Considering whether, what and how to blog about ACEC 2010, the inspiring conference which I attended last week, made me think further about what learning looks like. (I posted ‘What does learning look like?‘ last week ). As a learner myself, I needed some time to process everything. I needed to talk with other learners about what I had heard in order to construct meaning for myself. I needed to relate it to other learning I have done. I needed to think about how I might apply what I learned.
Rather than detailing the content of the sessions I attended, all of which are available online anyway I’m sure, I’ve chosen one of the thinking routines from Project Zero, as a way to share what I came away with. For examples of how other routines work, see my posts using 3-2-1 Bridge, I used to think.. Now I think, 4 C’s and Connect Extend Challenge. These are excellent routines for scaffolding thinking, no matter what age your students are!
Compass Points: (slightly adapted, but that’s an advantage of thinking routines)
- E = Excited
What excites you about this idea or proposition? (or conference!) - W = Worrisome
What do you find worrisome about this idea or proposition? (or conference!) - N = Need to Know
What else do you need to know or find out? What additional information would help you to evaluate things? - S = Strategies for Moving Forward
What are your strategies for moving forward?
What Excites me?
- It was exciting to be at a conference with so many enthusiastic educators, proving that teachers are and should be lifelong learners themselves, in order to inspire learning!
- I am excited to have been part of a conference, where one could feel that education has changed, can change and is changing with the times.
- Participants were loaned Ipod touches and encouraged to tweet during the conference. The twitter stream and back channel made the whole conference more engaging and relevant and alive than any conference I have ever attended!
- I heard a great deal that supported, validated and reinforced what I was already thinking.
- It’s exciting to know that learning at our school has changed and that gradually teachers are beginning to implement technology in a way that is meaningful.
What Worries me?
- How to get more teachers on board, using technology to enhance learning.
- How to share the big picture of change in teaching and learning with all teachers.
- I get so much benefit and stimulation from my active online PLN, through blogging and Twitter, that I have become addicted to the internet… BIG worry 🙂
What additional information do I Need?
- When’s the next ACEC conference??
- Whatever other information I need, I can get through my PLN or by searching the internet, using new skills acquired via Alan November at ACEC 2010.
What’s my Strategy for moving forward?
- I’d like to attend more of this type of conference in the future and encourage other teachers to do so too. I used to think that they were just for ICT teachers!
- I plan to try out new tools and techniques in my classroom, but always bear in mind that the learning is what needs to drive it, not the technology.
- I hope to step aside and hand over the learning to the students even more.
- Staying actively involved in the worldwide educator community, through Twitter, blogs, webinars and nings is really important.
- Encourage other teachers through voluntary groups focusing on integrating web 2.0 tools, how to make learning more meaningful, creating awareness of trends in teaching and learning, how to set up a PLN.
It was only after I had chosen ‘Compass Points’ as the thinking routine I wanted to use, that I realised the appropriateness of the metaphor. Education is moving in new directions!
Series of posts based on Project Zero Thinking Routines #6
What Ed Said 
That’s a great post, Ed. I like the way you’ve organised your ideas in an easily digestible way – as well as used Toondoo. I think your post would be a great model to share with people, in order to help them understand how to use blogs to organise ideas and express them. Beautiful work!
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Great reflection Edna. I’ve been thinking myself about how I can write about being at ACEC2010 but I’m still trying process so much information. I love the way you’ve illustrated your thinking with the Compass Points, and another fabulous toondoo creation.
I really enjoy reading your posts – you have a way of sharing your thinking and reflections that is succinct, clear and thought-provoking.
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The Compass Post is officially my favorite of the thinking routines. I am excited to use this process with my students! Thank you as always for your thoughtful posts.
P.S. I always thought those tech focused conferences were only for ICT, too. 🙂 I was happily surprised when I attended my first conference.
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I agree with everything you have reflected upon Edna, a great use of the compass. I especially liked your reference to how conferences like this used to only be for ICT teachers. I know that as a classroom teacher I have come away with so many inspiring ideas not to mention connections with teachers such as yourself that I feel I have grown immeasurably. My goal going forward is to keep chipping away at my school, in the hope that the ripple of interest in the internet and web 2.0 will one day become a wave.
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Great post Ed! I’ve been processing what I learned at ACEC for a few days now and will attempt to write either a few posts of some journal entries for myself just to reinforce how everything fits together. Love your ToonDoos!
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I love your reflection on ACEC 2010 using the Compass Points thinking routine. When I reflect on my experience at the AELS 2010 I feel exactly the same: excited at meeting other learners and inspired by what they are doing, and also empowered to continue in the direction we are heading with the IT here in Switzerland. Like you I am concerned that we need to reach all our teachers not just the few who are already on board with using technology, and like you I feel I am totally addicted to all the new learning I am doing every day using the internet. As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts Edna.
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