Rethinking Junior IT Kevork Krozian Forest Hill College

Rethinking Junior IT Kevork Krozian, Forest Hill College k. krozian@fhc. vic. edu. au 1

Session Objectives • To stimulate thinking to audit current junior IT courses • To look for options and new directions • To keep VELS in mind as required • To consider delivery models -- dedicated ICT vs across Key Learning Areas • Any other ideas 2

Primary School snapshot Multiple feeder schools about 100 – 120 into Yr 7 students Course Details • Powerpoint Quite skilled and confident • Publisher Some knowledge. Eg. Why can’t I type straight away ? Because you need a text box to type into • Kahootz Quite skilled and confident • Word Generally used to type up stories with little other skill Comments/Rationale Apart from Powerpoint and Kahootz generally students need to learn from scratch ( not the programming language ) and it is best to assume they haven’t used other software ( apart from a browser, chat ) to any appreciable level prior to Year 7. 3

Current Year 7 Dedicated ICT subject – full year 4 x (72 min) periods per 3 week cycle Course • Word : 4 – 6 weeks Details • Focus on skills, alignment, tabs, columns, layout, spell and grammar check. Assessed with a final task to complete • Journal online • Word counts, accuracy, technique, writing and text types (Moodle) for reflection on each topic Comments/Rationale • Students do not possess these skills therefore seen to be valuable across all areas • Students enjoy the competition and challenging themselves and each other • Ties in with Health and Physical education nutrition unit • Touch typing - 4 weeks • Graded skills acquisition. Project to analyse restaurant menus and produce a tri-fold brochure of their own menu. Use Visio to • Final result placed in a “time capsule” for collection in Yr 12 • Publisher create map of restaurant location • Visio : 4 - 6 weeks • Powerpoint : 6 weeks • Graded skill acquisition. Current project selected for completion (eg Olympics) • Final project used in English as part of oral presentation with the use of Que cards for prompting • Qualitative and quantitative data used. Surveys of favourite food • Graded skill acquisition. Data sourced from any media outlet orof students in class survey. Results recorded and graphed with the use of simple formulas • Levels 4 and 5 of VELS ICT domain requires evidence of digital • Digital Porfolio : 4 – 6 • Recent implementation of Ed. Cube to create digital portfolio on portfolio (or bank of digital evidence ) under ICTfor visualising weeks any topic of choice eg my first year at Forest Hill College, my thinking and ICT for creating friends, social me, thinking me • Excel : 4 - 6 weeks • Allows a self paced approach to acquiring a range of skills from • Kahootz : 4 weeks • Intro to Year 8 : 2 weeks • Graded tasks directly from Kahootz site following teaching resources • Introduction to Gamemaker, web authoring • Establishing links with the next phase of learning and orientation 4 for Year 8.

Current Year 8 Dedicated ICT subject – full year 4 x (72 min) periods per 3 week cycle Course • Gamemaker: Term 1 • Journal online (Moodle) for reflection on each topic Details Comments/Rationale • Graded skill acquisition, stepping through a number of tutorials, completing a project followed by an open book assessment tasks modelled on the project principles. • Game programming provides a context for a wide range of cross domain learning. Drag and drop tools means kids do not get bogged down in programming syntax. Games require graphics and sound so the links to the domains of music and art are obvious. Sound and graphics creation • See http: //www. rupert. id. au/header-links. php and editing through a variety of software options. for a comprehensive discussion of the benefits • See http: //www. freewebs. com/schoolgamemaker/IT%20 Courseof games programming, and specifically worked game. doc for a multidisciplinary game making project (based on a media examples of application of Gamemaker project by Keith Richardson and Tony Forster) • Also Tony Forster is a leader in the use of Gamemaker. Search Edulists archives. • Games have a narrative or storyline, though branching, get kids to www. edulists. com. au or see develop game storylines as a literacy activity. See also Tim Rylands http: //www. users. on. net/~billkerr/g/int. htm http: //www. timrylands. com/ and Brock Dubbels • Game making can be a good way to learn kinematics: speed, acceleration and gravity, a few ideas at http: //www. rupert. id. au/headerlinks. php • Quest style games which have lots of narrative could be made in a 2 nd • language, see http: //www. freewebs. com/schoolgamemaker/ for how to set up dialogue in a quest game with foreign character sets • Excel, Access and Word : Term 2 – 3 • Organising a party. Excellent set of activities that engage students readily. Varied and Acquisition of spreadsheet skills for managing aspecialised skills acquired. Use of validation in Access, querying with budget, organising supplies, shopping online for Boolean operators, Use of formulas in Excel and the mastery of provisions. Database skills for gathering guest spreadsheet functions for budget and guest list creation and management. data, special dietary and musical needs, forms, Peer evaluated with scope for student input into querying and reporting, creating name tags, mail the direction of the overall task. 5 merge and more. RSVP through web site to store in a file or email.

