Network Learning

Master Learners, Learner Centered Design and Master Courses

2010-03-02T12:54:00.006+11:00

Will Richardson posts on the teacher as a master learner, inspired by some observations from George Siemen’s post ‘Teaching in Social and Technological Networks’.
This snippet gives an idea of what Will means by the teacher as a ‘Master Learner’:

“George goes on to suggest a totally different way of thinking about “teaching” one where instead of controlling a classroom, a teacher now influences or shapes a network.” And he discusses seven different roles that teachers will play, all of which are worth the read…we don’t teach subjects, we teach kids. And I’ll add to that: we teach kids to learn. We can’t teach kids to learn unless we are learners ourselves, and our understanding of learning has to encompass the rich, passion-based interactions that take place in these social learning spaces online. Sure, I expect my daughter’s science teacher to have some content expertise around science, no doubt. But more, I expect him to be able to show her how to learn more about science on her own, without him, to give her the mindset and the skills to create new science, not just know old science.“

The following are codified behaviours George advocates a teacher can adopt in the context of networked learning environments:

Amplifying
Curating
Wayfinding and socially-driven sensemaking
Aggregating
Filtering
Modelling
Persistent presence

Read George’s teaching paper and Will’s ‘Master Learner’ post for an explanation of what they mean.

I'm going to try and model their ideas in Moodle 2.0, it makes sense to me, and as a teacher I’m asking myself how do l become a master learner? The answer for me is to model a learning design for myself based on my learning need.

At the moment I have a NEED TO LEARN how to grow food so I’ve therefore found an opportunity to participate in some hands on workshops organised by Sydney Carriageworks, Kitchen Garden Project, there I will learn about.

Composting
Planter boxes
No dig gardens
Seed saving
Planting
Harvesting

By participating in the Kitchen Garden project I am expected to share the application of my newfound skills and knowledge with a wider network (i.e. using Moodle 2.0, wikibooks, youtube, flickr networks etc.) I’ll use the opportunity to try and model the George Siemen's approach, with a learning design based on the practical Kitchen Garden tasks.

From this I will document and share my resources and networks, found, adapted, linked, embedded or created by me in Moodle 2.0. The learning design, resources and networks together will make up a narrative of coherence' or ‘master course’.

(Note: It’s good to model this approach outside the context of an education organisation in that for me the point is to demonstrate a move towards self directed learning in a LOCAL AND INDEPENDENT/ REAL LIFE CONTEXT (with RPL opportunities for VocEd sector).

This diagram from GnuChris’s twitter feed (Thanks!) sums up a good workflow for developing a master course:

Based on work from http://wikieducator.org/File:KtOER-Cycle-Find.png

“A master course is a complete Moodle course consisting of well designed learner centered activities and resources. A master course is typically developed by a team of teachers (with experience in learning design) and made available in a community repository.

A master course can be cloned from the repository and locally adapted to improve upon the learning design. There are regular reviews of local changes and where appropriate new learning design elements are incorporated into the master course as part of continuous improvement process.” Steven Parker 2010

Plannning & documenting my own learning design approach is an important part of this master learner process and I’ll utilise some fine, easy to understand templates developed by Vicki Marchant as part of her research into learner centred design. In these templates Vicki focuses on thinking and documenting 5 elements in relation to course design.

Task Design (Learning Activity, Sequence)
Tutoring (Feedback, Discussion)
Teamwork (Collaboration)
Topics & Tools (Content/Resources/Tech)
Reflection (Review, explanation)

As part of my SWSI work training teachers in innovation and technology enhanced learning I advocate teachers document and share their learning designs as part of the course they deliver to students. Students can then explore and understand as to why? they are asked to do the learning tasks/ activities. Students may also see the value in developing their own learning design approach as part of their trade/business/ studies?

As said the platform I’m going with for my ‘growing food’ master course is Moodle 2.0 for its new network friendly features AND direction towards the community hub/ repository functionality. Also refer: http://tinyurl.com/repositoryexample .

http://docs.moodle.org/en/Community_hub

As somebody who works day to day with learning platforms, learning design and networked technology I already have the prerequisite skills and knowledge to uderstsand where George Sienmens' is coming from, when teacher new to networking technologies clone my Moodle course they will have exposure to a variety of the networks which they can explore and connect to.

‘Master Learner’, nice idea I think...where to next?:

Design a master course for myself on growing food (based on Kitchen Garden tasks) and publish to Moodle + Wikibooks.
Explain my learning design.
Share my master course.
Open up lines of communication for feedback from others.
Let others clone a master copy of my course to build upon & adapt for their own learning needs.
Participate/ give feedback...learn more about growing food.

It's a draft for me but feedback is welcome.
Related:

"Leigh Blackall developed open education at Otago Polytechnic New Zealand over a period stretching 2007/2009. The Polytechnic signed progressive IP and copyright policies, and encouraged staff to use popular internet and social media to aid teaching and learning. Leigh is completing research measuring returns on this investment, and will describe the process and initial findings."

http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/p13103637/ - Leigh’s presentation.

Transitioning between IP to free up content

2009-09-02T15:35:00.001+10:00

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Formats available: MPEG4 Video (.mp4)

Tags: mediawiki

Intro to Camstudio and screencasts

2008-07-29T12:05:00.002+10:00

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Formats available: Microsoft Video (.avi), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: camstudio, screencast, howto

Moodle + Hot potatoes makes creating a summative student quiz a breeze

2008-06-06T10:16:00.001+10:00

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Check it out. Moodle is easy, I have had many teachers exclaim 'This is just what I want' when I present the tools and this assessment technique.

Formats available: Microsoft Video (.avi), Flash Video (.flv)

Power-law distribution and openess - Be brave take the jump.

2007-10-02T11:41:00.000+10:00

Have you heard of the 'Power-law distribution' law, it asserts that 80 percent of productivity within an organisation or company will be done by 20 percent of employees, or in other edu-blogging terms 80 percent of edu-blogging within an educational organisation will be done by 20 percent of edu-bloggers and that's being incredibly optimistic (80% itself could be quite low output!) Hold that thought.

‘You’ve got to be crazy if you want to start a wiki operation from scratch you have got to have a sustainable community’
Wayne Macintosh Wikieducator

As before with the LMS software, many educational organisations look to invest time and money into in-house systemisation of technology with the vision of staff collaborating and sharing information and creating learning resources with colleagues within the organisation, for example through an in-house installation of a technology such as media-wiki or wordpress blog on their own server.

Fair enough, but is this sustainable? Probably not based on ‘Power-law distribution’.

Why bother with in house software installs? Some valid reasons to...

Enable closed environments for privacy
Provide storage space
Enable protection of IP
Protection of staff from the open internet
Market courses and service
Aggregate staff as part of a learning group
Have control off the content and who views it...

As Wayne Mactintosh of Wiki educator alludes in his above statement the reality is it's hard work, costly and difficult to achieve sustainable community interactions which continually motivate contributions from members.

No matter what technological solution the organisation invests it's time and money into as per the 'Power-law distribution' law they will still be reliant on a limited pool of enthusiastic innovators to develop skills and expertise and share with the rest of the organisation.

Whereby 20% of staff (If your're lucky) will do the edu-blogging work in addition they will probably want to forgoe the carefully executed in house system and do their own thing using whatever technology they choose to keep up with the ever changing e-learning market. This is a good thing for organisation innovation.

So where is the sustainable profitiable and quality educational solution to the 80:20 problem for the progressive education organisation looking to implement edu-blogging and networked learning systems for their staff?

Support for any of the open learning mediawiki systems such as http://wikipedia.org/ that have an active community base, contributors and flow of vistors look set to provide a sustainable and business solution for organisation's that recognise the benefits of taking the road less travelled and systematically going open.

For example, it's early days but the business oppportunities are out there for the early adopters of http://wikieducator.org/ which has:

4000 visitors per week and rising (Sep 07)- great organisational branding and marketing opportunities
An active communtiy of techies fruther developing the wiki educator platform for free
Free hosting of content
Anything you add to wiki educator you actually own the copyright, wiki educator doesn’t own the copyright you still retain the copyright and your intellectual property rights
Uses Creative Commons Share Alike licence. Which is a good thing because you get to leverage outside contributors innovations within your organisation saving time and money...

In terms of cost effectivess and achieving business objectives systemisating the use of open teaching and learning technologies such as wikipedia and wikieducator for accessing, marketing and developing your organisation's educational resources under creative commons is a sound business and educational decision.

'Its all about numbers'
Leigh Blackall - 'Otago Polytechic

I recommend listening to this recording of Wayne Macintosh's visit to Otago Polytechnic to discuss all things wiki educator for educational organisations.

Wikieducator and Otago Polytechnic

Currently the Illawarra Institute and Otago Polytechic is looking to implement a trial project with the Tourism and Hospitality Faculty to implement a business and education model using wiki educator (More to follow).

So why bother with time an money on house systems? Obviousily closed in house systems make sense in terms of protecting senstive information, managing aspects of child protection, managing assessment results, creating group learning environments...

From a business point of view will organisations with in house investment in edu-blogging technology enable co-creation co-sharing and co-collaboration on educational resource work in a cost effective profitable AND sustainable manner over a number of years? Maybe if the community members personal relationships are good... but probably not.

If the the vision is for sustainable collaboration and sharing of information within an organisation the future is open and networked using tools such as wiki educator and wikipedia and creative commons licencing networking with the other 20% of innovative edu bloggers from other organisations. Be brave and take the jump to openess.

Create digital stories using Photostory 3

2007-09-27T16:39:00.001+10:00

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Rino's Pastry Video

Fotoflexer - Easily edit your photos for free and online

2007-09-21T16:04:00.001+10:00

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People Learning Management: Learnscope 07 postcard

2007-08-31T10:08:00.001+10:00

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A 'People Learning Management System' utilises a variety of Web 2.0 communication tools and real life meet-ups to aggregate people to come together around a particular subject, task, problem. A PLMS emphasizes the idea of the person as a learning object rather than the traditional LMS model where of the value in passive consumption of learning object resources.

This active ad hoc hands on communicative approach to professional development and learning in general requires top down management and teaching that enables rather than controls the activities of staff and students.

A structured framework of scheduled AND informal activities mapped against the curriulum and individuals learing plans. This to form a student's and teacher's e-portfolio of their learning within the organization.

A People learning system is flexible and has both chaotic and organized communication using a flexible variety of ad-hoc tools agreeable to the community of individuals and their learning plans. The common denominator for ALL activity is the curriculum around which activity sheets can be developed for other community member to follow.

The screencast video is a prototype example of how we âre using an ad-hoc variety of Web 2.0 tools and processes to achieve this purpose based on some of the ideas from the Learnscope 2006 teacherConnect project see below.

