Why we made homework 'Optional'?

Of all the topics that can be discussed around Education, homework is possibly the one most likely to cause heated debate. It is either an essential component of learning, the foundation of positive behaviours for learning as an adult or a waste of time and energy that robs students of valuable time with family and friends. An article by Mark Barnes writing for ‘Brilliant or Insane’ prompted a review of the homework we set and a better understanding of what we hope to achieve by doing so.

As Mark indicates the chorus of voices against traditional homework for students is growing. Most notable for Australian educators is the writing of Jon Hattie that questions the value of homework particularly for primary students. Mark summarises the findings of Harris Cooper as ‘Even Duke researcher Harris Cooper, who tried desperately in two separate studies to find value in the practice, said there is no measurable correlation between homework and achievement in elementary school.’ So if homework is not going to improve academic results is there another reason that makes it valuable.

The traditional response here is that homework teaches students the positive study habits they will require for the future and develops responsibility. Mark disagrees with this arguing that the traditional setting of homework and enforcement of its completion with punitive measures, either from parents at home or teachers when it arrives late offers no opportunity for responsibility. Mark responds to this line of thought by writing 'How can a child demonstrate responsibility, when given no choice in the task and threatened with punishment if the homework is not done?’ Mark does support home learning if it is a result of students wanting to continue the learning they have enjoyed during the school day into their home time and it was this point that encouraged a rethink of our homework strategy.

Last year I had a boy in my class, who as I discovered late in the year had a passion for pottery. In addition to learning piano in his spare time he was attending classes for pottery and over the year he had become quite an expert. By the time he reached his final term in Junior School his skill was such that he produced a film to teach others how to use a potters wheel. Clearly this was a boy who had developed positive habits towards his learning. It made me wonder why I was setting him additional homework on top of what he was already doing and why I was not promoting and supporting the valuable learning he was already engaged with. A little questioning revealed that this boy was not alone, many of our students were actively engaged in learning outside of school and struggled to balance this exciting learning with the demands of the mandated homework programme. To quote Mark ‘the homework madness had to stop’.

The result is what we are trialing this term with our Year Six students. Each week we provide the students with two options for homework. One is the same homework we set last year, a mix of mathematics, spelling, reading and a writing or speaking task, this is Option A. We try hard to make this interesting and engaging and as it is connected to the hopefully exciting learning that occurs in the classrooms it is relevant. The other option is our attempt to allow the students a say in what they do; we call it ‘Option B’.

Students who elect to do ‘Option B’ complete some parts of ‘Option A’ but the final task, the one that takes the bulk of their time is completely open to negotiation. Students taking this option select what they will do, share their idea with their teacher and negotiate their plan for the week ahead. This freedom has transformed homework and allowed students to engage with a rich variety of learning opportunities. More than anything else we are discovering that when our students have agency over what they do they select projects that they enjoy, that challenge their thinking and that take more time and energy to complete than what we as teachers set.

An example of one project shows how this has worked. After seeing some of her colleagues select homework projects linked to food preparation one student decided to make a short film documenting the cooking of cupcakes. It would be easy to dismiss this until you examine the outcomes covered by this one task, from mathematical thinking, accuracy of measurement, following instructions, understanding the structure of a recipe, communicating information to an audience, using technology to share ideas, understanding the needs of an audience, and on and on. The one short film, beautifully edited and shared with the class demonstrated a level of sophistication in communication I had not previously seen from this student and reassured me that we were onto 'something' with this idea.

Another example is the artwork shared with this post. Inspired by an interest in the art of Jackson Pollock this piece pays homage to 'Blue Poles' and shows a student willing to take risks with his exploration of line, colour and abstraction. The pride that he takes in displaying this piece and the positive affirmation he has received from his peers is wonderful to see. 

In the past weeks we have had students producing home fitness programmes, computer games, artworks, short poems, collages, research on obscure topics, short comedy films, sports training videos, and a host of websites full of how to guides for everything from chess to hair braiding. There were some initial concerns. Parents in some cases were concerned as to how we would grade this diversity of tasks; others were concerned that students might not select tasks that were suitably challenging. The time it takes to give meaningful feedback has caused some creative thinking and we are looking at ways to maximise the benefits of peer feedback as part of this process. 

Early reports from parents are positive. They like that there are the 'Option A' tasks for times when the family is busy and need a more structured week. Mostly they appreciate that they spend less time nagging their children to do their homework. They are seeing a more responsible and self-motivated approach to homework. Our students have an enthusiasm for homework we see only rarely. The conversations around what they want to do for the week are typically overloaded with excitement and passion for the task they have imagined. When it comes time to share back to the class we see students full of pride at what they have achieved and an audience full of appreciation for the time their classmates have put into what they are sharing.

It is possibly too early to decide if we ‘have ended the homework madness’ but so far the results are positive. The challenges ahead are maintaining the enthusiasm, exploring ways to enhance the efficiency of the feedback process and expanding the audience that shares the results.

by Nigel Coutts

Lessons from Oversold and Underused - Looking back to look forward

In 2001 Larry Cuban published his book ‘Oversold and Underused - Computers in the Classroom’ in which he addresses the effect that the adoption of computer technology has had on education. Larry concludes that based on his research,  the evidence is stacked against the belief that technology will revolutionise education. In 2001 despite claims by enthusiasts that computers would change the nature of education and promote the adoption of new student centred paradigms, the reality is that computers are used for little other than word processing and internet searches. Larry goes on to offer and critique possible reasons for the failure of technology to live up to expectation and bases this on a comparison of the adoption of other technologies such as film projects and VCRs. 

That said there are strong trends to technological adoption that seem to be accelerating and as a result the use of computer technology across western society is becoming increasingly taken for granted. Since Cuban wrote his book technology has marched forward to a point where computing is not restricted to its use in wired labs with machines on desktops. The shift of the unit of computing to mobile devices changes the landscape in a fundamental way. The devices our students take for granted today have more in common with ball point pens and notepads, both of which are technological innovations that did have a transformative effect on education but maybe not ones that radically changed what or even how students learn. Maybe the technological revolution will come not from broad teacher adoption but from a process where access to technology becomes transparent and slides into the background. Maybe it occurs where the transect of ease of use, ubiquity of access and familiarity, means that using a device to access, share and create ideas is as taken for granted as is the use of pen and paper. 

With growing demands for a ‘New’ revolution in education centred around the development of skills and dispositions required for a post industrial world where creativity and problem solving are the essential skills for success, it is worth looking back at the themes of ‘Oversold & Underused’ to find connections that may hamper the adoption of this new paradigm. To my mind the core theme of ‘Cuban’s' book is that history shows a pattern of efforts to revolutionise education by adding a ‘new’ idea and in each case the results have been less than was imagined. In each case out of a mostly political call to fix education and in doing so alleviate the woes of society, has emerged a new solution. In a post industrial revolution world this has largely been in the form of technological solutions; although you could categorise other trends born out of loosely researched psychological, pedagogical or other holistic trends in the same way.

The common thread is that in each case the identified panacea has been an add on to what already existed, at best it was to be a transformative practice but in each case it failed because it was not born out of a full and complete analysis of what was supposedly wrong with schools or an understanding of what we hoped students would gain from schools. Had this analysis been undertaken we may have gained a clearer image of what was or was not required, instead we have had technology tacked on but no clarity of objective has gone with it. The use of computers, we are told, will make us more efficient learners, enable collaboration between learners and promote interconnectedness across boundaries but we are not told to what ends. In this post industrial age what is the purpose of education, what must our students be like when they emerge and how do we get them there? Surely to this, technology is secondary and I think it is these questions to which Cuban is guiding us.

If schools are now expected to transform to be centres that produce creative problem solvers capable of innovative thought, how do we ensure that their teachers are adequately equipped to provide the right experiences to do this. How do we encourage and allow teachers to move away from the model of learning they or their students' parents experienced and expect? If our teaching is to be focused on guiding students towards the abilities to imagine BIG questions that have the potential to change the world, how do we avoid a curriculum burdened by content to an overly prescriptive and politically mandated degree. This of course leaves the question of how do we fix schools very much on the table and open for debate but hopefully this time the solution that is supported starts within the minds of educators with a deep understanding of what we truly need and want from our education systems. 

By Nigel Coutts  

A meeting of the Hare and the Tortoise

Schools like any large organisation by and large run on meetings. Meetings for the whole staff, meetings of teams, of committees, special interest groups and those between teachers, parents and rather importantly students. The total time spent by teachers in meetings is one area worth reviewing by any school, as it is undoubtedly a significant demand on their time. But what does this have to do with the Hare and Tortoise?

The answer lies in the pace of the meetings we hold and the conflicting need for a rapid sharing of information versus the time to reflect and deeply consider a topic. Often these two goals are attempted in the one face-to-face meeting but the demands of these two vastly different scenarios mean the one format does not suit. My team of five teachers has recently experimented with two vastly different meeting formats; one typifies the properties of the Hare, the other the Tortoise.

Recognising the need to share ideas, discuss the next steps in our programmes and collaborate around the needs of our students we have implemented a daily five-minute stand-up meeting. This is the ‘Hare’. We already had a daily meeting with the students which one of us led with the students to pass on information, raise awareness of pastoral matters and reward student effort and improvement with awards. This meeting has been useful for students but it did not require all five teachers to run smoothly. Now one teacher runs the students ‘morning lines’ on a rotating basis while the rest of the team meets. This meeting is quick, focused on sharing and items immediately actionable and like morning lines led each morning by a different team member. Not has this meeting allowed us to share what is providing the best results in our classrooms while ensuring we have a common understanding of our programmes it has freed time in our weekly team meeting where we can now focus on issues requiring longer blocks of time.

The ‘Tortoise' meeting is very different to this. This term we are implementing a new ‘Genius Hour’ programme that is a re-working of a ‘Personal Passion Project’, which we had run with students during Term Four for the previous eight years. For 2015 we will shift towards a ‘Genius Hour’ programme that students engage in on a weekly basis throughout the year. This change is the perfect time to review how we manage this style of learning linked to student passions and how we might best scaffold the skills required for both project management and an inquiry/design process. This planning process requires a combination of research, reflection, analysis and evaluation that takes time. It is also critical that each team member is able to contribute their voice to this discussion and we are keen to avoid dominant ideas taking over the conversation early on. The ‘Tortoise Meeting’ aims to meet all these needs.

In essence the ‘Tortoise Meeting’ is a shared document and folder established using Google Docs. The document at the core of this started life with just two questions and to this team members were asked to add not ideas or solutions but other questions. We recognised that this asking and sharing of questions was a critical first step. As time passed we shifted from questions to sharing response to the questions. Through the shared folder we have distributed readings and images relevant to the project.  This structure allows participants to engage when they have time and to take time to discover relevant resources. When questions are considered members of the team have find to seek out answers from the education community, to find examples of how others have overcome similar issues and locate resources that might ultimately be used with students. The use of comments has added a further dimension and gradually our understanding of what our new ‘Genius Hour’ will look like, what it might achieve and how we will measure its success has grown. Most recently we have invited colleagues outside of our immediate team to add their voice to the conversation and this has assisted in further refining our understanding. When we do meet face to face to discuss this we are able to focus on the questions that require the greatest review, we have a shared understanding of the issues and an excellent set of resources to refer to.

Thinking about the differing purposes of our team meetings allowed us to see a single weekly meeting was not meeting our needs. Thinking outside the tradition models of a meeting has allowed us to find better solutions and to apply lessons from other organisations. The result has been a significant refinement of our process and a team that is functioning effectively, reflectively and creatively. 

by Nigel Coutts

Public Domain Image courtesy Project Gutenberg by Milo Winter

Confronting our fears in the haunted house of the unknown

A recent lesson with my Year Six class reminded me of the fear teachers face when confronted by the unknown. I thought the lesson would go quite smoothly, I have taught it before but this time things went in an unexpected and frightening direction.

The lesson in question is a writing task we set our students early in the year to gauge where our students are with their approach to writing, to identify strengths and areas for follow up in the coming weeks. We provide a stimulus image to the students, the photo of a haunted house depicted above. The image is presented to the whole class but this time I made the mistake of asking the students to keep their ideas about a possible story private. It seems this one action, this one dreadful mistake, led to the terrible result I will describe below.

Clearly the image is of a haunted house, we even refer to this task as the ‘Haunted House’ task. As in previous years I presented the image to my class, reminded them of our strategies for developing ideas for writing and gave them time to commence before wandering the room and checking on progress. Quickly the students engaged with the task, some moved to the projector for a closer look at the image, others began with mind maps of plot and characters, some listed key ideas for paragraphs, very quickly the class was progressing through the various stages of creative writing as best suited their needs. It was around this time when I noticed that for one student things had taken a most frightening turn towards an unexpected, unpredicted and unknown outcome.

