Teachers who don’t have sufficient access, or experience to deal with IWBs or learn how to make killer powerpoint or visual materials really take to them. Best of all, they can get a student to work them easily – so the paper can be captured and shared via a flash drive.

They are cheap, simple, portable and have had a big impact in more traditional teachers. The pedagogy doesnt shift much, but at least the content is on screen and can be saved/shared.

Small steps … thanks for the comment

I get frustrated that in trying to upskill I have to wait 2 weeks to get installs done by techies. I am not deemed competent at work, (nor is our ICT expert) although I complete these installs at home easily. DET NSW seems to block so much from those teachers trying to learn new skills.

I agree, IT seems to be focused on keeping a system running, rather than looking at what it could do. But that involves a fundamental change and recognition that change is needed. Directing IT to me is about observing how fast technology is changing learning. It is no longer two things, one facilitating the other.

I think administrators are really struggling to understand this, and really want to have some one acting as a mediator between school and IT. In fact they need someone who can bring the two together, not just pass messages back and forth.

The classroom teacher has an amazing opportunity to deliver powerful practice, but poor use gives kids bad habits, and further fuels the arguement that ‘teachers’ (as a group) are unable to understand technology’s finer technical aspects. The truth is, we don’t need to anymore. QA is a great example of that and in middle school, I think your passion will engage students, and you have a new array of tools to deliver it.

Just don’t expect everyone to go ‘wow’. It takes a lot of time to even bring a few teachers on board, but no time to get the kids interested.

Its always about the learning, never the bling for me, and extending my classroom – beyond the physical space, and the time spent in class. Its now almost midnight, and I’ve ‘taught’ half a dozen kids tonight via classroom technology I’ve put in place this week.

And I’m happy to do it and keep doing it. An hour spent ‘googling and pasting’ is a waste of everyones time. Maybe this is why so many students are not choosing IT subjects … they are over low level activities at school, when at home they are engaged in activities and social networks that actually form part of their lives.

“I see some amazing teachers doing amazing things, and I also see shocking uses of ICT. Perhaps limiting access to ICT services, based on competency – will serve to improve the teaching and learning, and in turn will start to see flow on changes in the curriculum.” -

This quote scares me a little…I am probably guilty of some of the shocking uses of ICT you speak of. However, I am excited about the upcoming year because of the things I have been learning about read/write technologies. Learning this stuff (Web2.0) takes time…time that many teachers are not yet ready or willing to invest until they see teachers like you successfully implementing it with students. I like how K. Jarrett put it in one of his WS’s on being a connected teacher…It is not about having the time…it is about prioritizing your time…

I am not sure what KLA means…probably very obvious…

I talked with my boss about QA yesterday…I get to use it in my classroom…I hope I implement things in a good way…Keep my focus on student learning like you do…