LDC Tasks

STATION 1 - Reflect & Sketchup / LDC

Goal: Re-design your learner's environment with a future focus in mind.
Reflect based on those on:
  • How could you as a leader make your main learning spaces (ie. classroom) better from a digital and/or collaborative aspect?
  • How could even slight changes in your environment maybe help you to upskill as a more distributive and collaborative leader?
  • What (even tiny) changes could make the biggest difference to the learning outcomes?
Sketchup: Model the changes you’d like to make either using a simple Floor planning tool or the more advanced SketchUp that you can do 3D-wonders with!
  • Simple Classroom Floor Plan tool: http://classroom.4teachers.org/ OR
  • More advanced 3D Modelling Software: Sketchup
    • You can either use one of the laptops that has SketchUp downloaded and installed, or you can download and install it to your device (preferably a laptop / you need admin rights / software itself is free)
Before you leave this station: Once your model is ready, screen record it as a video or picture (print screen, screen castify or https://screencast-o-matic.com/and publish that to G+community with the hashtag #sketchup

Here's What I did!

I don't think it's very imaginative but it looks comfy!


STATION 2 - Discuss & Meme / DCL

Goal: Understand what innovative learning spaces are.
Discuss: Choose a provocation to discuss with the facilitator and your fellow students:
  • We already had open-plan classrooms in the 1970's and got rid of them. Is the current mania for 'modern' or 'innovative' learning environments any different?
  • Where's the research to support the idea that modern learning environments improve student achievement?
  • How do modern learning environments cater for ALL students?
  • How do we future proof the modern learning environment?
  • MLE: Chuck out some desks and add in some beanbags?
  • The learning space isn't what's important, it's the pedagogy?
  • Do you need glass walls (as in Hamilton’s new school) to have those models and flight time?
  • You may like to come up with your own provocation as well?
Meme: After you feel you have discussed enough about that topic for the day, it's time to crystallise your thoughts and learning. Think about a powerful sentence that would sum up your thoughts. Make it into a picture/thought/quote/poster that you can share online.
  • Remember to use your own or open sourced images from the app you use. You can always take one now?
  • Which tools to use? Some make these by using just 'Paint', but your phone might already have an app that helps you with this? You could also try to use for example https://buffer.com/pablo which is an add-on for Chrome, and http://piktochart.com/ has a poster option too.
Before you leave this station: Share that emerging thought or feeling about the conversations by posting it to a social media site (twitter, instagram, facebook, G+…) with the tags #ILS and #MindLabEd. Never know, you might have just created a meme!
Here's What I did!

STATION 3 - Analyse & Suggest / LDC

Goal: Consider the environment as the third teacher, from a learner's point of view.
Analyse:  Check that you have done both of your homework, if you haven’t start by doing those. Once you have filled in both of the surveys, look at the data.
Homework The 3rd Teacher Consider the '79 ways in which you can use design to transform teaching and learning'. Which three ways did you find most surprising? In each case explain why. Use the text boxes below to record your answer. Google Form to fill: in 79 ways and Google Form to fill in: Learning Spaces
View and analyse the data gathered from those forms Learning Spaces Responses and 79 Ways Responses and draw suggestions from it.
Add your analysis into this collaborative slide set, and put your name on the slide you are working so that others know that. Look at what others might have already done, and think what you would like to add.
You can for example
  • create a graphical analysis of interesting parts that could influence how we design a learning space
Suggest: Based on the analysis of the data, suggest on the same collaborative slide set for example:
  1. What are the perceptions of learning spaces from a learner's point of view?
  2. Was there anything in the data that stood out to you as interesting, why?
  3. How could we use this data to inform future decision making?
  4. How might we involve learners in the design of their learning spaces?
  5. What other questions could you include in the survey?
You can use as many slides as you like to present your data analysis (charts/graphs), as well as conclusions and recommendations - you do not need to use all of the data, only the parts that you think are relevant.
These readings may also help guide you and act as a reference:
Remember to claim your work, perhaps use a different colour background slide to distinguish it from the previous person? Also add your name.
Before you leave this station: Make sure you have named the slides you worked with. If you think of an interesting aspect some other student could work with, or how to continue your work, you could add a comment there?
Here's What I Did!

