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1 August 2009
MirandaNet Holiday Newsletter August 2009
Editorial: The holiday edition
Apart from a further notice about our event with Etienne Wenger on 22nd September and CPD on Second Life, most of this newsletter supplies you with a cornucopia of free reading for the holiday. You will be delighted with our choice when you get tired of your light novels and want something really heavy and academic ☺
We have handbooks and journals about concept mapping, learning style, blended learning and professional practice 0-7.
But for variety in your ‘reading' we also present you with a collaborative knowledge map about developing international partnerships for you to decipher. Expect more of these...
Have a marvellous summer and come back refreshed.
Christina Preston
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Events
MirandaMod, Communities of Practice, 22nd September
Places are going fast for our next event on 22nd September, MirandaMod, Communities of Practice, Etienne Wenger
You can join online or attend at the WLE centre in London
Sign up on our front page.
Second Life Adult CPD
Leon Cych conducted a Virtual Worlds Seminar for Naace.
As a follow up colleagues may like to see a couple of films Leon has made/adapted/mashed up about Adult CPD environments that are now available on the Learn 4 Life Island in Second Life.
Possibilities of conferencing.
MirandaNet is also planning some CPD with Leon in this area so get in touch with me if you are interested and we will plan this around the interests and needs of participants.
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Concerning Concept Maps
If you are obsessed with concept maps MirandaNet will be your first hit...
Developing International Partnerships
We are experimenting with networked concept maps as a means of sharing and recording knowledge at meetings. This collaborative concept map was produced by participants in a round-table discussion at the one-day conference on Work-based learning held at the WLE Centre, Institute of Education, on July 9 2009. When the case study loads you will only see part of the concept map. To view the complete map, select it, click on it and choose 'Open in new window'. The notes can be downloaded as a PDF file.
John Cuthell
Handbook of Research on Collaborative Learning Using Concept Mapping
Information about my contribution to the book, Handbook of Research on Collaborative Learning Using Concept Mapping, is here.
However this handbook costs $275. I cannot afford to buy it myself! So I am negotiating special terms with the publishers for MirandaNet members. If you have a real need for this book let me know and I can add you to my negotiation list.
Reading for the Holiday
A style perspective issue: Reflecting Education
A new issue of the online journal Reflecting Education has been published and is now available to read here.
This special issue is entitled "A style perspective: The use and understanding of style differences to enhance learning", and involves a selection of papers presented at the 13th Annual European Learning Styles Information Network (ELSIN) Conference.
Blended Learning volume: Part Two
Vol. 5, No. 2 (2009, Summer)
Introduction to the Special Issue on Blended Learning (Part 2) by Karen Swan
This is the second part of the Journal of the Research Centre for Educational Technology's special issue on blended learning which we are defining here as the integration of face-to-face and online instruction in a planned and pedagogically sound manner. In the first part of the special issue, the articles dealt mostly with blended learning at the class level. In this second part of the special issue, the articles are concerned with blended learning at the program level.
Read more here.
PDF Version (Vol. 5, No. 2)
For a downloadable PDF version of this issue, click on this link.
How to make ICT lessons excruciatingly dull
It is well worth signing up to Terry Freedman's newsletter. He always has something current to say that is well expressed, and often amusing which takes the sting out of ICT☺
Terry's Home Page. Updated virtually daily.
If you have not seen his book the holiday might be the time to read it - not boring I promise you...Here is a review:
"If you're interested in making your ICT lessons more interesting, or helping someone else to do so, you could do a lot worse than buy this excellent how-to guide: 'Go on, bore 'm: how to make ICT lessons excruciatingly dull'.
A mere snip at 4.99 GBP (or your currency's equivalent), this book looks at the ten main reasons why boring ICT lessons are boring. There is also a cheaper electronic version available, which means instant gratification! So what are you waiting for? You can read the full table of contents and an extract, and order the print or electronic version, from here.
The End of the mLearning Revolution
Members may be interested to read this article by Chris Nash who takes a long cold look at how the mLearning revolution failed to deliver on its promise of personalised anytime, anywhere learning. Instead, he suggests, it has become subsumed into delivering the same drill and kill techniques of other technology based learning or ironically, "mobile learning in a classroom".
