Edited by Keith Redman

Topics covered in this edition include:

• Action Learning with Cognitive Coaching hits the road
• Hanan Harrison in Melbourne for workshops and meetings
• Making the right choice for your professional learning
• Upcoming dates for Dimensions of Learning and Setting the Stage workshops
• Register NOW for Dimensions of Learning Hubs in Brisbane and Cairns – starting in April
• Dimensions of Learning: Ongoing work with St Stephens College (Qld)
• Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) – New Hub in Victoria, starting in April
• An IWB Hub for more experienced users, starting in Victoria in May
• First IWB Hub for NSW, starting in April
• Introducing Big Picture Schools
• ANSN technology update and invitation for expressions of interest
• Early Childhood and Technology: Digi Kids Hub for Tasmania
• Two Bee Bots workshops in Tasmania
• Some interesting reading
• Reminders of ANSN activities, covered in previous editions of E-News

Action Learning with Cognitive Coaching hits the road

Gavin Grift reports that in February he and Leith Hogan (see photos below) drove through bushfire-scarred regional Victoria to join members of the ANSN Cognitive Coaching Hub in Echuca.

Gavin comments that, despite the sombre mood left from Black Saturday, twenty-five enthusiastic participants from seven neighbouring schools (state and independent) worked collaboratively, using the ANSN’s Reflective Teacher Action Learning Frames. The group, comprising classroom teachers, leading teachers and principals, worked collaboratively for two days (see photos below) to:

• establish a research circle where colleagues come together to support one another in their work;
• develop deeper conceptual understandings of Cognitive Coaching and explore its use to build the capacity for higher-level professional conversations;
• use Cognitive Coaching conversation structures for planning and reflection, to help participants address learning, teaching and leadership in their schools.

The journey continues. Over time, the Hub/Research Circle members will build their capacity to observe and support each other, with the long term intention of enhancing teacher practice in schools. Kylie Lipscombe, the Research Circle Leader/Coach, has planned two follow-up sessions, to generate further support for the work identified within the first two days. A third day is set to take place on 29 May to reflect, celebrate and plan for further work. Participants reflected positively on the first two days and examples of identified areas include:

• building a sustainable coaching culture into the school;
• designing innovative curriculum for newly established learning studio; and
• embedding effective literacy practice across the school with a focus on reading

For further details of the Hub/Research Circle’s work contact gavin.grift@ansn.edu.au

Hanan Harrison in Melbourne for workshops and meetings

Hanan Harrison (below, left) flew into Melbourne for Dimensions of Learning (DoL) workshops on 23 and 24 March, at ANSN’s offices in Williamstown Primary School.

She took the opportunity to catch up with Viv White and Keith Redman (above, centre two photos) about progress with her book, Teaching Our Digi Kids – which Keith is editing – so keep your eye out for promotional material in the very near future. She also met with Andrea Federico (above right), to discuss possible involvement in an exciting national project (about which there will be more in forthcoming editions of E-News) and with senior staff at Williamstown’s Bayside P-12 College, to explore the possibilities for professional development work on campus. To find out more about Hanan’s work, email her at hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au or call on her mobile, at 0407 464 472.

Making the right choice for your professional learning

In the busy working environment of schools, teachers need to be selective and strategic, to maximise their professional learning in the most efficient and effective ways. Currently, ANSN is offering a number of professional learning opportunities that are designed to help teachers construct meaning through the framework and lens provided by Dimensions of Learning (DoL). Current research findings indicate that using DoL as a common language for learning design can shift the learning paradigm – at individual school sites and more broadly at an education district/cluster/region/zone level.

ANSN offers two distinct professional learning pathways to learn about DoL, and a choice of 2-day workshops or 5-day action learning Hubs. In both cases, the presenters and Hub coordinators facilitate participant learning through reflection and shared practice. If you want to focus on exploring the DoL framework, our Dimensions of Learning opportunities are most suitable. For schools wanting to develop a supportive and productive climate for learning that develops thinking dispositions (Habits of Mind) within the curriculum, then Setting the Stage would be the right choice. ANSN E-News will keep you informed about opportunities across Australia – see the following news item for upcoming dates and locations.  