Current Year 8 continued Course Details Comments/Rationale • Web authoring with Dreamweaver and Fireworks Term 3 • Graded exercises covering layout, graphics, colours, fonts, naming conventions, styles, attention to copyright and intellectual property, provision of feedback, peer evaluation, disclaimer. Completion of a personal website as a final product. • Digital Portfolio – 6 weeks • Recent implementation of Ed. Cube to create digital portfolio on any topic of choice eg my schoo, my friends, social me, thinking me, sporting me, healthy me, mathematical me, IT me • Levels 4 and 5 of VELS ICT domain requires evidence of digital portfolio (or bank of digital evidence ) under ICT for visualising thinking and ICT for creating • A set of 5 graded exercises covering basic animation skills for addition to web site as swf files Planning, storyboards, visualising thinking. Tasks include motion and shape tweening, path orientation, sound, video, mask layer and more depending on student ability and interest. Flash Animation • Quite a robust activity that engages students fully. Excellent skill development in “. . evaluate the integrity of the located information based on its accuracy and the reliability of the web host” ( VELS level 4 ) as students gather data for inclusion on their personal web site. 6

Current Year 9 Dedicated ICT subject - 1 semester only 4 x (72 min) periods per 3 week cycle Course • Creation of a DVD • Software/Hardware used • Combination of Dreamweaver and Nero Vision to create DVD interface Journal online (Moodle) for reflection Details Comments/Rationale • Through the use of a wide range of software • Very engaging and exciting for students with the freedom to choose types students create a DVD as a final product. almost any topic as the subject of their DVD. • Research into multimedia file types and quality • Research into alternate multimedia file types, conversion options, quality • Research classification system and proposed and size implications content • Research classification system and classify the DVD product Animation with Flash and Actionscript • High level of autonomy and ability to direct learning. Eg. Foreign • Sound content with Acid Pro language text inclusion, alternate designs for navigation, page background music or manually load on clicking, file format types, data • Image content with digital camera, scanner or gathering, team work, peer review and feedback. internet • Video content with video camera or internet • Validation and testing by extracting ONLY DVD files and checking all links on another machine • Voice recording with audacity • Creating interface and pages with Dreamweaver and Fireworks • Consideration of consistency in design and layout requirements across pages • Video conversion for web ready deployment Planning, storyboards, visualising thinking for animation and web • Photoshop for DVD label and DVD case cover interface. Peer evaluation and input. Rubrics for assessment. • Publish DVD to active web site for testing • Burn DVD and present to class Based on current software DVD will only play on a computer and not a DVD player. To play on a DVD player need to use other software 7 such as Adobe Encore or Sony Vegas ( cost vs benefit issue )

Current Year 10 Programming Elective – 1 semester only 4 x (72 min) periods per week Course • Flash and Actionscript Details • Up to 20 graded learning activities covering layout, graphics, colours, fonts, naming conventions, use of Actionscript 3. 0: • Refresher activities from Yr 9 • Adding sounds to movies • Path orientation • Drawing in Flash • Buttons and movies • Compositing or Nesting • 3 D Effects in Flash • A runner in Flash • First Actionscript • Mouse control • Keyboard control, screen wrapping • Collision detection • Jigsaw puzzle ( can be Quiz type ) • Colouring car parts • Scrolling space background • Saving the Earth shooting game Comments/Rationale • Very engaging • Students rarely off task • Individual discussion and tailoring extension work • Excellent skill development at VELS Level 6 as “. . students apply a range of techniques, equipment and procedures that minimise the cost, effort and time of processing ICT solutions and maximise the accuracy, clarity and completeness of the information. Their products demonstrate a clear sense of purpose and respect for the audience” • Aim is to gain confidence in taking on challenges rather than racing to finish a product • Process of learning is the focus rather than the answer to a problem though we celebrate discovery of a solution • Debugging competitions – first to find error gets a chocolate • Deliberate bugs introduced as challenges bases on actual errors in class • Web deployment aspect very attractive as choice of language to teach • Journal online (Moodle) for reflection and record keeping • A choice of projects such as a • poker machine or • billiards game or • car racing game or other • Planning, storyboards, visualising thinking, reflection, self assessment • VELS ICT Level 6 “ students compare their own solutions with others and justify suggestions to improve quality” • Journal required as part of the reflection • Peer evaluation required on any improvements after task completion 8

