Standard 6: Engage in professional learning
Focus area 6.1 – Identify and plan professional learning needs
Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
Focus area 6.3 – Engage with colleagues and improve practice
Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
In my first practicum, I taught a Year Three class in an upper-middle class suburb of Brisbane. The school was trialling iPads in everyday classroom use, so I had to integrate this type of Information and Communication Technology into my daily lessons. This proved challenging, as at that stage I was unfamiliar with iPads and the education apps available. In the first week, my I gave the incorrect instructions in how to use a scrapbook app to my students, and my mentor teacher had to take over my entire lesson in the ensuing chaos.
It was this humbling experience, and the subsequent frank talk with my mentor teacher (6.3), that alerted to me that I was failing my students by not improving my technological skills (6.1). I decided that several things needed to change. First, I needed to meticulously include ICT into my lessons at the planning stage (6.1), rather than as an afterthought (Ramirez et al., 2017). Second, I needed to ensure that I was familiar with ICT applications prior to the lesson, such that I not only understood them for my own use but was also able to teach them to my students. Third, I needed to use ICT in creative and innovative ways to establish student competencies and ensure that they would be fit citizens in a contemporary, digital world (Voogt et al., 2013). To achieve these goals, I consulted the class teacher and neighbouring teacher for advice (6.3) (Chase, 2016). I listened to their wisdom, on not only how to incorporate iPads into lessons, but also other ICT such as PCs, SmartBoards and their recommendations on apps to help monitor student behaviour and communicate with parents. Next, I looked at ICT as a general capability in the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2014), and Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011) to ensure that I was working towards the required standards (6.1). I also spent time before school and at lunch becoming familiar with and practising on my mentor teacher’s iPad, so I was able to model to students and lead lessons following the Gradual Release of Responsibility model (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983; Webb et al., 2019). I ensured that ICT was incorporated into subsequent lessons, and often met with my mentor teacher for feedback and reflection (6.3).
As a result of my actions, my competency and confidence in the use of ICT in the classroom improved. In later practicums, I confirmed and planned to use available ICT ahead of time such as preparing a ‘Sentences’ Game on a Powerpoint and incorporating it into an editing lesson for a Prep/One composite class, as can be seen in this lesson plan. I also used an iPad to assess Preps by having them move excerpts from the book ‘First Day’ (Daddo & Bentley, 2014) into the correct sequence (as seen in this screen recording). I learnt that the incorporation of ICT not only helped with engagement, but also supplied a variety of opportunities to cater to different learning styles and aided in differentiation (Tubin, 2007). Furthermore, I learnt that teaching was a team effort as educators came together to offer advice, brainstorm ideas, problem-solve, and mentor younger teachers (6.3) (Chase, 2016). I will take this experience into my practice as a Graduate teacher and improve upon these skills.
References for Standard Six
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2014). Information and Communication Technology Capability. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/information-and-communication-technology-ict-capability/
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL]. (2011). Australian
Professional Standards for Teachers. AITSL: Melbourne.
Chase, L. (2016). Collaboration and the power of team teaching. SCAN, 35(1), 13-19.
Daddo, A., & Bentley, J. (2014). First Day. HarperCollins Publishers.
Pearson, P.D., & Gallagher, M.C. (1983). The instruction of reading comprehension. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 8(3), 317-344. https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-476X(83)90019-X
Ramirez, E., Clemente., M., Recaman, A., Martin-Dominguez, J., & Rodriguez, I. (2017). Planning and doing in professional teaching practice. A study with early childhood education teachers working with ICT (3-6 years). Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(5), 713-725. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-016-0806-x
Tubin, D. (2007). When ICT meets schools: differentiation, complexity and adaptability. Journal of Educational Administration, 45(1), 8-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230710722430
Voogt, J., Erstad, O., Dede, C., & Mishrad, P. (2013). Challenges to learning and schooling in the digital networked world of the 21st century. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 29, 403-413. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12029
Webb, S., Massey, D., Goggins, M., & Flajole, K. (2019). Thirty-five years of the Gradual Release of Responsibility: Scaffolding toward complex and responsive teaching. The Reading Teacher, 73(1), 75-83. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1799
