Tuesday 6 November 2012

What is your experience of moderation in your teaching context? Assessment 3 activity 3.

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority sees itself as working in partnership with schools and institutions to maintain accurate and consistent assessment.  In order to maintain this a system of moderation has been put in place.

"The purpose of moderation is to provide assurance that assessment is fair, valid and at the national standard, and that the assessors are making consistent judgements about learner performance".
 (NZQA, 2012).

I see NZQA as setting the standard and monitoring the consistency and accuracy of assessments nationally as an external body with the responsibility of internal moderation handed over to the educational institutions to manage.

I have participated in Hospitality Standards Institute (HSI) moderation workshops for unit standards in previous roles and have found the process to be of great value to ensuring that standards are met and maintained.  At the workshops we would share 3 pieces of assessment displaying a range of competencies and they would be peer marked, commented on and returned.  There was also opportunity to receive up-dated information from the Institute on a national basis and spend some time networking with fellow Industry workers.  The value in these opportunities were also in how effectively the workshop experience was fed back to colleagues in our own place of work, so that comments made were acted on if need be.

In my current role I gather evidence for the moderation process to take place but do not participate in the procedure.  Having had the experience of the workshops I am aware of the importance of moderation to "achieving valid, fair, accurate and consistent internal assessment" (NZQA, 2012).

Other factors I feel are important are that moderation can help ensure "consistency of assessment within organisations, over time and between assessors ". (NZQA, 2012).


  • Time is an important factor as assessments need to be up-dated to take into account the changing students, compliance and legislation amendments and to keep the literature current and fresh.  This also ensures a professional image, for the lecturer, the programme and the educational institute.
  • Maintaining consistency, no matter who is assessing is an important consideration, the criteria and the layout of the assessment needs to be transparent or with a list of instructions to ensure that each student is given a fair and equal opportunity.
  • Within organisations; this is where external moderation would be important to compare and contrast similar assessments over comparable institutions.
Pre-assessment (Annually at OP)
This would be the assessment development stage, where the questions and analyse would be based around;
  1. How effectively does this measure students learning?
  2. Does the assessment align with the learning outcomes?
  3. Are they a true measure of learning?
The use of exemplars has been increasing to standardise the marking process, e.g. Literacy and Numeracy writing assessments from the Tertiary Education Commission.  Bowen-Clewley & Strachen (2007), see that " the development of exemplars will be the key to agreement on the interpretation of the standards". 
In my experience of marking these assessments I have found that it is still subjective and I find to ensure accuracy I will get these moderated on a regular basis which makes the whole process very time consuming.  There would not be consistency of assessment between markers in this case.

Post-assessment (Annually at OP)
According to the Otago Polytechnic Academic Policy: Moderation of Assessment, APO908.00,(2007) "consistency of marking is ensured by post assessment moderation procedures, and checking against marking schedules."  (p.1).

The procedures are based on;
  • Outcomes
  • Consistency of assessment; achievement of comparable outcomes with other assessors/organisations
  • Graduate profile outcomes
  • Range of delivery and assessment approaches/contexts
  • Evidence based
  • Show a range of competencies
  • Evidence of re-sit attempts
  • Confidence in an assessment process
  • Formal assurance processes
Setting up moderation groups are a good idea to gauge interpretation of particular assessments.  E.G  looking for patterns of answers that are wrong or large groups of students failing a question, would highlight if the question was worded in-correctly, or students giving the same answers that are wrong may highlight if the teaching is OK.

Summary;
So, the purpose of moderation is to provide feedback to assessors to assist in making consistent judgements to a national standard.  The standards being the benchmark for the Country's qualifications.
The checkers, checking the checkers!

References;
Retrieved from; NZQA, (2012)  http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/assessment-and-moderation/

Retrieved from; NZQA,(2012) www.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/Studying-in-NZ/New-Zealand-Qualification-Framework/consistency-qual-outcomes.pdf

Otago Polytechnic Academic Policy: Moderation of Assessment, APO908.00,(2007)

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Assessment 2: Prepare a new or revised assessment strategy

I have modified the assessment strategy for the course I evaluated in assessment one, (see earlier blog Link to existing assessment ) which is the packages assessment for the Certificate in Travel and Tourism.

This new assessment has been designed to allow the student to work through and research a set of questions about hotel packages from different advertising sources/media.  They are then required to pick two hotel packages and describe them, giving reasons why the package may have been created. The assessment tools used are in the form of a word processed document and a speech.  Two marking sheets have been designed, a formative peer evaluation and a summative sheet for their word processed work(assessment methods).
The students have three presentations to do over a 6 month period.  These speeches can be a nerve racking experience for the students, so in order to make the process less daunting I focus on a particular aspect of the presentation for the first two assessments before the final one.  Effectively stair-casing the students learning and development.  By doing this I can ensure that the feedback is related to the learning goals and I focus on the task not the individual.

