Tuesday, April 21, 2015

STEAM/STEM FFE Webinar with Mark Osborne and Dave ten Have

‘to create beautiful things to allow others to create beautiful things…’
Goal of inspiring creative confidence… Enabling people to meet goals in fun ways.
STEAM education – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, (Combination Left and Right Brain) Including emotional, social
STEM -  Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, (Left Brain)


Hands on learning, interdisciplinary,


DARPA
Defence research organisation
3D printing
Arduino.cc


Maker fair/makerspace


STEAM/STEM - bridging silos - holistic approach to teaching


Integrated teaching process - constructionism as a way of bringing ideas forward.


Moving from the idea that something is only worthwhile if it  is HUGELY complex… - opposed to simple incremental approaches to learning which is valued!





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Focus on engagement, understanding, reflection, creativity - about building confidence which technology is a conduit for!




The maker movement closely related to STEAM - maker movement economic and social part of STEAM.  


Maker movement typified by 3D printing…


Arduino Low cost, open, electronics computing platform
low-cost


Makey makey - eg piano of human interaction…. only limited by your imagination.  


Engaging in the real world…


Repurposing and using elements in the world around us… eg tinfoil…


Bringing technology to life… world as a construction kit!


Bust open the world around us and use the bits to explore… Having the intellectual and emotional tools to repurpose, ‘Macguyverism!!!! love it !


Breaking down the learning area silos.
Engaging learning activities
Gender, cultural, socio-economics inequity - breaking down the barriers.
Space for creativity in life.
Brain and body engaged.
Unlocking the potential for creativity.

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Sunday, April 19, 2015

TedXQueenstown - Cam Calkoen

Dreams of a world where everyone is presented with opportunity, and our bodies are not barriers to succeeding in our dreams and aspirations. It is dreams that have brought the world to what we see today. And our aspirations will propel it into the future.

Emotional start... challenges of the way I walk, the way I talk...

Embrace our challenges, our uniquenesses to exceed expectations of all....

You can be whatever you want to be in the world... if you believe you can....

Quick to learn... fit and healthy mind... anything is possible...

Don't be blinded by short issues you can't control... rather than long term goals you have complete control over....

Seeing people to identify with.... if disabilities in the dictionary says this about me... what does society say about me....

Difference is a good thing!!!

Don't be caught up in trying to be the same...

Need to be gooder than good greater than great... need to be awesome... we all do!!!!

Step outside comfort zone...  Be our personal best...

We can only listen to one voice at time... Just do it...

Acceptance of diversity brings about unity... what we say can make us stop or go...

See opportunity, have clarity, go for awesome...

Why step outside your comfort zone... we all have potential, dreams take us to the world we see today... embracing support and inspiration to the BEST we can be...

Our society can change the bullying...

If we encourage all to live their dreams... believe in our dreams...

How good am I at this?  

Dreaming the dream - stepping into the environment where we are unknown...

Connecting people with people, people with inspiration, people with dreams.

What does it look like when I live for awesome.

Be so passionate about what I do - want to tell the world....

Be gooder than good, be greater than great, be awesome...

How BIG are we dreaming?  Live for a purpose beyond ourself!!

Our success if achieved from how we move to connect the lives of others...

What do I want to do?  Rather than what I want to be...

What would life be like if we saw our self as less than what we can be?

Words inspire actions... let us not wait until our name is in lights... see everyone for who they can be... 

EXTENDED STANDING OVATION.... So deserved....

TedXQueenstown - Mark Balla

During his travels set up non-profit org we cant wait to make simple ideas that are good for humanity work in practice. Mark currently lives in Melbourne.

Uneducated teenage girls because there are no toilets for them... in India.

One third of the world's population don't have access to sanitation.

Our world's approach to this problem is all wrong... 

Schools in India - 1.4 million schools, 200,000 have no toilets... 400,000 statistically unusable... 150,000,000 have no functional toilets... half of them don't have separate toilets for girls.... 23% drop out because of lack of toiletting facilities!

One hundred million homes in India without toilets...

Hope - two years after toilets were put in one school - no female dropouts!

Charity.... 'we can't wait' https://www.facebook.com/wecannotwait

Children are the most spectacular agents for lasting change...

TedXQueenstown - Lydia Kan

Modern day adventurer who pushes the boundaries of human endurance and helps others demonstrate the principles of success.

Redefining what 'normal' is...

What does 'home' mean to me?  Where I am born?  Where I go to tonight? 

Is home my sanctuary, castle, refuge, worry, ... is there a trade off?

"I bought time by giving up my home!"

Taking the time to say "YES" might matter a whole lot more than other stuff...

Mindfulness... 

We all have a purpose, a mission, a quest... that is where happiness lies... Find what you are meant to do and give it your whole heart...

Finding my voice and my way to make the world a better place.

Be unafraid to be different!

Can I choose more life in my life?

Read - your money or your life...

Our time is limited... am I trading off work time?  What if my work quest is what I want to do every day?

Create a kete, a toolbox, what can I do to use my time the best way I can...

Am I living my bucket list?

#tedxqueenstown - Marcus Winter



Marcus Winter (AKA The Sandman) blurs the lines between conventional painting, street art and theatrical performance… his creations are powerful, mesmerising and if you turn away for a second…. You might just miss something!

Telling stories through making images with sand, Marcus has been wowing audiences by illustrating conference themes or messages through his art.

New ideas… ideas worth sharing…

Interpreting ideas visually in the sand… simple/complex, starting business, capturing historic moments… changes, acknowledging ideas… Capturing in the sand…

Sharing cultural ideas – unique perspective! Paradigm lens… Share beauty from country and culture, restore or revitalize past stories and history, identity, who I am…

Sharing the tradition of burying the placenta at significant place of “home”.

Taught sand art by one of the greatest teachers of the 21ts Century – youtube…

Capturing the stories of the past…

The tale of how the heavens and the earth were created… telling traditional stories in contemporary ways….


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDzz_eDq3LE

Find the worth in my own ideas… do they make a difference to me and to the world? If they do – keep doing them!!!!!!!

TedXQueenstown - Jamie Fitzgerald

Jamie Fitzgerald is a world-class adventurer,motivational speaker and leadership development consultant, providing tools to inspire you and your team to achieve more.

Modern day adventurer who pushes the boundaries of human endurance and helps others demonstrate the principles of success.


Enduring and enjoying through adventure with others - then reflect...

Why do we do the things we do?

Proven efficiencies of the flight of geese...

Lessons from the red billed quela?

Exploring the rules of their acton:

  1. Fly at the same speed
  2. Turn to where you perceive the centre of the group to be
Self preservation... 

Common honey bee - serves the need of man like none other...
Complex, symbolic language... all the bees we see in the garden are girls... Bee mindset - sustainability with queen at the middle...

First crossings - check out the recording...

Questioning - why are we here?

Bringing a story to others... Making others understand a journey...

19 crews.... Transatlantic adventure...

"Through out the sea anchor or keep rowing" - in life...

Embrace what you are doing... even if it seems as if you are going nowhere... keep focused and do what you are doing to get where you want to be....

One conversation - if it is the best conversation - can be the difference that you need to make in life...

Sometimes when you think you are making the least progress - actually you are making the most....

Every species of creature, or team, work tirelessly to something that is important to them... alignment to a shared purpose... alignment not agreement...

Believing in and having a shared purpose makes the difference... be VERY clear about what you stand for and what your purpose is!!!

If you don't understand what you stand for you'll fall for anything....






TedXQueenstown - Caroline Dean

Haling from Hobart, Tasmania Caroline is working to educate the public around workplace bullying
http://www.carolinedean.com.au/

A very emotional start... First time speaking publicly... connecting with our hearts and our minds...

Talking about Jeremy Clarkson...  1 million people petitionoed to have him reinstated.... Clarkson fans have blamed his producer...

Who is the victim.. and who is the villain...

Gross inadequacies in system of institutionalism.... To support prisoners to reintegrate...  Toxic, bullying environment...

We MUST address bullying differently...

From subtle - to direct - daily... accused and investigated... physical cornered... Safer with prisoners than colleagues....

Zero trust... resilience lowered...

What is bullying to us??? Our children, our families.... 

The culture of bullying.... are we all products of our environment...???

We MUST stand up and make a difference... we must break these cycles, change systems...

We must embrace an organisational culture... "the way we do things around here" must be above and beyond work place bullying....

Redefining the problem of bullying makes it easier to deal with - how scary is this.... making a victim and a villain... right and wrong.. never gets to the heart of the problem or the culture of the workplace...

Inappropriate behaviour must be addressed...

Bullying is complex....

The way power is constructed defines the culture!

Bullying negatively impacts health....

Look at the culture and behavioural expectations - shifts focus from bully to the bullying behaviour....

Move from individual to system - responsibility involves all.  Bullying behaviour is learned therfore can be unlearned...

Success of the process:

  • Systems developed to manage
  • leadership and individual coaching
  • restorative practices...
Conflict dealt with proactively and early....

