Improving the Quality of our Conversations

Ian Gray

… in an electronic era

www.histconversations.blogspot.com

Survey Monkey Results

WHAT DO WE THINK?

Mainly MS, SS, urban, upper middle socio-eco where quality of conversations fit a bell curve … aim to skew it more toward conversing ‘very well’

How well do students converse?

Survey Monkey Results

WHAT DO WE THINK?

Students are reasonably good at empathising.

Survey Monkey Results

WHAT DO WE THINK?

Teaching large groups is still the norm but many opportunities exist for small group discussions

Survey Monkey Results

WHAT DO WE THINK?

In whole class activities students are not usually seated so they can “eye-ball” each other.

Survey Monkey Results

WHAT DO WE THINK?

Survey Monkey Results

WHAT DO WE THINK?

How often is electronic feedback used?

Strategies to help students learn to dialogue

Catholic school contextualises learning within values like respect … an expectation to listen to one another

I model and explain what I am doing Openly acknowledge differences in the classroom -

everyone has a right to communicate their thoughts Tasks set eg orals, completion of questions on a

computer which is projected, role plays. Excursions, guest speakers, writing from a particular

perspective Reinforce showing respect for fellow students by

remaining quiet and listening while others speak. I then reiterate what the student said , give further information. and ask for responses

WHAT DO WE THINK?

• Small discussion groups.• In larger groups, I need to regularly wait for silence

to allow students to speak• Use of blogs, suggestion boxes and responding to

an article using One Note and annotating the article before emailing it to a peer for a response

• Turn taking Ensure everyone is included in questioning

• 'Gallery walk' - post it notes for feedback and reflection. Jigsaw collaborative learning strategy, online blogs

• In terms of creating empathy, which I believe stimulates dialogue, I have used visualisation techniques most recently with success.

more comments

History is based upon shared perspectives

We need dialogue, not monologue. Better conversation = improved

learning outcomes A conversation is “A conversation is

a dialogue, not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.” Truman Capote – c 1960 – American author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, In Cold Blood etc

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/trumancapo124425.html#20VfhQTgvDIoKXBX.99

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUYAcoGuvU0WGleMLjQUFiTry8xZ5NccjAlVuB72hFYPdcK55X

New media is already here and already challenging preconceptions about ‘good’ communication

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

The Conversation eg here is about WW1https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=wm#inbox/14788eb95d5c9843

Universities are increasingly virtual

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

UQ News Dec 2012

• 91% of students use laptops

• Courses require them

• MOOCS• etc

RISE in Narcissism

EVIDENCE OF DECLINE

NOT just media hype

RISE in Narcissism – epitomised by monologue conversation• 18-19 year olds are now more narcissistic than 18-19 year olds in

1980s and 1990s as measured on the same scale.• eg narcissists lack empathy and in conversation wait until they can

have their say

EVIDENCE OF DECLINE

• plastic surgery rates have exploded since 1990s• rise in materialism, which correlates with a rise in narcissism

• eg % agreeing "being very well off financially" was an important life goal

• 2013 = 82 %• 1969 = 45%• 1974 = 45%

References:…• The Narcissism Epidemic, Jean Twenge, 2010• http://

www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/allinthemind/young-people-today-are-more-narcissistic-than-ever/5457236

• http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/the-new-narcissism/5572544

EVEN ‘PR’ PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED

• Emergence of the internet• emergence of “selfie” culture• internet enables fame seeking in ways not possible decade ago

and celebrity culture promotes this

CAUSES

• Strong correlations between those scoring high on narcissism and those having very high number of friends on Facebook

too much screen time ….

Courier Mail April 19, 2014

Discussions about “Screen Time” were prominent in 2014 whether judged by talk-back radio. twitter, staffroom talk, discussions with the rellies, eavesdropping or numerous blogs eg

 

IT’S ALL TECHNOLOGIES FAULT

OR ARE THERE OTHER CAUSES AND TECHNOLOGY CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION?

CAUSES

• The self-esteem movement in parenting and education.• Twenge argues that rather than telling a child they are special,

parents should just say: “I love you”.• otherwise what is going to happen when the child goes out

into the world and the world doesn't treat him or her as special?

CAUSES

• & incidentally self esteem does not equate with higher academic performance:

• highest academic achievement = among Asian Americans and they have lowest self esteem

• the most successful CEOs by income/happiness index are the least narcissistic

• the resilience movement promotes self efficacy – ie if I work hard and focus I can improve.

Teachers causing disengagement by:- limiting student choice about the variety of ways that students

receive information and evidence learning- not understanding that choice and variety is nigh on impossible in

a purely paper-based  classroom

CAUSES

Parents and teachers not engaging in the sort of conversations young people want to have

• see Dr Cheryl Sim, Griffith Uni ---QHTA Journal 2010,• republished with permission from Sim, Cheryl (2010) Sustaining

Productive Collaboration between faculties and Schools. Australian Journal of Teacher Education ,35, (5),18-28.

This is not pandering. This is conversing.We can’t address narcissism if we’re not in the room – the virtual room.

remaining Historical Technophobes ….

