Referencing: A helping hand

Being back in university over the last few months has taught taught me a lot, more than I could have hoped for, and one of these things  is that correct referencing is key.

Being back in a University environment naturally means being exposed to assignments and correct practice within such tasks. As I am also on teaching placement, which is also happens to be in the same University, I am seeing that my learners are faced with similar tasks. Referencing can be challenging at first but, as with most things in life, the more you repeat the process, the simpler it becomes. 

Now I could go on about the correct practice for referencing, however, there is a wealth of such information all over the internet, so as such, I am going to point you in the right direction to a helpful tool which you can use to create references or simply use as a guide to learn the format. 

A few weeks back in an ICT session in University we had a talk about Microsoft Word and the built in referencing system. However, being a mac user, I was horrified to get onto my Macbook to find my version didn't include such luxuries. This sent me off scouring the internet for an alternative, which is where I stumbled across an excellent website.

There is an excellent resource available to use, for free I may add, at Neil's tool box. This website provides users with the Harvard referencing generator, a simple and effective tool that simply allows users to input all the details into the labeled boxes (supplied with format examples) and compiles the information into a reference that can be copied and pasted into your assignment. 

Above: The website allows users to select from a number of different types of resources, which it will then build an appropriate reference for.

Above: An example of the website's input system, which asks for all the information required to build your reference

Its that simple! if your in a position where you software doesn't come with its own generator, then this tool can become invaluable to you, allowing more time to be spent on your actual assignment writing. 

Resource available at: http://www.neilstoolbox.com/bibliography-creator/ 

Effective practice in modern teaching

Planning and preparation is, in my opinion, one of the most important aspects of teaching, and if mastered could be the difference in a lesson being a soaring success or a disastrous wreck. Over the last few years while embarking on my own Teacher training path, I have been fortunate enough to witness lesson of the same subject or topic delivered by different Teachers. Theoretically, these lesson should have been very similar, when in actually fact, they would often be quite different, often resulting in one being more successful than the other. It could be argued that every Teacher has a different style, as such, lessons could be very different on this factor alone. However, I have often witnessed such lessons where one person has planned extensively, almost to the minute, while another would chose to 'wing it'. For this reasons I have decided to look into the various aspects we as Teachers often consider and why, as well as the implications on the quality of learning taking place. Lesson planning can be a complex monster, but of the elements collected together and planned effectively could result in a shining example of modern teaching practice.

So why do we plan lesson?  

First of all we need to ask ourselves one simple question: what is lesson planning? In a nutshell, lesson planning is 'The process of deciding what you will teach and how you will teach it' (Handley, 2010), which is the short answer, but a great summery none the less. Lesson planning will cover all aspects of your teaching, everything from activities, key points, resources you will need, as well as other details such as meeting government standards. They tend to vary depending on the teaching course or regions. Gravells (2012) states that lesson that are planned well should follow a set structure, namely a beginning, a middle and an end, referred to as an introduction section, a development section and a plenary. There are plenty of reasons for this structure, all of which often benefit both the Teacher and the learners, but ultimately the formula laid out above will provide learners with a sense of continuity, and overall make the lesson and the tasks within come full circle. 

Setting expectations

No lesson plan could be concrete without the aims and objectives, which would obviously be laid out at the start of the lesson in order to establish the learners are clear as to what is expected of them. The question raised at this point is what makes good aims and objectives within lesson planning? 

One of the most effective factors to consider when setting objectives is to ensure that they follow the SMART system (Gravells, 2012). The smart system is an acronym, which has been designed (not only for teaching) to ensure any objectives or aims we set are possible in the context of the lesson. SMART essentially stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-based (Bogue, 2005) and is excellent at ensuring we are able to set expectations that are both possible and relevant to the learning experience. 

Everything we have mentioned so far are only some of the key elements that form the essence of teaching and can result in great practice. This has certainly been true over the last few decades of teaching, but what about todays practice. What additional factors must the modern educator take into account?

Effective teaching

Planning a lesson is all well and good, and granted, knowing what your going to teach is a good starting point, but  its not an automatic guarantee that your going to be a good teacher. So what makes an effective Teacher? Research into this subject always seems to bring up similar results, and over the years they have seen some developments as the world around us evolves. 