  • Presentation 1 - Unusual hotels.  The focus is on the content of the speech (July)
  • Presentation 2 - Hotel packages. The focus is on their ability to sell the package (August)
  • Presentation 3 - Personal presentation induction speech to new receptionists.  The focus is on the whole thing, uniforms worn. (November)
The assessments have been designed to form a staircase of integrated learning, linking and building on the last one, so that by the end of the year, the students are applying and analysing " breaking information into parts to explore understandings and relationships" Bloom's Revised Taxonomy,(2001).
This obviously happens at different stages for different students and some may stay at certain stages while others are forging ahead, by breaking the assessments down into smaller components this will cater to all learning abilities. 
By outlining the assessment structure at the beginning of the paper, the students are able to see 'where am I going?(what are the goals?) (Hattie&Timperley,2007).  This structure helps the student focus on a particular aspect of the presentations by directing the feedback to these areas and withholding feedback, "to allow students to internalise and process the demands of the task". (Hattie&Timperley,2007).  In this way there is a 'feed-forward' process happening that focus's the student on future learning, the "where to next? (What activities need to be undertaken to make better progress?).  The idea is to "prompt some degree of self reflection and management......feedback will demonstrate appropriate ways of enhancing the performance on the task, and offer strategies that invite more learner responsibility to improve." (Spiller, 2009). 


I felt the original assessment did not align with the learning outcomes and the format was wordy and confusing.  I also wanted to produce a feedback form to be used during the students speeches, one that could be used by both the lecturer and the audience.  In this way a fair and reliable form of formative assessment would be made and the other students would be involved in the process, further developing their observation skills and their understanding of the requirements of the assessment.
The students receiving the feedback should have time to process and reflect on their presentation and get a sense of  'how am I going?"(what progress is being made towards the goal?), Hattie and Timperley(2007, as cited in Spiller, 2009).
"Learning can be deepened if the feedback additionally prompts some degree of self reflection and management". (Spiller, 2009).


The new assessment has been re-designed with 'chunks' of information to help the students draw on their own experiences to formulate some ideas about how they will approach the assessment.
The 'I' part of the ICE Model, Fostaty&Wilson 2000. The assessment is designed to start them gathering information (ideas) allowing recall and repetition (similar information from different sources i.e. newspaper, magazines, radio, t.v.) where they can develop 'discrete skills' (question one of the assessment).  The idea is for them to use these skills as stepping stones in their learning to formulate links of comprehension to the next question. 

http://wikieducator.org/Hospitality_Operations/Activities/Packages

By using this narrative form of assessment the student can start to make 'connections' from the clues in the text to information they already know, maybe from modules learnt in the previous semester.  This is the 'c' part of the ICE Model.
The 'Extension' component of this phase would be the process of the student 'doing' the assignment, giving the speech and participating in the feedback process of their own work and others in the group.  This would be the "how am I going?"  (what progress is being made towards this goal?) part of Hattie and Timperley(2007) cognitive process that would lead to the student starting to self -regulate their learning.


The marking criteria has been modified as well.  I have decided to make this very basic as there is the feedback form that will be used to help form the final result.  As this is part of an integrated assessment the marks are passed/not passed, so the peer feedback form will be used as a formative evaluation sheet, designed to focus the students and help them critique/observe another persons work.  It will also assist me in providing evidence and making an informed decision.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/114795032/Marking-Sheet-Revised-Hotel-Packages2
(This has been revised on 29/11)

The important part of the marking criteria will be the written feedback that is provided.

The feedback form has been modified from an internet and colleague's example and will formalize the speech process, where the 'audience' will be actively evaluating the speaker.  This can be a stressful experience but it is a necessary part of the Industry and is also used as a learning experience for the whole class.  This will build on from a previous assessment where the students are being evaluated just on the content.  In this assessment the students are being evaluated on their ability to sell as well as the quality of the content.


http://www.scribd.com/doc/114795029/Hospitality-Operations-feedback-form-packages-%E2%80%93-2012
(This has been revised on 29/11)

I investigated the use of rubriks for the feedback form but decided that the form would be more useful as a formative tool, to inform and link the learning, rather than a process of grading the student and their work.

The additional instructions and success criteria, have been added to give the students a starting point for this assessment.  I have linked the additional instructions to each question so they can refer to this to give them more clarity when attempting the assessment.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/114795028/GCTLT-Assessment-Activities

Once the assessment has been completed the students can use the self/peer assessment sheet to tick off their or others work to ensure they have completed all the questions.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/114797193/Self-Assessment-Checklist-for-Packages

Summary:
Through the process of evaluating this assessment, I have discovered the importance of breaking down the assessment into smaller 'chunks' of learning, aligning the feedback to the learning goals and focusing on the task, not the individual.  In designing the feedback form this focuses the evaluator on particular areas of the performance not on the individuals mannerisms.  I have been able to critique the assessments for the whole paper and look at how these effectively stair-case the students learning as they progress through the course.

