Comments for Removing the 'e' from 'e-learning'

Comment on Reflections from Google Teacher Academy (or how I plan to further ‘Googlify’ my school!) by Kimberley Hall

Kimberley Hall — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:19:46 +0000

Great reflection! You captured so many inspiring ideas.

Just thinking, could you formally hand over 20% of your “official” meeting time each week to staff to pursue things that work actively look for ways to “positively” improve your school? Even if it’s only one less morning briefing or something. Could just be a concrete way to acknowledge the idea and show staff you are serious while overcoming the barrier of being able to take 20% of their classes (although how awesome would that be!!)

Look forward to hearing how the googlfying goes!

Comment on Reflections from Google Teacher Academy (or how I plan to further ‘Googlify’ my school!) by richlambert

richlambert — Sun, 12 May 2013 10:16:11 +0000

What a great idea Matt! I’ve heard of schools doing ‘passion projects’ as one off things, but an ongoing timeslot where students work on their own projects of choice would really be something. Time to do it will be the issue won’t it? Still, it’s an idea worth pursuing.

Comment on Reflections from Google Teacher Academy (or how I plan to further ‘Googlify’ my school!) by matt elliott

matt elliott — Sat, 11 May 2013 08:41:16 +0000

some great ideas – i would love to have the changeable learning space, but with the restrictive nature of the typical classroom, this is often difficult to do easily
i was thinking about the 20% idea, except rather than doing it with staff, to see what the students could do with the opportunity to spend a session or two each week on a cbl like task of their own…

Comment on The day I removed an Interactive Whiteboard for the first time by “It doesn’t make bad teaching better” My reflections on IWB | Dr Shaileigh Page

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:04:31 +0000

[...] see, using technology should be about the learning. More and more we are hearing about schools tearing down IWBs or they have made a decision to not replace them in the future instead wanting to go in the [...]

Comment on The Great Interactive Whiteboard Swindle…a 70s themed post! by A great alternative to Interactive Whiteboards | The Mind Majlis

A great alternative to Interactive Whiteboards | The Mind Majlis — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:07:50 +0000

[...] The Great Interactive Whiteboard Swindle…a 70s themed post! (richlambert.edublogs.org) Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… [...]

Comment on Should teachers have to pay for the technology they use? by John Thomas

John Thomas — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 11:35:43 +0000

Another great post Rich. I’m with Kath on your proposal for DEECD subsidising teachers’ devices of choice. I agree that it’s unlikely to happen soon, but hopefully the day will come.

The desire for control through locked down ‘one size fits all’ recipes rests on a fundamental misunderstanding about who knows best. The expertise lies with school communities and especially in teachers like you and Kath. You need flexibility, not straight-jackets.

SOEs have value. They reduce complexity, costs, and some mistakes, but they also limit the educational potential of technology in the hands of teachers and students. Given the power of that educational potential, it makes sense to loosen the controls and give schools more freedom to discover new and better ways to learn.

Comment on Should teachers have to pay for the technology they use? by Aze Cunliffe

Aze Cunliffe — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 06:16:48 +0000

Great well-rounded, non-biased account of the current laptop saga in state schools. Thanks for being a voice for so many teachers. Keep the “radical ideas” rolling…

Comment on Should teachers have to pay for the technology they use? by Kath Morris

Kath Morris — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 05:09:44 +0000

True! I love that you always challenge different ways of thinking.

Look at the whole IWB issue that you’ve been talking about for quite a while now. More and more people seem to be realising that zealously installing stacks of IWBs in classrooms isn’t necessarily the way to go. But only a few years ago I felt like it would be totally way off or wrong to say anything about looking at options other than IWBs…

So the same may very well become true with your ideas about teachers and their personal tech devices. I hope so!

Even though I sometimes feel trapped in the system it gives me hope to know there are like minded people in my PLN!

Kath

Comment on Should teachers have to pay for the technology they use? by richlambert

richlambert — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:52:53 +0000

Thanks Kath. You’re feedback is greatly appreciated as always!
Sad but true that this is all most likely pie-in-the-sky stuff. But if no one speaks out and offers new ideas or generates discussion we can’t really complain about the ‘same old’ always happening. Approaching things with a new perspective gives others the permission to do the same, and eventually ‘radical’ ideas become the accepted norm (if they’re any good!). So hopefully this sort of post isn’t all a waste of time. At least maybe in 10 years or so when something like this finally gets off the ground I can say ‘I told you so’!

Comment on Should teachers have to pay for the technology they use? by Kath Morris

Kath Morris — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:46:21 +0000

Hi Rich,

Thanks for writing such a balanced and sensible piece on this issue.

As I mentioned earlier, I use my own laptop at school, and that, combined with my iPad, is a great combination for my needs at the moment. I know at many/most other schools BYOD wouldn’t be an option.

I think thousands of Vic teachers will be envious of your program giving teachers iPads … even though it’s perfectly sensible…if not essential!

Your proposal of DEECD subsidising teachers’ devices of choice seems like the perfect solution to me. Although I instantly know it would not happen. Why though? What is it about the institution we work for that’s so heavily fixated on uniformity? Does it come down to accountability? If all teachers have the same tools will the output be comparable? Well, obviously the answer to that is no but bureaucracy tends to see things differently…

Another comment about having to lease our notebooks I’ve heard many times over the years is, “oh well, it’s a tax deduction”. I guess that’s a small advantage but kind of contradictory if you don’t want that computer anyway…

Lots of good food for thought as always!

Kath