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16 December 2010

December 2010 Membership News

December Membership News

And, of course, very best wishes to all MirandaNetters for Christmas and the New Year!

A new Zimbabwean chapter of MirandaNet

We are all aware that life in Zimbabwe is still difficult. Ben Semwayo, a Zimbabwean teacher and MirandaNet member, who has been in England for some years has suggested that we set up a Zimbabwean Chapter. Several Zimbabweans are joining us to learn from our MirandaLink debates, but we are also offering them their own mail list so they can support each other and other members may be invited in to support them. Paul Matsvai who is currently in England too will be working with him.

Cecilia Magwati Kachote says “As a third world country, we are ten years behind with the technology, that's why one need to be a book worm or an internet fiend to have the ideas of what is being done or produced concerning ICT”. Daniel Nyasha Muzamhindo, who is the Principal of Chinhoyi High School, is not only keen to help his students in school but in their lives outside as well. Anna Gudyanga specifies the internet resources they need below.

Other new Zimbabwean scholars, who are all involved in ICT in education in some way, are: Desderio Chavunduka who believes in change that is inside out; driven from within; Herbert Moyo, in the past year has been working in a team that successfully lobbied for policy innovation to see higher education qualifications (HEXCO) Tech/Voc subjects being introduced to secondary schools to allow rural students to have access to ICT qualifications among other courses. Kudakwashe Mugoniwa anticipates spreading more of his computer knowledge to people in his country as does Concilia Zhanje who also reaches out to woman who will benefit from computer skills.

Akim Munthali says, “eLearning is a relatively new area at my institution and is not widely yet it has potential to improve learning. Research has shown that many teachers do not have relevant ICT skills to implement eLearning in their classes”. I think Zimbabwean teachers are not alone in this situation that we are still recording in nations that are better equipped. Clearly they have skills and enthusiasm. We wish them all well in their endeavours and will be glad to hear from members who know of sources of funding for this Zimbabwean Chapter especially in term of resources.

Senior Fellows

Some more MirandaNet Fellowships are awarded below to MirandaNet Members and Scholars who have contributed studies or projects. These are either published via one of the EJournals, or are to be found detailed in dedicated areas of the site. Many of our Fellows continue to contribute to MirandaNet and the MirandaNet team aim to acknowledge outstanding service by awarding a Senior Fellowship to these people. This month, Ben Semwayo, who has already submitted two papers for the e-journal is also setting up the new Zimbabwean Chapter so the team have decided to award him a Senior Fellowship on this basis.

The MirandaNet Fellowship would also like to award Senior Fellowships to Leon Cych and Theo Keuchel for their role in developing the MirandaMods (www.mirandanet.ac.uk/mirandamods) alongside sharing their wealth of knowledge about web 2.0 with members on-line and face-to-face.

You can read about Leon's expertise on the LWT website where you can vote for him to have a special achievement award in innovation. www.learningwithoutfrontiers.com/lwf-awards-finalists-2011

"To vote simply send the shortcode of the finalist you wish to vote for to 07950 080 667 (or +44 7950 080 667 if dialing from outside the UK)." So to vote for Leon: "Leon Cych"

You can find out more about Theo Keuchel's expertise in exploring learning through digital media and technologies. Visit his occasional blog: http://theok.typepad.com/digital_signposts

Fellows and Fellowships

Piet Rodenhuis, who has been a member for many years, is a lecturer at NHL University, Institute for Education and Communication, Teachers Training Department, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. This is a beautiful and remote area in the North of the Netherlands where Steve Coombs and Dougal MacCormick came out with me to work with the teachers in action research. Piet has been working with his colleague, Albert Walsweer to produce a paper about young children’s emerging literacy and their use of ICT called Taking a Frog Home. In this paper the authors present a pilot study which started in August 2005 in a primary school in the bilingual Frisian part of the Netherlands. Based on new concepts about learning and pedagogies, emerging literacy and the use of ICT a framework was constructed, which was used as a the starting point to develop activities to stimulate young children’s emerging literacy with the use of ICT. Piet is also contributing a useful framework for our e-journals ‘How children learn: 12 principles of learning’ which is based on Stella Vosniadou.

We are always delighted when members who have contributed a paper to the e-journal send us more materials: Dave Smith has sent us information about the new edition of his Visualiser Magazine.

