Educator challenges teachers (+video)

A Rotorua principal has returned from sabbatical with ground-breaking ideas about digital learning and school collaboration.

Otonga Rd Primary School principal Linda Woon is back in Rotorua preaching to fellow educators the importance of human interaction, not digital devices, in the classroom.

Ms Woon was the 2014 recipient of the Rotorua Principals' Association travelling fellowship, sponsored by Ricoh.

She spoke at the association's meeting yesterday about her time in Finland, saying many of the discussions challenged her way of thinking.

"Four years ago conferences were focusing on effective use of technology but now there is no talk of technology at all - it's all about human contact and building personal relationships."

Ms Woon questioned what effect technology really had on learning.

"Has it closed the rich poor gap? No. Has it improved maths and English outcomes? No. Has it improved student achievement? No. "What does improve all those things is effective teaching, " she said.

"Research is coming through which has found technology to be causing real problems, not just for students but teachers as well. It's a distraction and results in students feeling isolated and lonely."

Ms Woon also touched on the importance of keeping children active.

"Sitting is the new smoking. At least when you stop smoking your body is able to recover but research shows the damage caused by sitting all day is irreparable. Why are we making our kids sit all day in the classroom? We need a mix of sitting and standing desks. We need PE everyday and we need to be getting our kids up and doing activities."

Ms Woon said the ability for schools to work collaboratively was another aspect she found
challenging.

"I admit I was one of the teachers who was resistant to full collaboration because at Otonga we have 50 per cent of students coming from outside our zone and I didn't want to give away our competitive advantage. However, I have now learned it is possible to balance the two. Collaboration is not going to hurt us individually."

She acknowledged these new ideas about digital learning and collaboration would not be "everyone's cup of tea".

"But at the end of the day, we need to be doing whatever we can for the betterment of our children."

New ideas:
- Human contact in class is
critical
- Parental guidance with
homework is still needed
- Digital tools, if
unbalanced, are isolating
and ineffective
- Classes should have a
mix of standing and sitting
desks
- Collaboration is possible
in a competitive education
model