Ontario November 2010 Final Schools

Presentation to ILC, November 2010

FAST FORWARD FOR ADIFFERENT FUTUREHow Emerging Technologies are Transforming Education and SchoolsHow To Capitalize on It

Stephen Murgatroyd, PhD FBPsS FRSAChief Innovation Officer

This presentation…..

Set a challenge context for this discussion…. What is happening with technology? How is this having an impact on education,

learning and schools? What are the “design, development and

deployment” (3D) implications for schools? What are the challenges this gives rise to?

Understanding the context

Significant changes taking place Demographics

Low birth rates and dependency on immigration Fast growth of aboriginal communities Literacy

Economics Low productivity Declining competitiveness Major industry sector transitions – manufacturing, forestry,

agriculture Socio-economic disruption

Social Change New forms of social meaning and networks New globalized relationships – “glocal” New challenges for the curriculum – 21st Century Skills

Shifts in K-12 Education

Focus on 21st Century Skills Building on skills base of current curriculum, but a significant shift More project work, less “instruction” – constructivist learning Commitment to essential skills – literacy, numeracy and technological

literacy Strong focus on “personalization”

Seeking to increase student engagement through enabling more choice Matching personal intentions / skills to curriculum options

Accountability Holding schools and school districts accountable for performance Linking resource allocation to performance Focusing on core skills for accountability – especially literacy and numeracy Big focus on student engagement

Lower funding with higher outcome expectations Class size, funding for special needs students and FNMI “tight” Resource base (funds for infrastructure, materials and technology) also

tight Growing expectations of more throughput to post-secondary

21st Century Skills FrameworkSource: Meteri Group and the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (USA)

Digital Age Literacy• Basic Scientific, Economic

and Technological Literacies• Visual and Information

Literacies• Multicultural Literacies and

Global Awareness

Inventive Thinking• Adaptability, Managing

Complexity & Self Direction• Curiosity, Creativity and Risk

Taking• Higher Order Thinking and

Sound Reasoning

Effective Communication• Teaming, Collaboration &

Interpersonal Skills• Personal, social and civic

responsibility• Interactive communication

High Productivity• Prioritizing, planning and

managing for results• Effective use of real world tools• Ability to produce relevant, high

quality products• Ability to innovate through

continuous improvement

Engaged, Informed

and Skilled Citizens

Demand for skills over time(OECD data base)

In Ontario

Clear commitment to education from the Premier down

Focus on system wide accountability and performance and system wide development – Ben Levin and Michael Fullan’s interventions

Seeking to expand affordable access to post-secondary, especially for first nations and first generation learners – puts pressure on schools to produce more qualified students

Seeking to have a major impact on essential skills

Seeking to embrace technology in the classroom

Emerging technologies

The emerging technologies that are changing the way we work and play

The emerging technologies Low cost (relative to capacity) hand held digital

devices – the iPad, smartphone, PlayBook (RIM), Livescribe, GPS….

Broadband access at a low cost – free Wi-Fi, cellular bandwidth (4G), new ways to access broadband

Increasing graphical capacity and speed of digital devices – e.g. Smart Boards

Developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning

Developments in robotics, miniaturizing of components and in visual capacities of digital devices

3D television and the imminent arrival of 3D video conferencing

And technological applications The development of 250,000+ apps growing at

(approximately) 2,000 a day The emergence of social media – Facebook,

LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube The rapid adoption of co-creation systems –

Wilki’s and related collaborative software (now integrated into Adobe, Office, etc.), Ning

Sophisticated gaming engines and animation – permitting simulation

Semantic web – intelligent agents, searching using machine learning

And technological “solutions” Cloud-based computing Integrated software - permitting easy movement of

data, images etc., from one place to another for fast creation

Integrated resource management – e.g. Alibris, eBay File sharing (Dropbox) and file “stealing” (Pirate Bay) Focused document management (e.g. ancestry.ca) Flash video and easy editing tools Digital photography and digital video

technology developments / time

How we can leverage emerging technologies to improve learning outcomes in K-12

Leveraging Technology for Learning

#1 Blended Learning Designed learning

experience which: Use online for knowledge and

in class for experiential work Engage students in learning

through projects and activity- based problem-solving

Leverage social networks Use web based resources via

Smart Boards and digital devices to support classroom learning

#2 Simulation Leveraging digital devices

(especially emerging 3D capacities) for: Simulating experiments in

science Simulating tasks – e.g.

robotics Simulating environmental

conditions (e.g. virtual wetlands)

Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence / machine learning to use simulations as a competency-based diagnostic tool

Classroom Based Teaching

#3 One to One Lap Top Projects Leveraging the power of

technology to enable a learner to: Work in different ways and

use different styles of learning

Engage with social networks in support of learning

Develop 21st century skills Develop critical thinking and

analytic skills Focus in classroom on

processing knowledge / developing understanding

#4 Cloud-Based Learning In an outcome-based

program where credit is awarded following a demonstration of outcome competences: Learners use social networks,

peer networks and expert clouds to secure their learning

Learners access knowledge through digital resource libraries

Teaching is minimal, the focus is on competency

Using the powers of machine learning, robotics and mobility to provide learners with: Patient remedial

learning for skills and knowledge they find problematic

Using global teaching networks to provide 24x7 coaching help

Using peer networks and social networks for remediation

Leveraging the power of technology and coopetition to: Developing glocal

texts (standard texts with local components) for glocal courses

Using the publishing consortia to accelerate the arrival of new knowledge into texts

Using online libraries and resource centres for text, audio, video and other resources..

