About


 

 

Connecting East

is an optional professional development initiative

for our primary school teachers and other staff members,

to introduce them to Web 2.0 concepts and tools.

 

It was inspired by the 23 Things movement, which originated in the library world.   The first one, The Learning 2.0 program, was loosely based upon Stephen Abram's article, 43 Things I (or You) might want to do this year (Information Outlook - Feb 2006) and the website 43Things.  Since then, many more libraries have done their own versions, as Stephen Abrams noted earlier this year.  For example, here is Imperial College London Library's version and here is RMIT's version (they use a sports metaphor, calling it "21 Lunges").  The movement, also known as "Viral Professional Development", has since spread to other spheres, e.g., school professional development. 

 

We are not limiting ourselves to 23 literal tools or experiences -- instead we guarantee to expose our participants to AT LEAST 23 things (but likely more).

 

Our pre-assessment was an online survey, asking which tools people were familiar with and to what degree (e.g., never heard of, have heard of, have used, and use regularly).  The results are available for viewing.  (Note: we offered the same survey to our counterparts at the other campus and their results are similarly revealing.)

 

The accompanying blog provides the order and pace of tools introduced over the 10 weeks of Term 2 (though teachers have until the end of Term 3 to complete the assignments in order to qualify for the prize-winning draw of two names to receive S$100 each, in the form of wine or book vouchers or a gadget like an iPod Shuffle).

  

After introducing the program at the first staff meeting of Term 2, the program will run on its own in the background, though we're going to hold "Fruit Fridays" every week -- where we will be available in our Resource Center (ICT/Lib) every Friday morning before school for anyone who needs help (with fruit will be provided as a breakfast treat).

 

Our main concern is to increase awareness of what is available online to improve teachers' personal/professional productivity and to enhance their classes/teaching.  The way it's structured we can only tempt people to try new things -- hopefully stretching/scaffolding them to increase their ability to take more responsibility for their own Web n.0 learning. 

 

Becoming an online learner is like becoming an avid reader.  It takes time, but once hooked, you keep going.  Similarly, Web 2.0 tools are like reading genres.  Sometimes all it takes is a strong recommendation or taste of a genre to have you expand your book options.  The "Magic Bullet" theory of reading says that the right book at the right time can turn a non-reader into a lifelong reader.   We can only hope that there are one or two "Magic Bullets" for one or two teachers in these weekly exercises.

 

-- Katie Day

and Keri-Lee Beasley