“Cutting Edge-ucators: By Invitation Only”

What have we learned so far about Learning in the 21^st Century?
Over the past three years very talented and innovative teachers have participated in workshops at the AISV.  They have gone on to use blogs, videos, podcasts and wikis as regular platforms for their students’ learning.  Unfortunately, much of education still happens in clusters isolated from a broader audience.  The purpose of this series is to reunite exemplary technology-using teachers and to share case studies of what they have found effective.  A loose but formal structure will enable the participants to codify parameters for best practice that can then be shared more widely through publications and conferences.

This series will be a combination of online sessions and two face-to-face workshops.

Real, Rich and Relevant

Integrating Pedagogy and Web 2.0 Technologies
Five day Workshop

Web 2.0 technologies facilitate new and exciting ways to teach and learn. Beginning with what we know about how students learn best, participating teachers use Web 2 technologies to create real, rich and relevant learning activities for our students. This 5 day program is offered to small teams (2-4) of teachers who are confident in their use of technology and who are interested in working collaboratively on either discipline based or special learning area projects within their schools.  Participants must also be willing to work collaboratively with other teachers in the program in both face-to-face and online settings to build knowledge around ICT skills and implementation strategies and their impacts on effective classroom practice.

WebQuests 2.0

A Richer Web Improves a Good Idea

Two day Workshop

WebQuests were pretty cool when we invented them more than a decade ago, but see what happens when you unfold today’s WebQuest using Web 2 tools and rich resources.  In the old days people used templates and html to create a WebQuest page.  Now we have more intuitive software that enables students to “crowd source” with social bookmarks, learn from experts on TEDTalks and develop their concepts with a wide range of thinking tools. The tricky part is still facilitating student transformation of new information to understanding but even this gets a boost from collaboration tools like wikis, blogs and decision-ware. Finally, when it comes to publishing newly constructed knowledge, choices might include YouTube, Dipity or Google Maps.

The fact that WebQuests have been around since 1995 doesn’t actually mean they are “old hat” because those who know schools and students are well aware that challenging critical thinking and nurturing intrinsic motivation never go out of style.

Look to Learn

Developing a Culture of Inquiry in Early Years’ Classrooms
1 Day Workshop

Experienced teachers know that positive routines form a foundation to classroom learning.  We often use them to manage classroom behaviours and basic skills. However, routines can also be used to engage students in critical thinking and knowledge building, activities often considered beyond the abilities of early years learners.  Participants in this one day session experience what it’s like to “Look to Learn” from the inside and then use and create such activities for their own students.  See how rich digital media like blogs, videos, podcasts and images stimulate interest that is then developed through routines that prompt critical and creative thinking.  This hands-on workshop provides the theory and practice to enhance the spirit of inquiry and appetite for learning that are already alive in your classroom.*

Pass the Pen

Empowering Primary Learners through IWBs
1 Day Workshop

In a world where rich resources have never been so freely available, our students must get “hands-on” experience making learning choices.  Thus, once teachers have learned the basic tools of the Interactive Whiteboard, the challenge is to use IWBs as a shared learning space with students. Employed as a window to the world, an IWB connects classroom learning with engaging Web 2.0 resources and applications that can enliven classroom practices and “flatten the learning hierarchy.” This session prepares teachers to empower their students to move beyond “technology as entertainment” and to apply the riches of the Web to achieve deep learning and positive habits of mind.