#5 Digital Textbooks and Libraries

#6 Remediation

Using teams of learners, supported by an teacher and / or mentor, to tackle problems that matter (e.g. water, literacy, financial literacy): Connecting to “non”

academic solutions organizations

Leveraging peer networks and social networks – using the cloud

Serious research and serious games

Community-based assessment – impacts, competencies and outcomes

Linking learning activities to location enables A variety of curriculum areas

to be linked to place – history, social studies, geography, science..

Supports real time biodiversity information being integrated into projects and courses

Leverages global knowledge bases around species and environmental genomics

Provides rich access to local expertise

#7 Location Supported Learning

#8 Wicked Problem-Based Learning

Using technology to: Enhance learning

opportunities and learning experiences of learners with special needs

Enhance hearing and visual abilities

Enhance motor skills Enable learner support

Modularised curriculum linked to support for: Work-based skills – e.g.

trades education in school as part of the dual curriculum

Essential skills and financial literacy

Updating knowledge and skills – the next building code skills, next bio-refining process, the next robotic maintenance process….

#9 Just in Time Learning

#10 Support for Students with Special Needs

Innovation in action

Four examples of emerging technologies used in education and training

Four examples

One to One Lap Top Project – The Emerge Project 20 jurisdictions, 50 schools, 3500 students, 110+ teachers

and 50 administrators. Results show: increased student engagement, improved

readiness for 21st century skills, improved learning outcomes Challenges are: affordability, professional development, the

adoption curve for teachers, shifting teaching methods Robotics – The Galileo Educational Network and

Lego Serious Games for Schools Project based learning requiring challenge, social networking

and creative problem solving Serious games with clear, practical and tangible outcomes

Literacy and Essential Skills Working with reluctant readers using reading games and reading

challenges online Word skill development using “build a word” linked to sound and

visualization Dedicated literacy software

Capturing Aboriginal Knowledge and Content Creation Using video, audio and blogs to capture aboriginal knowledge –

e.g. healing properties of plants, “about this place”, our band… Using elders to support students in learning Cree

Looking globally at trends: More project-based work, less instruction More peer learning, less instruction More outcome-based learning, less focus on

process (especially time in class) More non-school based learning credits More routes to High School Diplomas – less the

one lane highway (New Brunswick, Alberta and BC)

…less teaching, more learning…

What we can say…

Technology supports student achievement Technology builds 21st century skills Technology engages students in learning and content creation Technology increases educational access to virtual communities

and distant expertise Technology fosters inclusion Technology helps reduce dropout Technology facilitates differentiated instruction Technology strengthens career and technical education Technology extends the learning day Technology supports teacher quality Technology supports timely, innovative and diagnostic assessment Technology enables innovation and creativity by both students and

teachers

Barriers to change

System wide

Cost of technology and greening the technology infrastructure seen as problematic

Equity of access to technology (especially broadband) seen as a challenge

Equity of access to professional development to support technology implementation in the classroom seen as problematic

Not a strong focus on technology in initial teacher education

Adoption slow amongst the teaching body

In one Province, the technology adoption level by teachers is app. 40-50% - teachers using technology frequently and in an integrated way in their teaching.

At the school level

Teahers Teacher adoption levels “stuck” at early stage – 40-50% of

faculty Teachers defense of “classroom teaching” versus technology Scale of curriculum demands inhibits innovation

Design Capacities Instructional design capacities low and creation capacities

low amongst teacchers Transformative capacity of technology not being fully realized

Students Not all want to be engaged learners – many are tactically

engaged or compliant Not all have access at home Not all are technological literate

Strategic Intent Commitment to technology is “and also..” commitment

The opportunity…..

The New school….

Will have more individual work spaces and some rooms for team work Will have wicked problem based courses and programs Will have a requirement for peer, social and networked learning Will have fewer limitations on securing non-school taught credit Will focus on outcomes, not time Will be wired to firms, community and non profits Will have very high levels of student engagement and few tactical

compliant learners Will have very satisfied teachers who coach, guide and mentor and

support learning as well as provide instruction – more constructivist learning

Will be truly learning focused Will be nimble and innovative

For an example of such a school, see the RSA Academy at Tipton (UK) http://www.rsaacademy.net/

[email protected](705) 525 7257

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