Week05 - Accreditation Badge (13/2-20/2)

A badge is a validated indicator of accomplishment or skill and can be used to support learning, validate education, help build reputation, or confirm the acquisition of knowledge. In 'Open Badges for Life Long Learning' you can read:

In this ideal world, learning would be connected across formal and informal learning contexts, and you could discover relevant opportunities and craft your own learning pathways at your own pace, based on your own interests and learning styles. Whether it was through discussion with peers, structured classes or workplace experience, you could collect evidence of skill development, including new or often neglected skills such as social skills or digital literacies.

5.1 Formulate how you would like to see Badges used to demonstrate your skills from this course.

I belive 'Assessment Badges' would be usefull to evaluate skills and 'The NSW Institute of Teachers' in Australia try to list 'Professional Teaching Standards':

TEACHERS CONTINUALLY IMPROVE THEIR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE

Capacity to analyse and reflect on practice:

Consistently, systematically and critically review all aspects of practice to improve student learning.

Engagement in personal and collegial professional development

Evaluate and address the professional learning needs of colleagues with reference to the professional standards framework
Identify, promote and evaluate personal professional development opportunities for colleagues to ensure engagement in purposeful and ongoing professional learning

Capacity to contribute to a professional community

Critically review research on best practice in teaching and learning to assist colleagues to further develop their teaching expertise.
Initiate or lead strategies for developing a climate for accepting and providing constructive feedback and recognition of achievement.
Organise, promote and deliver professional development through participation in professional networks or associations.
Take a leadership role in professional networks or associations and enhance the professional learning of teachers.
Make significant contributions to educational policy and practice at the school and in wider professional contexts.

TEACHERS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED MEMBERS OF THEIR PROFESSION AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY

Communicating with parents and caregivers

Initiate processes to identify, understand and address parent and caregiver concerns about student learning and curriculum content.
Initiate processes to establish two-way communication with parents and caregivers about school issues and student learning.

Engaging parents and caregivers in the educative process

Draw upon the wider community for resources and materials to increase the relevance of teaching and learning across the school.

Contributing to the school and wider community

Take a leadership role in enhancing teacher knowledge and understanding about the school and local community.

Professional ethics and conduct

Articulate and model ethical behaviour in all professional communication particularly in relation to confidentiality of student information.
Take a leadership role in presenting a positive image of the school in all communication and interactions with parents, caregivers, colleagues, industry and the local community.

5.2 Try to create a similar skills rubric, that measure 'Networked Teacher Standards'

Facilitators Note: As we discussed before it is good to have at least two levels or explaining insufficient behaivior as a 'Certified Networked Teacher' (i.e. only approve answers from the text book)

Suggested reading for Week06 - Wrap Up (19/2-24/2):

The Future of Assessment, Accreditation & The Internet

Task Discussion

Liz Renshaw Feb. 20, 2012, 1:11 a.m.

Learning Outcome

I don't think I have fully answered the question about how I would like to see badges used to judge my skills in this work. I am however happy with the direction I have taken and think it will lead me to springboarding into other activities/areas.

My revised objectives for engaging in this course to gain new knowledge and skills in:

1. concept of ntetworked teacher

2. P2PU as community space for learning.

3. Badges and accreditation

4. networking with other people with different perspectives.

5. connecting to the current thinking and practices in the world in this area.

6. participating in innovative informal learning

7. doing something very different

I have gained new knowledge and skills in all these areas and been inspired to read/think/network for further collaborative opportunities.

As an outcome of this course I have decided to

1. check out the Masters in Adult Education (Global)

2. check out P2PU and access further learning options.

3. think further about badges and the use ( was a skeptic)

4. reflect further about skills needed for networked learning context.
Jonas Backelin Feb. 20, 2012, 5:54 a.m.
In Reply To: Liz Renshaw Feb. 20, 2012, 1:11 a.m.

Hi Liz,

My journey as 'Refective Practitioner' has taught me that Artiacts/Representations/Narratives make sense of 'Learning Outcomes'. If we accept 'Networked Learning' as an "continous effort to understand connections" we need "to anticipate their trajectories and act effectively" (Klein et al. 2006)

(Cynefin Framework: Is used to describe problems, situations and systems, Dave Snowden)

Notice how the final step is to respond...
Liz Renshaw Feb. 20, 2012, 1:04 a.m.

