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29 August 2008
August Newsletter
Editorial: The wisdom of crowds
The conference season is upon us and I hope to meet some members when I am giving papers in September in Scotland, Estonia and Finland. The subject is Multidimensional Concept Maps an innovative way of identifying learners' priorities that I am currently developing for use in our MirandaNet Continuing Professional
Development programmes. More about that when I get back....
But Multidimensional Concept Maps are just one small aspect of a keen interest in new approaches to assessment that includes collaborative and peer assessment. I've been reading some interesting paper about assessment using Web 2.0 that really picks up on the contemporary view that we should collaborate, not compete. Follow this link for my article.
This brings me to new ideas that are being expressed about harnessing the wisdom of crowds which is where Web 2.0 technologies are so powerful. I've been reading two books in the holiday that were recommended to me by a colleague in a multinational company about this topic: Theory U: Leading from the Future as it Emerges and Presence: Exploring Profound Change in People, Organizations and Society. The references are below.
I found these books particularly interesting as I think they may be the next stage on from Wenger's ideas about building communities of practice. They tackle the subject of making space for the future that we cannot anticipate. The MirandaNet interest of course is how schools can be organised to do this. Roger Broadie, one of our members has been saying it is all about relationship.
In this context, Senge, who first recorded the power of collaborative knowledge building processes in industry in the idea of ‘learning organisations', is now at the centre of a movement where even some multinational employees are transcending competitive drivers in order to cooperate on some of the key challenges that face the world.
The next step for MirandaNet Fellows is to see how the principles of Theory U can be incorporated into CPD programmes and the assessment processes. This U theory of collaborative learning focuses on techniques for identifying strategies that will support profound changes in people, organisations and society. The evidence in my study is about the potential role of MDCM in learning and is a minute insert in a grand collective design - but we all have to start somewhere ☺.
Enjoy what is left of the summer.
Christina Preston
These are the book references:
Presence: Exploring Profound Change in People, Organizations and Society
by Peter M. Senge, Joseph Jaworski, C. Otto Scharmer, and Betty Sue Flowers (Paperback - 26 May 2005)
Theory U: Leading from the Future as it Emerges
by C. Otto Scharmer (Hardcover - 2 May 2007)
MirandaNet Symposium at Brighton CAL09
The deadline for abstracts and symposia is 26th September. Let me know if you would like to be in a MirandaNet Symposia.
CAL'09, LEARNING IN DIGITAL WORLDS March 23-25, 2009. Brighton, UK
Christina Preston
Community Capers Unconference
Following the success of our recent MirandaNet Unconference, Bronwyn Stuckey a senior Fellow from Australia has set up another kind of unconference in Face Book. The technology has suddenly come of age. You will find the link on the Home Page of our website.
Bronwyn says: If you are on Facebook join us by following this FaceBook link to Community Capers. Join in the activity and knowledge sharing, as a guest blogger, at Community Capers on the WordPress blog. After the brief introduction to the people, common ties, social interaction and place of MirandaNet, we were joined by Christina as community director and now invite you as core members to be guest bloggers and later tour guides to the community in live event. Let's help welcome members, start our knowledge sharing and spread to word to interested colleagues.
Please note Facebook shows this as a past event - purely because the start date has passed (this is a Facebook bug). The activities in this event are running for the next few weeks.
Podcasting Book Information
Podcasting for Learning in Universities (2008) NOW PUBLISHED!
Editors: Gilly Salmon and Palitha Edirisingha, Beyond Distance Research
Alliance, University of Leicester.
Published by: OUP/ SRHE.
More information here.
Gilly Salmon
Palitha Edirisingha
‘Podcasting for Learning in Universities' offers models and guidance based on the experience of over a 1000 students from 10 universities and staff who tried out many first attempts at pedagogical podcasts, based on the HEA funded IMPALA project.
Chapters of the book have been written by 30 practitioners reflecting their experience of developing podcasts to address specific teaching and learning challenges, and weaving together with theory and empirical evidence. Podcasting for learning reports on research-based podcast applications in universities in the UK, Australia and South Africa.
Podcasting for Learning in Universities is one of the first academic texts that examines the topic of podcasting across a broad area of HE. It aims to be an introduction, a guide and a key resource that will help you to explore podcasting as an exciting area of pedagogical development, together with a critique from Dr David Bell and a look at the future from Gilly Salmon.
