Pedablogy

Twitter - interesting uses for teacher professional development

2009-04-05T15:38:00.002+01:00

I'm always nervous at mentioning a technology that I don't use myself - especially in the classroom. Twitter falls under this category.

For many teachers I've spoken to, the signal-to-noise ratio of twitter can seem pretty low - but then I speak to more who find it has great educational potential. I'm guessing that like many other recent technologies, the optimal harnessing of Twitter as a classroom tool will take time, experimentation and practical feedback.

On the Professional Development side of things, this article (cf http://mrslwalker.com/?p=79620905) makes a lot of sense - especially in relation to networking and reflective practice.

This is the best teacher-oriented article on Twitter I've read so far!

Handbook of Emerging Technologies

2009-04-05T12:44:00.003+01:00

IMHO, George Siemens has been one of the writers I've regarded highly for the past few years. He's just released a "Handbook of Emerging Technologies" with Peter Tittenburg, and it's a must-read publication. Well rounded, comprehensive and providing a useful categorisation of media for learning, a practical list of tools and an overview on learning now and into the future - I'll be referring back to this more than once :)

Although it does apply more to general learning / 3rd level, the principles are remarkably inline with Primary/Post-Primary.

The following short quote from the conclusion is an example of the insights peppered throughout.

It seems that much of educational reform has been concerned with determining the content of education, rather than the model and process of learning design and delivery in a technology infused world

cf. http://ltc.umanitoba.ca/wikis/etl/index.php/Handbook_of_Emerging_Technologies_for_Learning

Enjoy!

The Scoil.net ScoilPac

2009-03-29T17:17:00.002+01:00

After years of planning, false starts and hard work - I've just about finished (or started might be more correct!) a project to sell pre-built websites to schools. The idea is that rather than schools developing their own infrastructure, that the website (called The ScoilPac) would be pre-built and they can get started on the important stuff: publishing pupils work, administration/communication for the school, safe integration of homework/project work for classes - and a pre-built Moodle built in, with shared login etc.

I'm still working on the edges and the screencast tutorials - but effectively open for business :)

Wish me well and visit for a look-see - http://scoil.net

US Education spending doubles for disadvantaged and disabled children

2009-02-24T13:07:00.000Z

WASHINGTON — The $100 billion in emergency aid for public schools and colleges in the economic stimulus bill could transform Arne Duncan into an exceptional figure in the history of federal education policy: a secretary of education loaded with money and the power to spend large chunks of it as he sees fit.

cf http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/education/17educ.html?_r=2&ref=education

Free RSS feed, updated daily - Irish Education News

2009-02-22T15:52:00.005Z

Here's an RSS feed from IPPN, the Irish Primary Principals Network. This feed takes most of the newsworthy stories from irish education each day.

When you insert the URL below into your website/blog/etc., it will publish the news and update it daily. cf www.eckildare.ie for an example of a website which already uses this RSS feed and notice that all the Education News section on eckildare.ie is being published automatically from the IPPN Education News feed.

RSS Feed URL: http://ippn.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=50&Itemid=158&format=feed&type=rss

Enjoy!

Are teachers really ready to integrate technology?

2009-02-22T12:43:00.001Z

Where are we now?

I accept that 7 years with no funding for ICT in schools has brought teachers from enthusiasm to frustration to outright apathy. I accept that a higher-order technology-comfortable workforce in 10 years means higher-order technology-comfortable schools and learning right now. I also accept that government's total lack of policy in this area suggests either ignorance of these principles or incompetence.

This is one side of the coin - the lack of economic understanding and/or political will to fix our future economy.

The other side of the coin

The other side is more complex and involves the disposition of teachers to use technology. I will argue that even with significant, immediate and adequate funding, that teachers will still have to travel a significant evolutionary pedagogical path which will take a few years - before teachers are ready to integrate technology.

Why are Interactive Whiteboards so successful?

One dimension which illustrates teacher disposition to using technology is the question - Why are Interactive Whiteboards so successful? Besides being a highly engaging resource, I think that the main reason for success is that the teacher still has the locus of control and is still at the centre of learning. She teaches broadly along the same lines, and is aware of and in control of all learning at all times. The IWB enhances her teaching, makes her presentations and facilitations more engaging - ie it's all about 'teacher's teaching'.

Ten years ago, with the introduction of IT2000, it was all about the potential of learning through 'content-free' software, it was about creative pupil-driven projects and a sense that anything could be learned - not through the conduit of the teacher, but through the conduit of technology - ie it was all about 'pupil's learning'.

Exceptional teachers, Exceptional learning

For a small percentage of teachers (perhaps 5% - 10%), this learner-centric model worked. These teachers were exceptional - they were excellent teachers, they were excellent learners themselves, they had excellent management (they organised work for 30 pupils around 1 PC, and integrated project-based learning into their mainstream teaching) and they also were technical experts who were able to replace motherboards, fix printers throughout the school, fix spam/virus-ridden windows 95 machines, and beg / borrow / share software - all without any funding whatsoever (2002-2009). So integrating technology was simply impractical for all but these exceptional teachers.

