1 DECEMBER 2014
PETER FORD - [email protected]
NOTOSH IN MALTA
Better Learning Using Technology
It was a pleasure to spend time with such receptive and enthusiastic
educators in MITA’s lovely venue last week. Your vision, values and
attitudes were genuinely inspiring. It was also incredibly thoughtful
of you all to arrange for the sun to shine for at least part of the
event. As an Englishman, I need reminding what the sun looks like
from time to time …
Thank you for your positive feedback and suggestions that were
kind, specific and helpful. Feel free to share any other
thoughts that might help us to tailor forthcoming events.
I would like to share with you some links and viewing that may be
useful when you come to transfer ideas into your own planning and
practice. The list is far from comprehensive, but hopefully it will jog
your memory and give you some avenues for further exploration.
Please take a look at our Lab (http://www.notosh.com/Lab) which
is regularly updated with examples of practice, explanations of why
the practice is good, and some suggestions of what you might do
next.
‘An engaging
workshop …
challenged me to
think differently re
technology in the
classroom.’
Half-way through
workshop @
#MaltaBLT …
Proud to be part of
it.
‘more and more
ideas emerging
from our rapid
prototyping
session’
‘What a productive
day!’
!1
1 DECEMBER 2014
PETER FORD - [email protected]
If you'd prefer some snappier inspiration that you could
borrow for your own classroom, then our Facebook page
(https://www.facebook.com/NoToshLearning) is the
easiest way to tap into the adventures of the NoTosh
Team as we work with schools and leaders around the
world.
Start with Why?!
Why do we go to school? It is a disarmingly simple
question that feels at the same time profound and
important. Everyone has at least a vague idea of
what activities take place at school, and a view on how a
school’s approach might make it distinctive. The
fundamental why question is often left unanswered or
misunderstood in the quest for rankings, results and
rigour. Exam results, the summative finishing line of
most educational systems, still dominate our attention –
if not our affections. However, they are not the beating
heart of our why. They are simply a result of what we do.
The why is a purpose, a cause or a compelling
vision. It provides a clear answer to why we get
out of bed in the morning, why our organisation
even exists and why that should matter to anyone
else.
Simon Sinek places the ‘why’ question – at the very
centre of the success of businesses and organisations and
asserts that very few people and organisations can clearly
articulate why they do what they do. Leaders who inspire
think, act and communicate from the inside-out. They
start with the why – a coherent, cohesive and compelling
vision. Communicating the purpose first – before the how
of strategy and the what of activity on the ground – builds
a culture in a way that drives intrinsic motivation,
decision-making and behaviour.
You can read more about the importance of vision on my
blog post at http://theblogcollective.net/?p=660 and find
out about Simon Sinek at https://www.startwithwhy.com
!2
1 DECEMBER 2014
PETER FORD - [email protected]
Everything Works!
Some of the most enlightening research of recent
years is John Hattie’s finding that 95% of all
interventions that take place in schools have a
positive effect on achievement. Hattie’s seminal
synthesis of over 900 meta-analyses relating to
influences on achievement builds a powerful story of
the powerful influences on learning exerted by
educators. It’s a surprising world where
EVERYTHING WORKS!
However, the world of education where everything works is a scary one. Every initiative
or latest arm of strategic policy is backed up by case study or pilot exemplars that
demonstrate impact on achievement. Even the ones that do not work seemed to have
worked somewhere!
For further reading and the thinking around the subject:
• Everything Works! - http://theblogcollective.net/?p=688
• I’ve got 99 problems … http://theblogcollective.net/?p=701
Design Thinking Challenge
I left you with the challenge of further developing your prototypes that came about as a
result of the provocation around ‘ Passion, Engagement, Learning and Technology. An
impossible recipe?’ Let me know if want some help to get your ideas off the ground.
You may also want to use the Design Thinking process to use back in your own school or
department. There is some more information on how to run the challenge over at our
website: http://notosh.com/lab/design-thinking-90-minute-challenge-for-schools/
!3
1 DECEMBER 2014
PETER FORD - [email protected]
The Malta BLT Network
It was lovely to launch and discuss the potential of the Malta Better Learning using
Technologies Network or Malta BLT - a grassroots network of educators who are willing
to share ideas, questions, and experiences. The base for our sharing is:
http://maltablt.net
The links and resources from the workshop are all to be found there - including our
collaborative share book! It would be great if you could occasionally update your blog to
let us know what small steps you tried out back in school and how they went. Feel free to
invite other interested educators to create their own blogs on the site, or to get involved
with the Malta BLT through Twitter. Follow @MaltaBLT for the latest network news.
Include the #MaltaBLT hashtag in your own tweets to amplify their message to the
whole network.
Next Steps
• Try out small steps actions in your school or
department. Share what happens!
• Tweet or blog some ideas, questions of
reflections. Read what others in the network are
discussing and get involved!
We will be having our first online sharing session before
Christmas and offering a range of online opportunities in 2015, as well as another face to
face workshop in March 2015. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch at
[email protected] or hook up with me on twitter @peterford.
!4