Returning to a K-12 school environment after several years’ teaching at a Masters’ level at University has given me interesting insights into the way younger students engage with the research process. At different stages through their Primary/Elementary years, they are given fantastic opportunities to develop a variety of research skills – they are explicitly taught […]
Category: Teachers
One for the books: Schools need libraries too!
If you travel in library circles, an article published across various Fairfax publications on the weekend has been doing the rounds in your social media this week. The ‘cleverly’ titled: One for the books: The unlikely renaissance of libraries in the digital age is just one of a number of library themed articles published recently, […]
School library collection development: It’s not as simple as you might think
This semester, I have been lecturing in the unit EUN617, Managing and Organising Collections as part of the Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) course at Queensland University of Technology. From the outside looking in, collection development seems pretty straight forward. Why would you need tertiary level study to understand how to buy books and resources […]
We create our future: Why we need to embrace critical digital pedagogy
Why do I believe we need to embrace critical digital pedagogy in the design and experience of learning and teaching? Perhaps it is because I don’t want to live in a future like this: Science Fiction Fact? How would such a future come to be? A future dominated by commerce and competition, a future where […]
Managing a professional digital identity: A challenge for connected professionals
Every interaction we have online leaves indelible traces which are often referred to as our digital footprint. It is the data created by “what you’ve said, what others have said about you, where you’ve been, images you’re tagged in, personal information, social media profiles, and much more. ” University of Edinburgh Digital Footprint resources Because […]
Navigating the network for quality, credibility and authenticity: A challenge for connected professionals
On the internet, no one knows you’re a dog… via GIPHY It’s funny because it is true. When engaging with professional learning through your PLN, it is essential to have the capacity to quickly and effectively evaluate information and resources for their authenticity and credibility. With so much information available (see my previous post on […]
Effective time management: A challenge for connected professionals
Anyone who has spent anytime engaging with social networks and the internet in general will know of its addictive qualities. Whether it is endlessly scrolling through photos on Instagram, reading Tweets as they pop up during your favourite reality television program (watch them fly while QandA is on the TV!) or simply getting lost in […]
Managing infowhelm: A challenge for Connected Professionals
Initiating and maintaining a Personal Learning Network (PLN) can be an incredibly exciting, rewarding and very effective way to engage with professional learning. However, learning mediated by social networks is not without its challenges. This post is all about how to manage perhaps the most obvious challenge that connected professionals encounter when they engage through […]
Challenges for Connected Professionals: The shadow-side of the PLN
When you speak with teachers who maintain a Personal Learning Network (PLN) for professional learning, most of them wonder how they ever lived without it. Being able to tap into the global ‘hive mind’ to seek inspiration, new pedagogical approaches, feedback and collegial support is pretty awesome. Prior to the development of digital social networks, […]