Well, I hate to say it ... but I have been too busy to blog! What! How can that be? The reason is I am having a great time meeting people F2F!
The highlight for me of this conference has been meeting the minds in my aggregator. I have sat at the blogger's cafe with Chrissy, Simon, Rachel, Allanah, Ewan and Jarmin. Even though I really enjoy the community of friends I have on line, it was great to put a face to the blog. It was also great to meeting Ewan F2F after he has traversed the globe to join us here in the southern hemisphere.
Ulearn has so far been an exemplary conference. I began my Ulearn experience running a full day pre-conference workshop on podcasting. In my workshop was someone who looked familiar. It turned out to be Simon from Educating the Dragon. I haven't met Simon f2f before however have read his blog. It was a great experience. The day went well and we had a room full of new podcasters by the end of the day.
The next day the conference started with a bang with an inspirational keynote from Ewan McIntosh. Ewan gave us an entertaining overview of the issues we are facing in technology and education today. One thing he said that resonated with me was the concept of 'digital holiday makers'. As an ICT Facilitator I have come across those teachers who seem to excitedly grab hold of the ideas I am presenting in a workshop with a hiss and a roar. The problem is when I go to visit the next term the said teacher has finished with the idea and has returned to the previous way of teaching. The new learning has not embedded or changed pedagogy. This type of teacher is a 'digital holiday maker'. They take a holiday into implementing a new idea or technology and then return back to their normal classrooms or 'homes'. The teachers who really excite me are the ones who grab an idea, just one, and embed it into their practice. Then through reflection identify why that idea is valuable for the students.
Off to do more learning now. Will report back later.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
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3 comments:
Wonderful concept Jane. Digital Holiday Maker! Maybe digital tourist even? What would one call the opposite of this? The teacher you describe in your last few lines.
I think the difference is that some teachers (holiday makers) want the "latest toy", whereas others want "kids to learn". Biiiig Difference.
Sound like ulearn is lots of fun. conferences are really about the connections huh. Its in the smalltalk.
Keep us posted. (I'm sure you will)
Hi Jane - yes it was great to meet F2F. Thanks for putting the effort into setting up the Bloggers Cafe (I understand you were behind the idea).
Jamin
The bloggers cafe was an excellent idea Jane, and hats off to you for organising it because it was just the perfect place for meeting everyone f2f! We just need to teach the non-bloggers how to read :)
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