“In this magazine we examine the way in which visualisers can be used in conjunction with interactive whiteboards, to make learning more engaging. Explore real-life examples of classroom practice submitted by teachers, you will see the impact of visualisers to support learning and teaching.
The screenshade and spotlight tools add another dimension to learning. Display a text or image and then reveal it slowly allowing a build-up of tension and suspense as pupils wait to see what is coming next. The spotlight tool allows teachers and pupils to focus on specific aspects, such as examining an artist’s work and exploring the detail up close.”

Additionally, you may find the Visualiser Video in association with Teachers TV of interest – developed in association with one of the schools who I have supported.

“ Discover the benefits of using a visualiser with primary pupils, along with useful tips and resources in this pedagogical ICT resource for those less confident with technology starring Havering’s very own Harold Court Primary School. This 15 minute video is ideal for CPD or staff meeting sessions.”

Keith Heggart from Australia has also sent in his second MirandaNet paper. This paper explores the use of iPod Touches within a Catholic systemic high school setting in New South Wales, Australia. Unlike previous examples which have explored the concept of m-learning (mobile learning) from the perspective of student achievement in standardised tests, this study explored student motivation and engagement in the use of the devices. This report identified that students were significantly more motivated to learn mathematics when they were using the devices, and significant numbers of students felt that they were learning more when they were using devices as opposed to when they were not. However, contextual factors were important as well, considering the relative level of the students and the appropriateness of the apps (applications) being used.

An Overview of New Scholars in November

Professor Roberta Weber from Florida Atlantic University is engaged with Christina Preston in setting up an international learned society of academics who use digital technologies in a wide range of subjects. The first meeting will be in July at Brunel.

We are pleased to welcome several new scholars whose full profiles are below this overview. Jenny Hughes is typical of a new breed of global ICT consultant who lives in Wales and France and works half time for a small independent research organisation, Pontydysgu, which is based in Germany. Juss Kaur has studied and worked in the US, Canada and the UK where he is now a researcher at McGill University.

Alex Flowers works at the Museum of London, developing and delivering blended learning sessions using digital technologies for schools and adult audiences. He will soon be teaching teachers at the Institute of Education, London University. Valerie Mancini, in Western Australia, is now teaching at a hospital schools where she plans and works collaboratively with others to create a curriculum network across all of the teaching sites.

Some new scholars share their vision for ICT in teaching and learning which is always valuable. Atif Husasain believes that technology is not a single tool, but a whole toolbox; if we use the right combination of tools we will be able to integrate ICT more effectively.

For more information please email Christina Preston

November New Scholars

Desderio Chavunduka

Desderio Chavunduka is long time teacher/lecturer in high school, teacher training college and universities. Basically an educational technologist, science teacher turned now management consultant, I believe in change that is inside out; driven from within. Given the trends in the world today, unless one is computer literate, there is no literacy. The current momentum in ICT development is here to stay and we must brace for a more enhanced e-platform for teaching. Even business transactions have migrated to the computer mediated network. I believe in people, teamwork, collaboration and networking. I am married to Yvonne and we are blessed with 3 brilliant children.

Alex Flowers

Currently I am working at Museum of London, developing and delivering blended learning sessions using digital technologies for schools and adult audiences. The work is enormously varied, with each project and session requiring new approaches. We tend to work with consumer technology such as iPhones, digital cameras and soundrecorders, adjusting their use for learning purposes.

Over the coming year we plan to develop interactive and web based tours of the galleries which can be downloaded onto mobile devices and used as self facilitated resources. By aiming to provide collaborative, contextualised and personalised sessions for visitors, we are working within a unique niche in museum education.

In January 2011, I will be leading modules in digital media and education at Institute of Education, University of London, as well as continuing my museum and freelance design work.

Anna Gudyanga

I am interested Internet services in ICT, Teacher education, Gender Studies, Biology - sex education, HIV and AIDS and anything to do with curriculum studies.

Jenny Hughes

I live in Wales and France and work half time for a small independent research organisation, Pontydysgu - which is based in Germany! My time is divided between research, teaching and project management - and writing the occasional book. I am first and foremost a practitioner and run teacher training courses, develop materials and write handbooks for teachers who want to use e-learning in their work. I also teach occasional 'visiting lecturer' courses on ITT and just about to start a contract for an international aid agency developing an on-line programme in e-learning for teachers in less well developed countries. I'm also currently excited about mobile technologies in the classroom.

