CORE's 10 Trends for 2010

Thanks to ewan.mcintosh's  bookmarks for alerting me to this slideshow from CORE by Derek Wenmoth.

CORE's ten trends for 2010

View more presentations from Derek Wenmoth.

I am excited that Derek will be doing the Keynote at the Eastnet Cluster Expo next term.  We have been trying to make the shift from children solely consuming content to creating their own content school-wide this year.  The children have been learning to create content using voicethread, kid pix and photostory.  Children are also contributing and communicating through blogs and the Digikidz have collaborated with children at Pt England and Elm Park schools to ask and answer questions to help them in their role supporting their peers and teachers with eLearning.  Last week the Digikidz coordinated their first animations using kid pix.  They came up with their concept, planned the sequence and executed it with varying levels of success.  Half the group completed their animations whereas the other half ran out of time.  In reflection the children were able to appreciate that they had chosen more difficult subject matter which took longer to create/adapt on each slide.

I really like the quote from slide 5 in the CORE presentation describing the changing role of learners where once they were solely content consumers and now they are in an "architecture of participation".  In my current role as an 'eCoach' released from the classroom to support teachers in the Junior school with eLearning I particularly identify with slide 6 about competing philosophies where teachers are not regarded as a problem to be fixed but as supported professionals. 

The concept of ubiquitous computing - learning anywhere, anytime from any device fits well with the new technologies being trialled in schools: apple iPads and iPod touches or even iPhones with all the apps and more to come no doubt.  Belinda Johnston's mLearning workshop at the Cluster Expo will be one to watch, I'm sure.  Perhaps this is the affordable way forward for schools struggling to afford one-to-one laptops and everything else that goes with them.  I am currently trying to reorganise PCs and laptops with the Year 0/1 team so that children and teachers have access to a group of computers every day rather than three classes sharing but we have difficulties to overcome with furniture and connecting into the network without disrupting the physical flow of the classrooms.  This wouldn't be an issue with iPads or iPod touches.  I thought the children and I had it all in my room last year in terms of digital resources with 5 computers, an IWB and data projector, teacher laptop, digital camera, headphones, tablet, easi-speak microphone.  But now the potential of the iPod touch and iPads once readers become available in this format!  You'll never run out of books for a group or worry about books going missing or getting damaged again.  One-to-one iPods sounds like it could be possible for schools and monies could be invested in these rather than atlases, dictionaries etc.

Measuring the iPad's Potential!

I have been Googling and musing over the possibilities offered by the iPad in Education.  I have been seriously been considering buying a MacBook for myself as I need a new laptop.  Now I have been introduced to the iPad I think I will need one of those too.  This wouldn't be a purchase only for myself but one which my children could enjoy!  I wonder though whether I will be able to buy just one and they can share?  Hopefully if I let them alternate between working with me on the MacBook and using the iPad there will be minimal arguing over who's turn it is.  Immediately I see that the iPad has so much potential for independent use.  I wouldn't be comfortable letting my four year olds loose on my laptop but the iPad is a different story.  It is so easy and intuitive to use with the touch screen.  They can read books and foster their confidence by recording themselves reading familiar stories.  The animations included with the stories hold my attention so they will certainly be appealing to children.

 

It would be very exciting to be a teacher in a classroom where children has access to motivating tools for learning - IWBs, laptops, iPods, iPads offer so many possibilities.  For a job like that, where can I apply?  But more importantly it would be thrilling to be a learner in a classroom with access to an exciting teacher with the tools to support learning for today's digital natives!  For a school like that, where can I enrol my children?

I enjoyed reading Bridget McCrea's article 'Measuring the iPad's Potential for Education' in the Journal, Transforming Education through Technology online.