Exam supervision today. Trial HSC Chemistry Test. Questions like:

In which layer of the atmosphere is ozone considered a pollutant?
(A) Mesosphere
(B) Stratosphere
(C) Thermosphere
(D) Troposphere                                                                                        (HSC Chemistry Paper 2015)

What is the pH of a 0.018 mol L−1 solution of hydrochloric acid?
(A) 0.74
(B) 0.96
(C) 1.04
(D) 1.74                                                                                                   (HSC Chemistry Paper 2015)

A solution contains carbonate, chloride and sulfate ions.
Describe a sequence of tests that could be used to confirm the presence of each of these ions. 
Include ONE relevant chemical equation.                                                    (HSC Chemistry Paper 2015)

In less then 5 minutes this evening I could answer Question 1 - Troposphere. Google gave me a formula which I used with my calculator to answer the second question leading me to the answer 1.74. (I don’t have the answers here, so chemistry teachers correct me if I am wrong.) And the last question? Well, I can tell you after 20 seconds on the internet that I can confirm carbonate ions by testing with limewater and I am sure if I bothered I could quickly find out how to test for chloride and sulphate… but let’s be honest, I can’t be bothered. 

This got me thinking. I googled which HSC Course was apparently the hardest - Extension Maths 2 and Extension Hebrew. Hmmm… Extension Maths 2 has me a little stumped. I actually have to apply stuff to other stuff. However, if I have the formula and a calculator how hard can it be? The Hebrew paper is not available online, which is a shame because I know how to use google translate. 

So I tried a History paper. Tricky. They wanted me to have an opinion. Formulate an argument. Can’t google my opinion can I? And then there is the Drama Exam. Did you know they have to perform their own piece…created from their own minds…using their own creativity…and they have to do it with other people???? Can’t google that. Real life experience right here people, but I guess it won’t scale well. 

And I could go on, but I think I will just get to my point. Why are we teaching and testing stuff we can google? Why aren’t we just teaching students how to google? Teaching students to source the information they need and apply it? Does rote learning have a place at all? What is the point of learning factual information that no one is going to retain after the exam? What sort of examination is it if I can just google the information and have the answer in less then 5 minutes?

I am not trying to be irritating and I am not down playing the importance of Chemistry or any other subject. However, I am advocating for a change to our teaching, a difference in the way we learn, an alternative way of assessing. 

Let me expand by drawing on the lives of two male adults I know. One has a number of university degrees including a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering, Masters in Engineering, MBA’s coming out his ears. The other is an operational police detective… dropped out in year 10, underwent a trade, went back to TAFE to do his HSC and joined the police. Each of them are smart in their own rights. I often refer to the later as street smart. However, if I needed help in a critical situation, needed someone to think out of the box, needed someone who could solve an immediate problem, I would call the policeman… not the degreeman. Not someone who can google and reference an essay, but someone who can think on his feet, problem solve, relate to the people around him. 

I watch kids stress about memorising facts day in and day out and I wonder why.
“Miss, we HAVE to memorise this by next period.”
“Why?”
“We have a test.”
“Can you google it…”
“Um, I guess so.”
“So what is the point?”

Do you see my issue? Let’s teach them stuff they can’t google. Let’s test them on applying and creating rather then just knowing. Bloom was no idiot when he worked out his taxonomy. So, why are we still testing knowledge? Knowledge is at our figure tips. This generation does not need to know. This generation needs to be able to apply, analyse, synthesis, evaluate, create, and make connections. 

As Einstein said, “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” Let’s not be stupid. Stop teaching the things we can google and start teaching the things that matter. 

A few years back a dear friend introduced me to the concept of Augmented Reality and I have been fascinated by it ever since. Augmented reality is when technology is used to create a  live view of an alternative, augmented world by generating sensory information through a computer or tablet. (This was the first video I saw that demonstrated Augmented Reality and I was awed by it!)  I have found it to be an effective tool to encourage deeper thinking and maximise instructional time in my classroom. The kids love it, other teachers are awed by it and you will have fun experimenting with it.

There are many ways you can approach the application of Augmented Reality in you classroom. I have found the simplest to be Aurasma. Aurasma is an app for iPhone or iPad that can allow for augmented experiences to be embedded simply in your day-to-day teaching. 

How can you use it in your classroom?

Peer Teaching and Self-Directed Instruction - One way I immediately implemented this tool was in my VET classroom. In this class students are required to use high-tech gear (audio, lighting and vision equipment) on a regular basis. My Year 12 students who were comfortable with the equipment created instructional videos for each element. We then layered these videos over an image of each device. My Year 11’s then utilised their iPads to bring up the instructional videos which assisted them in recalling the various elements of the equipment. This freed up my time to work with other students on different elements of production. My Year 12 students had the benefit of teaching their knowledge allowing them to reinforce the concepts for their own studies. My Year 11’s had the benefit of accessing this information whenever they required it, not just when I had five minutes spare to show them. 

This type of routine could be used in a number of classes for specific equipment or tools. Think Science, Art, DT, PE or Maths. It could also be used to reinforce concepts. Eg. In Maths, you could have a number of posters with formulas. These formulas could be posted around the room with embedded video examples of these formulas in action (maybe created by the more G&T students). When students forget how to apply them or where they can be of use, they can visit the posters and watch a live example. This encourages students to be more self-directed in their learning and saves the teacher valuable time explaining it again. Alternatively, in the Music classroom students could embed performances onto posters centred around a specific musical concept such as time signature or a particular musical instrument, to teach other students via sound, rather then through descriptions of sound. In Food Technology students could video a cooking demonstration and embed it on a recipe for other students to access when they attempt to create the recipe. This are just a few examples, but the possibilities are endless!

