ICTeD Services

DEEWR Integrating ICT Pedagogy in School Project /1

I’ve just completed five phase two workshops for this project [as state support for the project in Victoria] with Hanan, one of the two national facilitators. We drove 1500 kilometres, to 3 towns to conduct 5 workshops.

This is a national project in 20 rural and regional centres throughout Australia In summary this is the project: [from the publicity brochure] The project is professional learning for teachers: making ICT integral to teaching and learning Teaching through the use of ICT is a new way of working that can transform the way we facilitate student learning. DEEWR is conducting a three phase professional development program in ICT pedagogy for regional/rural school teachers at both primary and secondary level. The professional learning experience is in three phases: Phase 1 - Online self reflection and preparation; building connections and sharing resources Phase 2 - One formal seminar for professional conversation and professional development to connect teachers to ICT teaching techniques and online resources and assist in the development of individual action learning plans Phase 3 - School based action learning research project supported for three months by a Learning Mentor culminating in a celebration of learning. What is Action Learning? Participants through dialogue, reflection and sharing will solve real problems that are related to curriculum leadership. Why Action Learning? The action learning approach is based upon the premise that no learning occurs unless action and reflection is taken. This pilot program goes beyond providing participants with new information. The program requires participants to explore and implement new ideas, possible solutions and/or strategies that promote improved student learning outcomes within their own context. While embarking on this learning journey, participants are coached and mentored by learning mentors experienced in teaching through the use of ICT. The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is funding the provision of workshops [5 in Victoria] to enhance the skills and knowledge of teachers and school leaders to enable the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching of Mathematics, History, English and Sciences in Australian schools. What are the anticipated outcomes? • Teachers with enhanced knowledge and skills in the teaching of Mathematics, History, English and Sciences through the use of ICT in their classrooms. • A professional learning community comprised of workshop participants that focuses on sharing, reflecting and supporting participants through an ICT journey that is unique to each individual context. • A series of recommendations to develop a coherent, networked professional development program that empowers teachers to integrate ICT within their classrooms.
In the next post I will report on the phase two workshops in more detail.

Challenge Based Learning - Professional Learning Module

I have been writing a professional learning module that the Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association [VITTA] will run in 2010. This has been a cooperative effort with Jo and Phil from VITTA. Challenge Based Learning has similarities to Project Based Learning, Action Based Learning etc. It specifically is a model that has been developed by Apple, http://ali.apple.com/cbl/. Basically the model is this..

 

Read these links for a explanation of each stage of the process.

About: http://ali.apple.com/cbl/index.html
Key Components: http://ali.apple.com/cbl/components.html
Process: http://ali.apple.com/cbl/process.html
Challenges: http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges.html
CBL Pilot: http://ali.apple.com/cbl/pilot.html
Resources: http://ali.apple.com/cbl/resources.html
Participate http://ali.apple.com/cbl/participate.html

The 6 x 2.5 hour module is still in draft form, but nearly complete. It uses the challenge based structure in the course design for teachers

The Big Idea
Schools reflect ideas of a time that is past. No longer do we need them to train an industrial work force that clocks on and off at the sound of the factory whistle. Students of today and tomorrow need learning environments which allow for negotiated learning, 24/7, in a variety of environments 

The Essential Questions
If teachers were trained in a pedagogy reflecting the ideas of the past, how do they incorporate ideas on anytime, anywhere education into what they teach?
How will teachers make a continue to make the transition from a traditional teacher to one that embraces incorporating emerging technologies into changing classroom practice?

There is then the The Challenge with Guiding Questions and Guiding Activities

If you have done similar work, please comment. If you are interested in attending the CBL module next year, please contact me.

Eastern Mac Users Group [eMug] - Inaugural Meeting

Deb and I were invited to the first meeting of eMug this afternoon at Ringwood North PS. This is a great group, thanks to the leadership of Adam and Sue. The group has had an online presence for a few months through its ning http://easternmacusersgroup.ning.com/. This ning is a tremendous resource for eMug and has about 100 members already.
The meeting was well attended with over 25 members. Deb and I were asked to go through the lessons we have learnt through MacSchoolsNet. Hopefully these are useful for the new group.
Here is the presentation for anyone who is interested. Download EMug August 2009 edit.

If you are a teacher in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne [and beyond], with an interest in Macs and education, join this group....

Hume Region [DEECD] Online Conference

This online conference [using Elluminate] is happening over three consecutive days [ starting today]. My session should you wish to listen is at 11:00 a.m, 04.08.2009 [GMT +10:00 ]

My topic, Building a  learning network in your town or region , brings together my experiences with MacSchoolsNet, Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Professional Learning Networks [VITTA PLNs] and the Australia Government Quality Teaching Project [AGQTP} eConnect Project on Virtual Networking in Hobson’s Bay Network [Western Metropolitan Region, DEECD]. I will post how it went [and that my moderators get me through!]. For the benefit of anyone participating in this conference I will link this post to The Tyranny of Distance and the delivery of ICT professional development [Published in VITTA’s Infonet  19.1 [2009]] Download The Tyranny of Distance and the delivery of professional development

Postscript: I found presenting the session quite fun. I enjoyed interacting with the audience. Thanks to Libby and Priscilla, my moderators and Brendan or organising. If you are interested my session is at https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/jwsdetect/playback.jnlp?psid=2009-08-03.1751.M.8DC7CD587863F70BF557BAD7E8F537.vcr

Twelve things I would like to see in a teacher using an Interactive White Board in a classroom

I'm planning to move the school that I'm into Interactive White Boards in a big way! A couple of years ago the school purchased a Mimio IWB, and it had some use for a year, but when the teachers that used it left the school, it got little use. It is installed in the ICT room at the moment, because no one wanted it and it is gathering dust! At the time it was a product that had advantages for our school. These included cost, as you can use an existing whiteboard, so therefore cheaper and it also came with Macintosh software [which is a free download]. I'm not being critical of the Mimio here, just explaining what the situation is in my school! I hope that someone in my school wants it and will set it up in their room ...........its available!

