It’s rare that you can sit at home and participate in an international conference.
While it might not be of interest for all it could be worth reading or participating.
http://www.cybertext.net.au/inet_s4wk1/#
March 4, 2008
July 5, 2007
New Courses and New Coaches
Posted by itcoach under Learning Technologies Team, LTI CoachComments Off
Over the last two days I have been at the new e-schooling room at EDC taking part in new course. The two main course we received training on were Digital Tools and Digital Content.
Digital Tools looks at the use of Digital storytelling, using a range of free products that include Photostory, PhotoFilter and Audacity. We looked at how to use photostory as well as explored a range of styles a story could take. The course will consist of four workshops similar to the LTI standard course. This was a great unit as it offers a new look at storytelling. I enjoyed the course and look forward to delivering it soon.
Digital Content is a two workshop course that looks at the material and lesson sequencing of material contained within the Digital Learning Bank.
Other course that have been released include:
- Extensions course as a follow on from the standard course
- Foundations course as a beginners guide to the use of ICT in sites
- Secondary Curriculum specific course to meet secondary teacher needs.
The days also included working with the 9 new ICT Coaches. This brings the coaches numbers to 38 across the state and from discussions there could be more opportunity for teachers to join the ICT coaches ranks, especially from the Secondary and Early Years areas of DECS.
The last session was a presentation from the Learning Technologies Team. Things of interest that were covered included:
- Improvements to the Digital Learning Bank
- Online course delivery through Video conferencing and Centra
- Results of the Roadshows that were held through out Term 2 – 700 attendees at 18 venue, mainly secondary school teachers.
- Role of the Learning Technologies team
- The Leadership programs, including forwarning of an event in term 3 for a week.
- eTeacher opportunities for Term 3 and 4
All in all a great 2 days to learn about the new courses, meet the new coaches and start planning when to deliver these new courses.
June 6, 2007
Useful links
Teaching Resources
DECS DLB (username and password required)
eTeacher Program DECS initiative
Curriki - new beginning on curriculum wiki – could be developed over time
Teachertube – YouTube for teachers
The Canadian Teacher – great website for resources – remember where its from
Training and Development
Learnining and Teaching with the Internet Courses
DECS Masterclasses
Blogs – SA
JTraver - Lecturer at Flinders, former manager of TSoF
Gwegner – primary school teacher
SouthOZ – Member of the DECS LT Team
Global Sites
March 8, 2007
On the 7 March the CEO of the Department of Education and Children’s Services opened the eSchool Room and joint venture with Telstra. The video conferencing facility offers educator the opportunity to video conference with teachers and students across the state.
At the launch students from West Beach Primary school participated in a number of online events including a School of the Air lesson using Centra, an eTeacher event on Aquaponics and Aquaculture from Kangaroo Island and even listened to a music lesson from the Limestone Coast.
Other activities demonstrated included a Centra linkup with a scientist who will be spending some time living underwater, a look at Crime and Punishment as an eTeacher event, using the video phones as a way for students to get a virtual filed trip of the Adelaide Zoo.
March 8, 2007
Learning Technologies Training
Posted by itcoach under LTI Coach, Professional DevelopmentComments Off
For the past three years I have been an LTI Coach and have delivered a number of LTI courses in the North East district. I have also delivered the EduCONNECT Administrators course. Through this role I have also travelled to the York Penninusla. In term 4, 2005, and Term 1, 2006, I had the opportunity to work as the Project Manager for the Professional Learning in ICT managing the LTI coaches across the state, as well as work with the eTeacher programme and Research Grants.
The Learning Technologies (LT) training undertaken on the 5 and 6 March was held at the Technology School of the Future and was one of the last times that the state coaches will meet at this venue. The coaches represent the 17 Districts across the state and have been responsible for the Learning and Teaching with the Internet (LTI) Course that has seen over 40% of teachers across the state engage in the course.
The Evolving Role of the ICT Coach
For the past five years the coaches role was to deliver the LTI course. As schools assess themselves with the EdCAP tool there will be a need to deliver a broader range of course to teachers and schools. This will see courses continued to be delivered through face to face delivery, as well as online and video conferencing delivery.
Moodle
As a Department trial all courses will have migrated from the Janison Learning Management System (LMS) to Moodle an open source product. A number of schools have been trailing this learning management system for a number of years.
Visit the Learning Technologies Moodle site.
What is happening interms of LTI?
A number of new LTI courses are currently in the pipeline and due for release by the middle of the year. They include
- LTI Foundations
LTI Advanced
LTI Maths/Science
LTI The Arts
All of these are based on the LTI course as either an introduction or followup course. Where participants were looking for something specific in a learning area these too are being developed.
The Digital Learning Bank
School now have access to a wide range of digital material stored in the department’s Digital Learning Bank (DLB). To gain access to the material you will need a username and password. Your schools IT manager has these details. The DLB can be accessed at http://dlb.sa.edu.au/
The DLB contains the Learning Federation Learning objects and digital resources. See Examples below (Computer may need Flash)
Video conferencing using Polycom software
Training also included the setting up of laptops for use with Video Conferencing software. The software used allows laptops or PC’s to connect to each other across the state or with the departments eSchool Room that was launched on the 7 March.
EDPORTAL and SACSA Achievement Software
The last thing looked at was the schools achievement software which allows the tracking of individual students level of achievement or can be used to track other custom stored data. School Principals will need to register and then access will be made through edportal.sa.edu.au This portal will also start to be used by staff to track payrole details like number of days leave, etc.
