We're an ICT Cluster in Southland, New Zealand - a community of Primary Schools seeking to develop and embed an elearning pedagogy in a way that influences high quality teaching and learning.
Our Reflective Summary 4 has been posted to the vln over the weekend. You can read it here!
It makes for some really encouraging reading and there has been some significant progress made on most cluster goals - with plans in motion to attack the others.
If you haven't registered for the vln yet, now's your chance. It's a network for all teachers who are interested in discussing and sharing what's happening in their schools and classrooms. We hope our reflective summary has added to those conversations.
Here is a link to veiw or download our September Reflective Summaries. We have used these school reflections to help collate our overall cluster milestone and reflective summary (you can read this shortly on the vln).
There will be a link posted here, on our cluster blog, so you can read our reflective summary. It makes for some encouraging reading! It's worth seeing the overview of the progress the cluster has made this year - which is hard to see when we are all working hard in our sub clusters and individual schools.
Here are a few stats and common threads, gathered from our school reflections -
- 6 / 10 schools have followed through and completed their teacher inquiries this term.
- 2 schools using these as part of their appraisel process.
- 9 / 10 schools report a substantial increase in teacher confidence and capability in ICT integration. Many schools preparing purchasing plans for increasing the number of devices in their schools.
- Most schools reflected a year of embedding their inquiry process and establishing consistent planning and assessment practices across the school.
Here are some other links to some fantastic sites, wikis, videos and other web 2.0 activities happening in the cluster!
Many of us have classroom blogs for sharing the learning, communicating with family, as a teaching tool in the classroom and as a motivational tool through the use of a wider audience (need any more reasons to start one?).
Here's a site which, when registered, will link your class with three others in a bid to increase motivation and get some sharing, commenting happening on a large scale. Fill in the registration form, quickly because I think they may be starting soon, and you will be connected with other classes world wide. Each class has a turn to be the focus for reading and commenting for a week.
There is a great PD opportunity for all the enthusiastic teachers in the Southland / Otago area this month. The Educampdunners 2011 day is on Saturday, 27th August at St Clair School. It's a day of sharing and learning about innovative teaching and learning that has an ICT / elearning focus - like a teachmeet on steroids! Click on the image below to view the wiki for more info and the page to register. Best of all, it's free.
Our cluster will be organising some transport so contact me at markherringnz@gmail.com if you are keen to carpool / come along.
Great learning - great company - great coffee (and maybe some shopping for the ladies???) We dare you to come and NOT leave fired up with some amazing ideas for your class!
There are two very exciting scholarships that teachers can apply for here, at the link below. Core Education have a travel scholarship to an international event and and award for PD and reflective practice! Are there some teachers in our cluster who have a go at applying?
Thanks, Dianne Mills (Our National Facilitator), for the news about this pretty exciting opportunity!
Every ICT Cluster is focussing on teacher practice that impacts on student achievement. This is also the aim of the renewed Registered Teacher Criteria.
This wiki below has been created by Suzie Vesper and Rochelle Jensen from Digistore and it provides links between the criteria and eLearning. It's an amazing resource that should help with our subcluster action plan goals and also our individual Teacher Inquiries!
Our techie session is on using the web to connect our classrooms and ourselves with other professionals. Here's an example of using Mindmeister to connect. We're working on it to start the session and as a way for sharing our thinking - great for using in class or as a homework task.
Extention! Check out Go2web2.0 and find three sites you will use in class - explain how!
Last term we started our teacher inquiries. Here's a planning document from one of our Principal's, Tim Lovelock. His focus is to develop a school-wide eLearning pedagogy that becomes a part of the teaching and learning culture of their school.
By now you should be seeing some results from the strategies you have been putting in place. Don't forget to record some reflections on your word doc or your blog as the term unfolds and do contact your lead teachers as a resource to help you move through the teacher inquiry cycle.
There are lots of teachers in our cluster who are using class bogs, accessing web2.0 sites an even having individual blogs for their students. Here's a great post from the team at Edublogs about how to keep our kids safe when using the net.
It has some useful tips and suggestions for helping us run an effective internet safety programme in our schools and classrooms. Best tip I saw - cyber safety is not just a 'one of lesson!'
Thankyou for all your hard work preparing the reflective summaries for this terms Milestone Report. We are most of the way through preparing the report for the preliminary submission date on Friday.
We thought we would post the reflective summares here on the cluster blog for us all to share the progress so far. It's been quite rewarding to read your descriptions of increased ICT integration and the other developments happening in our schools. It would be well worth your time reading some of the reflections.
