I’ll start with the good news 🙂
On Wednesday I provided my very first ever CPD twighlight course. I survived – everyone says they’re coming back next week for ’round 2′ and 16 Falkirk teachers now have a new class blog. I learned later that 53 teachers had actually signed up to come along – we’ve arranged for some teachers from the same school to double up at a computer next week so that more will be able to attend.
It was a wee bit stressful when some of the more ‘internet savvy’ teachers moved along at a quicker pace. I found myself ‘differentiating’ (a term from my teacher training days). I ended up spreading myself thinly as I spent the last 45 minutes of the session 2 hour session helping those who were ‘stuck’ and occupying those who were asking questions like:
‘We’re finished … what will we do now?”
…. And then I had my brainwave – why would I want to do all that by myself when I have a fantastic resource at my fingertips?. P7V are all delighted to be given the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise with these teachers who are ready to move on. Next Wednesday, 4 children (it’s all I can fit in my car!) will be chosen to come along to the CPD session to introduce those who are ready to learn about Animoto and Voki (choosing will be difficult – 22 children will be gutted that they were not allowed to go).
The following week will be my 3rd and final ‘introduction to blogging’ course. I intend to ask the P7’s to debate their own favourite web 2.0 tool. The winners can then come along to the twighlight course and present their reasons for choosing that particular tool.
Now for the bad news 🙁
The preparation for these twighlight courses has meant that I’ve been neglecting my chartered teacher dissertation … and the deadline is looming. I think I’m going to have to add one of these ‘countdown’ clocks in my sidebar to scare me in to action!!
I’ve just realized that your preparations for your CPD sessions actually reinforced your findings in your dissertation!
You said in your dissertation that the boys especially enjoyed telling visitors to your ICT stand (at a technology show) how they used ICT in their learning, and that they would be great at helping at your CPD sessions, by making and using Vokis and Animotos.
The Vokis and Animotos are visual – like the prevalence of pictures on the boys blogs. I’ve noticed that the boys in my class also are really good at making topic related vokis and animotos.
In my experience, girls use these applications in a different way – more about how they see themselves, or want to see themselves; as opposed to the boys filling these applications with topic specific pictures and content.
So you see ….. your preparations didn’t actually hinder your dissertation prep – just supported it in a different way.
Perhaps?
What do you think?
PS Girls seem more word oriented evidenced by their blogging stories, commentaries etc; whereas boys tend to prefer visual (and less text oriented) ways of expressing themselves. Maybe boys prefer to talk and show how to use an application, rather than using application for personal reasons. Don’t know? Not sure?
AAAARGG! Computers!! I spent ages replying to your great comment, Kim, (much appreciated) and then just when I pressed the submit button, I got the ‘The page you are looking for is not available’ message!!
I’ll say a very quick ‘thank you’ for now …. and go and update my conclusions to include the thoughts of my ‘online critical friend’ on the points you raised 🙂
PS should I be using ‘Word’ to reply to imprtant comments …. at least then there’d be a saved version 🙁