Flipped Classroom with Khan Academy: Can it be for Primary Grades?

After watching, "Let's Use Video to Reinvent Education" by Salman Khan, I was amazed at what is being done using the Khan Academy in a 5th grade classroom.  As a 1st grade teacher, I struggle with several things.  1st grade is one of those years that is extremely developmental.  Some of my students are ready to push, push, push, while others need to take the time to mature and slowly move through topics.  There are so many levels and they are always changing.

In this TED talk, Mr. Khan talks about how the Khan Academy evolved from being a few tutoring videos, to a countless amount of videos that correlate to modules.  Students can follow a pathway through a module and it will track progress and not allow that student to move on until the concept is mastered.

He then goes on to talk about two 5th grade classrooms that are piloting a program with Khan Academy.  In both of these classes, students are given laptops and started on the first math module. Students advance when they are ready and stay on a subject if they are not ready.  The teacher has all of the data associated with the students and can target the students who need the most help.  Students work at their own pace and move through math at their own time.  The data can follow them into other math classes in their future.

What I really enjoyed about watching Mr. Khan explain his pilot with the 5th grade class, is that he said that some students just take time to catch up and once they do, you can't tell them apart from the students who appeared advanced in the first two weeks of class.  I feel that this is true about my first grade class because of all of the maturity and development that occurs throughout the school year.  Students are able to make humungous gains in short periods of time.

Here is the link to the video and to Khan Academy:
Let's Use Video to Reinvent Education
Khan Academy
Here is a link to what appears to be a first grade module on Geometry:
Geometry

It would be interesting to see how a 1st grade class would do with piloting a program like this.  The students would have to be trained to work on the computers, but would be able to work at their own pace and the teacher would be able to target students who need the most support.  I know that if I would like to find a demonstration video in the future, Khan Academy will be one of my first stops.  I look forward to the idea of having students work at their own pace, and having teachers be able to specifically target students and help them meet their most urgent needs.  

I love practical things. Stuff that serves a purpose and helps you get from point A to point B, or get the job done. Like a backhoe… I so want a backhoe. I could level the yard, fix the pond, move boulders, plant trees, move timber, dig holes, and – I am sure you get the point. I guess that is why I was drawn to the article, “How Do You Teach Empathy? Harvard Pilots Game Simulation,” by Katrina Swartz. Surely you see the connection, backhoe – Harvard game simulation. Too easy.

I have written about where I teach before. It’s a tough environment of locked up juveniles. I could deal with behavior issues from minutes 1 – 90 of each class. As I was reading through the article, I came across this statement, “Taking in social perspective helps people become less ego-centric, decreases use of stereotypes, increases perspectives of similarity, and diminishes social aggression.” My classroom could use a bit less ego-centric behavior, stereotyping, and aggression! For many reasons, empathy and interpersonal skills are not free-flowing and trying to teach those skills has been a great challenge. Harvard students have come up with a game simulation to walk in the “virtual shoes” of others in order to gain perspective, relate, empathize, and compromise. This sounds like a great practical idea for the use of simulations!

The scenario played out between a park ranger and golf course owner who share land but cannot agree on how to use it. They may have to come up with a few different characters for my students to relate. However, learners had a chance to play the role of park ranger, gain insight from his perspective, as well as the golf course owner. Then, as the golf course owner, they had to negotiate with the park ranger to settle the conflict. Each decision had monetary value attached to the outcome to help gage impact.

I can see this as a great tool to use in the classroom. The game simulation aspect would draw them in, with interpersonal skills training taking place in a non-threatening way.  They could gain a better understanding of themselves and others and use that knowledge to be more successful.  

Bellow is an excellent example of an empathy simulator for the healthcare field...

Refreshing

After seeing the title “Mobile Learning Revolution Helps Empower Africa,” I thought it would be great to approach this topic of mobile learning from a different angle of thought. Guy Pfeffermann wrote an excellent piece to broaden my perspective. I don’t get excited when I hear about the next best new technology ready to hit the market. When I read about the Apple Watch, I thought it to be just another time wasting device (funny) that emits more unnecessary busyness. However, this is coming from someone who always had access to information and knowledge long before the technology revolution.

Growing up with a free education and libraries in every community, and for the most part, jobs available for the determined – the advancements in the computer age were never a matter of life and death. Well, at least not for this guy. Yet that is not the case around the world. Access to education is limited, and in some parts of the world, even impossible… accept through mobile devices and mobile learning. Africa is benefiting greatly from the technology many take for granted. It’s not a matter of following a Hollywood glamor grudge unfold on Twitter, it’s a matter of learning a skill or trade that will better themselves, family, and community – and it’s the only option available.