Upcoming dates for Dimensions of Learning and Setting the Stage workshops

Dimensions of Learning, Smithfield (Cairns) – 21 and 22 April. Click here for details 

Dimensions of Learning, Brisbane – 28 and 29 April. Click here for details 

Setting the Stage, Darwin – 14 and 15 May. Click here for details

Dimensions of Learning, Perth – 2 and 3 June. Click here for details 

Dimensions of Learning, Canberra – 9 and 10 June. Click here for details

Setting the Stage Canberra – 11 and 12 June. Click here for details

Setting the Stage – NSW (Lismore) – 16 and 17 June. Click here for details

For more general information about Dimensions of Learning click here or for Setting the Stage click here. If you have queries or want to organise professional learning that will address needs specific to your local context, contact Hanan Harrison hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au  or Tina Doe tina.doe@ansn.edu.au


Register NOW for Dimensions of Learning Hubs in Brisbane and Cairns – starting in April

Participants in ANSN Dimensions of Learning Hubs explore the five dimensions – attitudes and perceptions about learning; acquisition and integration of knowledge; extension and refinement of knowledge; meaningful use of knowledge; and productive habits of mind. Using action learning as a vehicle, they build knowledge and skills to help identify how students learn.  Participants work together to translate this information into implementation programs, which they can use to help their schools plan curriculum, assessment and instructional strategies.

Hubs will be starting very soon in Brisbane and Cairns, each with five days of workshop sessions spread over the year. The time for registrations is now, given the tight timeline, with Easter in between. For more information and the registration forms, click here for Brisbane and click here for Cairns

If you have queries, contact Hanan Harrison by email at hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au or by mobile on 0407 464 472.

Dimensions of Learning: Ongoing work with St Stephens College (Qld)

St Stephens College in Queensland is one of many schools nationally that are taking up the Dimensions of Learning framework. To help guide their professional journey, the school has partnered with the ANSN to develop a personalised training and support program, specific to their school context.  A group of 23 motivated educators from their school joined Hanan Harrison on a recent Saturday to explore the DoL.  The day was full of hands-on activities and reflection strategies that modelled DoL in action. Among other things, the teachers gained awareness of the Habits of Mind (HoM), as one of the 5 Dimensions for developing a strategic thinking framework (see photos below).

Below, left, a group of teachers discussed a possible future implementation focus for the school. Below, right, teachers identified and reflected on the thinking dispositions that were evident in a case study they had analysed.



If your school is interested in finding out more about DoL, or the Habits of Mind/Thinking Dispositions – or if you want to explore a tailor-made package for your school or cluster – then contact Hanan Harrison by email at hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au or by mobile on 0407 464 472.

Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) – New Hub in Victoria, starting in April

Over a hundred schools have now taken part in ANSN’s IWB Hubs, since they started in 2006. For an example of the benefits they have discovered, click here to read Dean Stafrace’s Snapshot, based on his experience in 2008.

The Hubs run by Andrea Federico and Kate Cooper (below left) in 2008 and Term 1, 2009, were oversubscribed and very popular with those who attended (see photos below, centre and right).

 
If you have been on the waiting list, or if you have been looking for a chance to participate, register now for the new Hub, which starts in Term 2. Act now, as Day 1 of the Hub sessions is on Thursday 23 April. For full details, and to download the registration form, click here

An IWB Hub for more experienced users, starting in Victoria in May

A new Hub, exploring the theme of Embedding IWBs into the Curriculum, will be starting on 14 and 15 May, with further sessions in August and October. Based at St Albans South PS in Victoria, the Hub is designed for educators (Prep-Year 9) who are already using an interactive whiteboard and want to develop their skills and practices further, to use IWB in designing engaging and rigorous learning experiences for their students. During the Hub sessions, participants will develop an inter-disciplinary unit of work that incorporates rich IWB activities. This Hub is best suited to participants who have already completed ANSN’s basic IWB training.

