Loisath-My ICT Journey

based on the Connect Learning with David Warlick podcast episode 98

I was listening to the podcast with Chris Lehmann about Educon 2.0 Conference. Chris Lehmann is the “Principal” of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia. It is a school with Year 9 and 10 students -and growing- with a progressive philosophy using web 2.0 technology to achieve their goal. They collaborate with their students in all matters, work closely together as a staff and always have the “scientific” approach as the understory for their pedagogy.
Inquiry Research Collaboration Presentation Reflection
It sounds like a dream school, one that is beginning to look like a true school of the future, one that has stepped out of the mould away for the stereotypical institutions that we know as schools. It is no wonder that Chris Lehmann talks so enthusiastically about his school.

Secondly, this is the second podcast that I have heard the same story told the by podcast author. In this scenario David Warlick had his podcast notes on iTunes infected by porn spam and he had only found out about it through his Twitter network. He didn’t know the person who had found the spam bu the way that the spam was discovered was by a podcast user who didn’t know David but made a comment on Twitter for someone to tell the him of the spam. This is exactly the same as the previous story but different people. “An example of the “bigger mind” a community of people who you are in conversation with.”

This is the whole point of Web 2.0. It is about the community of like-minded people who you may never have met but are “in conversation” with.
I feel I am at the edge of this conversation not quite in there. I know it is difficult at the beginning to build the conversation because a conversation can’t be one way. It means having to have something to say too and being prepared to make comments and read what others have to say. I know that it is worth it because I can see the conversations that others are having.

It is the biggest revolution in professional communication in my lifetime. Instant messaging is huge but the way this has grown to become a tool for Personal Learning and Professional Growth is powerful.

I had a great day at the ICTEV annual conference on Saturday despite
the fact that it was Saturday! It never ceases to amaze me how the
networking is one of the best things that you get from the day. Within
every session there is the primary message and the other message that
you happen to get from the person sitting nearby or next to you. I
recommend sitting with people you don’t know because you never know
whom you will meet, what you will have in common and what you can share
and or swap.
TWITTER:
If you weren’t on it you missed the other conference! The twitterverse
was a conference within a conference. Not only did I get an instant
lesson in Twittering but gained a great network of twitterers and
bloggers to follow.

Reading through the “tweets” that went on throughout the day it seems that everyone was keeping in touch and informed through the instant messaging system. Some kept and shared notes on the sessions using twitter and on the extra activities in the intervals such as interviews and podcasts. It reminded me of the way teenagers like to work when they have their preferred instant messaging open while they are doing their homework. I think the only difference is that the twitters were trying to at least keep an educational content or purpose to their communications. (This may be a bit too harsh on teenagers but I think banning IM systems only encourages communications outside the educational sphere of learning.)
I wonder if we could use IM for the same good purposes in secondary schools with students who struggle to maintain focus. Taking notes in the traditional way doesn’t appeal to many but let them send “tweets” or other IM about the key points of the subject they are learning and I wonder what would happen? This could be an organised network with the teacher having access to the messages.

What a day- I just wish I was part of the twitter network from the beginning of the conference!I