The other half of my time I undertake evaluation work, run training courses in evaluation and write about evaluation - including a handbook for project managers - and I work mainly for the international NGOs, evaluating development aid intervention (education programmes) in the Middle East. I'm currently working around the idea of an Evaluation 2.0 - how web 2 tools and social software can be used to support evaluation and how this can reshape our ideas of evaluation, in particular how it moves on Guba and Lincoln's 4th Generation Evaluation.

Atif Hussain

I believe that technology is not a single tool, but a whole toolbox; if we use the right combination of tools we will be able to integrate ICT more effectively. I would describe myself as an Educator who is interested in bridging the digital divide using new technologies especially Open Source Software.

Juss Kaur

I have been working towards the integration and implementation of ICT in our secondary education education for over twenty years. While my interest lies mainly in how online technologies might be used to develop homogenous group settings for gifted and talented secondary school aged children I recognize its importance for children of all abilities. Having taught Maths and Science to higher ability students for over twenty years in Canada, the US and the UK, I went back to UK ( University of Oxford) for my DPhil. My doctoral thesis explored the sense of community in an online environment of a large high ability population, and the roles played by the teacher/facilitator/mentor in helping to create both social and cognitive presence within this community. Presently I am working as a research associate in the department of Education at McGill University. Our research team is exploring the role of Inquiry in learning and teaching.

I am interested in continuing my research with online communities and look forward to engaging with the members of the MirandaNet Community about current issues in ICT and Education.

Cecilia Magwati/Kachote

I am a teacher at Goromonzi High School in Zimbabwe and the school is located about 40 kms from the Capital city Harare. The school is in Goromonzi District and in Mashonaland East Province. I am also one of the Computer Studies Examiners with the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council. I hold a Diploma in Education with the University of Zimbabwe and other certificates in Computer Studies attained at Belvedere Technical Teachers' College. I enjoy teaching ICT at all levels thus Form 1 up to form six which is from junior certificate level to advanced level. ICT teaches you more and one needs to be always updated with the technologies as the ICT technology moves faster than anything else. Also one needs to be both familiar with software and hardware so as to teach the subject quite well because a computer might a have a problem while you are in a lesson with the students so you need to try and fix it for the lesson to progress that is if it is a minor problem which one can handle before calling for experts. So teaching ICT is interesting because you are not ilde as other subjects. One has to search wider for new matters in the Computer World. As a third world country, we are ten years behind with the technology, that's why one need to be a book worm or an internet friend to have the ideas of what is being done or produced concerning ICT.

Valerie Mancini

I have been a teacher with Department of Education in Western Australia for 33 years. For the first 16 years I was a classroom teacher and then I automated my first school library. It was during this time that my interest in ICT grew and explored how I could apply it in my teaching to improve students outcomes. Over the last 17 years I have managed to balance my two loves. First managing libraries and encouraging a love of literature, and teaching research skills. Secondly help teachers to plan lessons that incorporate the use of ICT and connect students where possible to their school curriculum. For the last ten years I have been at Hospital School Services where I have planned and worked collaboratively with others to create a curriculum network across all of our teaching sites. We have installed Interactive whiteboards in most of our programs which has helped engage students who otherwise reluctant to participate in educational activities. We encourage students to keep in touch with their enrolled schools whenever possible with the assistance of ICT.

Paul Matsvai

I am a person who is passionate about proactive curriculum engagement with different stakeholders and am also particularly interested in improving access to ICT by Zimbabwean educators across the academic spectrum. I am a strong believer in establishing synergies across the globe in new ways that will open access to all educationists and provide a platform for academic growth particularly through the use of Information Communication Technologies. Underpinning my personal philosophy is the importance of lifelong learning that takes place both through formal and nonformal programmes.

Herbert Moyo

I am quite excited about the MirandaNet concept. I am interested in the introduction of ICT in education especially in primary schools and secondary schools in rural areas. I have in the past year been working in a team that successfully lobbied for policy innovation to see higher education qualifications (HEXCO) Tech/Voc subjects being introduced to secondary schools to allow rural students to have access to ICT qualifications among other courses.

