Opening Presentation – Differentiation Conference

learning-differentiation-768x325

A prestigious group of educators are convening at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney’s CBD on the 16th and 17th of this month to share strategies for improving learning achievement through differentiation.

I have the pleasure of presenting the opening presentation on day 1.  I will begin with a personal narrative illustrated with differentiated designs I’ve been involved with and then present a case of what’s needed in education circa 2016.  This post includes links and resources that I’ll refer to during the talk captured in this blurb:

Design for the Big Win: Differentiation and Beyond

Traditional models of schooling come up short when viewed through the lenses of current technologies and pedagogies. Rather than rely on habit or following trends, leading educators can choose to design a better way based on their values and personal skillsets. This presentation highlights how we can use more effective and rewarding models to design the schools we really want.

Links, Examples and Resources

Tom’s Models

 

Readings & Pedagogies

Scaffolded Learning Software

Cool Tools

School Library Conference WA

SLCWA-In_your_Dreams

Links for the sessions:

 

I’m excited to be participating in the The School Library Conference (SLC) on 3-4 June at Wesley College in South Perth.  The conference is presented by the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA) Libraries and the Western Australian School Library Association (WASLA).

Because of my long association and friendships with teacher librarians in Western Australia – and their great conference theme — I’m using this as an opportunity to reflect on my dreams as a young educator and the decades-long journey into the current reality.  As I described the keynote for the programme:

What Happens to a Dream Achieved?

In a time of change and turmoil, poet Langston Hughes asked his provocative question, “What happens to a dream deferred?” As we continue to tick along into the 21st Century surrounded by more gadgets, richer media and smarter algorithms, we might want to ask, “What happens to a dream achieved?” Unravelling both questions allows Tom March to explore the recent past and current situation with the goal of daring to dream a desirable future. Inspired by the conference theme and his many years in education meeting with teacher librarians in Perth, Tom uses this keynote as an opportunity to venture into the world of “In Your Dreams.” Weaving together an illustrated story of personal anecdotes and professional aspirations, Tom hopes to both inspire and challenge his fellow curriculum leaders currently working in WA school libraries. The presentation uses the personal to appeal to the universal. It blends a young educator’s goals and the professional journey that has followed through reflective story telling. Tom ventures into the worlds of great literature and literature review; former students and future world leaders; old models and new paradigms – all with the intent of engaging the audience in a significant shared experience that leaves us all with a dream in all our hearts and a direction in our steps.

I will also lead concurrent session offered twice in the day:

Unpacking your next era of education
All schools have made progress with student access to rich media, one-to-one devices and smart software. Many have jumped in with both feet and a handful of initiatives. Does the right hand know where the left foot is going? In other words, when left to their own devices, are students flourishing like never before or is technology more disruptor than accelerator of learning? Perhaps something was missed when the digital initiatives were designed? This session unpacks Tom’s Next Era Ed model and empowers teacher librarians to contribute to their school’s wisely-guided systemic change.

During the sessions I will share some of the latest features in Hobsons’ constantly-developing curriculum Design and Delivery platform.

This will be a great couple of days so if you are in the Perth area, I encourage you to come along.

My Memory Lane for Techies

memory_lane2

Why this post?

ICTENSWlogo200x100In my new role as Director of Innovation K12 at Hobsons APAC, I don’t get to keynote as much as I used to.  This is kind of a nice thing because it means that every time I do it’s a chance to reflect.  On Sunday, I’m pleased to present at the ICTE NSW conference held at ACU in North Sydney.  This prompted me to recall that the first time I presented in Australia was as the NSW Computers in Education Group in Bathurst.  This was only months after emigrating and it was lots of fun to share what we’d been doing at San Diego State with WebQuests, Blue Web’n and Filamentality as well as meet some people who have become longtime friends and colleagues in the profession.

There is a method to this madness of hyperlinking a slew of the droppings I’ve left along the Web these past couple decades.  You’ll have to attend the talk or chat with me later to find out what it is!

So here’s a trip down memory lane from Tom’s start in Australia to where we are now.

A Chronology

The 1990s – early excitement and sharing

2000s – Making Models to leverage learning

2010s – the Dark Side or our Bright Future?

 

 

Image attributes: Memory Lane from Flickr user Paul Yoakum and HTML from Wikimedia Commons User Eric Dimas

Next Era Ed @ ECAWA

Hello!

