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14 May 2007

May MirandaNet Newsletter

May MirandaNet Newsletter

Contents

A seminar on Multimodal Mapping: 2nd July, London

Early warning: please note that there will be a seminar on Multimodal Mapping on Monday 2nd July at the Institute of Education, University of London between 4:00 and 6:00. The programme will soon be sent out on MirandaLink

Braided Learning: A new theory about online learning based on MirandaNet practice

John Cuthell and I, both MirandaNet Fellows, have been working for some time with groups of other Fellows on a development of Gilly Salmon’s five step model for online learning that we refer to in our courses on e-facilitation. Gilly’s model can be found here:

http://www.atimod.com/e-moderating/5stage.shtml

I presented our extension model called Braided Learning to Gilly and her colleagues at Leicester University on 23rd April 2007. The full presentation with the sound track and notes from the day can be found here:

http://www.le.ac.uk/beyonddistance/events/pastevents.html

I am now are publishing two papers about this Braided Learning theory which concentrates on how mature communities of practice communicate on line. I am interested, of course, in whether this makes sense to colleagues who are observing the same online phenomenon as we are. The difference here is between learning in online communities set up for a course and learning in a professional community of practice(CoPs) with a longer life. The other difference I argue is that CoPs often use the products from this collaborative learning to influence policy makers local and national level.

This is a summary:

“Braided learning is a theory that has emerged from the observation of modes of online learning as the MirandaNet community of professionals has matured in digital competence. The MirandaNet Fellowship is a professional organisation of educators, researchers, policy makers, and developers of software and hardware who have a uniting conviction that teaching and learning can be transformed by the use of digital technologies. Established in 1992, the Fellows began their association online in 1994. Over the last 12+ years, MirandaNet has developed into a mature, online community of practice. This history has reveals a three dimensional process of learning and practice which entails coming to understand and participate in a creative, progressive ‘braiding’ of text, opinions, and ideas. These processes reveal how learning by professionals, for the purpose of strengthening both the profession and individual understanding, unfolds in the online context.

There are three identifiable stages in the process professionals in MirandaNet adopt and practice in their professional, online, learning. In the first stage the community engages in creating a braided text online that supports diversity and change of opinions. Some members act as e-facilitators or braiders who help to shape the argument, provide interim summaries and change the direction of the discussion. These are stored along with forum discussions and teachers case studies in the MirandaNet Braided E-journal. In the second stage, braiders demonstrate meta-learning by constructing braided artefacts, which re-interpret the online debate in different styles for different audiences, e.g., newsletters for their local communities and reports for their school senior management team. In the third stage, accomplished fellows take the initiative to set up working parties to explore a subject in more depth. At this point the participants become active professionals, using collaborative knowledge to build new theories and policies that will impact their profession in the longer term.”

For those who are interested there are two drafts of the publications for previews by colleague who are willing to give feedback only. One draft paper is 2,500 words and will be one of six new online models and theories being described in a paper for First Monday. The other paper is 24 pages and looks in detail at one of the MirandaLink debates online about social software for the International Journal of Web Based Communities. Please email me ( ) if you would like the page link. If there is enough interest I will set up a forum on the subject of online models and theories.

The Media Zoo

Gilly showed me the Media Zoo when I was at Leicester. Gilly takes a visual approach to websites so I thought some members might like to visit. It’s worth seeing for the flamingo!

The Media Zoo is a physical and virtual arena to promote and enable engagement of all staff at the University of Leicester in the complex issues of enhancing student learning through new technologies and pedagogies. The Media Zoo is a key dissemination facility for Leicester’s e-learning research activities."

http://www.le.ac.uk/beyonddistance/mediazoo

MirandaNetters at the Naace Conference

Two MirandaNet Fellows' presentations were videoed at the Naace conference in February in Torquay.

Since then viewings of the video have topped the 600 mark. Leon Cynch remarked. "This is the most viewed video on the site which says something about the desire for ICT CPD!"

You will find the two videos here: http://www.l4l.co.uk/index.php?paged=2

Books, Blogs and Websites

Do you have a blog or website that you would like to publicise?