Don't forget you can visit our cluster reflection summary on the VLN website or on this blog, which we will use to share the summary with you, also.
Here's a video on how to register with the VLN site that all clusters have to have an online presence in. I also explain how our three sites work and the function of each one. (It's my first screen cast, so be gentle.. )
Below is a diagram of the three sites and the structure.
Core have started advertising some online courses that teachers can take on a huge range of topics - from eportfolios to enhancing literacy through elearning strategies.
They use a variety of online forums, texts, videos and 'webinars' to cover the course content. There is a range of costs (many of which can cover 5 - 10 staff from 1 school) and could provide an interesting tool in your school's PD programme within the cluster.
Below is also a wordle of the collaborative google doc notes taken from the T.O.D. on Wednesday. Wordle.net takes the words that are mentioned and highlights them according to the number of times they are mentioned in the text.
One of the 'next steps' we've identified from the lastest cluster survey is the need to engage our communities in the shift that's occuring in education - especially in regards to elearning.
This presentation by Regan Orr, the Principal at Kopataroa School near Levin, is a great example of one way to engage with our parents and caregivers about the changes that are occuring to teaching and learning. Regan was really pleased with the positive response he had from his community, both during and after the evening's presentation. He has also said he's happy to be contacted for further comment. You can visit his professional blog here.
How we decide to engage with our communities will vary across the cluster but it's great to see how one school is approaching this important aspect of leading change in it's school.
I've had a couple of requests for some resources and strategies to help develop the questioning skills of our students - a focus for some of our teacher inquiries. Here are a few links that will hopefully give you some things to try. Are there any links you know of that you can add? Post them in the comments below.
1. Question Skills Wikispaces
This is a great wikispace with resources and links to explore. It has information that defines what effective questions are with a framework to work in. The 'questioning links' page has some more sites to visit.
2. The questioning toolkit
This site encourages classrooms to create their own 'questioning toolkit' based around the different types of questions you can ask.
I've used an actual toolbox with resources in it to help us in class. A teacher could make some laminated cutout shapes of tools with the description of the types of questions to ask. The students could (after learning the different types) chose the questioning tool that could help them at any time.
3. Socratic Questioning
This is a 'disciplined' form of questioning that's really powerful for students to dig deep into an issue. This site has a good example of what Socratic questions are and some examples under each of the 6 types. Here is a link to a 'taxonomy' of socratic questioning, too.
4. Posters - thick or thin questions
Here are some resources you can download and print for classroom displays
Are you looking for some websites that can help with your Teacher Inquiry? Paula, from Myross Bush, posted this link to a great collection of web2.0 sites you can try out.
You can search for specific sites - there are lots of categories - and I've yet to see a bigger collection! Happy hunting!
It was great to see such an enthusiastic bunch meet at Makarewa last night. These were the groups that split off after we met up for a quick drink. It was an informal chance to share, learn and explore some strategies for elearning in our classrooms!
Thanks to Julie, Evelyn, Kiri and Renee for starting the groups and getting the ball rolling. There may possibly be another teachmeet early next term!
Are you looking for some strategies that will help extend, engage your writers? This presentation has some great web2.0 tools and other strategies for you to explore.
It's been created by Mark Warner (@markw29) who has a teaching and learning blog with some great resources. Thanks to @fievels for the link!
On Wednesday I worked with some classrooms who wanted to develop their use of Skype. I arranged for two classrooms to skype with us (thanks to connections with my twitter friends, @Marama and @mrkempnz), one in Dunedin at Grant Braes School and the other at Pukeokahu School near Taihape.
The first class, Room 3 at St Thomas Aquinas, watched this video that explained what skype is and how it works.
Next we co-constructed a chart of what a successful skype session is. The poster below is the version I've put together in popplet- a cool chart maker, I've discovered. The three parts, preparation, during the call and reflection are based on the rubric I found online here, at the 'Educational Origami' blog. We found that it helped us have a great first Skype call, especially the prep stage where we visited their class wiki or blog and prepared some questions to ask.
Here are some reflections I've taken from the two sessions.
1. Watch for tricky technical bridges to hurdle.
It's always important to test your technology before using it, especially when you've arranged a time to do something with someone else- who has built their timetable around it. We had some issues with proxy settings and, I think, some firewall blocks which has tripped me up in the past. Always check your connection before you need it. Especially when using skype for the first time with a class.
2. Always have an authentic purpose.
Anything new has its gimmick appeal. I've found that this lasts for about 20 minutes with kids and then they're over it! When we're using skype to call someone you should always have a real reason for doing so...not just because you can - 'Hey kids, lets skype the class next door!'
