Together Towards Tomorrow Conference
For all those who have been moaning that summer hasn’t started yet, its because it’s all been hiding over in the Bay of Plenty. Paengaroa turned on a beautiful day for us to shut ourselves away indoors, but teachers turned out in droves for a great day of learning to focus the beginning of their year.
Warren Patterson set the tone of the day with a keynote on working for success - looking at the keys that lead to that and lessons from the research for us as teachers. This was followed with Russell Brebner introducing us to Umajin software, and then, after morning tea, we were in to the first round of workshops. Many of these were hands on sessions, but many of them with teachers being able to work on their own laptop through the local school wireless network. Teachers learnt lots of practical ideas for their classrooms and had their ideas and practices challenged.
Lunch, a fabulous spread, was eaten sitting out in the sunshine, and then it was in to the second workshops followed by a keynote on gaming by Gareth Schott - not just about playing games, but using game strategies and technologies in learning. When games are so motivating we all have much to learn about the strategies involved. The software developed through gaming also has much to contribute to the classroom.
The final workshop round followed, and then many of those who had stayed on for the final round were fortunate enough to take home some fabulous spot prizes donated by the conference sponsors.
Listening to the talk during refreshment breaks, those who gave up their day to attend had plenty to take back to the classroom with them next week. New strategies, new management systems, new software, and hopefully a new awareness of the present and future reality that our students are already embracing. Teaching with and through ICT is not just about the technologies, it is about the change to
- students taking more ownership of their learning
- teachers being aware that students need to learn about and understand how they learn, and enabling them in this process
- students and teachers developing their thinking and creativity along with many other skills that will stand students in good stead to be empowered in their now (21st century) world
- greater partnership in the classroom with each learning from the strengths of each other
- developing curriculum that is relevant and meaningful to all those involved
- greater joy, energy and persistence in learning
There are many more things that could be added to this list. The great thing about this and other such conferences is that they begin (or build) the process.
Great work Lorraine, Bruce and all the team who made this such a great day.
