Theory and Praxis Before Tech!

I was passed these questions from Arabnet for their upcoming publication of 'The Quarterly'. I suspect it will need to be decimated so here's the uncut version recorded for posterity!

Conclusion: we need to understand more about learning theory in the digital age, including the place of established theories, and THEN we can move to praxis, building models of learning based on our new understanding. Only then will technology be integrated with maximum impact at scale.

Interview Questions – Schools in MENA Embrace Technology – GEMS Education

1.      In what ways is your school digitized today? (ebooks? whiteboards? interactive learning platforms? social platforms?)

GEMS Education owns and manages over 40 schools in the MENA region, educating more than 100,000 students through a wide range of curricula and at various price points. It’s a complex educational landscape, but one of the constants is the high quality of learning provided to our students. We therefore strive to ensure that all children in GEMS schools have access to the tools, systems and associated teaching practices they need to maximize personalized learning outcomes and prepare them for a life of work, self-actualization and continuous learning in a digital, global society.

Of course, all GEMS schools provide secure and high-speed wireless Internet, a dynamic Online Learning Ecosystem, interactive display technology, media creation suites, mobile hardware and a range of online resources and software. Maker Spaces, Lego Studios and 3D printing facilities are also flourishing and increasingly smart data systems are ensuring that all our students’ progress, achievement and needs are known and acted upon. I would always stress, however, that starting with the goals of digitization and the provision of specific technologies is not a ‘smart’ thing to do!

For example, The Kindergarten Starters (a K-Grade 5 school with over 5000 students) was the first in the group to make the move to constantly updated digital textbooks and the school has blazed a trail in this area, providing a highly effective model from which others can learn. It should be noted, however, that the Principal, Ms. Asha Alexander, did not launch into a programme of digitization at all – and this is the main reason that her school is such a fantastic, constantly evolving, model. Under her visionary leadership, the process began by stepping back and considering the learning outcomes that the school really wanted for its students. They spent a long time re-writing the curriculum from scratch and only then did it become clear that digitization would be a key requirement of the school’s development. The school found that it simply could not deliver the desired outcomes without moving to a digital operating base. The recognition that digitization is not about specific technologies, but desired learning outcomes, is the first step towards providing our children with the educational experience they really need.

2.      What steps have you taken to digitize the school from the moment you decided to incorporate technology?

The challenge we face is not exclusive to GEMS, nor the MENA region. Rather, we are transforming an entire industry and profession on a global scale, in much the same way as the banking, media and other industries have been disrupted by technology. Schools are in the business of learning and the disruption in education is undoubtedly far more complex than in those industries mentioned. Better learning is the goal and, by ‘better’, I mean more relevant, personalized learning at a higher level and for all students. Moreover, every school and every educator has a different view of what is required – the what and how best to meet their students’ needs. Top down strategies simply aren’t sustainable in education. In the 1990s, I worked for one of the ‘Big Six’ accountancy firms and it never crossed anyone’s mind that we would go it alone, innovate and decide to use our own tax software because we thought it would provide a better service to clients. We could have suggested an alternative to the partners, but ultimately the decision would have been top-down, instantly scaled and non-negotiable. Anything else would have resulted in chaos. Now compare education, where each teacher is constantly innovating, caring passionately about his or her students and striving to improve learning for every child – and it must be said that they usually succeed, at least at the micro-level of the cohorts they teach. Throw in the fact that there is no real global consensus in the profession or academia of what best practice really is, then it is no surprise that we are seeing a very different dynamic in the digital evolution of schools than in other industries.

So, the organic evolution of effective practice through teacher innovation is something that we encourage in GEMS schools.  The challenge is to scale these effective practices within a clearly defined, shared vision and to empower our schools to meet the needs of their students. The decision to incorporate technology must be taken in light of the learning outcomes the school has identified for its students and the ‘what and how’ is different in every case. Each school community is different and there is no educational ‘ATM’ as we saw in the retail banking industry. The decision to digitize was not taken at the top in education – it happened initially with innumerable teacher-innovators experimenting with technology to find a better way and to improve outcomes for their students. As Sir Ken Robinson has pointed out: “Rock’n’Roll wasn’t a government initiative.”

