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Showing posts from March, 2020

The pedagogy of distance learning

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Distance learning is not reproducing a classroom in an unknown space in each 30 different homes. As I write, millions of teachers world wide are recreating planned content to be shared with students that are unable to attend school in some countries there are students simultaneously in their classroom. Some have online access some don't. Source How do we address distance learning?  Rather than create a second set of lessons for those at home, I recommend you allow school based students time to work through the same content. This means you are not creating dual content. Teachers are being encouraged to teach online, this does create a social justice issue where not all students and teachers have access to an online format, because of any of the following service, data plans, devices or wifi. To make it easier on you I have created some ideas for setting lessons for both online and offline learning.  Flipped learning - set a video, image or reading task that can be u

Tools to keep kids learning STEM concepts and skills at home

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To enable students to continue working at you you may need to teach them how to log into online tools at school before schools are shut down. For offline tasks you will need to prepare resources and send them home in a pack, eg: construction may require specialist materials, coloured paper, paper clips, etc. Pack up and send home.  It will be difficult to teach new content in this time as now all students will complete the tasks unsupervised. It is a very difficult time. Online Tools e-Safety Commisioner  https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/classroom-resources Online tools and videos that could be used as stimulus for a question and answer or "design a campaign" to educate kids about online dangers https://aca.edu.au/resources/ Teacher will need to sign up (for free) with their school account and upload student names and distribute user names and passwords. I would be ideal if you do this before the school closes so students know how to use it. Her

Nature Based Pedagogy

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How can I teach in nature? An alternate way to teach inquiry learning. I  have just had the pleasure of spending a day with @ClaireHWarden, hearing about #NaturePedagogy. People tend to be indoor dwelling. While some people thrive on the adventure of being outdoors there are many that avoid the outdoors for a wide variety of reasons. Add to this to opportunity to be in nature, hiking, bush walks or just sitting absorbing the serenity. This often requires an absence of mobile data and no wi-fi. For some being outside or being in nature means accidents, possible injury and feeling unsafe. What if we took time to teach our children the idea of safe limits, how to be safe and what it means to be in a physically unsafe space? What does it mean to give children an opportunity to learn beyond the gate?  What does Nature pedagogy look like? How can I teach about Nature? How can I teach in Nature? How can I teach with Nature? The idea of teaching about nature is often re