Digital Fluency Intensive course - Day 2

Manaiakalani Kaupapa & Pedagogy

I have enjoyed the Manaiakalani focus of Create, Share, Learn - effective teaching, accelerated learning. My initial understanding of Manaiakalani was "it's digital only".  I had this thought that I needed to be some kind of "digital heroine" to be able to be a part of this programme. It turns out this was yet another myth that has been loosely thrown about. It is clear to me now that the Manaiakalani kaupapa (whatever that may look like to each individual) and pedagogy is about "accessing and engaging with existing knowledge in a digital environment".  Today I am better than last week about trying to explain this. I think as the weeks go on I will get better at explaining what Manaiakalani is, rather than what it isn't. I have been resisting moving from the "analogue world to the digital world".  This isn't a new thing.  This started way back with my photography - I was reluctant to let my film camera go. Then I swore I didn't need a mobile phone. I was quite happy with my landline thank you very much. My pedagogy has taken a similar route. My journey has been slow to kick off but now I am actually on that journey, in that waka. I'm so excited. This is life changing. This is what Manaikalani has offered me.  It makes it so much more meaningful for me. Imagine what this will do for our tamariki at Cobham School?!

Professional Confidence, Capability, Workflow 

Today has been another day full of learning. There was not one thing that I could say I already knew.  That is a fantastic day.  Yes I had heard of Hangouts but I had never used it. Google Keep ... um ... ??? Completely new.  There are so many different abilities in Gmail, Calendars, Bookmarks and Tabs - I will need to go back and revisit some of the things we looked at today - especially Toby - I missed that kaupapa. I'm not sure what to do with Toby at the moment.  I can say now that my confidence has grown when using gmail and calendars.  This will improve my professional practice immensely.  Everything can run a lot smoother if we are all on the same calendar at kura. Very efficient. I think I have also got to a place where I don't mind making mistakes because at the end of the day, just like our learners, we are all learning, especially from our mistakes.

Learners

Everything I have learned today I have no doubt that I can take back to school and share with our Cobham tamariki.  Who am I kidding? Some of them probably already know it.  That is the idea of Manaiakalani isn't it? To up-skill teachers to keep up with their learners?  It would be amazing to set up a "Hangouts Community" at kura where the tamariki are put into a roopu and can discuss their mahi within that roopu. The benefits of this would be huge ... At Cobham we are just starting our Manaiakalani journey so we will be moving in baby steps. But I am imagining when this is the norm ... fabulous!

Personal Confidence, Capability, Workflow 

Gmail is a huge part of my personal life and to date I have really only been using a small part of it. Who knew? I like the idea of using the G suite for everything so that does mean having to convert from other apps or previous ways of thinking. This is a great thing.  Change is great. I will end up having an overall tidy up of all that is Google on my laptop, desktop, phone and I have no doubt life with flow a lot more efficiently.