References;

Victoria Business School, Victoria University of Wellington. (2010). Bloom's Revised Taxonomy. Retrieved from http://www.victoria.ac.nz/fca/teaching/steps-to-teaching-success/bloom-revised-taxonomy)

ICE model - Ideas, Connections and Extensions - Fostaty Young, S., & Wilson, R. (2000). The ICE Model of qualitative assessment. 

Spiller, D. (2009). Assessment: Feedback to promote student learning. Hamilton, New Zealand: Teaching Development, The University of Waikato. 


www.scc.spokane.edu/_.../5_Feedback_form_for_individual_speech.





Monday 24 September 2012

Feedback process for group work

This post follows on from examples in my flexible learning course regarding the Conference and Events paper I teach in the Diploma of Travel and Tourism.  I am just in the process of evaluating, marking and providing feedback to the class.  They formed 2 groups and I have been deliberating how to offer feedback as a group and individually.

The course;

  • Work on a theoretical 3 day conference and submit a portfolio and presentation
  • Design, plan and work on a themed dinner
  • Produce a blog which tracks their progress
  • Collaborate in a group to produce the end result.
  • Produce a reflection of the process based on these questions;
Write a paragraph reflecting on how well your team/you performed (critical group/self reflection) e.g. what you did well, what you could have done better, what you found difficult, what was easy.  How well did you as a team problem solve in an effort to deal with difficult issues.  


These reflections were sent to me via email and will form the basis of my individual feedback to them.
I intend to meet with each group and offer verbal feedback on their portfolios.  Then I will provide individual feedback via email and provide information on any re-sits for those students that have not put enough team effort into the group work.

There is plenty of evidence to show which students did not contribute effectively to the group and there is opportunity for them to submit further work.  So far these new processes have worked and the students feel that the process has been fair and equal.  This has been possible by the fact that there are only 10 students in the class, I will have to re-think this process if the class size increased dramatically.

Tuesday 11 September 2012

What feedback models or processes do you prefer?Question 2 for assessment 3

What feedback models or processes do you prefer?

I read and connected immediately with the I.C.E. model (FostatyYoung & Robert J. wilson 2000) for assessing and thought of how it had similarities with Kolb's (1984) cycle of Adult learning. See my earlier post, Link to activity Eight.  His suggestion is that there are 4 stages to learning which link in a circle.
Concrete experience - reflection - abstract conceptualisation - active experimentation - and back again.
If this is a basic concept of how a person learns, then having an assessment model that aligns closely with this cycle e.g; formulating ideas or facts - making connections - and applying it (I.C.E.), follows the learning patterns and behaviours of adults , in theory should have a process of growth and deeper learning.  If the assessment type aligns and matches the learning outcomes then the process of feedback is an important component of the procedure.  Matching the type of feedback given and at the appropriate time would be important factors to consider.

Much of the facilitating I do is practical based and I assess by observing an interaction or activity.  I find the best process of feedback in these situations is an immediate verbal, one on one interaction.  Hattie & Timperley's (2007)  table would show this as feedback at Task level, correcting at a surface level.
One of the techniques I use I learnt from a colleague who has an outdoor education background and finds this useful to feedback in the first instance and then to encourage the learner to use it to self monitor their progress as they develop the skill(s).  By encouraging the learner to use this process themselves this would help with their deeper learning. (Self regulating).

  • Start - I would like to see you start doing........
  • Stop - I would like to see you stop doing......
  • Keep - I would like to see you keep doing.......
( Similar to Start,Stop,Continue)

Another form of feedback I use which has a reflective component to it is in a similar vein to the previous example;

  • What ( What did you do?  How was your performance?)  Task
  • So what ( What does it mean?)  Process level
  • Now what ( How can this be improved? what can you do differently?) Self regulating
Adventure Education, Miles & Priest (1990)

Why is feedback important?

It is an important part of the learning process, gaining effective feedback helps the learner to reflect on the experience and improve next time.  If there is no feedback then there would be no opportunity for self regulation or awareness of where improvements/changes/adaptions where needed and change would not happen.

What are the challenges or issues with assessment feedback?


  1. Often difficult to give feedback in a timely manner, particularly if it is verbal, if not given at the right time then the moment is lost
  2. It is easy to be too general with feedback, 'great job' doesn't really offer any real information for improvement 
  3. It can be hard to get the right mix of positive and negative feedback without being too nice or too harsh
  4. 'By being honest and straightforward, and by offering balanced feedback, the people you influence can build skills and confidence at the same time. ' Gail Anderson Giving and receiving feedback
How do you balance how much feedback to give?

This is difficult to do especially if there are big classes and many practical activities. There must be an effective feedback process that is easily adaptable and straightforward.   One that can be used to produce a consistent outcome for the learner.

