ANSN enews vol 4 no 1
ansn_members at ansn.edu.au
ansn_members at ansn.edu.au
Tue Feb 24 13:52:51 EST 2009
enews header
*24th February, E-News Vol 4, No 12*
*
Edited by Keith Redman*
Topics covered in this edition include:
* The Victorian bush fires: Helping the schools
* New Victorian office for ANSN and Big Picture Education Australia
* Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Hub
* Two new ANSN Snapshots of Practice, from the IWB Hubs
* Cognitive Coaching in WA
* Dimensions of Learning national program for 2009
* Dimensions of Learning (DoL) in Queensland
* New Hubs in 2009: Setting the Stage -- developing Habits of
Mind, in context
* New Hubs in 2009: Improving Science Literacy
* Digi Kids Hubs -- Early Childhood and Technology
* Big Picture Education Australia -- PD in SA
* Some interesting reading
* Reminders of ANSN activities, covered in previous editions of
E-News
The Victorian bush fires: Helping the schools
If you saw the awful images from the Victorian bush fires and want
to provide some help directly to the school communities that have
been affected, contact viv.white at bigpicture.org.au
<mailto:viv.white at bigpicture.org.au>. Viv White, National Coach for
ANSN, is arranging for donations -- of money or as offers of
materials and equipment etc -- to be gathered and dispersed
according to need, via Yea High School.
New Victorian office for ANSN and Big Picture Education Australia
ANSN is now sharing a Victorian office with Big Picture Education
Australia. Located at Williamstown Primary School, the work space is
large enough to house workshops and seminars, which currently are
being planned. A new hub has also been established at Mooloolaba
Primary School on the Sunshine Coast where Hanan Harrison and Tina
Doe will work. ANSN will also continue to run courses, Hubs and
Research Circles at a range of other venues in Victoria, including
St Albans South PS, where Andrea Federico, ANSN IWB Hub
Co-ordinator, is Assistant Principal.
Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Hub
Andrea Federico reports that all places are filled for the three IWB
Hubs starting in Term One 2009. As a reminder for Hub Members, the
session dates are as follows:
Group 1:
* Thursday 26 February 2009
* Thursday 19 March 2009
* Thursday 21 May 2009
* Thursday 27 August 2009
* Thursday 12 November 2009
Group 2:
* Thursday 5 March 2009
* Thursday 26 March 2009
* Thursday 28 May 2009
* Thursday 3 September 2009
* Thursday 19 November 2009
Group 3:
* Thursday 12 March 2009
* Thursday 2 April 2009
* Thursday 4 June 2009
* Thursday 10 September 2009
* Thursday 26 November 2009
Although the Term One Hubs are full, Andrea (below, left) is keen to
hear from people who would like to participate in introductory
sessions, and/or join a new Hub, which would start in Term 2.
Contact andrea.federico at ansn.edu.au
<mailto:andrea.federico at ansn.edu.au> for details or to register an
expression of interest.
andreawestbreendean
Two new ANSN Snapshots of Practice, from the IWB Hubs
If you are interested in the IWB Hubs and want to find out what you
might gain from being a member, have a look at the two new ANSN
Snapshots produced with teachers who participated in 2008. Adria
Quinn (above, centre) is a Year 5-6 teacher at Westbreen PS in
Victoria and Dean Stafrace (above right) was a Year 5-6 teacher in
2008 and in 2009 is Middle Years Team Leader, at Mackellar PS. Their
Snapshots are drawn from interviews with Keith Redman, Editor of
E-News.
Adria and Dean discussed what they had known about IWBs at the start
of the year, what they had gained from ANSN Hub membership, how they
had used IWBs during the year, what they had learnt that had
impacted on their practice, their "Ah ha!" moment if they had
experienced one, where they were heading to next, and what advice
they would offer others starting off with IWBs. Dean also included
some examples of material that he developed during the year. Thanks
to both of these teachers, who fitted in the interview and
text-checking sessions at the end of a busy, tiring but
professionally rewarding year. To read or download Adria's Snapshot
click here.
<http://www.ansn.edu.au/snapshot_no_2_2009_adria_quinn_vic_on_learning_to_use_interactive_whiteboards>
For Dean's Snapshot click here.
<http://www.ansn.edu.au/snapshot_no_1_2009_dean_stafrace_vic_on_learning_to_use_interactive_whiteboards>
If you have feedback on these Snapshots or if you would like to
develop one based on your own work with ANSN, click here to contact
the E-News Editor <mailto:keith.redman at ansn.edu.au>.
