K-12 Online Conference 2009 Keynote

This online conference kicks off today with a keynote by Kim Coffino. Kim currently teaches at International School Bangkok and has been on the international school circuit for around 8 or 9 years. Her keynote Culture Shock, Convergence and the Future of Education is a 39 minute scene setter. I've only listened to the first 14 minutes so far - the section on Culture Shock. But Kim has made a few points that I'd like to comment on.

Firstly, she makes the now well made connect that many of us (western teachers) live and breathe what we know. Our view of the world is heavily influenced by what I refer to as our own KER (knowledge, expertise and reputation). She points out that her eyes have been widened to the richness in other cultures only through the contact that her travels have permitted. (So I can see the connection coming that I'm sure she will make between the power of technology to connect students globally and the growing desire to make these connections by both students an teachers.)

Once Kim gets past the introduction she hits on a number of the issues - those of mobility, customisation, 24/7 always on, tradition and new co-existing, just in time delivery, flexibility, collaboration, adaptability. She uses the backdrop of everyday life in Asia to good effect to make her points. The metaphor of everyday life and how education should be part of this and not stand apart from it.

At one stage she alludes to iTuneU and other online course availability to allow students (and teachers) to develop personal learning networks. I've often referred over recent years to the "long tail" economics approach to K12 education - I firmly believe that Chris Anderson's concepts of long tail economics can and will apply to K12 education - and quite likely in the realm of private education first. (Memo to self - finish listening to Chris's book "Free" - there is a powerful message for education in the first message that Chris delivers about the Monty Python experience of "free" with their Youtube channel!)

OK - lots more to pick up I suspect in the rest of Kim's presentation. But for now - off to class!

Yet another cool tool - Livebrush

Thanks to a heads up by Andrew, I had my Year 8 students download the free version of Livebrush today.


Now, I'm no graphics person, at least from a design perspective, but what captured my attention from the Livebrush site was a couple of their sample files. I know I've always wanted to have an idea of how to so some of this stuff - just lack the motivation to actually do it! Once I showed them to the students, well, in less than 30 minutes there were plenty of "ooohs" and "aaahhhs".

But there were also the "how do I do this?", "Where are the colours?" and the usual response from me "no idea" (which is true), "but you find out and create a short Jing cast to let others know." Within minutes huge learning of several new tools (Jing is still new to this class, as is the notion of an e-portfolio which they are creating using Google Sites).

The power of digital technologies to ignite learning experiences with students, and the occasional old teacher too!, never ceases to amaze me. We are so lucky to live and work in education in these times - we owe it to students to keep pushing the boundaries.

So thanks, Livebrush. Keep up the great work.

More on Free

Just read this article from WIRED on Chris's new book FREE. There are 3 videos in the article - watch the second one first and if this one gets you thinking, then watch the other ones too ... in any event read the article.

We're on the verge of something big in education ... this is another piece starting to fall in to place for me ...

I also read Scott McLeod's post on the Florida Virtual School and 360Ed and the $ they have poured into an online game for students ... not free ... then I watch my 11 year old and his stop motion Lego Batman (used to be Lego Starwars and Indiana Jones) ... there is a huge array of this type of stuff on Youtube ... and piles of (to me, anyway) more useful stuff for an educator ... all free, though it costs me time to find it - still faster than creating it though.

Free - the future of education???