Say it out loud

It was a funny lesson.
I had my ITGS class today, who are not having the best of times at the moment, shall we say.

I am (still) trying to get across the value and importance of not only reading/watching/listening to news, but to inspect it more closely.  I mean really inspect it: how does it really relate to the ITGS?  What language is being used?  Which Strand 1, 2, 3 elements are being hit?  And so on.

It has been an uphill battle, to some extent.  So today, I took them back to primary school.  Figuratively, of course.

We watched a short video clip (from BBC Click) about how mobile Internet is being made available in the remotest part of the Amazon.

The task was to call out each time they heard language they they though related to the ITGS course.

• "Router"
• "Telecommunications"
• "Data"
• "Smartphone"

Delicious!
It was fascinating (and encouraging) to hear them not simply watch an item of news, but actively watch an item of news.  Possibly, for the first time in a long while, I could see them processing content, second-by-second.  Literally, on the fly.

Have I cracked it?  Will they now watch news differently?  Will they be caught at home calling out key terminology, in front of Mum and Dad?

Let's see.

Talking versus Doing

Do you recall the end of my last post?

The iPad is a tool.  It is not a panacea.

I completely understand how excitement can play a part in leading a project like this.  And that is great - after all, that helps with the change process.  However, the motivation must be about improving learning, not establishing a rich IT-based inventory.

We are about to begin the process of introducing iPads, but it starts with People.  And talking.  Lots of talking.

It turns out that not everyone wants to 'talk' first, 'do' later.  The order for the iPads is in;  the discussions and planning are not.

However, and despite this fait a complet, the right work still needs to be done.  So I passed on some nuggets to relevant staff.  These nuggets include surveys and research completed by the Tanglin Trust, an outstanding school and reported by the Guardian Newspaper (UK) in 2006 as being one of the best international schools in the world.  Anyway, I made their findings available to the school.  And, through Switch, a local Apple Premium Reseller, I have also arranged for a visit to a school that has a more developed and more mature programme.  I hope this visit will trigger a series of talking points within the school ... ahead of the delivery of these iPads.

I really don't want technology to land onsite for us to 'install a handful of apps' and 'see how it goes'.

But who knows.  Let's hope my next instalment will reveal a raft of planning, reviewing, disucsisons...