Faculty Professional Development issues and solutions - THED07

2007-08-23T17:44:00.001+10:00

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Tourism and Hospitality http://thed.wikispaces.com

Google Calendar in Education

2007-08-23T17:43:00.001+10:00

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http://google.com/calendar

Management , wikis and activity sheets

2007-08-23T16:24:00.001+10:00

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Wikieducator activity sheets against curriculum - Tour Guiding - WikiEducator

Excellent example of mapping activty sheets against the curriculum from Leigh Blackall. Actiivty sheets can then be utilised in a web 2.0 community blog, wiki book, CD.... e.g. http://tourism1.wordpress.com/, http://thed.wikispaces.com/

I am a Learning Object - Empowerment through each other

2007-05-21T20:43:00.000+10:00

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Conversation with Vicki Marchant around the concept of the person as a learning object and the systemisation of learning, top down management that enables rather than controls, a bottom up 'People Learning Management System' that aggregates people to come together around a particular subject, task, problem...when needed.
I'm lucky enough to be going to the ILTA Edtech conference in Dublin! this week. Looking forward to Don Dron's discussion on Designing the undesignable around the systemisation of social software where he'll be presenting on:
'A range of technical, procedural and pedagogical ways of influencing, rather than designing, learning ecologies are provided, so that the tensions between top-down and the bottom-up control may be resolved and social software can play a significant and integral role in e-learning.'
Hopefully this will provide me with a better understanding of how to address the issues, the cultural shift which is very much needed to make bottom up enabling culture work...

Madness -The price of property in Sydney - April 2007

2007-04-17T00:48:00.000+10:00

The Sydney Morning Herald Magazine cover story was 'What does 400K get you within Sydney'. 400k+ gets you a two bedroom apartment, if you're lucky, that's 400k + for a two bedroom apartment! Ridiculous!

Here's a great of spitting image political satire from 1989, the time of the last major UK housing correction.

This guy talks about the factors leading to a property crash, very informative. :-( Aspirational home ownership for first home buyers has never felt so frustrating.

The importance of activity sheets (The glue that binds the network?)

2007-04-10T10:15:00.000+10:00

I'm appreciatively following the implementation of Learnscope's new wiki and Leigh Blackall's participation in the Tectonic Shift Think Tank in Vancouver.

Am also looking forward to the education.au seminar 'Challenging how knowledge is created' with Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia.
It seems Media wiki is set to become an embedded piece of software across the education sector (Fingers crossed).

MediaWiki (free software wiki package originally written for Wikipedia) is a great solution as a central node for connecting educators within an education organisation.

I've worked previousily on using wikispaces to connect teachers as part of a central organistion node for networking ; The idea: link a profile to a network to a network , no boundaries...this had some degree of success, but little uptake and sustainability... now consider the importance of activity sheets for this aim.

I think media wiki has potential at a basic level as the central node for knowledge sharing; we're now looking to raise the value and advocate the publishing of activity sheets within an organisation node.

In particular through teachers using media wiki for authoring Activity sheets that achieve stated outcomes and link to resources from the open internet, a la, google docs , wikipedia, wiki university, wiki, educator, wikispaces…using any number of tools and resource freely available on the internet.

The reasoning:

Activity sheets provide the context and direction and importantly the process to participate in activities, link to resources and free media utilising a variety of media and publishing tools.
Activity sheets can be mapped against learning outcomes and performance criteria and recontextualised by other teachers
The language of education is about activity sheets, session plans and curriculum.
The activity sheet does not have to be about a technology, it can be about any process, any learning outcome with or without technology a la the capability life based learning approach, (the media wiki being the central node and SIMPLE publishing tool for all, I think we have to divorce the value is in the utilisation of technology, it’s only means to an end).
Provide simple standard activity sheet and session plan guidelines for your organisation staff. These can be utilised within hands on professional development for groups and individuals.
Ideally all organisations publishing activity sheets should be advocated as policy on a central node with a searchable backend that links to curriculum documentation. Curriculum being a common denominator to connect all organisation staff.

Hands on activities are the glue that binds curriculum, people and their, application of technology and capability development processes. People using any number of tools, all linked to and authored from a central node, in this case mediawiki.

Innovations can occur as others continualy refine and improve the processes outlined within activity sheets on a central wiki.

Focus on authoring activity sheets within organisations. This is where the valuable IP and services are to be offered.

Focus on linking to and authoring resources using free online tools on the open internet.

This is where the valuable cost savings, quality, concurrency and professional connections with others and business will be made.

Making mentoring work across the faculty

2007-03-20T14:31:00.000+11:00

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Planning for Learnscope 07

ZOHO Creator - Online databases made easy

2007-03-15T12:28:00.000+11:00

For those of you desire to create that database you've always needed but would rather not wrestle with Microsoft Access tables, queries, primary and foreign keys relationships, reports and sql queries, ole data objects... along comes another free Web 2.0 application,to make your working life that little bit better ZOHO Creator - http://creator.zoho.com/

Have just had a play, simply create the required fields and specifying the data types. ZOHO Creator also includes a great 'Upload file' field and nifty calendar field.

When you are ready ZOHO Creator creates the online form with its own url, this can be public or private by invite only.

In addition ZOHO Creator provides

Easy to use search criteria based on your form data
RSS Form feeds to track the data input
Embeddable code to insert your form into your blog, wiki...

I really recommend this tool.

To value mind imagination calls

2007-02-09T22:15:00.000+11:00

My first post of 2007, I came across this great video 'Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us' by Michael Wesch, it resonates with me. At the end of the video Michael puts foward 'We'll need to rethink a few things'

Where do I want my thinking to go in 2007? I wrote this poem ' Subject Object' as a young man going through the process of figuring things out, how the world was, the teenage sentiment still resonates for me as an adult, in our world now, where perception is purposely influenced with misinformation and fear impacting on our collective understanding of reality and important issues , where education organisations that foster both digital and critical literacy skills have never been more needed.

Retrospectively I would have loved Web 2.0, to have had the opportunity to express myself openly growing up and trying to make sense of the world through a blog, hopefully with guidance and input from others to help in the process. Now as an 'adult' I'd like to know what I was thinking and feeling then when I wrote it, and now be able to look back on my life's progress through my online identity and the network of people who have been a part of my life leading to who who I am today... slightly more cynical perhaps, I reckon I could postively look back on my personal growth.

Subject Object

My abstract mind knows a surreal world
With guns controlling the peace and goodwill
The day has come its going gone
Another life another dawn
It's one for all and all for one
The souls count up but never down
The winners the losers win
Two sides two deaths one all my friend
More blood is spilled but I don't care
Seen it, heard it, cried before.

My abstract mind knows a TV screen
With murder lies and ads between
You'll see it all all to be be seen
But switch it off if it gets obscene
Don't worry now we can worry then
And in the meantime we'll pretend
That we're ok, that we're alright
That we'll sleep well in bed tonight
We're safe and sound if we know our place
But they've got missiles just in case...

My abstract mind knows the money man
Who'll sell the soul to meet demand
It's easy to take a moral stand
But progress fails to follow a plan
I know heaven doesn't exist but I'm going there
Anyway my lord.
But everybody wants to hold you back
Shared experience in day to day lives
After everything you're human an animal
My Time Our Time My Time Our Time My Time PLEASE
YOU ME
YOU ME.

Stephen Hawkings world renowned physicist posted this question to yahoo answers:

How can the human race survive the next hundred years?

In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain another 100 years?

In my mind to address problems, we need to bridge the barriers between human subjective objective perception of their world, my world, your world, our world, en masse not as nations but as informed global citizens, bottom up governance, sharing our emotions, thoughts, and ideas to reveal our commonalities through networks of understanding and common interest, then acting on them. A simple sentiment said many times by many others a la Web 2.0.

In educational organisations working on and incorporating what positively inspires our minds, as outlined by Napolean Hill in his 'Mastermind' principles

Love
Opportunities for financial gain
Recognition for talent, effort
Music
Friendship
Alliance between others to achieve shared goals and spiritual advancement

The reponsibility of education

The responsibility lies with education organisations to build open creative education environments for constructive stimuli of the mind that promote the positive aspects to which the mind resonates most freely.

'authentic voices, speaking freely, can engage each other in a democratic society. They can advance social causes such as education and literacy. They can minimize the self-serving agendas of corporate broadcasters, big money, and big power.
They can do all of these things - but doing these things is not why we blog. We blog because what we want is a free and authentic voice. Because we want, at last, the freedom to be ourselves.' - Stephen Downes

Educate people how to from their own personal networks through technology, networks stimulating shared ethusiasm, creative imagination, intense desire to express oneself .

Logically, connecting through technology en masse to achieve these aims will not bring order out of chaos but foster a chaotic bottom up and responsive understanding of the world.

Networked learning and understanding as part of day to day life, a global culture that celebrates what's possible for us collectively as humans in the moment. Communicating through technology, acting on ideas in the moment, collectively, chaotically, inspiring the mind to create a reality that seeks to find solutions locally to global political social and environmental problems in the moment...

Stephen Downes -' How I would organise a conference' hints at the type of space and event that would faciliate these interactions.

For 2007 I want to facilitate group learning processes, large groups collaborating together, connecting with each other, sharing ideas, and in our own ways feeding the machine...empowerment through each other, 'The Machine is Us/ing Us', and I'm happy with that...

Alumini graduate with insight for students and teachers

2006-12-16T11:41:00.000+11:00

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Popped in for a coffee and met Bianca a graduate from TAFE now employed, we got to talking about a teaching event management exercise I helped out on. Jeanie a teacher got her students interviewing and recording their learning using an audio recorder and digital camera. Bianca commented on how fun it was and that it was important that the teachers where keeping up.

As an educator it was great for me to actually meet a graduate now employed and in particular get positive feedback on what they experienced using technology in their learning. Now that Bianca's getting on with her working life, current students could potentially benefit from her insight, what is it actually like? Through communication using new connecting technologies such as blip.tv and blogger.com graduates like Bianca can give current students context and meaning, the prospect of actually getting paid work from those hard yards of studying and submitting assignments could perhaps be a motivating factor.

As an alumni of TAFE she plans to keep teachers in the loop on changes in industry that she may be dealing which can then feed back to current students. Even posting videos of what she is doing in work!!...

Establishing Alumini networks offers real potential for learning, video blogs being one off the tools graduates students and teachers can connect with as part of day to day life...a trend I'd like to see grow as part of VET education in general.

George Siemens - The role of management in facilitating change within a learning organisation

2006-12-13T13:53:00.000+11:00

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I recently spoke to George Siemens a leading theorist on the implications of technology and societal trends on learning and knowledge and recent Key note speaker at both the education.au global conference and elearning06, sponsored by the TAFE NSW management association.

