Aug 22 2009
Digital Education Revolution NSW (”It’s almost here …. it’s almost here”)
The DER NSW rollout train is (maybe? finally?) chugging into a platform near you.
Check out DET (spin) tape. Ignore the, thankfully minimal, political rhetoric. Make no mistake, the NSW DER is a BIGGY. Lets hope it’s also right.
I’ll get year 9 to critique it to their exacting standards on Monday.
At least now with the learning ’tube unblocked, we can even watch our NSW Public Schools Channel. Good move DET meisters. The kiddies love you more for it already.
Hang on tight, the disruptive ”ready, fire, aim” ICT approach is doing nothing if not promoting more professional dialogue where it matters; in the schools. I like it. Saturation, tipping points, just do it and they have.
The classroom chat and attitudes from the wise ones ranges from “too cool for school” to uber excitement. Paperweights to powerful connections? Real learners & leaders will float to the surface and continue to drive the changes needed.
Stu Hasic eloquently summarises the DER history far better than I. He asks ”Is this technically the best 1:1 rollout in the world?”
Probably is, but you know what? As a non techie type, I don’t give a hoot about technical, I just want engaged learners, and if this tech helps achieve it, then thats what we’ll give ‘em. Not too much to ask, is it?
(And so ends my 5 month blog sabatical. Thanks all for tweets & emails. And you know what? Not much really changed at all.Oh, & Happy Birthday Me.)
1:1 resources
- School Development Days (PLLD)
- Online Communication Tools
- Leading faculties & the DER
- DER Laptops Forum
- Cli cks July09 Newsletter
- Macquarie ICT Centre Web2.0 Resources
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Good to be reading your posts again.
I always enjoy the commitment to learning that comes through in your writing.
Please keep us updated with the year 9 critique “to their exacting standards”.
This is what we need to hear.
Thanks, Elaine
Whoa, my head was getting a bit dizzy from all of the “spin” in that video – but deep down I’m extremely jealous that this roll out doesn’t extend down to the primary school sector. It will certainly be a game changer – and a bold move that the naysayers are just itching to shoot down. Having plenty of a good open minded technician has just become a very valuable commodity.
Elaine
Thanks for the welcome back & support. Your slideshare links and tweets always contribute greatly to my professional learning. Great DETNSW youtube decision! Best of 09 I believe. I suspect you had a lot to do with that one.
Graham
And so primary schools should! This will be a major (budget)sustainabilty question as the political cycle spins through.
Years 9 to12 is the wrong target. ICT use is habitualised, bad practice entrenched and relearning is wasteful at these ages.
These devices are far more suited to Primary classrooms and sizes. ICT fluency, skills and practice taught from the get go appeals to this secondary learner.
Maybe in the next round some visionary will wake up that although this scale is the largest ever, it is really still not enough. Thats the 64k commitment.
But honestly, I am still very thankful a start has been made.
(Sorry to miss you at IWB09. I too left (early) with my professional learning needs unsated)
Hopefully the DER initiative will make connected learning the benchmark for all students rather than just the realm of the elite private school sector. Yes, I’m sorry we did cross paths in Sydney last week. My phone data service went down the afternoon I flew out from Adelaide and stopped me tracking you down via Twitter. I feel better that I was not alone in my feelings about the conference overall. I do feel a bit like a pariah not reporting a glowing feeling from IWBNet09 – I know plenty of educators thought it was just great – and my less than enthusiastic tweets have attracted notice as being out of step with the mainstream. Hey – I can live with that – I think that this is where the Kiwis get things right with events like ULearn. Maybe a DER conference won’t be far off…
Sorry, that should read “did not cross paths”. Maybe another time – are you going to ACEC10?
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