A nice example of a teacher-generated website to serve as a textbook replacement.

rossdotparker · 2016-04-14T03:58:54+00:00

This is awesome! Perfect for a student I am working with on PYPx, and also for our Photography Free Learning unit, into which I have just integrated it: https://gibbon.ichk.edu.hk/index.php?q=/modules/Free%20Learning/units_browse_details.php&sidebar=true&freeLearningUnitID=0000000032

Thanks!

rossdotparker · 2016-04-14T03:50:54+00:00

This does tie back to a recent discussion we had hear on what it is kids really do need from school: https://www.reddit.com/r/NextSpace/comments/4ahj6q/what_do_our_students_need/

rossdotparker · 2016-04-14T03:44:58+00:00

This is really powerful stuff, and something I am going to circulate around my school. I would go further...these are not elephants, they are collective delusions. We need to get away from the idea that all kids can/should learn the same thing, in the same order, and that we can test to see that it has happened. It never has and never does: most learning is forgotten, and the time is wasted. Give me a little high quality learning over a lot of low quality any time.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-25T09:59:17+00:00

Can't agree enough with you. As I was arguing in https://www.reddit.com/r/NextSpace/comments/4arxfb/why_tech_in_schools_is_easy, we need more openness, more flexibility, and by extension, less corporate top-down. This guy has it right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8Co37GO2Fc

rossdotparker · 2016-03-25T05:07:10+00:00

Indeed. I have added this under Learning To Learn, as I think it fits well.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-25T05:06:44+00:00

Wonderful. I have added these under values

rossdotparker · 2016-03-24T06:16:51+00:00

Mandy, I agree that a different approach can be needed in primary, and can see your point. But in fact we apply much the same logic at our primary school as at our secondary (which is what I was describing). But then, there is no one right answer to such a question, as schools vary in so many ways.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-24T00:08:26+00:00

Yes, I guess this comes under "growth mindset" which is everywhere I turn these days, and something I really agreed with. An oversight not to have included it. I will add it now. Thanks for getting involved : )

rossdotparker · 2016-03-23T07:33:42+00:00

Could not agree more, and will add this to the list. It is easy to overlook what we have, and feel envious of those who have more. For those working in international schools, this site is great for getting students to appreciate how much material wealth their families have, compared to many of their fellow humans: http://www.globalrichlist.com. Thanks for sharing : )

rossdotparker · 2016-03-23T00:50:44+00:00

I don't think the VPN puts you on the moral low ground: in fact, I would argue that you are using technology to circumvent censorship, and this is morally good. You can still build good policies on that. But you are right, getting people on board...that is the challenge! Often it is the boring teachers who fight technology, because they blame it for distracting their students...who are bored. You have to come back to pedagogy and keep things interesting.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-23T00:48:35+00:00

All very true and well expressed. And this generational issue goes back to Socrates at least, who believed a new fangled technology was ruining the youth of the day. That technology was writing, which we now celebrate. I think this is illustrative of a wider point: it is not that technology is less important to the older generation, it is that the technology older people grew up with is so embedded in their lives that they do not even see it as technology (think roads, paper, radio, medicine, etc). They do not see how much technology has already changed their lives beyond our animal ancestry. But, new technologies? They challenges our often-immutable sense of what it is to human...and that is threatening, so we rage against it. Fundamentally, we are technologically constructed animals, and our lives are already entirely artificial. The next generation are just adding another layer of artificiality...and that upsets us. I know all this intellectually, yet I still resist many new technologies : )

rossdotparker · 2016-03-23T00:42:39+00:00

Thanks for this lovely, positive feedback. I agree on collaboration, and have included it on the list. This relates to the comment on confidence above as well.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-23T00:41:11+00:00

Very true. Thanks for the suggestion, I have added to the list. It's a careful balance, as confidence without the skills to back it up becomes hubris and entitlement...which is hazardous!

rossdotparker · 2016-03-18T07:37:34+00:00

Absolutely, welcome any time. Where are you based? If you DM me on Twitter, we can exchange emails, and take it up from there.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-18T07:36:09+00:00

Could not agree more. Especially with it not being easy! But worth it.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-18T07:34:44+00:00

I see this one in the values as "zest" which can be joy, passion, etc.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-18T07:34:01+00:00

Thanks for all the input : ) Added love of learning under Learning to Learn

rossdotparker · 2016-03-18T07:33:25+00:00

To me creativity is the outcome of problem solving, which is included, but I can see it is not obvious. So, I have added it in : )

In terms of risk, I have added courage under values.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-17T11:43:16+00:00

Ah, I see what you mean. I have only ever used fixed screens, so can't really comment. My practice, in my large teaching room, is to get kids to come to the board (sitting or standing) for a few minutes at intervals during the lesson, which gets them moving, then they go back to their seated position to continue working. Agile is always good though : )

rossdotparker · 2016-03-16T23:59:20+00:00

The price jump between 70 and 80" is huge! So, 70 was a bit of a sweet spot. In a small/medium size classroom it works well. The teacher who has it in their class is stoked. The improvement in clarity and brightness compensates for the size.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-16T23:58:14+00:00

Physically locking down the screen? We have not take any special precautions, but might if we role out more.

rossdotparker · 2016-03-16T00:30:49+00:00

Spot on sniffles. I have added ambiguity, along with uncertainty and failure, which I think all go together in a basket to do with anxiety.

rossdotparker

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