STATION 4 - Design & 3D Model / DCL

Goal: Rehearse a universal design and prototyping mindset.
Design:  Familiarise yourself with the Universal Design Ideas and their guidelines. Then design an ideal classroom object you are missing (table, chair… ie.)
Model: 3D model the classroom object by using https://www.tinkercad.com/. We’ll print one of these 3D models out based on your votes on the G+Community at the end of this session.
Tinkercad is free, easy-to-learn online app anyone can use to create and print 3D models with. You need to sign In or Sign Up. For this we recommend you using a laptop (either your own or one provided by TMLBU).
If you haven't used Tinkercad before, remember to view these these videos first:
Alternatively you can watch these step by step guides made by Coco
Remember to save your 3D model often enough.
Before you leave this station:  When you have finished your design, save it as a (.stl file) and make it public. Then publish a picture of your model in our G+ Community and include the link to your model as a description or comment. Remember to also include a hashtag #tinkercad and one of these based on the session you are on (#tuewha #tueauck #wedwel #wedchch #wedgis #wedrot #thuauck #thuchch #thurot #satauck #satchch).
We need your model to be public to be able to access it (.stl file) for the possible 3D printing, and we'll need those hashtags for finding it from G+. Also sharing your models makes you part of the Maker Community!
Here's What I Did!

STATION 5 - Read & Feedback / LDC

Goal: Witness maker culture and students as makerspace designers.
Read: Read first The 'Open University: Innovating Pedagogy report 2013' article about Maker Culture. Then read through the blog written by Justine Hughes’s students: http://thecreatoropssteam.blogspot.co.nz/. We suggest you start from the oldest post and work your way upwards. This project was part of Justine’s LDC assignment and it was mostly run by her students.
Feedback: You can give feedback for these amazing students by commenting on their blog! Maybe you might even post some questions for them? You can also post your ideas and thoughts to our own G+community by using the #makerspace or #makerculture.
Before you leave this station:
Consider whether you would be interested in starting a similar project? If so, this framework might be interesting to look at Question Driven Pedagogy-Space-Technology Framework for Developing Learning Space
Maybe your LDC2 assignments change initiative involves changes into the learning spaces? If so, Lee, Tan, and Tout (2011) identified approximately 100 articles, reports, presentations and books that focused on the design and evaluation of learning spaces. These comments they raise in their literature review and the ‘Evaluation Learning Spaces’ Baseline Development Model' they created‘ might help you to get started.

STATION 6 - View & Video / DCL

Goal: Plan your own future digital learning environments for the last 16 weeks.
View: View the video where Milla and Dave discuss the characteristics of the line learner. And then read the one-pager about Online learning Milla made for you after filming that video. Something a bit more academic to consider.
Then reflect on these:
  • Do you think you’ll need to set up a study group? How will you do that?
  • How do you make sure you have the grit and perseverance needed for online learning?
  • How do you manage your time and gain knowledge while online?
  • How do you create and maintain an online identity?
  • Now you’ve come to the class each week, how do you remember to go online?
  • What do you want your physical environment to be like? Even if you study online, you are in a physical space of your choice.
Video: Film a video (by yourself or with peers on the same station) to remind you what you need to keep in mind when you start to study fully online. Where, when and how do you plan to study?
You can film yourself talking, screen cast or make another kind of a presentation. Make it inspiring!
Before you leave this station: Please consider sharing the video in the G+community with the tag #DLE. Or at least save it somewhere where you can access it easily, so that you can view it on the first week of the “Research Informed Practice

Week 12:


Week 11:


Week 10:


Week 9:


Week 8:  Agents for Change - Leading Change


You would immediately think of words such as reflective, transformational, collaborative, needs for example and how these relate to how a school operates.  Is the school meeting the needs of the students, staff and community?  If not, how can it and what needs to be done and if it is...how can these be improved from different aspects involving how can all stakeholders take a part in this improvement?