This student had not noticed that the house in the picture was haunted, instead she saw a house in a community ravaged by the effects of financial collapse, a community in decay as a result of poverty and neglect. Her house had been at the centre of a vibrant neighbourhood full of families, with children playing in the yard and a sense of purpose and exuberance. By the time the photo was taken this had changed and now the neighbourhood was on the verge of collapse, its residents had moved out for the most part and those who remained did so under a burden of stress and isolation. Clearly she was heading towards a piece of dystopian fiction based on economic theories, possibly economic rationalism and the spectre of politicalisation lay heavy on her writing. This is not what I had prepared for, I did not immediately feel comfortable with the themes she was exploring, they were certainly not addressed in the teaching notes for the lesson and I have not studied economics since high school where I seem to recall less than stellar results. I was confronted by the frightening, the unexpected, the unpredicted and the unknown. Fortunately a few well-timed words saved the day and this young student's imagination was redirected towards a nice story about a haunted house.

Ok so I am lying. Parts of the story above are true but the feelings of fear and trepidation are not. I read the story and rejoiced that by suggesting my students postpone sharing their initial insights about the story behind the image, I had students who were not going to write the haunted house story with its predictable moments of fear, screaming and a fateful ending. The results were much more pleasing and while unknown, revealed a group of students with vibrant imaginations, deep knowledge of the world they live in and ability to weave the two into interesting and very readable narratives. I imagine very few teachers, if any would find a student taking a writing task in an unexpected direction confronting, after all writing is writing and the underlying skills, understandings and dispositions are the same regardless.

This ability to cope with the unknown does not extend to all areas of the curriculum. Confronted in a similar scenario during a science or technology lesson many teachers will discover themselves managing their fear of the unknown. When students imagine questions, inquiries, solutions or creations beyond our comfort zone, involving content we are unprepared for or with technologies we have not used this fear of the unknown can become the obstacle for learning. But why is this the case, the underlying skills, understandings and dispositions are the same regardless?

Confronting this fear of the unknown is essential if we are to allow our students to experience and participate in real inquiry. Our students need to be able to journey into the unknown if they are to experience true inquiry where the results are not already recorded, where the method for exploration is not pre-determined and where they are able to experiment with ideas. For this to occur they must be accompanied by a teacher comfortable with sharing this journey of discovery with students; teachers prepared to admit they don’t know the answer but who most importantly want to find it with their students as partners in learning. What our students need from us at these moments of confronting the unknown is not an encyclopedic knowledge of content or a talking ‘Dummies Guide to . . .’ they need a passionate learner, skilled in the methods of inquiry and able to impart those core skills to their students within an environment of collaboration. Surely these are the skills teachers are most comfortable with and so let us embrace the unknown safe in the knowledge that we are perfectly equipped to deal with whatever new learning it may throw our way.

by Nigel Coutts

The questions that matter most

As teachers we face numerous challenges as we manage our duties and strive to provide our students with the best opportunities to learn and realise their potential within a safe and supportive environment. We develop philosophies of learning, vision and mission statements; we plan programmes of learning, engage with professional development, communicate with parents and community members and through reflection and assessment refine our processes. We strive to meet the needs of individual learners in every aspect of their development and provide them with the pastoral care they require. All of this means our days are busy but also hopefully rewarding, the danger though is that sometimes in these busy days the little details that can make the biggest impact are lost or taken for granted.

Take questioning as an example of a piece of our teaching that we do every day but that can require a subtlety of detail that can be skipped within a busy lesson. Begin by considering who is asking the questions? Is it predominantly the teacher asking students questions to test their knowledge or recall? Is it students asking questions to clarify information? Is it a mix of student and teacher asking questions to generate inquiry topics or to dig deeper into a topic? Once we are clear on who is asking the questions and what their purpose is we can begin to examine the specific details of the questions.

We all try to ask questions that are open ended. Questions that can be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ clearly will not move the conversation forward, nor will questions with a straightforward response requiring little other than recall of a piece of information, but we know to avoid these. Thinking about the subtle details of how we pose questions leads to an examination of the language we use within our better questions. Do we model questions in ways that encourage divergent thinking where the students are able to think beyond imagined limitations and restrictions? Ponder the impact of asking ‘How can’ questions versus ‘How might’. This level of subtlety is one of the questioning factors explored by Warren Berger in ‘A More Beautiful Question’. ‘How might’ is one strategy he suggests is useful in encouraging students to think beyond constraints and moves them past counter questions of ‘can we’ or ‘should we’. For anyone with an interest in asking beautiful questions that drive knowledge and innovation, Warren’s book is a must read.

What manner of questions should we encourage our students to ask? If we are to encourage out of the box thinking and innovative ideas we must provide opportunities for students to ask questions that connect their interests and passions. If our students are always asking the questions we have imagined for them, or worse still that the textbook writer imagined, when do they get to imagine their own questions? Dr. Richard Curwin explores this in a blog post titled ‘Questions Before Answers: What drives a great lesson?’ Curwin explains the need for lessons centred on a question so engaging to students that it gets under their skin and compels them to inquire. I will argue that the most compelling questions are the great questions our students bring with them. 

Consider a typical lesson as a dialogue and then look at this dialogue from the perspective of the teacher and the student. Often it goes something like this: The teacher begins the class either stating or implying that “At the end of this hour you will know . . . or ‘at the end of this hour you will have discovered x, y & z’. The student hears this and thinks politely to themselves ‘why don’t you just tell me now’ or ‘if I can learn this in an hour how important can it be’ or ponders that favourite of all questions for students to ask ‘why do I have to learn this’. 

At the end of the lesson the student does indeed know the new fact or idea, they can parrot back an answer so they must. The teacher is happy and the lesson is deemed a success. At the end of the day the student goes home and answers the question 'what did you do in school today?', they answer ‘not much’ for them the lesson was a failure. Why?  For the student there was no learning, they acquired a new fact but that fact had no value because it was never linked to a question that mattered to them. It was not their question, it did not engage their interest and they just had to play the game to get to the end of the lesson where the fact would be revealed. They knew that the teacher knew the answer, many of the students probably already knew the answer, they certainly could have Googled it, and if they cared they probably would have.

Sometimes we do need to be the person asking the questions, sometimes we need to be the person transferring information; however, the quality of our questions, their power to engage and challenge thinking, combined with the opportunities we provide our students to ask the questions that matter to them are likely to be the times when the most powerful learning occurs. The challenge is to maximise these times. 

By Nigel Coutts

The Slow Regard of Silent Things

You might not want to buy this book.'

These are not my words but the first line of the authors foreword, a warning that this book by Patrick Rothfuss is not for everyone. I have previously mentioned his books about Kvothe, the young student and eventual master of the Arkane, that form the 'King Killer Chronicles’ using an episode from these books as inspiration for a post titled ‘What questions shall we ask?’. In “The Slow Regard of Silent Things’ Patrick tells his readers more of the story of ‘Auri’ who lives in the ‘Underthing’ beneath The University. His warning in the foreword is apt for many readers of his previous works but should not dissuade anyone who loves words and writing from giving it a go.

In ‘The Slow Regard of Silent Things’ the reader will find the results of an exceptional and successful author taking the liberty to have fun with language. If ‘The King Killer Chronicles’ are the meat and potatoes of a literary meal prepared for you by Patrick then ‘Slow Regard’ is the exquisite chocolate truffle served just before you collapse, fully satisfied into a comfortable lounge by a comforting fire.

For teachers and students of the literary arts it is full of gems to tantalise the mind and stimulate a style of writing that will captivate any audience. Patrick is a master of metaphor and through this and countless other games with words he paints pictures of delightful beauty. A book that is 'full of green grass and leaping’ that will leave the reader with 'excitement fizzing in her chest’.

While for lovers of Kvothe’s story ‘The Slow Regard of Silent Things’ will not ease the wait, it has been 'A long time. Long for waiting’. But if this is the way Patrick exercises his mind and keeps his writing sharp and poignant then the wait will be worth it and in the meantime he has given us a lovely piece of writing to share with our students. 

Patrick Rothfuss' Amazon page

Patrick Rothfuss' Website 

By Nigel Coutts

Schools, learning, innovation and student futures

For all of us, learning was an innate part of life. It was something we just did, that was as natural to us as breathing. If not for this innate desire to learn and with it the ability to do so, we would never learn to walk, or speak or interact with others.

But at some point learning stops being something we do and becomes more like something that happens to us. Our initial self-drive to learn is replaced by learning as a part of our life that is highly regulated, controlled, monitored and externalised. For some people this compartmentalisation of our lives with learning as a self contained piece that takes place inside of schools results in the belief that it is something we can opt out of. 

Learning becomes the ability to absorb and make use of information and skills that are presented to us in a manner that another person or group of people decides is best. Learning becomes something we do in a specific place and at a specific time, for a set number of years and via a lockstep sequence with a group of peers sharing a common age.

From this model of learning comes a string of consequences. It separates learning from the control of the individual, it places the decision making process about learning priorities into the hands of others and it dictates what is and is not success. It divides us into people who are skilled at learning and those who are not skilled at it according to this model and subsequently for the first time it forces us to evaluate our ability to learn. This assessment of our ability to learn and indeed our ability in general is placed into the hands of others and this assessment of us by others for many plays a critical role in determining our self worth. 

All of this does not stop learning from happening outside this controlled environment. Children continue to play games, to learn from their peers, to discover ideas for themselves, but this model does separate and devalue this learning from the supposedly real learning that occurs in schools. 

Many have written and spoken about the current education paradigm as being modeled around the needs of the industrial revolution; that schools are modeled after factories with students entering as raw product, teachers performing the routine labour of transferring information and skills and adults leaving at the other end as product ready for the needs of the industry.  It is also well documented that the world we once prepared children for no longer exists. Through a mix of economic forces, changing priorities, technological change and globalisation our children will leave school requiring a different skill set marked by an ability to creatively identify opportunities and develop creative solutions to capitalise on these. In his book ‘Creating Innovators’ Tony Wagner describes the mindset and orientation of an individual prepared for this world. He identifies what is required to be an innovator as ‘some of the qualities of innovators that I now understand as essential such as perseverance, a willingness to experiment, take calculated risks, and tolerate failure, and the capacity for design thinking, in addition to critical thinking.’ These are not skills developed through even the most judicious application of a ‘chalk and talk’ methodology which while less prevalent today remains a common pedagogy. A similar set of skills required of the innovator is offered by Tim Brown CEO of IDEO writing for Harvard Business Review and cited by Tony Wagner, is ‘empathy, integrative thinking (the ability to see all the salient and sometimes contradictory aspects of a problem), optimism, experimentalism and collaboration. Tim states that ‘My experience is that many people outside professional design have a natural aptitude for design thinking, which the right developmentand experiences can unlock.’  Sir Ken Robinson’s often cited comment on creativity and education reveals his beliefs on why there are not more people leaving school equipped with the skills of the innovator: ‘I believe this passionately: that we don't grow into creativity, we grow out of it. Or rather, we get educated out if it’.

Through a series of interviews with successful innovators Tony Wagner describes the forces and people that shaped them and influenced their development. In most cases these influencers fell outside of the normal systems of school and college, educators and mentors described as ‘outliers’ by Tony, educators who despite the system, manage to encourage young innovators to follow their passion and seek out challenges that matter. 

Ian Jukes is another educator calling for change to educational systems. At ‘Edutech’ in Brisbane last year, he described the disappearance from western nations of careers based upon routine cognitive tasks, the traditional office jobs which are so easily relocated to countries with cheap labour. Tony Wagner echoes this ‘A growing number of our good-paying blue-collar and even white-collar jobs are now being done in other countries that have increasingly well-educated and far-less-expensive labour forces’. Ian calls for an educational paradigm through which students develop an ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn and to do so rapidly. Students leave this system not with a pool of knowledge but with what Ian calls ‘Headware skills’ creative skills that are rapidly adaptable and within the control of the individual. Ian calls for educational systems to not just shift teachings to new ideas delivered in the same mode but for a shift in the focus towards providing opportunities for students to become creative problem finders and solvers. As an example a school may identify the emerging App economy and desire to teach students this new skill but this does not mean we teach app design in the same way we taught grammar, the skills needed now will be outmoded by next year or sooner, we need to teach the mindset required for app design; a problem solving, design process with inquiry skills and the ability to quickly learn and unlearn skills to suit the needs of the task.

