Week 4

Experiment!

Before I start rambling this week, I just wanted to take a couple of sentences to make something clear. 

I am no expert when it comes to IT but I do believe that what I’ve learned over the past 25 years as a user (along with some excellent teaching from two marvellous colleagues a number of years ago) has helped me be brave enough to try new things.

We are always expecting our learners to experiment, telling them that they shouldn’t be afraid to fail - well, I suggest that this is just as true for us as teachers. Some of my best lessons have been awful as I’ve had plenty to reflect on. In fact, this is part of the reason
 I started this blog - to reflect on how my switch to digital has progressed.

In my last post, I mentioned realising what a twit I’d been expecting learners to download, edit and upload Word files. I have learned from that and have already seen a massive change in attitude of my learners.

Therefore, I challenge everyone who reads this to try one thing new using a digital tool as an experiment. You never know, you may strike gold - to be honest, you will anyway because, even if it goes spectacularly wrong, you’ll learn valuable lesson.

This week

Well, this week I’ve continued with my live interventions on OneNote and the learners is the group that has been working this way for the last month report that they like knowing where they’re going wrong and that I’m not giving them the right answer - they like correcting their own errors. This seems to confirm what I said last week that clear evidence of learning taking place. 

Here are an example of one of my ‘interventions’:

Here, I want the learner to think about presentation and use a comma to separate thousands.

Note that my comment to use commas to separate thousands has now been acted on and I've also been able to give a hint as to how to solve another issue (use a T-account).

Today, I have been able to work with a learner who wasn't even in college to answer a query she had (see image below):

You can see that I’m just indicating how they could solve a problem and even how they could improve their presentation - at no time am I telling them the answer - they have to figure it out for themselves.

So, on to this week’s Update

Group 1 (the first group to use OneNote)

I must say, I am very pleased with the way this group has got to grips with using OneNote in the classroom. Two of the group also stated that they were much happier working on their noebooks at home as they didn’t need as much study space and could work without paper and pens. This a real turnaround as these were two of the learners who mourned the loss of paper in the classroom in the first week.

Over the next two weeks, we have a break from college and I thought that I’d introduce a further twist in the plot by flipping the classroom so that the learners continue making headway by working through the resources ready for the next lesson. There’s a bank of notes, a PowerPoint presentation and two pages of questions which assess the learnign taking place. I intend to give the group a mid-point skill-check upon their return to college (although I haven’t warned them of this) as I want to see how well they cope putting their skills to work in a different way. I haven’t decided whether I will use a Forms quiz, a self-marking Excel spreadsheet or just have them complete on a page in their notebooks but, whatever, I choose, I am quite hopeful that they will cope well.

Group 2

The second group I am trialling this digital approach with comes in this evening for their second lesson. Since their last session, I have amended the resources and deleted the downloadable Word documents replacing them with the OneNote pages as I talked about last week. I aim to have this format for the remainder of their sessions and am hopeful that this change will improve their opinion of the strategy.

This week, the group attended and logged straight on to OneNote and, apart form one learner who has ALN, the group worked well online using the new format (i.e. not downloading anymore).

The learner with additional learning needs (ALN) started the lesson by complaining about using computers ("It's impossible to work like this", "I can't do this") but, within half an hour was turning out some excellent work on OneNote. By the end of the lesson, she had kept up with her peers (although she had needed a couple of interventions and missed out some more challenging tasks - which she promised to complete after class when she had paper and pen). All in all, I think the second lesson with this group went far smoother than the first and I hope this will continue as we progress further into the unit.

As a side comment, learners found that they could chat together using the chat function in the online version of OneNote. What they didn't realise was that i could see what they were saying - luckily, they were only playing with emoticons this week but it would be good to have the ability to turn off this function at times. However, I can see this being very useful when they're working on collaborative projects when they're not in class and it will help to make them realise that this is not just a tool for education but also for the 'real world' of work. Of course, we're all aware of Microsoft Teams - but some may not be aware that you can create or import a Class Notebook into Teams.

Actions from last week

I have not had an opportunity to give recorded feedback this week - not for the want of trying, but because I couldn't find anywhere quiet enough to put together audio feedback without significant background noise. This is one of the drawbacks of the hot desk policy as we have no quiet work areas.

