Using Workspaces

 The school has been using Hapara workspaces for a few years now. Our DP in charge of curriculum has been pushing for all staff to have the work for the students to complete on a workspace so there is a consistent approach. Also, when you make the workspace public, you can embed it onto your class website so the planning and set work can be seen publicly.

To be completely honest, I was not the fastest convert to working this way. I already had all my work on my class site where my students made copies of the docs and I kept track via a spreadsheet. I made the workspaces as I had been asked to, put them on my site with some work on them, but didn't really engage after that. Bit of a "box tick", compliance thing.

Since going in and out of lockdowns over the last two and a half years and the students not having a lot of consistency, I decided to give it a better try. 

I am a definite convert now. As I already had all the resources on my class site, it did not take a lot of time to set up the cards on the workspaces for all the activities. Yes, it is putting the same stuff in two different places but this has proved to be a positive thing as it gives the students the ability to start the work from where ever they are accessing it. Blog post here.

I got some students voice last year about how they liked to be presented with the work. A lot of the things that I do came out - like making examples and making step. by steps / how to's - blog post here, so I wanted to make sure the students still had access to these things if the only place they were going to for the work when not in the classroom was the workspace. I have been putting my examples and step by step documents and how to videos all on the workspaces so they are easy to find. There is also a link to where everything is on the class site so they can see it there too. 

Another thing that I wanted to try this year was to use workspaces as the evidence "dump" for the drawn work that the students produce as well as the written work. I have only just started trying this, but it is going ok so I will be continuing this next year. The Year 13 student who has been trying this out for me has been taking here own pictures of the work so it hasn't created extra work for me really. I wrote a blog post about this thinking earlier this year.

Here are links to some of my workspaces embedded on my class site.

• Year 9 Food Tech
• Y11 DVC - Architect Information
• Y11 DVC Design Brief
• Y13 DVC Initiate Design Ideas - This was my first attempts at getting the students to put their drawn work on a workspace.
• Y13 DVC Product Design - This one includes blank templates to add design concepts that the students have drawn and photographed.

Here are a couple of examples of one students design and concepts and concept developments that they put onto the workspace (I have made copies of them so their names do not appear as the owner)

• Concepts
• Concept Development

This has definitely made it easier to have all of the work referenced in one place. This is really useful for marking and moderating. The original drawings will still need to be posted to Wellington for external marking. I actually agree with them seeing the originals to be honest as it is difficult to get a consistently clear image from scanning or photographing and you don't want to risk any details being lost.

I am a definite convert to this, but I still have to make my workspaces look pretty!!! - Blog post here

Workflow - Feedback from students

As part of my inquiry this year, I am wanting to use my class site as a total support system for my students working through their projects.

In order to help me to move forwards with this, I have asked my Y11 and Y12 students to give me feedback about their workflow at the moment across all of their lessons.

Things of notes from the results

1. Students like quite a varied way of receiving their work
2. They like a website / workspace to be well ordered and visually appealing
3. They like a mix of verbal and written instructions, with examples to look at and refer to
4. They appreciate having instructions and examples rewindable so they can look back at them

Here is the form that I have sent to them.

Here are their responses (so far, as of date of typing this). 

I have made a copy of the actual form response sheet so I can change and remove any reference to particular teachers, subjects or he/she. 