To Aid Deeper Thinking - Recently I moved to a new school. The girls in my senior class were intelligent, hard working kids that knew perfectly well how to play the game otherwise known as ‘mainstream education’. Within a term I was well aware of this and decided that for our second unit of work I was going to challenge them to become deeper thinkers. We were studying the History of Western Theatre which at times can be dry, but we completely shook it up. You can find the whole unit here, but to cut a long story short the students had to produce an interactive timeline of Western Theatre History for our classroom. Students created infographics which were printed for display as a large timeline. Using Aurasma we overlaid performances that displayed the theatrical traditions and performance styles in action. The students had to perform, direct and film their practical examples. At one stage during the project one of my girls said, ‘Miss, why can’t we just do a research report? This is difficult.” I had changed the game and she was unsure how to play. My response was this, “I want you to dissect information, apply information, create, collaborate and most importantly develop a deeper understanding of the impact theatre has on it’s world and it’s people. Completing a research report is only going to show me that you know how to use google and structure an essay.” She understood. By using Aurasma in this project I could physically fuse our theory with our practical work making it come to life for the students. These students still continually refer to this timeline drawing techniques and conventions from our prior learning to apply to our current performance work. Younger students also use it to gain an understanding of each of these theatrical styles. 

This type of project encourages deeper thinking. In Science students could complete a research paper and embed film of their experiments over the top of the report showing not only the final product, but the process that led them to their conclusion. In Art students could overlay a time-lapse of the art work being produced which would provide the viewer with another perspective on the art work in front of them. I said it before and I will say it again, the possibilities are endless. It is an awesome and innovative way to connect the thinking process with the product. 

To Give Students A Voice - Students could film themselves giving an opinion on a topic and overlay this recording on a given image which could be accessed by other students to enhance their learning. Imagine if all the books in your classroom had embedded book reviews by other students stimulated by the image on the front cover. I haven’t tried this yet, but it is on my list of things to do! Alternatively, students could voice their opinions on climate change or another current issue in a panel discussion, film this discussion and embed it on an image which other students could readily access throughout the school stimulating further meaningful conversations. 

I am sure there are many more ways Augmented Reality could be applied in your classroom. I know I am just touching the surface and I am excited about the future possibilities of this technology. I challenge you to experiment with this new dimension. When the posters in your classroom come to life for the first time your students may momentarily think they have transported to Hogwarts. Believe me, they will be suitably impressed and even a little bit dazzled by the magic you can weave with this technology.

This character wall is my favourite feature of my physical classroom. Some of the pictures on this wall have been with me for over 10 years now and I feel I am still learning about the people in the photographs. You see, my character wall is a source of inspiration for in-depth characters, playbuilding, compositions and creative writing in my class. Over the years I have seen these images come to life and each time I am able to glimpse briefly into the world in which they live. Occasionally I add different photos to the mix and it surprises me how quickly the kids notice our new visitors.


The photos consist of people of various age, gender, socio-economic status and cultures. You can do it the old school way (cut and laminate) or make a board on Pinterest for the digital classroom. Students love it as it pushes them to think outside teenage stereotypes and assists them in conceiving complex characters. Character wallshave a place in the English classroom, the Geography classroom (an opportunity to write about different cultures), the History or Science classroom (think anthropology) or even a primary school setting.


So get snipping or pinning!

Puppetry is one of the most beautiful forms of theatre and one of the most freeing. It is the art of giving an inanimate object life. When I taught Year 8 Drama I always used puppetry as my first playbuilding unit. It was a safe medium for my kids. They could hide behind their puppet, but still have a voice. They were able to play without the fear of failing. It is less confronting then standing directly in front of an audience and it is a perfect stepping stone to build presentation skills. 

Puppetry is also transformational. It is not limited to realistic characters. You can be anything... a mythical being, talking tree, a beautiful animal. This means the possibilities for creative expression are endless.

For students with special needs puppetry can be an incredible medium for releasing their voices and creative potential. Students with physical disabilities become less vulnerable. Students with Asperger’s syndrome, autism and even anxiety find safety in the puppet and can really excel on stage as a result. ESL or language impaired students could use a silent form of puppetry such as shadow puppetry to voice their ideas without the pressure of performing vocally. It is an all-inclusive, highly accessible form of theatre making it the perfect tool for the classroom.
  
I encourage all teachers to try puppetry in their classes to give their students a creative voice. I am using shadow puppetry in Religion at the moment to bring the Parable of the Sower to life. You could use mechanical puppets in Science to present research on a particular topic or conduct an experiment. Employ hand puppets to have a global summit on climate change or utilise one of the many puppetry apps to interview historical characters about their contribution to society. Puppetry would also be a great unit to introduce the elements of dramatic narrative in English. 

The students in my class are currently using the PuppetPal app to work on their vocal skills in Drama and explore the structure of a narrative. The kids love it and they must work collaboratively to complete the task. Puppet Pals 2 also has a lot of historical characters to choose from. It would be a great tool for English, Languages, History and Cultural Studies.