Sunday 2 September 2012

Evaluation of an existing course assessment

The assessment I have decided to concentrate on forms one of twelve small evaluations within the Hospitality Operations course in the Certificate in Applied Travel and Tourism.  A one year, level three programme with minimum level 2 NCEA and an interview prior to entry.

1st Semester (All papers)
Day in the life of a Tourist
Day in the life of a Conference coordinator
Day in the life of a Travel agent
Day in the life of a Tour guide

2nd Semester (Choose 2)
Hospitality Operations
Travel agency
Tour guide
Each paper must gain a pass mark in order to obtain the Certificate in Travel and Tourism.

The paper is an introduction to the Hospitality Industry with an emphasis on Front Office and Reservation roles.  The students have access to the course outline, information, activities and assessments through Wiki educator http://wikieducator.org/Hospitality_Operations and a computerised virtual Hotel reservation system.  This system enables them to check customers into a hotel, add expenses to their account and check them out, this is assessed by providing role play opportunities, written assessments and a virtual hotel closed book evaluation.

A brief outline of all the assessments within this paper;

  • Unusual Hotels (presentation)
  • Impacts of mass Tourism (case study)
  • Hotel packages (presentation)
  • Hotel reservation/cancellation policies (word processed)
  • Reception Theory assignment (word processed)
  • Telephone reservations (role play)
  • Checking guests into the hotel (role play)
  • Checking guests out of the hotel (role play)
  • Business correspondence (word processed)
  • Alcoholic beverages (practical/closed book written assessment)
  • Virtual hotel assessment (closed book computer assessment)
Grading; The course is set up in a logical, sequential manner so that there is rich learning on the way and there are opportunities to build on and reinforce their learning opportunities at different stages.  As the emphasis is on building on what they have just learnt rather than the final outcome the grading is pass or not passed.  
( Having said that, with the move towards statistical outcomes and lecturer accountability, I do struggle with the ethics of pushing students through at the last minute just to catch them up, how much learning has been done along the way for them? )

My focus for this topic is the 3rd assessment in the group namely, Hotel packages.  The students are required to do some background research, collect evidence and explain their own hotel package in the form of a presentation.

 http://wikieducator.org/Hospitality_Operations/Activities/Packages


 What is the purpose of this assessment?
Good question as often I think to myself, I know what I want to achieve but does this actually do it?
The aim of this assessment is twofold and hopes to provide an opportunity for the students to do some
research and to start to create an awareness of where and how these packages are advertised.
Secondly, to create their own package and present it in such a way as to sell the dream to their audience.
I see this assessment as a fair way to test their 'understanding by explaining their ideas and concepts'
(Bloom's revised Taxonomy;2001)which, with the appropriate level of feedback will provide
opportunities for the students to 'apply their understanding in another familiar situation'. (Bloom, 2001).


Does this happen?
In general, the quality of the presentations is very high and the students really enjoy producing
their own package, however some do find that doing a presentation and having it marked at the
time quite stressful, I think this is an area for improvement.  I would like to create a clear feedback
form to be used during the presentation so that guidance can be given one on one rather than in the group.
To extend this further I would like to design a simple peer feedback form for the other students to use 
during the presentation, which may help to focus their attention while their colleague is speaking.


How does it enhance students' learning?

I think the concept of this assessment helps to enhance the students learning if adequate research
is done and adequate exploration of hotel packages is pursued. The assessment is relevant
in helping the students to understand why packages are produced, the importance of
creating a sales concept to actively promote the hotel during the slower months/periods.
Formative feedback is given directly after the presentation, I may need to work on my technique
for this after Bronwyn's workshop on Friday!

How effectively does it measure student's learning outcomes?

This is where I feel I need to do some work on revising the assessment. The concept is good but the way
the assessment is laid out and the wording needs work. I do not think it is very easy to understand and
it needs to align with the learning outcomes more closely. The marking sheet needs to offer a better
guideline for the students in its layout and design.
Example of marking sheet;
I think that the assessment has a reasonably good basic structure but the instructions are not clear
and the marking criteria is not accurate enough to enable feedback to be given in an easy, clear and
transparent manner.  There is confusion with what is required for the other questions in the assessment
and work handed in has sections missing and has to be handed back for re-sits.  This is time consuming
and unproductive. 




Thursday 16 August 2012

2nd Paper;Assessing and Evaluating for learning; Discussion1 for assessment 3

What does cultural diversity in relation to assessments mean to you? 
What factors need to be considered?
• How can consideration of diversity benefit the learner?
• What are the challenges?


Whilst reading Maori Approaches to Assessment, I found myself identifying with the principles and approaches that the Te Whariki  Early Childhood Curriculum advocates, 'that children" grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society" (Rameka, 2007).
The underlying principle here is that all children will grow up and integrate under the guidance of the bi cultural curriculum into this modern society no matter what their cultural diversity is, e.g. ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, differently-abled, etc.

