Professional Experience Reflection – Week 2

Well here I am at Hanoi airport once again. On my way home after 4 weeks of work. For the first time in many years my plane has been significantly delayed and I may not get home until late tomorrow evening. So a good opportunity to reflect on week 2 of professional experience.

Actually this week was fairly light on when it came to incorporating ICTs in training. With the exception of some videos to highlight the dangers of using multimeters which were incorporated in a presentation that I created, that was pretty much it. Mind you the videos did clearly demonstrate what could happen with a multimeter if it is used incorrectly. So the trainees were suitably impressed.

Most of the remainder of the week was used to assess competency for five of our trainees who completed the Electrical Drawing Introduction course the previous week. We did review some part of my screen casts from the previous week so I think that probably counts as using ICTs but definitely not rich in ICT interaction for the learners. 

The realities of keeping a plant running and trying to assess trainees as well really struck home during this week. On reflection my assessing could have incorporated ICTs in the assessment process but the difficulties with the language and having to translate nearly everything as well as the lack of access to computers for the trainees makes this a long process that will take more than a couple of weeks to complete. It is how ever something I would like to achieve in the future. 

Professional Experience Reflection – Week 1

I’m lucky enough to actually work where I am doing my professional experience so it allowed for some flexibility in delivery. One of the disadvantages of this was that I was asked to develop and deliver training that is specific to site and therefore much more difficult to find ICTs that lend themselves to the training I was asked to develop. The fact that it all had to be translated to Vietnamese added yet another dimension.

 

I developed a three lesson training module called Electrical Drawing Introduction based on the electrical drawings used at site. Using a combination of screen cast, face to face teaching and examples of drawings we use daily allowed me to develop a training session that met the learning styles of the attendees including visual, auditory, read/write and kinaesthetic (VARK) as espoused by Fleming (2001) (sighted Hawk and Shah, 2007. p.6).

The group of trainees in this training were the same group I wrote about in my previous post Connectivism at Work – 3 so it was good to have them as my first group because they struggled quite a bit with the previous tasks I asked them to perform which revolved around the use of electrical drawings. It was good to see the smiles on several of the trainees faces during the training, especially when they finally grasped how the electrical drawings interact with each other and how to locate plant and electrical items by using the drawings. Later during demonstration and practical assessment they demonstrated competence so I was pretty happy with their effort over the three days.

 Do I think my lessons were rich in ICTs? No, not at all. But with the limited access to computers and the language barriers I have to deal with I believe the training was a success and I hope the trainees will become more efficient at their work and use their new skills for the betterment of themselves and the company.

Connectivism at Work – 3

Two days before my professional experience was to commence I was able to give the same tasks to the trainees of the third crew as I had done previously for the other two crews. The results were little different from the previous results with all trainees returning me only half the information I had tasked them with. 

Further explanation the next day did not result in the answers I was looking for and it was apparent that little collaboration was occurring amongst the crew. I further clarified to them what the task entailed and informed them that they could talk to each other about the information I was asking them to get for me. From the results returned to me I could see that two of the trainees had collaborated but the other three had not. Most disappointingly was the fact that they still had not obtained all the information I was seeking.

Due to these poor results I decided to change my first week of lessons for professional experience so that I could provide this crew with the skills required to properly read our electrical drawings. More about this in my next post.

ICTs and Professional Experience

I read Mark Laity’s post Professional Experience – Week 2 and was quite surprised that his mentor has been reluctant to allow him to use ICTs in his lessons. Mark’s comment “the biggest barriers to the introduction of ICT’s into the vocational training arena is the possible fear of (using ICTs by) the teachers”  I did not realise these barriers existed and I can only emphasise with Mark’s obvious frustration.

It is not so much fear that has limited my use of ICTs but the fact that all of my lessons have to be translated. Many apps do not lend themselves to translation so I am limited to what is available to me. I have created several screen casts and videos for my professional experience but these also need to be translated. This is time consuming for my supervisors as they have no experience using the software for creating screen casts or videos. So what I really need to do is teach my supervisors how to use the technology so they can make the screen casts and videos directly.

