Implementation
Each Think Tank member needs to develop an implemenation plan as to how they are going to do this in their class. The goal is for it to not be and ‘add on’ but to align with literacy/technology practices in the classroom with special attention given to data collection and frequency for the target group. Which technologies will work best and trouble shooting these before beginning. Any resources/equipment to support implementation? Sheryl to provide support in setting up implementation processes.


Findings
Document findings regularly using reflective journal set up in Google Docs.
Sheryl to collect copy of all data - ROL/conversations/recordings to collate in a central place.
Folder set up within Teachers Shared on school network to facilitate this.
Sheryl to put reflections on VLN.

Other things to consider...
Evidence - be careful not to always be achievement based - student reflection, rubric based - break down all small steps to get to next level.
Triangulation of data - achievement data, student voice/reflection/ OTJ.
Motivation and engagement.
Creation of rubric for student self evaluation using English exemplars/ELL resource.

Reflection …
what has happened so far?
Taking over as Facilitator in Term 2, 2011, I found that the beginning data needed to record progress against  was not available to me. This was due to the previous facilitator leaving and not passing this data on and/or loss of data with a major server upgrade at school. Possibly data was not accurately recorded so there was a need to return to the baseline and refocus.
On reflection with the team, I felt that the Action Research sat outside of everyday classroom practice and to ensure success it needed to be made more mainstream.
The team met and we thought the key question was still of value and would like to ‘begin again’.
This is not to say that nothing has been happening. Team members spent time troubleshooting equipment and software. During the middle of all this, in an attempt to access an authentic audience, the school had moved towards whole school class blogs.  We felt, from listening to our students, that our community was not accessing students work via our current LMS and that although it had a blog function, we would prefer to use a common blogging tool to make ourselves more visible. Blogger was not then available within our school Google Apps account, so class blogs were set up outside of that account with Blogger.
Teachers and students were very ready for this. Everyone found it easier to use than the LMS and much more accessible. Many staff although initially hesitant at having to do ‘something new’, found it much more user friendly and rewarding for the amount of time previously spent formatting work on the LMS.  Students were engaged by the ability to easily see what other classes were doing on their blog and posting comments.
There has been discussion around whether senior students could have individual blogs but it has been decided that for now, we will focus on class blogs. Links have been set up from the LMS so students can access the blogs to read without having New Post options available to them. In senior classrooms, teachers can make the Dashboard available to students and allow them to comment and post in a managed environment. Learning how to use and comment on a blog appropriately needs to be established. Our LMS has an ePortfolio section which Linda was keen that we should begin using, but we have decided to focus on class blogs with all they can add to learning and engagement for now and explore ePortfolio options for individual students once blogging is secure.
I am aware of the need to put sustainability practices in place to maintain the initial enthusiam people have around class blogs. Using these blogs as a motivation for students to share their writing in an oral format is one of these practices.