"There's a #FirstTweet for everything"

Seven years ago today I sent my first Tweet... a time before the RT, #tags, clickable links, @usernames and the celebrity Tweet! 

It's interesting to look back at those first few Tweets and the beginnings of a truly inspirational professional learning network.  Try it, especially if you've been Tweeting for a few years. 

Find out the date you sent your first Tweet here

Personalise the bold text below with your Twitter username and a date range that includes your first Tweet.

from:username since:yyyy-mm-dd until:yyyy-mm-dd

Copy and paste into the Search Twitter field from your home page at Twitter.com

My first interaction on Twitter was with @mguhlin ( +Miguel Guhlin ) 

Plus some familiar faces popped up when I checked out my first followers and my first follows using Tweet Tunnel.  

Twitter has certainly been a game changer for my learning.

How I manage my Twitter in 2014

Counting down to #EduCampAKL tomorrow

The following post originally appeared on #edChatNZ Blog

What motivates kiwi educators to spend 4-5 hours together, sometimes more when they travel, and on a Saturday?

Maybe the opportunity to share with like minded learners, mixed in with a bit of geeky stuff and a whole lot of networking and fun…essentials of an EduCampNZ event!

EduCamp in Auckland originated in 2008 as an unconference. Educators already connecting and sharing through blogs and Twitter, decided some kanohi ki te kanohi would definitely add value to their existing learning and sharing online.

The unconference model was a no-brainer as it seemed to reflect the serendipitous-ness of social networking. In comparison to traditional conferences, unconference is participant driven (whoever comes is the right people), sessions are scheduled on the day and the event itself is free.

In hindsight the strength of the online networking was also pivotal to initially spreading the word and continues to be a force in and around all EduCampNZ events.

While most EduCampNZ events include a focus on digital learning the programme is developed on the day by whoever is there. Sessions range from demos and hands on to lively conversations as well as an active backchannel sharing on Twitter and collaborative docs. Many events will also include participants contributing from a distance … you don’t have to be there, to be there.

As attendance is free, EduCampAKL events have been hosted through the generosity of local schools providing breakout spaces and wifi. All participants are encouraged to bring a digital device and be prepared to go with the flow! (unconference.net)

This year EducampAKL will be on Saturday 26th  July, thanks to the team at Western Heights School in Henderson and  principal +Ash Maindonald . Everyone is welcome and encouraged to connect now through the wiki and online.

In the past year over a dozen events have been organised locally and supported nationally around New Zealand. No two events are the same as they are inspired and realised through a desire of participants to share and learn in an open environment. 

If you are keen to attend or organise an event check out the EduCampNZ wiki and participation ideas. All content is available under Creative Commons

Plus some tips here for organising an unconference (via +Fiona Grant &  +Anne Kenneally) 

+Caroline Bush

"Fantastic turnout for #EduCampAKL" via @lenva

Posting to organise and record some of the excellent contributions from EduCampAKL yesterday. Ka nui te mihi to everyone who participated and contributed, you continue to inspire me.

Also thanks to our hosts @ClaireAmosNZ and the IT team from Epsom Girls Grammar who worked wonders with the network when around 80 of us (with multiple devices) descended for the Smackdown at 10am.

For those of you who like to take time and explore, the EduCampAKL wiki includes a multitude of links and resources shared on the day. I have also summarised and book marked contributions in My Delicious below.

EduCampNZ: Interface Magazine, July 2011

Click to view pdf.

Thanks to Interface Magazine for sharing EduCampNZ story in their latest issue.

Looking forward to EduCampTaiTokerau tomorrow, check the wiki for details or follow #EduCampTT

"EduCampWelly was about wanting to be there, it's self directed and personal"

@teachernz

Tāngo Whakaahua

 Tāngo Whakaahua– Creating a visual collaborative metaphor in response to our mārae noho through the medium of digital photography.

Photo: Cheryl Harvey

Facilitators from Team Solutions had the privilege of staying at Motatau Mārae in April. Motatau is located in the far north of New Zealand approximately 3 hours drive from Auckland (View Google Map). The mārae was built in the 1920s  and, as we learned, has contributed significantly to the history of the area and New Zealand.

After the powhiri, that included a waiāta from Motatau Primary, many of us were drawn to the images that line the walls of the wharenui. They hinted at what we were to hear later that evening when we gathered for a more detailed history from local whanau.

Motatau Mārae was built in the 1920s  to honour 
Northern Maori Member of Parliament Tau Henarae 

Much of the history of Motatau Mārae is also recorded through significant carvings inside the wharenui. It was fascinating to learn about the connection Motatau has with the meeting house, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Built in the grounds of the Treaty House at Waitangi, the meeting house commemorates the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.



The wood used for carvings for Te Tiriti o Waitangi was sourced from the forests around Motatau and were also initially carved at Motatau Mārae before being transported to Waitangi.
Digistore Learning Path: Te Tiriti o Waitangi

On the second day of our mārae noho facilitators were able to choose from a range of sessions, Te Ara Hikoitanga, opportunities to explore "Maori Achieving Education Success as Maori". 
  
Cheryl Harvey and I were invited to collaborate on a session and with our mutual interest in things digital we developed Tāngo Whakaahua. 

Our planning for the session has been shared on this Google doc. The link to the Google doc was shared with participants a few days before the Marae noho. This provided the group with an opportunity to think about their participation and responses before the actual workshop on the second day of our visit.

Anō te ataahua (a time to view creations and experiences from Te Ara Hikoitanga sessions) provided us with an opportunity to share our visual collaboration and also individual slide shows from each of the Tāngo Whakaahua participants.  I have uploaded our collaborative response below. Ka nui te mihi to facilitators who contributed and to tamariki from Motatau Primary School for the waiata.



Digistore Learning Path - Marae noho
I have also shared this learning path created to support further thinking and learning opportunities in response to the mārae noho. The learning path includes:

• digital resources from Digistore and other digital collections
• primary source analysis tools for students
• online resources and support for Mārae noho
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi - primary sources and links to further digital collections and historic articles and information.

Motatau Mārae taken using 360 Panorama app for iPhone (click to enlarge)

"Where good ideas come from?"

The e-Learning Lead Team at Mt Roskill Grammar represent a number of learning areas and departments across the school.  Face-to-face time is one opportunity to connect and learn.

Today's agenda included many opportunities for conversations specifically targeted at sharing the impact of the team's teacher e-learning inquiries.

We kicked today off with this short clip by Steven Johnson, and shared some of the ideas that resonated with us on this collaborative Google doc.

"...we have so many new ways to connect, so many new ways to reach out and find other people...that's the real lesson of where good ideas come from, the chance favours the connected mind" 

(Steven Johnson)

"Because context matters...inquiry is important"

 I have been fortunate in the past couple of months to have had opportunities to collaborate with teachers and colleagues focusing on a variety of educational contexts including: curriculum, pedagogy, e-learning, leadership and assessment.  Our conversations and thinking often include reference to Teaching as Inquiry (NZC and TMoA).

As we have explored examples of Teaching as Inquiry I have been reminded of a statement from Claire Sinnema that I referenced in an earlier post on this blog "Inquire with a Travelling Mindset" ...

"because context matters... 

inquiry is important"

 The New Zealand Curriculum Online describes the Teaching as Inquiry cycle as "an organising framework that teachers can use to help them learn from their practice and build greater knowledge."

While the framework provides us with a common understanding and language for inquiry into our pracitice, the context is what brings life to the inquiry and to the learning.

Context matters