Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

Last week I was fortunate enough to facilitate a 2-day workshop at the Second National ITL Masterclass in Adelaide. It was quite an interesting concept with delegates splitting into cohorts and working over two days on a theme, developing a PLN, creating resources plus a final product to showcase, almost an intensive, project-based form of contemporary adult learning.

My workshop was called 'Nil Satis Nisi Optimum' (Everton's motto :) meaning 'nothing but the best is good enough'. Below is my prezi plus an outline of what we did.



Using the stimulus material in the prezi we:
  1. discussed the end product and how to get there (kind of backwards by design)
  2. outlined the technologies we would use (as a means to an end, not tech 101)
  3. discussed the 'Moral Imperative' of teaching using Fullan and Hargreaves as stimuli
  4. looked at crowdsourcing as a means to collaborate, share and draw on the qualities of the collective (excellent contemporary adult learning!) using Google Docs (see below)
  5. brainstormed what a great teacher looks like using Wallwisher
  6. looked at Ethics - leading by example using Creative Commons
  7. brainstormed what great eLearning looks like using Popplet (Fullan again)
  8. discussed what great PD looks like and modelled a mini-TeachMeet
Day 2:
  1. brainstormed what poor teaching and eLearning look like using tools of choice
  2. modelled staff meeting activity to engage whole staff in difficult conversations using Google Forms
  3. discussed what poor PD looks like and hence the need for empathy, meaning and proactivity rather than stick (or carrot...)
  4. developed resources as a PLC:
    • crowdsourced ideas in Google Presentation (see below)
    • Google Site of resources and PLC
    • YouTube video (see below) (quite funny in parts and unflattering in others...)
    • collective wiki  
Overall it was a great event, the highlight of which was meeting and working with so many great teachers and adding to my PLN, not least @neptunet, @eddyednedted (best of luck with TeachMeet Darwin John!), @skye_myers, @rach_y, @michellepayne55, @helenbull (excellent video Helen!), @rvkent, @miroepps (awesome dance moves Miro!), @HejkaC, @GAPC, @kwindsor02 (get me to KI!) @SeeMyBus, @pupcallery (nice win Alex!), @jessicaefrost, @JenNeish, @wjwhittle, @paul_h_taylor, @brightwaterss, @pars0, @kpetz, @Shadow80aus (great site Simon!) and @bernieos1967 - Cohort 1 rock! It was also great to catch up with the other great facilitators @mrpbps, @LibHowe, @grahamwegner, @jjash and @loisath.



3 comments:

  1. I tried entering a comment on my phone but it got lost so I'm trying again now on my laptop. Simon, you obviously did a great job with your cohort who were clearly enthused with what you showed them and what they achieved. I've learnt a lot through my own cohort process for the future, and was a bit professionally jealous (in a complimentary way) of how you really catered for your learners at the Masterclass. I really enjoyed having a chat to you over lunch and hope we cross paths again.
    Cheers,
    Graham.

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  2. Hi Graham, thanks for that, I really appreciate it! Likewise I enjoyed our chat and would like to think we'll cross paths again. Are you going to Gold Coast in Sept?

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  3. That depends on the school budget!

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