The book will be of interest to practitioners from a wide-range of backgrounds:
- lecturers, tutors, university teachers, instructors in any HE or FE institution, study level, subject discipline and country context
- members of staff development units
- learning technologists and learning resources centre staff
- senior managers and heads of department who scan the scope of emerging learning technologies
- researchers who are investigating emerging technologies for teaching and learning
- corporate training
ISBN-10: 0335234291 (paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-0335234295 (paperback)
ISBN-10: 0335234283 (hardback)
ISBN-13: 978-0335234288 (hardback)
Blogging
Have a look at Mechelle De Craene's HASTAC blog on the Ning site and let her know what you think.
New Maths Tools in Kidspiration 3!
Our sponsors, Inspiration, have produced some new Maths tools for their software.
You can view them on this link.
Just click on the ‘Products' icon.
Digital Media and Learning Competition 2008
Focus: Participatory Learning
Application Deadline: October 15, 2008
Full information here.
The second HASTAC/MacArthur Digital Media and Learning Competition is now open!
The focus is participatory learning.
Awards will be made in two categories:
Innovation in Participatory Learning Awards support large-scale digital learning projects $30,000-$250,000
Young Innovator Awards are targeted at 18-25 year olds $5,000-$30,000
Full information here and here.
This information was sent in by member, Mechelle De Craene
The membership is increasing
We always have extra members joining in the summer when they have a little reflection time - we look forward to hearing from you all in due time. Meanwhile welcome. If you see someone with similar interests to your self do get in touch with them directly.
New Scholars
Dai Barnes
I have worked in education technology and teaching since 1996. My enthusiasm is focussed on getting teachers across the school comfortable and confident with their ICT in the classroom to enable students to exploit technology as a vehicle for their learning. I enjoy showing teachers how to use their tools quickly in a day-to-day, I'm a busy teacher way. When they start to see how practical and useful it is to engage students through primary sourced material, and being bold, they get excited and I try and run with it. It's not about teaching skills, they are a side-effect; I do my best to show them how to use it quickly and effectively. I am always interested in how to do it for everybody and not just one class or teacher.
Currently I run a moodle site, use promethean IWBs with ActiVote and ActivExpression, Digital Blue vid cams, digital cameras, and as much open source software as I can fit into the curriculum (although the school is microsoft in general). Recently I've been developing social networking and blogs when I can find appropriate uses.
Andrew Chambers
I started my career in 1990 working for Waikato university in New Zealand as a support officer. I gained experience in Online Learning working from 1995-2000 at Massey University in the distance education centre as an eLearning support consultant advising staff on integration of technology into distance and face to face courses as well as developing the LMS system, associated training and support structures. I joined what is now the Learning & Teaching department at the University of New South Wales in 2001 carrying out a mixture of support, training and teaching consultancy. My present role focuses on the professional development of staff in the area of educational technology.
I also co-teach a year 2 course in e-learning that is aimed at year 7 through 12 teachers. Of all my work over the last 18 years this has taught me more about learning and technology than anything else I have ever done.
Education-wise, I have just completed a Masters in Education and also hold qualifications in elearning, user support and undergrad psychology. I am presently enrolled in a Doctoral degree in education. Area of focus relates to learning and cognition.
Teresa Connolly
I have been an ESOL teacher for the last 16 years specialising in IT. I have been an E-learning champion for over two years and as part of this role I have delivered training to staff on the use of interactive whiteboards and developed and promoted the use of VLE's in education, most recently supporting and implementing the use of MOODLE across my programme area. I have also researched into the IT skills needed by ESOL students to improve their employability and linked these to the ESOL core curriculum.
Whilst working for the Teacher Education department I have taught Blended Learning at level 5 and 6 of the PGCE/Cert Ed course and the e learning module of the first year of the course.
I am now working full time for the Teacher Education department and continue in my role as an E-Champion to develop the use of ICT on the Post Compulsory Education and Training PGCE/Cert Ed course and promote the use of ICT in education both for Teacher Educators and Teachers.