How I view those who encompass education:
Schools who still work in the 'traditional', continue to mediate education with traditional views and methodologies
Schools who know they must change and evolve and are slowly working towards this ideal via their staff professional development, community involvement and policy and curriculum changes
Schools who encompassed the need and ideal for change and have evolved, who had started the developments and changes need and are now streaks ahead of other schools but still tend to reflect upon how they must continually improve to meet the needs of their students and community



How do I see my school?
We have just had a leadership change and at the present time, I am unsure of the vision of the school and the processes which may be being implemented.  Our school under the previous leadership had a more 'hands-on' approach and staff were to a degree, invited to take part in developing the process of 'Where to next?' and 'The process' (building the 'I Care' philosophy at this school needed a whole staff approach as well as developing this philosophy out into the community).

Already our staff have had 1 or 2 changes but these were incognito and revealed at staff meetings - unbeknownst to 2 staff members who were affected!  Clearly a top-down approach and traditional way of leadership but with the added aspect of 'hidden' agenda.  Through this course and through courses undertaken at the University of Waikato (PGDip of Ed) I have read countless articles on how a school can build a vision and implement great ideals from the ground up - with the input of all staff.  My mind shudders at the thought of  "You're either on the bus or not..." but if we don't know where and how the school is going, how can I be on a bus without the route and destination out mapped out before me?

Also the idea a school operates with a hidden agenda is unsettling.  How can a staff better prepare for a vision when it's unleashed rather than presented with a 'hands-on' approach?


(pic of ministry's draft of education 2025)



This was an easy question but for how long?  When I first joined this staff, the 'I Care' philosophy and values were quite apparent!  The students were welcoming of visitors into the school and were very aware of what makes them great learners.  'I Care' is Care, Achievement, Responsibility and Effort.  'I Care' is also Caring for Myself, for Others, for Property and for Environment.  The students learn from Y0, the importance of this simple statement...'I Care'.  Local kindergartens are also preparing their students with the 'I Care' values and philosophy.

This school is also a 'Brain Based' learning school and learning about how our brain works when we are emotionally engaged in to learning or emotionally compromised and what this looks like, all benefits the student in making good choices and when they are feeling anxious, nervous, scared, angry, our students understand learning cannot take place...therefore, what must we do?


Returning to my earlier thoughts regarding 'How do I see my school?', these would be beneficial for management!  Especially in terms of appreciating and considering staff.  Despite our opinion required in some areas, I ONLY feel like a teacher who has a job in the classroom.  Our opinions when they really count don't matter anymore :(



Week 7:  Flipped or Blended Learning and Online Learning


We have been discussing the idea of 'Flipped Classrooms' or 'Blended Learning'.  I had heard of 'Flipped Classrooms' but of course I have a much better idea as previously I only had a guess in mind!  Here are some tips which I have found useful to helping myself come to terms, flipping a classroom could really be easy but just time and patience are required (and fore-thought of how I will implement these effectively!).



I have used YouTube clips and other such types of files to present a learning on a specific focus often and a couple of years ago, I dabbled with EDPuzzle - inserting comments, questions or audio files into a clip to be used with my class.  I say dabbled because I didn't use EDPuzzle after 2 or 3 occasions.  I could see some potential in using video clips in this way but I didn't see how others had been using mediums like these, before especially as a group rotational task!



One of this week's tasks was to create a learning resource using one of these web tools which I will use with my class next year (2016):
  • EDPuzzle
  • TEDEd
  • Blendspace

I created an EDPuzzle and a Blendspace collation of resources to be used for my Term 1 Inquiry Unit, 'Learning to Learn'.


I liked the idea of using a video clip as a group rotation task before allowing the class to discuss the video content and specific focus and therefore, next year, I thought I would begin as one of my routines, to allow my students to become used to the idea of viewing a video clip is an actual 'task'.