MirandaNet is updating its Publications page. http://www.mirandanet.ac.uk/publications

If you have a blog or a website, please take a few moments to

a) add it to your membership profile

and

b) write a paragraph about each one, together with the URLs that we can add to our Publications page.

Many of our members have fascinating work up on the web: Drew Buddie, Miles Berry, Dai Thomas, Terry Freedman, Mechelle de Craene and Stephen Heppell - to name but a few.

Others of you have publications in print.

If you know of any books, blogs or websites that you find useful, send us some information and a URL about them, and we'll add them to the publications page as well!

Send the information to john.cuthell at mirandanet.ac.uk

Chris Smith has contributed some thoughts on Blogs as well

A Forest of Theme Blogs

Chris Smith (iESF)

A few months ago I started to grow what I'm calling a "Forest of Theme Blogs".

These are Blogs which mainly showcase videos and PowerPoints and are ... (yes you've guessed) ... each based on a single theme.

It is early days yet and parts of the forest has just started to germinate, some have grown shoots, nothing really super mature yet ... but I have a pocket full of seeds and I will be planting many more in the future, it's a project I'm really enjoying at the moment (but addictive).

The Blogs (trees) can be accessed from a number of different locations but I've knocked together one page which links to them all (to date) at

http://www.shambles.net/blogforest/

So I hope you and colleagues find these useful learning and teaching materials ... not too difficult to do ... providing you have the time.

Have fun.

Is the impact of ICT measurable?

Stephen Heppell sent in an afterthought about the impact of ICT being measurable on MirandaLink which others might find useful

It just occurred to me that what I am involved in with Learnometer Project might be helpful for this mission:

http://www.learnometer.net

We need metrics, and we need hard evidence; this should produce all that, in bucket loads.

Emerging technologies for learning - Becta

Becta’s Emerging technologies for learning- volume 2 has been published. This follow-up edition complements the first Emerging technologies for learning publication from March 2006. Here is the description

Emerging technologies for learning aims to help readers consider how emerging technologies may impact on education in the medium term. The publication includes articles by various authors giving perspectives covering a range of developments and trends. It should open readers up to some of the possibilities that are developing and the potential for technology to transform our ways of working, learning and interacting over the next three to five years.

This publication includes the following articles:

Copies can be downloaded from:

http://www.becta.org.uk/research/reports/emergingtechnologies

Emerging technologies discussion forum

A discussion forum has been set up at:

http://communities.becta.org.uk/technology/emergingtechnologies

The forum invites feedback and thoughts on this publication. The discussion forum aims to provide a space to:

Reply-To: Becta's ICT Research Network research@lists.becta.org.uk

Global Dimension in ICT

Alex Savage sends us this…

I'm writing a case study for QCA on ways to put a global dimension into the curriculum. I've just finished writing up a post on a project we've completed with Y7 creating leaflets about the right to education and learning to learn. We linked with a school in Cincinnati to share ideas and to provide our students with a real audience for their finished work. We used a blog for students to put up comments, an online image gallery tool called bubbleshare and even managed to do a video conference using flashmeeting. If you'd like to look at the post go to:

http://www.learnblog.net/ict/2007/05/03/giving-ict-a-global-dimension/

International Women's Day in Bangladesh

Thanks to member, Shahjahan Siraj who keeps us up with news from Bangladesh below.

Salma grooms her own garden

Parvez Babul

Salma (33) can practice her due rights now, and has become an influential woman in her community in Zoinkathi village in Patuakhali. She has become the key to ensuring food security for her family. Through homestead food production, which is supported by Helen Keller International, Salma cultivates more than 20 varieties of year-round

vegetables in her homestead model farm, and rears poultry too.