Developing Professional Practice 0 -7
Developing Professional Practice 0 -7 by Professor Sonia Blandford will be published in August. Please pass on the details to practitioners engaged with babies, toddlers or children aged 0-7 including; foster carers, nursery carers and managers, social workers, support teachers, teachers, teacher trainers, child care students and tutors, policy makers and parents. Details can be found on this link.
Blog Spot
So you want to be perfect?
I've just had a look at TonNet's blog: His mission is pretty close to ours.
"TonNet wants to say that while he loves having readers, that is not the most important thing for him about blogging. This is almost an internal conversation he is having in a very public way. And as such, he welcomes and appreciates your comments, ideas, criticism, and readership.
This blog is primarily about how education and technology come together over the space we call 'learning.' It covers a lot of ground but the overarching theme is how these new technologies, methodologies and ideas can be used to create a richer world of learning."
TonNet recommends:
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teachers
This is an American view of the efficient and effective professional life. How do we score in the UK? Is this a little too perfect for us.
Endgame
With patient help from Francis I have now learnt to put automatic ‘away from my desk' notices on my emails so that burglars know when to make an entry... In this context I thought you might like some suggestions for what to put in your ‘away messages' - a helpful email that was sent to me recently.
1. I am currently out of the office at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail to get the position. Please be prepared for my mood.
2. You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the office. If I was in, chances are you wouldn't receive anything at all.
3. Sorry to have missed you, but I'm at the doctor's having my brain and heart removed so I can be promoted to the management team.
4. I will be unable to delete all the emails you send me until I return from vacation. Please be patient and your mail will be deleted in the order it was received.
5. The email server is unable to verify your server connection. Please restart your computer and try sending again. (The beauty of this one is that when you return, you can see who did this over and over again!)
6. Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply in approximately 19 weeks.
7. Hi, I'm thinking about what you've just sent me, please wait by your PC for my response.
8. I've run away to join a different circus.
9. I will be out of the office or the next two weeks for medical reasons. When I return, please refer to me as Lucille, instead of Steve.
10. Send me yours for teachers and schools! Christina
Endnote
Always keen to publish any snippets sent by MirandaNet members
New Scholars
Paul Emecz
I have worked as an RS teacher since 1996. At first, I couldn't see a way for ICT to enhance learning in my subject area. However, as access to ICT began to improve, I became convinced that there were an increasing number of ways that ICT could transform learning in my subject area and across the curriculum. I became Lead Practitioner for eLearning, and have helped establish a 'Laptops4Learning' scheme at our school that has brought laptops into all subject areas across the KS3 curriculum. We now have an effective Learning Platform used by all subject areas. It is used best when students work collaboratively. I am always looking for the nest steps to take. For example, since 2007 I have been involved in projects using Second Life, a virtual 3D world, as a learning environment. My primary interest is learning, and ICT has huge potential to improve learning.
I teach ICT, but mainly RS. I designed and run the school extranet and am responsible for overseeing the cross-curricular provision of eLearning. I provide the staff training on Studywiz, our learning platform. I also run an RS website.
Hari Indran
I am an ICT teacher by trade. I am currently undertaking full time doctoral studies at the Institute of Education, whilst contributing to the PGCE ICT course. I also do a bit of ICT coursework moderation and a bit of ICT teaching when I can. My primary research interest is the ICT curriculum in secondary schools, as far as relevance and content are concerned. In particular, I am interested in practitioner and student perspectives of the ICT curriculum, and what practice looks like ‘on the ground' in terms of how the ICT National Curriculum programme of study and ICT qualification syllabi are implemented. This is certainly an area that has been poorly represented in literature and Government research. This interest in ICT as a ‘subject' was fashioned out of several years of teaching ICT in secondary schools. I taught a number of discrete ICT qualifications at key stages four and five, whilst also delivering ICT discretely at key stage three. I became interested in the design and content of qualifications. I asked myself a number of questions: Why are ICT qualifications designed as they are? What line of thinking determines their content? How appropriate is the content in relation to the needs of students as far as entry into the workplace and higher education are concerned, as well as considering the social and leisure related needs of students? A narrow focus on ‘qualifications' can be extended out to consider the ICT curriculum as a whole. This interest came about from not only my teaching experience, but also from student and teacher feedback. Students would question why they had to learn certain topics or practice particular skills, especially when certain practical skills had already been developed at home. In my mind, this raised questions as to the effectiveness of the ICT curriculum in schools, and sparked an interest in further exploring student and teacher perceptions. This set me off onto my journey into doctoral studies.