To meet these challenges and to ensure the learner is at the centre of the learning with a voice and opportunities to self-assess and self-direct, schools need to change focus. Ian describes two sets of skills, short life and long life. Short life skills are the ones that quickly become redundant or outdated. Long life skills are creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving and social intelligence and have value to the individual even as circumstances change. These are the skills schools need to develop but these skills will not develop in a system where the teacher is a content delivery mechanism.

They may be developed in a system that embraces Sugata Mitra’s view of learning as an 'edge of chaos phenomenon'. In this, the individual is provided with opportunities to discover and solve problems that matter but in allowing learners to imagine the problems, the control and organisation loved by too many schools is lost.  Only by understanding that the value of these experiences lies in the life long skills that students will apply and experience and by not focusing on the content lessons missed as a result of the chaos will schools truly prepare their students for the tomorrow that already exists just outside their classrooms. When schools do this, maybe learning will remain an innate and natural part of ones life.

By Nigel Coutts

The Future of Knowledge

Presently we have a mass of information available through the internet and this continues to grow at an unbelievably phenomenal rate. According to IBM 'Every day, we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data - so much that 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone'. This trend will only continue as projects to digitise the worlds libraries accelerate and the ‘Internet of things’ expands as an ever greater array of sensors add their data to the collective.

In the present paradigm the individual user is faced with the challenge of connecting with the information they require by a means of actively searching for it. The process begins with an individual recognising a need for information, developing appropriate search terms, initiating a search and then filtering and analysing the results as relevant or not to their search. This method works some of the time but relies on the individual imagining and then asking the right questions of the data that is available. This method works less effectively as the types of data available increases as the possible combinations of data expands exponentially with each new data source. We are rapidly approaching a point where the individual user is unlikely to imagine many of the possible uses of the data available to them.

What computer networks do best is the analysis of information through algorithmic means and matching of data sets. This power is what allows search engines to return the quality results we take for granted. The limiting factor is increasingly the carbon-based object at the keyboard.

But what if the network knew enough about you to initiate the search and present you with the most relevant results before you searched. This is what 'Google Now' does in matching what it knows about a user with the information the user provides from their search history, location data, calendar, email, contacts etc. While some find aspects of this creepy and a potential invasion of privacy the potential matching of personal information with immediate and relevant search has the potential to create many moments of serendipitous discovery. Apple is moving this way with Siri and Microsoft has Kortana both mimic in many respects a skilled Personal Assistant who is able to predict and meet the needs of their user.. Evernote has recently added ‘Context’ to their note taking platform and describes the service in similar terms.

 Context is a new feature in Evernote. As you use Evernote, our Context algorithms try to find other information that is likely to be useful and relevant to whatever you’re working on. Our goal is to show you information that will help you improve the quality of your work, without you having to think about searching for it. It’s like having a super smart research assistant always by your side. - Learn More  

Imagine a similar service integrated into your favourite word processor so that as you type it provides hints to relevant information and even automatically prompts citations to add evidence to your writing. Can we be far from a time when a student types [citation needed] and the network does the rest?

Increasingly this model of 'data finding users' will occur in ways that are entirely friction free. New technologies such as ‘Google Glass’ or ‘Apple Watch’ will introduce a notification centric Operating System with a focus on bringing information to the user without the need for them to initiate the process. What if overtime the information provided was fine tuned as a result of minimal user feedback so that increasingly the network provided the information most needed at any moment without the need for a user-initiated action.

None of this involves a great leap in technology, only refinements of what is already available and the willingness to let it happen and to accept the perceived privacy implications of giving a network greater access to our personal data. 

Now consider what this means for education and knowledge.

By Nigel Coutts

Promoting a Growth Mindset

We all want to see our students and our children grow into happy, balanced and successful adults but exactly what that means and how it is to be achieved are areas of uncertainty. Into this debate comes Carol Dweck’s research into ‘Mindsets’ and how individual differences in our approach to the world dictate our ultimate experiences of success or disappointment. Through Carol’s research the reader is provided with an insight as to why some people seem to cope with the trials of life while others in the same situation fail to reach their full potential. Carol tells us it is all about an individuals ‘Mindset’ and in a refreshing shift away from complex theories, with multiple dimensions and layers, presents a model with two possibilities.

According to Dweck an individual in a particular situation across all aspects of their lives can adopt a Growth Mindset or a Fixed Mindset with very different outcomes as a result. In a Growth Mindset the individual is open to the idea that their ability to succeed in any situation can change as a result of actions within their control. An individual with a Growth Mindset will believe that they can learn new skills, expand their abilities, improve their results, understand new perspectives and adapt to changing circumstances. The Growth Mindset is a very positive outlook and the key to success of the individuals described by Carol in her writing. The Fixed Mindset assumes that ability is fixed and unalterable, a result of factors outside of the individuals control. In the Fixed Mindset success occurs because an individual has talent or innate ability, failure is due to a lack of the same and as such negative results are taken as a personal attack that in many cases it warranted as the evidence points to a lack of ability. The alternative to taking failure personally in the Fixed Mindset is to find excuses and external factors that biased the result against the individuals still fixed ability.

The most compelling aspect of Carol’s research is her assertion that an individuals Mindset can be changed, that a Fixed Mindset person can develop a Growth Mindset. Beyond asserting this Carol shows how this can be achieved and how individuals are already moving between the two. By understanding the two Mindsets and looking for signs of each the individual can learn to shift their thinking from on to the other. For teachers and parents Carol’s research also shows how outsiders can influence an individual’s Mindset through the nature of the interactions they have. Understanding the influence that subtle factors linked to praise and feedback can alter the outcomes achieved and it is in this that the power of Mindsets for schools and households with young learners is revealed.

Anyone with an interest in understanding the role Mindsets play in allowing individuals to achieve a positive approach to life, success, failure and personal growth needs to read Carol’s books. You will find in them tools to identify your Mindset, analyse the thinking that results from it and take action to shift towards a Growth Mindset or avoid a slide towards a Fixed Mindset. Applicable to all aspects of life and relevant to anyone who shares their time with a Fixed Mindset individual, Carol’s writing is definitely worth reading.

Highly recommended readings:
Mindset: How you can fulfil your potential by Dr Carol S Dweck
Mindset: The new psychology of success by Dr Carol Dweck

Online resources:
This site includes information and 'Mindset Tests'
http://mindsetonline.com/ 

http://www.mindsetworks.com

Lessons from iWoz and Creating Innovators

Last week I read ‘iWoz’ by Steve Wozniak. The subtitle summarises the book nicely 'How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It’. For anyone with an interest in the birth of the personal computer this is a must read that also offers numerous gems for those interested in teaching and learning and makes great reading alongside Tony Wagner’s ‘Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World’.
 
Undoubtedly Steve’s achievements with Apple are extraordinary and his ability to see the potential of the personal computer early on ensured it would evolve into so much more than a tool for engineering geeks. Throughout the book you will find gems of how he overcame problems with early processors, strove to improve the efficiency of his designs and solved problems in completely new ways. Reading ‘iWoz’ also reveals a great deal about the processes a remarkable learner will bring to any learning challenge and so many of the qualities Steve describes in himself are those identified in ‘Creating Innovators’.
 
The most obvious connection is Steve’s passion for learning and his application of this to investigating digital technology and electronics. From a young age Steve was driven to learn more, to understand deeply and to explore what is possible. This passion for learning within a chosen field is what allowed him to continue seeking solutions even when he encountered obstacles and it this that ensured he had developed the skills and knowledge he would need to build the first PC. In Sir Ken Robinson’s terms, Steve found his element. 
 
In ‘Creating Innovators’ Tony Wagner presents a series of interviews with young innovators. A common link is that they each found a passion and doggedly pursued this even in the face of detractors who tried to divert their efforts towards more mainstream pursuits. Steve discusses this need for innovators to overcome the limitations of others vision; ‘Believe in yourself, don’t listen to the people who are blinded by their limited understanding of what is possible. The only way to come up with something new- something world-changing - is to think outside of the constraints everyone else has.’ 
 
Throughout Steve’s life he showed a willingness to learn through experimentation. He actively sought out problems to solve and experimented with options to find the best solution. At every step he added to his knowledge and refined his process of experimentation. A perfect example of this can be seen in the description of the problem solving he engaged with while drawing circuits for early computer designs. Unable to afford the processors he instead drew numerous iterations with the goal of minimising the number of chips required. It was this experience that would later allow Steve to maximise the power of the first Apple computers. Driven by an innate curiosity the innovator will seek ways of solving the problems others are yet to identify, they will ask new questions that reveal problems and solutions others are unaware of and this is where the potential impact of innovation is greatest.
 
This process of experimentation in the case of Steve was also linked to a desire to produce something useful, a device that would make a difference. This desire to have an impact is another theme identified in ‘Creating Innovators’ where many of those interviewed demonstrate a desire to do good for society, to blend engineering with social purpose.
 
Increasingly we speak about a mind set for learning, a mindset that says I can continue to improve my thinking and my capacity to learn. This mindset cuts through artificial limitations on an individual’s potential and it is this mindset that Steve exhibits. When confronted by a new problem, such as how to get an early disk drive to function, he was forced to bring his existing knowledge to bear on a new problem. At first he had no idea how this problem would be solved and the deadline set was astoundingly short but while others may have quit, Steve knew to trust in his ability to find not only the right solution but the best solution. With due pride he describes how his implementation of a disk drive for Apple was a leap beyond what others were doing. 
 
Lastly and possibly most importantly Steve had fun while doing it all. His learning incorporated elements of play and his love of pranks provided opportunities to experiment with an alternate set of problems. His descriptions of how he used a small transmitter to fool with peoples television viewing and the antics he causes as people tried to adjust their antennas, even standing on one leg to make it works is enjoyable reading. Play is described as one of the critical attributes of schools wishing to create innovators identified by Tony. Play is what encourages learners to experiment beyond the conventional.
 
For schools the two books also describe the sad reality that for innovators the learning that takes place outside of the classroom matters most to their future innovation. Steve describes his classes at school and college positively but it is the learning that he engaged with personally outside of the classroom that led to his innovative work in designing the PC. The same story is told by most of the young innovators interviewed for ‘Creating Innovators where the impact of teachers at school is minimal and even those who describe tertiary experiences positively are describing educators who operate outside of the mainstream systems and environments, what Tony refers to as ‘outliers’. 
 
If it is to be our goal to create innovators and to shift the product of schools away from young people prepared for an industrial age or a knowledge worker role there is much to learn in these two books.
 

iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It

Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner

 
by Nigel Coutts
 

Personal Passion Project - Reflections After Eight Years

For the past eight years my students in Year Six have participated in a Personal Passion Project during Term Four. It is a way to finish their time in Junior School with a project that connects their passion with all they have learned about managing inquiry/design based projects to that point. Over the years it has proven to be a highlight of the year and has produced amazing results. With a change to the Australian & NSW syllabus we have had to revise our approach to the Personal Passion Project and so now is the perfect time to reflect on the past and identify the lessons learned.

Firstly a little history, in 2007 Redlands was in the final stages of an experiment with Middle Schooling. Years Six, Seven and Eight were involved and the key difference between the middle school and a traditional primary school was that students spent most of their day in one of two classes; Humanities and Sciences. Teachers worked in pairs with one taking the two classes for Humanities and the other taking these same classes for Sciences. Each teacher had one of these classes as their 'Homeroom' class with a pastoral focus. This model worked well as the team of two teachers knew the students in their classes well and was able to share insights and perspectives about the students that might have been missed by one teacher working alone.

My 2007 homeroom class contained the year group's top cluster of students, at this time we partially streamed classes. These students were naturally high achievers with some unique personalities and quirky interests. By the time Term Four arrived I needed to offer them an alternative to the homework they were used to, something that would challenge their abilities and motivate them to show what they were capable of. My idea was to offer the option of a 'Personal Passion Project' as a homework task. I had expected only a few to take up the offer, in the end the whole class did and the degree of enthusiasm was such that I needed to find time within the timetable to allow the students to work on and share their developing projects.

The idea of a 'Personal Passion Project' was not unique in 2007 but was less common than it is now. Ideas like ‘Google's 20% Time’ were not well known in Education nor was the term 'Genius Hour' commonly used. How to best structure and support a Personal Passion Project was not something I had given much thought to as I really did not think many students would take the option. The result was that the class and I sort of fell into the project and learned as we went along. A key to the success at this point was the collaboration that took place between the students. Without prompting from me they were encouraging and supporting each other through the projects. This collaboration ensured that deadlines were met and that individuals never felt overwhelmed by the scale of what they had taken on.

