Serendipitous learning happens every time I dip my toe into the Twitter stream. Although I never know what I'm going to discover, I know I'm going to learn something. Today, I found myself following tweets from Toronto where a literacy unconference was taking place. While teacher-learners around the globe have made time on their own to attend edcamps and other informal professional learning events, it came as a welcome surprise that this highly engaging professional learning was taking place during the school day!
Tweeting educators from the York Region DSB used the hashtag #litschool to share their learning with us, and to allow us to engage from a distance. On site, topics that would frame the day's learning were developed by the participants who soon had a schedule to choose from.
From a few storified tweets, you can sense the engagement of learners who were present both physically and virtually.
In an age where professional learning is often dictated from above, it is refreshing to see a district school board model risk-taking. By allowing a model of inquiry to be experienced first hand, there is an even greater chance that teachers will take steps towards bringing such engaging practices to their classrooms.
#nicemodel #wecandoit #letuslearn #giveuschoice
Followup reading: Is the PD Day Broken?
Showing posts with label professional development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label professional development. Show all posts
Monday, April 23, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Which Connections Matter Most?
Over the past week, I've been trying to come to terms why Jabiz Raisdana's recent post, Be More Interesting, resonated so authentically for me. Although many of my colleagues differentiate their relationships depending on whether they take place in virtual spaces or in the physical world, my personal experience tells me that it is the blending of these two worlds that makes for the most meaningful connections of all. Having invested so much time and attention to my own networked learning, I find myself relishing the deepest of these professional learning connections (For more on this idea, see Deeper Connections Matter More).
Multiple interactions over time, when blended with occasional face-to-face meetings, results in a familiarity one might not expect. Now that technology has made it possible for both online and real world conversations to take place face-to-face, ongoing intellectual relationships might grow to be perceived as emotional connections. The more we come to know our online colleagues, the more we come to care about them. In many ways, these relationships of choice are more tantalizing than those relationships we experience by the coincidence of a shared staffroom.
After thinking, sketching, and thinking some more, I created a diagram to help me make sense of the professional learning connections I've made in recent years. Although the actual placement of items on the grid varies depends on many factors, it's clear that my relationships with those I've met face-to-face or voice-to-voice, tend be the deepest both intellectually and emotionally. Online colleagues like Jabiz, challenge me to think more deeply than most, in large part because I can see his gestures and hear his voice when I read his words.
Have we met face to face? If so, does it change the way you read this post? Which professional conversations are most compelling to you? Do your online relationships matter more or less than your relationships with local colleagues? Can you differentiate between those connections you make on the basis of an intellectual connection, and those where you feel emotionally invested?
Multiple interactions over time, when blended with occasional face-to-face meetings, results in a familiarity one might not expect. Now that technology has made it possible for both online and real world conversations to take place face-to-face, ongoing intellectual relationships might grow to be perceived as emotional connections. The more we come to know our online colleagues, the more we come to care about them. In many ways, these relationships of choice are more tantalizing than those relationships we experience by the coincidence of a shared staffroom.
After thinking, sketching, and thinking some more, I created a diagram to help me make sense of the professional learning connections I've made in recent years. Although the actual placement of items on the grid varies depends on many factors, it's clear that my relationships with those I've met face-to-face or voice-to-voice, tend be the deepest both intellectually and emotionally. Online colleagues like Jabiz, challenge me to think more deeply than most, in large part because I can see his gestures and hear his voice when I read his words.
Have we met face to face? If so, does it change the way you read this post? Which professional conversations are most compelling to you? Do your online relationships matter more or less than your relationships with local colleagues? Can you differentiate between those connections you make on the basis of an intellectual connection, and those where you feel emotionally invested?
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Incubating Change
I've been in discussions with colleagues in my school about setting up a wing of our school to be a Teaching With Information Technology zone. Ideally, we'd begin with 3-5 teachers representing a range of subject disciplines, who would teach from classrooms equipped with mounted data projection; a bank of sharable notebook computers; a set of handheld devices; a few cameras; and wireless Internet access.
With my office being located just around the corner, I would act as a resource and team-teaching ally, assisting students and teachers in leveraging modern learning tools. We could have students host guest speakers via Skype; produce and publish multimedia content; participate in collaborative projects with international colleagues; and much more.
During this year of teaching and learning on TWIT lane, we would teach with open doors to model transparency for students, teachers, and visitors alike. Participating teachers would act as collaborative supporters for one another, and would benefit from regularly scheduled planning and debriefing sessions. The following year, a new cohort of teachers could set up shop, with the previous year's pilot teachers acting as mentors.
I'm rather excited about the prospect of working collaboratively with teacher-learners in modern classrooms, but I'm not so sure that TWIT corridor has much of a ring to it. Can you suggest a more apt name for our incubation zone? Do you know of similar projects that we might learn from? Might you be able to play an active role in supporting us?
--- Late Addition ---
We've settled on the name 'TEL-Wing' for the cluster of Technology Enhanced Learning classrooms now under development.
Photo Credits: shapeshift; Timothy K. Hamilton
With my office being located just around the corner, I would act as a resource and team-teaching ally, assisting students and teachers in leveraging modern learning tools. We could have students host guest speakers via Skype; produce and publish multimedia content; participate in collaborative projects with international colleagues; and much more.
During this year of teaching and learning on TWIT lane, we would teach with open doors to model transparency for students, teachers, and visitors alike. Participating teachers would act as collaborative supporters for one another, and would benefit from regularly scheduled planning and debriefing sessions. The following year, a new cohort of teachers could set up shop, with the previous year's pilot teachers acting as mentors.
I'm rather excited about the prospect of working collaboratively with teacher-learners in modern classrooms, but I'm not so sure that TWIT corridor has much of a ring to it. Can you suggest a more apt name for our incubation zone? Do you know of similar projects that we might learn from? Might you be able to play an active role in supporting us?--- Late Addition ---
We've settled on the name 'TEL-Wing' for the cluster of Technology Enhanced Learning classrooms now under development.