Nigeria, Africa’s most popular country, is beginning to take advantage of the available technologies for mobile learning. Cellphone subscriptions in Africa have skyrocketed in the last decade. Combine it with the ability to flow information through that channel, and there lies a great solution to reaching the once unreachable with quality education. Pfeffermann explained how businessmen, educators, and even their movie industry are pooling their knowledge and resources to create viable platforms for mobile learning. Investors secured the necessary software platform and adhere to a business model that allows it to be scalable so the poor will have access at discounted costs. Educators create the content and curriculum and their movie industry is creating short training videos for publication.

This is awesome! After being inundated and even spoiled with technology here in the US, it has been refreshing to hear how it's being put to good use and have a major impact on the quality of life for so many.  

 Mobile Learning in Africa: VIDEO

I have this phobia of losing my young son to a virtual world. We hike, catch crayfish, through a ball around, fish, stack firewood, play soccer, catch critters, and build things. I so want to avoid the scenario where people sit around, supposedly spending time together, but each addicted to their personal bluescreen device of which is absorbing the majority of their attention. Thankfully, we have made it this far. However, I am not opposed to gaming in limited doses and was happy to hear Mindcraft had an educational side.

Nick Bilton wrote an interesting article, “Disruptions:Minecraft, an Obsession and an Educational Tool.” With a bit of humor, he dispelled the fear of Mindcraft as a brain rotting, zombie killing gaming experience. He described it as a building or crafting process combined with problem solving with even a creative mode. Kids could also collaborate on their creative projects within the game. My mind was able to accept the possibility that this would not turn my son into an obsessed introverted gamer still living in my basement at age 36, with no desire to experience the outside world.

It turns out that Mindcraft can be more than just a safe recreational and creative experience. It is being used in the classroom as a teaching tool through high school. One teacher explains in, “The MinecraftCell: Biology Meets Game-Based Learning”  that they used the game to create a model “that could mimic the real properties of a cell, and the real interactions between a cell membrane and the different chemicals used to extract DNA, which students could experiment with in the game."

With a bit more searching, I realized there were many teachers using Mindcraft as a teaching tool. MINDCRAFTEDU has a great many resources available for download. All in all, I was convinced my son could enjoy this game and the creative education experience it can bring (after the firewood is stacked).

This was an excellent (and funny) video about the possibilities of  Mindcraft in the classroom…

More Resources for Teachers…

Ideas for Using Minecraft in the Classroom

MINECRAFT IN AHUMANITIES CLASSROOM

I gave up video games in 1993, just after I completed the original Super Mario Brothers from Nintendo – passing all 8 worlds - 32 boards without warping – on one man. I figured after conquering such an amazing feat, I would excuse myself from the world of electronics and give others a chance to shine, as I faded into legend :). Now I am old, balding, and realized I should have stuck around the world of technology a bit more than I did.  

Gamification in education is intriguing. I see both young and old (at least older) being drawn to, and investing time in gaming. Last week I was teaching a lesson on World War I, and a student piped up to say that this sounds just like a story line from the popular game, Assassin’s Creed. It would be great if just a fraction of that enthusiasm for gaming could be put towards learning valuable skills. “Gamification in E-Learning - Are you really learning?”, by Craig Weiss, clarified the direction gaming is headed and what it needs to include for real educational value.

Weiss used the subtitle, “We Don’t Need No Stinking Badges,” to illustrate that it’s not about the points one accrues, but what the learner takes away in applicable knowledge. (It is also a great subtitle because of the reference to the movie UHF). He also was sure to stress the element of fun, thus the whole attraction to games. If learners are to be engaged in the experience, it needs to be fun. As a teacher, that would be the combination to look for - something to provide a learning experience, yet fun enough to keep my students engaged. I checked out a few different games and would recommend a round of CODE FRED to see a balance of the both fun and good learning experience. 

In all honesty, until now I have been thinking of gaming only in the world of computers and technology. Board games really did not cross my mind until I came across Scott Nicholson’s video on board games. It is well worth watching. 

HELP!

The Common Core Standards place high expectations on students with the hopes of preparing them for future endeavors. Upon graduation, they are to have obtained the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful at the next level, be it in the workforce or at a higher education institution. 

Students are not the only ones under pressure to meet these expectations. Teachers are charged with providing necessary instruction to the students that will allow them to grasp critical ideas and skills. This can be a daunting task for both student and teacher, but we are not without technological assistance to help obtain the desired results.

Andy Petroski led a webinar to outline innovative technologies that can be applied to the teaching process and meet the Common Core Standards. The list of tools was extensive, but included the following: Gliffy, Google Apps, Prezi, Diigo, Edmodo, and iPadio. Several teachers attending the webinar added others such as BrainScope and Quizlet. You can view Mr. Petroski's webinar here... Teaching the Common Core with Web-Based Technology

Watch this video and see an example of to how to use Edmodo and ReadWorks in the classrooms to support the Common Core Standards.