Main points so far:

• Learners will be reluctant to move to digital only courses but, given time and encouragement, can (and do) change their opinion quite quickly.
• Even learner with ALN can gain something from using a new approach - I haven't even attempted to show my ALN learner the wonders of the Learning Tools (Immersive Reader) yet - but I will be doing it soon.
• One should not go into something like this without first thinking about giving some initial training on using OneNote - even now, a couple of learners are still confused between their own work space and the Content Library. When I start delivery of a new course in September, I will be spending a full lesson allowing learners to get familiar with the layout and functions of OneNote before I consider delivery of the course content.
• Sourcing digital resources to embed into your OneNote Class Notebook really depends on the subject your teaching. My area has very little in the way of quality video resources, podcasts and interactive quizzes/games - other subject areas are far more well provided for.
• Don't be afraid to make a mistake - we all learn far more form our mistakes than we do from getting things right first time.
• Don't be afraid to change what you do so well. Much of what I've done so far is actually not new work. At this stage. I'm replacing some paper based resources with digital ones. Now, I'm taking some of the some existing paper resources and turning them into something different (e.g. Creating Forms quizzes that mark themselves). Again, this is not really 'new' work but it does mean I get instant feedback and indications where learners are struggling. Finally, my interventions have been a revolution for me (and my learners). No longer do they sit there pondering why their figures don;t balance - I can give live pointers and indicate where they've gone wring - without giving them the answers. If I were to use the RAT model (Hughes et al, 2006), then here's how my resources could fall into this model:

• R = Replacement - where technology serves merely as a different means to the same instructional end.
• I am using existing resources but in a digital format
• A = Amplification - where technology increases efficiency and productivity without fundamental change
• Some of my marking is now done automatically and I have data to hand to inform me of learner progress and helps to highlight problem areas. Learners, too, get to see their results and can then identify areas they need to review.
• T =  Transformation - where technology allows forms of instruction and learning that were previously inconceivable.
• I think that my interventions are a step towards transformation as I can preempt issues/problems and help learners overcome them before they become major, insurmountable problems. It is common for a learner to come across something that they find challenging and start building 'walls' which are then seen as barriers to progression. Today, I've been able to use this intervention technique to help a learner who isn't even in college - again, something I have not been able to do before. (Interestingly, this is the learner with ALN who was very 'anti' OneNote but is trying so hard to work with it).

My challenge to you:

• Can you use the RAT model to develop new ways to teach your subject?
• How can you Replace, Amplify and Transform your resources from paper to digital?
• Are you prepared to fail? Are you willing to fail? Are you willing to learn from your mistakes?

New week, new challenges

Well, week 3 of my project and the one group who have been using OneNote for a couple of weeks have really grown to like what we’re doing (not just the course content, but also the way we’re doing it), I shall talk about progress with this group first.

What was I thinking?

When I first put the OneNote notebook together, I included some worksheets that I’d previously used as paper resources. These were Word files and, for some reason known only to me, I just attached the .doc files to a Questions to complete page. I was then asking my learners to download the files, complete them and then upload them to a Completed Work page.

I can hear you all screaming, ”What were you thinking? You made it too difficult for them.” Yes, you’re right, I did 😊. Somehow, this week, it dawned on me that I should just copy the questions from the Word documents directly to a notebook page and get learners to complete them there - seamless in an instant!

Learners responded to my changes positively and even more so when I put up a gap fill handout in the same format so learners could follow worked examples as I demonstrated methods and calculations. The group appears to be settled in to the changes and the one learner who mourned the loss of his beloved paper resources is now finishing his work first and being allocated extension tasks!

Today, I tried a new trick with them. Once I had finished my delivery session, I set them loose on exercises. Unbeknown to them, I was watching what they were doing and, when I saw they were making mistakes, I was able to add hints/tips using my iPad and digital ink. Their faces as my comments appeared magically in my handwriting (green ink) were absolute pictures! By the end of the lesson, learners had not only applied new techniques/skills but also been able to correct their own errors (with an occasional nudge in the right direction). It was evident that they appreciated the changes I was making and that learning had taken place as I did not give them the solutions - they worked them out all on their own.

One strange issue I did encounter was that the digital ink comments I made on my iPad appeared perfectly fine but, on Windows machines, the comments appeared in a slightly different place so they didn’t line up with the item I was commenting on. I am not sure why this happens - maybe someone could comment if they have a solution?

The other group taking part in this project started the first lesson this week. As expected, they were very wary of this switch and moaned a little - however, we managed to grab a computer room so tech issues weren’t an issue and they were soon following along with my presentation making notes as they went. 

Some learners had a few difficulties getting to grips with the concept of using OneNote but I am hopeful that, with the changes I am now making (as above), the opinion of these learners will improve as we go.

So, what next?