Media Reports feed fears“student engagement with computers can damage their brain”7.30 Jan 27 2014

Historical Technophobia

Antiquarianism and fears limit capacity to use technology and improve conversations

Socrates - writing would "create forgetfulness in the learners' souls, because they will not use their memories."Conrad Gessner 1565 – printing press will overwhelm our senses with informationSanitarian Medical Journal 1883 - schools ‘exhaust brains and nervous systems and imprison bodies’’TV = the end of educationCNN 2014 : “Email hurts IQ more than pot”

ALL provide zero evidence.

BUT …

Technology that existed when we were born seems normal, anything that is developed before we turn 35 is exciting, and whatever happens after that is treated with suspicion.

Writer Douglas Adams

In 2010 Shermann Young did not argue for the end of the book but the end of nostalgia.

Long Live the Book !!

Causes: attitudes

recent empirical research on  Factors Impacting Teachers’ Adoption of Mobile Learning confirms:

• user’s beliefs and attitudes determine, to a large extent, teachers’ adoption of technology,

• especially beliefs and attitudes about perceived usefulness of the technology and its ease of use

From DERN (Digital Education Research Network) ..managed by ACER

Causes: attitudes

Universities, school and home practices shut down conversation• a Masters degree- electronic submissions “marked” with a biro

without comments• a History professor says ignore all prior knowledge - only his notes -

on the web will be assessed

CAUSES

• student disengagement• content and pedagogy irrelevant to their personal

interests. • "Teaching to the middle" means not teaching to any

student's zone of proximal development

• busy parents engage in “instructional conversation”• “--- Hi –have you finished your Homework? How did your

spelling test go?

1. Teach students how to dialogue1. use rules for speaking and for electronic engagement

2. encourage outside the square thinking = risk is OK

3. reduce content1. too much content detracts from dialogue.

SOLUTIONS

Based on much practice and theory eg Dianna Laurillard, University of London http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Laurillard_conversational_framework

4. role model – dialogue1. Here is a blog by a principal who is into digital leadership .. http://

esheninger.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/why-digital-leadership-digilead.html?m=1

5.have fun - join in – play – let it roll – but know where it is going

1.eg create your own adventure ppts that require dialogue

False or ‘Red Herring’ path

Wrong = E standard

ie you might even ‘shepherd the user into conclusions which ‘score’ different levels of ‘points’ say on a 15 point scale !!

A

A-

A+

B+

C

D, for stop here or keep going

START HERE

QN=?

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

create your own adventure ppts

6. Find out why Social Media Awareness Is Important In The Early Grades: http://bit.ly/1sil29U 

7. motivate reluctant learners with technology eg http://home.edweb.net/motivating-the-reluctant-reader-through-technology-25-resources/?utm_content=buffer96d34&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer ……both among my tweets …July 7 2014

SOLUTIONS

Engage in the sort of conversations young people want to have:shorter, sharper, anywhere, anytime, BLENDED

The Blended Synchronous Learning Handbook - US Dept of Education - freely available under a Creative Commons licence

Coffee Shop Conversations

9. Higher Order Thinking Skills & Establishing a Twitter Routine in the Classroom|Langwitches Blog http://t.co/edS2O816 #edtech --Sue Gorman (@sjgorman

10. Find 10 Ways to Use Instagram in your classroom…twitter …iangray9

SOLUTIONS

5 ways to improve classroom discussionshttp://www.edutopia.org/blog/make-class-discussions-more-exciting-richard-curwin

BACK CHANNEL TodaysMeet, Padlet, Forum on your LMSGroups discuss; one student records on forum

POLLINGMult choice quiz on mobile (or laptop) ….could be on survey monkey …correct answers …. discuss tonightPoll Everywhere allows text polling Socrative, an app that shows real-time poll results for both multiple-choice and short-answer quizzes,.

story telling enhanced by elearning - tools include Animoto; Slidestory, Storybird;

http://elearningindustry.com/7-tips-integrate-storytelling-next-elearning-course

COUNTER BALANCE NARCISSISM IN ASSESSMENT- require collaboration- you both explored different aspects of topic X ….now find the

commonalities

SOLUTIONS

FIND COLLABORATIVE SOFTWAREeg https://www.diigo.com/

Make format of assessment an advocacy website, a proposal etcdesigned to improve the situation for others

- Seniors – How prevalent is Domestic Violence in Australia? How did it get like that and therefore what can be done about it?

U Magazine Sunday Aug 10 2014...Dr Michael Dezuanni from the Child and Youth Research Centre QUT researched ipads in kindergarten and found they CAN improve communication and their use did not diminish physical activity or create anti-social behaviour 

avoiding antiquarianism

Crowd sourced editing

• a form of conversation• now used by Smithsonian and Nat Lib of Aust as well as Wikapedia• have student ‘crowd’ create and update Glossary in

Moodle/Blackboard• empower students --- enrol in Mod Hist 2 as teachers with upload

rights• any sabotage tends to be quickly quickly corrected

SOLUTIONS

Benefits of mobile phones in class:• students take snapshots whiteboard notes• record teacher oral feedback• back up internet searching device• freeing time for conversationhttp://www.insidebayarea.com/education/ci_25396070/cell-phones-proving-their-usefulness-classrooms

Music with Study --- much research to suggest that playing music while studying is a distraction from and not a benefit to study. Ask on the blog and the research can be revealed.

SOLUTIONS - research in your classroom It’s only just beginning

SOLUTIONS

It’s up to your imagination

and creativity

The future will be different

conversationtime

www.histconversations.blogspot.com

The future will be different