ICT Enhanced Learning and Teaching: The ICTELT mindmap discussed

Experiences around piloting the ICT Enhanced Learning and Teaching model and framework revealed that practitioners were often at a loss as to what a design might ‘look’ like, and discussions tended to be esoteric and scattered. It was suggested therefore that teams draw up a mindmap that identified the main functionality and design of the programme or session they had chosen. However, some teams found this a challenge, so a mindmap 'model' (http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcqj5jv4_131d2686rhf or you can access the full map in Mindomo - ) was developed.

The online mindmap is adaptable, and users are encouraged to change it to suit their purposes. The range of spaces, activities, tasks and interactions illustrated in the mindmap is extensive. However, rather than expecting that all will be used simultaneously, users are guided to select the items and tools carefully, and to ‘mix and match’ to suit circumstances and to change or omit any elements that are irrelevant or unsuitable. Although the central starting point of the mindmap is labelled ‘course’ it could just as easily be a Community of Practice, a department, or a support unit.

This video - http://blip.tv/file/4305734, after briefly visiting some of the principles and current research that underpins the design, then takes the watcher on a guided tour of the mindmap. The mindmap has been piloted with virtual community space design, as well as with academic programmes and activities. Anecdotal feedback to date suggests that teams thought it was a great help to 'see' their design, and visualise all of the disparate but interconnected elements. It was also a great springboard for discussions about the pedagogical reasons for including elements such as, for example, informal, social spaces.

How do I set about designing a course in my Learning Management System?

I have been working on a process model and framework, adapted from earlier examples, developed to help answer the question “Where do I start?” for teachers who are unfamiliar with adapting education resources to make effective use of ICT Enhanced Learning and Teaching.

This video - http://blip.tv/file/4305523- very briefly shows an example of a Moodle course that has been designed using the ICT Enhanced Learning and Teaching approach, as well as exploring a couple of the tools that could be used by teachers (hosted at: http://efest2008collaboratingbydesign.pbworks.com/FrontPage).
Employing a scaffolded approach appropriate for working in small teams of teachers, or as individuals, the guiding questions of the ICTELT model form the foundation for collaborative discussion of design choices, and the incorporation of a range of pedagogical approaches with a variety of tools.



The model and framework can be used with new and/or existing programmes, modules, units, sessions, or learning objects, but initially practitioners are encouraged to trial the process on a small scale. Please contact me if you have any questions: http://www.ethosconsultancynz.com/profile/HazelOwen.

Virtually Engaged! Building Virtual Professional Development Communities

This is the Prezi I developed to go with a presentation I gave at Shar-E-Fest. The Prezi resource was designed to be used as a presentation at the 'top' level, but if you look closer, and drill down (a bit like a treasure hunt), you will find heaps more detail. Have fun!!!

The abstract reads as follows: "Current models of Professional Development (PD) provision are being evaluated. As a result, one of the mainstays of education intuitions, the generic workshop, has been identified as having number of fundamental flaws. Hand-in-hand with this is the request by teachers for increased PD to help them with ICT Enhanced Learning and Teaching (ICTELT) projects. The Virtual Professional Development (VPD) Model has been developed in response to these factors. VPD is based around a community of learning, with a goal to provide peer-supported PD around ICTELT.

There are currently ten tertiary, secondary and primary school teachers from a variety of locations ranging from Kaitaia to Canterbury involved in this pilot initiative. The national facilitator works with these teachers to develop their own highly-contextualised learning plans. After an initial face-to-face meeting the group now meets regularly using the Internet based webinar tool Adobe Connect to share skills, experiences and ideas and to enable peer mentoring relationships to build. Facilitated sessions are at a time and place which is flexible to each teacher\'s needs. These exchanges are complemented by interactions within a social networking space (Ning), as well as through access to their own \'sandpit\' courses in a learning management system (Moodle), where they have the opportunity to experiment and try out skills before going live with learners. Skill-sets and experience vary in the VPD group, and this is offering great opportunities for participants to take on facilitator and learner roles.

The main factors that are becoming apparent from the evaluations to date is that the VPD model could be effective for future PD initiatives. However unlike generic workshops, VPD is mainly 1) about affective factors - community, belonging and relationships; 2) a personalised, contextualised curriculum; and 3) an experience where upskilling takes second place to a teacher\'s own learning \'journey\' which is all about their identity as educators and their beliefs about learning."

Virtually Engaged! Building Virtual Professional Development Communities on Prezi

Please cite as: Owen, H. (2010, 27-28 September). Virtually Engaged! Building Virtual Professional Development Communities. Paper presented at the Shar-E-fest Conference.