This week I am using Gibbs model to reflect on using the digital platform of Seesaw to share and engage stakeholders with learning.
Description: I wanted parents to increase engagement with the children’s learning around the skill of communication. So we unpacked the learning rubric of communication and the children drew their own learning map with an identified change goal for presenting their Mihi. Throughout this process we uploaded learning to Seesaw to engage parents with the children’s learning. I used the digital platform to provide support for parents around how to present a Mihi by uploading an example.
Feelings: I felt hopeful that parents would have increased levels of engagement in the children’s learning about communicating effectively. I felt satisfied when a large number of parents commented on how much they loved being part of their child’s learning and how helpful they found it was being able to listen to a model Mihi. I was disappointed that not all parents had made the effort to sign up to Seesaw and some made no comments around their child sharing learning although this was a minority. Afterwards I thought this change was positive and worth the effort of capturing and posting learning but it would be good to increase engagement of all parents and deepen the ways that parents can co-construct learning.
Evaluation: Both students and parents expressed that they liked the immediacy of sharing the learning. The parents were able to give the children timely feedback and the children really felt proud when they received such positive feedback from parents. The children loved receiving both written and verbal comments via the digital platform. Based on the high number of parents commenting via Seesaw and supporting children in learning (at home) I can see that using the digital platform increased whanau engagement thus strengthening home school relationships. Past experiences of sharing learning through paper portfolios, paper notices etc., often ended neglected in the bottom of children’s bags and only a few comments from the odd parent. Overall the positive effects encouraged me to utilise the home school partnership further through Seesaw, particularly for the students whose parents do not come into the classroom very often.
Analysis: As a result of this change parents were more involved with their child’s learning and this improved the communication learning outcomes. Students were able to identify what their change goal was and parents helped them work towards achieving these goals. My observation is supported by a review of research literature written by Hawley and Rosenholtz (1983), they identified “parent involvement as one of the four factors in effective schools that should improve student outcomes”.
Conclusion: By using the digital platform I have engaged more parents making connections and sharing learning quickly and easily. In the future I would modify the way I used Seesaw to engage parents in co-constructing learning as well as sharing learning. This would involve parents even further and create true interdependence across the home and school partnership.
Action Plan: This change has improved the way that students share learning with family and engaged many more parents by using a digital platform. In the future I would make sure all parents had a Seesaw account by reducing the barriers to creating an account (some were not sure how to follow instructions because of language barriers and some were time poor so did not prioritise this action).
Reference
Bolstad, R., Gilbert, J., McDowall, S., Bull, A., Boyd, S., & Hipkins, R. (2012). Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching — a New Zealand perspective. Report prepared for the Ministry of Education. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306
Cotton, K.,& Wikelund, K.R. (1989). Parent Involvement in education. School improvement research series, 6(3), 17-23
Finlay, L. (2009). Reflecting on reflective practice. PBPL. Retrieved from http://www.open. ac.uk/opencetl/sites/www.open.ac.uk.opencetl/files/files/ecms/web-content/Finlay-(2008)-Reflecting-on-reflective-practice-PBPL-paper-52.pdf
Disrupted thinking ... 