'…I think most educators do have the desire to be excellent instructors that’s why we got into this field in the first place some of us aren’t here because we’re hoping to get rich we have a genuine passionate commitment to students. It’s the roles of managers to create an environment where that natural desire that teachers have to deliver excellent level of instruction can be nurtured. That requires removing barriers it does require building skills and extending an instructor competence so they can do the things that they want to do. That’s why I refer to an ecology being created by management so that instructors can do what they want to do I am quite convinced if management plays a role of removing rather that becoming barriers then the people hired by the organisation in the first place will be will capable in achieving the objectives that are required…'

In this interview he asserts that changing the work habits of an individual is a secondary trait to changing the working ecology of an educational organisation. What are the barriers to change? – The many pressures on teachers? - What is the role of management in facilitating change? -How can management remove barriers and create a work ecology that encourages an emasse spirit of innovation and experimentation by teachers? Have a listen...

'S-How could you sell this idea to management to really allow teaches the time to get together and start having conversations about their pedagogy their ways of working and using new technologies?

G- That’s a good question I’m not sure if you can sell it to management. One of the point s that I’ve been making recently when I talk about learning and technologies and I’m talking at a higher education level is that it’s not the trends that are out there, its not the people like you that are agitating for change in an organisation, or people like me that go out and talk to others about making change, that’s not really where its going to happen. I think where it will happen is where an educator or administrator gets it and I’m afraid that the only way they are going to get it is when a student’s start walking with their feet let me give you an example…'

Photo source

Professional Development - The Usability and Empowerment Divide, Unconferences and the Role of Management

2006-11-21T21:38:00.000+11:00

The Usability and Empowerment Divide is worrying in the context of the many thousands of teachers in organisations who may be currently being left behind in terms of the opportunities to develop skills and knowledge for today's knowledge economy.

Recently I was lucky enough to have attended a number of professional development events in New Zealand as part of the Future of Learning in a Networked World tour where the potentialities of unstructured professional group learning were revealed, that is the unstructured conversational - ad hoc tell me what I want to know - talk to me about what I'm interested in - nature of the unconference format.

'An unconference event begins with face to face schedule making which allows for emerging developments in the rapidly moving technology field to be covered. The opening includes time for attendees to introduce themselves and orient to the whole group. Participants are invited to write their name and session topic on an 8.511 piece of paper. They announce the title of their session to the whole room and then post it on a schedule on the wall. Once all the sessions have been posted, the community can stand in front of the schedule wall and decide which sessions they would like to attend. Sessions are about an hour long with 15 min breaks. Lunch lasts for about an hour. The day closes with all the participants gathering in a circle in one room and sharing for 2030 min the highlights of the day.'

Check out the feedback from participants from Auckland on the unconference format.

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Derek Chirnside takes a wander around.

Consider the following similar learning environment for smaller groups, in particular the use of open space for clusters of conversational activity for all levels of learning.

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I asked Jana Holly of http://mindesign.co.nz/ how she felt about her sense of participation.

Me - So you're part of the circus called FLNW and you feel like a participating audience member?

Jana - When I walked into this room I realised here where rings of activity going on, it was all very entertaining and exciting and I want to participate but I'm also more in an audience role.

Me - Would you say you are participating in the style that Leigh is explaining to you (relaxed conversational show and tell)

Jana - It feels to me like my very presence here contributes to the process even if my fingers don't touch the keyboard.

Steven - Would you be able to take what Leigh has just shown you and use it yourself?

Jana -I think with practice yes, I'll have to go to the circus summer school.

Leigh - I think it's important thinking there that just by being here you are contributing alot of people even in our group feel like 'what am I here for?' because they are not very vocal, but just being here is enough.

The Usability and Empowerment Divide

For an explantation of the problem of the Usability and Empowerment Divide read Jakob Nielsens Digital Divide: The Three Stages , a very revealing paper on the barriers to the on the use of technology and lack of digital literacy skills across learning organisations. Ken Burgin of Profitable Hospitality neatly summarises the issues raised.

'There is:

An Economic Divide - who can and can't afford a computer (and I would add, fast broadband). Less of an issue in Australia with el-cheapo PCs and $2 ph internet cafes.

A Usability Divide - problems related to lower literacy and for difficulties in understanding for seniors.

An Empowerment Divide - inability to use search, access to good software or participation in useful social networks.'

What role does management play within an organisation in addressing this?

Consider Don Perrin's assertions from his paper 'The New Knowledge Society and Higher Education' from 1996, ten years ago!

'Drucker, in his "Theory of the Business" published in the Harvard Business Review, postulates that for an organization to be effective there must be a balance between environment, in this case the students, employers, and extended community; the university mission should reflect client needs and expectations, and competencies, in this case relevant professional and teaching skills of faculty. The academy as we know it is being challenged in all three areas, and to the extent that these three areas are out of balance, effectiveness is reduced.'

'The luxury of having thousands of teachers researching and producing their own courses, many of which are essentially similar, is grossly inefficient. Students will be empowered to explore, inquire, and learn cooperatively and interactively, and undertake more creative tasks. They will have access to great teachers in a spectrum of learning styles and a variety of media. Consortia of institutions will share their best teachers through quality lesson materials for their virtual classrooms as well as for on-campus courses.'

'It is important to identify new markets and ways to market and deliver educational programs.'

The biggest untapped market for education is the non-traditional learner.'

Some schools are responding accordingly for example...

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Talks about 24hr school
related video http://heyjude.blip.tv/file/92772

Make the best of your organisation's assets - The teachers

Assertion: In Professional Development Make the best of your organisations assets, teacher's collective skills knowledge talents and energy enmasse?

Many educational technologists including myself are making the obvious assertion that the latent knowledge talents and skills needed that need to overcome the Usability and Empowerment Divide already exist within educational organisations. Innovators and Mentors can be harnessed to support educators with basic to intermediate skills working with them in groups, both online and face to face.

Learning from each other in short intense bursts of group activity

Discussing what technologies teaching practices and relevant to them and off intertest

Connecting together using technology

Using show and tell in the context of their teaching

Asking questions off each other continually over time.

In his paper Jakob Neilsen asserts 'Almost 40% of the population has lower literacy skills'. If this is the case in educational organisations then what is needed is the awarenesss and will of management to strategically identify mentors and innovators and enable those with low level digital literacy skills to get together enmasse when needed. (in terms of raising awareness in this context the concept and ideas of the unconference seems appropriate).

Group learning events will will not solve the vast digital divide immediately they can energise and can catalyse the interest and awareness of those people who wish to become informed with the implicit aim that attendees start to ask question each other, become familiar with group learning and support each other in developing their skill development and shared knowledge OVER TIME!!!!

To enable this what is needed is management support and strategic programming of regular organisational professional development events in day to day activities that enable group learning and communication between teachers and that are driven by the learning needs of teachers.

In this context Management's role and responsibility is to enable teachers the time and resources to autonomousily organise PD events. For example helping motivated teachers to get the numbers and attract interest from peers to make an unconference PD event economically viable.

Why not?

Fund short professional development events which enable interested teacher's of all skill levels (basic to advanced) to physically and freely come together in large groups for a few hours, to gain skills, freely communicate with each other ask questions and figure things out together in an ad hoc manner as part of day to day business.

Identify existing Mentors and support and enable them to show their peers how to communicate and connect with each other online

For those with lower literacy skills Mentors can demonstrate what's possible. The group supporting each other and instilling confidence in those who lack confidence individually.

The Teachers responsibility following PD

The individuals responsibility is to connect their resultant work with their students, learning group and peers after the PD event so that others can learn from their activity over time.

Teacher's with lower level literacy skills can also seek more focused structured professional development if required. It is the Educational technologist's responsibilty to enable people of all skill levels to access open professional development and be able to connect and ask questions of each other.

This is all nothing new but the reality is it's very difficult to sustainability implement these ideas within an organization without Management continuing to promote teachers ongoing participation in day to day teaching

Conclusion - Top down support for bottom up networking of teachers enmasse.

Top Down support for bottom up networking of teachers is required to bring about organisational Change.

Managers and Head Teachers need to drive and facilitate this change change in order to begin to address the the problem of the Usability and Empowerment Divide. Participation can't obviousily be enforced from all teachers, however a culture of networked innovation in day-to-day activities will promote participation and sharing practices as part of a wider sustainable professional development model. More research has to occur into processes to achieve the following outcomes:

Sustainability - Follow through with the support of the implementation of mentor networks at an organisational level through PD- Professional Development.
Adaptability Be flexible and responsive to the emergent needs of the Teacher Innovation Network. Eg: Recognising the time and equipment needed to adopt new innovative practices that work.
Enablement - Give teachers ability to self regulate what gets filtered through firewall, and take on the development through to the students and Teacher Network.

As the pace of change ramps up in the knowledge economy many teachers will be unable to remain informed and keep up. Without innovative professional development action enmasse it appears the Usability and Empowerment Divide in relation to technology and new teaching practices may become so difficult to overcome that many people, teachers, students and management alike will fail to relate to each other's professional working world thus impacting on the business of the 'educational' organisation.

Creative Commons - Wanna Work Together

2006-11-09T15:24:00.001+11:00

Great video
explaining the reasoning behind Creating Sharing and Adapting content openly in education using the creative commons licence...

What to do when the technology doesn't work like it's meant to!!!

2006-11-07T16:42:00.000+11:00

ooh panic
Originally uploaded by l es l ey.

Good conversation with Ian Perkins and Beth Evans from the http://learningwithoutborders.edublogs.org project with advice on how to cope with the tendancy of technology not to work the way it's supposed to...

Water Logic
'de Bono contends that traditional logic is static, based on the solid foundations of 'is' and identity. In contrast to the traditional 'rock logic', he proposes 'water logic' which is based on 'to' and the flow of the mind: 'What does this lead to?' as opposed to 'What is...?' This new logic is surprisingly easy to learn and to use, and results in a visual 'flowscape', which allows you to lay out and then look at your thinking.'
http://www.edwdebono.com/debono/wl.htm

Networked Professional Development :: teacherConnect

2006-11-01T17:51:00.000+11:00

A key aim of the teacherConnect Project is to implement a sustainable OPEN networked learning Professional Development model in collaboration with other Institutes.

Information on the Project Outcomes can be found at following link. http://teacherconnect.wikispaces.com/Learnscope06

Below is the PowerPoint and podcast of the 18min presentation I recently gave at Learnscope e-learning06 on 21st October 2006. I discuss the concept of teacherConnect as well as ran through the research, planning, implementationon & outcomes of the Project.

