Blogging in the Classroom Term 1 2012

Why blog?

What is the purpose?

How can you do this without having to spend extra time?

Some of the above questions were raised at my recent workshop, reading the following post should answers those questions for you.

Last term I had been invited to present a workshop to support blogging in the classroom within our sub-cluster.  I really do not see myself as an expert but within just over 3 years of my first blogging experience I now have a number of class blogs, professional blog and personal blogs and would even be keen to have more.  

My classroom has a blog page:  http://room12nrp.blogspot.co.nz/ and within that class blog page they have a reading blog http://superreadersroom12nrp.blogspot.co.nz/ and a kidblog page http://kidblog.org/rm12starsnrp/.

These blogs are used authentically within (not an extra) our daily programmes.  ICT runs alongside the classroom curriculum - does it take time you ask?  Yes it does but so does photocopying those worksheets (excuse my sarcasm) or any other teaching and learning activity prepared to meet the needs of the students in your classroom today.

 "Education is forever evolving - not standing still in time."

I myself have been involved in quadblogging with schools around the world and created a quad blog approach within our school to kick start a trend of excitement across the school with teachers, students and parents late last year.  We are at present in our 2nd round of quadblogging and signed up for Pass the Blog later in the year.  I would also be keen to see a quad blogging approach used in our ICT sub-cluster.

Blogging in education is a window into your classroom.  It allows a huge audience to see what it is that you are experiencing and learning.  Most beginning bloggers are unsure (safety scared) of this concept but it is still by far in the hands of you the blogging author.  Cyber safety becomes cyber smart and you teach your students this concept also (life long learning, key competencies etc).

My students are richer for the blogging experiences I have made available to them.  It does take time but if you are passionate about teaching students skills for life you will jump on board today to fill your students backpack of ICT sharing and connecting skills, for their future success!

Remember teaching is an act on stage - if you let your students see you are disinterested you will dampen the flame of their learning.  Before you know it, they will be teaching you about widgets and digital sources that can be presented in your window to your community or the world!

Blogging in the Classroom

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Student Designed Learning Spaces

I have been fortunate to have meet Anne at our ILT Conference in 2011.  Since then I have followed her on twitter and collaborated with her at educampdunners and educampinvers.  Over the past 2 weeks  I have been on my own journey of creating new learning spaces, as well as keeping in touch with what Anne and Claire have been planning.  So it was truly inspiring to see this edtalk on the NZC Online Update today...

Checkout this clip - well worth watching...looking forward to a follow up visit after the collaborative planning and designing!

21st Century Learner

The journey to cater for the 21st century learner is fruitful and exciting. As a teacher you are able to cater for the needs of your students but it is also an approach that if adopted well by the whole school, it can be of great wealth to all involved - students and teachers.

This YouTube clip is inspiring and highlights the key components of the 21st Century classroom. However it states..."The future is coming - will you be ready?" which I disagree with - if the future is coming what is expected from teachers right now - today? I believe the future is here and it is with collaboration between teams of people, who are like minded change agents that will make sure they are up to date with the 21st Century philosophies, pedagogy at school, close to home and world wide that will empower their teaching approach for life long learners.

 

 The future is here - are you ready?

The following YouTube clip is very interesting... students sharing their desires of being engaged within their classroom environment using their favourite technologies. How would you respond to students in your room with the following requests?

 

Learning Spaces

Well the carpet cleaners have been and gone...now it is all up to me to begin my journey of learning spaces within my classroom.  Well as we all know to create learning spaces the most important component of this change is furniture and floor space. 

At present I have taken out half of my desks, found tables and a station on wheels that the students can stand at as they work.   Strategically placing this furniture, which is workable but not what I would desire, has been a move and reflect, move and reflect task.  I want to create optimum space where students can sit at tables in groups, pairs and independently - this will allow students to make choices frequently within a school day / week / term for their best learning space, that will reward them with the best work output. 

Tonight as I was searching the net for inspiration I came across the following site...The Learning Spaces Portal, which attempts to represent ways in which learning spaces, learners and teachers interact.  A partnership of two identities Research in Educational Futures and Innovation (CREFI) and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD).  It is interesting to watch the videos if time allows but I found the photos - food for thought also.

This is a great YouTube clip that shows some learning spaces that include creativity, collaboration and inspiration. All essential ingredients needed to teach a living curriculum that will empower and engage its students.

The Journey in 2012

Well 2012 is here and what will the year ahead bring?!  As I am busy becoming excited about teaching and learning this year I start to think about all the ideas I put on hold last year to kick start the beginning of the new year.  In many areas not just e-learning.  However all new approaches have links to teaching and learning in the 21st century.

Part of the journey that is about to begin will be using learning spaces within my classroom.  After the I Love Teaching Conference held in Invercargill in 2011where Jeni Wilson shared her work with learning spaces and viewing Claire B's classroom at educamp in Dunedin, my need to explore grew to a Must Do.

The year I will also begin with the use of kidblogging a site that provides teachers and students with individual blog pages.  The students will record personal goals and record their learning journey in a safe environment that their parents will also be able to view to support reporting purposes.

I will continue to use and develop the Jeni Wilson approach to goal setting and assessment.  As well as her approach to reflection the incorporation of What, So What, Now What will be introduced.  We will also be continuing to use the Kath Murdoch Inquiry model.

To support students who require extension, there will be a bonus to their independent learning and will be extended not just to presenting work on tools such as keynote but they will be using wix.com to create their own website.

We will also be skying this year with Alice I's class at Darfield School in Christchurch which I am sure will be the beginning to many other learning and sharing opportunities.

The new look spelling workshops will be introduced in to my literacy programme with ideas collected from Jan F at Myross Bush School and their whole school spelling programme.

We as a school will be looking a t iUgo an Essential Resources online planning programme and looking at if this will fit the needs of our teachers and students needs for planning and assessment gathering.

As a staff we will begin the year with Trevor Bond as our presenter at our TOD.  Which will build on the journey of questioning that we have already begun that supports effective teaching of questioning within our inquiry model.

To support our teaching inquiries we will unpack and use the What, So What, Now What model to up-skill our abilities to be quality reflective practitioners.

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”

–Oliver Wendall Holmes

It is hard to believe but we will be embarking on our 3rd year of our ICT2lrnwaihopai cluster, which will be sure to bring many great opportunities to begin showcasing our skills and understandings in the teaching and learning of ICT and Inquiry learning.

Wow...I am so excited - the anticipation and opportunities of the beginning of a new school year is empowering for the soul!

Questioning Professional Development

NRP Questioning Journey 2011As a staff we have been using the Trevor Bond Questioning Rubric to develop our students as Independent and Effective Questioners.  The following presentation is the first stage our staff have taken to unpack and understand Questioning.  We have used Trevor Bond readings, resources and assessment measuring rubric to monitor students questioning stages and progressions.

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eLearning Planning Framework

Last Tuesday I was a part of the first consultation for the eLearning Planning Framework.  This was a great opportunity to be involved in an online consultation. 


The e-Learning Planning framework will provide a 'road map' to support schools as they build their e-learning capability. Schools can use the framework as a self-review tool to gather evidence about their current practice, plan next steps and access resources and services to support to their progress.


I am liking the look of this practical document that will provide direction for those not involved in a cluster or about to fly solo.  With inclusion of Leadership and strategic direction and even how it looks beyond the classroom.  The phases have a evident flow on effect beginning with Phase 1 Emerging, Phase 2 Engaging, Phase 3 Enabling and Phase 4 Empowering.


If you want to check out the draft document and give your feedback go to e-Learning Planning Framework.