Posting about ‘reflection’ always gives rise to more of the same. It made me feel less than I’d like to be when I suggested my motivation to be a DP was merely, “…for financial reasons“. There’s more that can be said on this point that links to perhaps the greatest social experiment the country has […]
Holidays always give one room for reflection. I am really starting to miss classroom teaching. In my role as a deputy principal, at a large state school, there are many opportunities to promote quality teaching & learning but having only one class (who have just finished school to prepare for the HSC) is starting to […]
Andrew FitzSimons interviewed by WIN TV after a presentation about the digital future(s). [vodpod id=Groupvideo.1579220&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] more about “Dapto HS Executive at WIN TV“, posted with vodpod
I know I am posting too many TED videos but they are just so good. How important is this topic? [vodpod id=Groupvideo.1569219&w=425&h=350&fv=bgColor%3DFFFFFF%26file%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fstatic.videoegg.com%2Fted%2Fmovies%2FAnnCooper_2007P-embed-EG_high.flv%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26fullscreenURL%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fstatic.videoegg.com%2Fted%2Fflash%2Ffullscreen.html%26forcePlay%3Dfalse%26logo%3D%26allowFullscreen%3Dtrue] more about “Reinventing the school lunch“, posted with vodpod
Dave Eggers delivering a TED talk on what a community can do to educate young people. [vodpod id=Groupvideo.1558423&w=425&h=350&fv=bgColor%3DFFFFFF%26file%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fstatic.videoegg.com%2Fted%2Fmovies%2FDAVEEGGERS-2008-2_high.flv%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26fullscreenURL%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fstatic.videoegg.com%2Fted%2Fflash%2Ffullscreen.html%26forcePlay%3Dfalse%26logo%3D%26allowFullscreen%3Dtrue] more about “Once Upon a School“, posted with vodpod
All teachers should watch this TED video. [vodpod id=Groupvideo.1551300&w=425&h=350&fv=bgColor%3DFFFFFF%26file%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fstatic.videoegg.com%2Fted%2Fmovies%2FBrewsterKahle_2007P-embed-EG_high.flv%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26fullscreenURL%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fstatic.videoegg.com%2Fted%2Fflash%2Ffullscreen.html%26forcePlay%3Dfalse%26logo%3D%26allowFullscreen%3Dtrue] more about “A free digital library “, posted with vodpod
The DP’s association annual conference was held at Star City this week and was the third consecutive I’ve attended. Considering last year it was at Rose Hill, I am starting to think the folk who choose the venues have gambling problems as the actual spaces are so inappropriate for an Education conference, on a number of different levels, that it is hard […]
James Gee has written a many books on situated learning and what video games have to offer Education. This video explores how games are perfect considering the nature of assessment. Thanks to Kelli for the link. [vodpod id=Groupvideo.1526648&w=425&h=350&fv=flvPath%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.edutopia.org%2Fmedia%2Fjames_gee%2Fjames_gee.flv%26pPath%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.edutopia.org%2Fmedia%2Fjames_gee%2Fjames_gee.jpg] more about “Assessment Using Games by James Gee“, posted with vodpod
[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1511910&w=425&h=350&fv=bgColor%3DFFFFFF%26file%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fstatic.videoegg.com%2Fted%2Fmovies%2FSugataMitra_2007P-embed-Lift_high.flv%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26fullscreenURL%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fstatic.videoegg.com%2Fted%2Fflash%2Ffullscreen.html%26forcePlay%3Dfalse%26logo%3D%26allowFullscreen%3Dtrue] more about “Sugata Mitra shows how kids teach the…“, posted with vodpod
The filters that school systems use to manage what students access will shortly become irrelevant to the young people being protected (from themselves?). How long before every student just accesses what they want in the playground via their mobile phone? Quite simply, it is Gilmore’s Law in action in our schools. One great use for […]
Where are students exposed to Philosophy in the K-12 syllabus? Societal changes and the challenge of understanding requires more than the occasional teacher with a philosophical bent waxing lyrical in the classroom. This primary school program looks inspiring and the data, on improved outcomes, is very impressive. I guess, if there is no formalised program, a clip […]
[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1480937&w=425&h=350&fv=] more about “Collisions & Smash Repairs – Uploaded…“, posted with vodpod This Mark Pesce keynote to the TAFE Sydney Institute ICT Roundtable, held at the Ultimo campus, Wednesday 13 August 2008 makes the point that Education, like information, wants to be free. I particularly like his comments about Twitter being […]
“More and more research is showing that our brains change constantly with learning and experience and that this takes place throughout our lives…we have shown that what students believe about their brains — whether they see their intelligence as something that’s fixed or something that can grow and change — has profound effects on their […]
Actually went to Dymocks in George Street and checked out the iLiad. I really wanted to buy one with the money earned judging the SMH Young Writer Comp but couldn’t justify the outlay for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I had the salesman search for the PDF of the last few novels I read and […]
‘Today’s constantly evolving interactive technologies are having a profound impact on our culture, and the analog generation needs to look to its children to learn how to cope.’ The Library of Congress series on Digital Natives concludes with Douglas Rushkoff‘s presentation. I particularly like how he worries about the concept of ‘digital revolution’ preferring a ‘renaissance’. […]
Colleagues, Increasingly students must take responsibility for their own learning and the teacher becomes more of a facilitator, creating the conditions that allow individuals to progress at their own pace. Self-directed and independent learning will become the norm and the teacher will have more freedom to be the ‘guide on the side’ rather […]
Alas, went to work during my hols again today and of course, all social networking sites are blocked to staff, regardless of position in the school. I will request that Twitter is unblocked – and Facebook, but suspect my request will be denied. We are so starved of information about the changes that will take […]
What was it like at your school? Were you a smart kid? Were the classes streamed/graded or mixed ability or some combination of both? How did your teachers teach, engage and stimulate interest in the topic or activities? What was the best thing about the way you were taught at school? What was the worst? […]
Everything’s changed or changing – fast. Michael Wesch commences with some of the issues of teaching in an inappropriate space before moving on to new media. I particularly love the Marshall McLuhan quote referred to at the opening of this hour long presentation: The past went that-a-way. When faced with a totally new situation, we […]
Tuning in to the zeitgeist is a full-time job and one that educators are uniquely situated to both understand and interpret. How many other professions have such an opportunity to analyse the march of generations and the cultural climate of the times while reflecting on the nature of knowledge and learning? How can an educator […]
How do I use del.icio.us? Another good ‘Plain English’ explanation. [vodpod id=ExternalVideo.624274&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] more about “Social Bookmarking in Plain English“, posted with vodpod
[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.623774&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] I don’t want to give the punch-line away but after you’ve viewed click here and then here.
This PBS FRONTLINE documentary screened earlier in the year may be of interest. I found it pretty sensational but the chapter on high schools coping with the ‘revolution in classrooms’ and how many teachers were struggling to cater to this generation is worth watching. The anti-plagiarism site Turnitin must be doing a raging business in the USA. I loved […]
NSW may scuttle computers in schools deal and way down at he bottom of the article one reads, tomorrow is the deadline for NSW to sign on to the deal. We’d just like to get started knowing where we are heading – and when. Timeline needed…now! A good blog post about the underfunding of the revolution is Australia’s […]