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Organisation Innovation, 'Info Flow' & the Professional Development Process

2006-11-01T09:17:00.000+11:00

Innovation in the the Professional Development Process
The diagram demonstrates how the Professional Development Process works within an innovative learning organisation through the following key stages:

Management identifies a need for skilling & training
Mentors are targeted to share skills & knowledge, and offer support to peers
Workshops set up for training of updated, relevant, contemporary tools & methods
Learning Outcomes identified, recorded and applied to day to day teaching
Networks established for ongoing participation, support, publishing & sharing information
Sustainability - follow up of training, network tracking
Self actualisation achieved for teachers to implement new skills & methods

Learning Outcomes Professional Development Workshops
From a Professional Development workshop the teacher will gain skilling on the below easy to use/easy to access Web2.0 tools that will facilitate personal learning and development, in addition providing the teacher greater options to now network with peers and like minded colleagues to become a part of a larger organisational network where the teacher will achieve the following:

Ability to........

Manage email - e.g. using http://gmail.com and Outlook
Publish & share photos, create networks - e.g. http://flickr.com
Create, Publish & share Video & Audio - eg: http://blip.tv , http://odeo.com
Bookmark professional & research websites, create networks - e.g. http://del.icio.us
Subscribe to RSS Feeds using a 'newsreader' - e.g. http://bloglines.com
Understand TAGS and RSS
Network & gain email contacts of colleagues from the Professional Development workshop
Post BLOGS with a blogging tool - e.g. http://blogger.com
Use a 'wiki' to co-author and edit content - e.g. http://wikispaces.com
Instant message - e.g. http://skype.com

The Workshop Trainer assists the teacher to create their own professional learning & teaching space which will be the central location for their body of work, and to pull together content from multiple sources with these new tools.
This captures to create a network of material from a pool of teachers/peers/references and more importantly the individual teachers contributions e.g. Published teaching resource material, Video's, Podcast's, Photo's, websites, del.icio.us, Blog posts etc...
Then end product may be an individual or group 'wiki', 'startpage' or Blog. This can then feed into the organisation's network that the teacher joins/creates/is a part of.

Group effort and understanding of carrying on the Network
To create an effective easy to access network, the teachers discuss common key words to 'TAG' materials/entries that will be published to the network eg: class , trade, 'subject area' network name ...

'Info Flow', Ongoing Participation, Networks & Sustainability
It's the ongoing participation by teachers in a learning network after the Professional Development workshop that's important to keep the info flowing, maintain sustainability, and realise benefits from the new skilling. There are some basic actions that require little effort but must be continually employed by the teacher in order to begin publishing and participating equitalby with a network. The trick is to make a habit of them in work and life by incorporating into one's daily workpractice routine. Learning the fundamentals of a new way of working in the networked world requires practice and changing habit...I'll soon put up a blog post with some suggestions in how to achieve this, with what you can do when you sit down at your desk and want to get started...

Management support
Networked learning within an organisation is easier with across the board support of managment, to support the implementation of an individuals Professional Development plans and legitimise professional Networking as a valued part of day-to day practice through mentor networks.

SecondLife - Tweaking my 'sparker Wollongong' avatar, and emotional expressions

2006-10-28T23:50:00.000+10:00

Click to Play

Just had a bit of fun in Second Life, tweaking the appearance of the avatar to look a bit more like me, :-) a bit less buffed, minus the dodgy mullet and Bruce Lee Kung Fu Jacket... Here's a short video of my new ‘sparker wollongong’ avatar looking in a virtual mirror and some of the default emotions one can call upon when in Second Life. Will do a bit more shopping in Midnight City to pick up other clothes...

Barriers and Solutions to Participating within a Network - Learning in the moment at Learnscope 06

2006-10-23T14:50:00.000+10:00

Click To Play

Learning in the moment - Interview with Ken Burgin of

www.ProfitableHospitality.com

observations on the Learnscope06 event with suggestions and conversation on improving participation within a learning network, in particular the tourism and hospitality network http://thed.wikispaces.com .

Podcast topics

Interview with Stanley Frielick of Northland Colege of ED NZ and Steven Smith of the http://refrigerationed.wikispaces.com network.

Discussion around the idea of divorcing the process of publishing media for teaching and learning from perceived copyright and endorsed curriculum issues , overcoming barriers to participation in a learning network, and raising awareness of using technology in the classroom.

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Questioning the logic of closed systems (Such as Sharepoint) and selling resources to remain profitable within an educational organisation and how this model can affect teacher participation in a learning network and teaching and learning outcomes for students...

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Scrybe Rocks!! - By the look of it

2006-10-22T21:20:00.000+10:00

Learnscope Reflection - Participation, Creating, Learning in the Moment

2006-10-22T20:30:00.000+10:00

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Some reflections on my experience of Learnscope06.

FLNW06 - Musical Talent revealed

2006-10-18T11:10:00.000+10:00

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One of the most enjoyable aspects of FLNW was travelling around with and meeting a bunch of sparky creative people, with a remarkable set of musical and artistic talents. Rose knocking out a bit of vaudevile, Michael performing an acoustic set, Leigh and Fiona sketching off the dinner table with our Bar Man ripping into a bit of Steve Vai guitar virtuoso after his shift...fantastic!

FLNW#9 - My last day on the FLNW06 circus

2006-10-05T17:55:00.000+10:00

http://flnw.wikispaces.com/auckland

Click to Play

The 25th September was my last day on the FLNW networkedlearning circus/tour a great way to end. I've managed to post a smorgasboard of videos that summarise most of the group discussions from the Auckland event. After watching just over a week later (seems alot longer) I hope you enjoy as much as I did. For me they reflect some of the increbible insight and innovative thinking of the FLNW event , revealing glimpses of our collective understanding of the future of learning in a networked world...

Roll on FLNW07...

FLNW#8 - LMS's Structured learning and Networking Groups in a Diverse World

2006-09-27T16:45:00.000+10:00

Click to Play

This video was taken at John Eyles house on the 24th September and relates to the discussion around Northtec's Certificate in eLearning Design and Development. and the current discussion in the FLNW google group Networking groups in the diverse world.

Teemu with respect to learners who may not be comfortable with being put in an open networked online learning environment:

"I want to live my quiet life in my little hut and I'm happy there"

"Its exactly the same thing as a person who says please don't take my picture as it takes my soul. You don't have any counter argument to that. If I have the belief that it takes my soul then you should respect that."

I have no philosophical treatise to add to the discussion all that I can say is as I read between the lines of the FLNW conversation I sense and hear the individual human voice asking for respect recognition and consideration of their and their communities individualities and rightt to choose to set themselves apart from the nature of the unstoppable all consuming roar and hive of open networked electronic communication...

I expect the conversation to continue in FLNW google group...

Video learning objects

2006-09-27T13:10:00.000+10:00

Click to Play

The FLNW event, what can I say enjoyed immensely learnt heaps and made some great friends along the way. The ripples of the event will follow check it out...http://flnw.wikispaces.com

I have a heap of video that I recorded, interviews with educators and gurus and some stuff we did for fun, stuff to go up over next couple of days...

I'm now back at work where we're looking at creating 'video learning objects' through TAFE online. Using Quicktime pro we will be looking at creating a clickable contextual video with a number of hotspots linking to other sub videos or websites around the given subject area. http://www.apple.com/quicktime/technologies/interactivity/

This video provides a bit of context for further discussion...

FLNW #7 - Stephen Downes - Intellectual property, copyright, digital rights

2006-09-24T14:20:00.000+10:00

Click to Play

Northland conference, 22nd September

http://flnw.wikispaces.com/northland

FLNW #7 - Dr Andrew Higgins - Access & Equity - cultural and ethical - New teacher roles

2006-09-24T12:20:00.000+10:00

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22nd September 2006

The FLNW trip ended up in Northland to discuss the networked learning model, organisedb Stanley Frielick from Northtec. I have just looked at the FLNW google group, which has this feedback on the unconference format. :-)

"Hi Stanley I'd like to say thank you for helping organise such an amazing day. Afterwards I said ... when we met in the carpark that I'd never been to something so apparently disorganised and yet so successful. It was weird and wonderful - so wonderful that instead of disappearing to catch up on a mind-boggling backlog of work as I'd intended, I ended up staying as long as
I could. I'm a beginner in all this stuff, so I can only imagine how much all the local experts got out of the visiting ones. And it was great to see outsiders there too - an example of cooperation that's inspirational too. Thank you to all the people who organised it - including the great food-providors."

NorthTec Staff Member

During the day I interviewed a number of attendees around emerging themes, Dr Andrew Higgins a nd Stephen Downes being the highlights of the day. I think to date the FLNW discussion has been passionate and articulate in framing the networked learning model in the context of learning for the sake of learning, Andrew brings an educational organisation perpective not discuused to date...

The conversation will continue in the http://flnw.wikispaces.com/emergent+themes

It's the 24th September internet acccess has been sporadic along the trip, we're now all hooking up to John Eyles home network...

FLNW #6 Insights from a range of teachers on the Future of Learning...

2006-09-21T12:30:00.000+10:00

Libraries

Click to Play

...in a networked world... from our meeting with about 60 teachers from Christchurch College of Education.

Bakery

Selena Chan - http://mportfolios.blogspot.com

Selena drops great Web 2.0 tools to use with mobile devices...

FLNW #5 New ways to publish on demand, Lulu.com the FLNW book

2006-09-21T12:17:00.000+10:00

Day 2 On the train (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluetrain) from Dunedin Taieri gorge railway, the FLNW spent 4 hours networking and sharing ideas with each other. In this video Leigh talks about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lulu.com, and publishing on demand with a CD and book of the outcomes with media; photos, video, podcasts and blogspots (in additon to a free downloadable PDF from http://flnw.wikispaces.com... :-) Don't forget to check out the photos on http://flickr.com, search on the FLNW tag...

FLNW #4 Web 2.0 and networking with business

2006-09-19T17:19:00.000+10:00

Tired with little sleep, but still inspired with the conversations and people I have met.

I had a great day here's a video of me tired and cranky at the end of a busy successful day evangelising Web 2.0 and networked learning, meeting some people from the Dunedin Business community, 28days training for the Real Estate Industy and http://silkbody.co.nz.

I've be looking for an alternative to text blogging and using the built in apple isight on my laptop to blog, it's more honest and spontaneous. I like the way this post reflects my body language and how tired I am (sleep was lacking for the past few days), it's me evolving to more real communication. This form of video blogging will start to become more common, especially when PC laptops get web cams and video with mobile devices becomes more cost effective. Having a threaded conversation of video posts could be the breakthrough in looking to engaging the greater majority with the networked model i.e. those who are perhaps not comfortable with the work time and nature of text blogging .

Talking about how we can use technology for communicating about our product.

Heres a 'silk' video we created with David and Emily we created using imovie and my camera...a quick and fun process...