The results of this first year showed the potential of the concept. I had students designing and making horse blankets, creating dance costumes, exploring architecture, writing books of poetry, investigating aerodynamics and writing short stories. What impressed me most was the depth of understanding the students were able to demonstrate at the end of the projects. The students had solved real problems, applied the design cycle and managed their time effectively; they demonstrated all of the skills I hoped my students might have developed after seven years of formal education.

At the end of this year I had the opportunity to chat with a Year Six teacher from a nearby school. I heard of how difficult the students had become in the last weeks of the year. As I taught two Year Six classes I could relate to this experience but only for the class not involved in the Personal Passion Project. For the class that had been involved the experience was very different. While one class was moving into holiday mode the other class was at their most engaged. Late in the final week of term we spent a morning sharing our projects and discussing the process. I asked the class 'should I do this next year?' and the resounding response was 'yes'. The general feeling was that this was the best thing they had done at school.

The signs were positive and when I shared my experiences from this pilot programme with my colleagues in 2008 they were keen to give it a go. This time all of year six would take on a Personal Passion Project during Term Four. This would require some additional planning and as this was now a core piece of our teaching would require more detailed programming. This was also our first year back in Junior School with a traditional one teacher per class model. This first year was a great success in many ways but there were also lots of lessons to be learned in a short period of time. Fortunately thanks to a skilled group of teachers and enthusiastic students we were able to solve most of the little problems that came along. 

The Personal Passion Projects have produced an enormous variety of projects, too many to list. There are those that recur each year and others that are truly unique. It is the projects that fall furthest from what one expects of a Year Six student or are least likely to be covered in a traditional syllabus that stand out. Projects like these:

In 2012 two projects stood out; one as it was the sort of project that at first I thought was going to be too difficult, the other because it was quite unexpected. The first student decided he wanted to build a laser CNC engraving machine from old printers. What impressed me from the outset was that he knew exactly how he would make it work and what difficulties he would encounter along the way including how he would control the movement of his laser in two axis and how he would program it. In the end it worked almost as expected and if not for some last minute issues with the laser being fried by excessive voltage, would have been perfect. The second was a project to explore low cost emergency housing for cold climate situations. This became a highly scientific investigation of the insulation properties of a range of recycled materials.

In 2014 a student in my class decided he would make a guide to creating an ‘Internet Start Up’ company. His final product was exceptionally well produced and based on detailed research into the strategies that would allow a company to grow rapidly and adapt to unseen or changing circumstances. His work impressed me but more importantly it impressed the many parents with a business background who could fully understand the quality of his recommendations.

Some projects have proven popular such as making a skateboard or surfboard. The most recent adaptation of this has been a student using 3D software to design his surfboard and then investigating options to have this 3D printed. There have also been a number of outstanding efforts at recycling furniture or creating new fashions from pre-loved clothes. Greatest success has come where the students have had a clear vision for their designs.

For some students the Personal Passion Project has been their first taste of real success at school. While we tend to steer students away from projects that involve a more technical ‘make’ aspect due to the limitations of working in a junior school; however, we have made exceptions to this rule. One boy who was passionate about surfing set to the task of making a surfboard using traditional methods of foam and fiberglass. Working with a member of our Senior School Design and Technology department he was able to do this. This was a student who had struggled to produce quality work in the classroom but on this project set and achieved the highest standards for quality. He learned that by taking a risk and giving attention to every detail he could achieve success and we all learned that the right project and the right environment will allow students to achieve great things.

There are also notable examples of where students have taken on more traditional projects but produced results beyond expectation. In 2007 one girl decided to write a piece of music and record this using software. For a school with a strong music programme this is not so out of the ordinary but this girl had little interest in computers before this project and needed to teach herself ‘Sibelius’, a highly technical piece of professional software. The result was amazing, was produced to the highest of technical standards and in its simple beauty hides the complexity of thinking behind it.

Another is an exploration of ‘Conceptual Art’.  The finished artwork demonstrated high levels of creativity and a keen understanding of the genre. What was most surprising here was that the student selected a project outside of his comfort zone while he could have used his exceptional talent for writing and ensured himself a successful and less challenging end of year. The final piece incorporated video, audio, sculpture, re-cycled materials and performance art in a way that described the artists journey towards maturity.  Read his history of Conceptual Art

There have been a number of books written through the Personal Passion Project but two stand out as examples of the surprising talents this can reveal. One was a book of poems written and illustrated by a student in 2007. This students attention to detail and desire for perfection bordered on obsession but in this project she used these personality quirks to great effect and produced a refined product of simple beauty and emotional depth. The other standout book was produced last year by a young author who wrote her first novel 'Aftermath'. She used her writing to develop a compelling story that draws her readers into a dystopian world that seems all too real. Read or Download 'Aftermath'

The Personal Passion Project has been enhanced for many students through ongoing reference to the Design Cycle and many students are able to fluidly move from one phase of this cycle to another as appropriate to their investigation. We introduce this cycle in Term One but the Personal Passion Project is the first time where students are applying this with complete independence. We display this cycle in our classrooms and have a copy on the website that accompanies the project. - Redlands Year Six

Graphic courtesy of ©International Baccalaureate 2007.- http://www.ibo.org/

Over the years we have continued to refine the processes we apply to the Personal Passion Project. We have gained insights into the sorts of projects that work well and which will cause difficulties. We have added a degree of structure while maintaining the required degree of freedom necessary for a personalised project. The results of this learning are presented below.

1. Be prepared to be amazed - The quality of the students projects will go beyond what you expect. This is particularly important when a student comes to you with a grand idea that seems too hard or overly complex. If the student has the right level of passion for the project and an idea for how they will get started they will more than likely complete the project and complete it well.

2. Don't let your fears get in the way - The students are almost certainly going to select topics that you have no knowledge of and don't have the skills to support. At this point it could be easy to let your fears and insecurities get in the way. The best way to move forward is to listen to the student; do they know what they are doing? do they know which questions they need to answer? what problems they need to solve? If the answers to all of this are positive, start looking for an expert to help when times get tough.

3. Some students need a push in the right direction - Some students will come up with projects that are too simple with answers that could be easily Googled. We introduced the students to 'High Order Thinking Skills' and built these into the planning forms students complete. Projects need to include elements of synthesis, evaluation and creativity with the minimum requirement adjusted for individuals. We provide students with a list of verbs appropriate for the top levels of Bloom's taxonomy and help them use these in framing their topics.

4. Some students design a project that has nothing to do with their passion - A student might have a passion for surfing and decide they are going to write a book about the history of the sport. The problem is they have designed a project where they will need to be a historian, a researcher, a writer and you know they don't enjoy doing any of this. Maybe with the right topic they will gain a wider interest in these things but most likely they will quickly dream of days at the beach.

5. Some projects are just not possible - It can be hard to say no to a project but some are just not feasible. A classic example is the student who wants to design a better tennis racquet by selecting the right mix of shape and materials. The problem is that the modern tennis racquet uses high tech composites and even with million dollar R&D budgets the differences between one design and the next is hard to prove. 

6. Time and Scale - Some projects will clearly take longer than you have available, others are simply too large in scale or will rely on the involvement of too many people. Setting manageable goals and working to an achievable timeframe is important. At the same time you need to ensure that the concerns over time constraints are genuine. Creating a detailed timeline with estimates of how long each phase will take is beneficial on many levels at this stage. For the students the conversations around how long the project will take can include some rewarding reflection on how they approach tasks and can assist in their development of an understanding of their learning style. Some students need time to talk about their project and unpack ideas socially, others need quiet time to think through the steps, some just dive in and fix mistakes and redirect their plans as they go.

7. Too many changes - One of the challenges for some students has been the ever changing project. They select one topic, discover they don’t like it or encounter a problem they can’t easily solve and change to another topic. A week later and the process repeats. Setting a definite deadline after which there can be no changes is important. In the end the students work out that they have to make their ideas work.

8. Just enough planning - Over the years we refined the level of planning the students were required to do before commencing on their projects in earnest. The initial version required great detail and length processes for developing focus questions and setting targets. For some students and some projects it worked well but for others it got in the way. Eventually we got to a point where the planning had just enough detail, so we know the students have an understanding of their project and that we can support them along the way. View our simplified planning template

9. Relying on experts and building a team - Many of the projects students have explored over the years fall outside of the expertise of their teachers. I have no idea how to sew for example and have been of equally little help to students who are basing their projects around dance or music. Across the school we have found amazing partners with the skills we needed and in most cases they are keen to spend time with a student who they share a passion with. Building a team of support around the project is key to its ultimate success. Being mindful of the workload within this team is also important. We have had some colleagues so keen to help that they become overloaded and although they never complained we had to be careful in managing the demands on their time.

10. Collaboration & Self Organised Learning - Because this is a Personal Passion Project we have not included team projects. Nevertheless collaboration between students is an important part of many projects. Where possible foster the opportunities for collaboration while allowing each student to maintain control of their project. The power of collaboration will lift the quality of the projects as students share ideas and encourage each other to go beyond expectations. Collaboration will also solve some of the problems with projects outside the teacher’s comfort zone. This year I had a group of students focused on game development and their ultimate success was a direct result of the community of like-minded learners they created around their projects. This is a perfect demonstration of students adopting a self organised learning environment as they connect with their passions. 

11. The invisible safety net – For the Personal Passion Project finding the right levels of scaffolding, teacher input and guidance is one of the challenges. We want the students to feel that they are working independently while maintaining an appropriate level of support. In many ways we are wanting to provide an invisible safety net that allows the students to take risks independently while having the support they require.

12. Documenting the process and ensuring time for reflection - Giving time to active reflection on the process has been important. Students need to be able to take a step back and assess what they have achieved and what remains to be accomplished. Sharing these ideas with peers is most beneficial and allows you to train the students in reflecting on their learning and in giving feedback to their peers. The act of reflecting on the process has also benefitted many students when it is time to share their projects with the world as their audience is as interested in the process as they are in the product. This is particularly true for projects where the process is not obvious or is underestimated by the audience. A good example is game design projects in which the finished product does not reveal the level of knowledge and effort that was required.

13. Real Audiences – For all learning adding a real audience for the students is critical, too much of what students do is produced for an audience of one. For the Personal Passion Project presenting to an audience in the end of term ‘Gallery Walk’ has been critical in ensuring the success of the projects. The students gain a real sense of achievement from this day and the feedback is always genuinely positive.

For 2015 we are planning to move to a ‘Genius Hour’ model with students engaging in a scaffolded programme of project management skill development throughout Semester One that leads into planning for and completing a Personal Passion Project across Semester Two. The difference will be that the learning experience will be distributed across the year, one hour per week. We hope that this fits with the demands of the new syllabus from a time perspective while retaining the best parts of the present model. Certainly at the end of the year we will reflect and share what has been learned.

By Nigel Coutts

CREativity in Science and Technology - CREST

Many students will recall their first real science lessons fondly. Recalling the first time they were allowed to use a bunsen burner, the excitement of switching from the orange safety flame to the blue flame, the sense of danger and the thrill of playing with fire in a classroom. The lesson was probably the same for most, 'heat water in a beaker and record its boiling point’. This lesson is probably one of the first almost any student of science does and sadly for too many students of science an indication of what is to come; science by the numbers with little chance for real discovery. But does it have to be this way? 

One of the goals of CREST, a programme managed by CSIRO aims to encourage an innovative approach to science. The goal is to reward students who engage in open ended science investigation and to provide a range of resources that enable their learning. At its advanced level CREST aims to "Advanced CREST enables students to experience the exciting world of scientific research and technological development through a structured program that supports them in choosing, organising and undertaking their own open-ended experimental science or technology project.” This is a very different scenario to that presented in the boiling water experiment.

It is worth considering the levels of complexity and opportunity for inquiry that exists across a range of science lessons. At the most simple level is our boiling water experiment, an example of a 'guided explanation' lesson. In this style of lesson the student is guided by the teacher, they are provided with the equipment and the steps they take to complete the experiment. In this guided explanation nothing new is discovered, in most cases the desired result of the experiment is already known by the teacher and in most cases the students. Assuming the students follow the instructions the results will be expected and each group will present identical results. This sort of lesson might play a role in providing practice with lab routines and procedures for documenting an experiment but resembles real science as much as colour by numbers represents artistic expression. Consider Blooms' Taxonomy and you see that in this case students may require their memories but little else. In fact as the instructions are probably displayed on the board or in a handout students are not even required to remember the details. How many science lessons are of this type? Maybe the experiment is a little more complex, maybe it requires the use of expensive even complex lab equipment and numerous chemicals but does it require students to much with their brains other than follow a recipe?

