In the past school doors seemed almost impenetrable. New Age Technology has changed all of this and today you can wander into classrooms all over the state. I visited Malmsbury Primary School recently and found that all the grades there are using blogs to showcase their work, share ideas and communicate important information.
Malmsbury Primary is welcoming visitors and asking visitors to leave comments. You can begin by visiting the Little Room and then wander into other rooms and see just how students are using their netbooks and applying Web 2.0 tools.
You are quite right Heather – since you set us on the path to blogging, some 3 years ago, I have changed the way I think as an educator. I’m not sure if it was our global isolation which had me bursting with excitement to “get into other classrooms,” both within and outside of Australia or the fact that the technology seemed to be the logical, practical and most exciting direction for education to take. Either way, I have found myself collaborating with innovative teachers and classrooms in America, Guadaloupe, England, Darwin, Tasmania and others which escape me at the moment. I have been part of skype link ups with amazing people in Malaysia, Antarctica, Melbourne etc. I have joined in Elluminate sessions – and wait for it – have even HOSTED a session (well with enormous support from our resident guru Anne Mirtschin)on nuclear disarmament, which attracted participants from America, Canada and Spain. I no longer think about my tiny classroom and the limited resources we have within our school, as being limitations. I no longer think twice about contacting well known, famous people and asking them if they could speak to our students. I no longer consider our global isolation as a reason / excuse for us, to abstain from any subject or activity. I recently read a blog post (www.learningtoday.com/blog) which stated we should be teaching students for their future, not our past, and my mind is constantly whirring with ideas and projects which will require students to collaborate, cooperate, think critically, contribute, converse and connect with students on a local, national and international level. Thank you for opening the door of endless possibilities, for me as an educator. Thank you for having the courage to encourage educators to move outside their comfort zones and to embrace the exciting world of technology which swirls around us all day, every day, in every way. You rock!