How great to be back in Perth!  I’m really pleased to return to the ECAWA conference to see old friends and meet new ones.  During the conference I’ll be presenting:

the following sessions:

Snapshot Poll

 

 

Friday Sessions

The Five Steps to Next Era Ed

  1. Vision – is it articulated and shared?
  2. Evidence – exactly what does achievement of the Vision look like?
  3. Pedagogies – do you have research-based models to get you there?
  4. Curriculum 2.0 – are your units designed to leverage the models & ICTs?
  5. Process – have you closed the loop for continuous improvement?

Take the Next Era Ed Readiness Check?

Vision & Evidence

Pedagogies / Psychology Research

Curriculum 2.0

CEQ•ALL

Frameworks / Processes

  • Understanding by Design / Schooling by Design
  • Curriculum Mapping
  • High Reliability Schools

ECAWA 2015

ecawa-logoIt’s with a real sense of pleasure, enthusiasm and anticipation that I return to Perth to present at the ECAWA conference this year.  Special thanks to Lynley McKernan and the whole conference committee for welcoming me in my new role with Hobsons Edumate.  I will do three sessions, a keynote on Thursday and two sessions on Friday.  The keynote and one session will be on Next Era Ed and how to get there while one session will highlight how Hobsons Edumate facilitates the journey.  I’m also looking forward to catching up with the other conference keynoters: long-time colleague Dr Tim Kitchen and Dr. Michael Henderson.  If you are in WA, I encourage you to join us all at Scotch College in Swanbourne for what is always a stimulating experience.

BCE – Teacher Librarians Big Day Out

What a Great Big Day Out!

The Brisbane Catholic Education Teacher Librarians have organised their “Big Day Out” conference during this Catholic Education Week.  Over a hundred TLs will gather to explore the BCE’s new Life Learning Management System, the Overdrive digital library system as well as unpack my Next Era Education.  After a keynote, I have the great opportunity to meet with all attendees in 40 minute sessions to follow-up on helping the ideas take root in each TLs home soil.

While we get ready, how about going to this Etherpad page to brainstorm the Challenges you face and ideas and questions that might arise.

As per usual, here are helpful links:

Pedagogy

Tom’s Models

Look to Learn

The Tumblr Twist

To “Work the Web” for education, we need a flexible space that empowers us to easily work with rich media. Our first stop will be Tumblr.

Full Tumblr Tutorial page – new!

The ClassPortal

References:

For Ideas & Inspiration

WebQuests

C E QA LL / Seek all!

Self-managed Learning Framework for students

 

Visiting Assisi Catholic College

Before journeying on to keynote the Catholic Teacher Librarians’ Big Day Out, I’m visiting Assisi Catholic College on the Gold Coast.

I’ll be sharing a school-focused look at Next Era Education, so here are a few links that could be helpful.

Pedagogy

Those who know my work are aware that these bullet lists derive from Self-Determination Theory, Cultures of Thinking, Habits of Mind, Flow Theory, Grit and Authentic Happiness.

Launceston Church Grammar – Visit #2

Getting Started

Two main game-changing developments both support and require education to change. One are the emerging technologies that personalise access to rich information (such as Sixth Sense). The second area of amazing developments is psychology and the related pedagogies. If we tap into the right research, here’s what we can expect:

Keynote Links

Those who know my work are aware that these bullet lists derive from Self-Determination Theory, Cultures of Thinking, Habits of Mind, Flow Theory, Grit and Authentic Happiness.

EtherPad for Ideas

Look to Learn

The Tumblr Twist

To “Work the Web” for education, we need a flexible space that empowers us to easily work with rich media. Our first stop will be Tumblr.

Full Tumblr Tutorial page – new!

Revisiting WordPress?

Enrich your site with content and rich media

Web 2 Tools

RSS Feeds

Other Media

Manage your Rich Media Links

Activity 5: The ClassPortal Twist

References:

For Ideas & Inspiration

C E QA LL / Seek all!

Self-managed Learning Framework for students

CEGSA Spotlight & MasterClass

Spotlight Session: Next Era Education – Are you Ready?

