Innovation Workshop

Session 1: Teaching and Learning in a connected world

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Innovation Workshop: Morning Schedule8:30 – 9:00 Welcome and Introduction

Get registered on the Partners in Learning NetworkGet registered on the Vodacom Digital Classroom portal

9:00 – 9:45 Session 1: Teaching and Learning in a connected worldUsing Social Media for educational purposes and your own professional development

9:45 – 10:30 Session 2: Learning Activities that use Digital ToolsSee how other teachers have created or enhanced a lesson by incorporating free, easy-to-use tools In groups – try out the Learning Event Generator!

10:30 – 11:00 Tea and group brainstorm11:00 – 11:45 Session 3: Getting ideas, mastering tools, creating Learning Activities

Devise a Learning Activity that would teach a new concept to a group using a tool or technique.

11:45 – 12:00 Groups show off their Learning Activities and tools12:15 – 1:00 Lunch

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Innovation Workshop: Afternoon Schedule12:15 – 1:00 Lunch1:00 – 2:00 Session 4: 21st Century Learning Dimensions

Learn about five dimensions that 21st Century teachers should aim towards and how to include them in your learning activities

2:00 – 2:45 Look at other teacher’s Learning Activities and code them2:45 – 3:30 Session 5: Creating your own Learning Activity

Brainstorm ways of creating or enhancing a learning activity that you can use to develop 21st century skills

3:30 – 4:00 Session 6: Applying to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator: ExpertShow your passion for using technology for education and you stand a chance of winning a spot at the SchoolNet ICT in the Classroom conference to present your Learning Activity and being selected to attend the Partners in Learning Global Forum

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Session 1: Teaching in a Connected World

• Hands up! Who is on: Facebook; Twitter; LinkedIn?• Who has their own blog? • Who has their own website? • Who looks at other people’s blogs for educational purposes?• Who uses YouTube to look for classroom resources or tutorials?• Who has joined the Partners in Learning Network?• Who has signed up as a SchoolNet SA member?• Who has registered on the Vodacom Digital Classroom?

By the end of this session you will:

Know about some social media tools that you can include in your classroom

Know how to use social media as a professional development tool

Know where to find great, free online resources and tools for enhancing your lessons

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How can social media be used as a professional development tool?

What are some of the advantages of using social media for professional development (compared to other forms of professional development)?

Activity: Brainstorm: 5 minutes

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Social Media as a professional development tool• Webinars - wide range of topics, free, easy to join• Online TeachMeets – lots of quick, fun ideas• Video or step-by-step tutorials on how to use different tools • Blogs where people share their experiences• Access to a vast range of tools and ideas for using them• Network of supportive, excited, inspired and motivated

teachers!

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• Heaps of free opportunities• Anywhere, anytime, at your own pace

learning• Just in time learning• Vast professional network to draw on• You can contribute your ideas,

resources and learnings to the big pool• You can do a formal course (earn a

certificate, qualification or badge) or you can just look something up – or ask for help – when you need help

Advantages of Social Media over other forms of professional development

Get Tweeting!If you have a smart phone you can access the tool that many regard as the top professional development tool - TWITTER

Go to the SchoolNet SA blog to find out more about Tweeting Watch a YouTube video on Using Twitter for Professional DevelopmentAnd / Or look atMaggie Verster’s Slideshare on “Getting Started with twitter”To develop this course – we walked the walk!

• We consulted our contacts who tweet a lot! @fbeal @maggieV• We looked for resources on a trusted blog and YouTube• We used other people’s resources with acknowledgement

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Who is worth following?Handle What

@schoolnetsa This organisation empowers teachers to use technology to enhance education. Daily links to free tools and blog posts.

@PILNAfrica Aims to show African teachers how to find and use Microsoft resources for education.

@MicrosoftPIL Get ideas for using tools and resources on the Microsoft Partners in Learning Network. A global resource!

@CoZa_Cares A foundation that enables sustainable ICT partnerships in schools. Great links to resources and inspirational ideas.

@maggiev ICT/ Social Media for learning and teaching activist.

@nharm Google Certified Teacher, Intel Senior Trainer, passionate ipad user

When someone re-tweets someone interesting – follow that person too!Un-follow people who don’t interest you.Look out for people’s handles and follow them.

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Which hash-tags are worth following?

Hashtag What

#edchatsa This is a Twitter chat for South African teachers on Monday nights from 8:30 - 9:30pm. Debate topics using 140 characters!

#msedu Microsoft Education – the hashtag for Microsoft tools, events and resources for South African teachers.

#sateachers South African teachers share news and ideas relating to education.

If you see an interesting # search it!Trending #s change all the time. If you want to create one just start including it in your tweets.Include #s in your tweets so people can see your contribution to the conversation

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Twitter gets Fiona Beal’s creativity soaring• @ideas_Factory – tweets a

link to “How can I webstream an event?

• Fiona will be attending a TeachMeet so she clicks the link to see how to stream it.

• That leads to an article about webcasting using different tools by Wesley Fryer.

• Fiona then sees Wesley has just done a workshop on creative writing. Fiona’s passion!

• Which links to a Alan Levine’s wiki post on writing using five photos as inspiration.

A new tool, a new technique, someone else’s experiences, fresh inspiration for teaching a topic!

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Facebook for education – who is worth liking?

Tweet about it!

Who do you like on Facebook or follow on Twitter that you would recommend for professional development?

Helen Robertson: Cornwall Hill College, GautengFunctions for Technologically Functioning Teens

Teacher set up a Whatsapp and Facebook group to encourage independent learning.

Learners (and sometimes the teacher) answered questions after hours.

Resources and homework available.

As a teaching tool?

Charli Wiggill – Eden College DurbanPay it Forward for the Blind Project

Used the power of Facebook this teacher and his learners got people around the world to read, record and upload stories for blind children

What is the Partners in Learning Network?• A global online resource • A community for educators and school leaders • A platform to encourage collaboration and the

spread of ideas to improve education worldwide

How do you join the Partners in Learning Network?www.pil-network.com

What can teachers do on the Partners in Learning Network?

accessLearning Suite tools and lesson plans

supportfrom tutorials and professional development

connectto share resources discuss hot topics

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Register at digitalclassroom.co.za

Become a SchoolNet Member, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter