To Moodle or Not to Moodle.

It was a pleasure to meet Educators of Pharmacey Tech’s from all over Canada at Oulton’s Business College yesterday. We had a nice chat about Learning Management Systems (Moodle). It fit rather nicely because the speaker directly before me was talking about how they are going to run a national Bridging program (a way to upgrade experiences Pharmacy Techs to the current legislation). Much of it was online and most of the instructors are practitioners rather than educators. There are some important but subtle nuances. We talked a bunch about social contructivism , the need for students to talk, the need for skills and info to percolate. The content is more important in a college situation than perhaps a public school.

The inpromptu video testomonial from two of my students was the homerun. Thanks Girls.

I had some great chats at the meet and greet Re Smartboards in the classroom and eudcation in general.  

On Saturday, I gave a Keynote to the Microsoft Partner’s in Learning Virtual Educator Forum 2012. It is the Canadian championships for technology in the classroom with the finalists proceeding to the Global Forum in Athens. Wish I was going.

I have never given a Keynote before. I’m so glad it was a virtual forum. Thank you for such a great response, even days after the fact. We are in this together and we need to talk.

Then 4 projects were presented to Shari and I as judges. There were a total of 16 projects. I was reminded two things. There are some very cool ideas out there. Teaching is such a passion. It has to be. Thank you for all the extras you do.

Looking forward to the next round of competition/sharing over the next couple of weeks.

Delivering 2 sessions at LEARN EAST. Session #1 is SEE no TPR’s (Interactive Whiteboards as a tool of change. If you are using them as Traditional Pedagogy Replicator, it is a pedagogy issue, not a technical one.

Session #2 is 7 exemplars of 21st Century Learning in a Science Classroom.

http://linkyy.com/mdla

There are some great things about using the mobile phone in class. Really looks at real time upload and surveys.

Attending the Social Learning Summit by the Discovery Educators Network in Fredericton.

On Tuesday, Tracey Winey from Preston Middle School and I gave talks about using Smartboards to teach Science. Thanks for the invitation to speak. Thanks for the invite to Fort Collins. Now to get ready for NSTA.

Looking forward to visiting Indianapolis. An hour and a half is the longest time that I have ever been given to talk. Hoping to have some internet so I can use some social media during my talk Re my research using Multiple Smartboards in the Science Classroom.

Transform learning with collaboration

At NSTA, attend a complimentary session led by SMART Exemplary Educator
Ian Fogarty. He will discuss his research findings, which indicate that
using SMART products in science classrooms can lead to increased
collaboration, resulting in better student achievement. Fogarty will
show you how to transform your classroom into a hub of inquiry and
discovery.

Title – The Impact of Interactive Whiteboards on Science Learning