Activity Five - Flexible learning strategies

I attended a trades forum last year, one of the presenters was Peter Mellow (AUT) who spoke about ‘21^st Century Learners and Web 2.0 - implications for Learners’. Part of his delivery spoke about classroom layout moving away from the rank and file, of the normal class room layout. He went on to say having students face each other creates interaction and a sharing of ideas, this is also ideal for team work, which brings me to my strategy for teaching Unit 21911 ‘Safety in an Engineering Workshop’.

My aim was to facilitate student centred learning, team work and to take the students out of their comfort zone by presenting their work to the class. As a class we had discussed various hazards and hazard control methods, some of this had included power point presentations. There task was using a template and a given situation to identify 3 hazards with a prevention procedure for each, to be written in the positive sense and to identify any personal protective equipment (PPE) or operating equipment that may be required.

Situation	Identified Hazard	Procedure
Chemicals	1.	1.
PPE & Equipment	2.	2.
	3.	3.

 To facilitate the task I rearranged the classroom into blocks of four (students facing each other), having a class of 12 gave me the three groups of four, with each group having four different hazards this  was to enable each member of the group to make a presentation to the class. Each group was given a large piece of paper and felt pens, the template to draw and set to task.

       (Sorry no updated photos of class layout)

Throughout this exercise I am able to work with students to achieve the learning outcomes; this also identifies and focuses on shortfalls in individual student learning. A number of questions are resolved through student peer review (brainstorming)

Presentation of their findings are presented as a group to the class with each individual having responsibility for one of the four situations, this ensures participation. The class is prompted to challenge or critic their findings.

Video link of presentation, it's a bit long but you will get the gist, patience required for it to load.
You may need to register to http://play.op.ac.nz to view link

US 21911/1_S1_20 http://play.op.ac.nz/video/US-219111_S1_2011/e64856403d2a421bebf5e09b09311d9d

Fred

Teaching US 20917 Materials

This unit covers 5 different materials and is designed to give an understanding of the materials properties and characteristics, performance, how we use them in engineering applications and factors influencing their selection.

I conduct a prior knowledge discussion to see if they can identify what the materials may be and what they already know of these materials. Once established I set them up in pairs with an identified material each and with a task sheet based on the unit outcomes above. They go on-line and research the material.

Each of the outcomes is written on the task sheet which is then transferred to the whiteboard, the students, in pairs, will then present their findings to the class, Q&A is encouraged following the findings and students will use cell phone camera's to record each material presented for future reference.

Cell phones cannot be used during assessments so image is printed or transcribed to journals for assessment.

Unit Study notes are issued at the end of the class, information within is now very familiar and is easier to understand, it may also strengthen their research.

Fred

Access & Equity - Diversity & Inclusivity

Access and opportunity with in New Zealand

To provide access and equal opportunity for flexible learning at OP we need to look at what is already available. First up we have a government student loan system that provides funds to allow the purchase of course related items, as going on-line is one of the keys to flexible learning we can include a computer as course item, as a teaching institution we can arrange for suitably priced computers through a provider (Apple or Microsoft) This would be around the $400 to $500 mark and to complement this a small digital camera also, Op through a provider $100 - $200 mark. Up and running with a student loan of $700 max.

OP would provide jack points to plug into or Wireless (already up and running) or we have the use of the library, set up for computer access. OP has Moodle to facilitate the course and if we use Google Docs. (Free to sign up) we have a cloud where students and facilitators can blog, create/perform assessments and share content and ideas. Digital camera can capture whiteboard writings and images for portfolio or assessments; this can also be placed in the cloud for sharing.

I guess at this stage, for my own course access comes from open Entry, but opportunity means attendance at classes.

 Diversity and Inclusivity

At the start of each course I conduct an entry assessment this is to gauge the level of my students foundation knowledge, the basic elements of reading, writing and Arithmetic. I also issue the VARK questionnaire to better understand their learning preferences. The On-line literacy and Numeracy Assessment tool is used to confirm the entry assessment information and map their progression. With this information I am able to tweak my lesson plans to engage my students within the course, structure the course in a way in which they like to learn, once engaged I can then introduce other modes of learning to broaden the students learning potential. The way I introduce different modes of learning is through classroom configuration, rearranging the furniture encouraging team work and dialogue, having a number of whiteboard around the room to stimulate posture and focus and encourage the students to write, use a range of material delivery, power points, computer search, video’s, discussion groups and course material. These are the tools of students centred learning and is that not Diversity and Inclusivity?

Fred       

Interview with Kevin Dunbar Carpentry Lecturer

Kevin teaches level 4 Certificate in Carpentry, student are aged between 18 and 24 years and predominantly male. The course is project based learning with three intakes of twenty five students, two tutors to each group with each group building a house.

Five dimensions of flexible learning

Time:

The course is conducted over forty weeks with eight of the weeks allocated to work experience; mornings are used to conduct course theory with the afternoons dedicated to practical work. Fridays afternoons are provided for assessment resits.