Photo Credits: shapeshift; Timothy K. Hamilton
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Learning in E-lationship
There was a conversational buzz that dominated the ECOO2010 conference experience. It began with ""Hey, I know you..."
Ed-tech conference attendees across North America, are experiencing conference events with networked colleagues, on a level never before seen. This past week, a great number of Ontario educators (and a few out-of-province tweeps) were energized to meet face-to-face with members of their personal/professional learning networks.
It's been a relatively short time since Twitter has been embraced by e-literate educators, but this tool has become a major difference-maker in the spread of good ideas. Conference attendees are readily self-identifying by Twitter ID, and are cross-pollinating their networks by introducing their 'followers' to colleagues.
To their full credit, the ECOO organizing team made a concerted effort to engage participants in the use of Twitter as a networking tool. Throughout the conference, attendees had opportunities to engage in back-channel discussions, to join in a Twitter scavenger hunt, and to attend a Super Tweet-up event.
I've written before about the critical role of the fourth 'R', but now I'm thinking of spelling Relationship in a new way. The positive vibes that result when meeting e-learning colleagues, might as well be referenced as 'elation-ship' or 'e-lationship'. It's difficult to explain to the disconnected, but it is empowering and invigorating to engage in first time face-to-face conversations, with familiar co-learners.
As part of my commitment to attend ECOO2010, I agreed to deliver in a Pecha Kucha talk during the last day of the conference. I couldn't have chosen a more apt topic: 'Twenty Things I've Learned in Twitter'.
It used to be that conference-goers could count on meeting peers who shared their passions and interests, but in 2010, conference attendees are counting the opportunity to meet with fellow tweeps, as the most rewarding part of the conference experience.
In assuming that you're already on Twitter, I'd be interested in your take. If you've yet to join us in shared learning year-round, what are you waiting for?
Ed-tech conference attendees across North America, are experiencing conference events with networked colleagues, on a level never before seen. This past week, a great number of Ontario educators (and a few out-of-province tweeps) were energized to meet face-to-face with members of their personal/professional learning networks.
It's been a relatively short time since Twitter has been embraced by e-literate educators, but this tool has become a major difference-maker in the spread of good ideas. Conference attendees are readily self-identifying by Twitter ID, and are cross-pollinating their networks by introducing their 'followers' to colleagues.To their full credit, the ECOO organizing team made a concerted effort to engage participants in the use of Twitter as a networking tool. Throughout the conference, attendees had opportunities to engage in back-channel discussions, to join in a Twitter scavenger hunt, and to attend a Super Tweet-up event.
I've written before about the critical role of the fourth 'R', but now I'm thinking of spelling Relationship in a new way. The positive vibes that result when meeting e-learning colleagues, might as well be referenced as 'elation-ship' or 'e-lationship'. It's difficult to explain to the disconnected, but it is empowering and invigorating to engage in first time face-to-face conversations, with familiar co-learners.
As part of my commitment to attend ECOO2010, I agreed to deliver in a Pecha Kucha talk during the last day of the conference. I couldn't have chosen a more apt topic: 'Twenty Things I've Learned in Twitter'.
20 Things I Learned in Twitter
View more presentations from Rodd Lucier.
It used to be that conference-goers could count on meeting peers who shared their passions and interests, but in 2010, conference attendees are counting the opportunity to meet with fellow tweeps, as the most rewarding part of the conference experience.
In assuming that you're already on Twitter, I'd be interested in your take. If you've yet to join us in shared learning year-round, what are you waiting for?
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Ontario Teachers are Learners
I've often said that I love living in the world of Edu-Blogs and Twitter for the simple reason that this is where the learners are. It's next to impossible to see yourself as a learner, if you're not finding ways to connect with other like-minded educators, so the increasing numbers of Ontario educators learning in virtual spaces has been reassuring.The act of connecting with virtual colleagues may be rich for each participating individual, but will such engagement ever be enough to bring about systemic change? If inspirational educators worry only about "today, in my classroom", then who will inspire the professional growth local 'unplugged' peers? It begs the question: "Is your PLN virtual, or real?"
In recent years, school-based teams in Ontario have become engaged in Teaching-Learning Critical Pathways a collaborative process that engages teachers in reflective practice. The process has grown out of Crevola, Fullan & Hill's, 2006 book, Breakthrough, and succeeds when every classroom participant benefits from a customized learning experience. 
Classroom teachers are active learners throughout the process: collaboratively designing lessons; assessing the effectiveness of shared strategies; using the evidence to plan a way forward. In short, the teachers are co-learners with their charges. Combine this colleague-to-colleague professional learning with what appears to be happening in online spaces, and the future looks promising for Ontario families.A Caveat:
Boards of education across the province have widely adopted this practice with elementary school teams, yet the TLCP process and related terminology are foreign to secondary teachers in my region. While the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat has been spearheading the adoption of research-based practices in grades 1 to 8, many secondary schools continue to stagnate.
What are the steps will lead to the development of relevant courses, learning strategies, and professional learning for Ontario's high school teachers?
Photo Credits: story photos courtesy of torres21
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
What We Learned from WWYD?
If you've had a chance to review recent posts on the theme: 'What Would Yoda Do?', you may have noticed some trends in the content we harvested. In the past few days, Ben Hazzard, Kathy Hibbert and myself, have taken some time to consider a host of #wwyd tweets, and we've summarized our findings in the document below.
A number of themes came to light as this crowd-sourced document evolved, and as is regularly the case, we learned as much from the process as we did from the product. We think there is some real Jedi wisdom in the way we were able to leverage social media tools to represent a collective vision of teacher professional development.
Our findings are much easier to read via the 'Fullscreen' option. If you have the time, we'd love to know what you think...