Of course, we need cohesion and direction, and it is incumbent on school principals to create, communicate and consistently model an inclusive, shared vision for their school communities, always starting with the desired learning outcomes. The role of the GEMS Digital Strategy team is to support our schools on their unique journeys to digital normalization. Fortunately, there are some common threads which form the basis of this support: a dynamic, flexible and highly customizable Online Learning Ecosystem; reliable infrastructure; professional learning programmes and networks for school leaders and educators; implementation of a certified Digital Citizenship curriculum in all schools; and a comprehensive programme of parent education and engagement.

3.      Can you give us the timeline of your school's journey towards digitization?

We have a 5-year Digital Strategy in place, which is closely aligned to the aims of the UAE’s Vision 2021 and the new National Inspection Framework. I think we are truly blessed to have such visionary leaders here in the UAE and I can honestly say this is the first time I have ever felt excited about an inspection framework! The document is surely unique in its focus, ambition and clear expectation of schools to innovate and digitize.  We are already seeing elements of the GEMS Digital Strategy, written primarily for our UAE schools, being adopted by our global network, which reinforces the belief that the UAE is leading the way in both its vision and action. Another benefit is that, by basing the digital strategy on the UAE Inspection Framework, we are meeting the very real and existing needs of our UAE schools in achieving outstanding status and beyond. We are indeed fortunate that these needs are so closely aligned and even more fortunate that we really started the journey many years ago, through the efforts of innumerable teacher-innovators and the Digital Learning Network.

4.      How big or small of an investment did it require in each phase?

Obviously, preparing a school’s infrastructure is costly – but it is vital not to cut corners on this. The secure, but flexible, digital ecosystem is the next greatest outlay and, again, this is crucial, as it provides the vehicle not only for effective digital and blended learning, but also the integration of smart data tools to support the learning process. Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) schemes in education should never be implemented with the goal of saving money. There are sound, educational reasons for students owning and managing their own devices and having these available in and out of school (Lee and Broadie, 2014). BYOT has been growing organically in our schools for many years and is a key element of our strategy. Most students already own suitable devices so it has been a natural progression to get these through the school gates. Leveraging these existing resources makes sense both educationally and financially. Finally, professional learning is critical and we are fortunate to have a well-established and comprehensive in-house programme, which includes digital learning, with teachers having the option of online, face to face and blended models to suit their needs. Alongside the engagement of global experts, I believe that GEMS teachers and school leaders enjoy a high level of professional support.

5.      What do you think is the most important element of the school that should be digitized in order for it to call itself a digitized school?

The mindset of all stakeholders must be digital if a school is said to have become digitally normal. This is really about attitudes to learning, culture and the acceptance by all staff, students and parents that the change is necessary, welcome and beneficial to children’s life chances. A shared digital mindset manifests itself in the realization that the school looks and feels vastly different in almost every area when compared to the position at the beginning of the journey. Lee and Broadie (2013) have produced a very helpful rubric of key indicators for assessing the stage a school has reached in its journey to digital normalization.  It should be stressed that digital normalization is not about doing everything digitally. Thankfully, statements that were once commonplace, along the lines of ‘all work will be done and assessed on computers’ have all but ceased and we are now seeing a far more pragmatic vision of effective technology integration, focused on situational fitness-for-purpose in terms of learning outcomes. When we are satisfied that all school leaders, teachers, students and parents are skilled in making decisions as to whether and how to use technology effectively and responsibly in any given situation, then a school may be said to be digitally normal. Of course, this journey never ends as the quest for excellence continues, set against an ever-rising bar!

6.      Who handles the schools' tech maintenance: in-house team or third party)?

All GEMS schools have permanent on-site IT engineers and are well supported by a central IT function.  In addition, we have strong partnerships with trusted partners such as Microsoft, Lego (Atlab) and the My Learning UK team, to name just a few. An essential element of all procurement decisions is the customer focus, adaptability and responsiveness of our partners, so this is very much by design. And, of course, ensuring that students learn to manage their own devices effectively, safely and responsibly, benefits everyone!

7.      How do you choose the technology for your school? 

We go through a rigorous process to predict ROI in terms of educational outcomes, set against the known needs of our schools. As stated previously, one of the key considerations is continuous support from our partners - and not just technical support. We expect technology providers to demonstrate that they truly understand and care about learning and our students. When we engage with providers, we are not buying technology; we are forming sustainable partnerships that will continuously improve our students’ learning.

