Upon creating a shared vision--an idea highlighted by this speaker--again, technology was described as pervasive to each element of a model. Technology was seen as a means to a learning centred vs. teaching centred model. Particular initiatives such as administrator e-portfolios (also described by my home board) were brought up.
Some memorable quotes:
- we don’t take students to the pencil room… why a computer room?
- technology should be an accelerant but nearly invisible (referring to Fullan)
Curricular theory and theorists were referred to often, setting a clear grounding in research, of this two pillars were identified:
- Assessment for Learning
- Instructional Design
I absolutely agree with the memorable quote about the "pencil room". Sometimes it takes an overexaggerated statement to really make a point.
ReplyDeleteTechnology can be a funny thing, because you don't have to completely understand it to use it. I once had a teacher complain about D2L because she wasn't able to download a file. It turns out that there was a problem with her browser and an add-on she hadn't installed properly. I don't think she quite understood the way that our system or her browser worked, and after a time tying to explain I said (with quiet exasperation): "You know when you drive down the highway and hit a pothole? Do you call Chrysler to complain about it?"
Fortunately, she took the comment in good humour.
-Monti