Using interactive whiteboards for dialogic teaching...Using interactive whiteboards for dialogic...

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1 Using Using interactive whiteboards interactive whiteboards for dialogic teaching for dialogic teaching RITWIT Conference Cambridge, 2009 Neil Mercer Neil Mercer nmm31@cam nmm31@cam. ac ac. uk uk Sara Sara Hennessy Hennessy [email protected]. [email protected]. uk uk Paul Warwick Paul Warwick [email protected]. [email protected]. uk uk The IWB has been widely introduced in UK The IWB has been widely introduced in UK schools without much consideration of how it schools without much consideration of how it might best be used might best be used as a as a ‘ dialogic tool dialogic tool’ (Sept. 2007 Special Issue of ‘Learning, Media & Technology’ on IWBs) technology should serve pedagogy technology should serve pedagogy… it can it can “open up open up a space for dialogue a space for dialogue” (Wegerif 2007) teachers teachers’ pedagogic approaches mediate the use of pedagogic approaches mediate the use of the IWB the IWB (Gillen et al 2006; Hennessy 2006; Warwick & Kershner 2008) the tool itself thus has no transformative power, the tool itself thus has no transformative power, though it raises new possibilities though it raises new possibilities…

Transcript of Using interactive whiteboards for dialogic teaching...Using interactive whiteboards for dialogic...

Page 1: Using interactive whiteboards for dialogic teaching...Using interactive whiteboards for dialogic teaching RITWIT Conference Cambridge, 2009 Neil Mercer nmm31@cam.ac.uk Sara Hennessy

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Using Using interactive whiteboardsinteractive whiteboardsfor dialogic teachingfor dialogic teaching

RITWIT ConferenceCambridge, 2009

Neil MercerNeil Mercer nmm31@[email protected] HennessyHennessy [email protected]. [email protected] WarwickPaul Warwick [email protected]. [email protected]

The IWB has been widely introduced in UKThe IWB has been widely introduced in UKschools without much consideration of how itschools without much consideration of how itmight best be usedmight best be used as a as a ‘‘dialogic tooldialogic tool’’

(Sept. 2007 Special Issue of ‘Learning, Media & Technology’ on IWBs)

•• technology should serve pedagogytechnology should serve pedagogy…… it can it can ““open upopen upa space for dialoguea space for dialogue”” (Wegerif 2007)

•• teachersteachers’’ pedagogic approaches mediate the use of pedagogic approaches mediate the use ofthe IWB the IWB (Gillen et al 2006; Hennessy 2006; Warwick & Kershner 2008)

•• the tool itself thus has no transformative power,the tool itself thus has no transformative power,though it raises new possibilitiesthough it raises new possibilities……

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Does the use of Does the use of IWBs IWBs transformtransformteaching?teaching?

NoNo

They are commonly used to maintain aThey are commonly used to maintain ateacherteacher’’s existing approachs existing approach

There have been concerns that theyThere have been concerns that theyactually encourage more didactic,actually encourage more didactic,‘‘scriptedscripted’’ presentational approaches presentational approaches

(e.g. Smith, Hardman & Higgins, 2006)(e.g. Smith, Hardman & Higgins, 2006)

How can the How can the IWB help a teacher achieveIWB help a teacher achieveproductive educational dialogue?productive educational dialogue?

In a dialogic classroom, teachers and learners areIn a dialogic classroom, teachers and learners are::

reasoning; generating, justifying and evaluatingreasoning; generating, justifying and evaluatingideas:ideas:

responsively and cumulatively building onresponsively and cumulatively building onothersothers’’ ideas: ideas:

co-constructing new meanings andco-constructing new meanings andinterpretationsinterpretations

(Alexander, 2004; Mercer and Littleton, 2007; Mortimer and Scott, 2003)

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Dialogic teaching requires a teacher to useDialogic teaching requires a teacher to usedifferent kinds of talk strategicallydifferent kinds of talk strategically

•• a dialogic approach is known to be fruitful fora dialogic approach is known to be fruitful forlearning, developing reasoning skills and conceptuallearning, developing reasoning skills and conceptualknowledge - but it remains rareknowledge - but it remains rare(Smith et al. 2004; Mercer & Littleton 2007; Scott & Mortimer 2003)

“In many classrooms most of the dialogue appears tooccur more by accident than in a deliberate,conscious manner” (Bewley & Smardon, 2007)

Some types of dialogic strategySome types of dialogic strategy••Encouraging a diversity of viewsEncouraging a diversity of views

••Withholding evaluationsWithholding evaluations

••Encouraging Encouraging extended turnsextended turns

••Creating Creating ‘‘dialogic spacedialogic space’’

••Adapting to emergingAdapting to emergingcircumstancescircumstances

•• Building cumulatively on shared Building cumulatively on sharedexperienceexperience

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What does the IWB offer as a tool for dialogic teaching?What does the IWB offer as a tool for dialogic teaching?