Paul McKillop
I am heavily involved in the development of the VLE structure and the training of tutors in it's use. I am enrolled on the eCPD Professional Development Assistant programme.
I am a fairly late entrant to teaching having moved from the industrial sector. This has proved to be a challenge on occasion as things seem to happen a little slower!
I am an ardent believer in the power of eLearning and its potential to extend accessibility, involvement and the promotion of higher standards, especially in the use of varied learning styles. However, I think sometimes we let the technology rule what we do without looking at potential pedagogical issues. Sometimes, we look too much at the teaching and not enough at the learning.
Today's tutors must keep up to date if we are to stand any chance of engaging increasingly demanding learners.
I am a database man, principally with experience in design and implementation at SME level. I teach the theories of databases at levels 2 - 4 and this differentiation has been very challenging, particularly with the younger learners.
I started in 1969 (i know, you didn't realise we had electricity then) running a factory on a Honeywell DDP516 with 32K of memory! Things are growing at an astonishing rate, mostly for the better.
I am especially interested in the convergence of device functionality through the use of mobile technology strategies without necessarily fully understanding the integrated technology. The black box approach!
My most recent project is the eCPD programme.
I continue to develop prototype solutions for relational databases for development of larger scale solutions.
Amir Mo (Mokhtarzadeh)
I am currently at the final stages of my PhD studies at MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University) researching into socio-cultural factors in education in China. I have worked as divisional leader, senior lecturer, ILT (Information Learning Technology) coordinator, ICT consultant, and research assistant. Coming from a mixed cultural background helped me in building experiences in inter-cultural communication especially in China which is reflected in my PhD thesis with the major parts in ethnography. I am very interested in Globalisation, identity, inter-cultural discourse and power. I am also interested in how portability in ICT can be used to support educational practices and contribute to personalised learning.
Lisa Stevens
Originally trained as a Secondary MFL teacher, I taught for 9 years in two challenging comprehensives, holding positions of responsibility before moving into the Primary sector in 2003. I now have a variety of roles; teaching Spanish in two local schools, working with the Local Authority as a Language Coach to support schools in implementing the KS2 MFL Framework, promoting eTwinning as an eTwinning Ambassador for the British Council and speaking at local, regional and national conferences on PMFL and ICT. I have also recently been made an ADE.
I write a blog called ¡Vámonos! , predominantly on the subject of teaching and learning Primary Languages in the 21st century, on which I reflect on my own classroom practice, report on conferences I've attended and also post resources and ideas - particularly ones that include technology as a tool to enhance and increase learning and motivation.
Through eTwinning I gained an insight into the amazing potential of ICT, and over the last three years have become increasingly convinced that technology should be used to enhance education, and not for the sake of it, and see ICT tools such as Voicethread, wikis, Voki, Twitter and Animoto as invaluable tools that allow for creative approaches to establish cross curricular links.
Mercedes Viola
I have been in education for almost 20 years.
Together with a colleague of mine, we have been running a language institute since 1990. We've been developing courses for adult students who need English for their professional development.
We are also in charge of the design and implementation of the English curricula for a primary and secondary school here in Uruguay.
I love technology and think of it as an excellent tool for education. We have adapted the Moodle platform to support our students, we are using Microsoft Live@edu to provide online communication and collaboration with our students. We have also been using virtual environments for meetings with our students or virtual conferences.
I have started using Second Life but haven't devoted enough time to it. I'm taking some courses on using wikis for education. And since Uruguay is implementing the one laptop per child program we are trying to implement some virtual environments and educational networks for kids and teenagers.
New Members
Stephen Lockyer
I love ICT and I love working in Education. I firmly believe that we haven't seen a tenth of what is possible with the tools available to our young today, and an so excited to be able to learn these new skills and pass them on to others.
Rebeca Villalta
I´m trying to learn more about these technologies because I will create courses in this way.
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