What Would Yoda Do? A Jedi Approach to Professional Development
A number of themes came to light as this crowd-sourced document evolved, and as is regularly the case, we learned as much from the process as we did from the product. We think there is some real Jedi wisdom in the way we were able to leverage social media tools to represent a collective vision of teacher professional development.
Our findings are much easier to read via the 'Fullscreen' option. If you have the time, we'd love to know what you think...
What Would Yoda Do? A Jedi Approach to Professional Development
Monday, May 24, 2010
Jedi Wisdom and Teacher P.D.
Over the past few days, we've collected a wide range of submissions with ideas about how educator professional development might be re-imagined. Using the Twitter tag #wwyd, educators near and far have shared their widsom, 140 characters at a time.
Although we've yet to finalize the product we'll be submitting for publication with the Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, you may be interested in reviewing the creative posters developed under the direction of our collaborators.
Content embedded within this project is open for use, remix, and sharing via Creative Commons. Whether downloading select slides to prime workshop thinking; sharing sample slides as models to develop a similar resource; or using the entire slidedeck to promote critical thinking, we hope this project will prod teacher-learners to pursue rich, relevant, professional learning.
Although we've yet to finalize the product we'll be submitting for publication with the Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, you may be interested in reviewing the creative posters developed under the direction of our collaborators.
What Would Yoda Do?
View more presentations from Rodd Lucier.
Content embedded within this project is open for use, remix, and sharing via Creative Commons. Whether downloading select slides to prime workshop thinking; sharing sample slides as models to develop a similar resource; or using the entire slidedeck to promote critical thinking, we hope this project will prod teacher-learners to pursue rich, relevant, professional learning.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Classrooms of Tomorrow
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to lead the academic staff of Regina Mundi College, through a morning of learning, reflecting and designing. With the staff still getting to know me through the first ten weeks of school, it was a unique opportunity to revel in my passions for emerging technologies along with local colleagues.
The Lesson
I began the workshop by highlighting Ten Trends sure to affect teaching and learning in the years to come:
Peppered throughout the morning, were unexpected bonuses that I like to call 'soft returns': resources that can immediately impact classroom teaching & learning. Tools you might take for granted such as Wordle, WolframAlpha or Mr. Robbo's blog, are a few of the examples that rewarded participants for engaging with the 'formal lesson'.
The Culminating Task:
To demonstrate an understanding of highlighted emerging trends, teachers were asked to consider the following questions:
Which trends are most likely to impact your classroom?
How will your classroom change?
What tools will you need to address these trends?
What will you need to learn?
What will you need to un-learn?
Rather than answering the questions in a journal, or writing a test, teachers were grouped and tasked with designing a 'Classroom of Tomorrow'. To highlight the potential of collaborative design tasks, members of each group were invited to take on roles with entry points differentiated to meet the needs of a diverse 'classroom':
Team Leader: ensure all have input
Architect: sketch the classroom
P.R. Specialist: communicate design decisions
Espionage Expert: sample the ideas of other teams
C.F.O.: calculate a budget for proposed design
Timer: reinforce timelines for design and presentation
Showing What You Know:
Participants came to realize that it was possible to demonstrate an understanding of the 'course content' through an engaging activity. If such a task were to be used for assessment purposes, teachers were reminded that each individual should be required to explain the group's design choices, in the context of course expectations. It was also emphasized that any rubric for such a task, might de-emphasize the artistic presentation, in favour of a focus on design thinking and understanding.
The Wrap-up:
In completing this design task, my teaching colleagues transformed into students before my eyes. Letting their true colours show, we staff members unwittingly took on the characteristics of just about every type of student you can imagine. The animation and willing participation of my colleagues was beyond my greatest expectations.
To conclude our morning, an eloquent Ontario teenager, and 'wired' high school student, Patrick Quinton-Brown joined us via Skype. Patrick is a student trustee with the Durham District School Board, and Director of Communications with OSTA-AECO whom I met six days earlier while sitting on a panel at the People For Education annual conference in Toronto. Having heard him speak about the role technology played in his life, and about how the restrictive classroom environment often impeded his learning, I knew he'd be the perfect guest to wrap our morning.
In arranging an appearance, 'live' from his home school, Patrick was instrumental in helping me to put an exclamation point on the need to transform our classrooms. Indeed, my colleagues were able to experience first-hand, the Classroom of Tomorrow!
Photo Credit: Rodd Lucier
The Lesson
I began the workshop by highlighting Ten Trends sure to affect teaching and learning in the years to come:
Ten Trends Rmc
View more documents from Rodd Lucier.
Peppered throughout the morning, were unexpected bonuses that I like to call 'soft returns': resources that can immediately impact classroom teaching & learning. Tools you might take for granted such as Wordle, WolframAlpha or Mr. Robbo's blog, are a few of the examples that rewarded participants for engaging with the 'formal lesson'.
The Culminating Task:
To demonstrate an understanding of highlighted emerging trends, teachers were asked to consider the following questions:
Which trends are most likely to impact your classroom?
How will your classroom change?
What tools will you need to address these trends?
What will you need to learn?
What will you need to un-learn?
Rather than answering the questions in a journal, or writing a test, teachers were grouped and tasked with designing a 'Classroom of Tomorrow'. To highlight the potential of collaborative design tasks, members of each group were invited to take on roles with entry points differentiated to meet the needs of a diverse 'classroom':
Team Leader: ensure all have input
Architect: sketch the classroom
P.R. Specialist: communicate design decisions
Espionage Expert: sample the ideas of other teams
C.F.O.: calculate a budget for proposed design
Timer: reinforce timelines for design and presentation
Showing What You Know:
Participants came to realize that it was possible to demonstrate an understanding of the 'course content' through an engaging activity. If such a task were to be used for assessment purposes, teachers were reminded that each individual should be required to explain the group's design choices, in the context of course expectations. It was also emphasized that any rubric for such a task, might de-emphasize the artistic presentation, in favour of a focus on design thinking and understanding.