95% of teachers just not ready

I believe that 95% of teachers have not got the pedagogical capacity, personal disposition, school funding or classroom management ability to fully integrate technology into teaching and learning. We're simply not ready! This is the elephant in the classroom - and not just the Government/DES's lack of vision and leadership to secure funding.

Are we there yet? Do we know where we're going!?

So where to, from here? Well, introduction of IWBs is certainly a step in the right direction, albeit with digital divide implications for many schools. After this, it will take significant time and funding to address the issues of:

1. Infrastructure (PCs, IWBs, learning software, tech support)
2. Training: professional development not 'in' ICT but 'in teaching through' ICT
3. Curriculum: Improving what and how we learn for the 'thinking' age - not the 'information' age!

Perhaps the much maligned DES figured this out back in 2002 and visionarily concluded that because funding alone was not the answer, that they should not waste their money? ;)

.com to .ie

2008-12-01T20:09:00.001Z

Oops - something went wrong and I did not receive notification that my domain name was expiring :( As the .com is now gone, I'm i the process of registering the .ie

more later ...

ICT Advisors removed from Irish Education System

2008-06-21T17:23:00.004+01:00

Governmental support and funding for ICT has been sorely neglected for the past 6 years, with no funding for hardware or software and never any funding for technical support for computers in schools. Yesterday the government recalled the 18 ICT Advisors around the country whose role it was to encourage and support local schools' (Primary & Secondary) usage of ICT as well as organise courses, pilot projects etc.

So in the knowledge society economy, the best move the government have is to remove the only (somewhat) local support schools have.

I have not though this out fully, but if the government are refusing to support any ICT activity in school, then my initial reaction would be to stop flogging the dead horse. Although learning about technology and learning other subjects through technology is clearly the optimal pedagogical approach - I can imagine that teachers might decide to stop bringing computers home to fix them; to stop researching for free / open source software to stimulate their pupils; to stop using ICT altogether in schools.

The absence of funding since 2002 has already left Ireland the weakest technology-in-education country in the EU and OECD. This latest move will unfortunately but assuredly ensure our emerging workforce are the most technologically backward in Europe.

Dangers of 'successful' ICT integration in Education

2008-01-20T22:03:00.000Z

I don't know what the 'balance' in this story (cf. http://inquisitivity.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-emily-scares-me-stiff.html) is at the moment. I've known of Geoff for the past few years and even exchanged a few emails from time to time. His alarm of what might be emerging seems like it deserves at least a robust debate!

Beautifully Simple explanation of online photo sharing

2008-01-13T21:20:00.000Z

cf. http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=vPU4awtuTsk

2mins 50seconds
aimed at beginner
no jargon
highly recommended!

Are We There Yet?

2008-01-09T17:50:00.000Z

Are we there yet?

* Ireland spends 4.6% of GDP on Education
* The OECD average is 6.1%
* Others spend over 8%

Why are we focusing on a few million here and there? Why are we up in arms over a few hundred euros for water? This is a red herring and symptomatic of a much bigger malaise. It's brilliant politicking by Mary and Bertie!! The real issue is why Mary Hanafin does not get at least the 6.1% GDP funding for education from government (€billions extra!!). This would help across all the issues, water, class size, capitation, remuneration - etc. There's only one question to ask Mary Hanafin and government -

Are we there yet?

PS Ireland are 29th out of 34 OECD countries for investment in education.

Education Spending still way below par for Ireland

2007-10-21T16:32:00.000+01:00

It's quite amazing that the media, unions, parent and teacher organisations are not up in arms. Irish society is shamefully anaesthesized by headlines (Oct 18th) such as:
"Education spending to reach almost €9billion in 2008 - Minister Hanafin" at: www.education.ie as we mutter to ourselves - Ooh, €9b - that must be good! Hooray for Minister Hanafin and our government!

Bottom line - not only are we supposed to be catching up on neglect of investment, we are also still near the bottom of GDP investment in education, at 4.6%. The OECD average is 6.2%, countries like Iceland and Israel spend 8%, we need to spend MORE THAN OECD average in order to catch up!!

cf. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/20/27/39297945.pdf?contentId=39297946 for graph

This is the only figure that media, parents, unions, teacher organisations etc. should be shouting about!! Let me know when the DES publishes a Press Release that shows the full/true picture of investment.

We teachers like it free ;)

2007-10-03T18:48:00.000+01:00

We teachers like things that we get for free! :)
These should keep you busy for a while!!

Cf. http://www.seopher.com/articles/the_70_coolest_free_applications_in_existence

Enjoy!

Ireland out of step re: Social Networking and Education?

2007-09-13T22:53:00.000+01:00

cf http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/41400/41340.pdf

This article (PDF) is a much more balanced view of social networking, and a welcome counter to the defensive and reactive positions heard from Irish education and media.

