A big “hat tip” and heart felt thanks to Teaching Australia for the wonderful celebration they put together last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Canberra. The organization of the event, the variety of sessions and the venues were top class and really enjoyable.

There were many highlights:

The ceremony at Parliament House, and meeting the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard made the honour “real” and won’t be forgotten any time soon.

Meeting the terrific Anne Mirtschin f-2-f. Anne’s friendliness and sense of humour kept me laughing (and talking!) the whole time.

Sharing the amazing things that are happening in schools around the country, and being inspired by the teachers and leaders who are instigating the innovation and successes. Truly exciting!

Learning new sharing and thinking techniques and strategies courtesy of Eric Frangenheim.

Talking to teachers and leaders from across the country, across sectors and across stages – thinking, exploring and wondering together – trying to solve problems and make a difference.

Laughing during Peter FitzSimons’ after dinner speech at the National Portrait Gallery. I wish I could tell jokes like that – they just don’t come out funny when I try to re-tell them. Guess you had to be there – ;-0

The friendliness and support of the Teaching Australia crew – Peter, Anita and Helen. Thanks for your care.

Listening to Andrew Douch reflect on the wonderful opportunities he has taken advantage of whilst remaining true to himself and his beliefs. I like what he said about the need to share what you are passionate about with others – stand up and let people hear what you have to say – its not about you but about the students and what’s best for them.

It was an honour to be part of this celebration / event, it’s not often that teachers are recognised in this way. Thank you to all.

Future Directions in Literacy Conference – Sydney University

I have used the wii in my classroom quite a lot over the past two years, here are notes on a number of games I have used  with my Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6 ) class.

Pwii – Tennis

Here’s a blog post my class wrote when we used the wii for our PE lessons.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympics

It was a bit of a surprise to find ourselves using this game for poetry! However, a stand out of the game were the different characters and their individual responses to winning or losing the athletic events. Each of the characters were different colours and we discussed how the colours reflected each character’s personality.

Then students thought about the colours themselves, and how each colour looked, felt, smelled, the emotions it evoked, and even the tastes it reminded us of.

Lastly we put both aspects together and wrote poems that showed how the colour and the character  linked together to really show what the characters were like.

My colour jumps with joy and relief!

My colour sounds like a creaky hall way.

My colour feels optimistic.

My colour feels like the mysterious night sky

I am currently in Vancouver, BC, attending the 7th International Conference on Imagination and Education where I have been introduced to the work of Dr Kieran Egan and the Imaginative Education Research Group (IERG).

” Imaginative Education is an approach to education that effectively engages students’ emotions, imaginations and intellects in learning.

The Imaginative Education Research Group has developed theories, principles and practices designed to explain, describe and implement this approach.

Imaginative Education offers a new understanding of how knowledge grows in the mind, and how our imaginations work and change during our lives. The IERG has developed innovative teaching methods based on these insights that offer new ways of planning and teaching….”

The 2 day, pre-conference workshop, showed alternative ways of thinking about education and the different kinds of understandings that come into play as children grow and develop and make sense of their world.

Examples of classroom applications demonstrated what the approach look liked in action, and planning frameworks were shared and explained.

We then spent some time trying out the approach by playing a number of thinking games/activities and beginning to plan lessons using the  frameworks to encourage creative and imaginative ways to explore traditional topics and content.

There were lots of opportunities to share ideas and questions about IE and this was really important so that our early thoughts could be clarified as we contemplated incorporating this approach into our teaching toolkit.

Check out the IERG website for more info, research, examples, resources and lesson/unit ideas.

Spent all day Sunday at the Google Workshop for Educators here at NECC, where the Google suite of apps and Apps were explored and explained. I can see that I will have to make the time to explore and play further.

The day was really hands on and active, with opportunities aplenty to try out, ask for help, share ideas, set up accounts and play with the applications.

The huge size of the group meant that there were educators of all experiences and teaching levels – who were able to share what they were doing or ask questions for clarification that really helped everyone get the most out of the session.

I had already heard (and seen on their blogs) lots of really exciting ways to use Google apps from Tom Barrett and Ollie Bray so I was hoping to get some more info on how to use the apps I knew of and the many others that I knew were available.

