Flip, Flip...Blend it!

Week 7, December 17th 2015
We have been discussing 'Flipped Classrooms' and 'Blended Learning' this week opposed to traditional classrooms.

What I have been watching and reading about this week has been very interesting and one question that I immediately thought about was, what about the students who have limited or no internet access or equity access to digital technologies?  The flipped classroom doesn't seem to work as well in theory however, one of the last videos address this question in part.

Instead of a 'flipped classroom' it then becomes a 'flipped- blended learning' scenario where students have access to video or online information and resources during school time as a rotation group and then by the time they have had time to practice in another rotation group, students have the opportunity to work in small groups with the teacher.

(photo of  models)

Leadership You, Leadership Me!

Week 6, December 10th 2015
Just thinking out loud!

This week, our class has been reviewing different models of leadership and what different types of leadership characteristics look like.  I've also been thinking about leadership roles people take on without actually having a formal leadership role 'as-per-say'!

I don't have a formal leadership role and I haven't had the opportunity to as yet but I do recognise in a small sense, I've had a role in helping others when others needed support.  I'm talking about 'Key Players' or 'Change Agents' within a school's staff that are the ones that take to PD like water to a duck's back or are ready for challenge and change in the name of what's good for my students and for me!

My good friend was our ICT/eLearning facilitator at my last school and when offering new professional development was like 'fresh air'.  Myself and some colleagues were excited by the chance of new learning and hands-on skills/knowledge/practice that would benefit our students and of course, those with the motivation and a little bit of 'know-how' will try to learn as much as they can...we also became the 'informal go-to-people' when our friend was unavailable or when our 'techie' guy couldn't help.

In a sense, these were leadership roles that also provided support for colleagues re: technical support and advice or tips but we also provided the 'just-in-time' learning for others...I mean that when others had an issue or question or need, we could try to provide solutions to these 'at-the-time' of need.

Leadership styles and types are 'a-plenty'.  After last week's survey, I found my strongest leadership quality of characteristic is 'Participative', followed by 'Laissez-Faire' and then 'Transformational', amongst a few others.

Refreshing to know I'm a major Team Player who may be indecisive at times but will give all the responsibility to the other person to work out how to finish the job based on their own intellect and skills - but I like how I interact with others...remember participative and transformational!  My results are in the LDC Notes and Tasks tabs.

Makey Makey!

Week 5, December 3rd 2015

This week, our class kicked off with a Makey Makey-Scratch coding activity!  we used wires, a mother-control board hooked up via USB to the laptop.  While Ma tackled with the wires and technical side, I played around with the Scratch coding side (thank goodness for Coding for Junior via Ulearn!).  To cut-to-the-chase...I thoroughly enjoyed playing with Makey Makey-Scratch.  All groups were involved deeply with their own 'spin' on the task and were actively creating.  Fruits, playdough, paper...nothing was safe!

The Task

The Gear

The Play

For a little more information, check this story out on DCL Tasks :)