Cognitive Coaching in WA
Leith Hogan (below left) reports that in January this year
twenty-five WA school leaders gave up four days of their summer
holidays to participate in the foundation training course for
Cognitive Coaching. They worked with Sue Presler and co-trainers
Gavin Grift (below right) and Janelle McGann in the ANSN-sponsored
course, which was held at Canning Vale College. Twenty-one of these
women had been chosen by the Education Department of Western
Australia to participate as part of a scholarship to support women
into leadership positions in the Department.
leithgavin
The participants, from rural, remote and city schools around the
state, generated a great sense of energy during the sessions. Leith
reports that they have begun building partnerships to support their
coaching work, using an Action Learning focus. She will follow up
with the participants to collect some of their stories about what
they have learnt and, over time, to track how they see it impacting
on their practice.
Dimensions of Learning national programs for 2009
In 2008 ANSN successfully launched their inaugural Dimensions of
Learning (DoL) Hubs nationally. Participants engaged in strategies
to immerse themselves in DoL as a tool for planning curriculum,
assessment and as a tool for reflecting on pedagogy.
DoL is based on contemporary research that links learning to five
types of thinking. The framework provides a common language and a
set of procedures. When used as a planning and an assessment tool it
becomes a guide to focus teachers on the following questions
(Marzano, 2007):
* What will I do to help students interact effectively with new
knowledge?
* What will I do to help students practise and deepen their
understanding of new knowledge?
To register your interest in being part of ANSN's DoL Hubs in 2009,
click here, download the flier, and complete and return the fax back
sheet <http://www.ansn.edu.au/files/DoLHub.pdf>. Also check out the
following item in E-News, which is a short report of a DoL program
that was delivered recently in Queensland.
To find out more information about this hub email
hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au <mailto:hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au> or
call Hanan Harrison on her mobile, at 0407 464 472.
Dimensions of Learning (DoL) in Queensland
Hanan Harrison (below left), ANSN National Networker, based in
Queensland, reports that Narangba Valley State High School
"kick-started" 2009, with a custom-designed training program on
Dimensions of Learning (DoL), for all their staff, on the first
student-free day of the year.
hananNarangba
The aim of the day was to get teachers developing knowledge,
strategies and skills to engage with colleagues and students on a
curriculum, assessment and pedagogy journey, based on DoL. Over the
year, ANSN will develop a critical friend relationship with the
school, training a key team of teachers to develop a deeper
understanding of the DoL -- the aim being for them to become group
leaders in the implementation program.
Schools interested in this model of professional learning can
contact Hanan Harrison, by email at hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au
<mailto:hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au> or by mobile on 0407 464 472.
New Hubs in 2009: Setting the Stage -- developing Habits of
Mind, in context
In 2009, ANSN is launching a new five-day action learning hub
Setting the Stage (for Learning), which focuses on developing skills
around Habits of Mind (Dimension 5 -- dispositions for thinking),
together with strategies for developing positive attitudes and
perceptions for learning in particular classroom climates and
classroom tasks.
? setting the stage
Why join a Setting the Stage Hub? You will ...
* challenge your current knowledge, strategies and skills, using
Habits of Mind;
* learn to use a curriculum design and assessment framework, and
start to develop a common language for instruction in your school;
* engage in professional dialogue and reflection with colleagues;
* focus on issues through the filters of "intellectual bite" and
connectedness to 21st century learning and learners;
* become part of a national professional learning community.
Participants initially attend a 2-day intensive program, based on
gaining awareness of attitudes and perceptions for learning, and on
the development of Habits of Mind / dispositions for thinking in
this broad context. On the basis of this initial, intensive
experience, participants have the option to enhance their learning
by attending the remaining three days, as part of an Action Learning
hub.
The first of the two-day intensive programs is being held
at Morayfield SHS, Brisbane, on 16 and 17 March, 2009. Further hub
activities are planned for all states and territories.
To find out more information about this hub and its operations, or
to register as a participant or team, click here to download a
flier. <http://www.ansn.edu.au/habits_of_mind_hub>
For additional details or to enquire about courses in your area,
contact Hanan Harrison at hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au
<mailto:hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au> or on 0407 464 472.
New Hubs in 2009: Improving Science Literacy
International research (TIMMS) indicates that fewer than half of
Australian Year 4 teachers say they feel well prepared to teach Year
4 Science. It therefore comes as no surprise that the improvement of
student outcomes in Science Literacy has been established by
education authorities as a target in 2009.
ANSN Hubs, currently being planned for all states and territories
across Australia, will bring together research, theories of learning
and practical activities in this area of education.
?science hub
The aim is to help educators make meaningful and sustainable changes
in their practice and also find ways to engage their communities in
a science curriculum, assessment and pedagogy journey.
For further information, or to register your interest, click here
and download the flier.
