Next Generation Learning in Kent

More Q's: What are we measuring?

Q? ... arising from SE Harnessing Technology Event

Mention has been made of my age group being digital immigrants, and kids being digital natives. Mmmm ... just a reminder, it was our generation that created the Internet, developed it into a usable tool, and develop most of the tools that the Internet offers the next generation. It could be argued that this generation of digital natives are consumers of technology rather than having an expertise in the technology itself. Most couldn't change a plug, and are reliant on consuming cheap devices and services.

Isn't the challenge ensuring digital natives become masters of the knowledge economy that drive technology development, rather than potential passive entertainment junkies consuming 'stuff' generated in other parts of the world?

Holmesdale - Speech from Ian Hobson at SE Event

Fascinating and impressive presentation from Ian Hobson, Executive Headteacher of Holmesdale Malling Federation.

Key points?

• New Federation, new school builds, New opportunity for fresh thinking.
• Risk taking can be an effective.way of rapid progress.
• Link with Ergo / Microsoft Learning Gateway as the basis for shared school services.
• Plans to 'role out' to all schools in the cluster, starting with three local primary schools.
• Turning their back on i-whiteboards.
• Greater parental involvement.
  
• Software licensong over two sites on a per-user basis.
• Follow-me printing a key featuire, together with links to SIMS.
• Moving to Sharepoint 2007 later in next academic year.
• New teachers more skilled than some of the senior managers. 

Listen to Ian talking on some important experiences with the following PodCast Extracts 

1. School History
2. Clusters
3. Curriculum MLE
4. Interactive Whiteboards NOT!
5. Special School Partnership
6. Target Setting 
7. Federations

Harnessing Technology - SE Region Event

I am at the event today, 11^th July, and Stephen Crowne, Chief Executive welcomed us to the conference. Interesting day ahead, and most interesting is the oft lauded opinion that technology has an impact on learning, with the main focus being on the achievement of exam results. Whilst there is marginal evidence that this impact is real, it can be argued that the exam system where we measure results are based on sitting in a room completely devoid of the technology that permeates learners lives elsewhere. The real argument is ‘are we measuring the right thing?’

Are the key performance indicators actually reflecting technology impact on the learner, or are we trying to look at how it impacts on conventional outcomes?

 Worth bringing up at the discussion later?

I intend to blog the event, and am podcasting the talk from Ian Hobson from Holmesdale who is on stage as I blog. 

What do Kent KS3 students do online? ... and for how long?

We have been beavering away to compile survey data returned from e-safety courses run by Rebecca Chapman and Alison Gaunt during this academic year. There is a lot of detail still to be extracted, but this should provide an overview:

As you can see from the graph, the most popular online activity for boys are games. Girls prefer instant messenger, and both love music! The other interesting finding is that far more girls than boys like social networking sites like Bebo or Facebook.

Equally interesting is the preferred electronic method of communicating with friends. Mobile phone texting is by far the most popular medium, but the results for second place are inverted between boys and girls, with boys preferring mobile talk, and girls preferring instant messenger.

Some other nuggets!

Frequency of online sessions for KS3 students

KS3 Student's average session online