The Wrap-up:
In completing this design task, my teaching colleagues transformed into students before my eyes. Letting their true colours show, we staff members unwittingly took on the characteristics of just about every type of student you can imagine. The animation and willing participation of my colleagues was beyond my greatest expectations.
To conclude our morning, an eloquent Ontario teenager, and 'wired' high school student, Patrick Quinton-Brown joined us via Skype. Patrick is a student trustee with the Durham District School Board, and Director of Communications with OSTA-AECO whom I met six days earlier while sitting on a panel at the People For Education annual conference in Toronto. Having heard him speak about the role technology played in his life, and about how the restrictive classroom environment often impeded his learning, I knew he'd be the perfect guest to wrap our morning.
In arranging an appearance, 'live' from his home school, Patrick was instrumental in helping me to put an exclamation point on the need to transform our classrooms. Indeed, my colleagues were able to experience first-hand, the Classroom of Tomorrow!
Photo Credit: Rodd Lucier
Friday, October 16, 2009
Tech 20 Tuesdays
In order to provide support to teachers who wish to engage tech tools, I'm about to launch Tech 20 Tuesdays. In no more than 20 minutes, teacher-attendees will have a chance to learn about one tool or strategy that should make it easy to incorporate ICT into their classroom practice. My aim is to create a low stress; questions welcome; just come and explore environment that will promote greater use of a wide range of tools. Today's podcast, tells the story in more detail:
Are there any one-hit-wonders you'd recommend sharing with teachers in such a format?
Photo Credit: Tray
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Learning in Sync
I'm a firm believer that conversations are one of the richest forms of professional development that teachers can engage in, and if the first hours of the new year are any indication, there will be many opportunities to participate in synchronous learning adventures with teachers both locally and globally.
A Few Examples in the last 24 Hours
Yesterday, Will Richardson invited the Twittersphere to expand a conversation that had its origin in Twitter. Visit the archived Illuminate session to see how the back-channel discussion was easily as rich and compelling as the audio commentary! It was one example of how an interactive web meeting might well trump any other form of P.D.
At exactly the same time, Steve Hargadon was hosting a Classroom 2.0 2008 Wrap-up and New Year's Party to highlight the new ideas, techniques, tools, books, and conversations around educational technology that made 2008 special. It serves as another rich example of how other educators were harnessing interactive, synchronous tools to share their learning with other interested educators.
Expanding the Audience
While many conferences and live presentations have been publicized via Twitter, the potential audience for these events goes far beyond the micro-blogging community. The Classroom 2.0 Calendar has a fairly rich menu of live online events, and I'm wondering if we might all leverage such a space to encourage others to join the discussion.
Do you know of other opportunities for teachers to 'learn in sync'?
Image Credit: Thanks to Wesley Fryer and Alec Couros for licensing their images for remixing. The resulting image that I created is similarly licensed with a Canadian 2.5 Noncommercial-Share Alike Creative Commons License
A Few Examples in the last 24 Hours
Yesterday, Will Richardson invited the Twittersphere to expand a conversation that had its origin in Twitter. Visit the archived Illuminate session to see how the back-channel discussion was easily as rich and compelling as the audio commentary! It was one example of how an interactive web meeting might well trump any other form of P.D.
At exactly the same time, Steve Hargadon was hosting a Classroom 2.0 2008 Wrap-up and New Year's Party to highlight the new ideas, techniques, tools, books, and conversations around educational technology that made 2008 special. It serves as another rich example of how other educators were harnessing interactive, synchronous tools to share their learning with other interested educators.
Expanding the Audience
While many conferences and live presentations have been publicized via Twitter, the potential audience for these events goes far beyond the micro-blogging community. The Classroom 2.0 Calendar has a fairly rich menu of live online events, and I'm wondering if we might all leverage such a space to encourage others to join the discussion.
Do you know of other opportunities for teachers to 'learn in sync'?
Image Credit: Thanks to Wesley Fryer and Alec Couros for licensing their images for remixing. The resulting image that I created is similarly licensed with a Canadian 2.5 Noncommercial-Share Alike Creative Commons License
Friday, January 2, 2009
Inviting All Teachers! Part 2
As a follow-up to the inaugural 'Ontario Meetup', I had the good fortune to participate in a discussion with Rob De Lorenzo about his vision for online professional development through focused discussions. Our conversation hints at the potential of synchronous conversations that will be open to participation by teachers from around the world. With the continued evolution of web technologies, participation will be a relatively simple affair... provided you know that the discussions are taking place!
Related Links:
Ontario Meetup #1: Resources
Ontario Meetup #2: January 27, 2009
Adobe Connect
Presentation Zen Garr Reynolds
Slide:ology Nancy Duarte
Photo Credit: Rupert Ganzer A.K.A. loop_oh
Monday, December 15, 2008
15 Things I'd Love to Teach
I recently applied for a curriculum coordinator position in my district school board, and although my current regional position in some ways restricts my ability to teach relevant skills to educators, there are many 21st century skills I'd love to share with local colleagues.
1] How to model academic integrity in your teaching;
2] How to harness universal designs for learning;
3] How to engage rich performance tasks as assessment tools;
4] How to share resources via social bookmarking;
5] How to employ podcasts and video production in teaching/learning;
6] How to collaborate with regional peers via wikis;
7] How to license student/teacher works via Creative Commons;
8] How to employ the power of Google tools;
9] How to develop a rich personal learning network;
10] How to harness the power of handheld technologies;
11] How to augment lessons with video conference technology;
12] How to highlight achievement through online portfolios;
13] How to create and share lessons via multimedia tutorials;
14] How to use blogs as reflective journals;
15] How to ensure your presentations are Zen-like.