Some skills and knowledge for networked teachers : this is a starting point for thinking about the networked teacher rubric. These thoughts are general and dense and 'unpacking' them would be my next strategy.

1. Creating and managing a personal learning network

2. Knowledge of copyright licensing in networked world.

3. Using copyright appropriately in learning activities

4. Knowledge and utlising learning support sources eg people

5. Accessing online support mechanisms eg Help desk,forums,

6 Strategies for dealing with abundance of information

7. Judging validity, reliability and relevance of websites

8. Designing and utlising student generated resources in learning.

9. Accessing, interpreting, and utilising curriculum documents.

10. Developing creativity skills eg digital story telling

A challenging but worthwhile activity
Jonas Backelin Feb. 20, 2012, 5:26 a.m.
In Reply To: Liz Renshaw Feb. 20, 2012, 1:04 a.m.

Lovely thoughts and my first reflection is that they are all skills that need to be updated. The tools for 'Digital Storytelling' or syndicate/aggregate information will always change. There is also a sence of openness and accreditation of open sources (i.e. learning penetrate the classroom walls). Can we expect this from teachers? What type of support is needed?
Liz Renshaw Feb. 21, 2012, 12:36 a.m.
In Reply To: Jonas Backelin Feb. 20, 2012, 5:26 a.m.

Yes, these skills will always need updating as new content, technologies, pedagogies and technical systems emerge so rapidly. Networked teachers will also need to become aware of the openness, diversity, autonomy and distributed nature of open learning.

Whilst they are skills that will be constantly changing they could also be a point at which teachers may be prepared to 'buy into' an open course. Teachers always love practical skills they can use to have a direct impact on their teaching,... maybe the bigger questions about openeness, autonomy etc can come in the next stage? Again I am talking very generally about the teachers will whom I have regular contact.

Can we expect this from teachers?

Yes, with the massive shifts in education at all levels of insititutionalised learning there is really no choice. I think that teachers that fail to adapt will just perish. There are many external and internal changes that are pushing teachers to change. My experience is that teachers who seek to engage and explore the new world, make the transitions and those that keep their heads in the sand lead professional lives filled with fear and anger.

We must expect it from teachers since I think they are abregating their professional responsibilities if they dont engage with the change.

The question as you note is really, what type of support is needed?

I think we are going to need the 'learning professional' whose expertise lies in the faciliation of learning. Such as learning expert ? (dont like that word), would have the knowledge, skills and expertise necessary to support/advice/guide learners in all aspects of their learning pathways. So often it can be the underlying 'learning how to learn' skill set that is missing for people.

So what type of support ............??

Certainly there will be no single answer..... no 'one size fits all'...

I think the networked teachers will need know- how to find the support...I was just looking at the MOOC guide, which I hadnt checked out and it has some useful things to say... which I think would have applicable to the networked teacher .....

More food for thought....
Liz Renshaw Feb. 20, 2012, 12:16 a.m.
A bit of background

My area of interest and background is working in Vocational Education and Training (VET) in New South Wales in Australia. My specific expertise is adult literacy, numeracy and language teaching

There are many training providers in the VET sector in Australia and TAFE (Technical and Further Education) is one on the largest. TAFE provides training to 500,000 students each year. They provide for individuals looking for a first job, a promotion, a career change or a pathway to a degree. They also provide training for employer sseeking training solutions for their workforce,

The NSW Institute of Teachers has developed teaching standards, at the moment it charter includes primary and high schools teachers. It does not involve VET teachers working in TAFE.

Currently in VET in NSW there are no agreed professional teaching standards. Different states take different approaches to this question. For the purposes of this activity I have researched some innovative work being done by the Queensland government.

The perspective I have taken is rather than focus on myself I have examined this use of badges from the perspective of beginning teachers. This approach could potentially be something I could further think about and is a bit more aligned with the Edutoolkit focus.

Badges

I believe Badges' would be useful to evaluate skills and capabilities from the Vocational and Education (VET) Learning Pathways Professional Development Pathways.