It is always important to consider how new technology will fit within existing educational models and, if those models need to be changed, how this can be done. A good example of this is the innovative partnership with Pamoja at GEMS Wellington Academy, Dubai Silicon Oasis. In forming this partnership, it was clear that the school would need to transform the way it organized learning for its IB Diploma students, who would have the option of studying within a blended model. The programme provides students with the choice to take all or some of their units online on the Pamoja platform, with teacher support both online and face to face. It was clear that one of the key changes needed to accommodate this programme was the students’ timetable, which is now radically different and is conducive to supporting the greater degree of student ownership of, and accountability for, their learning. Initial concerns over students’ ability to keep on track have quickly dissipated, and the learners are reporting that the programme is helping them to become more disciplined. Furthermore, the lead teacher on the ground has found that, even though she is not teaching the students in the traditional sense, her knowledge of their progress through enhanced data analytics has greatly increased. This is empowering her to make more timely and effective interventions where necessary. She has commented that she now knows her students better than at any point in her career. Another consequence of the revised timetable is that students are finding that they have more time and opportunities to pursue other interests in the arts and sport, which is a great testament to the wider benefits of effective technology integration.

8.      Have you been approached by startups who offer digital solutions for your school? (e.g. Acadox) Are you hesitant to use their solution? Do you prefer solutions offered by more established companies?

The key factor is always the potential benefit for our students. One of the reasons we selected My Learning UK as the spine of our Online Learning Ecosystem was that they were relatively small and could provide a level of customer responsiveness, bespoke development and adaptability that was simply unavailable with the larger, more established companies in the field. Of course, the evaluation of the product itself was also extremely positive, as were the expertise, experience and philosophy of the individuals involved. There was a clear synergy in our educational goals and the calculated risk is continuing to pay dividends, with unprecedented usage, both in terms of learner engagement and the quality of learning taking place. Buoyed by this success, we are now working with a small startup to integrate an innovative, formative and summative assessment tool that has the potential to transform the way we assess student learning, engaging the students and their parents in a way that has been hitherto impossible. There is always a risk, but the potential pay-off is true ‘redefinition’ within the SAMR model, with unprecedented gains in student achievement.   

9.      What was/is the biggest challenge to digitize the school?

It is understandable that parents do not want to take risks with their children’s education and this has, in the past, presented a challenge as schools began the move to a digital operating base. We have worked hard over a number of years to engage parents in the change management process and we are now seeing a growing acceptance that digitization is necessary to provide our students with the knowledge and skills they will need for the future. We are now actually seeing a shift to a Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) mindset among parents, who realize that the risk of not making the move is greater than that of doing so! Many of our parents work in highly digitized and innovative professions, which has helped to build a consensus that schools also need to change if we are to truly prepare our students for life in the digital world.

Until now, inspection frameworks have been a barrier to digitization, as it has always been possible for a school to be rated ‘outstanding’ with little or no technology integration across the curriculum. This is now starting to change and the UAE Framework is likely to focus even more on this area in the coming years, providing a driver for a boom in digital learning.

10.  How did you cope with parents/teachers/staff who are not digital savvy? Did they show any resistance? 

People generally don’t resist change – they resist being changed – so we always talk far more about children’s learning than we do about technology. School leaders, teachers and parents care passionately about their children’s learning so, by relentlessly focusing on this, we gradually find more and more that digital solutions are often the most effective ones when looking at school improvement and better learning outcomes. Meeting all stakeholders at the level of what they really care about is critical and the more we focus on learning, the less resistance we see when digital solutions are floated.

Many parents are naturally concerned about their children’s use of technology. “Isn’t it a distraction? Will they be safe online? Will they become addicted?” are all common questions that parents ask.  We have found that the implementation of Common Sense Media’s K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum in our schools has gone a long way to eradicating the fears of our parents. The programme engages whole families and we have had the parent materials translated into Arabic and co-branded, to ensure we reach all our families effectively with a consistent message.

11.  What are the steps you are taking to deal with the short lifetime of tech? How do you future proof your institution?