Next I intend to rework the lesson materials so learners have a much easier time editing resources and  completing worksheets. I am also scouring YouTube for relevant videos to embed into the lesson pages.

I am also looking to provide feedback using audio comments combined with digital inking. 

I am quite pleased with how this project is going and will be interested to see if the positivity continues.

Lesson 2

Update

Well, this week saw the second lesson and learners are a little more confident using the materials I've provided and I'm now seeing a range of behaviours that I haven't seen with this group before.

Self-paced learning

By making course materials available in one Notebook online, learners are starting to read ahead.

One learner is out on work-experience next week and she is overjoyed that she will be able to keep up and not have to rely on someone giving her copies of notes/handouts. She can also complete all the online work when she gets time.

A couple of learners have been keen to stay at the end of lessons to complete assigned work and upload their work for marking. Using a paper-based strategy, they were often the first out of the door, submitting work at the next opportunity.

Confidence boosts

Learners are developing confidence using this new app. Already they know that they can open embedded Word documents, fill in answers or annotate and close the document without having to save. Already, they are becoming far quicker at accessing the necessary materials for the lesson and have picked up the pace when completing their assigned work.

Change in thinking

One or two learners were reluctant to make this switch but, even after just 2 weeks, they are coming round to the digital approach - particularly when they see that, whilst they've been completing worksheet 2, I have been able to mark and feedback on worksheet 1.

Desks are clearer - yes they still use paper for workings, but they haven't got paper copies of the slides, unit notes and worksheets in one small work area.

Issues still to be addressed

I am still having issues with notebooks synchronising and, of course, power supplies are a problem.

What's new for me this week?

This week, I will be trying out my iPad with the data projectors via an HMDI cable adaptor. I hope to be able to adopt a new technique called NoteStreaming 4.0 (see this video for more)

You can see more one this, and the working OneNote notebook he uses in the video, at Tom Grissom's website at Estern Illinois University: Eastern Illinois University - Tom Grissom

Anyway, that's all for this week. Please drop by again for another instalment very soon.

Lesson 1 - a baptism of fire!

Well, lesson 1 has now taken place and, apart from one or two technical issues (my fault!) the OneNote lesson went OK.

I started with a brief session explaining what OneNote is, why I have moved to this format and the sort of things they could expect over the next 2 months.

Prior to this lesson, there was a lot of groaning from this small group - they love paper, pens, pencils and calculators. They seem to thrive when they're buried in paper. By the end of the delivery session, they were already seeing some of the benefits of adopting a digital approach to this unit.

What did I do differently?

Firstly, I should say that this is very much an experiment and will be refined over the coming months For now, I started simply - retabining a PowerPoint (embedded into the Lesson pages on OneNote), along with pages for theory notes. I worked through the PowerPoint, sometimes revealing the answers to tasks within this and sometimes by manually inking (digitally) into the OneNote notebook theory notes. This helped the learners see the flexibility of this approach and allowed me to record my voice whilst i was inking so they can replay whenever they want.

Once the delivery was finished, I pointed out that I had also converted most of the slides to a SWAY  and two learners in the group said they found this a little more visually appealing and engaging that the traditional PowerPoint.

Learners were then set tasks to complete at their own pace:

• Complete an online quiz using an embedded Microsoft Forms quiz
• Complete three progressively more difficult worksheets using Word documents which had already been seeded into the lesson folder. I will be marking these word documents myself using digital inking - thus saving me having to carry bundles of paper around.

My reflection

I must try to work out why this OneNote notebook didn't sync properly - probably due to me not closing it on one of the College desktops when I've been working on it in my prep time.

I took some things for granted:

• Learners would be happy with a sudden switch to digital format
• Learners would be technically competent enough to copy files to their own notebooks and work with embedded resources online.
• The wifi will be able to cope with 7 learners using their own devices. (I hope it can cope when my group of 17 start using this in 2 weeks' time!)
• I also forgot that the College computers have a different version of OneNote to my personal subscription - things like insert an online video have only just become available in work, whilst I've had that functionality for quite a while.

I need to think of adding more replayable resources and, to that end, I've already decided to put together a bundle of mini screencasts where I work through a complex example of a question. The screencast video can be embedded into the relevant OneNote page to give learners access to me explaining key concepts, calculations and methods. I could just record my inking during lessons but, sometimes, I think that a brand new exercise will be better. I have found a suitable program (OBS Studio) and will, of course, report back and share my experiences of using it and the learners' comments about the end result.

Moving forward

I have another lesson in 10 days - delivering the same content - and it will be interesting to see how this group copes with the transition to digital.