With the second session we decided that we'd use the skype call to help the class develop an understanding of open and closed questions - and a real audience to practise on! They were totally engaged in asking their open questions (based on a video the other class made of a science experiment they did with cows eyes) and they got experience how powerful those types of questions are. The learning intention of the session was not how to use skype - classic example of use the tool to help the learning..rather than learning the use of the tool.
3. Don't underestimate how familiar our students are with technology
It was amazing to see how many hands shot up when I asked if they had used skype before. Many had skyped their grandparents and family front out of town and a lot of them knew how it worked and what it did.
Often we think that we will be sharing a tool with our class that is innovative and amazing! It may well be, compared to the technology we usually use at school, or even compared to the teacher next door. But to these students it's a normal part of regular life. It's not so amazing to them - they don't know any different. All the more reason to make our classrooms as relevant as possible to our students everyday lives.
Today I've been looking at this eLearning showcase site from Victoria - thanks to a link on twitter by @nickrate. It has some great resources for us to look at involving planning, policy, curriculum development and
It should inspire and direct us to continue using eLearning in our classrooms and help develop our understanding of what eLearning is, a next step to come out of our cluster survey. There are some good classroom project examples here.
This is a map the Lead Teachers have started making at this mornings meeting. They can add more ideas as the terms go by.
Mindmeister is another great way to collaborate together with your class for all kinds of brainstorming and collective thinking - as well as being a good example of Web 2.0!
It's great to see teachers putting some strategies in place that will help them achieve their focus for this year. Here are a couple of resources to help us create those strategies in our classrooms.
This is a popplet of the different forms that strategies could take. Remember that, for a strategy to include an aspect of eLearning it does need to have an ict tool as some part of the process - whether that is at the start / middle / end of the journey.
This answergarden widget could store some of our ideas so far!
I'm working at Makarewa Primary today and was shown this website by Gabby, one of the teachers. It's an interactive 'mashup' of global events / disasters. The google map is updated every 20 mins and leads the viewer to more info on each event - very topcal with the earthquakes happening at the moment!
Lots of us are starting blogs for our class. They're a great way to share our learning, to increase the engagement and motivation of our students and also a safe way to launch our class into the cyber world through links and images.
Here's one started at Myross Bush by Evelyn. She's using the side bar to store online links for maths groups, has some photos embedded in a post, using picturetrail and some links to some spelling games.
(Click on the image to have a closer look.)
Have you started a blog? Check out this video below that explains what a blog is - and answers - 'What's all the fuss?'
It's always best for us to learn how to fish, rather than to be given one. One way for this to happen is to learn how to take the initiative to explore new skills ourselves. It also means we don't have to wait for the next get together before we try something new.
This resource is a great place to find out about some strategies that will help us integrate the tech into our eLearning practice. It has some amazing links to examples and 'how tos' for all sort of tech integration - especially blogging, podcasting and even curriculum based eLearning experiences.
I've also linked the page about blogs wiki from our bloggingconnections wiki. Happy fishing!
I get asked, 'What do you think eLearning is?' all the time on my travels and it's been great PD for me to have these conversations. It's a concept that's evolving almost as fast as the technology that's driving it (both in terms of the tools that provide the learning 'opportunities' and also the societal factors that make it 'imperitive')- and it's an understanding that's CRUCIAL for teachers to make the paradigm shift from a tradition mode of teaching to a modern one.
Here's a slideshow (by Jacqui Sharpe) that makes a great attempt to define it as it stands at the moment. I hope it will be used as resource to help us define the concept for ourselves.
The question for us is, 'How could it look it MY class?' - What's you next step?
(Have a look at the links to the left. There are some great definitions there, too)
Here's an edtalk that was recorded at the last Learning@Schools conference about Teacher Inquiry.
This edtalk, by Claire Amos explains how her school, Epsom Girls Grammar, uses the teacher inquiry model to help the staff develop their elearning practice within certain curriculum areas. There are some interesting parallels between our clusters, especially with the focus being on improving student outcomes by using elearning strategies and tools - she also mentions the 'measurement' word!
We've all been seeing the hype created by the iPad, especially when it comes to being used in the classroom. Mobile devices are being identified as the next big tech tool for learning so... here are some links I've collecting.
My hope is that a school will begin a trial / pilot iPad programme. OR, just buy a couple for staff to take home and try...OR better still, buy me one..=)
Here's an example of one of MANY educational apps for the iPad.