These are tools that can improve student learning no matter what the next epiphany or paradigm shift in education. Whether or not you buy in to a particular set of standards over another or not – we probably can all agree that we want our student to achieve success and to love learning. These tools can help us do that effectively and efficiently.

Other great resources…

The Best Free Web Tools for Engaging Students in 1:1 Classrooms

The 100 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools Chosen By You

The organization I work for is making a valid attempt to warp into the present. They would like to increase communication as well as update the way it’s done. The goal is to connect similar content area teachers within the organization in order to coordinate schedules, share information, collaborate on projects, and ensure implementation of a common curriculum. As commonplace as it may sound to have these communication tools in place, we are in the initial discussions of choosing a course of action.

I may have a part in its development so I was glad to read “Social Learning Best Practices for the Workplace,” by Stephanie Ivec. She outlined four key principles to follow when initiating a program. The first piece of the puzzle is to encourage participation. This includes enthusiastically getting the word out to desired participants early and kicking it off with a topic that most would want to weigh in on and discuss. She also suggests finding a “champion” of the organization, someone who is well thought of and respected to push the idea and lead the charge.

Then be sure to provide the right tools. Choose a platform that creates a social learning environment geared towards collaboration. Understand it’s capabilities and if it is accessible with mobile devices.

Once the structure is in place, open the lines of communication. Ivec suggests doing this through informal means such as instant messaging, something that is user friendly and efficient. She believes the benefits outweigh the risks of idle chat and will get them moving in the right direction. More information on informal learning can be found at… http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/1322/?utm_campaign=lsmag&utm_medium=email&utm_source=lsm-news.

Lastly, avoid the black hole of social media. Workers had the potential to waste time ever since the first one was hired. Social media has not improved time on task and the main social media sites can end up being a distraction for employees. 

Forbes.com put out an interesting read about wasted time on the job…http://www.forbes.com/sites/

cherylsnappconner/2013/09/07/who-wastes-the-most-time-at-work/.

I look forward to the positive effects of connecting with other teachers in the organization and warping into the present. 

Two weeks ago, I sat in a curriculum development meeting with other teachers and listened to what I thought was a very… well – a very unreasonable request. It’s not that the person making the request was ignorant of what it entailed. However, little to nothing can be done to change the circumstances and it’s our task to come up with a viable solution to make the seemingly impossible work. Let me lay out the scenario.

Each teacher at the meeting provides instruction to a tough crowd. Their students have been detained for multiple run-ins with the law. Most despise the traditional learning environment and are sure to let you know on a regular basis, but that’s the easy part. The students vary in age from 15 – 18 and the majority are behind in high school credits, some have zero. They typically score several grades below their peers that are not in the habit of getting detained for illegal activity.

Which brings me to what I thought was an impossible request. The powers that be want a single teacher to provide grade level instruction for each student. This means that the math teacher may be teaching Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry in the same period to multiple students. Not to mention, that the majority of them still do not understand fractions, yet were somehow pushed through the system to the present. Those are the unfortunate facts and providing the students with real education and the attention that they desperately need cannot be done by one teacher as is.   

To me, that sounds impossible. Yet, with some additional technology in the classroom, we may be able to provide each student with quality instruction. Open Education Resources (OER) such as Khan Academy may be the answer to our problem.

After watching “Why I use Khan Academy – An Educator’s Perspective” and reading “Khan Academy and Phillips Academy Break Ground with Innovative Partnership,” it occurred to me that this really is a viable and obtainable solution to help our students and teachers be successful. The teacher does not need to attempt the impossible of preparing and implementing up to four lesson plans simultaneously, but can become a facilitator within the classroom with the help of an OER like Khan Academy. It will free them up to provide small group instruction and rotate throughout the classroom as the students take advantage of the appropriate OER that applies to their specific learning needs.

It would be great to hear from others that have tried OERs in the classroom – let us know your experience. 

 So there is a Chance Teachers May Exist in the Future!

Apparently there is a social side to education that impacts its quality and effectiveness. If you are sensing some sarcasm you would be correct, but certainly the education process has changed with the ability to access oodles of information in a moment of time. Do we really need to go to college and accrue debt? Why not just Google it, find a cheap or free online course and acquire knowledge and skills that way? Douglas Rushkoff addresses this topic in his article, “Online Courses Need Human Element to Educate.”

