Sliced Bread

The paperless conference, “Technology Enhancing Quality Teaching” to launch NSW DET Interactive Classrooms was held on June 24th. CCP Bulletins update us on the progress of the CCP, a succinct read.

Trevor Fletcher, Deputy Director General DET NSW, said teachers who integrate ICT effectively are “mindful of their knowledge of pedagogy, content and technology”. Onya Trev.

My belief is a sound knowledge and appropriate application of current learning research in the digital age is a significant factor in the successful integration of ICT. If we explicitly know how today’s younguns learn best, then we should have even more successful lightbulb moments. How cool is that?

Steven Wilson, DET Chief Info officer, also announced gmail as the new DET student email and that school staff email will move into corporate email later in 2008. Hang on for a few bumpy rides in the DC3 of DET NSW as the turbulance of change descends rapidly on those who just got their heads around the current 6 year old email system. Yeeha me thinks, ‘your emergency exits are here, here and here’

I am glad the boffins said regional training for CCP will meet local needs and develop key competencies in Activstudio. But I’m really really really disappointed this free shareware cannot be installed more easily at work. I guess a month of waiting will all be worth it. Just hope its not 2 months waiting for a simple install.

Hopefully these installation issues can be resolved next week. It is extremely frustrating to want to learn and apply new ideas, then be told by our DET leaders that these free programs are available to download and then not be able to install them due to whatever issues.  How do I get my voice heard? 

As a non ICT classroom teacher with an interest in, but little deep understanding of “technology”, web2.0 and the NSW DET CCP, I was pleased to read Tim’s comments about the first connected classrooms in NSW DET schools  

the time has arrived where State Education in NSW will truly embrace a genuine digital revolution- based not on tech driven silver bullets but real commitment to appropriate pedagogical practice associated with the initiatives.”

My highlight text above is what i need to communicate with others interested in where school education is heading. My past posts (ramblings?) were trying to clarify exactly what it is that needs to change.

Tim also raises the topic of the role of blogs for school leaders. 

I agree with Tim’s comment 

In education I don’t think anyone can regard themselves as having authority on social networking, or in fact learning- if they aren’t doing the same. But teachers need to be given the time in their professional life to engage with these tools” 

I feel this is slowly starting to change at my school with a few key people. It is just the pace at which “Shift Happens” that may hold the Digital Education Revolution from advancing to where it needs to be. 

Other bloggers have been “Witnessing the building of trust in their own workplaces, and regard/notoriety for many of the senior leaders through their blogs activities.”

Australian and NSW perspectives about these issues in DET classrooms are growing as more teachers become comfortable with digital literacy and web2.0 tools. I must read more of Tim’s blogs.

A very happy teacher this morning. I was sent a link to the TaLe Share site this morning. Thanks Maree.

Many excellent resources for the implementation of the CCP at DET site as well.

The DET powerpoint will be useful for staff information.

DET NSW Connected Classrooms Program - An Introduction

Most links shown on the PP will be also useful as Public Schools introduce these technologies.

I even found the brouchure for the CCP conference at Brighton on 24th June 2008. I’m hoping this conference will be repeated (or web posted) as more schools get connected. Looks to be a comprehensive and worthwhile program.

NSW DET CCP FAQ\’s If you need to know more.

Elaine sent me this draft DET policy for blog and wiki use. Blogs and wikis are allowed in DET classrooms after a filter/unblock request is sent (and all relevant policies followed of course). Laborious but I can see why it has to be this way. (band width, appropriatness, follow all web safety policies etc etc)

I found it to be enligtening as well. draft_guidelines_blog_and_wiki_sites1

Thank you to all the helpful people at DET, TaLe and North Coast Regional ICT who have responded to my requests for more information. You help is much appreciated Maree, Elaine and Phillip.

I feel my winter holidays have been well spent on something I am enthusiatic about. More questions have been answered that will now lead to the next ones. Great stuff.

(footnote: I sort of still wish DET was open apps without the need for a Portal, but at least now I can now start to see what their philospohy is, “Build it and they will come” and ”Not let the inmates run the asylum”.

connected_classes_bb1 

2006 CLI Trial - Have a look at the video to get an idea of what an interactive classroom looks, feels and sounds like.  

The Interactive Classrooms project will:

• Equip every NSW public school with an Interactive Classroom (interactive whiteboard, video conferencing facility and data collaboration).
• Enable direct video links to allow online field trips to places such as the State Library, The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the National Museum of Australia.
• Allow university and industry experts to be connected into classrooms to deliver lectures and take questions.
• Support increased use of ICT within Quality Teaching.
• Support teachers to personalise learning.
• Enhance opportunities for collaboration between students, teachers, classes and schools across DET.
• Provide necessary infrastructure to facilitate collegial support networks for teachers.

The NSW DET Learning Tools project will provide tools that support the ability to

• create
• store
• edit
• reuse
• manage
• view and
• deliver digital learning content from collections and repositories to staff and students across NSW.

It will deliver an adaptable and scalable system that will provide the latest Web 2.0 technologies to staff and students as required to enable and enrich teaching and learning practices.

Specifically it will provide:

• a secure individual online working space for all students and teachers
• upgraded student email
• online access to student reports for parents/caregivers
• a collaborative environment for the discovery and sharing of digital learning content.

I’d like to know more about the ability for DET students to share across networks and school systems using these new tools.

Isn’t the point of web2.0 to break down the classroom barriers and create open collaboration? I just hope these tools when launched allow NSW DET students to do this.