The next VITTA conference is just around the corner
- and it's a huge program packed with sessions for ICT educators.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Blogs and Media Coverage of VITTA conference
In the lead up to the 2007 VITTA annual conference and expo I put together a press release. It was picked up by the Herald Sun on November 13 in an article called "Rise of the iPupil" written by Greg Thom - you can read it here: http://www.vitta.org.au/2007/Rise_of_the_iPupil-GregThom
Interestingly - it got picked up by a bunch of news aggregators around the world. Unfortunately the article is no longer available on the Herald Sun site - so I hope that by linking to it here others may be able to find it again.
... and here's some of the blogs I've seen reporting on the VITTA conference
Bill Kerr: Some thoughts about prof stephen
Tony Forster: Games programming cluster at vitta
Stephen Heppell: VITTA conference
Stewart Smith: Speaking at VITTA victorian IT teachers association inc conference
Warrick Wynne: vitta-2007-rethinking-education
Camilla Elliott: VITTA 2007 - review
Lauren O'Grady: VITTA conference presentation 2007
Ed Tech Crew: Podcast on the VITTA conference
Helen Marotta:What a week
Anne Baird: Stephen Heppell and Future Trends
Anne Baird: John Pearce - Inspirational Teacher
An ongoing debate arising out of the VITTA conference is still raising questions about tech in schools. People seem to be pinpointing a tension between the "tech is here, we must use it everwhere" with a growing sense that just 'using' tech is not enough - we have to actively encourage development too.
Google has stepped up, and in to this debate with the GHOP, a program for secondary school students. It's grown out of their Summer of Code initiative. This is significant - this is a call to arms in the revolution - encourage and support real participation in the creation of technology for everyone, not just market consumption of shrinkwrapped blingware and technogadgets.
If you ask me, that's where the real revolution is.
Interestingly - it got picked up by a bunch of news aggregators around the world. Unfortunately the article is no longer available on the Herald Sun site - so I hope that by linking to it here others may be able to find it again.
... and here's some of the blogs I've seen reporting on the VITTA conference
Bill Kerr: Some thoughts about prof stephen
Tony Forster: Games programming cluster at vitta
Stephen Heppell: VITTA conference
Stewart Smith: Speaking at VITTA victorian IT teachers association inc conference
Warrick Wynne: vitta-2007-rethinking-education
Camilla Elliott: VITTA 2007 - review
Lauren O'Grady: VITTA conference presentation 2007
Ed Tech Crew: Podcast on the VITTA conference
Helen Marotta:
Anne Baird: Stephen Heppell and Future Trends
Anne Baird: John Pearce - Inspirational Teacher
An ongoing debate arising out of the VITTA conference is still raising questions about tech in schools. People seem to be pinpointing a tension between the "tech is here, we must use it everwhere" with a growing sense that just 'using' tech is not enough - we have to actively encourage development too.
Google has stepped up, and in to this debate with the GHOP, a program for secondary school students. It's grown out of their Summer of Code initiative. This is significant - this is a call to arms in the revolution - encourage and support real participation in the creation of technology for everyone, not just market consumption of shrinkwrapped blingware and technogadgets.
If you ask me, that's where the real revolution is.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
VITTA conf 07 - all over, yet just beginning...
It seems we've provoked some debate - and that has to be a good thing right?
This has prompted me to reflect again on the chosen theme of this year's VITTA conference. Now that I'm freed from the urgent practicalities of actually running the conference, I can pause for a moment to reflect on what it all meant.
The conference theme itself...
Rethinking education: you say you want a revolution?
This is what I told the designer:
The theme encompasses 5 points.
1. Thinking Rethinking - it's about thinking. thinking is evaluation, reflection, debate, ideas, thoughts, discoveries, making new connections. Connections are at the heart of information and communications technology - from both a technology perspective, and a human perspective. Networking is used to describe making new connections in a social and business context, and it's also used to describe connecting computers so people can work together better, so that information can flow freely.
2. Education - it's about learning, searching, exploring, teaching, mentoring, facilitating, guiding, directing - it's a life long task, constructing knowledge together, not simply regurgitating facts from the past, that might not be true in the future.
(World is Flat, We will never fly, the world will only ever need 5 computers)
3. Revolution - constant change - not armed conflict with beginnings and endings, but an ongoing process. Revolving. not Revolting. ;)
4. You - Who? Me? Them? Us? Everyone is a learner.
Teachers are students, students are mentors, mentors are advisors, advisors are experts, experts are learners too.
5. The Question - The question itself invites and provokes thought. Is it rhetorical? Is it defiant? Who says they want a revolution? Do you want a revolution? Does the school principal? Does the government? Does industry? Is the revolution over? Has it just begun?
It's ambiguous, and that's the point.
Presenters have started uploading their materials to the website - the conference continues for as long as we think and rethink the ideas we've shared, explored and refuted when meeting this week at flemington.
This has prompted me to reflect again on the chosen theme of this year's VITTA conference. Now that I'm freed from the urgent practicalities of actually running the conference, I can pause for a moment to reflect on what it all meant.
The conference theme itself...
Rethinking education: you say you want a revolution?
This is what I told the designer:
The theme encompasses 5 points.