Read how Salma has become an inspiration to her family and the village community where she lives.

http://www.mirandanet.ac.uk/internat/bangladesh_int_womens_day.htm

Send us news from your country

The MirandaNet newsletter tends to be UK-centric although we have members from 43 countries. We’d like news from your country as well. I’m happy to help with your writing if you are concerned. We can talk on Skype or Netmeeting if you have these services or we can just use email:

Congratulations to new, and old, Fellows

Congratulations to Kaj Rietberg from the Netherlands who has just gained his Fellowship by reviewing these software titles. Let me know if you would like copies from our partners to do this. We particularly want reviewers for Inspiration’s InspireData. There is information about this package under Inspiration on our Front page.

Kaj Rietberg - from Holland sends us two reviews of CD-ROMs from 2simple. 2paint a picture and photo simple.

I liked doing this, but it is hard to do it in a language that is not my mother tongue. Have fun reading this.

I looked at the 2 CD-ROMs and thought how simple they look. I must say, on first sight, I did find it to simple. But that reflects exactly their company name. They want to be 2 simple and that's what I see looking at the CD-ROMs. Well thought of.

I start this review with a piece on both of the programs and after that I write about them separately.

Both CD-ROMs have instructional video's on them. The videos of 2 Paint are structured on school level and there is 1 map with 19 videos for "Help, how do I.....". So you know as a teacher what the possibilities are and you can learn the children to watch them before they start working with the program, so they know what they can do and how it works. It is a pity that there isn't a link from the menu with layouts so I can watch the videos directly, now I have to search for them on the CD-ROM or on the hard disk if I put them there.

With Photo Simple it is different. When I start the program I can also choose for watching the videos. There are less video's. Both CD-ROMs have a menu, which I have to start from the CD-ROM, for watching the videos. That's easy for finding the right video.

The use of video is very good for children in Special Needs Education, because they can see and hear what to do. Very good.

Read the complete reviews here on Kaj’s blog:

http://www.kajrietberg.nl/?p=94

http://www.kajrietberg.nl/?p=95

or look at the in the case studies on the Teachers as Researchers E-journal

Kaj Rietberg

For he’s a jolly good Fellow….!

Jim Fanning

Apologies to Jim who had been announced as a new Scholar in the March Newsletter, but is in fact an old Fellow.

Jim did work back in 2002 (ish) with the Best Practice Research Awards on the use of think.com in the classroom.

Case study:

www.mirandanet.ac.uk/casestudies/65

More Fellowships

I have several new Fellowships to announce that are linked to activities which will be reported in the second part of the summer term. Hang on in here please1 Let john Cuthell know if you are ready to do your Fellowship publication now.

Welcome to new Scholars

If you are already a member and you see a profile which interests you do get in touch with the new scholar who will be pleased to find like-minded colleagues.

Marian Chamrada

As part of my first degree, I have been travelling and teaching in several African and Asian countries. The direct experience with different educational settings yet with often strikingly similar educational issues has brought me to the School of Education and Lifelong Learning of the University of Exeter.

Here I am studying the possible impact of cross-cultural, dialogic virtual communication platform on further development of teachers. This participatory action research is so far based on a relatively small group of schools from the UK, Czech Republic and China, but with a vision to soon expand this community of teachers to Mexico, Denmark and South Africa.

Teachers working together, having to coordinate common projects, communicate with each other and collaborate in a creative way, these are not only the practical outcomes of the study but also a basis for exploring the main question: How does international collaboration between teachers, using a virtual platform, contribute to their further growth and development as not only professionals but as humans?

Since it is essential to use ICT as the main communication tool for the project, due to large distances between participants, I also investigate different designs of platforms, so that such communities would find collaboration welcoming and sustainable.

Joining MirandaNet fellowship can therefore be seen as a very natural step of networking on my journey.

Kristy Goodwin

I am currently a full-time PhD student at Macquarie University, Sydney. I was previously a teacher, with an avid interest on the integration of technology in early childhood education (Kindergarten to Year 2). My current, PhD research is examining how digital learning tools such as interactive whiteboards, learning objects, virtual manipulatives and CD ROMS impact on young children's understanding and internalised representations of mathematics concepts. I am keen to share my ideas and findings and seek feedback from such a forum.