Delivery Structure - Yr 9 My. FHC Intranet Course Outline – Task list Course individual tasks worksheet Assessment – Task list with rubrics for assessment Reporting – rubrics descriptors transfer to report and VELS level 9

Review what in junior IT ? ? New College Strategic Plan 2010 - 2012 Develop a whole school understanding of key learning attributes that identify all students at Forest Hill College Expansion of enhancement activities Students given opportunity to do individual work Catering for differentiated learning with tracking and monitoring of individual progress Agreed pedagogical approaches including teaching literacy across the curriculum The use of ICT in teaching, learning, assessment and planning More challenge Better assessment practices Higher order thinking * 10

What is higher order thinking ? • Higher-order thinking requires students to manipulate information and ideas in ways that transform their meaning and implications. This transformation occurs when students combine facts and ideas in order to synthesize, generalize, explain, hypothesize or arrive at some conclusion or interpretation • • • Evaluation - Judging the outcome Synthesis - Putting together Analysis - Taking apart Application - Making use of knowledge Comprehension - Confirming or understanding Knowledge - Gathering Information • Manipulating information and ideas through these processes allows students to solve problems and discover new (for them) meanings and understandings. When students engage in the construction of knowledge, an element of uncertainty is introduced into the instructional process and makes instructional outcomes not always predictable; i. e. , the teacher is not certain what will be produced by students. In helping students become producers of knowledge, the teacher's main instructional task is to create activities or environments that allow them opportunities to engage in higher-order thinking. 11

What is lower order thinking ? • • • Lower-order thinking occurs when students are asked to receive or recite factual information or to employ rules and algorithms through repetitive routines. Students are given pre-specified knowledge ranging from simple facts and information to more complex concepts. Such knowledge is conveyed to students through a reading, work sheet, lecture or other direct instructional medium. The instructional process is to simply transmit knowledge or to practise procedural routines. Students are in a similar role when they are reciting previously acquired knowledge; i. e. , responding to test-type questions that require recall of pre-specified knowledge. More complex activities still may involve reproducing knowledge when students only need to follow pre-specified steps and routines or employ algorithms in a rote fashion. “Technology alone cannot move learners to higher order thinking skills, but some applications are more suited for this task than others” (Burns, 2006). Burns classifies applications into “Lower-Order and Higher-Order Applications”. How an application is used by an educator determines whether it is a lower or higher order application. An example of this is the use of the Internet. If used as an electronic textbook it would be a lower order application as only lower order skills are used if the learner does not validate, question, or evaluate, the information obtained. When learners engage in online collaboration they would be using higher order thinking skills and therefore the Internet would be used as a higher order application (Burns, 2006). 12

Review what in junior IT ? ? Focus on the Thinking Curriculum • • Learning centred vs teacher ( teaching ) centred Process driven vs content driven Students setting own questions vs students answering only others questions Shared experiences and learning vs private thought processes Developing independent, critical, creative and caring learners More ‘just in time’ vs ‘just in case’ learning Mistakes to be learned from vs mistakes to be avoided or feared Teacher fellow learner/collaborator vs expert source http: //www. thinkingcurriculum. com/Tradvs. TOC. asp Focus on the ‘constructionists’ model – students learn by creating • more meaningful and transferable learning will result when students are given opportunities to construct knowledge from their own point of view • Different options for selecting project topics • Training students • Collecting information • Scaffolding process • Organising • Evaluation • Synthesis ( one group’s project linked to another group’s project ) • Assessment source http: //www. edtech. vt. edu/edtech/id/models/powerpoint/constructionism. pdf 13

