Month: September 2017

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design and was first introduced in 1984. It is a global non-for-profit organisation that welcomes people from every culture and discipline who seek deeper understanding of the world we live in.
They are passionate and driven by the overarching goal of ‘making great ideas accessible and spark conversation amongst us (TED, 2017).

You may be wondering why I am talking about TED…

I have discovered TED is another great source for Educational videos , not just for adults but for students too. TED’s collection of educational and inspirational talks relevant to classroom practices and teacher personal development are connected to issues the global community of educators will come across and provide food for thought.

What are your thoughts? Enjoy.

     

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Robinson, K. (2013). How to escape education’s Death Valley. Retrieved September 29, 2017, from https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_how_to_escape_education_s_death_vall

Mitra, S. (2007). Kids can teach themselves. Retrieved September 29, 2017,
from https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves/up-

Ted Conferences. LLC. (N.d). TED ideas worth spreading. Retrieved September 29, 2017 from https://www.ted.com

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I was surprised today to hear from one of the students in our course and how I had indirectly answered a query of hers. Her blog name is Gnarly Nigerti [GN], which she assures is not her real name. There is something to be said for disguising our digital footprint.
I have been following GN from the beginning and we often wished, along with many others, course readings, would have included, ICT for Dummies. Funny, it was not on the essential reading list provided by the university. (?)  However, with a lecturer/ examiner, who teaches, encourages, inspires and tells us what we can do with technology and why, we have been driven by the desire to succeed.
Today was proof that connecting via technology does work and can make us smile. I feel this is one of the hidden criteria of the course. GN had posed a question relating to a particular pedagogy, which I had previously included in a blog. One of those ahah moments, I think. Today was also proof that when we share, we have no idea how that can positively impact on others. That is something to smile about.

Lets keep blogging…

In 2 weeks, I begin my 4^th Professional Experience. I’m going to Prep or  Foundation, the very early years of learning. In light of that I decided to do some exploring about little people.

Queensland Early Childhood Education and Care , is definitely worth a visit. Links galore and lots of information.

Age appropriate pedagogies  applies to Prep to Year 3, the Early Years of learning. A framework with focus on the child, their interests, capabilities and the experiences and understandings they bring to school.

I think it is worth a look for those of us who are going to be spending time with ‘little ones’ in the coming weeks.

Ive included the  11 characteristics  of the Age Appropriate Pedagogies. They represent the desirable qualities teachers show when working with colleagues to provide the most effective learning opportunities for each child.

 

The are teachers I have connected with who struggle with the thought of going from paper to a digital classroom. It all sounds so easy when you read blurbs on ‘How to …’ However, following the ‘How to…’ can be a daunting task.
What are the barriers to jumping on board?
I recently read an article, which like many of them do, described the importance of ICT in the classroom as improving teaching and learning (Bingimlas, 2009).  I wanted to encourage you to think about how you feel towards ICT in your classroom.  Is it a challenge you could do without? Do you embrace the opportunities for ICT in your lessons? Do you feel pressured?  Do you see learning being transferred to higher levels?

I thought I would pop a snippet of what I found interesting on the barriers of ICT use in the classroom here for you to consider and reflect on your own thoughts.

As I continue to work on set assignment tasks for my ICT subject, I find myself considering the importance of teaching children to be aware of the digital footprints they are creating.Teaching the curriculum and integrating technology, is an important part of transforming learning.

Digital citizenship is what we encourage. It is a powerful enabler of inclusion in social, cultural and civil society.

Today, becoming a digital citizen is ‘part of who we are’ in school and at home. At school, it should be planned for, and addressed, through multiple contexts, including structured activities and whenever there are opportunities to talk and learn about being safe online.

The Department of Education in Queensland (2017),  has developed programs which support teachers to help primary and secondary students understand and remember what they should and should not do on line:

• use technology appropriately and responsibly
• behave in ways to enhance their own safety
• Primary school students—learn about how to protect your digital footprint with the Cyber Heroes
• Secondary school students—enhancing your digital identity

Take a look at the links above and go to Queensland Government Cybersafety