Monday sees the second part of lesson 1 for the first group and I am hoping the learners start getting used to working online rather than on paper.

Oh yes:

Yesterday, I applied for Microsoft's Innovative Educator Expert Programme - today I received notification that I have been accepted onto the programme. I am so proud to be joining a global network of 7,500 passionate educators and am looking forward to developing my skills, knowledge and professional learning network over the coming months.

From paper to digital in one hit? Am I mad?

Going paper-less

So, this month, I am going to attempt to teach Cash and treasury Management paper free using a combination of OneNote, PowerPoint, SWAY, Forms and Word documents.

I will be supporting this with a Microsoft Teams team set up for my class to provide opportunities for two way communication and further ad hoc experiments.

Why am I doing this?

Very simply to make life easier for me and to reduce costs for my college.

Since I started teaching accounting, I've been very conscious of the amount of paper we generate for class materials, handouts etc. This paper has a cost both to my employer but also to the environment.

Over the last year, I've been using OneNote as a one-stop shop resource to teach various elements of my course and decided that now would be a good time to go completely paper-free for one whole unit. 

I've been watching the excitement other teachers around the world have been showing with their experiments with OneNote and felt that this would be the ideal tool for me to move forward with my cunning plan. For me, Moodle was the tool of choice until 2 years ago when I was introduced to OneNote. Since then, I've been playing with OneNote and now believe that, whilst Moodle is certainly a really useful VLE, OneNote gives me a much simpler, swisher solution.

At first, I set up lessons based on PowerPoint (and/or SWAY) presentations to allow learners to see what's coming and be prepared - i.e. flip the classroom a little.I intend to use a flipped approach for some elements as the learners have already covered some material with another unit so, for this unit, they will just be refreshing their knowledge and skills. I hope that this will save about 3 hours teaching time in this first iteration - not bad when the whole unit has a total teaching time of 42 hours.

I will supplement my presentations with relevant, appropriate videos highlighting key concepts or ideas and provide Word documents with questions to be answered - online of course. 

Knowledge checks will take place during lessons (and afterwards) using quizzes set up using Forms with more in-depth calculative questions and discursive tasks being submitted via each learner's OneNote Student Pages. I intend to do all marking online - using a combination of digital inking, audio feedback and more extensive written feedback. All feedback will, of course, be online.

Monitoring of progress though this unit will take place using a spreadsheet in the Teacher Only section.

For many out there, this may not be a very ambitious project but, for me, it's a huge leap forward and one I've been trying to make for a couple of years. Only now do I feel that I have the necessary skills (and available tools) to pull this off and will, hopefully, save the college some £23 per learner(based on a notional 5p per page of printing - but not including PowerPoint slide handouts).

I've been keen to try to get tablet computers for my learners - given the savings on this one unit, I can see that we could save a total of £138 per learner for one qualification. If we extended this to the three levels we currently teach, we could save about £400 per learner. Take these savings along with the flexibility of all the digital tools I will be using and I am sure that you can see that this could lead to massive savings on an institutional level if every member of staff took what they currently do on paper and moved to OneNote (obviously, where appropriate).

I will endeavour to update this blog as the unit of study progresses with commentary on how things work |(or don't) and how learners respond to this shift in tactics.

Where, you may ask, have I gained all these new skills from? Quite simply, a mixture of being brave enough to experiment and some excellent resources (free I may add) available on the Microsoft Educators Community (see here: https://education.microsoft.com/).I've quickly learned how easy most of it is - your don't need to be a technical guru, a digital wizard - what you do need is a little bit of courage to try something new, learn from mistakes (and I've made many) and evolve ideas even further. Sometimes, I've had to start from scratch but, in general, I've been able to move forward without too much difficulty. One of the big things I learned early on is that very often, I don;t need to do anything new - I just need to do what I do - but differently. One of the biggest factors people quote for note trying something new is the availability of time - I haven't actually spent much extra time preparing this one unit and, of course, now have the ability to adapt and reuse for the future.

I've been lucky enough to be part of our college's Digital Leader programme and I've been amazed and impressed by some of the things people are doing where I work. It all makes my simple steps quite boring. However, I believe that big things, whilst impressive can sometimes be a little intimidating - another reason to start small. yes, I've taken a whole unit and digitised it - but, realistically, I could have just taken old PowerPoint slides and uploaded them into a SWAY to make things a little flashier and more "21st Century".

Once the unit is up and running, I will post examples and, of course, welcome suggestions for improvements.