Time to Listen to Our Students: Empowering the Student Voice

On November 15, 2016, the ISTE Administrator’s Personal Learning Network (APLN) hosted a webinar on Empowering the Student Voice.  We asked elementary, middle and high school students, along with an undergraduate and graduate student, to reflect on how they use technology in school and what recommendations they have for their administrators.  Boy, were they candid!  You can access the webinar HERE  if you’d like to hear for yourself.

As I am the co-president of the APLN, I’ve been reflecting on what I heard from these amazing students. I would like to note a few of my reflections here on ye ole blog…

Elementary

The students had a lot to say!  They speak about solving problems and learning from mistakes.  What struck me was their excitement over technology that allows them to compete as if in a game.  The sense of challenge in timed activities or earning badges reminded me that to our younger students, life is a fun game.  They run, throw, climb and create.  Why not tap this inclination in technology such as Kahoot! and Dreambox (both mentioned by name)?

Middle:

I’ll fully own the middle schooler is my child.  And we talk about technology in education A LOT!  What especially struck me about William’s comments is the frustration with teachers telling students “you are the worst class of 6^th graders we’ve ever had.”  His belief that students need experience with technology, but that adults should fully expect students to mess up (or not do the work at all) is right on point.  Students will use technology inappropriately.  They need to learn the social boundaries in a technology enhanced world without physical boundaries.  Digital Citizenship courses are more necessary now that ever!

High School

The academic stakes of school start to gain emphasis with Sophia’s remarks about high school use of technology.  One of the topics she hit upon is the variety of tools used creates confusion for students.  At Brebeuf, we have prided ourselves in allowing faculty to use the tool best suited for the academic content and course objective.  This sounds great for adults, but Sophia’s remarks have me reflecting on how this freedom could be overwhelming for students who already feel pressures of academic rigor and high stakes grades.  Is the primary goal to expose students to the myriad of choices waiting for them around the bend?  Or is the primary goal to create a foundational experience with technology?  Do we expect all students to enter high school ready for freedom or do we build confidence and skills with a slow release into responsibility over the four years?  I am not sure because…

Undergraduate

Fallon is an university undergraduate.  Her comments focused on the necessity of comfort with technology to succeed in college.  She mentions watching her friends struggle with course content, online testing and even bill paying because they did not have experiences in their K-12 education to prepare them for the tech-rich environment of college.  In a seemingly opposite recommendation from Sophia’s, Fallon encourages administrators/teachers to offer as many experiences as possible in K-12 to prepared students for university level studies.

Graduate

Laura Grace was the only student in a truly blended curriculum.  Her courses are mostly online, with some on campus in a traditional classroom setting.  For her, the blended format works allowing her freedom of scheduling, time spent in class and access.

My personal reflections in summary

• Responsible use of technology does not just happen.  As educators, we must be aware of student cognitive development and create experiences with technology to not only support the curriculum, but that advance a digital citizenship curriculum. 
• We have to stop throwing tools at students.  From 6^th grade to graduate school, the panelist mentioned the need for intentional use of technology to support the classroom.  I heard two different themes on the idea of technology for technology sake… One, much like the old days, students know when a teacher is punting and pulling out the old film-strip in the name of “learning”.  Two, an over-abundance of tools can confuse students.  If anxiety is created because a student is unclear about how to complete an assignment, then the learning stops.   We are in the business of creating welcoming environments, not frustrating students.
• Finally, we really have to start listening to students as we make decisions.  The basic tenant of business is to know the customer.  We must listen and know our students.  Jesuits would call this context – who are we serving?  What are their needs?  What are their dreams?  Resources, values and goals?  What works best for their learning?  Students, even as young as elementary school, can articulate answers to these questions.  We just have to empower their voices. 

Take a listen to the webinar – I think you’ll enjoy it (link is public and free to anyone).

Present in the Moment: A BYOT Reflection

I think I can safely say that technology is part blessing and part curse.  Today for instance, it was a blessing.  I needed electronic copies of old receipts from closed fiscal years.  Simple as finding the transaction number on a spreadsheet and a search box… 10 years ago (heck, 5 years ago) I would still be sifting through shoeboxes looking for elusive slips of paper.