I have found it quite difficult to incorporate ICTs into my training modules because my training is very specific to the mine site I am working at. Lack of access to our site intranet means that I cannot download training to the intranet and have trainees access the material as they need it. But they would get little benefit from the material until it is translated anyway. 

Anyhow I will continue to persevere and hopefully find some user friendly ICTs to incorporate into my training modules.

Wow this is the third time I have tried to write and post this post. WordPress didn’t like something I did and then Google Chrome kept crashing. Hope I can post it this time.
Whilst researching for Assignment 3 in EDC3100 I found this blog by Amy Harrington, Esq. Rethinking Education: Self-Directed Learning Fits the Digital Age and found many of her points resonated with my own thinking, Although about schooling,many of her comments and thoughts are equally true for adult education. You might find the blog interesting also Christina .

Amy makes some valid points about education today including her points about standards based education and “teaching to the test” and the fact that this is not encouraging students to become self-directed learners. She states “True learning is intrinsically motivated and the reward is knowledge”. Becoming a self-directed learner rewards you with the knowledge you seek.

An interesting read if you get the chance.

Professional Experience – What a week

My professional experience week hasn’t started quite as expected. Training is only a part of my job so having to juggle supervisory work with training is generally not a problem but I was hoping to spend a bit more time on the training side. Unfortunately that has not been the case. 

The first few days were taken up with a project that required me to be in attendance with the workers nearly constantly and the next 2 days we experienced power outages which made doing training with ICT’s impossible. I have at least developed my training modules and am ready to go. Although today I found out our “training room” computer does not have a sound card in it. Which really didn’t matter because there are no spare speakers to connect to the computer anyway.

Luckily I have my trusty notebook with me and we work on the weekend. So I have now tested my notebook with the data projector and there is enough sound coming from the notebook for all to hear my screen casts and videos. I have my first lesson scheduled for tomorrow morning and will hopefully be back on track after the weekend.

Frameworks, models and theories for EDC3100

I tried to embed the below table straight into our discussion forum but alas it was beyond my ICT capability, so I have taken the easy way out and added it to my blog.

As I work my way through assignment 3 and reflect on the strategies I will use during my professional experience starting Monday I am struck by the many varied frameworks, models and theories available for me to use. I like both the connectivism and constructivism theories as they build on current or previous knowledge and can easily be built into work based training using the networks all ready existing at work.

Here is my response to the discussion question below.

Theory	Application	Application to Assignment 3/Professional Experience
CLEM Model	Help understand how to learn about a new ICT and how to use it to enhance student learning.	If there are any new ICTs you need to use it might help your explorations. Hence might be useful as a part of the planning process for Part B.
TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework	Tries to identify what technological knowledge teachers require to integrate technology into their pedagogical and content knowledge	Might be used to develop interactive blended learning enhancing current teacher pedagogy and content knowledge
Backwards design	Uses desired learning outcomes as the basis for instructional design and assessment	Set learning objectives and design course content and assessment around those objectives
SAMR(Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition) Model	A method of seeing how computer technology might impact on teaching and learning	Used as a continuum showing how technology could be used then watching as it is used in various ways
TIP (Technology Integration Planning) Model	This model is focused on why the ICT is being incorporated into the lesson. 1. Determine relative advantage 2. Decide on objectives and assessments 3. Design integration strategies 4. Prepare the instructional environment 5. Revise integration strategies	Gives the opportunity for the lesson to become a mobile lesson being accessed on the job rather than in a classroom.
The 5Es (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate)	A constructive approach to learning which builds on to existing knowledge or ideas	Show what trainees already know then build on this by exploring extensions to their current knowledge and allowing them to evaluate its use.
WALT (We Are Learning To) & WILF (What I’m Looking For)	A child friendly way of saying these are the objectives for this learning and this is how we will measure your success of meeting those objectives	Setting objectives and measures for success.
Connectivism	A learning theory which utilises connections within networks to foster learning. Learning occurs through the nodes and connections	Formalising the learning that occurs in the connections. Giving trainees access to information to share and build on
Bloom’s taxonomy Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation	Provides a basic sequential model for dealing with topics in the curriculum and suggests levels of learning applicable to age groups.	Building on existing knowledge and transforming that to worksite application including later evaluation of the application
Postman’s 5 things	1. Technology is always a trade off 2. Technology creates winners and losers 3. There is a powerful idea imbedded in every technology 4. Technology is ecological, not additive 5. Technology tends to become mythic	I don’t think I will be using this during my PE
Toolbelt theory/TEST (Task, Environment, Skill, Tools) framework	Based on the theory that humans need to use tools to accomplish tasks. It takes into account the task to be performed, the environment that task needs to be performed in, the skills of the individual and the tools available to the individual.	Could be used during practical demonstrations and during practical assessment
PKM (Personal Knowledge Management)	A set of processes that help a person make sense of the world they live in allowing them to work more effectively and manage how they use their knowledge	Used in the development of training modules during PE