A Bring Your Own Technology strategy is essential to future-proof our students’ access to learning in such uncertain times. Consumers are far more agile in adapting to changing trends than large organizations, where procurement cycles can see technology rendered obsolete before it has been embedded. Also, our evaluation process for new technology includes careful consideration of the flexibility and adaptability of the proposed solution. A good example is the selection of the My Learning VLE and the partnership we have established with the provider. This is very much a ‘pin cushion’ solution, rather than the traditional ‘bubble’ VLE and we are constantly adapting the system to meet the changing needs of our schools, integrating tools and content as required to provide a seamless, personalized workflow for all stakeholders. So, we future-proof by focusing on personalized learning and providing a cross-platform, cloud-based digital ecosystem that is capable of adapting quickly, is responsive to the changing needs of learners and can integrate emerging technologies.

12.  In your opinion, what are the top reasons for a school to go digital despite the great challenges especially in the region? 

It’s not just about technical skills, programming, entrepreneurship, making, design thinking, innovating and equipping our students for future commercial success – although these are all essential elements of the curriculum in progressive schools.  Full participation in a digital, global society is a basic entitlement for all children. Schools must, therefore, also provide their students with the skills, knowledge, attributes and values they need to engage sensitively and productively with the vast array of cultures they will inevitably encounter in the future, whilst maintaining a keen sense of their own heritage.  Every time I see our students, even young children, Skyping, co-constructing learning, co-creating, peer assessing and teaching their mother languages to others across continents, faiths and cultures, I become more convinced that this is an opportunity that we simply cannot deny any child in the digital age.

Lee and Broadie (2015) have argued that schools must go digital to survive in a consumer-driven market, where parents are beginning, quite rightly, to expect that their children will be learning in digitally normalized environments that reflect the real world. Given that this research also indicates an average 5 year journey, any school that doesn’t already at least have a plan is likely to be failing its students come 2021. It is hard to imagine in Dubai, for example, that the only places in the city that aren’t smart would be its schools.

13.  What positive (or negative) change did digitization have on your school?

I want to be very clear about this. If there is a consensus on anything between academics in this field, it is that throwing technology at a traditional learning model has little impact.  Schools globally (with many notable exceptions, of course) are failing to integrate technology effectively in terms of improving student learning across the curriculum (OECD, 2015).  Professor John Hattie’s work on Visible Learning suggests that ‘computer-assisted instruction’ has an effect size of d= 0.37 and ‘web-based learning’ an even poorer d =0.18. Those familiar with Hattie’s work will recognize that these findings show very limited positive impact on achievement. Hattie has, however, stated very clearly that he believes we are not realizing the full potential of technology because we need to re-imagine how we organize learning in order to maximize its impact. I agree with him and we have seen many examples of this in our schools, such as the Pamoja example already discussed. Another wonderful example was seen at GEMS Royal Dubai School, where the English Language Learning teacher went through this very process of re-imagining how she organized learning for her students, with accelerated learning outcomes in vocabulary acquisition averaging more than double the expected progress and one student making five years’ worth of progress in just one year.  Immediately, we were seeing effect sizes above d= 1.0. It should be noted that the teacher did not simply throw a piece of language software at the students – some of the key tools used were ubiquitous and not particularly groundbreaking these days: Google Docs, Minecraft, iMovie, Voki, Powtoon and, of course, personal devices. The impact was seen due to the way she organized the students’ learning, engaged their parents and siblings, changed the timetable, made the learning authentic, opened up the assessment rubric to the students, and a whole host of other non-digital innovations. The point is that the new learning process could not have happened without the technology, but this was just one essential part of a re-imagined model.  

Accordingly, the GEMS Digital Strategy focuses more on building new models of learning than it does on technology – and I firmly believe this is how it should be.

14.  What are the dominating teaching/learning trends you see in the next 5 years?

Astute educators are moving away from a fascination with technological advances (although they are still tracking these closely) and beginning to focus on emerging learning theories such as heutagogy, paragogy, connectivism, self-regulated learning and post-modernist perspectives such as rhizome theory. They are considering how these ideas tie in with the established, enduring theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, to build practical models of learning that can maximize the potential of learning technologies.  

It is a deeper understanding and application of these theories by teachers, school leaders and those involved in digital change management programmes that will drive how emerging technologies are integrated with maximum impact on learning.

Yes, we can talk in positive terms about flipped classrooms, blended learning, digital profiles, Internet of Things, Big Data and analytics, Game-based Learning, BYOT, MOOCS, micro-credentials, etc., but if the impact of digital transformation on students’ learning and life chances is to be maximized, then we must be aiming for the delivery of a coherent strategy based on a deep understanding of learning theory in the digital age.