It is not just science where this highly controlled model of learning can be found. I recall my time in Year Eight and the excitement of moving from Woodwork to Metal Work. The class was presented with the problem of keeping the classroom tidy and the need for dustpans. Over the coming weeks we fashioned from sheets of raw steel dustpans that were works of beauty and all exactly the same. Years later my eldest step-son entered Year Eight and although at a different school he too produced a metal dustpan. I don’t have the dust pan I made, I don’t have the one made by eldest but I do have the one produced my youngest step-son four years later. Each one is for all intents and purposes exactly the same. I have seen similar projects in many schools and have even seen schools celebrate their technological advancement by having the students construct this same dustpan with the help of a laser cutter, surely we can not be too far from having them 3D printed. 

Grant Wiggins writing for te@chthough deals with this problem in an article titled 'Experiential Learning: Just Because It’s Hands-On Doesn’t Mean It’s Minds-On’. Grant asks students three questions that reveal the level to which they are cognitively engaged with the task at hand; What are you doing? Why are you doing it? and What does this help you do that’s important? How many students if asked these questions would reply that they are following the steps indicated and that they need to follow the steps to complete the task? Grant’s full article is worth reading and can be found on his blog, ‘Granted, and. . .'

The next level is a little more challenging and is possibly the first step towards open ended scientific inquiry. In this 'guided discovery’ model students are presented with a question and given some idea of how to proceed with an experiment. The teacher has an idea of what the experiment will look like and provides appropriate materials but does not describe the steps. The students have a degree of freedom although it is most likely freedom to guess at what the teacher wants anyway they like. In this model the results between groups or individual students are likely to differ and the discussion at the conclusion can offer opportunities for students to compare their methods to others. In terms of Blooms’ this model has students at least understanding the question, applying skills and knowledge to a slightly new situation and possibly even analysing the results.

A simple example of ‘guided discovery’ was shared with a group of scientists and teachers at a recent CSIRO ‘Scientists in Schools’ event. In this example participants were asked to determine which brand of paper towel was best. Participants formed groups and were provided with four types of paper towel, a plastic plate, an eye dropper, a plastic cup, a small measuring cylinder, a ruler and a stop watch. The task was to use what was on offer to determine with evidence and on a scale from 1 to 4 which paper towel was best. The range of options for testing were not huge and yet when sharing each groups efforts after an appropriate time of experimentation differences were visible. The discussion at the conclusion revealed that some thinking had occurred and problems encountered and overcome. An initial idea for a test method might prove unsuitable and the method was changed, suggestions for future experiments with different equipment were offered. Although n group had broken new ground and each worked within the scope of instructors initial conception for the lesson there was evidence of thinking at Blooms levels of evaluation and maybe the fleet ingest signs of creativity. 

The next level is where it for most teachers it gets scary and for the students it gets most exciting; Open ended scientific exploration. At its extreme there is no question, no answer, no methodology, no list of required equipment. In CREST this is the ‘Advanced Level’, in the real world this is scientific discovery. Although a lovely idea and something to encourage students towards this ‘Advanced’ level is not for every lesson, somewhere between ‘guided discovery’ and completely open exploration lies the sweet spot for the typical science class. The realities of meeting the demands of a syllabus will mean at least a degree of focus will need to be provided to the questions generated and explored. 

Considering an example, students in Stage Three study in NSW as part of the new Science syllabus might be investigating rapid changes at the earths surface. In a class aiming for an open ended inquiry students will be encouraged to participate in the initial question forming stage of this inquiry before moving on to developing ideas to explore through experimentation and research before drawing conclusions and possibly suggesting plans for action. Although the topic is dictated by the syllabus it is still possible to allow the students to play a significant part in designing an experimental methodology to investigate the relevant phenomenon. By playing a part in the process of generating questions the students are able to develop a deeper understanding of the scientific method from beginning to end and in doing so develop the skills they will use when planning entirely independent research and experimentation.

An essential element of this approach is the inclusion of elements of creativity. Students are not following a prescribed methodology or locating answers to a set of questions but actively engaging in a process of evaluating what is important and creating ways of gathering data and ultimately solving problems. One goal of the exploration of rapid changes at the earth surface might be to develop building methods that are resistant to the forces discovered during the exploration phases. Alternatively students might decide to focus on detection methods or the identification of areas most susceptible to rapid changes. In each case the results should be unique and illustrate the creative input of the students as they engage in a scientific inquiry. 

Turning to an ‘open ended technology’ task we could reimagine our tried and tested dustpan project. Now instead of providing the students with the plans and materials for a dustpan we present the students with a problem; ‘How can we keep the workshop clean?’ This might not be the most important technological challenge faced by humanity but posed in this way the students can approach the task in a wide range of ways. Some might even chose to construct a dustpan, others might decide the problem lies in the choice of materials used in the workshop and replace them all with a biodegrading plastic that breaks down to a harmless gas when exposed to sunlight.

Janet Ivey in her TEDx Talk describes 'AWE (Art, Wonder and Experiential) Inspired Science'. In this inspiring talk Janet outlines how creativity plays an important role in scientific exploration. Anyone who doubts that creativity is essential for scientific inquiry, who has forgotten that in the times of Leonard Da Vinci art and science were one needs to watch this talk. The key message here is that by incorporating art, dance and music into a science lessons sends a message that creativity is an essential part of science and forces students to bring their whole self to their lessons. Janet makes a powerful case for encouraging students to wonder and out of that to ask big questions that might have scientific and technological answers. AWE is the essential ingredient for creating students enthused and passionate about what they experience and imagine.

Sarah Wagstaff is a senior at Saint George’s School and presents a TEDx talk on how she discovered her potential for creativity in science. Fuelled by her passion for science and a quest for creativity Sarah discovers that the answer to her needs was in front of her all the time. With access to a Scanning Electron Microscope Sarah undertakes a scientific investigation into the wings of bees. In this TEDx Talk she presents the results of her study and describes the process of inquiry that went into her work. What is clear is that Sarah’s learning journey would not have been possible without the opportunity to explore beyond the script of a traditional ‘guided explanation’ lesson. Sarah’s advice is ‘be lost in your passion so much that you find creativity’.

For schools looking at ways of incorporating creativity into their science and technology teaching CREST offers a useful pathway. With options suitable for primary students through to upper senior and with a focus on building skills and mindsets required for open ended exploration linked to personal passions there is bound to be the right challenge for any student. The programme is supported by well developed resources with a structured program that ultimately supports advanced participants in choosing, organising and undertaking their own open-ended experimental science or technology project. Details about the programme can be found online at CREST - CREativity in Science and Technology.

by Nigel Coutts

Handwriting vs Typing - Reflecting on Finland's changing policy on cursive writing

Finland recently made the news for its decision to shift away from a focus on handwriting. Beginning in 2016 students will not be required to learn cursive handwriting and instead will be taught typing skills. If this was anywhere other than Finland the decision might be ignored or ridiculed but the Finnish Education systems reputation for producing quality learning backed by innovative practice makes this hard to ignore.

In many ways this decision makes sense, handwriting is increasingly a skill our students will not require in a digital age where typing is the norm. The most common argument I hear for the continuation of handwriting is that students will need to handwrite essays for their Higher School Certificate examinations. It does seem like a great deal of time and energy therefore goes into developing a skill that is of great importance only once and then in an exam that many say needs to move into the 21st century to remain relevant. Then again there will always be those times when one is asked to sign a birthday card for a colleague and the only place left is next to the one person on staff with exquisite handwriting.

Despite the obvious shift from handwriting to typing in society there has been very little movement towards developing these skills in schools. Not that students aren’t on mass learning to type. Go into any classroom and you will see students merrily pecking away at keyboards and while few have skills that a typist would celebrate most manage the task with a degree of speed and even accuracy; at least with auto correct on. From this evidence one could conclude that typing skills can be learned by osmosis, that if you put a child in front of a keyboard they will learn what to do and in time develop sufficient muscle memory to do it well.

But what is lost in a move away from handwriting and should schools teach typing skills?

An article in the New York Times by Maria Konnikova reports on research suggesting that in this case the Finns might be heading down the wrong path. Research cited by Konnikova indicates that handwriting plays a valuable part in developing neural networks and assists with processing and recall of information. The physical act of handwriting uses parts of the brain not used in other forms of writing such as typing. Research by Virginia Berninger cited in this article reports 'When the children composed text by hand, they not only consistently produced more words more quickly than they did on a keyboard, but expressed more ideas.’ Research from University of California indicates that students learn better when they take handwritten notes. While many of these benefits apply broadly to handwriting and not specifically to cursive, one study links the development of cursive writing to treatments for dyslexia and other related difficulties with processing language 'cursive may be particularly effective for individuals with developmental dysgraphia’.

In typical Finnish fashion the decision to teach cursive or not will be in the hands of the school. In situations where the school has heavily adopted technology the move away from cursive is likely to come earlier and be less noticed as it reflects the way students are already engaging with content, in areas where technology has had less impact cursive can stay. This attribute of matching the mode of learning to local needs is a quality of Finnish education applauded widely. It also leaves scope for cursive handwriting to be pursued as an art form by those who wish. Calligraphy is a hobby for many and when done well produces undoubtedly beautiful results. Perhaps a shift away from compulsory handwriting will allow it to evolve into a valued art form cherished by those bored with computer generated repetitive perfection. 

The question of teaching typing skills is one that generates great debate too. Gary Stager @garystager  the well known supporter of the ‘Maker Movement’ and advocate of innovative technology labels typing skills as a waste of time, a focus on process and not results, a skill for a time when typists were required by industry to duplicate documents for businesses. Now typing is about entering data and text so it can be manipulated and acted upon, accuracy is less important than speed. Others will argue that typing will soon be replaced by voice recognition and that recent improvements through services such as Google Voice, Siri and the like mean this technology is closer than ever. There are of course those who are strong supporters of targeted typing lessons and any number of commercial programmes that support this. For touch typists the benefits of their skill set are clear and for those unable to type with such prowess a tempting skill to develop.

The whole discussion is complicated by the expansion of mobile computing and the growing dominance of touch interfaces. With this comes a great variety of keyboard and input methods from swipes, to text expanders to unconventional keyboard layouts. The debate is no longer restricted to QWERTY vs Dvorak. What has changed most as a result of this change is that the makers of keyboards are aware that they must create systems that are easy to use. Until recently Apple offered users of its iPhone and iPad devices a choice of one keyboard while Android users had a range of options. With the release of iOS 8 Apple has recognised the demand for choice and opened up the keyboard market to third party developers. The result is an increasingly competitive market where the users select the keyboard that best suits their needs, their style. With increasingly smart keyboards available the need for the user to learn a layout decreases. In the new age the keyboard will have to learn its user not the reverse. 

by Nigel Coutts

20 Ways Handwriting is Good For You

Another Perspective and Research Summary on the Benefits of Handwriting is provided by Irene Fenswick of IvyPanda. Check out the excellent infographic for details.

Visit IvyPanda

As with so many issues in education, it should be about finding the right balance and we must be careful to not fall for false dichotomies. If we understand the advantages of all the ways we can record and share our ideas, we can make the right choice to suit our needs.

Dictionaries vs Internet

With the annual review of what books we will require students to use in the following year came a discussion of the merits of a dictionary as part of this list. Like many schools we have implemented a 1:1 BYOD programme that means every child has full time access to the internet. The questions is does this negate the need for a dictionary or is there still a compelling case to develop dictionary skills. I was curious as to which approach would produce the most meaningful results and decided to explore the resources available online and compare these with a traditional dictionary and app based dictionaries. 

The initial discussion amongst a small group of teachers did not bode well for traditional dictionaries. None used dictionaries when they wanted to know more about a word. If we were not teachers teaching students to use dictionaries we would have no need for one. In each case when we wanted to check a spelling or definition we went online. This left us with a strong feeling that asking our digitally native students to use a device that even their teachers had abandoned was misguided. Still it is worth asking ‘are we missing something by abandoning dictionaries?'

