Hi, I'm looking to put in place an outstanding and effective personalised learning programme with flexible learning spaces for 2012. New classroom, new school and no idea what resources or furniture available.
I'm hoping to have a few digital tools available and incorporate google-docs into it somehow.
Any hints or tips? What are you doing in your classroom? Will I need to but fancy new things? Or is anyone managing to do this successfully with basics?
This is a great question, Alice - and a BIG question ;-). It's a quiet time at the moment, so people may jump into this thread in January - and I'll share it via our weekly digest too.
Your school as a whole will have a strategic approach for curriculum development and the use of technology which will provide useful direction. In the meantime, you might find the following resources practical starting points:
What does it mean to have Personalised Learning in your classroom? from Fleur Kukler on Vimeo.
As a general rule, your starting point for planning will be the curriculum, what your students' strengths and needs are, and the appropriate pedagogical approach to help them engage with the learning area content, from where they are currently at, allowing them to bring prior knowledge and cultural experiences. Then, you select the appropriate technology to support and enhance that learning process. It is useful to know what tech you will have available, but the learning process is the most important thing to start with:-)
In many ways, a personalised classroom is not about the technology at all, but about the pedagogy:-)
Hope this helps. Anyone else got any thoughts to support Alice for 2012?
Hi Alice,
Coincidentally, I just stumbled across this today, from FutureLab: The Learner's Charter for a personalised learning environment [http://archive.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/opening_education/Learners_Charter.pdf]. This might be a useful starting point, even to co-construct something similar with your students:-)
There is an associated report from FutureLab, exploring personalisation and digital technologies. A little old (2005!) but there may be useful ideas there too: http://archive.futurelab.org.uk/resources/publications-reports-articles/opening-education-reports/Opening-Education-Report201
Cheers,
Karen
Hi Alice
Might I suggest contacting these three people to start with Rachel Roberts
rachel@matapu.schoolzone.net.nz Hazel Owen
hazelowendmc@gmail.com and Jo Gibson
jo.gibson@learn-now.school.nz
They work in Virtual Professinal development, LearnNow and Primary languages and other things like astronmy etc through the Virtual Learning Network Tools. Here are links to their sites
http://ellinz-students.ning.com/ and http://vpd.vln.school.nz/ Hazel
http://primary.vln.school.nz/ and /pg/groups/935/vln-primary/ Rachel
http://www.learn-now.school.nz/spaces/space.php?space_key=489 Jo Gibson this site might have moved or being redeveloped ask Jo if this si the latest one? These guys are focused on personlised learning but also connecting across networks of schools/teachers/learners. I am sure they will be able to give great advice and also connect you with a wider community so you can develop as a group things specifically for your students. good luck with the new school contact me if you like more help at
Eddie Reisch
Senior Analyst
Operational Policy Te Reo Māori
Virtual Learning Network
email: eddie.reisch@minedu.govt.nz
Web Sites:
/
http://portfolio.vln.school.nz
http://vpd.vln.school.nz
http://ellinz.vln.school.nz
DDI: 04 463 7052
027 2781164
Check out these two new EdTalks videos of our community members - Anne Keneally and Chris Bradbeer - exploring the way their classroom environments can be adapted to focus on the learning. What can you take away for your own school this year?
A similar thread is happening @ What are the plans for e-learning in your school in 2012? where resources and links have been shared in relation to personalised learning and one-to-one devices.
DK has just shared via Twitter: How can we design spaces that best engage students - ow.ly/91iF5 See pages 14 and 15. "Do you want your kids to be critical thinkers, engaged in problem-solving? We can design the ecology to support those goals." Trung Le
Some of you might be interested in the open learning spaces blog hosted by Chris Bradbeer (Associate Principal in Auckland), embarking on a research masters program on the subject of pedagogy and classroom spaces. He writes,
If you’re in the Auckland area you may well be interested in the Open Learning Spaces Professional Learning Group. The idea is to bring together teachers and leaders who are interested in open/ flexible/ innovative learning environments on a termly basis to investigate the opportunities and challenges that they present.
Each term we’re hosted by a different school with the aim of seeing how different schools are utilizing their new spaces, or how they’ve converted existing ones. We'll be kicking off the year, on Thursday March 22nd, with a visit to Freemans Bay School. They have just completed a brand new learning and teaching block and have another big building project ahead of them later this year.
He invites any teachers and leaders interested to register @ http://openlearningspaces.blogspot.co.nz/
Anyone interested in flexible/digital learning spaces might be interested in an up-coming FREE online webinar in Enabling e-Learning (Term 4):
When: 17 Oct 2012
Venue: Blackboard Collaborate 3.45pm - 4.45pm
Join John Creighton (HOD Digital Technologies, Burnside High School) and Tara Taylor-Jorgensen (Lead teacher, Amesbury School), Chris Bradbeer (Stonefields School) in this discussion focused on Digital learning spaces – what does this look like?
Each guest will share how their school has created e-learning spaces or flexible learning spaces that make the best use of e-learning tools. This includes ways in which schools have worked within traditional teaching spaces to provide access to technologies, as well as flexible learning spaces; such as changes to timetables, organizational systems and groupings in response to social and environmental needs.
This webinar is aimed at both Primary and secondary school teachers, leaders. Audience participation and interaction is invited. You will also be able to share ideas and questions before, during, and after in forum discussions in Enabling e-Learning.
Image from Freedigitalphotos.net
As you start to set up your classrooms for the new year...findings from a study on classroom design might be of interest to you.
With as much as 25% impact, considerations might be given to lighting, furniture layout, choice, colour and visual stimulation.
What makes your classroom a positive place to learn in?
Anne Kenneally: Creating learning spaces from EDtalks on Vimeo.
Loving the Learning Caves and Bottle Bivvy (Hope I've spelt that correctly - someone please correct me if it's wrong). Knowing how, when and where they learn best - ON 2 IT Learners!!!