Building a culture of respectful behaviour...

We must move to a unify system  that respects all.... 



TedXQueenstown - Graeme James

Looper musician from Wellington looking at the beautiful tension between the known and unknown that is found in art.
https://www.facebook.com/graemejamesmusic 

Back into the hall after the most amazing gastronomic sensation that was Wild Earth.... and here we are being entertained in the MOST amazing way.....

MEAN as sound...

Connecting with the story of learning music... 

Idea - going with what appeals to you...

Life experiences, cultures, personalities... all determine our likes...

Creativity surrounds us... 

Why do certain things appeal to us?

2 elements in the complexity of taste:

  • familiar to be accessible - known - personally significant
  • different to be interesting - unknown - challenging
When these two come together in beautiful tension - there is the MAGIC of the experience...

Where do the MAGIC moments come from... establishing beautiful tension....

Multiple tracks to MAGIC in many ways... musically... in life... 

Beautiful tension... taking the lessons with you on the journey!

Creator or appreciator.. we can all grow in our appreciation of all around us... 

Experience of sharing in moments together...

Being in the moment... enjoying the moment... embracing the moment = MAGIC

Senses exploding with the MAGICAL sound... thanks a million Graeme James...





TedXQueenstown - Trey Ratcliffe

Pioneer of HDR photography and his travel blog ‘stuck in customs’ Trey originally hails from Texas now calling Queenstown home.
http://www.stuckincustoms.com/ 

What is out there... A love of taking photos... and a secret about life - found out along the way...

Connecting with us with three stories... 

Taking risks together...  A story of three parts...

Making a conscious effort to stop worrying about something!!! Take that worry and turn it into a time of being awesome...

Working on images makes Trey happy... so message... ignoring people might be a key skill.....

If you get hate - fight back with awesome....

Post production editing of HDR photos has drawn a whole lot of hare... 

Seeing the images makes me want to really explore the blog and check out the images...

New photo and story everyday - do I need to 

The right people will always turn up for you...

20+ stage of life... listening for the beat... what am I percolating that is great for me!  How will I stumble into my own greatness...

Getting beyond the uncomfortableness... embracing the uncomfortableness... The future is fiction. the past is just story...

Maximise all sensory input!  We give meaning to the story.... How we interact with the world around us is the story...

Living in the world as you imagine it - have a very thin veil from the real and the fantasy world...

Exploring the tension between the two worlds...

What is our there is not the question... the question is what is in me.

The entire universe is on the inside of us and we get to create whatever we want to create.....

"The future is a fiction, the past is a story we tell ourselves. Be present"


TedXQueenstown - Dane Barclay

Why would you even want to invite discomfort into your life?

We are not hardwired...

What makes me uncomfortable?  What make me feel sick?  How do my behaviours change.

Become more comfortable with discomfort.....

Life is THE place to feel stress and anxiety...

Our mind is where to control our negative thoughts and feelings... reality of life...

Experiencing the anxiety but maintaining our commitment to action.

Move from feeling good to perform - to performing no matter how we feel!!!  Playing without respect to how you are feeling..

Feeling comfortable with our discomfort - gives us the freedom we need...

Empathy and compassion... controlling behaviour under stress...
Frontal Lobe - Decision making/motor control ..

As the brain is processing energy and emotion... transferring blood flow... Brain trying to protect from stress and anxiety... brings on vomit and diarrhoea..

We need to learn to experience discomfort and get on with the task...

Uncomfortable thoughts do not have to control our behaviour...


  1. Where is your attention at?
  2. Normalise the experience
  3. Commit to action
Go out and get as uncomfortable as possible... it will give you the freedom to perform how you want to feel....

TedXQueenstown - Leslie van Gelder

An archaeologist and writer whose work focuses on the themes of sense of place, intimacy, vision, and wisdom. Leslie is currently engaged in research looking at the ways in which the archaeological record shows evidence of relationships and love.

Starting with a story... a long time ago in a cave... 27,000 years ago...

Feeling it in your solar plexus... intimacy... beautiful closeness amongst people.
'climbing over one's own walls to reach another...

Finger fluting... 

Liking the 'I don't knows'... where all of the possibilities lie....

Sitting with the 'I don't knows' in the light and in the dark... feeling it more in the dark...

Looking at the writings, movements on the wall... who did it, why and what and how... Going to the who enables intimacy.

Hand width is unique... Determining age by handwidth... and gender... moving from generalisations to unique individuals....

Back to the caves - Discovering that only 8 people had created the entire 'story'....

Hypothesis, that it was a ritual from a big culture... many... but it became about being intimate with a few... identifying intimacy...

