper in their experience,  so this seemed like a new possibility for me to try. I have tried versions of this before but not quite like this, so I am going to try it. The research says it is very effective and I am all for tried and true tips and tricks to improve my delivery, facilitation, activation, anything & everything .....I am trying it very soon!!

There are many pros to this strategy, deeper learning and reflection on the students part, improved delivery/education from content they give to the teacher. The teacher gets to improve and have a greater understanding of what is really happening with re: learning in the classroom. The  only cons I can see are 1. the students will need to understand why it is important if we are to get their buy-in.
2.  it will be more work for both the learner and educator, but  it will be well worth the rewards (another pro). I can definitely apply this to any class, all it requires is an intro video (done) and then some carbon paper and time........ the roles of both the learner and the educator are well laid out in the video. All it needs is some time and continued support of its' importance to the student until they can see the benefits first hand.

It would be great if some of you also tried it and we could compare notes on its' effectiveness..........what'ya say? who's with me?!



I hope you enjoy it too, feedback welcome.

Thank you and give a CIQ a try!! :)

are you a change agent/activator or are you a facilitator?

This video of an interview with Dr. John Hattie "Visible Learning - An interview with Dr. John Hattie" discusses self-regulation and life long learning.

 
 I appreciated the term "Activator" vs "facilitator". Surface vs deep knowledge and how most teachers teach more to surface learning instead of ACTIVATING learning. To be an activator, you are active!  'Its not about what teachers do - but how they think - know their impact on students learning'. "It's not who teaches art, it's not what they do, it's how they think". 'Evidence of learning is more than just test scores'.  "how do I know this is working?"...... "It's about growth", "are you a change agent or a facilitator?".....Good stuff!!
 

John Hattie's 8 Mindframes

John Hattie's 8 Mindframes:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xpcXobZF1k


Professor and author John Hattie studied the effect of different factors on educational outcomes. He found that  teachers who demonstrate "Golden Rule" through the "8 Mind Frames" were more likely to impact student learning on a grand scale.
 
1. My fundamental task is to evaluate the effect of my teaching on my students' learning and achievement.
 
2. The success and failure of my students' learning is about what I do or don't do. I am a change agent.

3. I want to talk more about learning than teaching.

4. Success is about my impact.

5. I teach through dialogue not monologue.

6. I enjoy a challenge and never retreat into 'doing' my best.'

7. It's my role to develop positive relationships in class and staffrooms.

8. I inform all the language of learning.
 
This video of an interview with Dr. John Hattie "Visible Learning - An interview with Dr. John Hattie" discusses self-regulation and life long learning.
 I appreciated the term "Activator" vs "facilitator". Surface vs deep knowledge and how most teachers teach more to surface learning instead of ACTIVATING learning. To be an activator, you are active!  'Its not about what teachers do - but how they think - know their impact on students learning'. "It's not who teaches art, it's not what they do, it's how they think". 'Evidence of learning is more than just test scores'.  "how do I know this is working?"...... "It's about growth", "are you a change agent or a facilitator?".....Good stuff!!
 

Saturday 24 October 2015

'Heutagogical' tool for teaching the independent adult learner

A tool I think would classify as a heutagogical tool (if I might call it that), would be 'Diagnostic Learning Logs' which are identified as focused academic journals that help students self evaluate their learning and adjust their needs accordingly. (Barkley, pg. 129). The tool allows the student to become more aware of themselves, take responsibility in identifying problems with learning and then find ways to overcome the learning gap(s). 

I have adopted this same tool in my course, where the student writes in their weekly journal 1) what they learned 2) what was not clear/what they don't understand "muddy points" and 3) how they will find the answers to fill that gap. This could simply mean reviewing their notes, asking for clarification or doing further research. 

How did it work?..... I began checking their journals regularly because I found that not all the students were not consistent in doing the self-reflective work unless I was checking it......so it was effective for some (more the independent learner, but it definitely did help all the students in some capacity).  I am not sure if I should use it in my other courses or find another tool as I worry about overusing such tools.......... ........thoughts??

        Barkley, E. F. (2010). Student Engagement Techniques. A handbook for College Faculty.                 San-Fransisco:Jossey-Bass

Friday 23 October 2015

TEDxOakland University Barbara Oakley "Learning how to learn"

A great link to share with students..........when students feel they can't learn it, they are too slow, or they procrastinate..........this will be a great video for them :)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O96fE1E-rf8#t=724

TEDxOakland University.  Barbara Oakley "Learning how to learn". (17 min 50 sec).

Tuesday 13 October 2015

Facebook VCC- SIE and Julie's Facebook link to her BLOG from VCC - SIE

Facebook page for   VCC_ SIE
 https://www.facebook.com/VCCSchoolOfInstructorEducation?fref=ts


Facebook  Julie Zimmermann BLOG link
https://www.facebook.com/julie.zi.9/posts/330802943756701?pnref=story

'Differences between Pedagogy, Andragogy and Heutagogy' (Educational Technology and Mobile Learning, 2015).