Although my current position does not allow me to pursue these subjects during the working day, I will continue to teach and learn via my evolving network on the read/write web.
1] How to model academic integrity in your teaching;
2] How to harness universal designs for learning;
3] How to engage rich performance tasks as assessment tools;
4] How to share resources via social bookmarking;
5] How to employ podcasts and video production in teaching/learning;
6] How to collaborate with regional peers via wikis;
7] How to license student/teacher works via Creative Commons;
8] How to employ the power of Google tools;
9] How to develop a rich personal learning network;
10] How to harness the power of handheld technologies;
11] How to augment lessons with video conference technology;
12] How to highlight achievement through online portfolios;
13] How to create and share lessons via multimedia tutorials;
14] How to use blogs as reflective journals;
15] How to ensure your presentations are Zen-like.
Although my current position does not allow me to pursue these subjects during the working day, I will continue to teach and learn via my evolving network on the read/write web.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
CCK08: In Need of a New Operating System
Accelerating change has never been adopted or accepted in classrooms around the world, even though most educators have come to accept change in their daily lives. Instead, as an organization, formal education has acted like a brake, forestalling significant change be it in the tools we use to teach and learn, or the theories we adopt in developing new teaching strategies.In my second year of teaching, I was able to purchase my first home computer… an AT machine with a 386 microprocessor and the wonders of an EGA monitor (16 colours!). This machine was capable of doing many tasks, but it would be incapable of doing many of those now handled with ease by modern personal computers or mobile devices.
The students entering classrooms during those early years of personal computing, were very different than those of the present day. Not only were their expectations of learning different, but their brains were wired for attention to the static reading and writing tasks presented to them. Handheld game machines, cell phones and other technologies, had yet to impact the lives of young people, let alone rewire their brains.Today, the world is a very different place, and though the machines we use in our daily lives have changed significantly, the strategies we employ to teach present day students fail to address the reality that the world we share with our students is very different from the one that existed less than a generation ago.
Can you imagine a computer struggling to keep up with the processing requirements of today’s applications? How can we expect a teacher's pedagogical evolution to keep pace with the connected nature of today’s learner? I propose that the solution might be found in regularly scheduled upgrades of firmware (learning theory); software (pedagogy); and hardware (tools).
Upgraded Firmware: Learning Theory
If learning is indeed evidenced by that forging of connections among neurons, people, and ideas, then classroom teachers need to do a better job of ensuring that their teaching strategies encourage and foster the creation of these connections. As new learning theories evolve, teachers need to be ready to learn and to adapt their teaching practices. Keeping current will ensure that the dust of past theories and related policies do not clog the machine.Evolving Software: Pedagogy
In order for teaching & learning to evolve, educators must realize a sense of urgency in becoming lifelong learners. Though no one teacher can ever know it all, each of us can carve out a niche in which to focus our learning efforts. Whether our colleagues are down the hall, or a half a world away, given permission to network among peers, teachers have the responsibility to learn from and to teach one another. Though it will not be easy to upgrade, there is an ongoing need to rewrite the code of professional learning.
Modern Hardware: Tools
Even though the business world finds ways to ensure that employees are working with the best available tools, students and teachers are required to work on lean budgets that prioritize work with pencils over work with modern tools. Still, educators will need to embrace evolving tools and mobile devices if they are to deliver learning experiences that are relevant. For the benefit of students and educators alike, tools of the present should be harnessed to forge connections well beyond the classroom walls.While the adoption of modern learning tools and connective technologies will require the support of administrators, and technology leaders, the classroom teacher will always be the most important peripheral device in the system.
Convincing current and future educators of the need for continual upgrades, will be no easy task. In my next post, I will propose a significant learning event that just might lead a generation of teacher-learners, to realize their potential as agents of change.
Photo Credit: All images are licensed for use by Jon A. Ross
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Innovation is Possible... in Staff rooms!
Innovation exists in the meeting of minds!
With Twitter misbehaving of note, I was lucky enough to chance upon a few tweets late in the afternoon, that drew me to an engaging conversation that was being hosted by a number of fellow Canadian twitterers, bloggers, and podcasters who were lucky enough to be invited to Microsoft's Innovative Teachers Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
I captured 100 seconds of the discussion, and have shared it below so that you can see what true innovation is: Teachers, meeting on their own time, to engage in rich professional dialogue. Clarence Fisher acted as host of the impromptu gathering to discuss issues related to the question: "Is Innovation possible in Classrooms"
Beyond the richness of the discussion, this experience offered a rare opportunity: the chance to participate in a 'staff room' conversation with Clarence Fisher, Ben Hazzard, Joan Badger, Darren Kuropatwa, Chris Harbeck, Kathy Cassidy, John Evans and those on the back-channel including Alex Couros (until he had to board a plane), Jen Jones, Dean Sharesky (on screen as co-host), David Jakes and others.
Whether or not innovation comes to classrooms any time soon, one thing is for sure: Innovation in staff rooms will have to happen first. Today, I was lucky enough to witness first hand, what an innovative staff room might look and sound like!
With Twitter misbehaving of note, I was lucky enough to chance upon a few tweets late in the afternoon, that drew me to an engaging conversation that was being hosted by a number of fellow Canadian twitterers, bloggers, and podcasters who were lucky enough to be invited to Microsoft's Innovative Teachers Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
I captured 100 seconds of the discussion, and have shared it below so that you can see what true innovation is: Teachers, meeting on their own time, to engage in rich professional dialogue. Clarence Fisher acted as host of the impromptu gathering to discuss issues related to the question: "Is Innovation possible in Classrooms"
Beyond the richness of the discussion, this experience offered a rare opportunity: the chance to participate in a 'staff room' conversation with Clarence Fisher, Ben Hazzard, Joan Badger, Darren Kuropatwa, Chris Harbeck, Kathy Cassidy, John Evans and those on the back-channel including Alex Couros (until he had to board a plane), Jen Jones, Dean Sharesky (on screen as co-host), David Jakes and others.
