Leading Practitioners Leading Learners

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Leading PractitionersLeading Learners
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A bit of background

• The future of CPD is very different from the
  present model
• the National Strategies are adopting the Blended
  Learning approach
• Blended Learning is one particular expression of
  a far broader development
• economic, social, technological and educational
  trends are all moving in the same direction
• e-learning, and networks of e-learners, is an
  essential element in the coming model of CPD

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An unfairly exaggerated picture of CPD today . . .

• one-size-fits-all
• top-down
• one-off
• done to the learner
• not thought through

• not responsive to real need
• not disseminated
• not embedded
• not owned
• not reflected upon

Its not working and its certainly not value for
money!
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A vision of a better future

• Blended Learning is an approach to learning that
• enables the learner to make informed choices
  about which materials to use, matched to their
  own development needs
• helps the learner review the effectiveness and
  impact of the use of the materials on their role
  in school
• gives the learner flexible access to ICT-based /
  on-line learning and web-based materials
• complements face-to-face professional development
  activities
• supports professional learning communities (e.g.
  networks) and peer-to-peer learning at local
  level and through web-based learning

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Wider developments in thinking about learning

• Blended Learning is only one brand which builds
  on current thinking about how people learn
• Constructivist learning theory
• learners construct knowledge for themselves
• each learner individually (and socially)
  constructs meaning for themselves as they learn
• therefore its more productive to concentrate on
  the learner than on the subject to be learned
• there is no knowledge independent of that
  constructed by the learner - or community of
  learners.

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Social constructivism

• Lev Semenovich Vygotsky
• Piaget people should construct their own
  version of truth
• Vygotsky its important to discuss our version
  of truth with others
• this mediation gets us to a higher order of truth
• its socially tested

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The future is networked economics and society
Principles such as mass production and
one-size-fits-all are now completely
outdated. The Support Economy, Why Corporations
Are Failing Individuals and the Next Episode of
Capitalism Maxmin and Zuboff, 2002 From the
Internet to Al Qaeda, the teetering electricity
grid to old school ties, we live in a world of
networks. Network Logic Who governs in an
interconnected world? Ed. McCarthy, Miller,
Skidmore pub. Demos 2004
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The future is networked technology and education
Only connect Howards End by E.M. Foster
1910 Telegraph, telephone, radio, television,
email, the net, mobile phones, broadband,
wireless, Web 2.0 Personalisation It is only
possible for schools to begin to assemble
solutions for the real needs of individual
learners if they work in partnership
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Thats enough theory Ed.

• e-learning networks
• enable learners to connect
• with each other
• with each others connections
• enable learners to share
• resources
• ideas
• reflections
• links

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Who?

• Initial target groups
• Norfolk ASTs
• Personalisation and intervention
• Assessing Pupil Performance in English then maths
• Intervention
• Study Plus pilot
• English and maths teachers, TAs and SL
• Intervention Team
• English and maths teachers, TAs and SL
• self-study modules
• Advisers
• blogs
• reflecting, opinionating, discussing

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The offer

• Support
• training
• platform familiarity
• blogging
• podcasting
• video documentation and communication
• maintenance / e-moderation
• sparks
• advice and support
• modelling good practice

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The anticipation

• Engagement
• regular and reasonably frequent
• at least weekly?
• active
• with increasing confidence
• share ideas, insights, resources
• open self-reflection
• using the range of platforms as appropriate
• network-aware
• host as well as visit

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What is to be done?
If you and your colleagues (e.g. Study Plus TAs,
SL i/c intervention, ASTs) are to be active
participants and / or supporters of e-Learning
networks, what do you need to do and to access?

• hardware
• training
• advice and support
• time
• other?