FLNW #3 The conference is on the money

2006-09-19T07:50:00.000+10:00

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Some observations from the journey over to Dunedin New Zealand on what is going on in the mainstream press with Web 2.0 and social software, how it's affecting organisations and the way they work...the FLNW conference is on the money, we'll be talking about all things Web 2.0 ad networked learning...

http://flnw.wikispaces.com

RefrigerationED Teacher Network

2006-09-18T15:09:00.000+10:00

Recently Les Tasker and i ran a networked learning PD workshop showing Refrigeration Trades Teachers how to start networking and sharing resources using http://Wikispaces.com, http://Gmail.com, http://Flickr.com, and htpp://del.icio.us as well as using video in the workshop. Check out http://refrigerationed.wikispaces.com

However it seemed using video with students in the workshop for formative assessment and resources most struck a cord with the group. Here's an interview with Glen Campbell an innovative teacher on using Video and new technologies in the classroom

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After some planning and scripting the team went through the process of creating video resources and and uploading to blip.tv. Here's an example from Bruce.

http://Blip.tv is great in that when uploading the video you can cross post to other common Web 2.0 tools for your Network. For example in one hit you can post the video to blip.tv, post a link in del.icio.us, a photo of the video in flickr and a blog post for context. I've only just come across blip.tv through the TALO google group and will be using it as a key tool in professional development from now on. Cross posting saves time and will alleviate the frustration many networked learning PD participants of having to jump between Web 2.0 accounts to post information to the network. Yes Blip.tv rocks thanks Leigh for putting me onto it...

Check out http://glencampbells.wikispaces.com and how he has translated his networked PD into successfull learning outcomes for his students, in the space of two weeks!

'...my own knowledge and experience is limited to 41years, and the wealth of knowledge/experience/eyes/ears/humour that is out there is unlimited.'
Glen Campbell

I like the way Glen has imaginatively started to translate what he learnt to the curriculum for example using dfilm to link to a learning outcome, and most ahem coolly ;-) get his refrigeration students successfully using video to learn. Yes Glen Campbell rocks!

FLNW #2 A taste of Wollongong

2006-09-17T16:15:00.000+10:00

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A short video of Wollongong NSW to show FLNW participants where I and JoKay are travelling from.

FLNW #1 Saying Hello - The day before 'The Future of Learning in a Networked World'

2006-09-17T16:10:00.000+10:00

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Planning my video diary

I'm attending the Future of Learning in a Networked World conference tommorow in Dunedin New Zealand, (http://flnw.wikispaces.com) and am looking at using video instead of text. The FLNW group will keep a video diary of the trip cross posting to blogs, del.icio.us flickr and the FLNW map http://communitywalk.com/map/18879

I won't be able to make the Marae but am sure it will be well documented :-)
, looking forward to catching up...

To start two vids from me:

I- One - What I hope to bring and gain from the conference

2- A taste of Wollongong NSW where I'm travelling from...

Networking the family: figuring out how to use mobile phones to share stuff

2006-09-16T14:50:00.000+10:00

Click to Play

A moment I want to share, the family figuring out how to bluetooth each other a funny video. We all had regular mobiles with a camera and bluetooth, many where unfamiliar how they worked, but with some playing the desire to learn and some pointers on recording video and using bluetooth to connect with each other and share files we successfully figured it out. After 30mins we where networking with each other, easy!

Networking using the mobiles many students all ready have to teach and learn can be easily done in the classroom! Just try/do it with students perhaps even ask a colleague techie friend family member for help!

But seriously...this incredible universe of knowledge out there

2006-09-13T23:33:00.000+10:00

Some choice exerpts from Al Gore, I want to hightlight and share, he was interviewed by Andrew Denton last night on the ABC. He spoke of the threat of climate change (Also in 'TED talks' video above).

What he said directly relates to the potentialities and importance of openly sharing knowledge to address problems collectively through the networked learning model...

ANDREW DENTON: How do we break that? How do we break that nexus between corporate interests and the way political decisions are made?

AL GORE: Well, I think that focusing on the role of money in politics is part of it. But I think that it's really addressing one of the symptoms rather than the cure. I think that the larger challenge is to democratise the dominant medium, and fortunately, there are now new affordable digital video cameras and laptop editing systems, and young people particularly are learning how to use them. I have started a new television network called 'Current TV', and it's on cable and satellite in 30 million homes in the US, and you can get a training course. We give a free training course to anybody in the world on how to make television. Then they stream the TV to us on the Internet, we post it, and let people vote on what they think the most compelling material is. Now, 30 per cent of our programming is made by the viewers. And if individuals in a nation or in a society are empowered to take part in the conversation, the key is having a meritocracy of ideas so that the people who are part of the conversation themselves decide which of the contributions from all these individuals merit more attention rather than less.

__________

Example from http://youtube.com:

__________

AL GORE: (Laughs) That's truly ENOUGH ROPE! But seriously... The Internet allows individuals to get into contact with this incredible universe of knowledge out there, and it allows individuals to take part in the conversation. It has been that individuals find like-minded groups, and that's not entirely bad, but the Internet has not become a main public forum. With television, it is possible for individuals to contribute short-form, non-fiction essays, if you will - here's what I see in my world. Make it creative. The essays attracted an audience depending upon the excellence of the prose, the style of the writing as well as the quality of the ideas and in that same way, these televised expressions have to be compelling and attract their own audience, and as they do, what it can happen is the television medium can be the forum that it was intended to be so that we can once again have a conversation of democracy that is not dominated by Exxon Mobil financing these insipid ads for the virtues of carbon dioxide, but rather, individuals can make their own case...

AL GORE: It can seem to move very slowly, but when we aren't noticing it, it can cross a tipping point and then shift into an entirely different gear and move with incredible speed. We have done that in our democracies in the past. We are close to doing that in reaction to the climate crisis. We will cross that tipping point when enough people internalise the truth of our situation. We have to disenthrall ourselves from the propaganda, from the advertising, from the falsehoods, from the illusions, and we have to see the reality of this new relationship we have to the earth...

and each other...

Networked Professional Development - Collaborate with our peers and everyone can get more work done with less effort

2006-09-01T16:12:00.000+10:00

It's Sunday afternoon, I'm enjoying a glass of wine and preparing a session plan for another networked learning workshop tomorrow on my PDA. Just to demonstrate the full use of this little gadget & to see how user friendly it is. I will be applying the use of this technology for for the group of refrigeration trades teachers I'm preparing for tomorrow. We will be exploring the use of PDA's & mobiles in the workshop-teaching environment...

I'm also been invited to set up a forum for September for Web2.0 'newbies' as part of the EDNA groups 2006 community forum on 'Cool Web 2.0 tools'.

'We have been on a vertical learning curve using internet tools unheard of in the civilised world. There is so much information to absorb that the brain is now mush and open for extraterestial infiltration.'Refrigeration teacher

One teacher wrote on his blog :-) after two days of intensive Web2.0 Networked Learning PD, using the Web2.0 tools to go on and network with his colleagues & build his own 'Personal Learning Environment' (PLE). This can only be encouraging, as we have come a long way in just 12months.

This time last year at the The Learning Powerhouse - Conference on VET Teaching and Learning Pedagogy September 2005 I did a presentation on networked professional development. I thought I'd lost the podcast of the session but was pleased to recently find it on the ICVET site. Listening to it a year later I'm publishing it for interested 'newbies' to web 2.0 (Like me at the time, my learning never ends) who have not made the transition to using Web2.0 technology in day to day teaching with some PD strategies for coping...

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Note: In the 2005 podcast I talk about teachersmart and smartconvert, we now talk about teacherconnect professional development, a team based approach using a variety of Web 2.0 technologies...

'Lets really focus on the benefits of networking because thats where it's at, networking will allow us to share capabilities ideas and project work. It will allow us to share resources even physical work spaces once the culture and internet connections are in place. The increase in shared knowledge and skills will be exponential as soon as that process gets started. The wonderful thing about networked professional development is it promotes something I see lacking , something I joke about; working together, networking promotes team environments and fosters a commitment to work towards the same goals for the benefit of all, thats somewhere where we have to get to...' Steven Parker - 'Empowerment Through Technology' ICVET Presentation September 2005

In relation to Professional Development the gist of the 'Empowerment Through Technology' podcast is the same as a previous post Open Networked and Hands On (replace the word student with teacher...;-)

Beginners Guide to RSS, Web2.0 and Networked Learning

2006-08-30T12:45:00.000+10:00

You may be interested in an elluminate session I did for people new to the concepts of web2.0 RSS and networked learning, who just want to know where to get started.

'From a beginner's perspective this presentation will explain what RSS is, how it works , and provide practical examples of how RSS can be used in your working and personal life, providing context for setting up your own online identity and networking with others.'

It also provides context on some starter tools and tips when setting up your Personal Learning Environment (PLE)...

Click here for Elluminate presentation. (59 mins)

Note: may take several mins to load, also you might have problems with firewall, if this is the case suggest trying from home :-)

Powerpoint.

It was part of the lead in sessions for the http://flexiblelearning.net.au event: Tapping into Resources for E-learning
6 - 8 September 2006

Note: I Don't go into detail in presentation on 'tagging' but suggest looking at 'help' for web2.0 tools in general, for example del.icio.us and ww.flickr.com have some good info on tagging.

http://del.icio.us/help/tags
http://del.icio.us/help
http://www.flickr.com/help/tags/#37

Also recommend checking out
http://clcommunity.wikispaces.com
http://talo.wikispaces.com
http://teacherconnect.wikispaces.com
http://blendedlearning.wikispaces.com

What other resources would you recommend for beginners?

The students are up to something...

2006-08-24T08:21:00.000+10:00

We are moving into an era whereby we will facilitate students using technology to create and share their own resources, achieve learning outcomes and attain knowledge at any given point off time as part of a learning network.

'Students Creating, Sharing, Consuming Adapting, Networking, Building knowledge across networks, open (and closed)…

I came across this video 'Day of the Long Tail' and want to tie it to the above assertions and a great post from Caroyl Oliver discussing the use of free and open web 2.0 technologies.

'With more and more free programmes, software and resources it is now much easier for an individual teacher to find something that works with a particular group of students and 'just do it'. The way in which this works within an Institute then depends on the corporate culture and the management of the relevant departments.'

'the reality is that if we are to inter-act with our
students in any meaningful way we must at least talk in their language.'

Caroyl Oliver

The future is open

2006-08-17T21:34:00.000+10:00

Interesting video (Mohammed Ali makes an appearance) on a kid learning in an open environment... advertising... won't spoil ending.

Networked Learning Rights

2006-08-05T15:52:00.000+10:00

The networkedlearnigrights group has been a hot topic of conversation amongst many of my colleagues over the past week at the Learnscope and ICVET events I attended.

