Here I am up in the clouds again…
winging my way to the inaugural #padcampchch.
Just what MAGIC is in store for us today?
Soon after the inaugural educampchch,
Carol Kendall initiated #padcampchch and
I immediately booked my airfares. Having
been in Christchurch for four days last week I knew I could not afford the time
for a five hour drive each way. I also
knew that I could not miss this professional learning opportunity.
I have had an iPad for over a year
now and I’m running a BYOB class with a large number of students bringing iPads
or iPods to class. I am constantly in
awe of the creativity and learning potential of both the learners and the tool
and I am very keen to realise more potential in our use of it. Yesterday was our class assembly and three
boys in class chose to share about their use of their devices. I loved listening to them talk about the
ubiquity and ownership; the power of the device and the way they share their
learning with others in little app fests.
They really are controlling the learning journey.
I had a blended learning vision early
in 2012 where the learners would be able to access learning online at anytime
and face to face and collaboratively in class.
We do the face to face and in class learning well but I am still only
beginning the fully blended online learning capability. Our blog is fabulous for sharing our
learning journey. Our wiki is an amazing
site where each learner is co-creating our learning journey. Our Google sites are beginning to share the
potential of a blended environment.
I am also only baby steps along the
journey of digital citizenship but every day brings an opportunity to share and
discuss ownership of learning and sharing and collaboration.
I was away from class last week and
came back to find that my lovely class had not really managed their learning
selves in the way they do when I am there.
It was nothing major at all, just little things like not taking
responsibility for learning tasks or their individual responsibilities. I was really disappointed and discussed it
with them and staff. My very perceptive
teacher who shares my class told me to relax.
She likens my expectations of independence to senior high school. This was a very welcome comment, as I was
really beating myself up. I was also
questioning whether the learners were ‘managing themselves’ “just for me”. Lots of great discussions and learning later
and we are on a wonderful path to extending our self management.
Looking out the window I am comparing my learner's self management to the tributaries of this river or the mash up of the patchwork quilt of fields... Certain things just have to happen to realise full potential...
Anyway – back to #padcampchch. I am really excited about the potential of
networking with amazing educators from around New Zealand. As Jo tweeted this morning – it is MAGIC when
the twitter family meet up face to face.
I am really excited about the entire focus of the day – creative use of
the iPad. This is not about the
apps! It is about using the tool to
enhance learning opportunities and to empower creativity. I often reflect on the cover of the recent
interface magazine signalling the death of the desktop…. I wonder how far away
we are from the death of the laptop. The
power of the iPad as a learning tool continues to amaze and inspire.
So, here I am on 1 September 2012,
the first day of spring, winging my way to Christchurch on “Random Act of
Kindness Day”. A day to really ensure
MAGIC happens everywhere all the time.
I have been really unwell and my ears
and nose are really blocked, my throat is aching… The wonderful air host just
stopped by for a chat and MAGIC happened.
He bought me a container of carvel to sniff to clear my nose and ears
and it is amazing. They really are clearing. So there we go… 7.35am and the first Random
Act of Kindness has come my way…
I
wonder how many I can sneak in today to really make this the most special day
it can really be. We are expected into
Christchurch early – so not long now til I catch-up with Jo, Tara and Pauline
and we head off to Wairairi for the MAGIC of the day…
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