For my comparison I picked on the word ‘curious’ as in this quote from the artist Man Ray 'Of course, there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask 'how', while others of a more curious nature will ask 'why'. Personally, I have always preferred inspiration to information.’ I wanted to understand the why of using a dictionary, less so the how. I started by turning to the dictionary I had available in my classroom.  Here is what the Oxford Dictionary of English provided:

curious ‘kjʊərɪəs - adjective
1. eager to know or learn something: I began to be curious about the whereabouts of the bride and groom | she was curious to know what had happened. 
- expressing curiosity: a curious stare.
2. strange; unusual: a curious sensation overwhelmed her. 
- DERIVATIVES
.curiously adverb  curiously, I find snooker riveting
curiousness noun.
- ORIGIN
Middle English: from Old French curios, from Latin curiosus ‘careful’, from cura ‘care’. Sense 2 dates from the early 18th cent.

Not a bad start and it will be this that I compare alternative sources to, the next step was to see the result gained from a Google search for just the word ‘curious’ 

Google’s results are similar in some respects to Oxford’s but a few differences and advantages are immediately apparent. The most obvious difference is that online I am provided with the option to have the word read to me, useful if I am unsure of the pronunciation. I am also provided with a set of links to synonyms allowing me to expand the scope of my search or to check definitions of these words. As I searched for the word alone the results further down the page include links not entirely relevant to a dictionary inquiry such as a link to a company called Curious Films and Curious.com. Microsoft’s ‘Bing’ search engine provides similar results to Google with the same sentence about the curious whereabouts of our bride and groom. 

Adding the word ‘definition’ to my search provides more focused results including links to many online dictionaries including Oxford, Merriam-Webster, MacMillian and Collins. Each provides detailed results with examples of the word in use and links to synonyms and an option to have the word read. Some include translations to other languages, all are ad supported and offer a search option for looking within their service. Adding selected terms to a Google or Bing search will refine the results provided, try searching for ‘curious synonyms’, ‘curious antonyms’, ‘curious quotes’ or 'curious etymology’. Other searches worth trying include 'books with curious in title’ and ‘music with curious in title’. Refining the results in each case to ‘Images’ or ‘Videos’ will produce different but in each case interesting and informative results even if many of the images are centred on a monkey named George. 

Being able to find images relevant to a dictionary search offers an opportunity for a class to apply ‘Making Thinking Visible’ strategies to a word study as students analyse what aspect of the selected word is depicted in the images presented by their search engine. In some cases the connection is obvious and possibly related to text in the image, in other cases the link is less apparent and can be an excellent starting point for discussion and analysis that a dictionary definition by the demands of its purpose will not foster. 

Wikipedia has a page for almost everything and my search for curious provided a link to their page titled curiosity; related to my search but not quite the same. Searching for curious re-directs to the Curiosity page where this definition is provided:

Curiosity (from Latin curiosus "careful, diligent, curious," akin to cura "care") is a quality related to inquisitive thinking such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation inhuman and many animal species.[1][2] The term can also be used to denote the behavior itself being caused by the emotion of curiosity. As this emotion represents a thirst for knowledge, curiosity is a major driving force behind scientific research and other disciplines of human study. - Wikipedia

On this page I am not only provided with the definition of the word but have access to a detailed discussion of the nature of curiosity, its causes and theories about curiosity and relevant brain research. I am warned that the page relies too much on references to primary sources and asked to improve the page by adding secondary of tertiary sources. I am also provided with links including Wikiquotes and Wikitionary.

Heading to Wikitionary and a search for curious you find a more traditional dictionary definition with solid detail and again the option to have the word read to you. It has etymology for the word and the option to see quotes containing it from selected historic texts. Wikitionary

Next I tried some of the visual dictionaries beginning with Snappy Words. This provides results in a very different way with the searched for word at the centre of a mind-map of related words and phrases. Mouse over any of these and a definition is offered. The colour and shape of the links between words reveals the nature of the connection to the original term. Snappy words encourages exploration and clicking on a linked word expands the options available. In a class it would cover the needs for a definition but could also become a a tool for encouraging word play and exploration. Snappy Words

Wolfram Alpha is a service not typically connected to dictionary services but one that provides a useful set of data when applied to a word search. In addition to a definition it tells me that ‘curious’ was first known to be used in 1340, is the 3915th most commonly written word and 4045th most commonly spoken word. It includes synonyms, antonyms, lexically close words, translations and notable uses. Wolfram Alpha also provides a graph revealing the words usage over time. Wolfram Alpha 

On my Mac I use PopClip, an extension that allows me to quickly access a number of function when I select a word or phrase, one of these is a definition. i could also search for the word using the system wide dictionary or use the ‘Look Up’ function in Word/Office. The results are basic but include links out tomacq other services, similar results can be found in Windows and within eBook readers such as Kindle or iBooks. These options for included dictionaries with quick access to definitions allow the user to find the result they want while working with the word in context and mean the user is more lily to use the service compared to having to locate a dictionary on a shelf or even online in a browser. An update to the note taking service Evernote is said to include a feature that automatically includes links to information relevant to what the user is typing as they type including definitions.

With the growth of App stores for iPad and Android a selection of dictionary apps have become available and offer most of the advantages of the online dictionary sites including easy search, text to speech options and in some cases facility to add notes. The better apps will also include options for copying information into documents, notes, email or sharing via social media. The advantage of most apps is that they use local data meaning the user has access to definitions when working offline. The disadvantage is that these dictionary apps can use significant storage space on the device. With apps and online services it is important to find versions using the accepted local spelling. With many of these services originating in United States of America there is definite bias towards American English. Schools in Australia need to make their students aware of this and suggest relevant apps of search modifiers to ensure relevancy. While there are numerous free dictionary apps finding ones that guarantee correct localisation generally means going to one of the better known publishers and these carry by app store standards significant prices. The Macquarie Complete Australian Dictionary is $19.99 and The Australian Oxford Dictionary is a $29.99 in app purchase after a free download. 

So is it time to abandon Dictionaries? It looks like the results are definitely in favour of the online and app based options. The range of services available electronically means that for anyone wanting to know the meaning of a word, understand its correct usage, research its history or locate alternatives even across languages the traditional dictionary can not compete. What is lost with online dictionaries is the knowledge and experience with alphabetical order that it builds. Traditionally it is dictionary work that teaches this skill beyond knowing simple A to Z but being able to sort a list accurately. The extent to which this skill is required beyond dictionary usage is unclear particularly as lists and the like will most likely be generated on a computer and then sorted automatically. Usage of alphabetical order persists as a relevant skill when using glossaries and indexes but even this is likely to be replaced by search as texts move into electronic formats. Alternative ways and rationales for teaching alphabetical ordering may be necessitated by a move away from traditional dictionaries.

by Nigel Coutts

Dropbox and Microsoft

Recently Dropbox and Microsoft announced a partnership that offers users of the popular cloud service easy interoperability with Office on iOS and Android. As a longtime user of Dropbox this makes the process of accessing my files much easier and will avoid a great deal of duplication when working across platforms.

Earlier in the year Microsoft launched Office for iPad and with this gave users of Apple’s mobile devices versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint that go a long way to meeting the needs of most people. True the desktop versions of these productivity applications offer more bells and whistles but most features go unused so the mobile offering will cover the needs of most users most of the time. The Office Apps are free and will enable viewing of all Office documents, those with a Microsoft Office 365 subscription can enable editing of their files as part of their plan and without using one of their allowed desktop installs. The downfall for many users was that they were locked into Dropbox for their file storage and now had to move files into OneDrive to be able to edit with Office. This barrier has now been removed and both users and employees of Dropbox can rejoice.

There are two ways to access your Dropbox files depending on how you like to work with your files; both produce the same result. Method one is to begin in the Dropbox app on your device and locate the file you wish to use, from here a few clicks will gives access to the systems options to 'Open in. . .’ along with a direct option to 'Open with Office', select the appropriate Office app and you are editing your file with automatic saves back to Dropbox as you edit. Method two is to give the Office App access to you Dropbox account. Now when you open the Office Apps you have Dropbox as a save location alongside OneDrive and can access any of your files in either location from within the app. However you access your Dropbox account, files will reflect the changes you make and be available for editing across other platforms including web and dedicated applications for Windows and Mac.

Some have claimed that this move signals Microsoft is abandoning OneDrive. This is an odd claim as the company has just announced practically unlimited storage for OneDrive users as part of their Office 365 subscriptions. Almost anyone can access huge chunks of OneDrive storage at no cost so it is clearly a product Microsoft is not directly making money on. What OneDrive and this arrangement with Dropbox ensures is that when a user wants to edit their files on Mobile and from the Cloud, Microsoft has the answer. These moves from Microsoft are more likely to show an awareness from the tech giant of the threat posed by iCloud from Apple and ongoing developments from Google across its Google Drive/Docs ecosystem. What this move also seems to herald is a Microsoft that does not ask for total commitment from its users but is happy to provide the core services required to make a diverse platform work especially when they are providing the parts users are happy to pay for.

For schools this deal offers the familiar environment of Dropbox without the need to move large volumes of files to an alternate system and the convenience of editing Word, Excel and Powerpoint files on mobile devices. For schools not committed to Dropbox, OneDrive offers more storage at a cheaper price (free) with the same degree of cross platform integration. Either way students, teachers and facility should all be able to find an easy to use, flexible option to meet their productivity needs. 

by Nigel Coutts

Questions that encourage deeper thinking

Just a quick post considering questions to be used in place of ‘What makes you say that?’ This is a question I use often, so much so that after a while my class predict it is coming and provide the answer automatically. But in some settings it is not the right question and in others it doesn’t take the conversation in the right direction. I thought there must be better questions that have the effect of forcing a deeper level of thinking. In response to that thought I listed some of the other questions I find I use often in those situations where a student clearly has the foundation of a great idea but need to go one step further. I included some ideas from Tony Ryan who shared some great ideas on how to ensure the whole class is attentive to the discussion that is happening and to guarantee active/reflective listening is taking place. Anyway here is the list. I will add to this as I think of and discover more. If you have a great question like this share it on Twitter with #cotchat and I will collate them here.

• What makes you say that?

• What makes you think that?

• How do you know that?

• What makes you value that?

• What has changed about your thinking?

• What changed you mind?

• What questions does that raise?

• What question would a sceptic ask?

• What evidence do you have?

• What is the weak point in your argument?

• Who would agree with you?

• Who would disagree with you?

• What do you still need to know?

• What else?

• What is missing?

• Where do you go from here?

• What part of the problem is left?

• What are you certain about? Why?

• What do you understand least?

• Can you summarise what X said?

• Is Y’s summary accurate, if not, what is inaccurate?

Brainstorming

Image courtesy IDEO

When used with the right structure and within a culture that honours both divergent and convergent thinking, Brainstorming can be an excellent strategy for generating ideas. A Brainstorm around questions can be particularly useful as it is likely to generate a productive list with less of the limitations that come with sharing supposed knowledge or insight. The creative Team at IDEO have much experience and a culture that certainly encourages sharing ideas freely. They share their insights to the use of Brainstorming and some useful resources on their website. The second article below shares a variety of strategies that might be used to make Brainstorming a more effective strategy.

IDEO - Brainstorming

16 Brainstorming Techniques

Terry Heick writing for te@chthought shared these questions that are of value when wrapping up a conversation as they encourage a deeper level of reflection on the full discussion. Read Terry's Article

• What have been the highlights?

• What have been the rough spots?

• What do we now understand?

• What do we still not understand?

• Whose voices didn’t we hear? Why?

The end of a conversation is also a great time to apply the thinking routine "I used to think . . . Now I think . . ." This routine can be an excellent way of recording changes to students thinking and understanding as a result of a conversation or learning experience. A slight change to this could make it useful at a midpoint in a discussion where there is time to continue the exploration, to do this try 'I used to think . . . But I am unsure of . . .' or 'I used to think . . . But need to find evidence for . . .'

by Nigel Coutts with input from #cotchat

Why I built a wooden Periodic Table in my spare time.

It was a little over two years ago that I first saw it. We were in Canberra for our annual Year Six visit to the capital and were visiting Questacon, the National Science Museum. This is always a highlight of the trip for the students who enjoy the hands-on nature of the displays. For them this is a chance to ‘play’ with science, to encounter new ideas and experience the wow factor of a museum full of excitement. As a teacher with an interest in both science and the creative use of spaces Questacon is the perfect place to spend a few hours after a long day of marshaling students in and out of national monuments were expectations for respectful behaviour has tested their limits.
 