From this I started to think how can one facilitate not only the shared knowledge, but also the shared thoughts, views and expressions with each other online to reach a wider audience.

How do you encourage participants (students teachers) at all levels to want to participate and express themselves within an open network?
How do you quickly seek resolution and overcome differences of opinion elevating a conversation to have meaning focus and relevance?
How do you quickly generate agreed solutions to specific questions/problems?
How when and why should you moderate contributions to a group?

Feedback
For me gaining understanding of the answers to these questions is tied to guidelines on moderation and particpant's rights and responsibilites within a network In this context I would like to know have you formed facilitated or are a member of an education network :

What charter, manifesto, guidelines does the network refer to?
How important is it for an individual to formally agree and adhere to the group standards before participating in group?
What moderation strategies do you employ?
When where and why would the network be moderated?
Who has the right to moderate? What are their responsibilites?
What are the moderation steps?
What is the groups collective responsibility to individual members?
What communication strategies are most effective for facilitating generation of knowledge and understanding?
Does a networked learning environment always need to be open?

Answers to these questions form the basis for the success or failure of implemementing a networked learning model within public education.

You might like to do a blog post or share with the networkedlearnigrights group. You also might like to ask other questions of the group. Looking forward to gaining the collective insight.

Applause
Originally uploaded by fuzzz.

PS. In this context, you may be interested in the life based learning paper published at the icvet powerhouse conference on Friday. A fantastic direction for VTE don't you think?...
http://www.icvet.tafensw.edu.au/resources/life_based_learning.htm

Where to next?- Ask the Network

2006-07-04T00:21:00.000+10:00

The TLRU is working within an international Tourism Hospitality education network (THED) as part of the Learnscope 2006 teacherConnect project. Working as an enabler with students and teachers using technology, the next logical stage is to explore the pedagogical possibilities for students and teachers to participate communicate create and work within their own online networks, in particular with mobile technologies (These can be readily used in the classroom).

We are exploring these possibilities, communicating and working within a networking learning pedagogy researching digital literacy, access to technology and access to information and the Internet. Here is the podcast from the first THED Illawarra meeting.

Importantly the focus at last is shifting from creating product to the creative process of working with student’s and teachers (an example working with the T&H students, the process took one hour). Students using technology to create and share their own resources, achieve their learning outcomes and attain and act on knowledge at a given point off time as part of their personal learning network.

Roles are changing, becoming more open, networked, and hands on working with and fostering the creativity of students and teachers to help them achieve their individual learning goals and set up their own networks with technology until self sufficient... the way it should be.

Open, Networked and Hands On - Fostering Student Creativity

2006-06-25T16:30:00.000+10:00

Reflecting on why I teach and where the value is for students, a constant in my day-to-day work is the process of change itself. I'm working in a continuous state of change. Each day is a flux of:

New information.
New technologies.
New people within my network.
New thoughts…

The continual flow of ideas from multiple sources affects the decisions I make and my actions in my workplace. What enables me to cope and adapt to the change is my own creativity and learning from the ingenuity and knowledge of the people in my networks such as TALO.

In education to acknowledge the process of rapid change as a reality of working life and necessity to remain competitive in the workplace now puts the emphasis on the process of fostering student creativity in all aspects of education.

Fostering student creativity

Ken Robinson in his recent funny and inspiring speech on education states ‘Creativity is having original ideas which are off value.’

I have been thinking about this for some time and agree with his key point ‘In Education Creativity as important as literacy’.

In my educational role the value is in facilitating, enabling and supporting teachers and students for the networked working world, to enable them to

Be creative with the technology they use in day to day work and life i.e. Mobiles, Skype, Blogs…
To participate communicate and work within networks, organization networks, class networks open networks on net.
To be aware of change at a given point in time find and act on information from multiple internet sources then use this to achieve their goals.

In the past my role as an educational technologist was to sit at the computer, focus on

Web development.
Creating resources.
Administering an Learning Management System,

The value in the resources to be consumed within closed systems and less on what actually goes on with students in the classroom.

Working with students

Recently I worked with Jeanne McRae (Tourism and Hospitality) and her students. They had to organize an event management task, a car wash at the TAFE Wollongong campus. The students where given some technology a mp3 recorder (ipod) to interview each other and digital camera to take pictures and video with basic instructions.

The outcomes:

The students themselves created a resource about event management.
The students loved using technology where comfortable with recording and interviewing each other.
The students helped each other clarify and discuss their own learning outcomes during the recording process.
The photos and audio can be used as part of assessment portfolio.

U2 in Second Life

2006-06-20T16:50:00.000+10:00

I can't see them in real life but I can in Second Life, pretty cool, but can't wait until their rescheduled concert in Sydney...

DarkDharma Daguerre, Dream Daguerre, Demian Caldera - The brains behind "U2 in SL".

Creating comics with SecondLife & ComicLife

2006-06-18T19:05:00.000+10:00

If you're wanting something new & fun to explore check out Second life (SL), it's fantastic...(once you get your account). Through my avatar, 'sparker Wollongong' :-) I've been hooking up with my Irish friends back home & inspiring work colleague JoKay at her frozen retreat. I've been flying around 3d virtual worlds where all manner off human activity is happening, including education.

There are many educational possiblilties to utilise secondlife (SL), where to start! It is exciting to explore by fully immersiving oneself into the 3d world to learn as much as I can via Secondlife campus, Second life - How to wiki, Second life education wiki.

SL can be used in conjunction with other programmes, for instance I have also been experimenting with a gem of a programme I've come across called ComicLife (CL)...you can download a demo... it's not free but well worth the educational price. By first using SL to take the screenshots for the background of each comic scene, I have then created an instructional comic using ComicLife (CL).

In SL it's really easy to control camera angle of your view of the world and take screenshot's (saved as .png). In CL it's really quick and easy to create comic strips, choose your comic panel layout, drag your screenshots in, add caption with that cool comic type, voila! ... a flashy SL comic. You can even use ComicLife with photos.

Try SecondLife and ComicLife, with the richness of SL environments and engaging educational possibillties are apparent, the imagination is limitless for ways they can be applied in the classroom environment, some possibilities are....

Create narrative/ learning resources with SL screenshots
SL and CL together, storyboarding videos or SL movies (machinima)...
In the classroom students take photos as part of a room task, put them into CL, create a comicstrip , they then have to plan stages of activity and how to communicate, great resource for all...
Take it to the next stage you could upload your comic strip to Bubbleshare and bring in audio of the comic dialogue...

The Tourism & Hospitality NetworkED (THED) group is exploring animation. We've been looking at DFILM, Check this out from Tony a NZ bakery teacher. I will be exploring with the THED network using SL and CL as another great option for developing engaging hospitality resources... Great stuff!!!

David Pollard's Social Networking Landscape

2006-06-15T17:50:00.000+10:00

Today I was online for the Flexible Learning Social Software Conference, one of the presentations was about defining 'What is Web2.0' and 'What are the differences between Web1.0 and Web2.0'. From a site referenced during the presentation I found a link to 'David Pollard's Social Networking Map' and have just re-visited it. David writes:

"I've been trying to define the boundaries of Social Networking, rather than simply (and less usefully) trying to define the term. The best way I found to do so is to list the various functionalities (applications) of Social Software by objective, rather than listing the tools themselves by type of content"

For those of us who will be explaining the multiple facets of web2.0, what social networking means and why we should care I think it's a gem of a resource to reference. Check it out...

Joshua RRROCKS

2006-06-05T21:07:00.000+10:00

joshuarrrocks said...

'posting stuff about anemels is cool and rily fun.'

A quick insight into what happens when you show kids, in this case an eleven year old how to use blogger... he was up and running in 30mins!

What does an eleven year old blog about:

Lizards- For school project
Motorcross Motorcross Motorcross
Home Alone 1,2,3 AND 4!!!
Cool game- Chuck Norris Challenge
and Dreambook - Bedford Bands Web Site (Go figure).
He even used wikipedia...

He was full of enthusiasm, so much that once his blog was published online he continued on by drawing up his own plans for the future of his blog (no prompting needed), which involves taking video and pictures for his school projects, '..to do stuff with friends, show them my favorite games and stuff..'

By the end of the day he had not only shown his brothers how to set up a blog, but also his father!!

When shown how to link to his favourite stuff and put it on the internet he thought it was 'sick'. So do I :-) Joshua was enthusiastic about showing his blog to his teacher, to see if he could get the class blogging...will wait and see the feedback soon.

Joshua RRRocks!!!

Online identity and personalised start pages - Pageflakes

2006-05-29T15:03:00.000+10:00

Pageflakes blog posts navigation
Originally uploaded by Steven Parker.

Blogger - For sharing content
Flickr - For sharing photos I like
Del.icio.us- For sharing websites I like
43 Things- For connecting with people who are interested in learning, doing the same things as me.
My start page, Pageflakes- Pulling them all together.

By using 'Personalised Start Pages' I can pull together my online identity for work and play. This is done by bringing together blog posts, pictures, videos and rss feeds into one online page. Pageflakes is just one of the available user friendly and free 'personalised start page' Web2.0 programmes. I found out about pageflakes from the TALO group, TALO uses Protopage, another 'personalised start page', to pull together all the information relating to the group into one space. Another popular start page is suprglu (Allows customisation of look and feel).

Reasons why I like Pageflakes:

It allows the incorpration of blog posts in a nice navigational structure similar to a Learning Management System.
It is more user friendly and accessible, users with basic level skills can easily pull together RSS feeds using 'Pageflake add content' as apposed to customising blog templates.
It comes with a variety of custom widgets for easily incorporating cool features such as photos from Flickr and videos from You Tube.
It is extendable and customisable, with widgets being created by a community of developers.
It can be used for teaching classes by allow the creation of open pages or closed pages which are invite only.
It can be used for networked learning with colleagues, for example including videos developed by peers (Leigh Blackall) in you tube.
It can be used for for project management including widgets which provide features such as links to 'Writely' project documents and project checklists.

Pageflakes doesn't appear to allow customising the look and feel to any great extent yet but thats ok... I like it, a great accessible, flexible product for educators, students and managers to pull together their online identity for teaching and learning online and deliver open content with blogs.

Shared learning

2006-05-19T12:47:00.000+10:00

Networked learning- I intuitively 'get' the concept of networked learning why it makes sense for education and for teaching and learning, shared learning, the concept of students and teachers on the internet collaborating during the construction of their learning, they build their online identities and share knowledge , browsing, critiquing and commenting on each others contribution to the web via computer and mobile. Learning from each others identities and providing context, collective awareness growing and evolving over time, everybody's a network.

Networked learning mind map 1- Building online identity and sharing with others.