For full details, and to download the registration form, click here

First IWB Hub for NSW, starting in April

ANSN is starting an IWB Hub, based at its new training centre at St Johns Park High School. ANSN has been running successful Interactive Whiteboard Professional Development for the last three years in Australia, with over 350 teachers taking part Click here to see more on our website including Snapshot reports from participants.

Our aims for the Hub are

• to build a learning and sharing community where ideas and good practice can be shared in a supportive environment
• deliver a comprehensive training program so you will have confidence using your Interactive Whiteboard and ACTIVstudio software
• explore a full range of IWB capabilities and good IWB pedagogy
• share resources with other teachers to use back at school

The times and dates for the five days of Hub activities are from 9.30am to 3.30pm on 6 April, 7 April, 18 May, 31 August and 27 October.

For further details, click here

Introducing Big Picture Schools

A Big Picture school is based on the premise that each child has unique interests, needs and abilities that the educational program must take into account. The key achievement in a Big Picture school lies in fostering students’ individual interests, encouraging their active participation in the learning process, and developing their ability to apply knowledge and skills to real life experience and challenges.

A brief introduction to Big Picture Education Australia was held on Wednesday 25 March at Williamstown Primary School in Victoria. The speakers were Viv White from Big Picture Education Australia and John O’Meara and Carolyn Bamberg from Yea High School. For details of Big Picture sessions in Queensland and South Australia see Reminders of ANSN activities, later in this E-News.

ANSN technology update and invitation for expressions of interest

ANSN has a proud 18-year history of working side by side with school, tertiary education institutes and education departments in response to the needs of the teaching profession.  Our network has grown a reputation built on honouring and valuing teachers – we listen to what you want, reflect upon it, and tailor professional learning opportunities to support your context. Most of our support materials are written by or co-authored with teachers, and the audience for our materials and training are teachers and schools.

Based on our past work on both national and district initiatives and research projects, the ANSN has been asked to partner with Education Queensland to develop and implement an innovative national pilot for integrating technology within schools. One of the tasks will be identify schools nationally, in rural or regional areas, that would be interested in being part of the project.  More information about this project will be released shortly, but in the meantime interested ANSN schools may wish to register interest in the project. Contact Hanan Harrison by email at hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au or by mobile on 0407 464 472.

Early Childhood and Technology: Digi Kids Hub for Tasmania

The ANSN Digi Kids Hubs offer opportunities for teams of teachers to explore how integrating technology in classroom activities can be used to motivate young learners. Participants explore the use of various tools and link this to providing stimulating experiences for students. Participants report that this “hooks” many reluctant learners into the learning process.

The first Digi Kids Hub for Tasmania will be launched in Term 2.  Dates and location for the 5 day hub are as follows:

• Days 1 & 2: 12 and 13 May
• Days 2 & 4: 14 & 15 July
• Day 5: 7 October

Venue: Rokeby High School, 170 Mockridge Rd, Rokeby

If your school is interested, contact Hanan Harrison by email at hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au or by mobile on 0407 464 472.

Two Bee Bots workshops in Tasmania

ANSN invites early childhood educators in Tasmania to attend a one-day workshop, Bee Bots – Make, Play and Take. (Bee Bots can best be described as robotics for young learners).  This hands-on workshop (see below, left) provides the opportunity for participants to explore and develop strategies for using Bee Bots across the early years curriculum. There is a particular focus on literacy, numeracy, science and music. All participants at the end of the workshop will receive their very own Bee Bot to take home (see below right, valued at rrp $88 each), as well as numerous curriculum resources and ideas to support Bee Bots within the curriculum. For more information about Bee Bots and workshop activities, click here