It was on one of the upper floors that we encountered the exhibit that was to inspire a multi-year project. A display of the Periodic Table of Elements that led a small group of teachers to explore the possibility of having a similar display as part of our Junior School. Instantly we saw the potential in this one display item to become the object that encourages our students to get excited about science and to clearly identify to all that our science lab is the place for serious investigation and scientific inquiry. Had we known then how much time and energy this project would ultimately take we might have walked away, but as is the case with all big ideas once you realise how much you have taken on it is too late to stop.
 
The next part of the process went surprisingly well and with the support of our Head of School we secured funding for the project from our Parents and Friends Association. This was the point where our investigations became serious and we quickly discovered that the cost of the display at Questacon was quite enormous, very much on the budgetary scale of a national museum and not a medium sized primary school. Our budget would not stretch anywhere near the amount required to purchase the sort of display we were after. From here we started brainstorming possible solutions to this problem including digital alternatives, interactive displays utilising iPad software, printed wall dressings and mixed media options with QR codes to trigger interactive elements. All of these options were nice but none captured our imaginations like that original piece of cabinetry and carefully selected physical samples had.
 
One option that we kept going back to was linked to the nature of the display case we had seen. In essence it is a nest of boxes arranged in the well-known shape of the Periodic Table. Each box is illuminated and has a plastic door. Around this nest of boxes is cabinetry that holds it all together and conceals the wiring for the lighting. The difficult part in this arrangement is the sheer number of boxes required and the uniformity of size required of each box for them to nest together. The box plan relied on being able to purchase the required 118 boxes at a reasonable price and with a suitable degree of accuracy. Eventually we located a supplier who could provide what we were after. The Wooden Box Factory based in Victoria builds boxes for a variety of purposes, typically packaging and gift boxes. Their catalogue includes a variety of pine boxes with plywood backs with internal dimensions of around 120 mm square. This seemed perfect and after many long discussions and recognition that we were almost at the anniversary of the projects approval, we purchased the required number of boxes. It was not until much further along in the process that it was realised that our decision to use this particular box size had made life much more difficult than it needed be, but more on that when we get there.
 
The plan once we had the boxes was for our school maintenance team to join them all together and construct a simple piece of cabinetry to bind it all into one piece. Initial discussions went well but as the size of the task became apparent an alternative plan was sought. Quotes from cabinetmakers were sought and our budget was quickly found to be lacking. We had possibly one-third of what we would require. We were also at this stage very committed to the project having already paid for the boxes and made many promises that the Periodic Table would be delivered. After much back and forth, consultation with experts and quite a few sleepless nights I decided that the task was not all that difficult and that given a couple of weekends, a large piece of MDF to mount the boxes too and a few other bits of timber I could do it myself. I quite clearly remember the conversation with my Head of School where I outlined this plan with the greatest of confidence. Looking back it is one of the most ridiculous series of statements I have ever made.
 
It was around this time as I moved from fairly whimsical plans to one based upon a little mathematics that I encountered one of the core difficulties with the project. The Periodic Table is a series of columns and rows, 18 columns and including the Lanthanides and Actinides 9 rows. Our boxes have external dimensions of 135 mm square and a depth of 123 mm, this makes for a cabinet that is without any surrounds 2430 mm wide. I know this number very well now because it is exactly 30 mm longer than standard raw timber dimensions. Had we selected a slightly smaller box we would have been inside the magic number of 2400 mm but we were not. The result of this was that every timber purchase was more difficult and only through careful combinations was I able to construct a cabinet of sufficient dimension to encompass our table. In the end for parts I had to resort to laminating timbers together to provide the required lengths, a process I had no plans to incorporate when I initially imagined tackling the project. 
 
The first step was acquiring a piece of MDF suitable to act as a backing for the boxes. Plywood would have been a better and much lighter option but only MDF (medium density fiberboard) was available in the required size. The local supplier fortunately did not have the required size in stock but did have a damaged piece in almost the right size. This was fortunate as it was through trying to work with this piece that I realised the backing board I had planed to mount the boxes to was going to be far too heavy. The order was changed to a piece one third the thickness of the original and with the weight cut by an equal proportion I hoped this would meet my needs. In the end even this piece was far too heavy but a slightly odd solution to this problem was found as described further on.
 
The next step was to begin working with the boxes themselves. Each box required two holes to be drilled directly opposite each other that would allow LED light tape to be run through the rows of boxes. These holes had to be accurately located to ensure they would line up perfectly once the boxes were glued together. This meant drilling 236 holes, each located in exactly the same location on the sides of each box. A drill press and jig made the process easy but even this required careful use. After each hole was drilled the jig would accumulate sawdust and this would affect the placement of the next box in the jig and thus the accuracy of the hole. My solution was to sit in front of the drill press with a supply of boxes at the ready, a vacuum cleaner running with the hose draped over my lap. I would pick up a box, place it in the jig, drill the hole, remove the box, vacuum the jig clean, return the box to the jig and drill the second hole. This process was repeated 236 times. It was only after this that I was able to use a second jig along with hammer and chisel to square off the top two corners of each hole so that the LED tape would have a flat, squared hole to run through. I won’t describe this process; just recalling it is painful enough.
 
Another of the early challenges was deciding on the final finish that would be applied. The pine boxes dictated that either a quality paint finish would be used or a stain would be applied to add character and visual appeal. I knew very little about wood stains before this project and my attempts to use stains in the past had been dismal failures. Tackling a project of this scale with stained timber should have scared me off but after some extensive research and some great YouTube videos I felt confident to give it a go. This opened a whole new can of worms as we explored the many options available. Samples were created in two types of stain (spirit and water based), 16 different shades and with two different top-coats (Satin and Gloss). In the end we selected a spirit based stain in a Cedar finish with a satin topcoat. The look resembled the finish on the cabinet at Questacon and suits the red wall of the space it will be placed in. Having selected a finish I could move on to the process of staining the 118 boxes and then applying two coats of varnish.
 
All of this started in August. I had planned to complete the entire process in two weekends with an extra day thrown in to allow easier access to suppliers not open on weekends. By the end of the second weekend I knew this schedule was slightly unrealistic. The drilling of the holes took the best part of one weekend; the painting took much longer. Having to wait fours hours between coats was not the problem, having to paint 118 boxes was, even out sourcing part of this process to my parents was not going to save the timeline. In the end though even the time spent painting the boxes would be only a small portion of the total time that went into the project.
 
With the boxes stained and varnished I was able to move on to assembling the boxes into columns and the gluing the columns together to form small parts of the whole table; little blocks of boxes typically 4 columns by 4 to 6 rows depending on where that block would fit within the finished cabinet. This introduced two problems. Firstly the boxes were not as square as hoped, not surprising as they are made from wood and little differences add up when you are using so many components. Secondly when glued together some sets of boxes had developed a nasty bow. What caused this I am not sure. In part it was due to clamping the boxes to avoid gaps at the top edge, partly it was that the boxes had plywood backs which held the backs of the boxes wide as the rest of the box changed shape a little around it with the wood drying or absorbing moisture. Either way the problem was the same and this was to become a larger problem when I started to mount the boxes onto the backboard. Had I predicted this I would have glued and screwed the individual boxes directly to the backboard and tolerated a few little gaps between boxes but at the time I felt gluing and clamping in small sets would be the best approach.
 
Now that I had the boxes pretty much ready I needed to prepare the backboard itself. This was a piece of MDF 12mm thick and cut to 2448 mm by 1600 mm. Despite having gone to a thinner board than originally planned this piece was still massively heavy, required two people to move and would have put the finished piece well over anything like a reasonable weight. At this stage I decided to try an idea from aeronautics to lighten the load. Aircraft wings are strengthened using a series of spars. To keep the weight down each spar has a series of circles cut out of. The circles remove material from the spar but due to the way a circle sheds forces the spar maintains or even gains strength. This was my solution, I would drill a series of 6 cm holes out of the back board leaving enough material to mount the boxes to and keeping the rigidity that the MDF provided while reaching the overall weight. I also cut the board short and changed the plan so that the backboard would not go to the floor but would pass its weight into the cabinetry base that would lift the lowest boxes to a viewable height. 140 holes later I had a backboard that although still heavier than it would have been in plywood was at least something I could move myself. Two coats of white primer and I was ready to move on.
 
At this point I turned my attention to some of the cabinetry that the finished piece would require. Many hours were spent sketching options and planning profiles. Some of the pieces were becoming increasingly complex as they include rebates and rabbets to accommodate joins to the backboard and would allow the pieces to interlock. I was aiming for a simple clean look and this was proving more difficult than an ornate look where moldings could be used to hide imperfections. The funny part about this is that most of the pieces of cabinetry that took the longest time and were the most difficult to prepare, hide their complexity from view. A simple join between two pieces of timber with no visible join is the result of this hidden work but the average person will never spot it. I hope that no one notices the pieces of timber laminated together to give lengths longer than 2400 mm, that these joins disappear is something I am quite happy with. In the end it has only 16 visible fasteners each hidden behind a wooden plug. It was around this time that rather strangely the term ’tickety-boo’ entered my vernacular. 
 
As the project went along I encountered a host of new problems to overcome and skills to learn. I had never used a router before and much of the cabinetry work relied upon this. I had to make many accurate cuts with the router in terms of depth and width and doing so with my make shift work bench that was too short for many pieces was proving time consuming as pieces needed to be re-positioned repeatedly to finish one cut. Other pieces were too fiddly to do with the router and so my skills with a chisel were expanded. I came to appreciate a good set of clamps and a small plane. An orbital sander and belt sander came in hand on possibly too many occasions and my best friend was the ever present set-square. From day one I set the goal of having a neat and organised workspace where everything had a place and was in it if not in use. This methodology paid off as time went by and I wasted little effort looking for things I would otherwise have misplaced. I now need to apply this approach to my desk at school.
 
As the project came together I realised that what I should have done as step one was construct a work bench large enough for the finished piece to sit on, one that was completely level. What I had was a pair of sawhorses, a couple of steel beams from a single bed and the original piece of MDF I had used to mock up the original layout on. The floor all this sat on is nothing like level and the whole arrangement bowed towards the edges. This ensured that the level of accuracy I had planned to achieve was difficult if not impossible. This was probably why no one else was keen to take on the project in the first place as they new they did not have a workbench large enough. In the end it worked out OK but this was a good lesson to learn for any future projects.
 
As the pieces came together little changes to the plan had to be made. Just in gluing the boxes together the width of the cabinet had grown by 18 mm. That is a gap of only 1mm per column but more than my original small scale testing had suggested. I also ended up with an odd difference in height from one side to the other, much of which comes from just four boxes on one side being slightly smaller than their colleagues on the other side. All this meant that I had to rethink the sides of the cabinet and pull some little tricks with the top plate so it would at least look square. At last when I did get the sidepieces on the whole cabinet gained a degree of rigidity it had lacked. The sides also had the effect of tying it all together so it no longer looked like a collection of boxes but became a single piece of furniture.
 
In between I had to fit the lighting and work out how I would run the many metres of self-adhesive LED tape through the previously drilled holes. Purchasing the lighting had been a significant expense. Each roll was 5 metres long and the cabinet required just over 4 rolls. Each metre of tape required 1.1 amps of power and as a result the cabinet uses two transformers able to provide a total of 32 amps of power in 12 volts DC. These are hidden in a void at the top of the cabinet between Hydrogen and Helium and mounted to an aluminium plate to help with heat dispersal. Initially I was concerned about the amount of heat these transformers would produce but testing has shown they increase the temperature of the surrounding air by as little as two degrees Celsius. Running the lighting and wiring allowed me to develop my skills with a soldering iron particularly when fixing wires to small copper tabs on the tape and required the use of four bus bars to distribute the power. The bus bars are lovely pieces of industrial design, resplendent in copper but hidden from view as is all the wiring. The LED lights however are not hidden and do an amazing job of illuminating the boxes. With an average of six little LEDs per box the display is certainly well lit and thanks to coloured cards placed at the rear of each box to colour code the elements it is a bright piece. These cards were professionally printed by a parent of the school and made the job of adding the colour coding the table requires easy.
 
Each box is fronted with a piece of acrylic laser cut to fit and with the name, symbol and number of each element etched into the front. Setting up the files required for the laser cutting and etching allowed me to learn Illustrator and the particular details required for the laser cutter to make sense of the information; red lines are cut, blue lines are etched. The laser cutting was done by our Senior School’s ‘Innovative Design Department’ and the result is excellent. Each piece of acrylic is held in place with magnets and can be easily removed to give access to the items in the boxes. Mounting the magnets was another one of those particularly fun tasks with each box requiring two small cubes of wood to be glued into opposite corners. Each cube had to be stained to match the rest of the cabinet. Onto each cube a magnet was glued and then onto each piece of acrylic magnets were glued to line up with those in the boxes. A small jig ensured the cubes were all placed at the exact depth required and then great care had to be taken to ensure the polarity of the magnets on the box and on the acrylic worked to hold the two items together and not push them apart. As the magnets were glued to the acrylic with super glue this was a one shot deal. As a person more used to working in a digital space I missed the pixel perfect accuracy possible in software and an ‘Undo’ button. 
 