Kudakwashe Mugoniwa

I am from Zimbabwe. I worked as a temporary teacher at Alpha College in Mutare from September 1997 to September 1998. I did short computer courses in 1998 with Learntech college. In 2000 I passed National Certificate in Computer Studies (HEXCO) . In 2001 to 2002 I studied for National Diploma in Computer Studies (HEXCO). I enrolled for a Bachelor of Technology in Computing and Information Technology (Hons) in 2005 to 2009 with Chinhoyi University of Technology. I worked for Netsoft systems as an Analyst Programmer from 2007 - 2008. Developing Desktop Applications, Websites design and development and Hardware and software support services. Currently, employed by Min of Justice (Prisons 1998-date) in the ICT department as an Analyst Programmer. My duties and responsibilities include Hardware and software troubleshooting, Support services of SAP system, Training of staff on use of computers,Course design and implementation for staff, Advisory services to management pertaining ICT decisions, Inventory control and Software development that is Windows based Application development and Website design and development using VB.Net. I am experienced in using the following system and application softwares DOS, Windows 98, 2000, Xp, Vista, 7 and Server 2003. Office 2003,2007 and Microsoft Visio. The programming language and tools known Pascal, Cobol, C, C++, C#, VB.6, VB.Net,ASP.Net, HTML,Dream Weaver,Fireworks,Flash and little knowledge of Lotus Domino. I have great passion on learning more of ICT and Education. My anticipation is to spread more of my knowledge to people in our country. Currently, I am studying a Diploma in Payroll and Salaries Administration.

Akim Munthali

My name is Akim Munthali and I am a lecturer in Computer Science at Great Zimbabwe University in Masvingo Zimbabwe. My interests are in eLearning/using ICTs to learn as well as software development.

eLearning is a relatively new area at my institution and is not widely yet it has potential to improve learning. Research has shown that many teachers do not have relevant ICT skills to implement eLearning in their classes. Hence, I have just finished collecting data on the ICT needs and competencies of lecturing staff at colleges and universities in Masvingo, where I live. The results of the study will hopefully be able to inform us on the kinds of ICT interventions (if any) required to help the lecturers improve their ICT skills.

I also have an interest in ICT literacy training in the use of basic computer software packages such as wordprocessors and spreadsheets.

Daniel Nyasha Muzamhindo

I am the Principal of Chinhoyi High School and I teach and train leadership skills to students and teachers that are christo-centric. We have started teaching the learning of science and mathematics subjects through Information Communication Technologies, though the computing gadgets are still few in comparison with our student enrolment which is 1200 pupils. Our vision is to develop ICT to be accessible to every student and member of staff. Furthermore I am a youth counselor interested in teenage challenges until they are married. In addition to this I conduct marriage seminars and do part time farming, administration of cricket, athletics and soccer at provincial level in Mashonaland West province. Traveling and seeing resort places adds to my hobbies. I am married and a father to six daughters, a Church lay-leader and a local preacher in the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe at Mzari Brunswick Society, Chinhoyi.

Roberta Weber

I have been teaching in higher education for 20 years and believe that integrating technology into instruction provides one of the best models for helping learners connect the knowledge and skills necessary in the 21st Century with the foundation of thinking critically.

Concilia Zhanje

Being a Finance and Administration professional, Information Technology has played a major part in improving my learning outcomes. Information Technology has broaden my professional and career interest. Most of my work has to do with programs such as Microsoft excel, Microsoft word, Microsoft access, PowerPoint and such programs as pastel accounting.

Information Technology stores, protect, process, transmit and retrieve information. This make my work easy and more interesting.

The internet has created new and innovative ways for me to shape and share my identity as well as expressing myself. I have learnt more through social networking.

Information technology has played a major part in education. The private learning environment promotes a higher level of motivation among students worldwide. It provides a greater access to education and it accommodates students who have physical disabilities and those living in remote areas. My area of interest is helping such people and teach them to realise that there is also educational technology where they can engage themselves in e-learning.

Information technology has also played major role in the media. One form of media that has become increasingly popular in today's society is mass media which consists of radio, television, magazines and newspapers. Mass media's primary objective and purpose is to inform and educate and entertain people. I am also the President for the Baptist Women in Zimbabwe and I feel I should take a lead in ensuring that information pertaining our Baptist work is disseminated throughout the country. Newsletters capturing women at conferences should be published.

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