Within the pre-school curriculum the concept of the inter-woven mat as an analogy recognises the importance of respecting the language, culture and knowledge of the individual and using portfolios to illustrate their growing skills and knowledge while actively participating in their own learning.

Using this concept as a guide to constructing assessments it is important to give a variety of choices to our learners helping them to integrate into the group using team based activities drawing on the strengths of each individual in different situations.  Analyse the most effective way of assessing for each situation ensuring it meets all of the values e.g. authentic, fair, transparent, etc.

If diversity is considered then there will be choice within the curriculum for the learner to explore their own method of being assessed, if the learning process has led them to that point .

The challenges are relying on the facilitator to try, test and try again if the processes are not working, something we are all doing all the time.  

Monday 25 June 2012

Summary of my Flexible Learning Plan

This is in the form of a powerpoint presentation, comprising 7 slides.

Slide 1;  Definition of flexible learning  - Link to Activity 2

Slide 2 ;     What is the Plan? - Link to Activity 6

Slide 3;      Why have I chosen to do this?  - Link to Activity 4
Creating a safe environment where students have equal access to course materials, activities, interactions and assessments.  Within an environment that fosters respectful behaviour, inclusive of different cultures.  Using Ice breakers activities to help the groups go through the process of forming, storming, norming and performing

Slide 4;      Who are my Students?  - Link to Activity 3

Slide 5;      Honey and Mumford; Typology of Learners - Link to Activity 8
Within Kolb's Learning Cycle.  4 stages of learning which follow on from each other, Honey and Mumford have built learning styles around this sequence, identifying individual preferences for each stage.

Slide 6;      How will I do this?   - Link to Activity 7
Socio-cognitive learning perspective, Vygotsky's(1978) Zone of Proximal Development, embedded in this perspective is the idea that understanding results from personal interactions in social contexts.  Thus, students are viewed as participants in the construction of meaning through their interactions with others (Black, 2005).  To promote a higher level of thinking (critical), students will provide feedback to each other, and thus, co-construct knowledge and understanding(Roehler & Cantion,1997), which is the Active experimentation part of Kolb's Learning Cycle.
This will sit within the framework of Otago Polytechnic's Strategic Plan and the process for inspiring capability in our students.

Slide 7;      References


Thanks, Bronwyn for all your advice and guidance, I have learnt so much in a short space of time, lets just hope I can pass it on to my students now!

Good luck to all those that are yet to present!!  Its not that bad really!!




Wednesday 20 June 2012

Activity Twelve - Organisations

How do your ideas for flexible learning, and those of your organisation or consultancy fit (or not) with the TES for NZ?

My Son had his cross country today and I could see the relief on his face when he could see the finish line, I know how he feels!!!!
I think this post title should be 'losing the plot! me or them, or both!

The Government's vision is that all New Zealanders should have ;
'Access to high-quality tertiary education (that) enriches people's lives, increases their employment opportunities and helps to build a productive skills base to drive economic growth.'

Part of that vision is to move New Zealand away from being a low wage economy, with many people doing unskilled jobs.
The strategy is how the government proposes we get there and whether the organisation I work in provides relevant and efficient processes that support that strategy for the future.  The TES and many other sectors will need to 'live within its means and do more with less', which prompts us to be proactive and look at new and innovative ways of teaching many people with fewer resources, less contact time and less man-power, is flexible learning the answer?  It certainly provides opportunity to think outside the box and be resourceful with new technology so that the same quality education is provided in new and surprising ways.

After reading the TES, OP's strategic plan/charter, the Maori strategic plan and the Literacy/numeracy one, I got a sense that they all aligned very neatly, in fact almost intertwined with each other in their visions and strategies.
Accessible learning for all, any time, any place, any where;


'We will continue to develop our courses for flexible delivery to facilitate learning in regional centres, in workplaces and in people's homes. ' OP Charter.


What do you need to include in your plan to fit with the TES for NZ?

  • Continue to work with Industry to ensure that the learning meets Industry needs. (PEAC)
  • A reliable and relevant moderation process that ensures Industry relevant skills
  • Continue to offer STAR (Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource) programmes to encourage the flow of secondary students into further education
  • Continue to embed literacy, language and numeracy skills throughout the plan


I need to ensure that I continue to enhance my teaching role with up-dated quality resources, self moderation to ensure that the training/education is providing skills for employment, and creating a flexible approach where learning new technological skills will provide the flexibility to access  the wider community. 
Short and sweet, now on to weaving it all together!!!!!


References;

http://www.minedu.govt.nz

http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz



http://www.tec.govt.nz/Tertiary-Sector  Draft Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Strategy released






















Monday 18 June 2012

Activity Eleven; Indigenous Learners

How can you include examples of New Zealand's indigenous culture in the design of your eLearning courses - language, society, history, political issues etc.?