I do feel though, [and this ain't rocket science!], that any IWB "training" has to combine the both the technical aspects of IWBs along with the classroom practice and pedagogy behind them,

In June last year, my school entered into an Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian National Schools Network [ANSN]. This network runs five days pedagogical based training for teams of three teachers  from a school, [over three terms], using Promethean boards running ActivStudio 3. The school will become a training base itself later in the year. At the moment I am completing five day hub training myself, with the view of me
1. supporting staff at my school in the implementation of IWBs in the classroom
and
2. becoming a trainer myself when the school becomes an ANSN IWB Hub.
See my web page of IWB / Promethean resources, I'm using during my training.

So it comes down to this, the last ANSN IWB hub for 2009, starts early next term. We are sending a team of three teachers [from a larger number interested].

How do we pick? I think they need a number of characteristics to be able to lead the introduction of IWBs in the school.

Before I list my twelve things I would like to see those teachers demonstrate, I need to explain that obviously not everyone will be trained this year, three teachers will.  We will get one new Promethean IWB from the hub.

But also.......................

• There is another Promethean IWB in the ANSN training room in our main building, which teachers can use when ANSN training is not happening [A fair slice of each week]

• All teachers have been invited to two ANSN IWB "Taster Sessions" this year

• A Prep teacher trained at another school last year is taking all the Prep grades for IWB activities

• More Promethean IWBs and training will follow in 2010 and beyond

• I still have a Mimio IWB [different software, up for grabs!]

So what would I like to see in a teacher joining the ANSN IWB Hub?

01. Membership of a vital professional learning team

02. The ability to critically reflect on their practice

03. Evidence of mentoring / sharing their skills with others

04. To be happy to have other teachers / coaches in their classroom during teaching time

05. Evidence of a range of ICT skills and an ability to learn new ones

06. Ability to scaffold  students in skill and attitude development

07. The attitude to allow students to manage their own learning with parameters after that scaffolding

08. Interest in using the IWB in a variety of teaching situations, whole class, group, and individual

09. Acceptance that students can use the board as much or more than themselves

10. Being prepared to challenge their own teaching practice, or have it challenged by others

11. Being a learner as well as a teacher. Reading professionally on pedagogy and joining learning active communities / networks

12. Being prepared to share their classroom "best practice" with others.

The first team to be trained will need to be passionate about teaching and technology. As the vanguard for the introduction of IWBs at the school, they will need to develop teaching practice which will showcase the benefits of the board. It would be expected that the use of the board would lead to increased student engagement and improved educational outcomes for students in those classrooms.

MacSchoolsNet - The Model Continues!

The model that Deb and I set for MacSchoolsNet continues to spawn professional learning networks for ICT teachers. The network was set up in 2003 and continues to grow, now in its seventh year of operation and up to meeting #39 later this week. With over 120 members from Western Metropolitan Region and beyond this is a vibrant professional development network. The early years are documented on KnowledgeBank, while the MacSchoolsNet website also gives an overview of those years.

The lessons learned have also become the basis of the Professional Learning Networks of VITTA [Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association]. Read more about these at http://www.vitta.org.au/teachers/cid/11/parent/0/pid/11/t/teachers/title/vittaplns. These networks run throughout Victoria and beyond.

Deb and I had discussions this afternoon with an Ultranet Coach from Northern Metropolitan Regio [DEECD - Victoria], who with a colleague from that region, wants to establish a similar network there [for teachers of Macs in schools]. We had a fruitful discussion, with the NMR group having its first meeting next term. I hope to be able to support that group later in the year.

P.S. The first get-together of the NMR Mac Users Network will be held at the senior campus of Mill Park Secondary College (cnr Findon Road and Civic Drive, Epping) on Thursday 30th April from 4.00pm - 5.00pm.

Professional Learning Networks: Podcast #1

My work in assisting the Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association, [VITTA] setting up its Professional Learning Networks is going well. The primary purpose of the PLNs is to provide, networking, sharing and resources to ICT educators in rural and regional areas of Australia. Read more about these on the VITTA website. Web 2.0 tools, such as podcasts, wikis, blogs, etc. will be used in their establishment and operations. As part of this I have recorded by first podcast for those interested in joining a PLN.

Download Podcast#1

Professional Development Resources for 2009

I've now got to move into some serious planning for the ICT professional development sessions I deliver, host or organise in 2009. So here the list! It could be bigger than my NY resolutions and not in any particular order.

01. Write a "history" of MacSchoolsNet 2003-2009 as a organisational learning example for the Professional Learning Networks I'm organising for VITTA. Maybe I'll do it in Keynote > export to Powerpoint > then post on Slideshare

02. Plan out fortnightly podcasts [for term 1/2009] for PLN leaders to assist with setting up these networks. Need to revise some skills here on podcast publishing.

03. Set up a PLN Wiki [Global Teacher? Wikispaces?].

04. Finish my Gliffy planner of ICT PL for VITTA.

05. Begin my ICT PD Links page and ICT PL models page [for 2009 projects on my website].

06. Get all my contacts in my Address Book Cloud.

07. Continue discussions with the Victorian Institute of Teaching re PD requirements

08. Make an online resource pack for PLN leaders

09. Presentation for VITTA CoM planning weekend

10. Get the first 10 weeks of VITTA PL activites planned

11. Organise MacSchoolNet dates and meeting content