A teacher and class canA teacher and class can……

gain shared access to multimodal resourcesgain shared access to multimodal resources make a cumulative record of collective thinkingmake a cumulative record of collective thinking move through time to review and planmove through time to review and plan

Aims To see how teachers taking To see how teachers taking a dialogic approach cana dialogic approach can

use use the IWB to stimulate effective classroom the IWB to stimulate effective classroom dialoguedialogue

For researchers & practitioners to workFor researchers & practitioners to workcollaboratively in exploring the dialogic use of collaboratively in exploring the dialogic use of IWBsIWBs

Participants / Methods 1 primary, 1 middle school, 1 secondary teacher: not expert IWB1 primary, 1 middle school, 1 secondary teacher: not expert IWB

users (release funded; all gained university accreditation)users (release funded; all gained university accreditation)

3 classes of students aged 11 (PSHE),3 classes of students aged 11 (PSHE), 13 (English),13 (English),14 (History: all boys class)14 (History: all boys class)

Trialling new approaches: 3 lessons videoed in eachTrialling new approaches: 3 lessons videoed in eachclassroom, joint analysis of classroom, joint analysis of ‘‘critical episodescritical episodes’’

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Lloyd used Lloyd used digital resources to help students gaindigital resources to help students gainvicarious experience of trench life in 1st Worldvicarious experience of trench life in 1st WorldWarWar

Case StudyCase Study

Can we imagine the experience of trench warfare?

Lloyd: Lessons 1-3 (Secondary Year 8 history teacher)

DoctorDoctor’’s diary:s diary: “Just by underlining something, it makes youthink about it. So from that point of view, the use of the IWB andthe annotation part, I think helps thinking” (Teacher)

Lesson 1Lesson 1

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Poem with spotlight; link to diary

Student dramatisation of 2 lines

Mini-whiteboard interpretations

Lesson 2Lesson 2

Interpreting & visualising poem

Video storyboarding on mini-whiteboards, 2 pairs record on IWB

YouTube video “Paths of Glory”

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Use of dialogic strategiesUse of dialogic strategies

The teacherThe teacher……

Encourages extended turnsEncourages extended turns

Elicits a diversity of views, avoiding evaluatingElicits a diversity of views, avoiding evaluating

Allows dialogic space for discussion (whole classAllows dialogic space for discussion (whole classand pairs)and pairs)

Lesson 3Lesson 3

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DVD audio track (no picture) of trench warfare:shelling and countdown

Class brainstorm words suggested by thesounds heard, recording ideas on IWB:

DVD video track (no sound)

[Is it possible for us to imagine the experience of trench warfare?][Is it possible for us to imagine the experience of trench warfare?]

“They are co-constructing knowledge focussed on this open-endedquestion” (teacher)

Ricky: It's like when you imagine winning the lottery. . . Ricky: It's like when you imagine winning the lottery. . . it wouldn'tnecessarily be like what you think.

Robert: Robert: You can imagine what it would look like, but you can't imaginewhat it would feel like or how you would be feeling. or how you would be feeling.

Owen: Yes, because Owen: Yes, because on the DVDs or on the films and the poems and stuff,it explains and you can see what it looks like, in wasteland, and you'reit explains and you can see what it looks like, in wasteland, and you'reboth in trenches, but you wouldnboth in trenches, but you wouldn’’t know what it was like to go agest know what it was like to go ageswithout food or water.without food or water.

Ricky: That's partially true, but you wouldn't know what it would be like toRicky: That's partially true, but you wouldn't know what it would be like tobe shot by a bullet or be bombed or something.be shot by a bullet or be bombed or something.

Felix: Felix: …… every single person's experience with it would be different...Everybody's got different feelings towards the war... and Everybody's got different feelings towards the war... and you wouldonly know what you felt like.

Teacher: Yes, Teacher: Yes, can we ever achieve a common understanding of anything?

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Interactivity supports explicit reasoning & building onInteractivity supports explicit reasoning & building onothersothers’’ ideas to construct new collective view ideas to construct new collective view

“building on their informedspeculation from some of thethings that they had seen”(Teacher)

Exploiting distinctive IWB features:Exploiting distinctive IWB features:

RevisitingRevisiting earlier activity of class earlier activity of class (assistive memory)(assistive memory)

Annotating texts Annotating texts ((provisionality provisionality and permanence)and permanence)

Presenting films, pictures texts Presenting films, pictures texts (multimodality)(multimodality)

Enabling active student involvement Enabling active student involvement (interactivity)(interactivity)

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When used with a dialogic pedagogy,When used with a dialogic pedagogy,the IWB enables a teacher to :the IWB enables a teacher to :

ConclusionsConclusions

•• Encourage studentsEncourage students’’ active, highly-motivated active, highly-motivatedinvolvementinvolvement

•• Extend the trajectory of learning across severalExtend the trajectory of learning across severallessonslessons

•• Develop a learning communityDevelop a learning community•• Adapt to student responses and other changingAdapt to student responses and other changing

circumstances as theycircumstances as they emergeemerge

ChallengesChallenges

How can we strategically exploit rich potential of interactiveHow can we strategically exploit rich potential of interactivetechnologies now available technologies now available –– and those coming soon and those coming soon –– to tomake learning more engaging & successful?make learning more engaging & successful?

