Meeting of the Minds 2012

Meeting of the Minds 2012

The inaugural Meeting of the Minds Unconference (#MOTM12)  was held over the weekend of February 25-26 at the Quantum Victoria facility. Educators came together from all over Victoria and from interstate to discuss the role of technology in learning.

The guiding motto of #MOTM12 was  “The shortest distance between two people is a story.” Participants were invited to create their own digital story before the event and then to share them on the Meeting of the Minds website. This was just one of the interesting ways that participants were encouraged to share their thoughts and meet each other. Attendees were even tasked with making lunch for their partner!

The organisers of the event had obviously spent a great deal of time thinking about how to have attendees collaborate and guide the content of sessions. A shared display area and sticky notes were used to collect ideas and suggestions, which were then grouped into sessions that were then run by participants.  Shared notes were collected in Google Docs and sessions were streamed live with many people joining in the discussion on Twitter using the #MOTM12 hashtag.

There were lively discussions about using technology in the classroom and the importance of self directed learning, not just for students but also for educators. Many participants discussed the way professional learning might be improved and encouraged within their schools. One great idea was to gather for a coffee at the start of each day for a 5 minute sharing session.

Have a look at a Storify of the event, produced by online attendee Roland Gesthuizen, to see how it all unfolded. You can also visit the #MOTM12 website to find out more. Shared notes from each session can be found in the Spaces menu.

Congratulations to the event organisers Jess McCulloch, Tony Richards and Andrew Williamson for putting together an event that allowed educators to get together and collaborate in such an interesting way.

Edublogs blog directory

Edublogs has a community and blog directory, making it easy to find blogs that fit your area of interest:

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You can add your own blog to the directory, there is a Curriculum Corner for ideas on using blogs in the classroom as well as information on cybersafety and more. A great resource for any teacher who uses blogs either for professional learning and/or writes their own blog.

Xtranormal

I’ve been checking out Xtranormal for a long time now and think it’s a great way to introduce scripting, digital storytelling and film making to students.

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As the website says, “if you can type, you can make movies…”

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By selecting a collection and then characters, begin typing and away you go. Being able to select camera angles is a bonus.

As the website says

Xtranormal.com is a web-site powered by Xtranormal’s text-to-movie™ platform—a web-based application used to create short 3D animated movies from simple text-based movie-scripts. The characters in the movie speak the dialogue in the script, and react to performance triggers—icons that are dropped directly into the script, just like smileys in IM/chat. Movies can be shared through e-mail, blogs and online video sharing and social networking sites such as YouTube™, MySpace™ and Facebook™.

Xtranormal has its own YouTube channel and you can get updates from their Twitter account. Xtranormal could be a terrific way for students to interpret historical events or to present an assignment.

I’m thinking of using it for library orientation and as a fun way to introduce professional learning to teachers.

Verona Gridley’s blog

Verona Gridley, classroom teacher at St Luke the Evangelist School has developed a very good blog for reflecting on her professional practice.

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Verona explains how she views her blog:

I am happy to share my blog. I am into my second term of blogging and can’t believe my learning curve. It has become an invaluable tool for collaboration and learning in a contemporary world. Blogs are purposeful and flexible and definitely deserve greater attention in the classroom.

On my journey through blogging both personally and with my class many benefits of have become apparent over time. There are growing connections with readers that show the great advantages of being part of a network and receiving feedback from contributors within a broader community.

It’s always informative to read about blogs used for different purposes and Verona’s blog is a terrific example of a learning and reflecting journal. We are all the richer for her sharing it with us. Thanks Verona and congratulations on your achievements with using blogging with your students.

Clairvaux Library wiki

Clairvaux Catholic Primary School teacher librarian Pam Niewman has shown what a fantastic educator she is by developing this brilliant wiki in a very short space of time.

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Pam explains

The wiki is the backbone of my teaching at the moment and it develops along with our needs. It’s very primary orientated and by no means complete  – it even gets some things deleted/changed at times. However, like a tap dripping slowly, Web 2.0 is filtering throughout our school . . .

We are still continuing small steps at a time.

The wiki is gradually becoming a very useful tool and something that the children are beginning to refer to and use on a regular basis. I often use it as a teaching tool in my lessons from Prep to Year 6. The children have a link to it on our MyClasses page and the staff have a link on their desktop.

The use of the wiki and various web 2.0 tools is beginning to filter throughout the school – in addition to work done in library classes, we’re up to about 90 children now who have engaged in some form of after hours activities as either creators or responders. I’ve had many emails – some requiring advice, some informing me of what they have done or sending me links, and some just communicating about things they are enjoying.

