Opportunity to lift the thinking and improve learning

Desired conference and travel objecitives

ICOT Conference and innovative schools in the UK and Ireland

The conference and visits that I believe will be of most benefit to me and my learning organisation in 2011 is the 15th International Conference on Thinking (ICOT) in Belfast Northern Ireland 20-24 June, and visits to innovative schools in the UK and Ireland.

The conference is of interest to me due to the focus on critical and creative thinking, deep understanding and thoughtfulness. In addition, as part of the travel to Northern Ireland, to attend the conference I expect to be part of a study group to the UK that will visit schools seen as innovators in learning design and the effective use of ICT (especially mobile technology) in the classroom. The ICOT conference provides an opportunity for me to hear from International leaders in education, in thinking and in the business world. The conference is known for leading with innovative and cutting edge thinking.

As an educational leader I have had the privilege of attending and presenting at some of New Zealand’s leading educational conferences, including Learning@school 2003-2010 (5 presentations over this time), NZPF Conference 2010, and GPC 2007. In addition, I have had the pleasure of working with a number of leading educators in New Zealand, and meeting with, discussing, debating and considering educational issues with top educators from New Zealand and Australia. However, I am ready to experience an International Conference where the best in the world gather to share, discuss and debate issues relevant to schools in the 21st Century.

Field of interest in CORE’s Ten Trends

My field of interest and exploration relates to two themes in the CORE Education Ten Trends:

• the Changing role of teachers and learners, and
• Internet capable, mobile technologies for learning.

I am keen to continue exploring how the interactions between student and teacher are changing in our ever changing technological landscape, plus explore the impact of mobile technologies.

Specifically, I have been exploring two concepts that relate to the changing roles of teachers and learners. The first is CHILL Factor—Children Independently leading their learning, and the second is Kotahitanga-A right place for everyone and for everyone a right place. Both of these concepts have been explored, and new relationships forged at Windsor School. Both concepts are founded on the premise that the role of teachers and learners must change if we expect to implement the New Zealand Curriculum to its fullest.

Changing Role of Teachers and learners

To develop CHILL Factor in our children (CHILL factor is a Kid-speak term for lifelong learners) we have enacted a number of changes in practice at Windsor over the last two years. These include:

• Introduction of 3 Way learning Conferences in place of Parent -Teacher interviews
• Goal setting and reflection time for learners
• Student reference groups for inquiry modules
• Student reference groups for property design
• A CHILL Conference where children ran a conference for parents
• CHILL Factor “Self Reporting” for year 4-6 children
• A Self Reporting/ Reflection section in annual reports
• Optional Home learning challenge concept regulated by children
• Students as “Playground Aces” from Year 4 to assist duty teachers
• Children creating a conference for other children from around NZ (Kids Congress in partnership with Waimari School)
• Increasing student self regulation through WALTS, TIBS, and Kotahitanga

The aim is to enable children to become increasingly more responsible for their learning. This I affirmed in the recently developed Philosophy of learning for Windsor:

In partnership with our community we believe in the development of the whole child through a learner focussed environment:

• That encourages children to be curious, creative, imaginative thinkers who take risks, accept challenges and learn from mistakes
• Where children play, have fun, feel valued and take a positive role in their community as they take responsibility for their actions and choices
• That enables children to achieve personal excellence in all learning
• Where lifelong learning skills, attitudes, knowledge, PRIDE Values and Key Competencies explored, encouraged, modelled and developed
• That enables children to inquire into their world by asking questions, exploring possibilities and problem solving through authentic contexts
• That enables children to be responsible for, and able to articulate their own learning while becoming increasingly aware of what, why and how they are learning and where they learn best
• That has consistency of best practice supported by effective systems, resources, and professional learning

This recent collaboration between staff and the community of Windsor is a key component (in fact, the glue) of our recently completed Windsor E Curriculum. I believe that the concepts expressed in our philosophical statement and the practices in place are redefining our teacher-learner relationship. I would like the opportunity to hear views from leading international experts at ICOT in 2011. In addition, I would like the opportunity to visit schools in the UK and Ireland that are at the leading-edge of student self-regulation.

In addition, we have redefined how we partner with parents and the community with regard to home learning. This redefinition is at the heart of the New Zealand Curriculum, and is an outworking of a real “Community-based” curriculum.

Classroom Kotahitanga is a concept that was developed in 2009 at Windsor. It means “A Right Place for Everyone and for Everyone a Right Place”. In essence it is an attempt to allow children to have the best possible learning environment through the provision of a wide range of learning spaces both inside and beyond the classroom. The goal is for children to understand where they learn best and make positive choice about these.

Internet capable, mobile technologies for learning

As the lead school in an ICT Professional Development Cluster, Windsor has had the potential to lead the way in effective use of technology. The reality is that the use of technology in the school has been hindered or assisted depending on the ability, attitude and skill of the teacher.

The most recent advancement in technology and the advent of the iPod Touch and the iPad is causing teachers to stop in their tracks and see the real potential of mobile “any where, any time” learning devices. This, together with an increased use of blogging to communicate, learning will see some significant changes in our school over the next year. At present, we are seeing a group of teachers and children experiment with the iPads and iPods to explore the possible benefits to attitudes to learning, engagement, connectivity, and I believe, in due course, to literacy and numeracy outcomes.

To date these devices have been used in school for internet access, to support reading programmes, to record thoughts and oral presentation for blogs. In addition, one teacher has used iPods for maths, physical education and in integrated inquiry programmes. I would be excited to be able to explore the potential further both in New Zealand and through UK Schools, and ICOT in 2011.

Conclusion: what ICOT and tour would bring

Professional development has brought innovation in the past, ICOT and tour would bring more

My record attests to that fact that the powerful professional development that I have had in the past has a benefit for me, my school, clusters I am involved in, New Zealand, and now, through our Website, the world. I have had inquiry regarding The PRIDE Challenge concepts from Australia and as far away as South Africa. I am continually working with innovators in New Zealand to shape and challenge my practice.

Most recently with the staff at Windsor School, I have created the “Windsor E Curriculum” (Windsor School; Our Learning; Our Curriculum; Windsor E Curriculum). This Online resource is an organic and living curriculum for Windsor School. Already this concept has been shared with a number of other schools in New Zealand, and these schools are working to create their own “E” Curriculum based on our creation. It is this attitude I would bring to the learning and knowledge I gain from this experience. I believe that if I have the opportunity to attend ICOT in 2011, as well as visiting innovative schools in UK and Ireland, that there will be considerable benefit for Windsor and other learning communities who are innovating in the 21st Century.

Outcomes sought at ICOT and UK-Northern Ireland tour

Specifically, the outcomes for me in attending ICOT and visiting schools in the UK and Ireland will be:

• The opportunity to see how schools are finding, sorting, using and creating knowledge and information through ultra high speed internet connections and using mobile devices
• The opportunity to be challenged in my thinking regarding the changing role of teachers and learners
• The opportunity to share thinking and innovations that have been created at Windsor School
• An opportunity to experience first hand the future possibilities for teacher and learner relationships (ICOT) and the use of technology (ICOT and schools)
• The possibility of being involved in new innovations that can be shared for the benefit of the greater educational community in New Zealand

Readings that have influenced my philosophy in education include:

Further information:

• Windsor School web site
• ICOT