Whether or not innovation comes to classrooms any time soon, one thing is for sure: Innovation in staff rooms will have to happen first. Today, I was lucky enough to witness first hand, what an innovative staff room might look and sound like!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
What goes well with Salty Chips?
A teacher cannot live on 'salty chips' alone. Once the availability of technological tools can be guaranteed, teachers need to be engaged in ongoing professional development. Such PD needs to be ubiquitous, ongoing, and customized. I've often wondered how we can succeed in harnessing the latest attendance software; or in implementing new report card software, yet we fail to make meaningful use of most available e-learning tools. There are ways to ensure that professional learning is appetizing.
Entrust teachers to bring forth their own agendas. Teach teachers the skills that they are interested in learning.
Provide training throughout the school day/week/month/year. Waiting for system-wide PD days is not enough.
Ensure common 'planning time' among teaching colleagues. This will allow educators to engage in meaningful, ongoing dialogue about how to engage learners with evolving technologies.
Provide planning time in large blocks rather than in small chunks. We need to get creative with scheduling. Small chunks of time are good for little more than grabbing a snack; making a phone call; checking the news of the day; running a few copies; marking a few papers...
Encourage teachers to mentor one another. There are niche experts everywhere. For example: If one teacher knows how to get digital images from a camera - to a computer - to a student's media project, then there is no reason why that expertise can't be shared.
Recognize teachers for using present day tools. Share 'good news' technology stories in your school or board-wide newsletters.
Make optional training ultra-convenient. Provide sessions close to where the teachers work... in their classrooms; or at the nearest resource centre/computer lab. Offer 'at the elbow' support before school; at noon hour; and after school.
Be open to having students attend. Consider allowing teachers to be accompanied by student-assistants. If a teacher has a classroom ally that can help in setting up or using the tools, they are far more likely to be used.
Offer incentives to participants! Salty chips in the form of classroom technology is highly motivating, but don't underestimate the value of fresh fruit, cold drinks, and cookies in creating a welcome learning environment.
Photo Credit: Michael Young
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Salty Chips & Professional Learning
You can lead a teacher to PD, but you cannot make him think. How do you whet someone's appetite for professional learning related to the use of present day technologies?
In engaging teachers to use new and evolving tools, educational technology leaders need to provide 'salty chips' in order to get them to 'drink in' the technology. How will educators be engaged in learning new skills, when they can more easily 'always do, what they've always done'?
If educators are provided with reliable access to salty chips, they are going to want to continue to drink. My opinion is that the best way to engage teachers in using technology, is to provide ongoing access to efficient, available, 'always on' technology.
Chalkboard 2.0: Examples of Salty Chips!
The Interactive Whiteboard: A great many educators that have been provided with a SmartBoard or Mimio, have forced themselves to make use of it. For many, there is no turning back to traditional chalk.
The Data Projector: With most classrooms or departments sharing access to too few projectors, portable technology is not as effectively integrated as are permanently mounted machines. This is the one purchase I would make for myself if my board, parent group, or school couldn't provide ongoing access.
The Notebook Computer: If educators had ready and available access to their lessons, bookmarks, and applications (both at home and at school), then the tools above would be leveraged more regularly and more effectively.
Differentiated Access to the Internet: If educators can get to sites they want to get to, without having to jump through hoops for approval, they are far more likely to engage students in the use of a wide range of alternatives to chalk.
Access to Engaging Software: In Ontario, we are lucky that a partnership among educators, vendors and the provincial ministry of education, called OSAPAC, endeavors to provide access to the best software available. In addition to these tools, some tech support teams need to be more supportive of teachers requesting access to networking tools, Web 2.0 applications, and niche software.
Chalkboard 2.0 is only one part of the solution!
Any of the above tools comprise but a fraction of what school boards can do to engage educators. Each of these new chalkboard tools can serve as a rich medium for interactive exploration, BUT, without adequate time to learn and practice using these tools; and without modern examples of how to use these tools to engage in authentic, collaborative learning experiences, we'll be no further ahead.
Up next: What goes well with salty chips?
Photo Credit: Maiylah
In engaging teachers to use new and evolving tools, educational technology leaders need to provide 'salty chips' in order to get them to 'drink in' the technology. How will educators be engaged in learning new skills, when they can more easily 'always do, what they've always done'?
If educators are provided with reliable access to salty chips, they are going to want to continue to drink. My opinion is that the best way to engage teachers in using technology, is to provide ongoing access to efficient, available, 'always on' technology.Chalkboard 2.0: Examples of Salty Chips!
The Interactive Whiteboard: A great many educators that have been provided with a SmartBoard or Mimio, have forced themselves to make use of it. For many, there is no turning back to traditional chalk.
The Data Projector: With most classrooms or departments sharing access to too few projectors, portable technology is not as effectively integrated as are permanently mounted machines. This is the one purchase I would make for myself if my board, parent group, or school couldn't provide ongoing access.
The Notebook Computer: If educators had ready and available access to their lessons, bookmarks, and applications (both at home and at school), then the tools above would be leveraged more regularly and more effectively.
Differentiated Access to the Internet: If educators can get to sites they want to get to, without having to jump through hoops for approval, they are far more likely to engage students in the use of a wide range of alternatives to chalk.
Access to Engaging Software: In Ontario, we are lucky that a partnership among educators, vendors and the provincial ministry of education, called OSAPAC, endeavors to provide access to the best software available. In addition to these tools, some tech support teams need to be more supportive of teachers requesting access to networking tools, Web 2.0 applications, and niche software.
Chalkboard 2.0 is only one part of the solution!
