Talkies in Teaching

How things have changed in such a short time.

When I started teaching, my first classroom had a random arrangement of desks, a single set of cracked trays on a trolley and a piece of blackboard perched on the top so that it rested against the wall.  Sixteen years and ten classrooms later, what has changed?

The trays are neater and new, the desks are uniform and clean, the board is mounted on the wall and is now white.

An important question I ask myself is, "Do I use these resources any differently?"

I like to think that I do make different and better use of these things but how often do I resort back to 19th Century methods with a 21st Century gloss?  How interactive do I make my interactive whiteboard?  Who is interacting with it and how?  Is it just an inverse blackboard or a small cinema screen?  I hope not, or not often.

With the arrival of high speed broadband access and these large touch screens, the use of video in the classroom is now common place.  No more walking to the hall or 'TV room' to watch a 20 minute tape of a programme recorded by a teacher's friend during the night or yesterday afternoon.  Streaming high-def, available on demand, can have real advantages but what is the best way to use it?  What are your thoughts on how to use video effectively in your teaching?

"Stand and Deliver"

Bluetit Breakfast

Gone are the days when we all await the clank of bottles on our doorsteps as the daily pint becomes bluetit breakfast.  (Actually my neighbour still gets his milk delivered!)  But my point is this: when things are delivered to us, such as milk or the post, it is a very one-sided process - the recipients are passive.

That's what the 'old' media is like.  People sit on the sofa and watch TV programmes; they visit the cinema for the latest releases and the most active thing they are involved in is reaching for more popcorn; newspaper and book print sits on the page awaiting the reflection of light and the open eye.


Is that how we see teaching?  How often do we talk about "delivering" a lesson?  Do we expect our students to sit for a while, listening and watching, passively absorbing the information imparted to them?  I hope not, well, not often.  That is why I am trying to avoid using the word "deliver" when it comes to the curriculum.

But what are the alternatives?

Well, I believe that students of all ages should 'engage' with the their learning.  They need to be active and interdependent and New Media can be used to promote this.  The question is "how"?  What are your thoughts?

Sharing this Blog

If we want to use 'New Media' with our students then we need to know how to use it ourselves.  There are a number of possibilities but to make the most of the group you will need to have publishing access to these pages.

You will need to use a Google and a Twitter Account.  If you have one already then you can begin once you have received the invitation email I am going to send you.  Don't worry if you don't know how to do this or you are unsure about the whole process - part of our first session will guide you through it all quickly.

Now for the discussion to begin.

Please consider these questions before we meet:

• Do you or have you used Facebook, Twiter, any Blog or chatroom?  What are your personal experiences?  Have you used them with students?
• Have you used video or sound clips in your teaching?  If so, how and what has been the impact?
• What problems have you had with clips/images?
• Where do you source your resources?

 Okay, that'll do for the moment.

Want to get started straight away?  Send an email using the link on the right of the page...and have a go at answering the poll below!