Exploring 14 caves in Europe - largest number 9 smallest number two of finger fluting...

Identifying and discovering beautiful intimacies..... 

4 year old girl... second most prolific finger fluter... 

We all make our own marks in the world... small and intimate, large, colossal... strong small and graceful... Discovering the imtimacy - for each of us and we make our mark in the world, someone else holds our light... 

#tedxqueenstown... WOOHOO how MAGICAL is this...

#tedxqueenstown... 

What am I most looking forward to:

  • The MAGIC of connecting with new people;
  • Hearing the inspiration from all the presenters;
  • Feeling the buzz;
  • Being illuminated;
  • Blogging the day;
  • Celebrating Katie's birthday with her...
Woohoo - let the MAGIC begin...




Friday, April 17, 2015

TedXQueenstown - Dorenda Britten

"Dorenda Britten
Director / Design Strategist / Design Thinking


Shaping ideas that will shape tomorrow

I’ve always been captivated by the potential of good ideas to transform organisations and change lives. It’s led me to my life’s work – helping organisations shape ideas that will shape tomorrow.

10 years ago, I developed the Ten Design Principle Framework. This helps organisations develop a realistic design-led strategy that empowers teams to create unique products and services to delight their customers.

Design thinking is often considered complex. It doesn’t have to be.

Through executive and board-level mentoring, innovation team building and project scoping and implementation, I bring clarity and simplicity to design-led strategy.

To learn more, drop me a line think@dorendabritten.com"

Dorenda Britten

+64 21 288 3848


Christchurch
New Zealand

Managing Director At Dorenda Britten Ltd


Design Thinking
Design Strategy
Leadership
Commercialisation
Innovation
Product Design
Service Design
System Design
User Experience

The NZ Assumption.... dream, make, create, send out to the world and hope for the best...
What differentiates us? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata....

The systems we are using now are not doing what we need to do for all for our place... moving from beyond looking at ourselves to looking at other..

Design in the intent to create something that didn't exist before - an object, a system or a service... design thinking... taking the BIG step into design thinking... about people!!!!!! Creating value for people. Creatng a space for more people to work together to create solutions.  Diversity is essential to design thinking.... 

Wonderful diversity... about the way we are wired, the way we structure questions and challenge the status quo...

It is not a comfortable space - being outside the square...

We are a mixed bunch - clarity of purpose...

First step in design thinking:
clarity of purpose, what are we here, tension is inevitable.. good argument is what we NEED!
What are our goals here?  What are our challenges? Our opportunities...

Separating ideas from EGO - crucial.... exploration and refinement...

Value aligned with our purpose... that's what we must be about...

Sharing the personal story of her late brother John Britten...

I have a dream...

Are we going round in circles in New Zealand or are we challenging and going outside the square...
We have the opportunities and resources to be different... iit will require new tools, new thinking.... Design thinking - t bring people together in differnet ways... Celebrate our diversity and show the world how to do it - showing the world how to live together... can we become teachers and leaders to the world... can we....

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Spirals of Inquiry - Transforming Learning in Schools: Extending the Network

Where to now with Spirals of Inquiry?

WOW – what powerful sessions with Judy Halbert and Lynda Kaser.  I have so many next steps and I am incredible aware of the need to make it manageable.

Read the book:
My first step is to read the book. I am hopeful that we will have online contact details of our group by then and we can start some discussion groups…
I also need to continue to work my way through the Joan Dalton ‘Learning Talk’ books as they continue to inform and shape my facilitation.


Carol Dweck PD:
I really need to upskill on the work of Carol Dweck.  Step one – reading through Nina’s fabulous notes from her session in Christchurch recently was a great start.
Joining http://www.mindsetworks.com/default.aspx and reading up and watching videos here is another step.
Viewing http://www.jamesnottingham.co.uk/media/videos James interviewing Carol Dweck is another step.
I would also like to read her book and be part of a bookclub discussion.

Deliberate acts of facilitation:
Taking the deliberate acts of facilitation into my sessions with Principals and e-leaders is a must.  We have had modeled for us supremely well, deliberate acts of facilitation.  As a team we have reflected on them and now work to make them a routine part of our practice.

Teaching as Inquiry sessions:
We all have Teaching as Inquiry sessions coming up in our facilitation roles.  How can we best take our new learning into these sessions? I am incredibly keen to collaborate with others as we create a resource to support us all in this area.  The power of the collaborative inquiry is increasingly challenging me as I am beginning to see it as the ‘best’ if not the ‘only’ way to school transformation.  The four questions are all powerful.  Supporting principals and e-leaders to embrace a schoolwide quest to identify possible inquiries might be a next step.
Sharing readings with a cluster group and empowering them to run their own unpacking of the inquiry phases might be another way of working.