Sometimes though, technology is a curse.  The constant need to check email “just in case” has kept me from focusing on the joy in front of me.  My anxiety for control and order is fed by the burden of instant communications.  Feeling the need to answer every email - even if it’s Sunday afternoon. 

Being present in the moment. 

At Brebeuf, we remind ourselves that God is found in all things.  To recognize God in all things, one must be present in the moment.  The counter argument to BYOT is that kids will constantly be on devices.  The concern is in part a loss of control on the adult front.  But I think the deeper concern is one to consider – will students lose the moment because their nose is buried in a device? 

I argue that the benefit of BYOT is having this discussion.  By engaging students in the conversation that now is a time to use a device (say researching) and now is not the time to use the device (discussion of irony in a piece of fiction).  Part of our responsibility as educators is intentionally modeling when a device is appropriate and intentionally modeling when the device is on the desk or in a backpack.  Young people use technology inappropriately because they have never learned otherwise.  By modeling, discussing, practicing and reflecting using the device the student chose in school, we provide a safe and supportive learning environment for tomorrow’s adults.   

It’s really not about the device.  It’s about giving experiences in an authentic context.   And the side benefit is we develop men and women who recognize when it’s time to use the device and when the device should be left in the backpack.

***Now I am putting this blog away and going to Camarata … with my technology.  Modeling timing multimedia show to accompany the music… AND being present in the moment. 

The Shiny Pretty

We Americans like our bling.  Even those of us in the staid Mid-West fall into the trap (right now seems to surround women’s handbags with enough glitz on them to signal space).  And while shiny, pretty isn’t so bad on evening wear, it is not a criterion for purchasing classroom technology… EVER.

I follow several chats, message boards and blogs emerging from educators of all walks.  This week has been particularly frustrating as several posts for e-book suggestions/curriculum/lesson plans/integration specialists/AUPs have gone out specifically mentioning a shiny pretty already purchased - looking for some kind of way to be used in teaching and learning.  My favorite post of the week being (and I am paraphrasing so as to not offend) “We bought hundreds of X device and are now looking for a digital curriculum. Anyone have suggestions?”  The device (noun) was the motivator… now the curriculum side (verbs) kicked in.  That’s backwards people.  The shiny pretty should never be the primary motivator.

To help with this idea… let me introduce you to a very simplified discernment process (remember – Jesuit educator here)…

Reflect on why you are considering a change. 

Brainstorm current practices that are not effective.  Brainstorm influences that are encouraging, guiding, forcing the re-assessment of technology resources.

In our situation, demand for information access and research, writing, presentation, data visualization, and communication experiences greatly outpaced access.  We collected all the “complaints” and realized student and teacher needs could be met with more computer access.  This took about 6 months.

Gather data on various solutions to meet change.

Go into serious research mode.  Since we are talking technology here – this is a twofold process.

• Research your verbs – what is best practice for meeting the challenges discovered above? Gather data from teachers and students as to the real gaps in learning.  Suggested actions are surveys, focus groups, testing data and classroom walk-throughs.
• Research your nouns – pilot multiple devices, talk to colleagues with direct experience with the tool.  Suggested actions for this are pilot programs, Tech Petting Zoos, focus groups with hand’s on device trials.

We took over a year and a half in research, testing, Tech Petting Zoos and small pilots of opening up resources before moving to…

  

Make a decision

Announce to constituent groups the leading decision.  Leave time for discussion and questions.  Live publically with the decision for a few months to see what might arise. 

Our voluntary BYOT program began in the Fall of 2011.  We announced our 1:1 BYOT program in February after five months of pilot and 7 months before full implementation to allow for discussion, education, more Tech Petting Zoos and Boot Camps.

Go forward in confidence

Or at least with the confidence you didn't make your decision based on the latest shiny pretty to hit the consumer market.  You made the decision thoughtfully, with the best research and experience available to meet the learning needs of students.  And that's not too bad...