Learning+At+School+2010

The Ministry of Education's **//Learning At School//** conference was held in Rotorua from February 24 -26, 2010. It was an excellent opportunity to hear how technology is being used to enhance learning both locally and globally. Below the participants share some of their highlights.


 * ** Speaker .............................................. ** || **Synopsis/Ideas/Links ............................................................................................................................................ ** ||
 * ** Alan November -Keynote Speaker **

//For Alan, it’s not the technology itself that it is important; it’s the way we use it. His ideas about global communication, collaboration, assessment, and critical thinking have inspired schools, governments and corporations around the world to rethink and redefine their approach to education and technology." [|**www.novemberlearning.com**]// || Alan's key message was that students need 3 skills to succeed. These are being able to process large amounts of information, the ability to work globally and the skills to be self directed . He also believes that we need to be teaching students the grammar and syntax of the world wide web, in order for students to make sense of the information they are being confronted with on a daily basis. He asked the question," Who should own the learning?" and outlined his belief that students should be working much harder than their teachers. One suggestion to empower students to take charge of their learning was to use Web 2.0 tools for them to create tutorials for themselves and others.

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Here's some more websites mentioned in Alan's keynote that are worth exploring in your classroom: He raised some really valid points regarding the authenticity of knowledge our students are accessing on the internet. Example he raised were fake websites to demonstrate to students that info on the web is not all that it seems. As well as the whole issue of perspective from various cultural points if view. You can see some of the websites he demonstrated here: http://www.archive.org/ This Website archives all the previous versions of the websites you know and don't know

Fake Websites. Here's some examples: @http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ Save the 'Tree Octopus'

November Learning Here's Alan's website 'November Learning' which has loads of useful resources to use

Wolfam Alpha This website will answer every maths question you throw at it...and explain how it got the answer...how could you use it powerfully in the classroom?

Screen Casting using Jing: Some of you will know about this already- it's an excellent tool for explanatory guides...all you need is a voice! Click on the picture || What is learning and thinking? What are the key skills of an effective questioner? What is a good question? Why are teachers still trying to teach a content based curriculum as opposed to an outcome based curriculum? How can you create situations that require the learner to ask questions, apply information and thus apply understanding? Trevor has extensive notes, ideas and resources on: ICTNZ.COM ||
 * **Trevor Bond - Questioning** || Trevor Bond believes that the asking and answering of questions is what the thinking process is all about. To quote DeBono, "Questions are the engine house of thinking." At this session we had some excellent discussion around:
 * **iPod Touch as a teaching tool**

|| Session on the iPod touch really interesting and a quote that made it sound great for students was “it is like having my imagination in my pocket”. If you have a wireless network in you school it can act as an extra computer in your class for a third of the cost of a PC laptop. However it has its limitations due to its size. It is great for students to surf the web and research as well as the apps that can help daily (see below). My personal view is that they will be a great tool to fill in a small gap during research activities and the apps will make it easier to access tools that would have been costly pieces hardware (eg sound meter). I think that when they put a camera in them they will be more appealing. Some limitations that they use the server just as much as any other computer and not great for word processing on the small touch screen. I will be waiting to see what the iPad can do as it is likely fix some of the limitations of the iTouch.. Time will tell if these become more useful. Presenter web site delicious.com/halenz.com (I have not been able to load it not sure why). Ryan || Full notes from this session are available on the [|Spectrum Education]website ||  ||   || ** || Marvin is a simiple 3d animation programme that is free to schools. It is simple to use and great fun. media type="custom" key="5976577" If you would like this for your school go to www.marvin.co.nz ||  ||   ||
 * Iread
 * Dictionary, wordbook $2.50
 * Noice pollution
 * Bump
 * Airmouce, control your laptop with your ipod touch
 * Running record checker
 * I can write
 * Qbook look at this now for esol and reading
 * Skygazer
 * Iphone or itouch New Zealand
 * ** Successful Tramping on the Inquiry Learning Track - Lyn Ross ** || Lyn presented ideas on how to make Inquiry learning successful schoolwide and in your own classroom. Many valuable tools and resources that could be adapted to suit level and Inquiry practice within your school on her cluster's website - under Learning@school conference notes -[|Teapiti ICT PD cluster] ||  ||   ||
 * ** Developing 21st Century Learners and Thinkers - Karen Boyes ** || Karen shared the key ideas from "Teaching for Tomorrow" by Ted McCain on how to develop and encourage students to take greater ownership of their learning and thought processes. 6 elements that McCain explains are:
 * 1) Educators need to resist the temptation to tell students information - STOP - let students use and interact with the world
 * 2) Learning must make sense to the learner - connection to real life
 * 3) Stop giving students the final product of our thinking - let students do the learning, may need to scaffold this process
 * 4) Problem first, teaching second - students need a reason for learning, engage students in scenerios
 * 5) Start to withdraw support - students can do it!
 * 6) Re-evaluate - look below the surface - what do we need to be teaching?
 * ** Marvin By Microsoft