Delivery and Logistics:

Theory classes utilise Utube to demonstrate product manufacture, power points to illustrate available materials and usage and instructions and demonstrations on building techniques. Guest lecturers are invited for specific instructions e.g. roofing, plumbing etc. Theory delivery is in-line with practical workshop were possible.

Class rooms with Emedia. Construction areas are required to build the houses with stringent Health and Safety guide lines (Site Safe), building barn for small projects and pre-assembly work, joinery shop and machine shop. Students are required to source work experience.

Entry:

Open entry with a minimum of four years (Year 12) secondary education with 8 NCEA level 2 credits in English and 8 NCEA level 1 credits in mathematics, unit standards in elementary construction skills or equivalent knowledge or experience is preferred. Interviews are also carried out.

Content and instructional approaches:

Content; the programme is project based learning in-line with unit standards supplied by Building and Construction industry Training Organisation (BCITO). 50% of the course is written assessment of 40 unit Standards and 50% practical assessment by observation.

Instructions; classroom Elearning tutorials, demonstrations of best practice are conducted, instructions to critique process, students work in pairs of equal ability and peer tutor each other, guest lecturers provided specialised product lecturers.

Resources:

Classrooms with Emedia, Unit Standards study material, large construction site, building barn, joinery shop, machine shop, material storage, local suppliers, and student tool kits. Students supply their own personal protection equipment (PPE).

Conclusion:

Kevin felt Unit Standards t didn’t offer a lot in flexible delivery however discussions on alternative ways to deliver the theory may change this.

Fred

Interview with Hannah Joynt on designs flexible delivery

Who are your student’s.

Hannah’s teaches creative studies (level 6). Creative studies have an intake of 60 students which is split into 3 groups, gender is generally mixed. Students range from school leavers to mature students who may or may not have achieved year 13 at school. Students generally have a creative background from school who have found themselves out of place when away from the creative hub, their course helps them find like minded people to associate with however they seem to be unaware of the scope of the course.

Entry Level.

Students undergo an interview process and are require to produce a portfolio of their work.

Five dimensions of flexible learning.

Time:    

Students have 48 hours contact time and 102 self directed hours, facilities are available in the weekend and extra tuition in special circumstances is available by appointment. There are 8 certificate papers in total; they can be split into part time study. Attendance is required    for students to keep up.

Delivery and Logistics:

Students have a classroom, computer suite and studio work area, content is delivered by lecturers, handouts, power points, videos, computer, Utube, and demonstrations. Students go on field trips to galleries and around the town where they observe course criteria, they work in pairs or groups of varying numbers. Student’s inspiration is sourced by observations on walk about and guest lecturers. Tools include Computers, whiteboards, portfolios and items already mentioned, students present their work through display’s and exhibitions.

Content and Instructional approaches:

Content; students have mix of learner choice based on guide lines but with some fixed content, there is also instructional content. Subject matter is very flexible. Students have a fixed assessment based on 60% participation and 40% journal entries. Journals reflect writings, drawings, research, documentation and brain storming. There is flexibility in assessment delivery through readings or video.

Instructional; generally one on one interaction, students engage in peer tutoring, learner centred learning approach is encouraged due to a studio cultured environment. Students have directives to follow but also use reflective listening and discussion /questioning groups.

Resources:

These range from whiteboards, computers, video, digital electronics and the use of Moodle. Light workshops and artistic environments. There is a human resource and Hannah provides an extensive personal book collection.

I found the interview quite informative and look forward to adopting some of Hannah’s resources into my own teachings. It was also apparent that in looking at the five dimensions that they would overlap requiring focus on the question at hand.

Fred Cross

Great to be aboard

Hi all,
Starting a little late but great to be aboard, I teach basic Mechanical and Engineering Trade skills (BMETS) level 2 at Otago poly 'A' block with a little bit of Electrical cert, Diploma in mechanical Engineering, apprentice blockcourses and intorducing adult literacy and numeracy into programs. I look forward to catching up with the ones who are involved with the workshop as this is my preference for learning, its not that I have anything agains blogging or eluminate but I like a face to a name and the social discussion/interaction that worksops provide. I will try to make an elluminate sesion to catch up with those not at the work shop.
Bye for now
Fred

Teaching Unit Standards

To me flexible learning is not always about the media we use to deliver content, my first attempt to find a new way for my students to learn was to change the enviroment that they lean in, Im sure you, as I did sat in rank and file faced the blackboard at the front and listened to the teacher, how many of us still do this. Unit standards is about delivering a lot of text material the best and most interesting way we can inline with the course criteria. So the norm, (or old way) sit down, face the font, open your books, read. Yea. Okay the easy changes, move the furniture, create groups or cells, allow them to interact, Prior knowledge, promote  one on one or group discussion with each other. Give the student the whiteboard let them write down what they know, each could write what they know or could expand on a fellow students prior knowledge there by building a bigger picture.
And what am I doing? I'm facilitating isn't that what we are supposed to do. Teaching, No thats not flexible 
Resources;
Spare wall space, contact campus services for unused whiteboards, fill that space and provide more oppertunities.
Have you seen the Robertson Libruary yet, book one of their study rooms, change the enviroment.
Enjoy Fred