1. Thinking Rethinking - it's about thinking. thinking is evaluation, reflection, debate, ideas, thoughts, discoveries, making new connections. Connections are at the heart of information and communications technology - from both a technology perspective, and a human perspective. Networking is used to describe making new connections in a social and business context, and it's also used to describe connecting computers so people can work together better, so that information can flow freely.
2. Education - it's about learning, searching, exploring, teaching, mentoring, facilitating, guiding, directing - it's a life long task, constructing knowledge together, not simply regurgitating facts from the past, that might not be true in the future.
(World is Flat, We will never fly, the world will only ever need 5 computers)
3. Revolution - constant change - not armed conflict with beginnings and endings, but an ongoing process. Revolving. not Revolting. ;)
4. You - Who? Me? Them? Us? Everyone is a learner.
Teachers are students, students are mentors, mentors are advisors, advisors are experts, experts are learners too.
5. The Question - The question itself invites and provokes thought. Is it rhetorical? Is it defiant? Who says they want a revolution? Do you want a revolution? Does the school principal? Does the government? Does industry? Is the revolution over? Has it just begun?
It's ambiguous, and that's the point.
Presenters have started uploading their materials to the website - the conference continues for as long as we think and rethink the ideas we've shared, explored and refuted when meeting this week at flemington.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Rise of the iPupil
November 13, 2007 12:00am
TODAY'S secondary-school students are as comfortable with iPods, digital video and the web as they are with eating and sleeping.
Just as well. Though this crop of young Australians are the first "digital natives", many employers expect nothing less.
...The issue is high on the agenda at next week's 2007 Victorian IT Teachers Association (VITTA) conference Rethinking Education: You Say You Want A Revolution?
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Rethinking Education - you say you want a revolution?
2007 VITTA Annual Conference & Expo
Rethinking education:
You say you want a revolution?
The Grandstand, Flemington Racecourse
Monday 19 November
Tuesday 20 November
Wednesday 21 November
Register Now!
Review the Conference Programme
The 2007 VITTA annual conference and expo is shaping up as the best ever. The range and diversity of sessions is vast, and lights up the spectrum of ICT in education. We have sessions for teachers delivering the core VCE and VET curriculum in both the Information Technology and the Multimedia domains, sessions on VELS, and a conference within a conference for primary teachers. The Principals and ICT Leaders conference program will run on Monday 19 November, and exclusive seminars and workshops with Professor Heppell will run on Tuesday 20 November.
The Heppell Sessions: Join keynote speaker Professor Stephen Heppell in these special workshops. Places are limited, book early to secure a place in these exclusive sessions. | 11am - 12 noon Secure your place to speak with Stephen about real issues in your school. Learn how you can make a real difference - in your classroom and in your school. 15 seats available | 2:30 - 3:30pm Hear more about Stephen's experiences in leading educational reform around the globe. In this session, Stephen will guide you through a planning process for implementing and adapting to 21st century change in your school. 42 seats available |
Friday, October 5, 2007
VITTA community bloggers and wikiphiles
Roland Gesthuizen - http://plakboek.livejournal.com/
Bill Kerr - http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/
Helen Marotta - http://templestowecluster.blogspot.com/
Jenny Ashby - http://beaut06.blogspot.com/
Heather Blakey - http://heatherblakey.wordpress.com/ & http://www.dailywriting.net/
Lindy McKeown - http://www.lindymckeown.com/
Stephen Heppell - http://phone.heppell.mobi/
Adrian Janson - http://www.adrianjanson.com.au/
Jo McLeay - http://theopenclassroom.blogspot.com/
James Farmer - http://www.edublogs.com/
Graham Wegner - http://gwegner.edublogs.org/
Joseph Papaleo - http://papajo.edublogs.org/
Camilla Elliott - http://www.linkingforlearning.com/
Should you be on this list?
Bill Kerr - http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/
Helen Marotta - http://templestowecluster.blogspot.com/
Jenny Ashby - http://beaut06.blogspot.com/
Heather Blakey - http://heatherblakey.wordpress.com/ & http://www.dailywriting.net/
Lindy McKeown - http://www.lindymckeown.com/
Stephen Heppell - http://phone.heppell.mobi/
Adrian Janson - http://www.adrianjanson.com.au/
Jo McLeay - http://theopenclassroom.blogspot.com/
James Farmer - http://www.edublogs.com/
Graham Wegner - http://gwegner.edublogs.org/
Joseph Papaleo - http://papajo.edublogs.org/
Camilla Elliott - http://www.linkingforlearning.com/
Should you be on this list?
Rethinking Education: You say you want a revolution?
Registrations are about to open for the 2007 VITTA annual conference and expo.It takes place over Mon 19, Tues 20 and Wed 21 November in The Grandstand at Flemington Racecourse, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
It's a huge program, and we have some pretty special keynotes this year.
Download the 2007 VITTA conference program being posted out to all Victorian Schools next week.
There's a special programme for
- Principals and ICT Leaders on Monday 19 November.
- Primary school teachers on Tuesday 20 November
- Technicians and VET IT and Multimedia on Wednesday 21 November
Throughout the conference there'll be core curriculum sessions on VCE IT and VELS, hands-on sessions exploring emerging technologies, handheld devices, interactive whiteboards, and all the latest in educational software and equipment for ICT across the curriculum.
Web 2.0 has emerged as a key theme this year. The rise of social networking is challenging traditional notions of education, and the VITTA conference gives educators an opportunity to explore the impact of this revolution in the classroom.
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