Thanks to everyone who filled out the cluster survey for Feb. There were still some entries outstanding from the odd school - however, for the sake of moving forward I have closed the entries and collated the responses.
Here is a PDF of the entire cluster. Below is also a word doc that you can use to analyse your school's progress against the Cluster goals. You can use it to create an action plan for the rest of the year.
- Download the action plan,
- Go through your specific school survey results (emailed to your Principal and Leads)
- Complete the plan. You could then record that plan in your milestones.
Remember - this is a diagnostic resource for you to use to help the professional development of your school!
I've picked up a couple of resources that might be useful to you from the 'Learning @ Schools' Conference in Rotorua last week.
This is a list of web tools you can try that are listed under some Key Competencies categories. they are well worth a look at.
This is an offer to purchase / upgrade your comiclife software for a reduced rate. You will need to contact .... to get info on the finer details. The new version of comic life has some fantastic templates for education!
The Lead Teacher's are going to organise a 'Teachmeet' for the end of this term. The aim is to help us all share and collaborate some strategies to help us with our teacher inquiries.
Here's a video, by Brainpop, that explains what it is. Wikipedia also has a good definition.
(If you haven't seen Brainpop.com it's well worth a visit. They have a massive range of videos and interactive quizzes you can view - some for free, most you need to register for...)
Lots of us are using or thinking of starting blogs - for our own professional reflections, our students, our classrooms and schools. Here's a great video from Commoncraft that is THE BEST explaination I've seen. - it's well worth the watch, even for your students!
We've decided to provide some resources to help everyone reflect on their teacher inquiries. Yes, some form of reflection is a cluster requirement but it's also a very important part of the inquiry process - probably one of the most crucial elements to helping us grow and develop as educators.
Here are some links you can use to help you reflect 'in' and 'on' your teaching. The video below explains the benefits and the differences between in / and on. You might watch these during your first pod meeting or at your own leisure - it has soothing music to calm the nerves...
We've decided to offer everyone the use of this word document, also, as a guide to record your reflections in writing if you wish. You could download the template and save your document as you go. It could then be emailed to your lead teacher when needed and they will upload to the cluster site for milestone evidence.
Here are some other links that give more examples of how reflections can be made and recorded.
After studying the results over many hours this weekend we have a winner for our Marshmallow Challenge - Winton School! They winning height was 1201 cm and you can see the creative spin this team put on their design.
The consistent message I gave to everyone was that you can do what every fits within the rules on the board... and one of the rules stated that the distance was from the table top to the height of the marshmallow.
The rules didn't state which way the table had to be positioned. So, this team has taught us all some important lessons about reaching our goals.
If we're striving to do the best for the learning of our students then sometimes it pays to move our preconceived ideas of what effective teaching and learning is really about. What are we 'holding onto' in our practice because it's always been done that way? - food for thought.
Another winner today is Grant, also from Winton School. He saw this qr code that was
around many staff rooms, took the photo and saw the message on line to send me a text. A Crunchie bar is on it's way, Grant (it's also been in my bag for 10 days so might be a little broken up...).
QR codes are being tipped as one of the next big things this year - they help bridge the gap between the physical and online worlds and should be seen more with the uptake of smart phones around the place.
Check out these links to find out more - especially about QR codes and your classrooms! I wonder who'll join Grant and be the early adopters in the cluster?
Here's a great site with free graphic organisers to download and use in your classrooms. I'll be sharing some resources on this site from time to time if I think they may be strategies you'd be able to use for your teacher inquiries.
These are a brilliant way to get students thinking at deeper levels and recording what they find out. Another strategy is to set a task for a group and, once they become familiar with the organisers, let them choose which one to use!
If you have some great links to share, email me at markherringnz@gmail.com and I'll post them on.
It's been a wirl wind tour of schools for me in the last two weeks. Thanks for the gentle introduction. I'm really excited about the enthusiasm you all have for growth this year and I'm looking forward to learning alongside everyone this year!
Here is the link and the video for the marshmallow challenge we've been using to kick the year off. I will let you all know the winning school for the marshmallow challenge at the end of this week! A morning tea shout is heading your way.
Look out for some more pictures of the best structures to be posted soon.
There are two very exciting scholarships that teachers can apply for here, at the link below. Core Education have a travel scholarship to an international event and and award for PD and reflective practice! Are there some teachers in our cluster who have a go at applying?
I'm working at Makarewa Primary today and was shown this website by Gabby, one of the teachers. It's an interactive 'mashup' of global events / disasters. The google map is updated every 20 mins and leads the viewer to more info on each event - very topcal with the earthquakes happening at the moment!
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