According to the US News, in 2013, online courses reached an all-time high, while faculty support fell to its lowest since 2005. It makes me wonder if the pendulum is swinging back a bit to balance out the trend. Perhaps, as Rushkoff suggests, living teachers and human interaction are an integral part to the education as a whole.

Rushkoff also reminds us that education is more than just a useful information download, it is an experience. When that experience is shared by others, the interaction can enhance the education process – something that will not happen in isolation. Online education isn’t going anywhere, nor does Rushkoff suggest it should, but to maximize its effectiveness, we will need a human element.  

Douglas Rushkoff’s full article can be accessed here: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/15/opinion/rushkoff-moocs/index.html?goback=%2Egde_138953_member_205718420

Check out the links for addition information…

http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2013/01/08/online-course-enrollment-climbs-for-10th-straight-year

http://www.ted.com/conversations/22451/online_education_versus_tradit.html

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v19n2/pdf/ernst.pdf - If you are not up for reading all 49 pagesJ, check out the conclusion on pages 46 – 48. 

Interactivity in E-Learning

Land: Online Tutorials

Reflection on E-Learning Interactivity

Interactivity is foundational in maintaining engagement and ensuring the learner is meeting the objectives of the lesson. Shyamanta Baruah defined interactivity in “How to Create Interactivity that Works,” as ultimately structuring the process in such a way that produces “an active effort on the learners side to seek out an outcome.” Interactivity indicates that the learner is involved in the process and has to do something besides just sit there and absorb the material. The creator needs to determine the level of interactivity that is possible and would best meet their need. Go to, http://info.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/190140/Levels-of-Interactivity-in-eLearning-Which-one-do-you-need for more information on the four levels of interactivity.

The military has provided me some experience relating to interactivity in online tutorials. In recent years, the laptop has replaced the schoolhouse for many military courses. Often times you will see Soldiers trying to quickly click their way through a passive lesson to just get the requirement out of the way. It is obvious that the lack of interactivity is a detriment to meeting the objectives. It has come a long way in the last decade, with the adoption of more scenario and simulation based interactivity making it much more engaging.  

I came across a cool resource for teachers that share interactive e-learning lessons. You can check it out at http://interactivesites.weebly.com/

Have you come across a good example of interactivity in an e-learning activity lately? Let us know!

Some other resources relating to this topic…

http://elearningindustry.com/7-tips-to-develop-successful-interactive-elearning-strategy

http://elearnmag.acm.org/blog/?p=541

How about some instructional party games ? ;)

     The concept of using games to convey information has been widely used in the field of instructional design. Sales training is probably one of the oldest corporate processes with relies heavily on games for educating learners. Interestingly, most of the sales training games are simple, fun and non-digital  (doesn't involve the usage of electronic devices) in nature. What if we could use the same concept in making instructional games a lot more fun and interesting ? What if we could use some party games in place of computer-based games in instructional design for a small group of learners ?

Charades:
       The first and probably the most popular party game that can be easily explained, understood and played is Charades. Charades can be a really effective educational tool since it is a casual, exciting and entertaining game which can be played with all the age groups. Major advantages of this game is it requires minimal logistics/props, keeps the learners attentive and energetic, simple in nature and a lot of key information (such as product names in case of sales training) is conveyed with fun. However, one of the biggest disadvantages of this game in a instructional setting is communication of relatively lesser information (words as opposed to sentences, paragraphs, lessons etc.) with longer sessions (more time).

YouTube Video: How to play Charades ?

Pictionary:
       The next most popular party game which could be used in instructional gaming experience would be Pictionary. Pictionary is very similar to Charades in terms of nature of the game, game rules and target audience. Hence, most of the advantages and disadvantages of  using this game in an instructional atmosphere are very similar to those associated with Charades as explained in the section above. The only exceptions would be higher effort in designing props and communication of relatively more information as compared to Charades. A good approach for using Pictionary as an instructional tool would be to design custom pictionary cards having different colors represent information associated with different levels or hierarchy.


20 questions:
         I personally feel that 20 questions is not only a fun party game but also a smart method to encourage deductive reasoning and creativity of the players. 20 questions can easily be targeted towards a small to medium-sized group of learners without reducing the effectiveness of the game. This game could be a lot more time consuming compared to Charades or Pictionary. However, the amount of information conveyed to learners in 20 questions is way larger in volume than most of the popular party games.

         In conclusion, non-digital party games can certainly be incorporated in instructional/educational settings involving a small to medium-sized group of learners. The nature of these games improve the probability of a learner being able to recollect the information gained through the game and hence, the information stays relatively longer in the memory of the learner when compared with most of the conventional computer-based games. Therefore, non-digital party games not only add fun element during instruction/training but also increase the attentiveness, excitement and involvement of the learner, thereby increasing the overall efficiency and quality of instruction.