I wasn’t disappointed with the day – I learnt about many cool apps and features that I will use with my kids back in class. Here are some of the ones I like most:

·      Google Search (!!!!!!! Yes I know its basic – but wait just see!) Click “Show Options” and then Wonder Wheel – a basic visualiser of the search results. Timeline – another option which puts all the search results in a timeline (obviously!) great for disasters, geography.

·      Google Books – I’d like to play with this one a bit more, waiting for some ideas on what to do with this!

·      Google Forms -  interesting tool that I think the kids  could use as well as the teacher – they could make their own revision quizzes, own tests, and surveys too 

The session was supported with lots of online info, presentations, videos etc so that we can explore further in our own time. Check out the swag of goodies given out – gotta love a freebie

Hmmmmm now to see how many of these great apps are not blocked by the department when I get back to school!   ;-(

A fun aspect of the presentation was the backchannel chat that occurred alongside the streamed version of the session. I can’t remember the name of the application Will used, but he videoed the session live and the viewers watching live were able to chat along as they watched the session.

The comments and quips came quick and fast as people asked questions, requested more info, passed comment and shared insights. Very enjoyable, but really fast paced and a little scary for a newbie

“We write to connect – to publish as a mid point – to converse and engage. There is no final copy – we can articulate our ideas to a certain extent – but we put it out there to be read and to be pushed.

We publish because we want to engage in the conversation.

World Map is the child’s classroom. “I ask my readers”

Connective writing – real audience and real purpose to engage with people – to expand efforts and knowledge.”

Will walks the walk – his sessions really encouraged you to push your own ideas, and the chat with others also pushed Will’s ideas along as well.

Image: ‘speech‘ 
www.flickr.com/photos/98624608@N00/75288771

Leveraging the Potential of a Hyperconnected World

Spent Friday listening to, and being inspired by, Will Richardson at Syba Signs Network Literacy Day.

The “most thought-provoking idea” for me was …..

The idea of having a personal connection or personal involvement in learning about /embracing the use of web 2.0 tools before attempting to use them in the classroom rang true from my experience.

Will showed that the map of the world = his personal classroom – that everyone that was there as a “red dot” on the map was there because they want to be there; anyone that joined the conversation joined because they wanted to be part of the conversation, they wanted to share the learning. Will’s classroom is an active and participatory place.

I tried to share some of the joys and excitement that web2.0 applications offered with staff at my school last year. I ran a number of workshop sessions where the group played around with applications, trialled making slideshows and bubbleshare, had time to see applications in actions on blogs and wikis, tried commenting and reading blogs. Unfortunately, there was little “spill-over” effect into classrooms. Participants participated only in what was required in the session, and few even tried to use these tools with their classes.

I realize now that each person has to have a personal reason to try these new tools – they have to do it for themselves first and foremost. Will was able to show what was available, tell anecdotes and stories, and demonstrate why we might find these tools effective and useful. He followed up taking questions and again actually showing how to set up accounts and how to follow ideas, topics and people on-line.

Persuasive, motivating and inspirational I think!  

TED Talk: “Why play is vital – no matter your age” presented by Dr Stuart Brown from the National Institute for Play in New York.

Dr Brown’s research indicates that there is a strong correlation between success and playful activity. Play is an altered state, and it’s this state that allows us to explore the possible.

Play changes or overrides:

•       Nature
•       Behaviour
•       Outcomes

Types of play as identified by Dr Brown:

Body play – spontaneous desire to escape gravity – playing for play’s sake – no purpose but the joy of play

Object play – play is practical and need curiosity and exploration with our hands to help solve problems

Social play – if you want to belong

Rough and tumble play – learning medium for all, be chaotic and develop emotional regulation

Spectator play

Ritual play

Imaginative play — Internal narrative story

Solo play

Our own play history is unique and personal, and can be a transforming force.

Importance of play to creative thinking leading from Mihaley Csikszentmihalyi’s idea of

FLOW = fully immersed in what they are doing

= energised focus

= full involvement

= success in the process

What has this to do with learning and learning using games?