Here is a picture of my Blendspace collation of resources based on 'Learning with I Care':

We also discussed 'Online Learning' and the thought of 'Online Discussions' such as using Twitter with our students.  



My students are Y0-Y1 and I haven't given the idea much thought and if I had, it was in the 'Too Hard' basket.  But what we had been doing in Term 4, 2015, was watch on a few occasions, one of our older classrooms work during a 'Twitter Session'.  Some of my students' older siblings are in this classroom (Jeanette's Y5-Y6 students) and my students were excited about the thought of watching their older brothers and sisters working online!  My students thought that the older students wrote 'really fast' and I could tell they had a hard time understanding what was really going on!  I read out as many comments as I could.  



We then discussed what the 'big kids' had to remember to do...
  • Presenting their work well - no spelling mistakes!
  • Answering the questions properly!
  • Be able to read well and read fast!
  • Remember our comments could be helpful but 'I Care' at the same time!


We viewed at least 2 sessions and watched for about 10 minutes.  Through this experience, I reiterated the potential for my students to one day be like the older students and as I discussed the basic idea of online etiquette for my students, I also reflect upon how careful I need to be when I am engaging in communications with my Social Media acquaintances...




Week 6:  Leadership Styles

This week, we are discussing the different leadership styles and where 'we' fit into this - What leadership behaviours and characteristics do we have?

Task #1:  Leadership Challenges Worksheet - 6 scenarios and how would 'we' (Jeanette and I) deal with these (our leadership styles should be apparent in how we deal with these)

(photo of WS)

Task #2:  Leadership Questionnaire (Testing your leadership styles):
We filled out a questionnaire survey at:

Here are my leadership traits!


Your score is: 

Authoritarian 25

Procedural 31

Transformational 37
Participative 46
Laissez Faire 43

My highest style is 'Participative' which means I'm totally into collaborating and discussing through issues or points of discussion with team members, am organized but I don't let the small finer details dictate the 'bigger picture'.

Task #3:  Return to our earlier tasks and see how 'we' had planned to deal with the issues and now we can review what strong leadership behaviours were apparent.  

I know I work better in team, I also work by myself but if I had to work with a team, this would not bother me in the least.  I can see the skills each member has and adding my own would add more value.



Comments from others:
- Good to do this on someone else and see if they had similar answers

Week 5:  Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset

We all have moments of having both a Fixed and Growth mindset but which one do we live with most?  I like to think I predominantly have a 'growth' mindset otherwise how would I get anything done?  How would I push myself to do the things I want to or need to do?


Task for this week:
Write a list of comments students might say and then write a 'growth' mindset alternative:
Fixed Mindset
Growth Mindset
I can’t do that.
I can’t do that yet but I’ll try.
That looks too hard.
That looks too hard but I’d like to have a go.
That wasn’t my fault.  You didn’t remind me.
I forgot to do that but I can do it now.  I’ll remember next time!
I already know that.
I know something about that but I could learn more.

I had a go and couldn’t do it.  I’ll do something else instead.
I had a go but I think I can get it if I keep practising.
I had a go doing it this way and it didn’t work…so I’ll try it this way.
I made a mistake.
Mistakes help me learn to do things better.
I’m never going to be as good as Student A.
I might not be as good as Student A but I can try to get better!
I’m not good enough.
I’m not good enough yet.
I don’t get it.
I don’t get it yet but my friend is showing me

Week 4:  Filling out Google survey forms re: research

Well, this week, most of our tasks are already done during class.  We filled out two forms regarding 'research':
  • Educational researchers 
  • How useful is research to you?
I actually started my study a few years ago now.  I began my Post Grad Diploma for Education in 2012 when my school as the time was going through a 3-school merge and one of the options was to return to study for one year.  I got my old permanent job back as well as decided to pay for my own study...which I have thoroughly enjoyed (even when I didn't look like it during assignment times!)