This framework identifies the following VET practitioners new, practised , advanced and accomplished. For the purposes of this activity I will focus on the capabilities of the new VET practitioners.

The framework identifies the following key areas :
- Teaching, Learning and Assessment ( I will focus on this area)
- Industry Currency
- Leadership
- Clients, Business Development and Quality Improvement.
Activities and Capabilities for New VET Practitioners.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Engaging learners : develops an understanding of engaging techniques and strategies

Learner Support: develops awareness of and identifies learner support need, refers on where identified

Planning Delivery : develops lesson planning techniques, explores methods ofsequencing and linking content.

Flexible learning : develops and understanding of flexible delivery, trials flexible learning techniques and strategies

Workplace learning: learns how WPL experiences contribute to development of knowledge and skills, identifies WPL opportunities for learners.

Assessment : applies assessment principles and processes to meet AQTF compliance.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) : develops understanding of the use of ICT for teaching and learning, develops knowledge of organisational policy around ICT.

Profile of New VET practitioner

The word practitioner is used to include people who perform the following functions,teaching, assessing, training or tutoring. A person in this category would have just started out in the industry and have 1 years teaching experience. They would have gained a qualification in a vocational area eg electrician, plumber or tiler. They may have completed a teaching qualification. They are in the exploratory phase of their career.

Why badges could be useful for New VET practitioners?

In my experience new ‘teachers’ are focused surviving and preparing the next lesson. VET practitioners must not only teach but must perform administrative duties, contribute to the teaching sections activities, mentor students, and attend compulsory training sessions on mandatory topics eg child protection. Many new teachers are not prepared for the diverse range of duties involved in teaching in VET. I believe that badges could be useful for
- Building networks of practitioners for mutual support, learning and advice
- Creating learning professional development ‘moments’ that provide just in time learning
- Providing participatory learning opportunities that expand the practitioners networks, build new knowledge and skills and provide feedback .
- Providing different examples of learning and assessment strategies, resource creation and recognition processes. This could be linked directly to the teaching area.
- Badges could be used to drive learning that is personalised, and contextualised.
Challenges
- Currently a very narrow view of what constitutes ‘countable’ professional development activities. Professional development is provided by the organisation, Individuals do not initiate learning. Learning is structure and delivered, according to the needs of the organisation.
- There is no formal recognition given to informal learning so acquisition of badges would not be viewed as being useful or relevant to professional development.
Try to create a similar skills rubric, that measure 'Networked Teacher Standards'

This is a bit trickier for me however here's a few ideas that come to mind :
Jonas Backelin Feb. 20, 2012, 5:10 a.m.
In Reply To: Liz Renshaw Feb. 20, 2012, 12:16 a.m.

Hi Liz,

I know we both have participated as for non-credit students in 'Massive Open Online Courses' (MOOC). The recognition of informal learning in professional development is probably for the future, but we are bordering on the same resistance as a 'digital scholar' (Martin Weller). Crowd sourcing and social networks is and alternative way of learning, they don't replace formal education. So where is our solution? I like the idea of knowledge as a performance and maybe this can be describes as Connectivism "Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill." As you mentioned learning is 'personalised and contextualised' and Badges only change how we perceive knowledge.

Let's say you receive the Badge 'Expert Networked Teacher - Central Node in Learning' that will be Peer-2-Peer assessed according to a skills rubric. This don't measure 'how or where', it's based on a performance among practitioners. If you are a chemist you are able to perform with a group of chemists, as Stephen Downes said once. Still there is the power law of who design the skills rubric or 'Professional Teaching Standards'.

Any thoughts, comments?
Jonas Backelin Feb. 19, 2012, 9:06 a.m.
Earning badges for learning new things is a way to display knowledge and skills. At the moment we have released three light blue ‘CommunityBadges’:

Supporter Contributor Scholar
- Supporter (A person who supports, promotes, advocates or champions a cause or movement)
- Contributor (A person who backs, supports or champions a cause, activity or institution)
- Scholar (A specialist in a particular branch of knowledge)
At the moment they only have value for our community and we will soon have green ‘Skill Badges’ available that are compatible with Mozilla’s ‘Open Badge Infrastructure’.