Any of the above tools comprise but a fraction of what school boards can do to engage educators. Each of these new chalkboard tools can serve as a rich medium for interactive exploration, BUT, without adequate time to learn and practice using these tools; and without modern examples of how to use these tools to engage in authentic, collaborative learning experiences, we'll be no further ahead.
Up next: What goes well with salty chips?
Photo Credit: Maiylah
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Take Ownership of Your Identity
Who Are You?
Let me qualify that... Who are you to someone who Googles you? Educators may not realize this, but most of us have likely been Googled by students, parents or other educators!
In many ways, your participation in discussions within the blogosphere, and your presence on social networks, comprise your personal/professional portfolio. Recent posts by Doug Peterson and Tim Hawes have recently reinforced for me what I've been recommending for teachers for a few years now: "You need to have an online presence!"
Last week, the Globe and Mail reported that a Manitoba high school student was charged with 'impersonating his teacher' after he "allegedly set up a Facebook profile in the teacher's name, complete with a photo and biographical details."
Even though impersonation contravenes Facebook's terms of use' in which users agree NOT to "impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent yourself, your age or your affiliation with any person or entity;", this type of activity is surely taking place within thousands of profiles.
What's a teacher to do?
Be proactive! Take ownership of your identity!
1] Google yourself on occasion, to see what your online resume currently consists of. (You might also consider Googling your children or others who are close to you...)
2] If you don't have a Facebook account, get one! You don't need to use it, but include enough information in your profile to ensure that you are the 'real one'. You might also want to register with other popular social networks.
3] Consider buying a personalized domain name. You don't have to use it, but if you have a domain that is www.firstname-lastname.com, you are ensuring that on one else takes your online identity. Who knows, it might even spur you towards creating a real 'online portfolio'. Getting a domain name is easy and inexpensive, and can do great things towards enhancing your online presence. If you're interested, check out godaddy.com, buydomains.com, planetdomain.ca, Yahoo domains, sibername.com or another service.
4] Develop a personal website. Start small by having a personal web page that you can use to post resources or ideas. A wiki page (at a such such as Wetpaint); or a personal blog (at a site like Blogger.com) can be very easy to set up and to update. You need not know HTML or complex coding, and you can easily redirect your domain name (see #3 above) to this personal page.
5] Demonstrate your professionalism to parents who may 'look you up online', by participating in meaningful professional discussions. To do so, you can either make regular posts on your own blog, or you can comment on the blogs of others in the edu-blogosphere. Note that anything you post to a blog will come up in a web search, provided you use your real name on such a post.
Photo Credit: Steve Mishos
Let me qualify that... Who are you to someone who Googles you? Educators may not realize this, but most of us have likely been Googled by students, parents or other educators!
In many ways, your participation in discussions within the blogosphere, and your presence on social networks, comprise your personal/professional portfolio. Recent posts by Doug Peterson and Tim Hawes have recently reinforced for me what I've been recommending for teachers for a few years now: "You need to have an online presence!"Last week, the Globe and Mail reported that a Manitoba high school student was charged with 'impersonating his teacher' after he "allegedly set up a Facebook profile in the teacher's name, complete with a photo and biographical details."
Even though impersonation contravenes Facebook's terms of use' in which users agree NOT to "impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent yourself, your age or your affiliation with any person or entity;", this type of activity is surely taking place within thousands of profiles.
What's a teacher to do?
Be proactive! Take ownership of your identity!
1] Google yourself on occasion, to see what your online resume currently consists of. (You might also consider Googling your children or others who are close to you...)
2] If you don't have a Facebook account, get one! You don't need to use it, but include enough information in your profile to ensure that you are the 'real one'. You might also want to register with other popular social networks.
3] Consider buying a personalized domain name. You don't have to use it, but if you have a domain that is www.firstname-lastname.com, you are ensuring that on one else takes your online identity. Who knows, it might even spur you towards creating a real 'online portfolio'. Getting a domain name is easy and inexpensive, and can do great things towards enhancing your online presence. If you're interested, check out godaddy.com, buydomains.com, planetdomain.ca, Yahoo domains, sibername.com or another service.
4] Develop a personal website. Start small by having a personal web page that you can use to post resources or ideas. A wiki page (at a such such as Wetpaint); or a personal blog (at a site like Blogger.com) can be very easy to set up and to update. You need not know HTML or complex coding, and you can easily redirect your domain name (see #3 above) to this personal page.
5] Demonstrate your professionalism to parents who may 'look you up online', by participating in meaningful professional discussions. To do so, you can either make regular posts on your own blog, or you can comment on the blogs of others in the edu-blogosphere. Note that anything you post to a blog will come up in a web search, provided you use your real name on such a post.
Photo Credit: Steve Mishos
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Educator's Diet
As an instructor, there is nothing more satisfying than an engaged audience; and nothing so frustrating as an indifferent one. When it comes to professional development in ICT, technology leaders are doomed to 'serving' both audiences.
Although we would rather spend our time supporting those 'hungriest' to learn; all educators need sustenance.
Consider food as a metaphor to represent engagement in learning about ICT:
1] All teachers need technological nourishment on a regular basis;
2] You can't force-feed learning about technology;
3] A rich menu, will allow educators to choose according to their dietary needs;
4] The hungriest educators, should be invited to return to the buffet;
5] Even if someone says they aren't hungry, they need to choose something to eat;
6] Occasionally a fast food meal is very satisfying, but 'fine dining' in the form of conferences, should be budgeted for on occasion;
7] It is very challenging to dine without the proper utensils;
8] Taking time to talk/network while dining, helps participants to digest the contents of a meal;
9] A balanced diet is important;
10] Dining with the entire family (staff) can be a great community-builder.
Whether or not teachers are interested and motivated, the need to learn about evolving tools will be continuous. Just as the body needs constant replenishment in order to function, so too, an educator needs intellectual nourished in order to adequately meet the needs of his/her students.
