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A guide, learning pathway on how to support distance learning and professional development!!

The type of learning that we all want... Do we all have the will and the courage to make it happen? Listen to Kevin's message and re-imagine what school/learning can be.

Just watched the entire Keynote! Have exactly the same start of conference buzz that I'd usually be feeling, without the out of pocket expense! Awesome. I hadn't had the chance to hear him present - love his original use of phrases and stories. You can tell he's a writer... has that gift with words. Some of my favourites - "she had never seen me before - not as a learner" "have you ever seen a kid launch" and "most kids are not braver than blisters. Are there cognitive blisters?" Thanks Steve for sharing - just what I needed before the start of a new week - I'm fired up and ready to go! :-)

Think of a time when you were completely immersed in a learning challenge. A time when you became aware of the need to master a new skill or concept. A situation that took you outside of your comfort zone, when there were times that you became frustrated, when you thought of quitting, downed tools and walked away, but came back time and time again. Maybe it was a problem you had to solve. Maybe it was a challenge you wanted to overcome.

Next week is set to be an exciting week of learning and sharing as teachers from across the globe make their way to Miami for the International Conference on Thinking (ICOT). 

https://institute.callensaxen.com/ is providing free study material for learners. Callens Institute is a Real-Time Online Learning Platform where one can take live real-time online classes. We are supporting two-way communication for learning and development.

"Footsteps2Brilliance, Inc.™'s Academic Language Program for Students (ALPS) delivers a robust library of stimulating ebooks and educational games to parents, children and teachers anywhere/anytime through innovative mobile gaming technology. Developed by educational experts usingthe latest research on cognitive development, ALPS provides young learners with 1,000 essential vocabulary words through interactive eBooks that are sure to engage today's digital students whether at school or home."

The consistent message is that we are preparing our students for success in a world very different to that which was the norm only a short time ago. The implications of this change are immense and require a shift in our thinking about what matters most in our classrooms. Such is the pace of change that within any school there will be multiple generations who normalise different perspective on technology and its place in their lives. What becomes clear that the skills we most need within our schools at every level are those which are critical for individuals to be empowered, self-navigating learners. But what does this mean in practical terms?

Knotebooks is a supplementary education platform that enables students, teachers and self-learners to effortlessly create and collaborate on customized multimedia lessons.

enables teachers and learners to collaborate through Virtual Classes Online Tests Educational Content Contact Network

a new way of looking at Blooms Taxonomy for digital learners

a "top 10 list" of go-to technology tools to help inspire young students and empower under-funded teachers.

Virtual worlds are engaging, stimulating spaces where students can meet online for normal class activities, including lectures, discussions, case studies, projects, papers, exams, and labs. Classes are a mix of synchronous and asynchronous activity. A virtual world class differs from a traditional course management system, such as Blackboard or Moodle, due to the three-dimensional (3D) graphical setting, the use of avatars to represent the class participants, and the sense of presence that puts the learner within the scene.

Apps for special needs learners. Great list!

"New media is the heir to the oral tradition and the product of this new age will be very different to that produced in the last century. What are the options? Writing for a website is the closest to what a learner of the 20th century would recognize."Chart of products with links

Collete Casinelli's site comprises a number of resources not only comparing Google Apps for Education with standard Google Tools and Products, and outlining the Pros and Cons of each, but also introducing many of the tools, and providing suggestions for their use with young learners.

The shift away from teaching for the rote memorisation of prescribed methods requires teachers to rethink their approach to the discipline. With this new pedagogy comes a need to understand the processes of mathematical thinking in ways not previously required. When we require our students to be able to reason and problem-solve through unique challenges we also require our teachers to have an understanding of the mathematical moves that their learners are likely to call upon.

Two forces seem to present the most significant obstacle to educators hoping to achieve these illustrious goals for and with their learners. The first is time, the second is "the system". Together these two factors act as a bulwark to change; the constraints within which progress is able to occur but only to the point that it strikes against the seemingly immutable obstacles. 

Our learners will never now a world where Digital Technologies are not the norm. Using solutions developed within this space and with this mindset is already their normal. Unless they are to be slaves to this technology we must also empower them to be creators of digital solutions. To do this we must begin with recognising the challenges that a curriculum built around mastery of Digital Technologies brings to our teachers and seek to understand the supports they require.