  • When: Thursday, 17 May, 2012
  • Time: 4.30pm – 6.30pm
  • Where: Immanuel College Function Centre, 24 Morphett Road, Novar Gardens

The Edge-ucators Way is a comprehensive model that whole schools can use to effectively integrate technology for classroom learning. But more than a set of strategies and techniques, the Edge-ucators Way is a pedagogically-sound, evidence-based framework to achieve what’s been missing from technology-enhanced learning: technology’s power to transform the education of our children from calendar-based topics that are “covered” to inquiries where students discover meaning in a spirit that honours the personal joy of learning. With the right mixture of emerging technologies and pedagogies, we can realise such an outcome. In fact, we must if schools are to make the transition from the 20th Century’s Industrial Model of Schooling to the 21st Century’s Digital Era. Why? Because personal learning works better and feels great. Isn’t this what we want for our schools? For our children? For ourselves?

Teachers and students need new routines that support advanced learning and take advantage of both the 1:1 and collaborative nature of digital learning. Three such routines comprise the Edge-ucators Way: Look-to-Learn Activities, ClassPortals and WebQuests. In addition much of traditional teaching focuses on classroom management techniques based on a one-to-many instructional model. When students work independently via 1:1 devices, they must take control of their own learning or fall victim to distractions and amusements. Without a framework for self-managed learning students are “left to their own devices.” The fact that students’ learning situation is already 1:1 outside of school should motivate us to provide a framework to support and scaffold student autonomy and self-directed learning.

You’re invited to consider whether the Edge-ucators Way resonates with your calling as a teacher and if it does to join in this re-imagining of our profession. In this new era, there is no one way to do things, and the new model we create will benefit from all of our contributions. What piece will you add to the Next Era of Education?

Masterclass: Building Next Era Ed

  • When: Friday, May 18, 2012
  • Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Premise: When students have 1:1 access to rich digital resources, the technology can disrupts the traditional one-to-many teaching or render it less effective. For a 1:1 approach to be successful, four critical aspects must be addressed. Leaving any one of them out undermines the entire effort.

  1. Rich Digital Learning Spaces: The classroom is the traditional location for learning in a school. When students have personal digital devices, they similarly need a place to meet to engage in meaningful learning experiences. A school must provide a secure online space that supports rich media and intuitive publishing and collaboration. Without Rich Digital Learning Spaces students cannot meet and work as a class.
  2. New Routines for Cutting Edge-ucators: The common routines of “chalk and talk”, group projects, research and discussions are all either undermined or under-utilise technology. Teachers and students need new routines that support advanced learning and take advantage of both the 1:1 and collaborative nature of digital learning. Without New Routines teachers will under utilise technology’s potential for powerful learning.
  3. An Empowered Vision of Curriculum: A Board of Studies Syllabus or an Australian Curriculum provides the framework for teaching practice and learning outcomes. When teachers are the source of the information, they do their best to anticipate and modify their instruction to suit their students. When students have 1:1 access to learning, how do we know what they have learned? How do we help them progress? An empowered vision of curriculum provides multiple pathways through content, skills and understandings and presents learning in the disciplines as a continuum where students can achieve at their own pace and fulfil their potential across a matrix of competencies. Without an empowered Vision, students will be left with a one-size-fits-all Curriculum.
  4. A Framework for Self-managed Learning: Much of traditional teaching focuses on classroom management. Orchestrating more than 20 students to move in the same direction requires considerable skill. When students work independently via 1:1 devices, they must take control of their own learning or fall victim to distractions and amusements. The fact that students’ learning scenario is already 1:1 outside of school should motivate schools to provide a framework to support and scaffold student autonomy and self-directed learning. Without a framework for Self-managed learning students are “left to their own devices.”

Working with Woodvale community

Whose Side are YOU On?
Getting Ready for Next Era Education

We now live in era when self-motivated students with digital devices can learn more on their own than in many schools. Society has changed around us, undermining cultures focused on standardised outcomes and the myth of uniform excellence.  In other words, a culture like “school.”  The world surrounding education has moved from a “one-size-fits-all” mentality to one where digital customisation enables a world “all-fit-to-one’s-size”.  Although education has tried many reforms in the past thirty years, all have been based on fixing a model designed for 20th Century realities that no longer exist.  It’s time to understand exactly where the old model is broken and to decide what’s needed for a new design.  Next Era Ed provides a comprehensive approach that allows all staff to support outstanding student achievement through a shared culture of inquiry, self-initiative and continuous improvement.  Find out how you can get started today!

Materials

The Edge-ucators Way Strategies

CEQ•ALL

 

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