Transforming Queensland VET: Challenges and Opportunities

Transforming Queensland VET: Challenges and Opportunities

It was interesting to read Mark Laity’s post on Week 9 and Christina Donaldson’s post Technology and Integration as they both had similar themes relating to the difficulty of incorporating ICT’s into adult training. Something I have been struggling with myself over the last couple of months.

During my search for references for Assignment 3 in EDC3100 I came across this document Transforming Queensland VET: Challenges and Opportunities and in particular was surprised at how little had changed since 2009. In Chapter 1 E-Education for SkillsTech Australia: An Holistic Approach by James Waterson a Teacher with SkillsTech Australia points out the following on page 9

“Sadly, the VET teacher of today faces a number of challenges. It is no secret that the VET teacher is often a person with many years experience and a number of factors affect their engagement in new learning:
• Retirement age is near or has been passed by many;
• Teaching staff are only required to attain minimum teaching qualification at a Certificate IV level;
• Recruitment of new staff is at minimal levels;
• Class sizes have been increased (Electrical – from 14 to 28 students);
• Professional development is an ad hoc experience, and;
• Administrative time overheads for teachers are ever increasing.”

It goes on further to discuss the resistance for change exhibited by many teachers and also the lack of time allocated to learn new technology with the following quote located on the same page.

“Brennan (2003) indicated that: A large number of teachers are not only struggling with the demands of rapidly changing technologies, but also with an often unfriendly teaching context that is pre-determined by institutional structures and management
practices, course content, material presentation and the nature of the platform that their institution is tied to. It is a credit to teacher/trainer professionalism and dogged persistence that online delivery works as well as it does. (p.5)”

It’s interesting that these collection of papers were written in 2009 and yet little has changed over the last 5 years. Many TAFE’s around the country are only just introducing on-line courses and blended learning formats. So Mark and Christina you are not alone in your journey of how best to incorporate ICT’s into lessons. I hope you find something of interest in these papers.

 

Connect.ed

I have just completed the four modules of Connected.ed  which can be found through the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) web site. Not very relevant to me work wise as I am in the VET sector and work overseas. The company I work for does have an ICT use policy though and it covers the main topics of inappropriate material being sent and resent on our network and of course the misuse of intellectual property.

On a personal note I found the information in the four modules interesting especially as I have a teenage son. I thought cyber bullying might have actually been more prevalent than the statistics show and was quite surprised to see that 21% of female students in Tasmania reported being cyber bullied compared to the national average of approximately 8%. I wonder why that is?

Free Presentation Apps

One of the other blogs I am following is Maria Kaffatou and although she is studying in the early childhood sector comes up with some really good sites that can also be used in the VET sector.

So thanks Maria for your blog on 1st May titled Free Applications for Presentations and the link to this site Edutopia The good thing is that you don’t just have to use them on Apple products as full versions of the apps are available on the web for download to computers using other operating systems.

I can particularly see the benefit of Snapguide and how it could be used to create how to guides at work. It would allow my trainees to develop their own how to guides and share them with each other. I look forward to investigating this software further over the coming weeks.