19/3/2017

Reflections 1.2

Just when you think you have enough knowledge to get by .... SLAP! Welcome back to reality, I knew children were advanced in their understanding and interest in ICT platforms, though I had no idea how advanced compared to myself. I see, I am a complete novice to some children, that is a worry at this early stage in the course. 

I am getting a grip as these first few lessons go by and look forward to conquering these new platforms that reach out to the children's interests. ICT's seem very interesting and informative while at first I was skeptical of the "too much TV generation" If we don't meet the demand to teach the youth how to integrate the technologies then they will be left behind. 

Australian children need to have balance between the ICT world and the interaction with the natural world to identify how, why and where the technology is going. It is the job of the teacher to enable the child to reach their potential with the current platforms available. I have a strong interest in learning myself and look forward to the internal “free-fall” like effect of letting go, to allow students to have some control what they learn. I can only imagine where it will take our journey of understanding.

C S Lewis stated "The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts".

Before the GDLT course I had really no experience with ICT's and find that it will be both my desert and the children’s that are being irrigated and cultivated. My four-year-old has been using ICT's 100 percent more than I have at Kindy. I feel the more I learn the better the teacher and parent I will become.

19/3/2017

Reflections 1.1

When looking at the ICT capabilities on the Australian Curriculum website, it is quite daunting and brings a strong reality check for how different schooling is now. The ICT is woven through all the fabric of the teaching experience, in the hope that by the end of year 10 the child will be at or beyond an acceptable state of understanding. The knowledge must be deep and second nature to the teacher, to pass on the social/ethical  respect of intellectual property/security while outlining its impacts on society as a whole. Other important areas are the generating of ideas and solutions for challenges of multimodal creative outputs in which my competency is questionable at best. Learning how to communicate and operate  ICTs is a priority for myself right now as it has been made clear I fall short.
The AITSL website pdf is the ICT standards for graduate teachers and as such has brain befuddling columns of information overload at first sight. The 7 standards are broken into easily understood sections and as I am running out of space I will go into shorthand mode. I believe a lot of my anxiety will be dispersed once in the classroom as the standards are based around a practical hands on approach. Focus on knowing your students individually and how to reach them through content and teaching strategies is essential. The Standards embrace safe environments with quality feedback/reporting while engaging with parents, colleges and the community as a whole. 

All of the standards are hinging on our ability to demonstrate the students ability to understand and our demonstrated understanding of ICT delivery of the content through inclusiveness and adaptability. At the moment I feel I am a 4 out of 10, maybe a little higher but I want to be an effective teacher and this starts with focusing on my weaknesses .....and I have a lot.
The journey begins
. 

Friday 10th of March
Ahhhhhhh........ICT's.

"If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties". 
The wise words of Francis Bacon (the patron saint of frozen chickens), that I truly hope will be applicable to me in this course/unit, and everything that is teaching.
It was only this year, my 40th in fact, that I had the privilege of a momentary glimpse of an ICT. Wonder and general disbelief at my lack of current understanding of classroom tactics as my four year old daughter plugged away like a maestro with a brushy thingamijig forgetting I was even around. 
I believe this is the appropriate time to address my preparedness technologically. Ability wise I am a solid 3-4 out of 10, okay stop clapping..........I do have an innate love of learning which I feel/know will give me a higher ranking than that beautiful score. I also appreciate time and look forward to spending it lavishly encountering this new frontier. At the moment though it looks a little like the control room of UB-110, German submarine. Oh...... just so you know what I mean here is a little glimpse at one of the most incredible examples of German ingenuity (please see exhibit A then ring 000). 

                                                                           Exhibit A


I was unaware of many of the facts of teaching with ICT's and it has been both a confrontation to my expectations and a pleasant surprise. The idea of the curriculum being so rigid yet ironically organic has given me reason to ponder and feel that I will be breaching many comfort zones both in new ideas and technology.

Children are adapting rapidly, mine included and I know, I too have to adapt, this is going to be both a challenge and a pleasure with lots of hard work and in time great satisfaction. I am of a generation, that was adamantly taught "too much of the idiot box will give you square eyes and a stunted mind". Skip to the present and Skidoo.....It is incorporated into the current practice....with a generally much more positive outlook.

The current generation have more information at their fingertips than I would have ever believed when I was their age. I will be stumbling and falling through these ICT assessments. New platforms and programs have been part of my past from seafloor mapping with multibeam echo sounding, seismic, sub-orbital and orbital remote sensing and many others and as such I am now sold.
The ICT course helps bring interest and information on a global level in to the classroom limited only by the willingness and imagination of the teacher and the students.
Allowing students to bring their aspirations and learning desires as a directional influence into the classroom under the guidance of the boundaries of curriculum shall be a most interesting integration of collective adventure. It all sounds most stimulating.
Holy Bonza its 2.55am!!!!!?!?!!!!!!
Seacrest out.

                             

I got it. The elusive blog is now mine.                                 Ahem...... Hi Feeling naked........