Rolland Chidiac
Although he remains humble about his work and accomplishments, OECTA member Rolland Chidiac is on the frontier of 21st century learning. Now in his thirteenth year of teaching, Rolland currently works with Grade 2 students at St. Anne Catholic Elementary School in Kitchener (Waterloo). His class is leading the way in demonstrating how to meaningfully incorporate technology to provide a rich, forward-thinking education.
About a year ago, Rolland participated in a Teacher Learning and Leadership Program conference. He received a grant for 13 Chromebooks; small laptops that have the most popular Google products plugged in. Using this technology, he is opening up new possibilities for teaching and discovery. The students are learning how to research, collect, organize, collaborate, create, and analyze data. They are able to knock down the walls of the classroom and solicit global responses to what they are doing. As they chart this new territory, they are taking risks and overcoming obstacles, becoming comfortable with the idea that frustration and failure are normal parts of learning and growing.
Of course, Rolland’s program has not been without hurdles. For one, there needs to be a reliable internet connection that can accommodate the required number of users. Logins and passwords are another problem, especially for young children. He also has a diverse group of students, some of whom have academic difficulties or are still learning to be socially appropriate. To help with some of these issues, Rolland incorporated a Digital Boot Camp routine into his everyday practice and sought advice from his project partner, Ferdinand Krauss, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s 21st Century Learning and Information Technology Consultant. He has also endeavoured to present a program that is respectful of where the students are at individually.
Rolland’s methods align with many of the best practices identified by researchers examining 21st century learning and the use of technology. Without professional insight and focused pedagogy, it can quickly devolve into play. “Ninety-eight per cent of the students have a connection to technology,” says Rolland. “They use it at home all the time.” The trick, he says, is to reinforce the underlying principle that in the classroom, the Chromebooks are used to assist learning.
For example, in one of his lessons, Rolland has his students use the Google Drawing application to visualize the text he has provided. The technology enables them to employ colours and images that they would not be able to draw. The students work in pairs, which gives them the opportunity to develop their social skills and ability to collaborate. The class also engages in “rich talk”: asking and answering questions, connecting what they are drawing with the learning expectations, and explaining what is meaningful to them, and why. So, while the technology catches the students’ attention and allows them to do more, they are still guided by solid teaching, learning goals, and instructional wraparound.
Rolland is constantly striving to improve his pedagogy. He blogs about his experiences at newfluencies.blogspot.com. He also shares experiences and ideas with his social networks, including his popular Twitter account, @rchids. “I’m reflecting about my work anyway,” he says. “Now I can go back and revisit and generate new ideas. I document my practice.”
In the end, Rolland is trying to appropriately prepare his students for the complex world in which they live. It is all about working together, talking together, moving around the room. In the process, the students learn skills and solve problems.