It reaffirms the “permission to play” idea I was interested in exploring by adding to this idea in these ways:

•       Play is a biological human need.
•       Play releases the passion within us.
•       Play enables humans to form trusting relationships.
•       Play enables humans to safely explore, to be curious, to connect, and to learn.
•       Play helps contextual memory of events, places, and people.
•       Play empowers humans, and enriches life experiences.
•       Play is a freedom and an opportunity.

Here is the talk – 26 minutes in total.

Image: ‘Play with the Earth‘ 
www.flickr.com/photos/7961121@N04/793987042

RESOLUTION

Or what can it look like in the classroom?

“Create Something Extraordinary” – Oceans of Info Project

This is what we were studying as a class:

•       Sustainability focus, environmental issues nationally and globally.
•        Mapping, locating oceans and seas around Australia and the world.
•       Food chains, adaptation of species

Which led to a negotiated Individual enquiry project.

Rubric – negotiated with students, expectations high and clear.

Oral presentation of information highlighted – talking & listening.

Researching – reading, writing, playing

Planning – writing, reading

Performing – negotiating, practicing, 

Outcomes/ presentations can be seen on AllStars blog.

CODA

Games in the classroom!

DS Lites, wii, Playstation

•       Contexts for learning
•       Springboards to spark and inspire
•       Collaborative knowledge gathering
•       Practising skills, attitudes
•       Authentic purposes and audiences
•       Group responsibility
•       Cultural relevance

Find examples and write ups of using these games here!

Dolphin Island

wii Tennis

Learning Teaching Scotland’s Nintendogs Project

END OF STORY

Well that’s my story, now its time for you to come on board, to take time to explore and play with these tools that offer so much  – especially in the areas of connecting, communicating, collaborating  and creating.

Your task is ……..

To play

To discover

To choose something new

That could fit in your classroom and that you would share with your class or your staff, tomorrow or the next day…….

Go on, try for yourself ………. What’s the worst that could happen?

Here is a friendly slideshow that reassures (and offers practical advice) for …. facing the ICT  elephant

COMPLICATION

Change

The world has changed.

The students have changed.

Knowledge and learning have changed.

Schools and teaching have changed ???????

Here are two short presentations to promote some discussion:

See Think Wonder

Child Centred

•       Individualised / personalised
•       Information skills for active strategies to research
•       Literacy for authentic and personal purposes and audiences
•       Interests / enquiry focus

Creativity

Sir Ken Robinson – “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” TED Talk

“If human intelligences were limited to the abilties measured in IQ tests, most human activity would stop, or would never have started …..”

Out of Our Minds, Ken Robinson, 2001. Pg 102

Where to go for exciting, web-based tools to spark and interest?

Try ……. Cool Tools for Schools wiki

21^st Century Pedagogy Conference 2009

The “c” Generation

connect, communicate, collaborate, create

Innovations in ICT Practical Workshop: 

Quality Tools and Quality Teaching in a Quality Learning Environment

Here’s the story plan for today:  welcome to my session on using exciting tools with your students to explore, communicate and create together in your classrooms.

ORIENTATION

Using the NSW Quality Teaching Framework, the three dimensions of pedagogy that underpin the teaching and learning that occurs in classrooms are:

Quality Learning Environment:  refers to pedagogy that creates classrooms where students and teachers work productively in an environment clearly focused on learning. Such pedagogy sets high and explicit expectations and develops positive relationships between teachers and students and among students.

Significance:  refers to pedagogy that helps make learning meaningful and important to students. Such pedagogy draws clear connections with student’s prior knowledge and identities, with contexts outside of the classroom, and with multiple ways of knowing or cultural perspectives.

Intellectual Quality:  refers to pedagogy focuses on producing deep understanding of important concepts, skills,and ideas. Such pedagogy treats knowldege as something that requires active construction and requires students to engage in higher-order thinking and to communicate substantively about what they are learning.

From: NSW Department of Education and Traing, Professional  Learning and Leadership Development.

These are the basics that we are starting and finishing with today – it is the teaching that allows our students to connect, to communicate, to collaborate and to create. It is the quality of the teaching, the quality of the relationships, and the quality of the communication that will make the difference. Technology is the tool that can help us to help our students. It’s the “teach” not the tools that make the difference.

Sort It Out

Diamond