If you were to run a good search for a list of the top teaching qualities the same results tend to come up: enthusiasm, motivation, hard working, passionate, friendly, approachable. All seem to follow this pattern. However, modern teaching, in my opinion, requires so much more of us than ever before, more so in some subjects than other. Let me explain. I myself am training to be a teacher of Music Technology and so far it is a fantastic and fulfilling experience to which every day brings exciting new challenges. Teaching a subject such as this, which has a backbone in the evolution of modern technology in the industry makes it even more challenging. The subject itself has its fundamentals, as it always has, and that will never change. As I look back on my own training when compared to the material and resources available today, its quite surprising how important it is to keep up to date with the material. Music Technology, for example, can change beyond recognition in a matter of years. The move from analogue and tape recording towards digital interfaces is a fine example. As a teacher of such an ever-changing subject it is crucial to keep my own skills and practice up to date and evolving along with the industry. I find myself on countless subject based websites looking for industry updates or changes, I even spend around £15 a month on subject based magazines and more on books! The point I am trying to make is simple: A good teacher keeps up to date with new and exciting concepts within their subjects, particularly more modern technology based subjects. Keeping material fresh and engaging is, in my opinion, just as important as the planning or practicing of the lesson. After all, you could be the most enthusiastic, fun or outgoing teacher in the business, but this won't mean a thing if your teaching outdated material. As teachers we should be looking for the new, the exciting, the innovating and the fresh approaches to our practice and our subject knowledge. Only then can we see the full potential of planning when combined with new ideas, effectively resulting in excellent modern teaching practice.

Reference

Handley, T. (2010). How to produce the perfect plan. Available: http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/content/how-produce-perfect-plan. Last accessed 24th Nov 2014

Gravells, A (2012). Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector. London: Learning matters . 62-66

Bogue, L. (2005). Use S.M.A.R.T. goals to launch management by objectives plan. Available: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/use-smart-goals-to-launch-management-by-objectives-plan/. Last accessed 24th nov 2014.

Barriers to effective use of technology in education

A lot of schools I have seen over the last few years have an extensive list of resources. The majority of schools these days will have computer access, often with internet capabilities and a variety of programs, while most schools have access to more sophisticated devices such as tablets. Whichever the case, most schools allow learners access to these technologies, however, some schools may not be using them to actually teach in an effective or engaging way. I myself have been fortunate enough to visit a few Schools in the South Wales area on teaching placement and have seen examples of effective use of technology, as well as no use at all.

Ramey (2013) suggest a few possibilities as to what the barriers to teaching using technology could be as ‘Resistance to change’ and ‘Lack of professional development’. in many schools teachers often unprepared to integrate technology in their own lessons as they are in facilities with little or no preparation or training. This is both unfortunate for the teachers and for the learners themselves, as mobile technology is a powerful tool to have at your disposal within the classroom. Many teachers who do not feel confident with mobile technology often fear it within their own practice. Many teacher fear the early stages of using mobile technology for many reasons, one of which will be the dependancy from the learners, particularly if they are new to a particular device such as a tablet. Ramey (2013) argues that most teachers fear that the learners will demand assistance with devices that they themselves may a novice. However, it is important to keep in mind the end result, in that to begin with it is true that learners will demand help and this will be tasking on the teachers skills and time, however, over time, the learners will become more confident and self-dependant, thus making the workload lighter, and the lessons more exciting and motivating.  

The other main factor seems to be that teachers are not ready to let of of the traditional styles of teaching (Jones, 2012). This is certainly true of the Schools I have visited in the past. Teachers have countless teaching resources available with little or no motivation to progress past using PowerPoint presentations. In my experience I have seen schools with interactive whiteboards which have been used solely to display images controlled via the computer. My experience comes from a key stage 3 and key stage 4 Music environment, where the School was equipped with various types of mobile technology (such as tablets), yet the Teachers were reluctant to introduce any to the lesson. The School in question had a higher level of difficulties than most with regards to learner engagement within the classroom, and lack of motivation throughout. It is my own opinion that after having read a number of reports, studies and articles on mobile technology in the classroom, adapting such ideas into their teaching could possibly result in some of these issues being resolves. Mobile technology makes the lessons more engaging for both the learners and the Teachers, often resulting in a heightened level of motivation (West, 2013). Schools such as the example above could see significant improvements in such areas, but only if the Teachers themselves are prepared to embrace the wonders of Technology and see them as a learning tool, not a replacement or a threat to their current Teaching practice. Teaching has never seen such leaps in the development as it has in the last few decades with the addition of new and emerging technology, all of which, when embraced and used properly, can become vital assets to the future of the education profession. 

References 

Ramey, K. (2013). Barriers to the effective uses of technology in education . Available: http://www.useoftechnology.com/barriers-effective-technology-education/. Last accessed 17th Nov 2014

Jones, J. (2014). iPads in the classroom. Available: http://www.bbcactive.com/BBCActiveIdeasandResources/iPadsintheClassroom.aspx. Last accessed 17th Nov 2014.

West, D. (2013). Mobile Learning: Transforming Education, Engaging Students, and Improving Outcomes. Available: http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2013/09/17-mobile-learning-education-engaging-students-west. Last accessed 17th Nov 2014.