While education and social networking is its main thrust, the article also covers the beginning of some real integration of ICT into teachers' homework, some examples are given below.

Teachers & Internet Homework

School district leaders report that teachers are now routinely assigning homework that requires Internet use to complete, no longer allowing equity concerns to be a barrier:

Nearly all school districts (96%) say that at least some of their teachers assign homework that requires Internet use to complete. More than a third of all school districts 35% say more than half of their teachers assign home-work that requires Internet use. More than 9 out of 10 school districts of low socio economic status say some of their teachers assign Internet-based homework,and more than one in four of these districts say more than half of their teachers do so.

Nearly all school districts (95%)say that at least some of their teachers are using Web pages to com- municate assignments,curriculum content and other information. More than eight out of 10 school districts 88% subscribe to online educational services or learning management systems,or both. Of these subscribing districts, 87 percent allow students to access these services from home.

Engagement levels - Games Vs Classroom

2007-08-18T10:45:00.000+01:00

It's certainly interesting that as teachers (and I know we're not entertainers!), we know that 'engagement' is 90% of the challenge in learning. When pupils are engaged, they will focus, strive, enjoy, and learn effortlessly. However, creating engagement for each individual in the everyday classroom is indeed a huge challenge. Most 'interactions' are one-way, from the teacher, and many pupils are either being challenged too much or too little.

We need to be brave, step back, and re-think.

OECD has an interesting related article which outlines 3 scenarios: "Attempting to Maintain the Status Quo", "Re-schooling" and "De-schooling". cf. http://www.oecd.org/document/10/0,2340,en_2649_34521_2078922_1_1_1_37455,00.html

Back to the games theme ...

If you're thinking that maybe you should hide the video game controller from your kids because they're spending too much time in front of the TV or computer, don't. What you think is slacking may just be preparing them to become productive members of the workforce when they get older. Their future offices are likely to be heavily digital—especially if they work remotely—and their work may resemble the online games that many now spend hours playing

cf. http://www.businessweek.com/print/innovate/content/aug2007/id20070813_467743.htm

Social Bookmarking - a short video for teachers!

2007-08-09T09:38:00.001+01:00

This excellent and plain english video walks you through how social bookmarking can be a great strategy for remembering and automatically organising those great websites you find from time to time.

http://thecommoncraftshow.blip.tv/file/331587/#share

Free ICT 'How-To' Courses available from Cnet

2007-06-11T12:50:00.000+01:00

cf. http://classes.cnet.com/?tag=navtab

Here you will find at least 50 courses, which are free to sign up for. I'm sure that the quality and availability of such courses will explode in the next year or two, so indigenous course development will have to focus on the 'value-added' aspects, the local application and the way that courses A B and C might apply in my personal circumstances, rather than course designers having to design a complete course from the ground up.

Here's a few sample course titles:

Bain taithneamh astu :)

Top 5 Firefox Extensions

2007-06-04T16:55:00.000+01:00

cf. http://www.neobinaries.com/etc

If you use Firefox, then these extension will really make a difference to how you browse. Enjoy!

20 free Windows / Web Utilities

2007-06-04T16:38:00.000+01:00

cf. http://www.lifehack.org/etc

"Top 20 Free Applications to Increase Your Productivity" Enjoy!

Education Statistics

2007-05-22T22:33:00.000+01:00

Here is the most gob-smackingly awesome statistics I ever saw on world education - it’s the future

Gapminder Link Here (4Mb zip)

From this, I can see:

How information visualisation will be an art and a profession in the near future
All about global education over the past 30 / 35 years
How technology can really enhance what we learn and how we learn (imagine how in years gone by, a student might have had to work out trends and figures manually!!)

IPPN Submission to the ICT subcommittee

2007-05-20T23:16:00.000+01:00

In response to an invitation from the committee set up to make recommendations to the Department of Education & Science (www.ippn.ie), I was involved in the preparation and presentation of the IPPN (www.ippn.ie) proposal.

You can access it here: www.ippn.ie

Sir Ken Robinson

2007-05-20T23:02:00.001+01:00

cf. http://memex.naughtons.org/archives/2007/05/20/4027 Thanks J.T. for the link

Wonderful talk about education, creativity and the weight we all put on academic education. All teachers need to see/hear/dance something like this every now and again to centre themselves ;)

Sir Ken Robinson

2007-05-20T23:02:00.000+01:00

cf. http://memex.naughtons.org/archives/2007/05/20/4027 Thanks J.T. for the link

Wonderful talk about education

Social Networking - Great overview article

2007-05-18T11:31:00.000+01:00

cf. http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2007/05/17/social_software_what_it_is.htm

Really good article which summarises and brings together scope, adoption, virology, impact and insights from social networking. A worthwhile couple of pages :)

Enjoy!

Free Fonts :)

2007-04-28T17:08:00.000+01:00

cf. http://www.fonts500.com/?view=XXX_09NNN/

This page shows the fonts, and clicking on each will download a zip file of the free font. Enjoy!