The Hospitality and Tourism programmes within Otago Polytechnic attract a small percentage of Maori and Pasifika students and the continuing challenge is to retain those students to success and completion, within those programmes.

Designing an eLearning course in regards to incorporating language of the indigenous culture could mean initially incorporating key words in the titles of the course, so that there is a bilingual component to it. Introduction to Tourism looks at NZ history and culture, exploring the domestic attractions and the way they are being marketed before expanding globally to other cultures. There would be opportunity to incorporate more indigenous History of the local Otago region and the local tribe of Nga Tahu
 
What approaches can you utilise to meet the needs of indigenous learners?


Otago Polytechnic recognises the need to equip its staff with' knowledge of culture, heritage and language skills'( Greenwood, J.,& Lynne- Hairata, T. A. (2009), by encouraging all lecturers to gain the Certificate in  Mata a Ao Maori.  I have recently completed a certificate in Te Ara Reo Maori and found the learning journey very inspiring as it involved;

  • Introductions, singing and welcoming speeches
  • Maori protocols, customs and processes
  • Large and small group work
  • Relationship building
  • Repetitive, cognitive rhyming games
  • Laughter, fun and support (from lecturers, students and Wananga)
  • Participation in a safe environment
  • Scenarios provided for us to connect the learning
  • Weekly singing and prayers
  • Role plays e.g. buying groceries at the shop
  • Noho Marae, sharing of food
  • Weaving and learning our Whakapapa
  • Course books, CD roms and dictionaries
  • Preparing and presenting a 15 minute speech in Maori 
Emphasis was placed on a holistic and full immersion of the language with each member feeling part of the family.  We collaborated and attended to the oral and spiritual nature of the language, we learnt about our history and culture.  I listened to their stories and they listened to mine. There was respect, hospitality and reciprocal attending to needs.  It was an emotional farewell at the end of the year.  This process of learning is outlined in the video; Te Whare Tapa Wha, all the domains were attended to and I made a journey of safe passage through the course,  "Students and teachers worked as a whanau".(Greenwood, J.,& Lynne-Hairata, T.A. (2009).
My experience has led me to incorporate some of these sections into my teaching to meet the needs of indigenous learners, there are support staff and technical help available as I have come to understand that "Academic goals are not separated for the holistic development of the people who are to be its graduates". (Greenwood, J.,& Lynne-Hairata, T.A. (2009).

 Outline any experiences you have had working with indigenous learners.


On average approximately 3% of our learners are indigenous.  Generally speaking they have low literacy and numeracy skills, so are offered the support at the beginning of the programme, having been through the orientation process.
Attendance is important for group work, learning practical skills and assessments, these students fall behind often because of commitments to family or other personal reasons.  This is where on-line assessments give that flexibility but for Hospitality/Tourism Industry practical skills are obviously very important.


What were some of the challenges that you and the learners faced?


The challenges for us as educators are to fully engage the learners at the beginning of the course and for the learners to feel safe and supported in a new environment. (Powhiri process).


How did this affect their learning?


If attendance becomes an issue then the process becomes disjointed, it is then easy to get behind with work and many of these learners do not achieve their certificates.


References;

Greenwood,  J., & Lynne-Hairata,  T.A. (2009). Hei tauira: summary document. Wellington, New Zealand: Ako Aotearoa.

Knowing your Learner - Engaging Maori Learners.  http://literacyandnumeracyforadults.com

Neal, T. & Collier, H (2006).  Weaving Kaupapa Maori and e-learning.  Journal of Maori and Pacific development, 7 (2): 68-73.

Clayton, J.F., Rata-Skudder, N., & Baral. (2004).  Pasifika communities online: and implications.

Thursday 14 June 2012

Activity Ten; Sustainability


The Otago Polytechnic sustainability vision is that our graduates, our practitioners and our academics understand the concepts of social, environmental and economic sustainability in order for them to evaluate, question and discuss their role in the world and to enable them to make changes where and when appropriate.  Our goal is that every graduate may think and act as a “sustainable practitioner”. 
Education for Sustainability at Otago Polytechnic




Sir Ken Robinson said in his 'Are school's killing creativity' speech ,' that children starting school now (2007) will be retiring in the year 2065 and we have no idea what sort of a World that will be, and how do we equip them with the skills to be able to deal with that World?  The speed with which technology is advancing makes me feel that the World is on fast forward mode all the time and that advances in education, knowledge and intellect does not necessarily mean improvements in the way decisions are made regarding the sustainability of our Planet. We have not learn't by our mistakes and sustainability globally for our children means trying to give them practical skills to survive!!!