Image: http://tutoringservice.ca/blog/2013/02/19/teaching-with-technology-10-amazing-resources-to-integrate-into-your-classroom/

The value of mobile technology in teaching

‘Mobile technology is an exciting opportunity or educators, But in many ways we are just scratching the surface of what can be achieved with it’ (Wylie 2010)

It goes without saying that technology in general has had an invaluable impact upon the teaching profession, both in terms of how the teachers deliver lessons and resources, as well as how the learners themselves develop. Mobile technology has also seen incredible changes and developments over the last few years within the teaching environment. Devices such as iPads and other similar tablets are being integrated into lessons, so much so that you will often seen them listed as a critical resource within various schemes of work. 

In my own teaching experiences over the last few years, while on placement at various different schools and academic institutes, I have seen that the use of mobile technology within the classroom has been met with great skepticism. This could be for any number of reasons, one of which could be that mobile phones, for example, usually get a bad reputation in the classroom environment (Wylie, 2013). Based on discussions with teachers, it seems the other reason often tends to be a lack of confidence with their own knowledge of mobile technology, as well as the lack of trust towards the learners, which they feel may abuse the technology (often assumed of younger learners).

Norton (2014) argues that mobile technology in the classroom can help the teacher and learner interact seamlessly in a number of ways, within a number of different tasks. Learners can use mobile devices, such as iPads, to photograph or record their tasks, while other learners could give feedback afterwards. This brings me to an example I have seen in first hand while on a short placement in a primary School in the Swansea area. Learners were given the task of working out distances as part of a mathematical exercise in the playground. Each group allocated a peer to record the task on the iPad in order to document it as part of their ICT unit portfolios. Much to my surprise, the learners were fluent and more than capable of using these devices at ease, even at the age of 6 years old. Not only was this an excellent and engaging way to keep the children invested in the activity, but was a strong method of developing the ICT skills of the learners. 

Admittedly, when I first heard learners were able to use mobile technology within their lessons, I myself was quite skeptical, largely because of the abuse of the technology as mentioned above. However, after seeing the results first hand and seeing how the learners embraced the devices, rather than take advantage of them, measured me to that not only does technology have a place in the learning environment, but, as it can bring an enriching learning experience for the learners themselves. 

References 

Norton, J. (2014). Teaching tips: How students can use their mobile phones to learn english. Available: http://blog.britishcouncil.org/2014/05/19/how-students-can-use-their-mobile-phones-to-learn-english/. Last accessed 17th Nov 2014. 

Wylie, J. (2014). Mobile learning technologies for the 21st century classroom. Available: http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3754742. Last accessed 17th Nov 2014.

PCET: The first week of placement

The first week of placement is done and dusted and I have to say I couldn't hope to be in a better facility with experienced and supportive staff encouraging and guiding me along the way. The University I am based in is brilliant! the facilities are of industry quality, the students have a thirst and passion for the subject of Music Technology, and on top of which I have been made to feel like part of the team. All in all I can see this shaping up to be a rewarding and exciting year.
In terms of teaching, things are moving a little slow, getting involved here and there but the university had been out of action over the last few weeks due to a symphonic orchestra recording. However, I did get a chance to teach a full lesson, which was assessed and as well as some excellent and encouraging feedback, I also received some brilliant advice in terms of development. I loved every second of it, the learners were engaged, so much so that they still stop me in the building to talk to me about the topic and the session, which is flattering.
This placement is going to have its challenges though. For example, the music industry has a vast selection of equipment and audio recording systems, each more different than the last. The interface used at the university, Pro Tools, is one which I have had little experience with, and none for over 3 years. However, after bitting the bullet and investing in a copy (£240 cash!) I have been using the last few weeks to brush up on my skills and feel more than confident enough to use it in a teaching environment. That being said, Im not expert, but complications are part of the recording industry, i guess if any equipment fails on me then the learners will be having a crash course in problems solving.
Im actually impressed by the welcoming the University has provided for me. In the past I have been on placements within secondary schools (which I won't name), which not only we unwelcoming at times, but extremely brutal in terms of feedback and support....in short, there was none! Admittedly this impacted on me as I entered this placement with my guard up. However, it is quite the opposite here, full support and full involvement in the environment, even to the extent of being invited to head of faculty meetings to discuss changes to the curriculum.
Ok, Ive gone on a little here, largely because this week has been excellent! I am reading up on subjects I haven't thought about in years, and as a result, I forgot how much I loved. Its hard to see this as a work environment, Music Technology is my hobby and passion, after a long day on placement, I tend to go home and carry on with my own practice.

In closing - I am very excited to see what challenges and learning experiences the next few months have to offer!

UWTSD BBC building: Placement for the next 7 months

PCET: From the start

Week 2 of studying the PCET course in university and already enjoying and learning alot. Really excited to begin teaching within Music Technology.

This blog marks the first of many throughout the course of the year and my studies.

Looking forward to seeing what the coming year will bring.

Nick