Research is very important to me in regards to...the more I learn, the more differently I see my teaching practice and the practices of those around me.  I question myself more and I believe I have become more critically reflective of what I do and why.  One aspect of teaching which has always resonated with me is the social-cultural side.  Since joining Edgecumbe Primary School, their school philosophy and underpinning core value of 'I Care' made sense, it was logical to teach their children (and staff support this) about a 'culture of care'.  


Years ago, upon witnessing and experiencing the damage teachers can do to students' self esteem and confidence, I believe these experiences embedded in myself a sense of care and empathy for how students learn.  I remember that year long ago now, along with a compassionate and very talented teacher aide (who became DP later on and then left to follow his own passion and creative beat to become a Dance/Arts coordinator), we both made a commitment to slowly rebuild the self-esteem and confidence of students damaged by their previous teacher.  Curriculum was not important (even though we still worked on the 3 Rs, this was not our primary focus) but what was important was unlocking a love of learning, inquisitiveness, creativity, these young students had lost during 1-2 years of junior school life.  


I believe we kick-started their love of learning but some of these children would not close the gap academically for a long time, if ever but that didn't matter, because after two terms we began to witness students conversing with each other, smiles and laughter began to creep back into the class, if I raised my voice my students didn't crumble into heaps of emotional balls...and reliever teachers could come into our class without hesitation.  The year before, these children did not know how to behave when a new person came in to teach them for the day which made having sick days off a little more difficult. These children would behave off the charts and relievers often did not want to come back...but, they eventually returned too!  

After one year, the teacher aide and myself (armed with plenty of evidential data) would meet with the new teacher and explain where the students had come from and where they had the potential to go to now...which meant, the teacher aide and I were going to monitor the progress of these children as they settled into their new classes (with great interest - meaning, we didn't want them to revert back to where they'd been, which would never really happen unless they had the same types of teachers who put them there in the first place - and this wasn't going to happen again!).


The point of this whole story is, after that experience I took a long look at myself and prioritized the things I believed were important when teaching young minds.  It wasn't until years later, I began to put these ideas into an order and began to understand them in different light.

Without ensuring students feel safe and respected, that their voices are important and we as teachers, appreciate all the uniqueness and differences our students bring into our classrooms, how can students possibly learn?  Unless they are incredibly focused, unscathed by the comments or actions of others (especially their teachers) and are resilient, I believe teachers have a huge part to play in how we develop confidence, self-esteem, mindsets and learning and doing for the sake of self-efficacy, otherwise we can stunt the potential growth of our students.

Research opens the 'eyes and mind' to 'seeing and thinking'.

Here is my Tagul cloud of a few of the researchers who have written some of the articles I have read in recent years:


Week 3:  SAMR/TPACK/Rubric = Activity Evaluation

I didn't do this one!  Well I partially did...Jeanette, myself, Alex and Ma (Verbena) completed the first part of the task where we created an activity involving Google maps, then I completed our own group task and then posted my answers to twitter but I'm sorry, I didn't go on to complete another group's activity nor did I evaluate their activity using SAMR/TPACK!
But I did enjoy playing with the Aurasma and Quiver apps on the ipad in terms of augmented reality.  Earlier this week, I had created a 'Small World' profile and avatar but I'm sorry, I had no fun in playing in this virtual reality.  I understand in these types of game websites, problem solving and interaction are part of the focus of learning...I was easily frustrated at not getting my avatar dressed how I wanted her nor finding my way around this virtual world.  






Anyway, here are some photos my students took as I introduced the Quiver app (for no other reason apart from, "Look!  Isn't this interesting!?!").  The engagement was instant and prolonged!









Week 2:  A busy week this week!  :)

Reflection #1:  How might teachers' strengths in developing capabilities in 'T.R.U.M.P' be recognised and celebrated?

Reflection #2:  How might students' capabilities in 'T.R.U.M.P' be recognised and celebrated?