As more children are beginning to show an interest in displaying their work on the wiki I have decided to set up a Student Work page in addition to incorporating their work into other appropriate pages.

Recently some Book Week activities created some learning opportunities.

  • Children began emailing to be the first to answer a question a day about a shortlisted book. This question became hotly discussed as children tried to be the first online with the correct answer. (Side effect – Use of email improved particularly with younger children)
  • Wallwishers which I set up to discuss the Book Week theme and related activities created interest with the Seniors, who then began creating their own. These were posted on MyClasses and the wiki and the discussions began . . . and then more …and more . . .  They added videos and websites  (Side effect – online mentoring, classroom teachers added comments, good questions had to be developed)
  • Some children who saw my Book Week ToonDoo cartoon tried some out for themselves and emailed their link to me.
  • A few children found a link to Picasso Head on the wiki (via Schumann the Shoeman activities) and tried it out.
  • Book Trailers – Two Year 4 boys created a book trailer for visiting author Justin D’Ath. A number of children who saw this on the wiki now want to try creating their own.
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  • A year 4 girl wrote and published on the wiki an excellent biography of Justin D’Ath, based on a talk he gave to her class during Book Week.
  • Some children have begun adding book reviews.
  • During their Inquiry unit, two year 6 boys made a web page to make people aware of the plight of the children in the Pakistan floods. A link to this was put on the wiki.
  • As a spin off from these activities, I now have lots of evidence for assessment and report writing.

There is a growing awareness and some curiosity now amongst the staff about Web 2.0 and I have been asked to do some PD and share ideas with the staff next year. As well, I have the opportunity to further develop both my own and the children’s web 2.0 skills next year in my teaching. I think the wiki will develop according to the paths we take and the tools we explore.

My goals for next year are to continue learning about Web 2.0 so that I can provide opportunities to embed the use of appropriate Web 2.0 tools in the learning and teaching of students and staff in our school.

Pam points out that she is by no means an expert (I think she is) and that she is experimenting with the development and use of the wiki. I think she’s done a brilliant job and I am sure the wiki will continue to grow and evolve over time. Please take the opportunity to browse through Pam’s wiki. It is truly amazing what she has accomplished in a couple of terms.

Penny Bentley’s blog

Penny Bentley began blogging earlier this year. Like a duck taking to water, Penny has found blogging an excellent way of sharing, learning and reflecting. She explains the process:

Earlier this year I signed up for a 12 week, online professional development program. As a teacher of secondary maths and science I have an interest in finding new ways to engage and motivate students. Well, the VicPLN program was eye opening, challenging and arguably the best PD I have ever done.

I used to consider social media, like Facebook, to be a waste of time. Something my kids use instead of doing more important things, like homework. Well, things have changed. I am a blogger, I use twitter, Facebook and many other applications on the web. My blog, CLOUD9 started out as an online record of my journey through the VicPLN program. I blogged about my reading, new discoveries, frustrations and thoughts about classroom applications. I was able to display media such as images, slide shows, video and audio. CLOUD 9 started to feel like my personal place on the web.

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One of the best features of blogging is the authentic audience. Every time I made a post there was feedback, support and encouragement. I started to develop confidence in my ability to use technology, to create amazing things and to put myself out there in cyberspace. By the end of the program I was hooked, I could see the enormous potential for student engagement.

So, my desire to blog didn’t end with the PD. For a while the web felt like a lonely place, I missed my daily feedback and interaction.  There was a need to rethink the purpose of CLOUD9. It was important for me to enjoy blogging, to provide information that is educational and useful to teachers, to make smaller but more frequent posts and to have feedback. I decided to continue blogging about useful web tools, games, virtual excursions and any other application that may be useful in the classroom. CLOUD9 will provide bite sized professional development for teachers, with a taste of maths and science.

An unexpected outcome of blogging is that now I have a record of my 2010 professional development. I am beginning to view my blog as a digital portfolio of skills and achievements; it’s like an alternative to the dusty filing cabinet.

If you’ve been thinking about starting your own blog, Penny is an excellent example to follow. Well done Penny!

Free Global Education Conference 15-19 November 2010

Educator extraordinaire Steve Hargadon is organising a free global education conference to be held between the 15th and 19th of November.

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To be held via Elluminate and in multiple time zones, each session will be recorded so if you are unable to ‘attend’ live, there is the opportunity to view later on.