How can I become a more sustainable practitioner? (Me)



  • Analysing the workload and spreading it out
  • Providing study skills
  • Offering support networks within the programme
  • Offering on-line readings and opportunity to email assignments
  • Marking on-line
  • Being aware of students outside influences
  • Having a life and trying to get lots of sleep



Firstly, I wanted to look at the Tourism Industry (the sector) that we are educating our students to enter.  It, like so many other sectors has been profoundly and massively affected by the growth of the Internet, which in turn has an affect on the way the our Tourism programme is designed, implemented and facilitated.  The Travel Agent's role, for example, has changed considerably and will continue to evolve possibly into more on-line or phone interactions rather than the traditional face to face encounters.  
The Tourism Industry has a foundation in relying on being sustainable particularly ecological and adventure tourism, without some sustainability processes in place these sectors would not exist.    


So what are we equipping our students for?


Taking many of these factors into consideration the courses have been embedded with opportunities for discussion, opportunity and demonstrations of sustainability, locally, nationally and globally.  Trying to provide 'authentic participation in the study of local issues'

  • What sort of learning and teaching strategies meet your philosophy of sustainability?
A quote from the Commission on Education and Communication, IUCN, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK, sums my philosophy up well;
'a focus on developing environmental thoughtfulness, a commitment to the ethic of human interdependence with nature and each other, and a sense of collective responsibility for community development.'


References;









Sunday 10 June 2012

Activity Nine; Technologies

Technologies for learning and teaching are in a constant state of flux. Therefore, it is important for teachers to stay informed about the trends, and be confident about trying new approaches. ( Flexible Learning Guidebook).  I attended Dr. Thom Cochrane's workshop  and felt slightly overwhelmed by the speed of which these technologies are moving and the slowness of which I am picking them up!

Yes I agree with the first statement and so I decided to try to develop a 'model' activity that could be inserted into the Wiki course content for the Certificate in Travel and Tourism programme. 

The idea is to have short video clips modelling activities, incorporated throughout the wiki which would have a twofold intention of providing a step by step example to follow and would model literacy and numeracy exemplars for the students to access repeatedly and in their own time, if necessary. 

My first attempts at this have been foiled somewhat by the breakdown in the particular piece of technology I wanted to use.  The' Visualizer' enables you to demonstrate an activity with voice over,  record it and embed into Moodle or a Wiki, but the sound was not working on it. 

The Travel and Tourism students have to write formal emails within their course and the idea of this example was to model an email highlighting all the sections that needed to be filled out.  My second attempt was recorded through adobe connect with the assistance of a colleague.  Follow the link to find a draft demonstration, it needs alot of work!!  But gives you the idea.  Be patient! the screen will say 'nothing being shared'  it took me a while to warm up!!!!

https://adobeconnect.op.ac.nz/p8cy18424fg/


On reflection - How it could be improved.

  • The email example is too grainy and cannot be seen clearly
  • The explanation is too long
  • The screen has too many other icons which can be distracting
  • The adobe connect process was time consuming and hard to navigate around as a novice
Attempt number 2;



On reflection;
  • The example is clearer to read
  • I need to work on my methodology behind the explanation
  • Still too long
The Horizon Report was very interesting reading, particularly in the new apps that are being developed almost every second.  This paragragh caught my eye firstly in helping students to choose which University to go to and in helping to orientate them in the first few months.

At the most basic  level, many universities and colleges have developed map and directory apps for current students to navigate campuses and for prospective students to take virtual tours or to enhance physical tours.....check their grades....or (view) breaking campus news.  (The Horizon Report).

References;

The Horizon report 2012


Thursday 31 May 2012

Activity Eight; Adult Learning Theory

Define and describe the Adult Learning Theory;
Diagram from James Atherton, 2009 
How does this connect to what I do and what I believe about teaching/facilitation?

 The Adult Learning Theory I have decided to focus on is Honey and Mumford's Typology of Learners which builds on Kolb's Learning Cycle, this succinctly explains  'individual people's different learning styles,' and also 'a cycle of experiential learning that applies to us all'.  A behavourist model, it fits very well with my own philosophy of creating authentic real life experiences 'grasping the experience' in order for there to be an 'emotional transformation from the experience' .  This does not necessarily happen every time, but under controlled circumstances learning can come from the experience.   I have used aspects of this theory in the past and have come to understand the importance of planning and preparing the activities with initial VAK diagnostic tools to assess the particular learning style of the individuals in the class, another aid to assist in getting to know the group.  Effective team work is important in the hospitality/Tourism Industry and paying particular attention to how the group is formed using the diagnostic tools should, in theory, assist with working productively on a task.  Structured briefings and debriefings play an important role in helping the learner to reflect on their performance, build on it and move forward.  However, it is easy to miss the opportunity to reflect and this is an area where I can create more opportunities.
This Theory fits very well with our methodology of teaching, the students gain background information, there is a model or demonstration, then the students role play or 'do', making their mistakes along the way, until they gain competence in that activity or task. 
  