Teaching with the key competencies in mind, are integral to ensuring children are developing a 'wholeness' to their learning and knowledge banks.  I can't think of one activity which does not require the use of T.R.U.M.P.  Managing-Self was and always has been, a big competency to develop and grow in terms of helping to develop routines and expectations for my 5 year old students follow which independent and unprompted by the teacher.  Socialisation is an important skill in terms of participating and contributing, getting on with one another to allow others to learn and finish tasks as well as working collaboratively.  Socialisation should also be inclusive of teaching about the virtues of being kind, empathy, developing a culture of care and resilience when operating as part of society (or the classroom community or wider school community).  Learning the intricacies of behaviour to enable this successfully is not easy, and can take a life-time in terms of the groups and communities a person chooses to take part in but all are possible.  

Thinking is required at many different levels and in different modes.  Getting children to think about the task at hand, think about ideas and themes they are learning about, thinking how to apply this knowledge to set tasks and using knowledge in different ways all requires...you guessed it, thinking.  Well, I'm simplifying the idea!  Thinking also requires interpretation of a question, issue, need or requirement before analyzing this interpretation in order to synthesize information and knowledge, evaluating and then applying the knowledge in some form, physical...or maybe back to the drawing to think some more!  :)


Understanding language, symbols and texts are required everywhere and anytime - language, numeracy, science, technology, PE/Health, topic....one does not really need to delve deeply here.

Our school has taken a long journey  - which I was not a part of but certainly have enjoyed the benefits of what has been produced!  This school has some great leaders, not necessarily in leadership roles but are collaborative, supportive and willing to make changes for themselves and for the school.  The one value underpinning all other values and actions is "I Care".  Children move from Year 0 - Year 8 learning with 'I Care'.  'I Care' for:
  • Myself
  • Others
  • Property
  • The Environment
and 'I Care' is an acronym for C - Care, A - Achievement, R - Respect and E - Effort.

There are many aspects that support 'I Care' (eg Your attitude affects your altitude  - Effort).  Our school uses 'I Care' to support all learning and knowledge acquired and what/how students use these.   Our school also uses 'brain-based' learning to support students in learning to learn (eg understanding how their brain works, what helps with learning - drinking water, Switch Offs and Switch ONs).  In fact, 'I Care' supports the Key Competencies in the following ways:
  • Thinking - effort and trying to problem solve, brain based learning, using prior knowledge and new learning to make a choice, to come to a solution
  • Relating to Others - Showing 'I Care' towards others, empathy - how do others feel when...?
  • Using language, symbols and texts - curriculum areas requiring literacy and numeracy
  • Managing Self - making pertinent choices - Are these 'I Care'?  My choices impact on others - am I a Switch Off for other people's learning?
  • Participating and Contributing - taking part in activities, having-a-go, joining in with discussions and making your voice heard, using thinking to help articulate thoughts and ideas, participating and contributing celebrating with student diversity
So how do I celebrate these in our class?  I guess how I celebrate these is generic but I do not necessarily reward/award efforts but as a class, we celebrate the efforts and achievements children give and gain through their own efforts and learning attitudes:
  • Praise and reaffirming how their actions are what good role models have
  • Linking using the Key Comps to how children are progressing in class in terms of independence, thinking, participating and contributing to discussions and class/school life
  • Linking all these to what 'I Care' means to our class/school (eg I Care for my learning because I have a go at learning my letters and using my letter knowledge appropriately)
T

Thinking means using different thoughts, ideas, knowledge and learning rationales or reasoning to acquire new learning and/or to use in different ways in different situations.  Thinking also means to participate and contribute to discussions and justify reasons and thinking, to complete tasks by oneself using one's prior knowledge or putting new knowledge into practice.  Thinking is trying, retrying, reviewing and evaluating.

R

Relating to Others just doesn't mean sharing our ideas and thoughts with each other, but it also means getting on with others in different situations and how to work with each other.  Different skills in different situations.  This just happens to be a fun activity at getting on with each other, using
language to describe and explain what each of us are doing.