A simple concept with much underlying complexity , practical considerations only start to reveal when mapped out. We are currently researching and implementing the practical applications off these concepts. I am going through the process of mind-mapping my understanding of the different aspects of networked learning in relation to planning professional development for other teachers, www.teacherconnect.wikispaces.com . The project is about implementing a sustainable OPEN networked professional development model in collaboration with other educational organisations (You are invited to get involved).

For the mind-map I have used CMAP but want to be able to share and collaborate on mapping the concept further. I will put the information into a collaborative mind-map tool to get feedback and refine the model, maybe gliffy (Another great web2.0 name).

A networked learning Mastermind

Many educators in my network have inspired my learning and awareness along these lines and I share and recommend subscribing to their blogs:

A simple idea

2006-04-24T10:15:00.000+10:00

A walk with Mum and Dad, Newcastle, N.Ireland
Originally uploaded by Steven Parker.

One Simple Idea- Present networking technologies to resonate with teachers on the personal/ emotional level, more relevant to their lives.

Incentive

Build online identity

Application to pedagogy

An incentive to stick at it, to put the necessary time in at home, network, build an online identity, gain confidence then apply to teaching and learning. For example; Gently (no innovation overload) encourage colleagues to set up photosharing accounts (ie.flickr) accounts. One 'non-techie' colleague was recently shown how to use flickr, from this she quickly worked out how to put up pictures of what mattered to her and then link to friends. When recently asked to show the rest of the team, she said 'I'd love to' with a new welcome confidence. Initiate a number of people (catalysts) in how to photo share what matters to them, pictures of family, cats, the recent Rolling Stones concert ;-)... with their mobile phone, then maybe a bit of video of kids/ grandkids. They can show their friends and colleagues how to follow their lead, the collective gaining an inkling of how it can used for teaching their classroom tribe, the curiousity, confidence, desire... to ask themselves :-) how difficult can it be? Something I'm still figuring out...time to play with podcasting with delicious to teach, fun for me, unfamiliar for some. Happy to support and share with others what I learn...

Making the human connection

2006-04-24T00:54:00.000+10:00

Kids love technology!
Originally uploaded by Steven Parker.

No doubt The Veronicas crowd was into the music! For me the concert was about a ‘collective tribal experience', a refreshing real life exercise & example of a ‘tribes’ positive collective emotional reaction to a shared experience (ie: the concert, the mention of mobiles & mySpace), & that lots of kids dig social software. In reflection, the emotional reaction is important. Their tribe is about is about friends, fun, mobile technology, web communities, girls/boys, favourite bands & punk rock rebellion!!

How do we get the educational system & teachers to realise to capture this enthusiasm to teach & inspire learning?

First we need to acknowledge & understand people's attitudes v's emotional response to technology & pedagogy.

Attitudes:
For example; if the curriculum/system does not allow for flexibilty to inspire teachers/administrators to incorporate new Web2.0 teaching practices, then they will be satisfied to work day in & out teaching, happy that they are meeting their job description/requirements, keeping the status-quo. On the other hand you have teachers/administrators who utilise/support new technologies ie: Web2.0 in the classroom.

Emotional:
When you see the tribal connection between the youth, who are embracing Web2.o, & the passionate techno savvy zeitergeist mavericks, who are frustrated by the need to have technology embraced enmasse by the non-initiated (eg: in education), you sense cathexis of the two, an energy that some have captured to move to a more open & networked learning pedagogy

The tribal connections...where do we start? Where are we at with initiating the un-initiated? Should they join the techie tribe? How will they benefit? What is the connection?...I see many adult's who don't see the relevance of technology in their lives, who overlook what’s going on with the younger generation & are happy enough not to join the with internet revolution.

There is no doubt that for many, after holding down a teaching job, family & life...once home, the time to look at a computer let alone explore Web2.0 technologies or engage with all the networking 'stuff' of an evening... is probably not a high priority!

Paradoxically…with younger generations who engage technology [Web2.0] in their day-to-day lives, their experience will effect to drive their desire to learn & evolve, & inturn they will look for accessible mentor’s to facilitate their education in this experience; to incorporate into more exciting pedagogy [from primary to tertiary]…so where are these mentors today, how do we engage a more positive response from the teachers/mentors?

We all have different connections (tribe) to each other, as we do to technology. What tribe you are in drives what connection you have to change & technology. We all have an ‘emotional response’ to technology whether it be positive/negative, excited/uninspired, engaged/closed minded.

At work, the way technology is affecting us emotionally (in some cases) may account for the slowness to change. Whereas others have drive & enthusiasm for new ways of thinking to utilise Web2.0 technology, others may see it as a threat to the status quo, others may simply unaware or at the extreme - be overwhelmed.

Today it is the adults who advocate how technology should be utilised in education eg: learning objects, LMS’s, firewalls… Paradoxically, when looking at what's happening with Generation-Y as an indicator, it's the youth of today who are driving the cultural & economical uptake of a more open internet, with mobiles & mySpace in their lives. Some educational innovators are bringing new web2.0 concepts into the classroom from the street, this is the start. Time will see the realised benefits & effects trickle through to the mainstream, though until there is a wider advocacy to incoporate new technologies in the classroom (or as part of professional development), it will appear the mainstream educational systems are working at a slower pace to adapt....BUT!! it seems to be changing... funding was recently released for several networked learning/ Web2.0 projects in VTE eg.teacherconnect.

If the educational technology (including the pedagogy) doesn't do 'IT' for students or even their parents!! Perhaps when choosing a school, TAFE, UNI they'll vote with their feet and find another progressive institution or something else to stick it to system :-).

The change to a networked society is happening naturally, Web2.0 being one aspect of this.

We need to facilitate the positive/negative emotional & attitudes to engage the two. How we can communicate this to the un-initiated masses in education, we as 'innovators' who's job it is to engage this target group need to show example and emphasis what is changing/happening, and just as importantly we need to re-remind the teachers that the youth of today, not only are adapting with the new technologies, they are easily willing & able to teach themsleves at home and take this enthusiasm to the class; so they will need a reciprocated response/outlet.

In the photo you see kid's using technology, jumping in and teaching themselves how to create their own music using garageband?.

Here's their bluegrass techno funk fusion

The Veronica's.....

2006-04-19T21:32:00.000+10:00

The Veronicas April 2006
Originally uploaded by Steven Parker.

Last night I scored free! backstage passes to meet and see ‘THE VERONICAS!’ live at the Metro, thanks to my girlfriend, Belinda. Ha! Yes don’t laugh they rocked!!! (for all the size of them).

I've put up a video of the crowd from the concert.... can you spot me?! surrounded by 100’s of teenagers, average age of 14! As soon as The Veronica's came on stage, on and up went around 100 mobile phones to snap 'n send photos of posterity, though it mainly appeared to be for the videoing of the concert (my girlfriend included). Half way through the gig there was some audience commotion, when Lisa (one of the Veronica's) posed questions to the audience..... ‘Who has a mobile phone!?', followed by 'Who’s on MYSPACE?’. The crowd overwhelmingly screamed back "Yaahhh!!" with 100’s of mobile phones aloft!! …

I was amazed at the crowd’s response, there seemingly felt an awareness in the crowd of a sense of connection and community. 'MYSPACE' is an online community where you can blog, email, post to groups and find out what's going on in your local area/country. Check out The Veronica's MYSPACE.

Based on crowds the reaction, technology is cool, the in thing to be 'hooked up to', is now very well mainstream.

When looking around, it struck me HOW MUCH the mobile phone was part of their concert experience, and mine. As we have ability to take photo and video with our mobiles, people are more easily willing to display their captured images and share their experiences with the world/others/groups/friends/strangers. Right now this is done by blogging (eg: blogspot, myspace) and photosharing (eg: flickr). Where tomorrow?

One could see that as more people (at a younger age) move to embrace this new way of experimenting with technology to 'make a connection', and with the rapid development of these Web2.0 technologies the need for mainstream teachers (primary through to tertiary) to be aware and get involved to understand it's application to utilise in pedagogy is NOW.

Encourage Blogging with your colleagues and students! ... to share views, joke, upload pictures (flickr)... of Easter break, family, friends, The Veronica's concert! or even linking to something fun. This is a valid Professional Development strategy to encourage teachers to put the time into aspects of 'networked learning'. This is just as relevant for teacher realisation to engage students in their day to day lives, to complement the learning environment.

Tagging the usefulness of Web2.0 to teaching

2006-04-12T20:44:00.000+10:00

theThinker.JPG
Originally uploaded by Steven Parker.

I’m interested to know why should teachers invest a large chunk of time in getting to grips with Web2.0 technologies, which include new concepts such as networking and blogging?

I invite anyone reading this blog to comment from your perspective or point me to your posts.

For many teachers new to learning how to utilize these new technologies; the meaning of Web2.0 and it’s application to teaching needs to be understood first. ‘Why should I learn this? How will it be useful for me as a teacher?’

I want to use delicious tags (verbs) mixed and matched to communicate the usefulness of a tool and attributes in a teaching and learning context.

To start with I have chosen verbs to associate with the application of Web2.0 technologies as part of a networked learning pedagogy :

Sharing information/ sharing aspects of self
Discovering information/ discovering people
Engaging with information/engaging with people and what they have to say
Participating in tasks/ participation with group or individual in conversation
Reflecting on learning/learning from others
Inspiring.

As I collect new Web2.0 tools, sites and teaching and learning case studies in delicious as part of the ‘teacherconnect’ project I will associate the verbs as tags .

Tags:
teacherconnectShare
teacherconnectDiscover
teacherconnectEngage
teacherconnectParticipate
teacherconnectReflect
teacherconnectInspire

http://del.icio.us/stevenraymondparker

delicious- also includes tags teacherconnectInfo, teacherconnectTools, teacherconnectBlogs, Jo has them RSS feeding into teacherconnect.wikispaces :-)

The tagging data is searchable and I can then use this in training as another tool to communicate the meaning of Web2.0 and it’s application in a teaching and learning context.

What I want is teachers be able to search on what I want they want do to teach, be presented with the tools, information to do the job (with a peer rating system on how effective they are) with links to their colleagues friends and peers profiles to tell them what to do if they have problem.

Queanbeyan Web2.0 Blogging Posse

2006-04-08T23:11:00.000+10:00

Image416.jpg
Originally uploaded by Steven Parker.

On Friday I jumped in my car to drive the 500 kilometers from Wollongong to Queanbeyan, to make the human connection with a group of 3 eager TAFE teachers from this country town near Canberra. Self-confessing to having basic IT skills they wanted to make the leap from the whiteboard to teaching online. My job was to re-engage them after their 3yr hiatus in how the LMS worked. I also dropped in a few Web2.0 technologies with the outcome of the group creating their first blog and ‘delicious’ account...