Leon Cych
Truly independent consultant in ICT and innovative technologies, Leon Cych is currently UK Director of Learn 4 Life and specialises in the effective use of emerging technologies in business and education. He divides his time between speaking, project managing, filming, blogging and podcasting with key innovators in the UK education sector, especially with the use of Web 2.0 technologies.
Eszter Dósa
I am interested in ICT and language teaching, especially the role of the interactive whiteboard. Therefore I chose this topic for my thesis. I would like to investigate how it can facilitate learning English as a foreign language. Now I would like to gain information about it and I am planning a classroom research, too. I am at a very early stage now. This is why I am happy to have found this website and community.
Toby Holman
Teenagers have embraced the Web 2.0. From blogging to wikis, podcasting to forums, they are not scared to ‘have a go' for their own benefit. The situation is, however, a concern and one that we as teachers, cannot allow to continue. If pupils are searching for answers, can we as teachers not supply these using new technologies that limits time investment but also maximise outcomes? Teachers need to recognise that learning does not have to be confined to the 3.00pm end of school.
Rachel Jones
It all started with 'Fun with Texts' and 'Granville' in the mid 1980s.... During the intervening 23 years I've had the joy of becoming a Mac enthusiast in the 80s, and being in the core team setting up a new secondary school in the 90s with ICT at the heart of the curriculum.
The noughties brought a spell in LA inspection leading up on ICT School Improvement, which led to headship and the joyful Ingenium project (DfES pilot for Building Schools for the Future)
My passion for young people doing interesting things, technologies and cool learning spaces took me out of school and into Steljes Ltd, where we pioneer new technologies. Now I'm immersed in BSF and as determined as ever to work out how we can enhance and learning with ICT. I am very lucky to work in an environment where we can influence the sorts of technologies learners and teachers can use.
Daniel Nicholson
I have been involved in ICT in education for many years. First delivering NOF ICT courses to teachers for Anglia Ruskin University, and since then in a freelance capacity. I have written books on ICT and Science for Heinemann.
I am an accredited Interactive Whiteboard trainer and deliver ICT courses to teachers on whiteboards and other associated technology. I am also a science lecturer on a Primary SCITT Course and I incorporate innovative ways of using ICT into the course.
I have run my own websites since 1995 and they have always been geared to sharing teaching ideas for free. I run a blog where I share many useful resources for teachers to aid their use of ICT in the classroom. I am currently interested in in the use of web2.0 tools to aid teaching and learning.
Kristen Randall
Teaching and learning are my passions! I have spent the past six years as a primary school educator teaching grades 2 and 3 as a regular education teacher and grades K and 4 as a special educational inclusion teacher. Two years ago I decided that I was ready to further my education and began my journey through a doctorate of education program in learning and leadership at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. Currently, I am researching interactive whiteboards in hopes of conducting a dissertation research project on the perceived and anticipated benefits of interactive whiteboards. I am always eager to learn more about classroom instruction and best teaching practices so that I can serve my students, school and community to the best of my ability.
Paul Seaforth
I am an international ICT Professional previously employed in the telecommunications sector for the past 22 years. I recently joined the Ministry of Education in Trinidad & Tobago as the Programme Director of ICT in order to help the Ministry execute its strategy of infusion of ICT into the national curriculum. While the projected benefits of accomplishing this objective seem obvious, the path to get there is a significant challenge especially in terms of expanding the focus beyond technology to include the requisite teacher education and ongoing HR support for success. The Ministry has developed an excellent "Draft Policy for ICT in Education" which highlights key topics for the infusion of ICT into the curriculum. Through my experience in ICT, project management, and collaboration, I hope to be a key member of the Ministry's team which will leverage ICT in education to achieve the Ministry's goal to "create an environment that encourages creativity, critical thinking, and decision-making thus developing and individual capable of finding his/her place in a technologically driven skills-based economy."
John Sutton
I am currently a self-employed ICT consultant based in Stockport, Cheshire. I specialise in the primary age range, having been a teacher in that area for nine years prior to setting up Creative ICT. My particular area of focus is the introduction of Web 2.0 type technologies in schools and I undertake training, consultancy and teaching projects to that end. I have my own blog platform for schools to use and am also an accredited trainer for Knowledge Box, Incerts and Softease. In addition, I am an accredited Becta ICT Mark Assessor.
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