U

Learning to identify, sound out and name letters.  Using this knowledge to build words
and read words.  Learning to find words or build words to join together to make a sentence.
Reading text.  Learning about the different symbols in language.
Learning to identify and name numbers and how to use numbers in 
number equations.  Learning how numbers can be used in different ways.  Learning about the different symbols in mathematics.

M

Managing Self - This little one once would get frustrated at not being able to articulate 
what annoyed him, what he didn't know and he didn't know how to ask for help.  He
didn't like joining in and was reluctant to try new tasks.  This boy can certainly come under all the headings but over time, he can relate to others, join in with activities, share ideas to group
and class discussion and tell others what he does and does not like and most of the time,
he gets on with completing set tasks, going on to different tasks and only asking for help on occasions.  He loves using  Chatterpix app on the ipad to take photographs of objects or himself so he can tell a story!

P

Participation - this boy has a fear of water but our class gave him
a big 'woop, woop' for trying to take part!  He took weeks to getting into 
the pool but each day, the children quietly patted him on the back, gave him the 'thumbs up'
or quietly smiled our praises.  Sounds 'corny', but as a class, we decided we would give
him our biggest praises quietly so everyone didn't have to know his fears (only the other 
teachers and his family).  This was on our Junior Swimming Celebration day - our class were all 
giving him a standing ovation with quiet claps while the other class parents looked on confused.




Classroom Community - We All Matter in All Ways!

Despite each key competency has its own strengths, very rarely do you see these
being used in isolation...I see the key competencies like a woven mat but rolled up so there
are layers of development and over time, and as the mat rolls and becomes stronger and thicker,
so do the key competencies become embedded within our characters.




Reflection #3:  Why do Competencies Matter?

Recommended Viewing:  In the video, Secretary for Education Karen Sewell explains the importance of building an education system that helps students learn how to learn and to manage the demands of a profoundly different world.

Sewell described what an effective education system would be working towards...focused on helping students to 'learn how to learn', where the system would help better prepare students to manage the demands of information that is changing, technology that is rapidly and continuously changing and evolving, better prepare students for a work force that may or may not exist yet and preparing them socially.   It is not difficult to think of how different our children's lives will be from ours, but what I sometimes struggle with, is what these differences will look and sound like and be like.

Sewell goes onto explaining that if our education system is to change, some aspects can remain while others must be altered such as a flexible system able to respond to enveloping students rather than forcing students to work within a system that does not 'fit' them.

She sees children who will:
  • have 'wit'
  • be curious
  • have and gain knowledge
  • have compassion

The environment which will cater for these aspects will:

  • be caring
  • challenging
  • safe
  • respect diversity in our students
  • where students can learn how to stand up and care about what is good in our society while recognising and changing what is wrong

The key competencies:  This is not finished but a work in progress!  My thinking out loud...

With Sewell's description of an effective education system, her words resonated with me because of the preparation of students being better equipped to live and work in a world that is changing at rapid pace.  Teaching our children about compassion and empathy for others is challenging but such an integral part of forming our social connections and social standings as adults...empowering children to take their place in a world where social media has allowed people to talk and insult others in ways they normally wouldn't do face-face.  Teaching children to 'walk in another's shoes' and consider how their lives can be impacted by others.

"I think, therefore I am", 
Descartes.

Week 1:  Epistemology, Axiology and Ontology

Our group discussed epistemology, axiology an ontology while brainstorming ideas about what this meant to our group.  We briefly discussed the branches of knowledge pertaining to philosophy, what it means, how it is acquired and how we use knowledge including affixing value to knowledge.


Here is our group's first collaborative video task from Week 1 on 'What is Knowledge?'



During the weekend, I thought about what 'Knowledge' meant to me considering epistemology, axiology and ontology.  In this video, I say "knowledge defines me", and I do believe this.  I have my thoughts and ideas based on what experiences and different knowledge pools I have had over my life-time, and I continue to acquire or refine my knowledge by continuing to learn.



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