Pilgrims to Mecca
Russians to Moscow

I’ve been part of an international think-tank helping ICT Qatar develop a strategy and report on how best to introduce, distribute and integrate digital content into K-12 education in Qatar, as well as other Gulf nations.

As is always the case, there’s a tension between how an such a project integrates with other efforts to improve teaching and learning in this rapidly industrializing and internationalizing society.  The growth curve and paradigm here is extreme – I can see it and hear it even from the 7th floor of my hotel as I watch the endless construction of The Pearl – a man-made archipelago / residential development.

So the question becomes how an ICT (or ed tech) strategy both pushes, and is pushed by, wider changes in a national education system.  We’ve learned a great deal about the contexts of my collaborators from Australia, Finland, Scotland and the UK.  One consistent takeaway is the need to recognize and embrace the social value of teaching profession within an particular national context.

The challenge here, then, will be whether the route followed is one which locates an ICT/ed tech strategy within an educational reform movement, or whether it’s grafted onto the existing schools and systems.

Another way to consider this is to ponder the parable of the ice rink in the Villagio Mall, located near downtown Doha.  A wonderful sight to see – indoor skating in the desert, but is it real or a mirage?

Ancient and modern

Later, on our first day, a visit to the Museum of Islamic Arts followed by a visit to The Pearl, made me wonder how we juxtapose such radical divergent notions of ancient and modern/futuristic.

On the one hand we witness glorious 10th century tiles and artifacts, and then are whisked down The Corniche to visit the showroom for the yet-to-be-constructed Pearl.

How do we make sense of both?

Thrilled to be going, a bit harried, and wanting to make sure I don’t anything or any ideas behind!

passport document scans – Fujitsu

stress killing learning… being in a space where your knowledge treads out onto thin ice

benchmark the audience – quick pic of toast preferences

how would you like to know coupled with what would you like to know… differentiation of information delivery systems

difference bingo

re-appropriation of platforms and delivery systems. Facebook homework

sensory matrix very cool

learning event generator

legal questions — first time mentioned

active interactions with the dominant media of our time

challenge/constraint/tools

Quicktime Pro

Audacity

Scratch from MIT

media industry… what about public media??

making digital concrete – mixmashsetform

BLC Ning

Live, from the cozy confines of the Newton Marrriot, it’s quite an echo from NECC (17,000 wandering masses). So far so good.

So, we start with Promethean, demo of their handheld text input devices (via OllieBray.com – Active Expression) – cool way to see bar graph results of most popular results.

It’s a quick way to do Crowd-sourcing; springboard to conversations.

Followed by some Interesting comments about Commons use of UStreaming conference proceedings – ie bandwidth

Ewan McIntosh – Scotland

Its Not all Native Wit – from Creativity to Ingenuity

Main idea of debunking of digital nativism, a digital anti-nativist movement!? But point being there is no dividing line between who can use new technologies, and who is perceived to be able to…

EM inviting the group to follow along via Twitter: twitter.com blc08

Analogy of the “river of news” – navigating the river of information;

Take-aways:

• Tanya Byron – safe use and the power of transformative schools rather than transformative techology
• Clay Shirky – socially interesting technology tools, but need for familiarity; but how is the measure of familiarity altered by the need to swim in the info river, ie what is unfamiliar/familiar?
• Students Against Closures – Scotland’s reactions to school closures – slogan crowd sourcing; “barely motivated activism”
• micro-audiences within macro communities, ie the 20 something trusted members within 185 million – looking at the anatomies of social networks – Saturation learning proces

Showcase of divergent efforts in a convergent world: Johnny Lee – 5.5m views – head tracking

Quality and teachers – most predictive of quality education – McKenzie recent report;

Need to access February 2007 News Map – FIND THIS as well as the academic tracking video!!!!!!Atlas Learning / media

• flashmobs shared awareness. secret/group/publishing/performance/participation/watching spaces

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Mark Nieker – NAF Collaborations and Professional Development

Digital Arts Alliance – 8,000 kids a year

National Academy Foundation – high school academy programs, started by Sandy Weil – NAF focusing on a mentorship and internship models, small school initiatives, offering student career themed learning

Nieker discussed The LongTail and how it relates to PF’s work with NAF, that is providing ongoing pulse to initial PD, as the impact plays out in NAF academies over a period of time.

reference – Curtis Anderson – blockbuster with no tail…

Once the web connection was restored, MN focused on the collaborative model of PD with Pearson Foundation with NAF
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Practical Pegagogy: Web 2.0

Lauren Panton, Chatham University

pre-service teachers; technology integration, (and the room is PACKED)

Lauren provided a great overview of how to create professional development that is sustainable, practical, engaging, and viral

She provided a really practical overview of tools and pd tensions:

Tensions within district models

push<>pull

formal<>informal

personal <> group learning spaces

Some of Lauren’s favorite tools:

• Wordle – for badges among other things
• slideshare ( also slidecasting)
• diigo ( versus delicious) – groups, highlighting, and sharing ; slide function
• classroom 2.0