Across all of your classes, which is the way you find your work most often?	Of the choices listed in Question 1, which do you prefer. Why do you prefer these methods?	What is the best way to make work clear to you?	Can you please explain why you chose the answers in Question 2.	Of all of the teachers websites / class sites that you work from, which ones do you find the easiest to follow, find your work, understand your work. Please also explain why you chose these ones and what it is about them that makes you choose them.
Shared directly from the teacher	The first	Verbal instructions	It is easier for me to understand	XXXX The Colours
Shared directly from the teacher	Gmail because its much easier to fund the work	Verbal instructions, Having it demonstrated in front of you	Because it makes more sense and more understanding	Not sure
Shared directly from the teacher, From workspace, Printed out and photocopied, Written on the board	because there all the most easy ways for me to do work	Worked examples, Written instructions, Having it demonstrated in front of you	because there ways that work best for me	idk
Shared directly from the teacher, Printed out and photocopied	I prefer these methods because it is easy for my to do the work	Worked examples	So it can be easy for me to understand the work	XXXX
Shared directly from the teacher, Written on the board	Because it's much easier for me.	Worked examples, Written instructions	Much easier for me	XXXX because XX sets out the work on XX website all organized.
Shared directly from the teacher, From workspace, Printed out and photocopied, Written on the board	There easy and faster for me to work with	Worked examples, Written instructions, Having it demonstrated in front of you, Being able to ask questions one to one with the teacher, Doing you own research to work it out	Because it works for me and it's more efficient
Shared directly from the teacher	yes is more helpful and i like discuss something with my teacher.	Worked examples	This is because it will make me realize what is the actual work is .	I usually like discussing with my teacher about a event and i got more information from that teacher than doing it online .
Shared directly from the teacher, From the teachers class site, From workspace	Shared directly from the teacher	Worked examples, Verbal instructions, Having it demonstrated in front of you	Those are the easiest ways for me	Having it demonstrated in front of me is the easiest way because it easier when the teacher explains then we go on about our day
Shared directly from the teacher, From workspace	on the work space (this is because I know that it will always be there)	Having it demonstrated in front of you, Being able to ask questions one to one with the teacher	Im a visual learner, but sometimes i need clarification from the teacher too.	every site is difficult in different ways. some sites are easy because they clearly show where everything is. and some sites are confusing because of the many numbers and other things.
Shared directly from the teacher	easy access	Worked examples, Having it demonstrated in front of you	Easy instructions	XXXX, instructions are easy to understand
From the teachers class site	written on the board. because when it written at the board the teacher explain clear	Worked examples, Having it demonstrated in front of you, Being able to ask questions one to one with the teacher, Doing you own research to work it out	understand better when we ask question if we don't understand and follow by the introduction.	find your work and understand your work. because we have to find the work so you can work on it and understand the work
Shared directly from the teacher, From workspace	workspace, its easy to access, when i start a task, it shows i have started it, and when i am done i am able to submit it to get it checked, its a much more simple process	Worked examples, Written instructions, Verbal instructions, Having it demonstrated in front of you, Being able to ask questions with the whole class	I find it more comfortable and more easier to understand.	Its hard to say as i find both XXXX and XXXX website easy to follow,find and understand. XXXX also make examples which help me understand further. XXXX examples gives me the basic idea and understanding as to what i have to and need to do. XXXX website/workspace is easy to follow, we have our work spaced out in catergories and XXXX gives us daily reminders on our class calendar if we are stuck. we can also ask XXXX and XXXX when we are stuck aswell
From the teachers class site	Because it’s easier and saves time	Worked examples, Having it demonstrated in front of you	Easier and faster	XXXX because it’s always updated and it isn’t confusing compared to the other subjects.
Shared directly from the teacher	One not sure why i prefer it maybe just used to it	Written instructions	So if i forget i can go nack and read what to do	XXXX i think one of the only ones that use it
Shared directly from the teacher, From workspace, Printed out and photocopied, Written on the board	Shared directly from the teacher because I tend to open the email straight away and not leave it until later to open it.	Worked examples, A screen cast video with a rewindable instruction to watch, Having it demonstrated in front of you, Being able to ask questions one to one with the teacher	Worked examples gives me a clear understanding as to what is expected to be done. A screen cast videos allows me to rewind back anytime. Having it demonstrated in front of me gives me a better understanding. Asking questions to the teacher helps me to know that I am right on track.	Gmail and workspace. I can easily access emails from the teacher and on workspace, it has a combination of help videos uploaded and you can access it whenever.
From workspace	Because its easier to find access.	Worked examples, Verbal instructions, Having it demonstrated in front of you	Because it makes way faster and easier.	Hapara workspace
From the teachers class site	Its easy	Verbal instructions	Its easier when someone explains it	XXXX
Shared directly from the teacher	easierto get access	Worked examples	easierto look at one that is already done so i can get some ideas of what to do to my own	not to sure

Online Teaching - Workflow prep for students

I sent this to all my NCEA students today so they know what the workflow will be when we. get back to term 2 on the 15th April