G’day
Christmas on the horizon so over this side of the globe , exams are almost over and things are slowing down, for some. Beaches beckon, hedges need clipping, potatoes need digging up and so it goes on. However, have found time to put together the preliminary programme for the SoTEL 2018 Symposium , and it’s looking great.
I’ve also read through quite a nunber of different reports, some of which are included in this posting. Professional development (or lack of it) is something I’ve always been interested in, especially at a tertiary level. Seems to me that if you have a degree you must be able to teach. How wrong can you be. Professional development , consitent focused and relevant is essential if students are to reap the benefits of effective facilitation of learning.
Rant over
In the posting this month there are links to heart of learning and teaching, professional development. open education, instructional design kit, free lessons,micro credentials, digital literacy. PhD advice, conferences, nz events and the odd one out
Have a relaxing holiday and try not to eat too many festive goodies, all at once
1. Professional development to enable teachers to learn about, use and integrate digital technology into their classrooms or student learning spaces. A hardy annual. Never enough time, focus , money . commitment to making it happen. Tony Bates
often decries the lack of attention to enabling educators to become proficient in the effective and efficient use of technology to enhance learning. Here are a couple of approaches that could make a difference if they were universally applied (at least someone appears to be trying):
Strategies for training or supporting teachers to integrate technology into the classroom
AND
Cambridge International Certificate in Teaching with Digital Technologies Syllabus code: 6224
Cambridge International Diploma
in Teaching with Digital Technologies Syllabus code: 6225
http://www.cambridgeinternational.org/images/171355-digital-technologies-2017.pdf
2. Competency based education as a force for equity. An informative case study focused on adult learning and issues associated with competency based education.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cbe2.1040/full
3.The Heart of Learning and Teaching:Compassion, Resiliency, and Academic Success. A very comprehensive booklet with lots of important and relevant information in relation to students and what affects their learning and how teachers could teach to deal with many issues they face. Although it has a USA focus, almost certainly a lot of what is discussed and recommend applies across any teaching and learning level and area. Well worth perusing.
http://www.k12.wa.us/compassionateschools/pubdocs/TheHeartofLearningandTeaching.pdf
4. Instructional designer Starter Kit. It’s all here. Well at least one way of approaching instructional design (I much prefer learning design). Some useful stuff.
AND if you want to keep thinking, and experimenting have a read of ‘Designing e3 (effective, efficient, engaging) instruction’.
http://mdavidmerrill.com/Papers/Designing%20e3_instruction.pdf
5. Oppia is Finnish for ‘to learn’. This site says: ‘By creating a set of free, high-quality, demonstrably effective lessons with the help of educators from around the world, Oppia aims to provide students with quality education, regardless of where they are or what traditional resources they have access to: So far, educators have created more than 11,000 of these lessons, which we call explorations. And they serve almost 430,000 students worldwide’.
There is certainly some very useful lessons, some through animations, on this site. Worth exploring and using.
6.Empathy Field Guide from the Institute of Design at Stanford. This was produced a few years ago but I think the information it contains is still relevant and useful. What think you ?
7.Open Education, Open Questions. A thought provoking article from EDUCAUSE review. What do we really mean by ‘Open’? It’s more complicated than it looks but quite achievable with perseverance and grit!
https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/10/open-education-open-questions
8. 2017 Digital Literacy Impact Study: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief examines how digital literacy training in higher education affects the occupational success of postgraduate learners as they enter the workforce. Some interesting data derived from examining three models of digital literacy required for skill development and relevant learning experiences and how they have impacted on the daily life of graduates in the workplace.
https://cdn.nmc.org/media/2017-nmc-horizon-digital-literacy-impact-study.pdf
9. ‘So long, and thanks for the Ph.D.!’ Original version 1997, last revised February 2017. I had a quick skim of this article and then read a bit deeper; I quite liked it. A lot of home truths and some practical and useful hints and suggestions about making sure you at least attempt to reach your goal . Lots could be applied to much that one does in life.
https://www.cs.unc.edu/~azuma/hitch4.html
10. Earning micro-credentials: Reflecting on authentic assessment: Topical with interesting points and analysis if you are following the rise and rise of micro credentials.
11. CONFERENCES
11.1 ASCILITE 2017: 34rd International Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education.
The ASCILITE 2017 conference will be held at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba from 4 to 6 December 2017. .
https://ascilite.org/2017-conference/
It’s on next week!
11.2 5th International Conference on Educational Technologies 2017, 11 to 13 December 2017,
The Educational Technologies 2017 conference (ICEduTech) is the scientific conference addressing the real topics as seen by teachers, students, parents and school leaders. Both scientists, professionals and institutional leaders are invited to be informed by experts, sharpen the understanding what education needs and how to achieve it.
Sydney, Australia
http://www.icedutech-conf.org/
11.3 ALT ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2018,11-13 Sep tember 2018, Manchester, UK
ALT’s 25th Annual Conference we will bring together different critical perspectives in Learning Technology from across our community that will examine the challenges ahead and question the shape of things to come. Find out more from:
12. New Zealand Events.
12.1 SoTEL 2018 Scholarship of Technology Enhanced Learning. A symposium presenting a showcase of student learning supported by technology; from February 15th to 16th, 2018. This exciting event will be presented annually.
The inaugural event is being organised by the Centre for Learning and Teaching (CfLAT) at the Auckland University of Technology.
We are delighted that the following organisation are sponsoring and active partners in the event:
We are delighted that the following organisations are sponsoring the event:
Ako Aotearoa, National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence
Catalyst open source technologies
At the Symposium this year the SoTEL Research Cluster will be launched
The programme is now full, with excellent presentations, workshops, round tables and discussions. The preliminary programme has been published:
http://sotel.nz/sotel-symposium-2018-preliminary-programme/
Register NOW so as not to miss out on an innovative , forward thinking and exciting event.
EARLY BIRD has been extended to DECEMBER 11th 2017!!
[You could probably use money from this year’s budget:-)]
Full details are available from the Website. Make sure you put the dates on your calendar, and be there!
13. The odd one out: It has to be something to do with Christmas. So, not being a Scrooge how about watching what has been deemed the greatest Christmas Carol adaptation ever made
https://www.vox.com/2014/12/23/7439089/christmas-carol-best-adaptation
That’s it . Hope you have an enjoyable festive season
Cheers
Richard
Richard Elliott
The Eternal Macademic
Auckland
New Zealand