We have two workshops coming up in May for Bee Bots in Tasmania – one in Launceston and one in Hobart. To register for either of these workshops, click here

Launceston location:
St Leonard's Primary School, 330 St Leonards Rd, St Leonards, Launceston 7250
Date: Monday 25 May

Hobart location:
Rokeby High School, Hobart, 170 Mockridge Road, Rokeby 7019
Date: Tuesday 26 May

Some interesting reading

Viv White, ANSN National Coach, recommends An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of Craftsmanship with Students, published by Heinemann. The author, Ron Berger, has been a teacher in Massachusetts for 25 years and works with the Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound school network, Harvard Project Zero, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He argues for a paradigm shift in educational reform, to transcend standards, curriculum and instructional strategies, and to achieve whole-school embrace of an “ethic of excellence”.  Quoted on the back cover, Howard Gardner comments:  “For a reminder of what education can and should be, read this passionate book – and give it to every policymaker whom you know”.
https://books.heinemann.com/products/E00596.aspx

Hanan Harrison draws our attention to a new report published in Psychological Science, which has found that simple gestures not only help people recall information, but also can help them create new ideas. By adding appropriate gestures to their classes, teachers were able to significantly improve student achievement on mathematical problems involving new concepts.  This research connects to Dimensions of Learning, in particular Dimension 2 – Acquiring and Integrating Knowledge. This phase has a strong emphasis on using non-linguistic representation to help students obtain, organise and store information.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224133204.htm

Finally, Hanan notes that McREL's best-selling book, Classroom Instruction that Works (ASCD, 2001), is one of the most widely used professional development manuals in education today. In a recent blog post, ASCD asks readers how they would rewrite Classroom Instruction that Works today. The post also invites readers to share their own blog posts or Web sites related to Classroom Instruction that Works. If you want to be part of this on-line discussion or forum view the ASCD site.
http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/02/classroom-instruction-that-works-for-the-21st-century-learner.html

Reminders of ANSN activities, covered in previous editions of E-News

New Hubs in 2009 for Improving Science Literacy

As reported in the previous edition of E-News, ANSN Hubs are currently being planned, for all states and territories across Australia, to bring together research, theories of learning and practical activities in the area of science literacy. The aim is to help educators make meaningful and sustainable changes in their practice and also find ways to engage their communities in a science curriculum, assessment and pedagogy journey. For further information, or to register your interest, click here and download the flier.

Cognitive Coaching – Research Circle

As reported in previous editions of E-News, Gavin Grift has been busy founding the first Cognitive Coaching Research Circle, which will be presented by ANSN and The Center for Cognitive Coaching. The research circle has been designed to assist schools to build reflective communities, using action learning and cognitive coaching to support changes in teacher pedagogy. To read or download a flier, click here.  For further details email, gavin.grift@ansn.edu.au

Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Hub, Victoria – Reminder of dates

For the three IWB Hubs that have started in Term One 2009, the remaining session dates are as follows:

• Group 1:    21 May, 27 August, 12 November 2009
• Group 2:    28 May 2009; 3 September; 19 November 2009
• Group 3:    2 April, 4 June 2009; 10 September, 26 November 2009

For further details, contact andrea.federico@ansn.edu.au

Big Picture Education Australia – PD in Queensland and South Australia

Educators in Qld and SA have the opportunity to explore Big Picture’s personalised approach to education, combining academic work with real-world learning and characterised as a model of educating ‘one student at a time’. Sessions are:

Queensland: Mooloolaba State School

• Option 1 – One-day intensive workshop on 15 April
• Option 2 – Two-day advanced, ‘foundation’ course on 16-17 April.

Click here to download a Queensland flier or to register.

South Australia: Enfield High School

• Option 1 – One-day intensive workshop on 22 April
• Option 2 – Two-day advanced, ‘foundation’ course on 23-24 April.

Click here to download a South Australia flier or to register.

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