Gillian McCalden

Having worked as a maths teacher and an ICT teacher for ten years, I joined the National College for School Leadership in 2003 as an e-learning facilitator. My role there was to enable communication and collaboration in NCSL's online learning communities and communities of practice.

Since becoming a freelance online learning consultant in 2006, I have worked with organisations to advise on and implement their e-learning strategy and to develop their interactive online presence, using various learning platforms.

I have a particular interest in online facilitation. Just creating the online spaces is not enough. In most cases, the effective use of activities and resources requires a skilled facilitator who can encourage participation and promote deeper learning.

Juan Varela

Well, I do believe that nowadays there is a clear link between technologies and any teaching practice in any field. As for my experience is concern, without technologies how could we teach a Foreign Language and what is more obvious, as the Council of Europe pointed out in a session of experts I attended at the Centre for Modern Languages in Graz; children's literature as a basic tool for language learning could not be achieved without technology and, of course, the one applied to education.

Helen Walmsley

I am working at Staffordshire University as the E-learning Models co-ordinator. This involves identifying Best Practice Models for e-learning based on theory and practice and presenting them to teachers to help them develop their practice. I have run a variety of face to face and online events to enable practitioners to review the models and discuss their use in practice. To facilitate sharing of the models, I have set up an online collaboration and all e-learning practitioners are welcome to join by going to http://crusldi1.staffs.ac.uk/moodle/, selecting Best Practice Models for Learning and self enrolling with the key BP06 (case sensitive).

John Wasteney

I am currently ICT Lead consultant with a local authority. This role has two key foci: to challenge and support schools to raise educational standards through effective use of ICT to support ICT departments in secondary schools maximise improvement in pupil achievement and attainment by leading and managing the local authority ICT strategy team for the ICT strand of the national strategy and the ICTAC whole school initiative team.

My background is that I have an extensive and successful teaching career, with twenty years of middle and senior management experience. I also have significant experience of teaching in adult education with over twelve years teaching adults starter courses, qualification and vocational courses to level 3 and company focussed training packages. Since joining a local authority I have further developed my theoretical and practical knowledge of curriculum development and school improvement, led and managed a range of local regional and national initiatives. I have been involved in research and project managed the innovative ImpaCT Centre - concept classroom for the future. I have also carried out consultancy work for national agencies such as QCA, DfES, National Secondary Strategy and NAACE.

My particular areas of interest and expertise include:

Helen Whitehead

Helen Whitehead is an e-learning specialist with many years' experience of advising on, designing and implementing courses using technology, including at Nottingham Trent University and the National College for School Leadership. She has particular expertise in learning/instructional design and e-facilitation. She currently works on the Adelie project of the Beyond Distance Research Alliance at the University of Leicester, and as a consultant with Reach Further Ltd.

Helen is a writer and editor of educational books and websites and an educational ICT consultant to schools. Since 1997 she has been Editor of Kids on the Net, a free website publishing children’s writing from around the world, and one of the longest-running such projects. Kids on the Net encourages teachers in creative uses of the Internet. It offers a variety of creative hypermedia projects to schools including Dragonsville and Adventure Island, whose development was funded by NESTA, along with an eTeachers’ Portal with teachers’ resources.

Helen has developed creative and collaborative webwriting projects and has taught webwriting and the Internet to a variety of groups from Key Stage 1 to silver surfers. She has run workshops with children and/or teachers in schools, libraries, community centres and arts venues, and has been a digital writer-in-residence in several schools and a library authority.

Ben Winter

Over the last 11 years I have taught children between the ages of 6 and 13 in Thailand, England and USA. I have also trained teachers in Pakistan.

I have enjoyed using interactive whiteboard technology over the past 2 years and strongly believe in the motivational and efficiency benefits of using ICT. I'm interested in how we learn and am presently looking at concept mapping and mindmapping as a learning, planning and communication tool. I am keen to take part in further research in this area.

I have started to experiment with blogging, podcasting and email as a way of publishing students' and my own learning.

I am very excited about learning and the effect ICT can have on the learning environment.

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