Week Four- Learning at Schools Focus- Wednesday morning

First of all- my heart and thoughts go out to everyone in Christchurch. As many of you know, I am from Christchurch and my family and friends are still there. Watching the news footage was disturbing and I feel shocked and numb by the devastation.

It is difficult to focus up here in Rotorua, but I will endeavor to share my experiences and learning with you and welcome your questions, comments and feedback. I am also looking into posting resources on the wiki that you can access.

Carol Moffatt a leading NZ ICT leader opened by emphasizing the crucial focus of 'working with people in the space they are in' and this is a particular focus for Dave and I this year. The more we know about where you're at and where you want to getto, the more we can help you get there!

"Building a human infrastructure will always be more important than building a technological infrastructure"- Do you agree?

Scott McLeod, co-creator of the wildly popular 'What do you know?-Shift happens' video continued with the first keynote identifying how we can encourage political decision makers to see the development of e-learning and how this is reflected by our changing world.

Can someone overseas do your job cheaper? Can a computer do it faster? If so, your job is in DANGER!

The days of factories moving offshore are now being replaced by the replacement of 'cognitive labour' by computer systems or location independent services- when was the last time you replaced a face to face local interaction with an 'automated transaction' , things like airport automated check in anyone, online mortgage checker, booking a hotel online or even internet or telephone banking.

How do we prepare our students for this changing workforce in the developed world?

McLeod believes that despite all we speak of e-learning/ICT and student centred learning today's classroom still resembles those of the industrial age, teacher at the front, standing in front of the chalkboard (Interactive whiteboard) a difference he believes is negligible, delivering knowledge with the addition of a few neat gadgets-

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

One of our biggest hurdles?



Do we understand the true dangers in the digital world and prepare our students with the ability to behave appropriately in a secure online environment or do we use scare mongering and strict filters locking everything that COULD be a danger.

When are we going to start tapping into the potential of our students as collaborators and leaders, as participants rather than an audience?

Until later
K