I am now overly familiar with the names of the elements having typed them for each of the acrylic covers, again for the name of each page of the website that will accompany the cabinet, again for each of the Photoshop files that appear on the website, again for the links to each page from the virtual Periodic Table and lastly again for the links to the image files on the website. My favourites are the yet unnamed elements, the Ununoctiums and Ununpentiums etc. I hope it is not too soon that they are discovered and named as I am not overly keen on having to make the updates just yet.
 
It is now November and the cabinet is finished and delivered. It ended up 2520 mm wide and 1560 mm high. Overall I am happy with the look of it and hope it makes a great addition to the space it goes into. I have no real idea of how much time it took in hours; it is over 30 days of full-time 7 am to 8 pm work plus many evenings after school. Essentially every weekend for three months plus ten days in the September school holidays. Most of this time I have enjoyed having the project to do, the times when I wished it was finished and done with were few. I have definitely learned a lot from doing it. Better than the knowledge of cabinetry I have gained are the insights into problem solving it has provided. As each new problem was encountered I had to apply the same sort of process I teach my students as they work through problem based learning experiences. Where I rushed in, I made mistakes, as I went along I did this less often, I slowed down, looked at the problem and thought through the solution trying to gauge what problems it might lead to. I looked for answers online and found a wealth of good sources I could trust. Every time I encountered a completely new problem I was reminded of how my students must often feel as they encounter new challenges. At times the solution came easily, at other times it was a long, frustrating process. In the end I was able to solve each of the problems that came my way and as a result have gained confidence in my ability to do so. I developed the attitude of ‘I have no idea what I am doing. . . yet” and in this way kept moving forward until I found the fix I needed. At these times it might have been nice to have an expert on hand to provide the right answer and I am sure some of my solutions would make a cabinetmaker laugh but in finding an answer myself I feel I learned more and it is this sort of learning that I want for my students. 
 
Finishing the display cabinet is only the first step in this project. We now have a mostly empty set of labeled boxes waiting to be populated with samples and replicas. Each of the radioactive elements will have a small yellow drum with appropriate warning signs and the name of its element on the side. The drums look like the sort used for transporting waste but are a novelty container for selling that oozing slime children love to play with. Some of the elements will be easy to find samples of, others almost impossible or pose too much of a danger to have the real thing. The noble gases for now will be represented by acrylic letters in the colour that they produce when electrically excited, maybe down the track we can replace these with neon lights filled with the appropriate gas. Each box will link to a webpage created by the students and full of information about the element. Each webpage will include a short video produced by the students and it is in these aspects of the project that it gains meaning as a tool for learning. As it becomes a project of the students creativity and learning and less about being a cabinetry project for me it transforms into a meaningful object.

For me this was a first hand experience with the type of leaning advocates of the ‘Maker Movement’ champion. With my curriculum hat on the number of outcomes covered in such a project would be enormous but at no time did I stop and think,’ I am doing maths now’ or ‘isn’t it good to utilise my comprehension skills’. Every part of the process had genuine meaning and the learning was immediately applicable. I also received immediate feedback as the plan either worked and looked good or it didn’t. In most cases where things didn’t work the result also revealed where I had gone wrong and provided hints at a better way of moving forward. 

Some people may wonder why a Junior School needs a Periodic Table of Elements, after all it is not a part of the primary curriculum and surely we don’t expect our students to learn this sort of content now. Fair comment but this misses the point. The role of this Periodic Table is to be a beacon that attracts students to the sciences, a piece of marketing aimed at sparking inquisitive students to wonder what it is all about. It marks the space it occupies as the doorway not only to the science lab but as the doorway to the Sciences and reveals just a little of the mysteries that lay waiting for those with curious minds.

 Would I take on a project like this again? Yes, but probably not in the next few months. I did learn from this that the initial plan was flawed and while I managed to make it work there are better ways of tackling this exact project. There are times when I think it would be interesting to try the same project again using the lessons learned from this effort. Would I recommend others do the same? That depends on how much you value your sanity. It is absolutely worth having that ridiculously oversized project if it is something you love doing, something that will occupy all your spare time but that at least most of the time you look forward to returning to. Just don't keep too close an accounting of the time it swallows or expect other people to understand why you are doing it. 

By Nigel Coutts

Interactions that encourage thinking.

Recently I have been thinking about the role I play in encouraging my students to think and to trust in themselves as capable learners. This is largely due to the topic of our Term Four Unit of Inquiry. In essence we don’t have one, instead we allow the students to spend their final term in Junior School committed to a project of their design. We call this a Personal Passion Project, students call it a chance to do what they have always wanted to do. It does result in some projects that go far beyond the expertise of the average primary school teacher and although our students are working at the edge of their personal comfort zones their teachers are often far from theirs. Some of the conversations I have had stand out as examples of how to foster learning and engagement in these situations.

One of the boys has decided to take on the task of designing a surfboard and having a model of it 3D Printed. A visit to a local manufacturer who uses an innovative CNC based approach to designing surfboards inspired this student to apply the same approach to his project. He has done a great job so far but struck a problem when it came to finessing the shape of his board and including a delicate curve at the front. He came to me with this problem and assessed against the conventional model of the teacher, I was useless. I have no experience with the software he is using and have always found drawing in 3D with a computer a task that tests my very limited drawing skills. My answer was “Sorry, I really don’t know”. I went on to explain how I find working with 3D drawings on a computer difficult and that I was genuinely impressed by what he had already achieved. I did offer some advice; I described what I do when I am stuck with a piece of software and described a scenario where just as he was stuck I had encountered a problem I couldn’t solve. We chatted about various sources of tips and ideas for video tutorials that might help him move forward. I hope I provided enough support to allow him to problem solve his way to a solution and that he walked away confident that at least one person believed in his ability to do just that.

A conversation with a colleague convinced me of the merits of this approach. This teacher runs an Innovative Technology Lab full of laser cutters, 3D printers and vacuum forming machines. He has in place a set of essential rules linked to safety and respect for self, others and the equipment. Beyond these non-negotiable rules he lets his students make all sorts of mistakes. Not every product that leaves his room is perfect, in many cases a trained professional could have produced a better finish in less time. He understands though that his role is to present situations to his students through which they learn to problem solve, to think and to gain confidence in their abilities to do so. Often it would be easy to step in and take over an operation, to let the students watch and learn the process but this would miss the point, in most cases the process of creating that single do-dad for his classes doesn’t matter as much as the real learning that they will take with them into the world beyond school.

Another group of students have decided to focus their efforts on designing a computer game. They are using Unity as a game development platform with a little C# thrown in for coding behaviours for the objects they create. They are going far beyond the level of coding typical for a Year Six curriculum but not beyond what they are comfortable with. If I were teaching them to code they would be bored and stifled by the limits of my knowledge and comfort. As a small group of collaborators they are extending each other’s knowledge and solving problems without even realising they are, it is all just fun and a very natural way to learn.

In the past I may have doubted the wisdom in the approach taken to each set of students. What convinced me that this is a worthy approach is the work of Sugata Mitra. This provides the evidence that when students are presented with the right environment and just enough support they are able to achieve learning goals not achievable in other ways. A key part of this approach is what he refers to as the role of the Grandmother. As a young learner I was lucky to have just such a grandmother, one who encouraged me with kind words and never ending confidence in me but who seldom provided solutions to the problems we discussed. In helping students with their Personal Passion Projects I feel I have been able to step into this role and in doing so have encouraged my students towards a deeper learning, a learning that will last and in which they are the driving force not me. I have also gained confidence in this approach by sharing stories with colleagues who are able to report similar success and lastly I have seen students confidently collaborate far beyond the expectations of the syllabus because they have been allowed to.

Both sides of Inquiry Based Learning

Two articles from Mind/Shift worth reading have crossed my radar lately presenting two sides of one schools story. The Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia is celebrated as an example of the deep learning that can be achieved when a school embraces Inquiry Based Learning. 

In the first article founding principle Chris Lehman describes ‘Why Inquiry Based Learning is worth the Trouble’. In this piece he identifies the challenges that come with embracing Inquiry Based Learning and the potential drawbacks that go with this.  “To me it comes down to process,” Lehmann said. “Inquiry means living in the soup. Inquiry means living in that uncomfortable space where we don’t know the answer.” Lehman’s coverage of potential difficulties includes programming, the relevance of national benchmarks and the difficulty of accurately measuring progress as students travel through diverse and winding journeys towards their learning goals.

The second article presents the view of the students learning in this 'soup' of inquiry. In an article by Katrina Schwartz, students of SLA present their story and describe what it is like to be ‘Trusted Partners in Learning. Their observations show the value of attaching real meaning to learning and the possibility that comes when students are able to develop and explore their questions.
 

Read 'Why Inquiry Based Learning is worth the Effort'

Read 'Students tell all: What it's like to be trusted partners in learning'

by Nigel Coutts

Deep Learning

A recurring theme of articles on this site is the question of what our goals should be and a clear element of this is a desire to go beyond a recall of facts and encourage deep learning. Whether this be as a result of asking non-googleable questions, encouraging students to evaluate ideas that matter and create original content while applying a mix of thinking skills and habits of mind, the aim is to evolve our students into deeply reflective learners.

Katrina Schwartz on Mind/Shift reports a study into Deeper Learning that raises some interesting points on how this may be achieved. The study reported six competencies for deeper learning; 'mastering content, critical thinking, effective written and oral communication, collaboration, learning how to learn, and developing academic mindsets.'

The report discusses a range of strategies that promote deeper thinking including careful design of the questions students are asked to engage with, the inclusion of opportunities for students to be hands on and build things and for them to deal with real world problems.

Allowing students to have a voice in the design of topics that genuinely engage their interests is one strategy offered. At Redlands students during their final term of Year Six engage in a 'Personal Passion Project'. Students design this project in collaboration with their teachers and are able to pursue any topic as long as it is personally relevant and designed in a way that will require them to use their high order thinking skills. This means that students are encouraged away from topics that require only recall or curation of facts easily found on Google. In practical terms this often involves a minor adjustment to the wording of a project; a process assisted by the use of verbs applicable to Bloom's 'High Order Thinking Skills'. Over the years we have run this project the one consistent element is that student engagement goes through the roof, the quality of thinking is very high and the results are amazing. In recent years students have made a laser engraving machine from old printers, explored low cost recycled insulation materials for emergency housing and evaluated programmes for training netball players at an elite level. At the end of term students present their works to an audience of parents and teachers from our Senior School. Access to a real audience is an important part of this process and ensures students see the relevance of their learning, not to mention the importance of the positive feedback provided by an impressed group of adults.

The report touches on the importance of developing mindsets that will allow student to achieve success with four beliefs identified as crucial;  

• I can change my intelligence and abilities through effort, 
• I can succeed, 
• LI belong in this learning community, 
• This work has value and purpose for me.

These mindsets closely resemble the Positive Thoughts identified by 'Lifelong Achievement Group'. Developed by Andrew Martin 'The Motivation and Engagement Wheel' groups factors that promote and block success into four categories; Positive Thoughts, Positive Behaviours, Negative Behaviours and Negative Thoughts. Positive Thoughts include, self-belief, valuing and learning focus while Negative Thoughts include uncertain control and anxiety. Read more about the 'The Motivation and Engagement Wheel' at lifelongachievement.com

Deep Learning is identified as an emerging trend for Education in the '2014 NMC Horizon Report' where the maturation of existing technologies in schools is predicted to see an expansion in the use of this to fuel deeper levels of engagement with challenge based learning linked to real world scenarios. 

As technologies such as tablets and smartphones now have proven applications in schools, educators are leveraging these tools, which students already use, to connect the curriculum with real life issues. The active learning approaches are decidedly more student-centered, allowing them to take control of how they engage with a subject and to brainstorm and implement solutions to pressing local and global problems. The hope is that if learners can connect the course material with their own lives and their surrounding communities, then they will become more excited to learn and immerse themselves in the subject matter. Read 2014 NMC K-12 Horizon Report

Read the article 'Beyond Knowing Facts, How Do We Get to a Deeper Level of Learning?'

by Nigel Coutts