Nah. I probably won’t end up becoming a google groupie. I have too much else to get excited about. Have to admit, though. I’ve found out about some of their more recent initiatives; and I can’t help but express admiration for them.
Here are a few:
Google Wonderwheel. Just do a normal search eg for ‘pedagogy’. Then click on to Show Options up in the top left corner. A list will appear on the left. From that list, click on to Wonderwheel. It converts your search into a simple wheel, with the search topic in the middle, and some core sub-topics around the wheel. If you then click on to one of those sub-topics, a new wheel is created around that sub-title. I love this. Have always felt a little uneasy about the endless list that appears on a google search. Doesn’t really place the searches into context with the info you’re after. This will make it much easier for kids to see that context.
Google Timeline. In the same left side column, you’ll also discover Timeline. While in the same search (eg for ‘pdagogy’), this will place the one million (or more) searches into a time line, from the date of the very first recorded article about the topic, through to the very latest (eg from 1794 to 2009). Not only that, a timeline appears at the top of the page, and gives an illustrated graphic formation that shows how many articles were written in specific years.
Google Squared. I love this one (and it’s not that I don’t like the other two). You need to go directly to Google Squared, and again, put in a search eg Science Fiction novels. Just have a look. If you love to use a matrix to organise info, you’ll get high on this. Guaranteed.
Have you ever pondered why Information Technology has arrived at this point in world history?? Yes, it’s all part of the advancements in scientific fields that have accelerated over the past few hundred years. Yet I suspect that there is more to it than the inexorable progress of human endeavour.
My contention, in part, is that the present and pending technologies will eventually remind us of what we have always been able to do ourselves.
For example, some rudimentary BrainCaps can already be used to move the cursor on your computer screen; or to turn your TV on. Within five years, they will become the latest form of mobile phone. You will simply transmit your thoughts (and only the ones that you choose to send, hopefully) to another BrainCap.
Around 2025, someone will wake up to the reality that they’ll be able to transmit their thoughts to someone else… without using their braincap.
Farfetched? Hardly. Have a look at the 8-min video that I’ve pasted up the top. It’s an early version of what this US technology group calls ‘The Sixth Sense’. My bind moggles as I ponder the exponential possibilities with these applications.
One of the many fantastic ideas I’ve seen recently. This is a Friendship Seat, one of several that are placed around the beautifully designed Willowbank School in Auckland. Basically, whenever children have no-one to play with at lunchtime, they can sit on this seat; and someone will come over and invite them to join in with their games.
Maybe we need variations on these all over the world. Why not put them in city centres? Or on neighbourhood street corners? Or even on the borderline between warring countries?
Some new directions coming up for me. And partly triggered by the amount of travel I’ve done recently. Up to last Saturday, I had been away for 23 out of 32 days (even though some of that was a holiday in Sth America). Not on. Well, not all at once anyway.
As part of those days, I had a fantastic series of visits throughout beautiful (although a bit cool) NZ. I’m constantly astonished by the professionalism of the Kiwi teachers who attend sessions during their holidays. Yeah, I know, they can be ‘legally’ required to attend. Yet they don’t sit there and sulk about it; they fully engage. Bliss. For me as facilitator, for them in terms of their spirit, and for their students, who (hopefully) will benefit.
And so, my new directions. Have been approached to conduct a series of sessions for various adult learning organisations, and I’m finding that I’m really enjoying the variations (andragogy as compared to pedagogy).
However, a really big one is the work that I’ll be doing over the next six months or so with AISQ (Association of Independent Schools of Qland). Probably a total of 30 days or so. With a focus on ICT + pedagogy. All very exciting, partly because it’s really going to stretch my thinking, and also because they’re a great group to work with.
And although it’s only a small part of the whole issue, I won’t have to walk through Brisbane airport as often. I’ll be able to stay in my hometown (which is basking in 21 degree sunshine right now). Bliss.
Only in South America could you find some toilets that are this colourful! And this wasn’t an abberation on the norm either. This sense of vitality was evident in many of the places that I visited in Chile, Peru and Argentina in the past two weeks.
Given my world wanderings, I’m pondering my learnings during that time. I sometimes wonder if I’m downright weird (!!?), or perhaps even normal (even more doubtful); however, I don’t just sit back and enjoy wherever I travel in the world. I keep thinking about my learning/s. Do you all do the same thing? Or do I just think too much??
