For the start of this term I was fortunate enough to be asked to speak over 2 days at St Stephen's school in Perth, W.A. St Stephen's have a remarkable ICT team which provide vision and support for the teachers and students. This year their focus was to assist teachers to reach their full potential when using technology in the classroom. By aligning themselves with the SAMR model the aim of the PD day was to encourage staff to transform their teaching practices.
I prepared a talk which covered 4 main areas.
- The perceived risk associated with integrating technology into the classroom.
- A look at how the music industry was revolutionised by the digital age. Can we use some of the same ingredients for education?
- The saturation of student's lives through over-exposure to media. How we can seize this opportunity to help students find a balance in their lives, and in turn become better critical thinkers
- Simplifying the SAMR model.
It was a very rewarding experience. I was particularly impressed with the enthusiasm of the staff, and their welcoming spirit. After the talk I worked with 4 groups of teachers, and we uncovered the benefits of cloud computing, iPhoto, and iPad tips and tricks.
In my talk I referenced:
- The Kaiser Family Foundation report: Click Here
- Dr Sarah K Howard's research on 'What makes technology "Risky"'. Click Here
- I also read an amazing book by Tom Chatfield called "How to Thrive in the Digital Age" which provided much food for thought.
Thank you to Stephen, Ian and Sarah Pemberton (A new ADE! Congratulations!!).