Intranet, Internet, Ultranet. Why?

[Colan]

I have long been a fan of new technology, i feel comfortable picking up new gadgets, software and running with them. What i have to become better at is using it to improve students outcomes, i am convinced that it can, but i struggle with planning delievery of programs when the rate of change is so great and the structure of our system and resources are still 20th century. Consider the effort we take to get our students ICT savy in years p to 10. How does the VCE fit in here, a pen and paper exam, hand written answers. We ban graphical calculators in chemistry, physics because they allow students to cheat on old fashion exam questions. Is this the best we can do? Our political leaders talk about an education revolution. Our buildings are old and most schools can only pray that they recieve funds to modify inefficent poorly designed buildings to improve their usefulness, not meet the modern needs of students. It is time to put the software aside a while and have the discussion on what we want kids to be able to do. What are the skills that employers are going to require of these students in 5 years time? What software, gradgets will exist at this time? What was the situation just 5 years ago.
Having got some of that off my liver, i have high hopes for the concept of an ultranet. To me it is an opportunity to bring all stake holders on board as contributors to a childs education. It is all about communication and efficiency. What will it look like? When will it arrive? To be successful teachers need to see that it helps them improve the performance of their students!!!! the curriculum and its deleivery must be turned on its head. Where are we going to find the teachers with the required skill and belief to make this happen.This is the real challenge.

[Anne Mirtschin]

I am sure that the VCE will fit in here. If students have access to bulletin boards and forums at home, they can seek help from their teacher or their fellow students, in a manner that they enjoy and are used to working with. Many of these skills and tools are just a platform for them to use often as an alternative to normal study devices. However, their greatest impact is on the ability to share with others, gain an authentic audience and collaborate, rather than work as one isolated individual.

[Colan]

A number of discussions over recent weeks has convinced me to take a few more risks. We have an intranet that can be made available on line to invited users. We need to set this up and go to the next level with it. Teachers will need to work in this environment when the ultranet arrives, so why not now?
We are in need of an ICT plan please think about what a school should be striving for over the next five years. What do we want our students to acheive?
Skills versus facts?? Where does the VCE fit in here?

[Bec]

All of these comments, and examples from professional reading and experiences are very interesting. I am experiencing a range of reactions from students in the upper primary area, and find that not all Web 2.0 applications suit all students, which stands to reason of course, but the challenge is to maintain interest and motivation after the novelty has worn-off for those students. The more I delve into Web 2.0, the more I realise that it certainly does cater for the diverse learning styles of our students.

[Simon]

Anne and Colan thanks for your comments I think your points about student learning are very important and worth discussing further. I agree we must make decisions in education based on improved student learning and engagement in our schools. Currently our system has many funny ways of supporting schools, teachers and students in that process of learning.

Yes our buildings are old, our classrooms unequipped but at the heart of any learning organisation (community) are teachers/groups of teachers who are innovative and inspirational to each other and who make do by putting students at the centre of all learning decisions …..…..I see online learning environments such as nings, wikis, blogs as ways to open up the old tired classroom walls and go beyond, connecting, collaborating, sharing and learning outside ones community.

I rather like this quote from Greg Whitby’s article (Pedagogies for the 21st Century-having the courage to see differently) a must read.
http://gbwhitby.parra.catholic.edu.au/presentations.htm

Our narrative reminds us that, at the centre of the process of education, is the individual student. Peters (2003) says, ‘Teaching is about one and only one thing: Getting to know the child,’ and Caldwell (2006) echoes this in his first theme in imagining the selfmanaging school: ‘The student is the most important unit of organisation – not the classroom, not the school, not the school system.’

I think if we as educators can engage our communities in discussions about how we best prepare our students for a world of Digital Literacy and Knowledge Production we can start to move towards a more personalised learning framework for all.

This challenge According to David Warner (2006), for instance, the emergence of information communication technologies (ICT) and the development of Web 2.0 (e.g. YouTube, Flickr, MySpace, del.icio.us) have transformed the social and economic landscape. These changes have a profound impact on schooling as educators prepare students for life beyond the classroom – a transition which should be seamless and familiar.

As Hargreaves (2004) explains: We are only at the beginning of this transformation,
which will not be simply about ICT in classrooms but about a new relationship between what happens in formal education and what happens in the home, the workplace and the community.

Quotes are from Greg Whitbys article: Pedagogies for the 21st Century-having the courage to see differently (2007)

[Anne Mirtschin]

I agree entirely with your comments on the problem with VCE students going from the online environment or their use of computers in the middle school years, and returning completely to pen and paper for those final exams. I really enjoyed being part of the online trial for VCE accounting exams but that trial ceased as budget cutbacks were made and the emphasis placed on AIMS online testing.
Technology and its use will escalate and as educators we need to keep up, or education will lose the powerful impact that it needs to have.
Great to see you blogging and I enjoyed reading your post.