The heutagogy theory is definitely an independent and non-linear method of learning. A theory of learning where the learner, who must be creative and self-efficient, decides the path and method of learning in order to go beyond problem solving and then develop problem solving behaviors.  The focus of learning is based on learning for the sake of learning, not on the need for the content.

Posted below is a great chart that outlines the differences between the 'gogy's" 










  
















 Reference:

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/11/interesting-chart-outlining-differences.html

Creative Commons

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

“learning can-and often does-occur without teaching, but teaching cannot occur without learning; teaching without learning is just talking (Barkley, 2010, p. 16).



Objective: “learning can-and often does-occur without teaching, but teaching cannot occur without learning; teaching without learning is just talking (Barkley, 2010, p. 16).

Reflective: This quote got me thinking and evaluating my own teaching style, asking myself the tough question, “are my students learning from me? Or am I just talking?”. How can I get my students learning more, by not teaching? Am I really an effective teacher? The students are able to regurgitate the information I give them and they can apply it short term, but can they retain it long after the testing is finished? Are they able to derive any meaning from my lessons? Does it interest them? How can I do better? What should I be ‘teaching’ and what should I not be?

Interpretive: I have to say it was a bit of an awakening for me. I have been teaching full time for 4 years now and I have been a very ‘hands on’ kind of teacher, delivering the content, providing exams, lab stations, group assignments, “active learning” (Barkley, 2010, p. 16) etc. etc, but now I feel that perhaps I was still too ‘hands on’, that I haven’t been as good at letting the students explore more on their own as I thought. Perhaps my instructions which I considered quite liberal, were still too constrictive, influential, guiding, biased and if I am going to give the students the best learning opportunities, I need to be less ‘hands on’. The quote’s suggestion to me that I need to ‘give less for the student to get more’, sounds counter to everything I know and do. This concept of ‘teaching less’ was revisited again on page 22, when it recommended, teachers should present less information and the students should be doing more of the work (Barkley, 2010, p. 23).

While many have said the like, Leonard Roy Frank said “Wise teachers create an environment that encourages students to teach themselves” (Google Images, no date).
 While the quote may be self-explanatory, the application of this theory will take a bit of practice.

Decisional: My goal has always been to be the best teacher I can be, to accommodate all the learning styles, leaving no one behind. I know this is ridiculous, but it is what motivates me. I want to do what is best for the students, which I always felt meant to be present and hands on, however the more I learn, the most effective teachers are those that give the students more ‘thinking room’. Though ‘flow’ and direction is necessary (Barkley, 2010, p. 14), I will be less directional in my instructions from now on, I will do less ‘micro-managing’ thus allowing the students to explore new ideas freely. I understand that the freedom of exploring new ideas, without my influence will make this a better learning experience for the student. If learning is not taking place, I am not really teaching, I am just talking (Barkley, 2010). I will need to learn more about the balancing of when to instruct and when to just observe. When a student can make sense of the learning and create their own meaning through less restrictions of direction, the likelihood of retention is increased, which is ultimately the goal. (Barkley, 2010, p. 23).











References
Barkley, E. F. (2010). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San
     Fransisco: Jossey-Bass.



PIDP 3250 Blogs to follow




PIDP 3250 Blogs to follow

 

  VCC - School of Instructor Education
 https://www.facebook.com/VCCSchoolOfInstructorEducation

Sam’s Blog

http://aninstructorslearningjourney.blogspot.ca/

Mike’s Blog
https://mylearningjourneysite.wordpress.com/

Andreas’ Blog
http://andreastize.wordpress.com

Heather’s Blog
https://getintoschool.wordpress.com/

 Joanna's Blog
 https://chiefengagementofficer.wordpress.com/

Erika's Blog
 elkrn44.wordpress.com

Ali's Blog
 https://saliyousefi.wordpress.com

Fariba
https://fabtobetechy.wordpress.com/

Gloria's Blog
 https://gloriaodonnellshukuru.wordpress.com/



About me....

My name is Julie Zimmermann, I am a married mother of 2 amazing children. I am an RN and Instructor for the Practical Nursing Program at Okanagan College in Penticton, B.C. With my husband, I am the co-founder/co-owner/co-operator of Oma's Famous Salad Dressing. I am currently working on my Provincial Instructors Diploma through VCC so that I can understand the differences and applications of adult learning theories in order to become a highly motivating and effective facilitator and Instructor. 

Friday 9 October 2015

My first blog.....

Wow, I finally made another giant technological leap! I can't say I would have done this if it had not been a requirement of the PIDP 3250 course, but I am interested in seeing its' uses and I am excited to see where it goes!

If anyone has any constructive suggestions on how I can improve my blog, please message me. Thank you! :)