Reflection:
Continual reflection on my new learning is essential.  As I enter into more PD I am increasingly aware of the need to encapsulate all my learning in not only my own personal inquiry, but shaping it in a way to support our principals and e-leaders.

Exciting times indeed….

Monday, April 13, 2015

Collaboration

Collaboration!




"Teachers need time to use collaboration to explore deeply into issues; they need support in setting up collaborations so that every-day work-loads don’t balloon; they need ample release time and resources if we want them to connect with others both within and across schools and be part of a national agenda for better quality teaching." Denise Torrey New Zealand Principals' Federation Flyer April 2015.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Read Write Blog post by Monika

I blogged about my GAFE summit session and got this fabulous response...


http://thebelbird.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/support-your-students-literacy-with.html 

This blogpost is well worth checking out!!!!  Thanks Monika!!!

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Closing Keynote Always Learning Kimberley Hall

Always learning...

Looking at the world through the eyes of our learners!  
Constantly learning and adapting.

Learning is not linear and we cannot control how it happens...

Disruptive technology... eg using device to capture notes can be messy...

The only thing that is constant is change... (Heraculis) and we are living in a time of constant change!

Leanring:

  • Words matter
  • Saying yes is very important
  • Making language visible through actions and words
  • Our perspective matters - how often do we step back and learn through our kids eyes?

When there is a correct answer -a must watch.... oh the power of our words....
  • the process matters - sometimes the process matters more than the product
  • assess the present - not the past - the power of YET!!!!!
  • mindset - saying to our kids... yet - you may not be there yet - but you will get there....
  • anticipate failures!  Embrace failures....
  • being social matters
  • collecting all the data is a waste of time!  Only when we do something with it does it matter!
  • who you are learning with is important
  • what am I doing to make others great? (hmmm a whole new blog post percolating....)
  • teaching matters....
  • how are we ensuring technology is making a BIG enough difference?
  • WOW WOW WOW.... the more we connect the better it gets!!!
ABSOLUTLEY MAGIC closing keynote!!!! 






Telling Stories with the Youtube Editor Jim Sill

https://sites.google.com/site/mistersillytintheclassroom/editorcreate

Youtube capture

Mobile uploads - share email addresses

Free music to use for videos...








Explore and create with youtube.com/editor

Explore the use of cc videos to cut clips from your search!

Add images, audio, to create mood, illusion, 

WOW - movie making MAGIC!!! I need weeks to play... weeks... weeks... 




Show, Don't Tell: Screencasting 101 Chris Betcher

Show, Don't Tell: Screencasting


All these notes directly from Chris' presentation...
  • Prepare your computer...
    • clean up the desktop, remove distracting wallpaper
    • decide what you want to capture and resize windows if necessary
    • close unnecessary windows
    • prepare the screens, examples and files you want to use
    • turn off distractions such as message popups, notifications, etc
Quick and easy, or taking your time to make a quality screencast.

Think through the story or narrative of what you are trying to create...

  • Prepare your physical environment...
    • find a quiet spot to record
    • avoid rustling papers, squeaking chairs, barking dogs, passing traffic, etc
    • use a good desktop microphone, or headset/mic set if possible
    • if you include video of yourself, check for good lighting, framing, etc
Think through all of these.  Good quality mic is necessary.

  • Prepare yourself...
    • design the lesson you plan to give
    • think about what you will say and how you will say it
    • keep it short, sharp and to the point
    • your lesson should be as long as it needs to be, but no longer!
    • use a script if you feel you need one
    • rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!
Rehearsing is very important

  • Now go!
    • speak clearly and articulate your words
    • find a speech rate that works for you, not too fast, but not too slow
    • describe what you're doing on screen and match your descriptions to your actions
    • keep your mouse still unless you're actually doing something with it
    • be yourself!
  • Evaluate
    • be prepared to do a couple of takes! It's rare to get it right first go
    • watch your screencast back and evaluate your effort. if you think you can do better, do it again!
Snagit for Chrome - install app and extension

Ability to capture a screen shot and share the url to it.

Short videos, animated gifs, Longer videos go to youtube...

Challenge - 
Create a still snap, annotated
Create a simple video - 10 seconds

Screen Castify - add extension only

WOW - I need to explore this further - appears to be incredibly easy to use either...

SNAGIT app - buy $30 ish

Fuse