Ali's Ramble

It’s no secret; I adore learning. Learning is ALL about making connections, so this post is my favourite by far. The Oxford Dictionary defines interdisciplinary as “relating to more than one branch of knowledge”. For someone who lives to learn, and to help others learn, the connections or branches are potentially limitless. Mind-mapping tools didn’t quite cut it for me when building this map. My connections are related to me, but also separate to each other, each one inextricably linked by its’ value to my professional world. The lightning rods represent both current and potential dynamic connections to a wider community. Each one permeates other connective groups in different ways (which may not themselves be connected) and all are connected to my practice. There are always potential connections arising due to my background in biotechnology and my connections in the wider education community. Interdisciplinary learning has been seen as vital for a coherent curric...

My school has recently restricted the use of social media on our school network. When discussing the issue, there was real debate as to what “social media” actually is. Dictionary.com says “websites & applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking”, whereas WhatIs.com and IT Connect (2017) both view social media as online tools of communication allowing collaborative interaction & content sharing. Several studies highlight the use of social media as a teaching tool to enhance study and motivation. Interestingly, much research in this area is conducted in the tertiary education sector. However, students of tertiary age have different perspectives, age-related psychology and motivation than primary and secondary school students. Consequently, though most “digital citizens” are comfortable using social media on a regular basis, the benefits for use in teaching & learning may be quite subjective. (Silius et al, 2010; IT...

As a teacher of science, the increase in use of digital technologies is exciting in its' potential to enhance the investigative learning experience. As a result, I regularly ask my students to photograph and/or video evidence as part of an investigation. It’s not generally a requirement of students to be “in shot”, however it has occurred to me that this could potentially be abused. Several instances in the past couple of years in my school have highlighted the need for greater vigilance in regulating or monitoring this practice. Students and teachers have been photographed without their knowledge, with the resulting media being uploaded to social media. Recently, a teacher was filmed during a disciplinary situation with a student. In each circumstance, families of these students have supported them, even going so far as to encourage it. At this stage, lawyers become involved. There are obvious legal implications here. The New Zealand Police say that photographing or...

At the heart of a culturally responsive pedagogy lies culture itself; the filters that help us make sense of everyday things. These can be visible such as art & technology, or invisible such as values, beliefs & perspectives. It’s important to understand that culture is a trait of an individual rather than a “one size fits all” perspective of a group or race e.g. NZ Maori. (Gay, 2002) One analogy used in Teaching Tolerance (2010) is that teachers are “cultural translators”. Our students aren’t blank slates - they come with prior content and cultural perspective. Teachers as cultural translators need to help them build on this to make connections and meaning in an education setting. The way I see it, teachers are like electrical adapters plugs for international sockets; we are the link between similar actions in different settings, separated by different perspectives. This supports Gay (2002) definition of culturally responsive pedagogy as “using the cultural charact...

We live in an interesting age; change is occurring faster than ever, thanks to globalisation in an increasingly connected world. The concept of family has changed drastically over the last 50 years. My own family is so different than the one I grew up in; I can see differences in psychology, relationships and attitude in my children that are most likely related to this change. This is why I have chosen to examine the “family matters” as a trend and issue that influences education (OECD, 2016). A trend can be defined as a change or development in a general direction (“Oxford Dictionary,” n.d.). Definitions of family tend to be influenced by context and location however the UN proposes that “the family is the basic unit of society and should be protected by appropriate legislation and policy”. Due to rapid modernisation, family structure is changing in developed countries and trends such as slower family formation, higher divorce/separation rate etc. are also now being see...