Exploring Learning

So far in my 2013 quest to: a) focus my exploration of new tools in the ' Ten Tool Challenge ', combined with, b) my virtual book club experience with  Professional Learning in the Digital Age ', I have, c) not done so well, particularly on a). This month - and I swear I tried to focus - I have played around and am experimenting with: a Bamboo tablet Pearltrees YouTube video editor Flipped Classroom pedagogy and on Friday, took possession of a belated Christmas present to myself -      5. a Google Chromebook So - where to start??? Briefly, in response and compliment to the first focus of 'Curation', from the ' Professional Learning in the Digital Age ' virtual book club, I choose  Pearltrees ... I had never ever heard of this tool - and most often, things come into my radar even fleetingly; I usually will have read something or heard something about a tool when I get around to trying it, but this was completely new. How had I mi...

Following on from my post about taking up the Ten Tool Challenge , I have just started reading and taking part in a virtual book club for a fabulous book, 'Professional Learning in the Digital Age' by Kristen Swanson . From the start, this is a book that resonates with me on many levels and builds on approaches I was beginning to develop in my own practice. Its exploration of the ways adults learn and how educators can approach professional learning confirms and expands on many of my current beliefs - that we need to collect, consider and evaluate and share. One of my pet hates has always been professional learning that is outdated, repetitive, not relevant and a waste of my very precious time. Swanson states that "for adult learning experiences to be successful, learners should be aware of the intention of the activity. Instruction should be problem-based instead of content-based, and planning should be collaborative. Succinctly, adults must be engaged with the content...