Review what in junior IT ? ? Teaching to, and awareness of, multiple intelligences • • Linguistic intelligence ("word smart") -- eg. Succinct instructions for games interface Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart") -- eg. Trigonometry in games programming Spatial intelligence (“picture smart") – eg. adding artistic, aesthetic elements to programming tasks Musical intelligence (“music smart") -- eg. adding self composed music to project Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart") -- eg. reflect on human reaction times in games Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart") -- eg. allow for multiple players in games, feedback Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart") -- eg. allow for a player to track performance over time Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart") -- eg. adding nature based components (plants, animals) to projec source http: //www. thomasarmstrong. com/multiple_intelligences. htm Enhancing cross-curricular learning, content and coordination • Why teach something twice if once will serve your purpose ? • Learning in Science with the “enquiry based approach” no different to learning in and with ICT • aligning teaching Excel skills with Maths Petrol vs LPG vs Diesel consumption project • aligning DVD production in ICT with Media • aligning Oral presentation in English with presentation in ICT • aligning LOTE with Gamemaker allowing other language instructions • aligning Heart Rate monitor use in HPE with uploading and analysing in Excel • Use of a database for the creation of a dating game perhaps in Human Development • Use of research skills to locate and verify Australian Standards in Technology • Kahootz type environments in ICT and Arts cross teaching and collaboration • Kahootz and animated LOTE story books • Music and sound editing in DVD production 14

Review what in junior IT ? ? Dedicated junior ICT vs non dedicated junior ICT classes • • • Local solutions will vary across the spectrum from one end to the other At Forest Hill in mid 90 s all junior ICT removed and then replaced 5 years later Data on school models would be interesting and informative Problem of non ICT qualified teachers assessing ICT skills, knowledge and content ? ? At University of Washington efforts underway to make Computer Science a compulsory component of any Science degree Content and options and new directions • Not necessarily cramming more into less space and time • Why all of Word, Powerpoint, Publisher, Web authoring in depth ? Can we focus on one here and create time/space if we are using WYSIWYG ? • XNA Game Studio 3. 1 – Programming with Visual C# both for the PC and the Xbox - Email: P. Taylor@La. Trobe. edu. au • Alice - 3 D programming www. alice. org • Blender – 3 D animation and programming with Python www. blender. org • Scratch – programming scratch. mit. edu • Programming using mobile devices or PDAs - Flash Lite to play Flash games on Mobile Phones • Quicktime VR - Virtual reality programming • Robotics - Does it have a place in junior IT , even at a simple level ? • Data Visualisation links -- http: //www. smashingmagazine. com/2007/08/02/data-visualization-modern-approaches/ • Teacher Tube with extensive tutorials 15

Review what in junior IT ? ? Stronger links with the feeder Primary schools • • • Can we work with the Primary schools and define a minimum skill set to achieve by Grade 6? Can some of these skills be taught as visits beyond the annual 45 mins Grade 5 orientation ? Consider an ICT skills audit for new Year 7 s Support Primary teachers in delivery of ICT skills. Can we build bridges and collaborate ? Projects eg. Kahootz learning activity for Grade 4 or 5 prepared by Year 7, 8 ? Stronger links with VCE ICT • Any vertical streaming ? Can a Yr 10 do a VCE subject ? What about a Year 9 ? • Why not insist on a minimum skill set before a student can do Yr 11 or 12 IT ? • Consider closer links between junior and VCE ICT teachers • Consider clearly communicating pathways for junior IT students towards VCE. Eg. How many of you would do Yr 10 programming and then Yr 11 IT if it had the following content …… ? 16

Rethinking Junior IT where to now ? • To imagine the possibilities, to excite the staff and students • To join the journey of discovery and share the rewards of achievement and learning • I will be working on Programming with Scratch, Xbox XNA Game Studio 3. 1, Alice and Blender for inclusion in junior IT for 2010 and 2011. • Join me and others on this and similar journeys on the online communities Invitation to join and participate on mailing lists Specific Junior IT online community has colleagues and resources for sharing. Many ideas in this presentation came from this and related online communities http: //edulists. com. au/ 17