Exploring Learning

"You must leave digital footprints so people know you’re treading among them and part of the community" Vicki Davis, ' Global Education by Design '. I joined Twitter in July 2012 and I honestly can’t tell you what prompted me to join. I had been in a school in Malaysia for a year and that had been my first exposure to teaching with technology. We were a 1:1 Mac school just starting to implement GSuite for Education (or Google Apps for Education as it was then). At that time, the apps were limited, tables for example, in Google Docs, didn’t work properly and the formatting options were limited. There was no Google Classroom either. However, it revolutionised my teaching and I began to write websites as schemes of work that had my learners as the audience and focused on what they were doing, rather than an list of instructions that I, as the teacher, should do to them. I also began to use Edmodo to share all my resources and lessons with my learners online for 2...

Effective technology integration is achieved when its use supports curricular goals.  It must support four key components of learning: active engagement,  participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback,  and connection to real-world experts. Edutopia, 2012 What strikes me most about the video above from Edutopia, is that it posits that technology is just a tool - one of the many we have our disposal and that our responsibility as educators is to use "whatever resources [we] have to the best of [our] abilities". I am lucky enough in that I have at my disposal:  experience of working in a 1:1 environment for two years an ever-increasing knowledge about educational technology and how it might best integrate into the classroom stemming both from my experience but also from the learning I do to feed the burning desire to understand how best to use this growing tool a supportive school that encourages us to take risks and try new ways of...

As the last week of the year fast approaches, I thought I would take five minutes out of my writing to reflect on the progress and achievements of the year. I have found this year to be challenging on many levels and want to focus squarely on the successes - as there have been many - to allow me to see what truly matters as all too easily, we forget the good stuff when the tough stuff gets us down. In terms of teaching, I have successfully designed and implemented my first project-based learning project, which was recognised as excellent in the field and so I was asked to contribute to future course design of PBL projects. I also collaborated and delivered my first Global Project, also recognised as leading in the field . I have continued to explore and understand how technology can enhance teaching and learning in the English classroom and successfully helped implement the 1:1 scheme using Edmodo as a learning portal. I set up and managed learner and class blogs to enable learner...

In the academic year 2012-2013 I took or qualified in the following Professional Learning:- Extended Essay Category 3 Training (IBO, Malaysia) Google Apps for Education Teacher Certification Presenting Read? Me?  at Hands on Literacy Conference 2012 (Singapore) Designing New Learning Spaces (Stanford University) Professional Learning in the Digital Age (Virtual book club with the author) English B IB Diploma Training (IBO, Online) Flipped Classroom Certification E-learning and Digital Cultures (Edinburgh University) PBL Certified Teacher Flat Classroom Certified Teacher Most of the learning from the above is documented in this blog.  Now, at the end of the year, not feeling the need to slow down for some reason, I have begun my Masters in Education and Instructional Technology at the University of Maryland University College .   This advanced degree program focuses on integrating technology in the preK-12 schools to strengthen and transform te...

By Klevsand (Own work) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 via Wikimedia Commons The Project Based Learning Certification course offered by PBLu through bie.org is a rigorous programme comprised of two phases. The first phase is concerned with learning the essentials of PBL; it requires reading, watching lectures, collaborating with other participants and the completion of relevant documentation that outlines the learning that happens in a PBL unit, along with the creation of sample project elements. In order to complete the teaching certification, the second phase has also to be taken, which involves the actual design and implementation of a PBL Unit, along with six assessed written assignments that outline, reflect on, and document the learning that happened in the Unit. In all, the course has taken me eight months to complete. It has been a great learning opportunity for both me and the learners who have been through the project. I feel pleased with the reflections I ...

For the final showcase of ‘ The Octopus’s Garden Project ’, learners created a group presentation as our final showcase - which brought together each of the five team’s research, as outlined in their team presentations. In addition, learners had to complete a final report individually outlined their research and learning. Final Showcase: Decision Learners decided on this final method following reflections they wrote about the learning done in the phase 3, the research and team presentations phase . We spent a great deal of time organising the presentation so that everyone contributed - for more details, see my blog posts ‘ Managing the Octopus ’ and ‘ Final Phase Begins ’. What was great about bringing all their learning together in one place as a group and by talking all the decisions through and evaluating each slide’s position, was the link they made between organising and linking ideas in this activity and how this might translate into good essay writing! This is an essential...