Photo Credit: stephendepolo
Although we would rather spend our time supporting those 'hungriest' to learn; all educators need sustenance. Consider food as a metaphor to represent engagement in learning about ICT:
1] All teachers need technological nourishment on a regular basis;
2] You can't force-feed learning about technology;
3] A rich menu, will allow educators to choose according to their dietary needs;
4] The hungriest educators, should be invited to return to the buffet;
5] Even if someone says they aren't hungry, they need to choose something to eat;
6] Occasionally a fast food meal is very satisfying, but 'fine dining' in the form of conferences, should be budgeted for on occasion;
7] It is very challenging to dine without the proper utensils;
8] Taking time to talk/network while dining, helps participants to digest the contents of a meal;
9] A balanced diet is important;
10] Dining with the entire family (staff) can be a great community-builder.
Whether or not teachers are interested and motivated, the need to learn about evolving tools will be continuous. Just as the body needs constant replenishment in order to function, so too, an educator needs intellectual nourished in order to adequately meet the needs of his/her students.
Photo Credit: stephendepolo
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Get a 'Second' Life
You may have heard about Second Life, you may even have entered Second Life, but are you aware that this virtual world is now host to conferences, seminars and professional workshops? Having first entered this world out of curiosity a few years ago, it is very clear that the world of Second Life continues to evolve at a rapid pace... not only in graphical experience, but in the way global users are harnessing its power... for good!
The International Society for Technology in Education is one of many groups that are hosting seminars and presentations in the virtual realms of Second Life. For those who are unfamiliar with this world, I've created a brief screen capture that gives a taste of what it is like to attend a technology in education workshop on ITSE Island. The session is with Konrad Glogowski, who coincidentally is working on a Virtual Classroom Project within Second Life.
After downloading the free Second Life application and creating an identity, users have the opportunity to learn about the space, and to customize their avatars through a self-guided orientation.
The hard core virtual lifer, can even choose to spend Linden dollars bought with real money. It's this money that allows real people to buy virtual items like clothing or plots of land. Though you need not spend any money, it's this virtual economy of non-essentials that is allowing some people to make a real living in a virtual world.
Gladly, learning in Second Life is still free!
The International Society for Technology in Education is one of many groups that are hosting seminars and presentations in the virtual realms of Second Life. For those who are unfamiliar with this world, I've created a brief screen capture that gives a taste of what it is like to attend a technology in education workshop on ITSE Island. The session is with Konrad Glogowski, who coincidentally is working on a Virtual Classroom Project within Second Life.
After downloading the free Second Life application and creating an identity, users have the opportunity to learn about the space, and to customize their avatars through a self-guided orientation.
The hard core virtual lifer, can even choose to spend Linden dollars bought with real money. It's this money that allows real people to buy virtual items like clothing or plots of land. Though you need not spend any money, it's this virtual economy of non-essentials that is allowing some people to make a real living in a virtual world.
Gladly, learning in Second Life is still free!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
ペチャクチャ : Pecha Kucha: Common Sense
That's Pecha Kucha"peh-chak-cha": (i.e., chit chat in Tokyo?!).
Who'd have thought that common sense in sharing knowledge via in-person talks would result in a 'movement' in the 21st Century?!
Pecha Kucha is a presentation format that encourages creative folks to share ideas in a condensed format of 20 slides of 20 seconds each. Essentially, presenters boil down their presentation to 'just the good stuff'. The short presentations allow many ideas to be presented in a single evening (or session), and are far more likely to maintain the engagement of the audience.
I was first introduced to the name of this format by Geoff Day through an online response to a blog post, but the logic of short, high impact presentations is well known to anyone who regularly visits "TED: Ideas Worth Sharing". Those who have to sit through protracted presentations with few highlights, would also gravitate towards Pecha Kucha evenings, whether in the UK, New York, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Canberra, Montreal or elsewhere!
Tomorrow, I will be leading a round-table discussion with district e-learning contacts from 16 regional school districts, each of which has been invited to share a distinctive practice/strategy/idea that has taken root in the home school board. Experience tells me that wisdom is not often recognized where it lives... and my hope is that sparks of creativity and innovation, will find tinder in the attendant board representatives. With a receptive, risk-taking audience, chances are good that the afternoon will lead to an expansion of best practices in online learning across southwestern Ontario.
Who knows, maybe the act of participating in short sharing sessions will lead to changes in the way boards share expertise... and the way they provide professional development!?!
Photo Credits: Catalina; Escalla
Who'd have thought that common sense in sharing knowledge via in-person talks would result in a 'movement' in the 21st Century?!
Pecha Kucha is a presentation format that encourages creative folks to share ideas in a condensed format of 20 slides of 20 seconds each. Essentially, presenters boil down their presentation to 'just the good stuff'. The short presentations allow many ideas to be presented in a single evening (or session), and are far more likely to maintain the engagement of the audience.I was first introduced to the name of this format by Geoff Day through an online response to a blog post, but the logic of short, high impact presentations is well known to anyone who regularly visits "TED: Ideas Worth Sharing". Those who have to sit through protracted presentations with few highlights, would also gravitate towards Pecha Kucha evenings, whether in the UK, New York, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Canberra, Montreal or elsewhere!
Tomorrow, I will be leading a round-table discussion with district e-learning contacts from 16 regional school districts, each of which has been invited to share a distinctive practice/strategy/idea that has taken root in the home school board. Experience tells me that wisdom is not often recognized where it lives... and my hope is that sparks of creativity and innovation, will find tinder in the attendant board representatives. With a receptive, risk-taking audience, chances are good that the afternoon will lead to an expansion of best practices in online learning across southwestern Ontario. Who knows, maybe the act of participating in short sharing sessions will lead to changes in the way boards share expertise... and the way they provide professional development!?!
Photo Credits: Catalina; Escalla
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