Tracks include:

  • Teacher
  • Student
  • Curriculum
  • Policy and leadership
  • Global issues
  • Learning 2.0 and
  • Spanish sessions

A list of session titles, times and details can be accessed now as well and if you are interested in helping moderate a session (or more), there are details for that as well.

A fantastic initiative and way to connect with other educators on a global scale.

Free Cyber Summit on 21st Century Readiness

Some teachers in Australia have holidays beginning next week. So a brilliant time to access the Free Cyber Summit on 21st Century Readiness to be held between September 20 – October 5.

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For more information click on this link and for international time zone conversions, click here. A fantastic opportunity to add to your professional learning and to broaden your personal learning network.

Enhancing Teachers’ Take-up of Digital Content: Factors and Design Principles in Technology Adoption

The Enhancing_Teacher_Takeup_of_Digital_Content_Report commissioned by Education Services Australia (a merger between Curriculum Corporation and Education.au) and written by Professor Michael Gaffney has recently been published.

The Executive Summary explains:

  • Although digital uptake in schools increasing, many teachers do not use technology in their classroom

To ensure this is changed, the following points are recommended:

1. Contextual factors
1.1 Governments and education authorities have clear goals and policies for adoption.
1.2 The timeline for adoption by governments and education authorities (ie the political timeline) associated with policy development, program delivery and evaluation reflects the timeline for adoption by schools and teachers (ie the educational timeline) associated with finding, assessing relevance, take-up and refinement of the use of digital content.
1.3 Schools have the infrastructure necessary for adoption, including available, suitable and affordable technological tools.
1.4 Teachers and students appreciate the relevance of the digital content and how it relates to the curriculum, and see links to current teaching and learning practices.
2. General change factors
2.1 Leaders in government, education authorities and schools encourage a culture of inquiry and openness to change.
2.2 Government and education authorities provide an appropriate balance of pressure and support for change.
2.3 The capabilities and technical skills of teachers and students are recognised as assets rather than liabilities.
2.4 The technological tools are reliable, useful and aligned with the school culture.

1. Contextual factors

  • 1.1 Governments and education authorities have clear goals and policies for adoption.
  • 1.2 The timeline for adoption by governments and education authorities (ie the political timeline) associated with policy development, program delivery and evaluation reflects the timeline for adoption by schools and teachers (ie the educational timeline) associated with finding, assessing relevance, take-up and refinement of the use of digital content.
  • 1.3 Schools have the infrastructure necessary for adoption, including available, suitable and affordable technological tools.
  • 1.4 Teachers and students appreciate the relevance of the digital content and how it relates to the curriculum, and see links to current teaching and learning practices.

2. General change factors

  • 2.1 Leaders in government, education authorities and schools encourage a culture of inquiry and openness to change.
  • 2.2 Government and education authorities provide an appropriate balance of pressure and support for change.
  • 2.3 The capabilities and technical skills of teachers and students are recognised as assets rather than liabilities.
  • 2.4 The technological tools are reliable, useful and aligned with the school culture.

3. Innovation-specific factors

  • 3.1 Digital content is readily accessible, links with the curriculum, and does what it purports to do.
  • 3.2 There is a clear implementation path for adoption and it is linked to whole-school planning.
  • 3.3 Government and education authorities allocate resources strategically and equitably, and have processes to promote and monitor the use of digital content.
  • 3.4 Teachers and students have the resources to use digital content (including access to hardware and software, ‘how to’ guides, and expert technical and educational support).

4. Systemic factors

  • 4.1 There is awareness and consensus among government, education authorities, school leaders, teachers and students about their philosophy of educational technology and the value of digital content, as well as the means by which the use of such content can benefit students.
  • 4.2 The adoption process is designed and implemented so that the efforts of governments, education authorities, school leaders, teachers and students are aligned (through attention to the contextual, general change, innovation- specific, and systemic factors noted here) to achieve effective integration of digital content into teachers’ pedagogical practice.

This is a must read document (only 26 pages) for all Australian educators interested in raising digital participation in classrooms across the country.

Adventures in Library Instruction podcast

This is a great idea! Adventures in library instruction is a monthly hour long podcast (available in mp3) “about teaching information literacy in libraries.”

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School and University librarians are often interviewed and a range of topics including technology and assessment are discussed.

Listeners can gain access to podcasts via the blog, or by subscribing to the podcast in iTunes. A really great idea and very relevant for those of us in the library field.