How will this support my plan?
  • Use of ice breakers, de-inhibitizers, energisers throughout the sessions to encourage participation, cooperation and belonging
  • By incorporating  learning style diagnostic tools to effectively group the students
  • Prepare briefings and de-briefings of experiences, activities  
  • If students learn by 'doing' then providing more real life experiences or helping them to create their own


References;
http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm 
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm

Monday 28 May 2012

Activity Seven; Open Education Resources and Philosophies

A definition of Open Education practises according to Catherine Casserly, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation;

'Education and knowledge are public goods freely shared.... high quality educational content and tools freely available on the web, in all languages, useable and re-useable' ( C.Casserly, 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjajtXb1PYQ&feature=related).

During the process of exploring this topic, I keep coming back to the sustainability phrase of reduce, reuse, recycle. That is what this concept seems to be in terms of having unlimited access to information that is monitored for accuracy, opportunity to edit, add to and improve in a collaborative way that reduces costs (publishing, paper) reuses and improves the content and recycles it out to the general public.

This creates challenges for the facilitator and learner by changing the traditional ways we teach and learn, providing opportunity to 'deepen the knowledge and create new ways of learning' (Casserly,2008) .  Time and space become more flexible and opportunity for accelerated learning processes may shorten course length.

Strategies I could use;


The wiki-educator tool forms the basis of our courses on the Travel and Tourism programme.

  • Improve ways of linking video's and ppts
  • Consistency and uniformity of content on the wiki, throughout each course
  • Build up a more extensive library of resources on the wiki
  • Embed a reflective framework within the course for the students to provide feedback on the learning process as they progress 
Why I believe OER and Philosophies are important;

The philosophy behind this concept is great in principle, providing free access to educational resources to as many people as possible World Wide and does move away from 'too many on the outside looking in'(Casserly,2008) provided 'all' have access to technology and the internet.  However I do believe that this creates as many barriers as it does in removing them, for instance;
  • The teacher/learner needs to be re-educated away from the traditional classroom structure
  • It needs to be used as educational resources/tools with the teacher as a guide
  • Requires some technological competence in order to ensure the learner remains engaged
  • Understanding the creative commons with attribution and ensuring our learners understand this
The vision for the future at Otago Polytechnic is certainly in the areas of implementing and developing  Open Learning and Online resources which will in turn change the face of how we deliver, where we deliver and with what!



References;
Catherine M. Casserly, Ph,D. 2008.  The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
'Open Educational Resources: Unlocking knowledge to the Global Community.'

 {Open Education Practices: A User Guide for Organisations}




Thursday 17 May 2012

Activity Six; Developing the draft plan


(I had a few problems adding this, so another huge learning curve for me, hope you can read the ideas ok.)

This mind-map of ideas has been generated from some background reading involving the ADDIE instructional design model which is an acronym for analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation(Wikipedia), my intention is that this plan displays the process.

I intend to present my flexibility plan based on the Conference and Events paper (Level 5 applied) in the 2nd year of the Diploma in Travel and Tourism.   The course relies on blended delivery with on-line tools and lecturer direction, in the initial stage. I hope to introduce course blogs so that they can plot their progress and start to take ownership of their learning.  The students will set up their own companies and co-ordinate a virtual conference and plan, develop and implement an event, presenting their e-portfolio's as the final assessment.

Weaknesses of the plan so far; The success of the process relies on collaboration and communication between the students to complete their part of the activities.
It relies on the lecturer knowing the process of blog set up and maintenance, not so sure at the moment.
How do I assess this ? I need to progress the peer assessment criteria.

Strengths;  The students have a good foundation of knowledge from previous travel and tourism papers. There is a good structure in place and room for flexibility in terms of content, instructional approach, delivery and logistics (Collis&Moonen,2004).  The scheduled class time becomes tutorial and meeting time for the students as the project progresses, with direction from the lecturer.

My vision for the paper;  To be able to collaborate with other OP departments to plan, prepare and implement an event/conference e.g. Excite, themed dinners, graduation celebrations, promotional tours using mentors to help the students with the project management.



Thursday 10 May 2012

Activity five; Design and describe flexible learning strategies for your context.

I decided to focus on my students in the certificate courses for this next activity.  It is beginning to dawn on me how the concept of blended delivery really can work if the dimensions of time, delivery and logistics (Casey & Wilson, 2005) were truly flexible.  The theoretical components could be presented  as a web conference with on-line quizzes and assessments, the students would only have to attend the practical face to face sessions intermittently at a time and place that suited them.  However, I keep coming back to the issue of how self-motivated and self directed our students are and that many are 'testing the water' in their choice of career direction.  Offering too much flexibility may not suit everyone.
Anyway, I managed to 'download' and 'link'.
Hope it worked!!



http://www.scribd.com/doc/93091928