Regardless, here are three of those learnings:
* Lesson One: Take Endless Photos. When I carry a camera with me, with express intent to take photos, I look around more carefully. A great attitude to have about life in general. Maybe I need to live everyday life like this. And I especially look for the quirky, and/or the simple examples that demonstrate how people really live. I love side alleys (during the daylight); I love graffiti (as long as it demonstrates some wit and wisdom); I delight in the silly messages that are written on shop windows.
* Lesson Two: Be grateful for what you have. Visiting less affluent countries is always a wake-up call to how lucky I am by birth. I felt especially troubled by Peru’s capital, Lima. I’ve never seen so much barbed wire per kilometre. An unsettling place. And populated by many young people who appear to not have much to do. I can tell you now that books about being Happy, Healthy and Wealthy will not sell well in places such as this. As I walked around, I counted my blessings that I would soon travel back to a country that was safe, clean, and especially, had clear skies.
* Lesson Three: It’s often the little things that count. People everywhere appreciate the small things that you do. I usually travel with a collection of little toy koalas, and whenever I’m impressed with what someone does (eg a great tour guide), I present them with one of the koalas. At one stage, I stayed at a motel in Santiago, and gave one of these toys to the very impressive desk attendant. Well… word got around the place, and two days later, I had been asked for one of these koalas by two other people who worked there. They wanted one for their bambinos, they said. And judging by their response at receiving a koala, it made their day. What a simple way to spread international goodwill.
How lucky am I!! (And that’s not a question). I get to meet so many fantastic people, and to travel to an incredible variety of places! As an example, am leaving 2morrow for South America. Amongst other things, I’ll be walking Macchu Picchu in Peru. A lifelong dream. Will work out some metaphor to share with you when I return.
Some recent learnings and thoughts:
* Just over a week ago, I presented a keynote to a group in Australia called ACPET (Australian Council for Private Education and Training). An umbrella group for a diverse range of TAFE and private training providers. A fascinating eye-opener for me, given that most of my work is with teachers of school students.
This means that I essentially focus on pedagogy (the art and science of learning for 4 to 18 year-olds). However, the people involved at this ACPET conference are into andragogy (the art and science of adult learning). Amongst many other things, I discovered that:
- Education has the highest value-added multiplier of any industry (0.94 compared to .47 for petroleum and coal products). This means that 94c in the $ stays in Australia when it is provided for international students.
- Education has just become the 2nd largest exporter in the country.
- 1 in 5 students in Aust is an international; and 3 in 5 come from East Asia and the Pacific
- These international students love to have an ‘Aussie’ experience; however, most of them don’t like the drinking culture (so don’t take them to the local pub)
- One neat quote: If education and training is the answer, then what’s the question?
- And, one that I’ve heard before, although it bears repeating (because I suspect that it’s pretty well true). “Nothing travels faster than the speed of light, except for bad news, which travels faster.” (Douglas Adams)
* Offered a keynote and a couple of workshops to an enthusiastic bunch at the Waimarino cluster in Tauranga on the Nth Island of NZ last Friday. I constantly marvel at my luck in being exposed to so many inspiring educators. And amongst others I met there:
- Sean Lyons, who works with NetSafe in NZ, had some neat points about cybersecurity. Including:
- 3 out of 4 students know how to circumvent filters
- Overreaction by adults leads to underdisclosure by students
- Research is the biggest driver of net usage by teenagers
- And I had to laugh at this quote: “My parents are happy for me to use a shotgun. But not FaceBook.”
And just for the heck of it. Picked this video up from Craig Price, a Muppets obsessive, who is the principal of the superb Selwyn Ridge primary school in Tauranga in NZ. Have a look firstly at the school; and then find your way to this video. Kids love it (which probably means that you will too).
Antwerp Central Railway Station in Belgium on March 23 2009. A recording of Do Re Me, sung by Julie Andrews, suddenly began playing over the public address system, and 200 people streamed out of the crowd and started dancing. They had practised twice. Pretty good effort for two rehearsals.
Why don’t we start setting up impromptu performances like this all over the world? Given the talent I often see in schools, they could be strongly involved. From there, we could set up a YouTube channel, and compile these presentations.
Over to you. Arrange something in your local shopping centre, or at your airport, or at some (normally) boring meeting, and exercise everyone’s goosebumps!