What are the What are the affordances affordances & constraints of using / combining& constraints of using / combiningdifferent modes for different pedagogical purposes?different modes for different pedagogical purposes?

How can ICT designers and How can ICT designers and redsearchers redsearchers help teachers tohelp teachers tobuild on what we now know works: build on what we now know works: empowering studentsempowering studentsthrough collaborative, dialogic, participatory, problem- andthrough collaborative, dialogic, participatory, problem- andinquiry-based activities?inquiry-based activities?

““The dialogic classroom, that's what it is about, isn't it, to makeThe dialogic classroom, that's what it is about, isn't it, to makethinking more analytical than just descriptive and narrative.thinking more analytical than just descriptive and narrative.””(history teacher)(history teacher)

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ReferencesReferencesAlexander, R. J. (2004) Alexander, R. J. (2004) Towards dialogic teaching. Rethinking classroom talkTowards dialogic teaching. Rethinking classroom talk (Cambridge, (Cambridge, DialogosDialogosUK Ltd).UK Ltd).

BewleyBewley, S. & , S. & SmardonSmardon, D. (2007) How can dialogue create opportunity for students to think and, D. (2007) How can dialogue create opportunity for students to think andexpress their ideas? express their ideas? British Educational Research Association ConferenceBritish Educational Research Association Conference, London., London.

Gillen, J., Gillen, J., Kleine StaarmanKleine Staarman, J., Littleton, K., Mercer, N. & , J., Littleton, K., Mercer, N. & TwinerTwiner, A. (2007) A 'learning revolution'?, A. (2007) A 'learning revolution'?Investigating pedagogic practice around interactive whiteboards in British primary schools. Investigating pedagogic practice around interactive whiteboards in British primary schools. Learning,Learning,Media and Technology,Media and Technology, 32 (3), 243-256. 32 (3), 243-256.

Hennessy, S. (2006) Integrating technology into teaching and learning of school science: A situatedHennessy, S. (2006) Integrating technology into teaching and learning of school science: A situatedperspective on pedagogical issues in research. perspective on pedagogical issues in research. Studies in Science Education,Studies in Science Education, 42 (1-50). 42 (1-50).

KershnerKershner, R. & Warwick, P. (2008) Primary teachers' understanding of the interactive whiteboard as, R. & Warwick, P. (2008) Primary teachers' understanding of the interactive whiteboard asa tool for children's collaborative learning and knowledge building, a tool for children's collaborative learning and knowledge building, Learning, Media and TechnologyLearning, Media and Technology,,33, 4, 269-284.33, 4, 269-284.

Mercer, N. & Littleton, K. (2007) Mercer, N. & Littleton, K. (2007) Dialogue and the development of children's thinkingDialogue and the development of children's thinking (London, (London,RoutledgeRoutledge).).

Mercer, N., & Mercer, N., & SamsSams, C. (2006). Teaching children how to use language to solve , C. (2006). Teaching children how to use language to solve maths maths problems.problems.Language and Education, 20Language and Education, 20(6), 507-527.(6), 507-527.

Mortimer, E. F. & Scott, P. H. (2003) Mortimer, E. F. & Scott, P. H. (2003) Meaning making in secondary science classroomsMeaning making in secondary science classrooms (Milton(MiltonKeynes, Open University Press).Keynes, Open University Press).

Smith, F. Hardman, F; Wall, K. and Smith, F. Hardman, F; Wall, K. and MrozMroz, M. (2004) Interactive whole class teaching in the national, M. (2004) Interactive whole class teaching in the nationalliteracy and literacy and numeracy numeracy strategies, strategies, British Educational Research JournalBritish Educational Research Journal, 30(3), 395-411., 30(3), 395-411.

Smith, F., Hardman, F. and Higgins, S. (2006) The impact of interactive whiteboards on teacher-pupilSmith, F., Hardman, F. and Higgins, S. (2006) The impact of interactive whiteboards on teacher-pupilinteraction in the National Literacy and interaction in the National Literacy and Numeracy Numeracy Strategies, Strategies, British Educational Research JournalBritish Educational Research Journal,,32 (3), 443-457.32 (3), 443-457.

WegerifWegerif, R. (2007). , R. (2007). Dialogic, Education and Technology: Expanding the Space of LearningDialogic, Education and Technology: Expanding the Space of Learning (New (NewYork: Springer).York: Springer).