Presenting at conferences

While this is not high on my agenda of things to do, I am going to find myself doing this later on this year. I will be attending the Ulearn09 conference to speak about Tablet's and learning. Here is my intial idea for the summary of the presentation:

Tablets, tablets everywhere and now what to do with them?

Do you know what a tablet is? Or more importantly what can you do with one? This will be an informative session which introduces two teachers using tablet PC’s in their Year 6 classrooms. Come on a journey with them to discover what a tablet can do for a teacher and student. See what examples of work have been created and pick up ideas to use back in your own classroom. OneNote, ArtRage and handwriting technology will be explored. The children will be also be giving their feedback on what it is like to have a tablet to use.

My niece.....not scared of technology

I had a great weekend in Rotorua.  When we were in Warehouse Stationery I couldn't help but take this picture of my niece.  She is a true child that has grown up in a digital world not knowing life without the Internet, mobile phones and computers.  So I watched with interest as she sat at one of the digital photo computers clicking, experimenting and just fiddling around with the software.  There was no fear!

Digital Natives.....What digital natives?????

After observing my children interacting online and with the Tablets that I am currently using in my classroom I am wondering when I am going to see the Digital Native come out in them.  I am more of a digital native than them at the moment.  They are not naturally drawn to technology, they are quite content on using books and don't seem too concerned with wanting to use their tablets.  My question is .... Are digital natives only digital natives if they are playing computer games or talking on a mobile phone for the purpose of saying in touch with friends and entertainment because at the moment I am not convinced that the younger generation are techno savie.

Leadership

Currently I am beginning my paper 'Issues and perspectives of Educational Leadership'. At first glance, I have no idea about the readings but as I begin to think more about the paper things are beginning to click. It makes me think about technology and leadership. Are there enough leaders in schools who know enough about technology to encourage its correct use? Are they making the right decisions?

The paper suggests that Leadership does not come in a package nor can it be learnt as a skill. But my question is then: How do you get it?

Life without the mobile

After an excellent weekend away I wondered to myself driving back from Auckland. What would we do without a mobile phone? Throughout the entire weekend I was constantly organising to meet people using my mobile. I wonder whether I would still have those friends if mobiles didn't exist or in fact, I would have never met them in the first place. On Saturday night as I was eating dinner at a very nice restaurant I cast my eye at the table to see 6 mobile phones sitting at the dinner table. Bareing in mind that there were only 4 people sitting at the table I can help wondering whether having a mobile phone is all its cracked up to be. Being contactable any time, any where. I don't think I could live without one, but has society become mobile dependent and would I get mobile phone withdrawals if something happened to mine?

University

I have decided after much deliberation to continue on with my Master of Education with two papers this year. The first one I have decided to do is about Education Leadership. I am interested in this area of education. How do you develop a successful team of people that are creative, innovative and dynamic? People who can take risks and explore new possibilities? Hopefully being able to look at the issues and ideas behind Educational Leadership may lead me to acquire some of this knowledge.

The second paper is Educational Research. I have been told..... if you are going to do a thesis then you have to do a Research Methods paper. "OH" I said in reply!!!!

What have I got myself into...................at least I only have myself to blame :0)

Bring it on I say..........

Thank goodness I have Internet again!!!!

Its amazing how much you rely on the Internet and a school network to communicate with other staff members. The School has suffered from a virus which has infected the Network for the past week or so. This meant that no communication via email or access to the Internet.

I now understand why people were fitter 10-15 years ago. If you had a message for someone, you had to go and find them to deliver it to them. I must have wandered around the school more times in the past week than all last year, because I have to physically locate the person I needed. Was it a bad thing? I am not sure. But I am sure glad it is all back up and running!!!