Comments for Doug Woods

Comment on If You Don’t Have a Job, Invent One by paul martin

paul martin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:42:57 +0000

Two good questions at the end with the $$$ question underlying. I am in Houston at present as have taken early retirement in the Scottish FE re-org and may be a little further along the road than yourself…. Your age may work against you too ;-> my experience to many standard applications has been no reply from potential employers (even though the economy is turning up) so the future has to be part-time – I think they call it Business. I attended a Uni of Houston start your own biz seminar, with people all of my own age, and realised that there is a formula. I know that there are similar courses in the UK but there is more of a can-do attitude here (I know its a cliche but its in the culture)

Comment on 12 Ways BETT Can Help Improve Your School by Ian Addison's Blog » Blog Archive » BETT for Beginners 2013

Ian Addison's Blog » Blog Archive » BETT for Beginners 2013 — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:07:14 +0000

[...] More tips for beginners here and another post is here [...]

Comment on Will 2013 see a Continued Decline in Education Technology? by 12 Ways BETT Can Help Improve Your School | Doug Woods

12 Ways BETT Can Help Improve Your School | Doug Woods — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:29:30 +0000

[...] Will 2013 see a Continued Decline in Education Technology? (dougwoods.co.uk) [...]

Comment on Pedagogy, Technology and the Search for Inspiration by 12 Ways BETT Can Help Improve Your School | Doug Woods

12 Ways BETT Can Help Improve Your School | Doug Woods — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:29:13 +0000

[...] Pedagogy, Technology and the Search for Inspiration (dougwoods.co.uk) [...]

Comment on Pedagogy, Technology and the Search for Inspiration by Janet Abercrombie

Janet Abercrombie — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 10:04:10 +0000

I think goals and objectives should come with technology. The question teachers need to constantly ask is _What do my students need to know and be able to do before they leave my classroom today_?

Once the objective is clear, teachers consider the many ways they can instruct toward that end. In my experiences, instruction/pedagogy that includes technology increases the speed and level of learning (if done well http://wp.me/p1Dq2f-oE).

As a leader, I wonder how I could model the use of technology in meetings so that teachers can reflect on ways the technology can enhance their instruction.

Comment on Are Mobile Devices Just Supplements to ‘Real’ Computers? by Daley Robinson

Daley Robinson — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:46:52 +0000

For me, it’s not a question of which is the ‘real computer’, it’s a question of the suitability of the device for the task in hand. Not only is that choice sometimes best taken out of a pupil’s control, but it’s also a continuous question ed-tech buyers need to keep asking themselves and each other.

Do I need this iPad fleet? Is it over-spec’d for our requirements considering our budget? Do I need to invest in 30 more desktops given the lifespan of the technology?

As well as defining ‘real computers’, we should also be defining real need for the computers themselves, and purchasing accordingly. There’s justified scrutiny of public spending on education IT – we advise careful thinking and lots of product testing before purchase.

Comment on Are Mobile Devices Just Supplements to ‘Real’ Computers? by Doug Woods

Doug Woods — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:00:38 +0000

Thank you for the comment, Janet. What I find interesting in your comment is that you seem to be moving from the laptop more to the mobile devices, which seems to reflect what is happening for many of us generally.
What interests me is what is happening to today’s learners who might never have used a laptop or desktop computer and for tomorrow’s learners for whom tablets and smart devices may be the main or only options.
I recall back in 2007 that studies revealed that people using mobile internet were doing so in addition to fixed broadband, so it would be fair to assume that they were using their mobile devices as supplements to their home and work devices.
Nowadays, though, I feel people are moving more towards using mobile devices and using ‘real’ (huh) computers less.
I very much take your point, though, that these real computers still offer advantages or facilities which portable devices have yet to emulate.

Comment on Are Mobile Devices Just Supplements to ‘Real’ Computers? by Janet Abercrombie

Janet Abercrombie — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 04:35:13 +0000

Last year, I asked my students (all of whom have MacBook Pros) whether or not they could do everything on an iPad that we do in class. Most agreed that they could, given they had a proper typing keyboard.

I have a laptop, iPad and iPhone. I use all the devices to communicate and collaborate, but I only use the laptop to create. In order to create, I usually need to have multiple tabs and multiple apps open at the same time. I read about apps that can do what my laptop does – but I haven’t experimented with them much. I’d be interested in others’ views.

My goal this year is to not carry my laptop back and forth to school. Instead, I will put relevant files into Dropbox and Evernote account files so that I have access to them on my iPad. I’ll write notes on my iPad.

So yes, for me, the smaller devices are a supplement. It might be different if I had more memory on my iPad or if my laptop suddenly disappeared.

Comment on Microsoft in Schools by Janet Abercrombie

Janet Abercrombie — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:14:15 +0000

I’ll be moving to a school with a Windows platform – which will be quite a change from Mac. I’m looking forward to seeing their changes and overcoming my stereotypes of Windows. Admittedly, the last version I used was Windows 95.

Comment on The Right Way to Use Education Technology? by Meredith Achlim

Meredith Achlim — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:52:40 +0000

I think we have to be clear on the reasons why we are integrating technology. Is it because it’s something cool and slick to catch the students’ attention, or is it because of the plethora of resources available? Technology offers us the most current information (as opposed to that set of old encyclopedias we used to have when I was a kid), expanded options for projects and assessments (same-old-poster on the Romans or personal Facebook page for Julius Cesar?), tools to address the needs of even more types of learners, and more. Of course there’s also the fact that our children will be using these tools daily in their personal and professional adult lives, and they need to be prepared to use them effectively. Inclusion of technology should be an integral part of planning, not an afterthought to entertain the children or appease parents and school administrators.