One of the teachers (Adult Basic Education), immediately recognized the possibilities of using the Web2.0 technologies to communicate with her students. This was exciting and encouraging, I love to see the sparks of imagination fly for the use of Web2.0 technology, such as Flickr, which was used to facilitate photo sharing.

During the day’s Workshop the ideas of how they could validate to incorporate this technology started to flow; 'We can get the students to take pictures of their day, [post to flickr] write about it and present to each other….’ and ‘.. [the] students will find that fun!… as they switch off when I start using the whiteboard’

The day’s workshop was a small step towards encouraging teachers as a way forward to incorporate more interactive teaching and learning tools for pedagogy. I’ll be tracking their progress with Bloglines and RSS.

Satisfaction for me was to walk away with awareness that there is a growing desire of teachers [in TAFE] out there who may not be initially IT savvy, who may have been out of the loop for sometime, despite this they are keen to jump on board with their own personal development to engage with learning new technologies and to discover their workable application in teaching and learning. A win win outcome

Kickstarting my Web2.0 networked learning

2006-03-27T10:37:00.000+11:00

Tomorrow I deliver a workshop on using a certain Learning Management System. To prepare I spent two hours deciphering the in's and outs of how a teacher simply communicates with the student, not much to say apart from arghhh!! It's a mess of intricacy, unnecessary clicks and deciphering of links just to work out how to tell the student 'Good work on your paper'! If you can find the paper!!

Speaking to the teachers about what they want from the workshop I got the sense that they where traumatised! and put off by the experience and frustration of a LMS. Now, 3 years later, they want to try again (the word nightmare was used) I'll show them how it works (what they asked for) but really... it was a big ask to get them to use this thing to manage their class 3 years ago. I don't think they'll find the technology anymore inspiring.

I like alot of others have been inspired of late by the 'idea' of networked learning; the Web2.0 technology that enables the networks to form, blogs, RSS great!! there is alot of talk, if you want to know more I recommend Stephen Downes recent podcast.

Networked learning, networked connections with people, networked relationships with people, networking to inspire and learn from each other, the idea is great!! Its easily said and conceptualised, easy in the real world, shooting the breeze around the training room. Working virtually it takes a sustained effort.

After the LMS training tomorrow I'll show the group how to pull together their own personal learning environment, pulling together a variety of Web2.0 technologies.

The ability these technologies afford together, to form connections and networks with other people is great. Lots of free easy to use technologies loosely joined that can be pulled together for each new teaching circumstance.

My job as a web developer for the past 5 years has been all about producing educational stuff with technology, stuff to be consumed. Thats changing- rapidly I now have to start to think how I can show teachers how relationships networking and participate with others in professional dialogue is off benefit in day to day. A tough call?

I have created the wiki teacherconnect.wikispaces.com to present networked learning examples and resources. I invite others to contribute.

S

teacherSmart Nov Workshop and Network Learning Model

2005-11-19T15:49:00.000+11:00

Well the past week has been very busy running the teacherSmart November workshop drafting a network learning funding submission for the Illawarra Institute and meeting with managment to discuss plans for professional development and the pros and cons of blogging, plus lots of other jobs.

There was excitment and enthusiasm from the teachers about implementing web 2.0 technologies such as blogger, delicious, flickr etc. The general concensus being I CAN USE THIS!

Teachers
Not sure what I am saying from some expressions ;-)

Teacher Blogs from workshop
www.cuisinenetwork.blogspot.com
www.teachertopics.blogspot.com
www.etransport.blogspot.com
www.katrinasblabla.blogspot.com

Management
Gabrielle from professional development sets up her first blog.

Colleagues

Check out Joanna's photos of workshop

We are looking to implement these web 2.0 technologies as part of a network learning model that focuses on the ongoing tracking, sharing and promulgating of teacher outcomes AFTER they do teacherSmart professional development and network/ learn from each other. The project teacherSmartConnect will use network learning technologies and practices (eg. Flickr Utilising Blogs, social software and RSS). The Network learning approach will enable the transfer of knowledge, skills and information between teachers, management and policy setters throughout the organisation.

Network Learning Face to Face- Open Fridays

2005-11-07T12:35:00.000+11:00

We will soon be trialling a different approach to Professional development having a weekly informal 'open' Friday at the TLRU with all teachers interested in blended and elearning technologies being able to come together and collaborate ideas, skills and resources. The TLRU staff will offer full support but importantly it will offer Illawarra Institute staff the opportunity to network with their peers, learn from other and have access to the great TLRU resources. This will be recorded as a Professional Development Activity.

In particular the TLRU looks forward to working with Dapto IT to implement systems and technology, to develop a self sustaining Professional Development Network of teachers to facilitate communicating and sharing ideas and innovations that benefit the entire organization. Also to promulgate the achievements and outcomes of teacher work to the community and industry.

Focus on the outcomes?

2005-11-07T12:01:00.000+11:00

The outcomes
At the end of the of a 3 day teachersmart workshop we want maximum return ROI, we want our teachers to walk away with:

The Awareness, confidence in their own abilities, and the skills and knowledge to source utilize and develop eLearning resources.

The desire to become active participants of an online network of teachers to exchange ideas and information, to work with the technologies, to promote the endless use of new and exciting resources (peer to peer).

These learning outcomes will provide teachers with the sustainable skills to be able to cope with change and empower themselves, their colleagues and their students with technology.

Learning from each other

2005-11-07T11:59:00.000+11:00

Collaborating and working in groups and Show and Tell

OK I have a number of posts that have been sitting in draft format which I want to publish, in particular I am interested in effective professional development techniques that people are using.

TeacherSmart workshops adopt a collaborative group based learning approach during in exploring technologies.
To begin, the group discusses and sets boundaries with a limited number of easy to use technologies to prevent innovation overload. As a group we brainstorm how these might be most effectively used.

For example each team member in the group is given the task of exploring a new technology (eg. flickr, using a digital camera, sourcing materials from creative commons), based on a desired agreed learning outcome.

We encourage playing with the technology as a group - for example figuring out how the audio recorder works and how to best utilize it.

If the group is all working on the same project each team member is asked to develop specific activities that, when combined, achieve the learning outcomes for the group.
We suggest advanced teachers support others and intermediate users work together so that less confident teachers can have more access to Teaching and Learning Resource Unit (TLRU) trainers.

At the end of the day the group has a show and tell. This is the exciting stage in that everybody gets to show what they have achieved.

It is possible to cover a large variety of technologies in a short space of time and this technique instills confidence. Teachers can learn from each other and follow up on what interests them after the workshop through networking with their peers or coming into the TLRU at a later date.

Professional development? Where we are going?

2005-11-07T11:57:00.000+11:00

Engaging to Empower the Basic to Intermediate Skilled Teacher through Network Learning
In my mind the major challenge is to empower the greater majority of teachers with basic to intermediate skills new to eLearning

To initiate these outcomes Teachers with basic to intermediate skills have been traditionally supported in their first steps with professional development for example:

Workplace training
Trainers go out to workplaces and show and train teachers how to utilize useful technologies such as audio and svideo within the workplace

Workshops
We have advertised and provided timetabled specific professional development programs where teachers with basic to intermediate skills can visit to learn about using critical technologies such as a digital camera, Microsoft Outlook and Word

Online courses
Teachers can empower themselves with information and skills and work through at their own pace.

Learning success is often measured by the transfer of knowledge and skills in the workshop or through a Learning Managment System within a structured framework and allocated timeframe. The measure of success being positive or negative feedback on the PD evaluation form.

In the future the focus wil be on THE OUTCOMES over time; beyond the professional development through incorporating a new networked learning approach to professional development, the premise being:

Train and support a teacher to manage technology and network with peers and they will be empowered.
Actively engage with teachers following professional development to track their progress and promulgate the outcomes of their work

The TLRU is constantly researching to keep ahead of technology. The pace of change in technology is relentless, and there are limited resources for Professional Development. We are looking at strategies that will enable us to:

Leverage the latent skills and knowledge of innovative TAFE teachers
Provide systems and technology to facilitate communicating and sharing ideas and innovations that benefit the entire organization.

Questions include how we can share innovation, knowledge and improve upon it. If the innovation is useful it will flourish, otherwise it will not be adopted.

This is a subject that I look forward to exploring further on this blog.

The Challenges

2005-11-07T11:52:00.000+11:00

OK, it's been a busy past couple of months trying to get 'product' out the door at the TLRU. In particular the new version of teacherSmart. Time to focus on PROCESS, in particular network learning. I'm posting some of the context of my thinking for what I want to achieve with a networked learning approach for me as an individual and in my professional role at TAFE.

From my point of view The Challenges we face as educators:

Fast pace of change in technology – keeping up with the changes, recognition that it is relentless. The latest version!

Knowledge and Understanding – of the benefits of technology for teaching and how to use it. How do I learn and cope, if I am to use technology The challenge for basic to intermediate users.

Time – Teachers lack of time to investigate and learn new technologies and about the possibilities. They need quick fix solutions and support, from organisations like the TLRU or their peers.
Accessing training, equipment and information, and knowing where to get help, what my peers doing?

I'll use this blog to record my thoughts on how we address these issues with a networked learning approach. Comments, ideas appreciated.

Empowerment through technology

2005-09-16T12:53:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I got up and expressed myself as a seminar speaker for the 2005 ICVET Conference. I was pleased with the response from the 60 or TAFE teachers in attendance. My premise:

'Show one technology to a teacher; you have satisfied him for today. Train a teacher to manage technology and network with peers and they will be empowered for the future'

Paper -pdf 213kb
Powerpoint - pdf 1.2mb

The emerging paradigm of Peer to Peer Network Learning will significantly affect the way we teach, share information and resources. These changes are best outlined in George Siemens paper 'Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age' and website Connectivism 'A learning theory for today's learner'.

As a education technologist I will use this blog to record my personal progress and growth as I learn and adapt to these network technologies and practices; to empower myself with network learning and learn from my peers and TAFE colleagues.

Blogger Word and teacherSmart

2005-09-12T22:14:00.000+10:00

I can upload content directly from word into my blog! This is another option for teachers when publishing their teacherSmart learning resources.

First time comment

2005-05-22T14:29:00.000+10:00

A good quote I got from Marcus O’Donnell’s
BlogTalk Downunder presentation.

‘There are four hurdles to pass to move from willing volunteer to competent blogger: learning the technology environment, developing an initial view of blogging, plugging into the conversation, and developing a voice. These are not so much discrete phases as they are parallel tracks that can be managed.’
James McGee

I am impressed with the simplicity of www.blogger.com and can see much potential for blogging and education. Watch this space. Today’s exercise, ‘willing volunteer’. Have a go yourself PLAY around. Now to go OUTSIDE into the sun.

PS: If you want to add picture to your blog you need to install hello software, which does not work on a MAC, hmmm https://secure.hello.com/download.php