<http://www.ansn.edu.au/hubs/improving_science_literacy_hub>
Digi Kids Hubs -- Early Childhood and Technology
The ANSN Digi Kids Hubs offer opportunities for teams of teachers to
explore how integrating technology in classroom activities can be
used to motivate young learners.
In the five-day Action Learning program, participants explore the
use of various tools and link this to providing stimulating
experiences for students. Participants report that this has had
proven results, in terms of "hooking" many reluctant learners into
the learning process. To find out more information, or to register
your interest, email Hanan Harrison on hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au
<mailto:hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au> or phone her on 0407 464 472.
Other ANSN workshops with established track records in the area of
early childhood and technology will be presented nationally in 2009.
These include:
* Bee Bots -- robotics for early learners (see below, with the
Bee Bots being choreographed and decorated at a 2008
Williamstown workshop);
* E-Literacy -- creating personalised interactive books, using
computers as tools for developing literacy skills; and
* Claymation -- animation as a tool for story telling.? ?
beebots 1bee bots 2
For more information, or to register for a workshop, email Hanan
Harrison at hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au
<mailto:hanan.harrison at ansn.edu.au> or contact her by mobile on 0407
464472.
Big Picture Education Australia -- PD in Queensland and South
Australia
In the last few days, if you are on the broader ANSN mailing list,
you will have received a flier for Big Picture Education Australia
professional development activities, in Queensland and South Australia.
The programs offer educators in these two states the opportunity to
explore Big Picture's personalised approach to education, combining
academic work with real-world learning and characterised as a model
of educating 'one student at a time'.
bpea
The sessions will be presented by Viv White, Director of Big Picture
Education Australia and ANSN National Coach. Summary details of
dates and locations for these PD opportunities are as follows.
*Queensland: Mooloolaba State School*
* Option 1 -- One-day intensive workshop on 15 April
* Option 2 -- Two-day advanced, 'foundation' course on 16-17 April.
Click here to download a Queensland flier or to register
<http://www.bigpicture.org.au/big-picture-education-queensland-professional-development>.
*South Australia: Enfield High School*
* Option 1 -- One-day intensive workshop on 22 April
* Option 2 -- Two-day advanced, 'foundation' course on 23-24 April.
Click here to download a South Australia flier or to register.
<http://www.bigpicture.org.au/big-picture-education-south-australia-pd>
Some interesting reading
Education.au recently published a market research report, which they
had commissioned from McGregor Tan Research. Entitled EDNA:
Awareness, Perceptions and Needs of First Year Teachers, it explores
how first year teachers currently use ICT in their teaching, and how
their pre-service training prepared them for using information
technologies.
The participants worked in focus groups, from which it emerged
(among other things) that these new graduates:
* can be considered 'digital natives', with much greater
reliance on ICT than their more experienced colleagues; but
* use the web much more in planning than in teaching -- with the
use of Google and Wikipedia predominating;
* described their pre-service ICT training as patchy and
inconsistent; and
* advised owners of websites to 'keep it simple'.
The full text of the report can be accessed from
http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=259852
<http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=259852>
Reminders of ANSN activities, covered in previous editions of
E-News
Cognitive Coaching -- Research Circle forms
As reported in previous editions of E-News, Gavin Grift has been
busy founding the first Cognitive Coaching Research Circle, which
will be presented by ANSN and The Center for Cognitive Coaching. The
research circle has been designed to assist schools to build
reflective communities, using action learning and cognitive coaching
to support changes in teacher pedagogy. To read or download a flier,
click here.
<http://www.ansn.edu.au/cognitive_coaching_research_circle> For
further details email, gavin.grift at ansn.edu.au
<mailto:gavin.grift at ansn.edu.au>
How to subscribe to E-News or unsuscribe
To complete a subscription application and receive E-News regularly,
or unsubscribe, click here.
<http://lists.ansn.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/ansn_members>
Send us your news
To send us information or reports about news and events in your
area, click here. <mailto:keith.redman at ansn.edu.au> If you do not
wish to receive future issues of ANSN E-News, click here
<http://lists.ansn.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/ansn_members>
ansn logoSubscription Information:
You have received this email because you have subscribed to the
Australian National Schools Network mailing list and have agreed to
receive e-mails. This email was brought to you by Australian National
Schools Network. ABN 22 057 975 355. PO Box 544, Strawberry Hills, NSW
2012. Tel: (02) 9590 5341.
Disclaimer: We have taken precautions to minimise the risk of
transmitting software viruses, but we advise you to carry out your own
virus checks on any attachment to this e-mail. We cannot accept
liability for any loss or damage caused by software viruses.
-------------- next part --------------
Skipped content of type multipart/related
More information about the Ansn_members
mailing list