Comments on: Help me write my job spec. for next year! http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/ Education, Technology, Productivity. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:47:03 +0000 hourly 1 By: My Ed.D. thesis: introduction and a ? at dougbelshaw.com http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-901 My Ed.D. thesis: introduction and a ? at dougbelshaw.com Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:37:34 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-901 [...] found readers of this blog very helpful in the past - especially when it came to my most recent job description - I thought I’d ask for your help again. The input of all my readers to what follows, but [...] [...] found readers of this blog very helpful in the past – especially when it came to my most recent job description – I thought I’d ask for your help again. The input of all my readers to what follows, but [...]

]]> By: elearnr - new blog for a new role! at dougbelshaw.com http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-900 elearnr - new blog for a new role! at dougbelshaw.com Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:19:41 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-900 [...] menteiond several times before that as of this coming academic year (2008/9), I shall be E-Learning Staff Tutor at my school. This [...] [...] menteiond several times before that as of this coming academic year (2008/9), I shall be E-Learning Staff Tutor at my school. This [...]

]]> By: Help me fill in the gaps. at dougbelshaw.com http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-902 Help me fill in the gaps. at dougbelshaw.com Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:17:01 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-902 [...] I’ve already mentioned several times here already, next year I’m going to have the role of E-learning Staff Tutor at [...] [...] I’ve already mentioned several times here already, next year I’m going to have the role of E-learning Staff Tutor at [...]

]]> By: George http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-883 George Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:18:11 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-883 We are also having a person do a similar role to yours next year - but we have taken a different approach. Since we needed a new library, we designed it to be a large space with flexible use seminar rooms and meeting rooms, with the access to both computers and wireless access points. The person "in charge" is not a librarian but the Learning Resources Coordinator - an ICT champion and savvy person. Here is how we hope the LRC will function: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcsh9nv9_55hnk89jfv We are also having a person do a similar role to yours next year – but we have taken a different approach.
Since we needed a new library, we designed it to be a large space with flexible use seminar rooms and meeting rooms, with the access to both computers and wireless access points. The person “in charge” is not a librarian but the Learning Resources Coordinator – an ICT champion and savvy person.
Here is how we hope the LRC will function:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcsh9nv9_55hnk89jfv

]]> By: Posts imported from edte.ch at dougbelshaw.com http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-903 Posts imported from edte.ch at dougbelshaw.com Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:32:06 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-903 [...] got new plans for edte.ch - linked, as you can imagine, to my position as E-Learning Staff Tutor next academic year (2008/9). I’ll unveil it when it’s ready, but for now I’ve [...] [...] got new plans for edte.ch – linked, as you can imagine, to my position as E-Learning Staff Tutor next academic year (2008/9). I’ll unveil it when it’s ready, but for now I’ve [...]

]]> By: Doug Belshaw http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-885 Doug Belshaw Sun, 08 Jun 2008 06:21:04 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-885 <blockquote>Therefore, every pupil should be provided with a laptop by the school, funded by the government!</blockquote> Schools should certainly be able to provide students with <em>some</em> type of device, although I'm not entirely sure which. I suppose it depends on the needs of the students and the school. I'd go for Asus Eee-like devices in my particular school. :-D I also beleive there should be government funding to help those on the wrong side of the 'digital divide' to get online. Without this, students from less well-off backgrounds may not develop adequate 'digital literacy' skills to compete fairly with their more affluent contemporaries. <strong>@Miss H:</strong> Kim was the <em>first</em> person I went to when I learned of my meeting this Tuesday with the Head! We've worked together with <a href="http://www.nextgenteachers.com" rel="nofollow">NextGenTeachers</a> in the past and she's doing a great job. Kim kindly pointed me to exactly the same post you did! Thanks. :-) As regards "students & staff should have access to the appropriate equipment in a timely fashion", you're spot on. There's no point in ploughing huge amounts of money for ICT equipment into a school that's not ready for it. You have to prepare the way by changing the infrastructure and skillset of the staff first of all. Hence my role next year!

Therefore, every pupil should be provided with a laptop by the school, funded by the government!

Schools should certainly be able to provide students with some type of device, although I’m not entirely sure which. I suppose it depends on the needs of the students and the school. I’d go for Asus Eee-like devices in my particular school. :-D

I also beleive there should be government funding to help those on the wrong side of the ‘digital divide’ to get online. Without this, students from less well-off backgrounds may not develop adequate ‘digital literacy’ skills to compete fairly with their more affluent contemporaries.

@Miss H: Kim was the first person I went to when I learned of my meeting this Tuesday with the Head! We’ve worked together with NextGenTeachers in the past and she’s doing a great job. Kim kindly pointed me to exactly the same post you did! Thanks. :-)

As regards “students & staff should have access to the appropriate equipment in a timely fashion”, you’re spot on. There’s no point in ploughing huge amounts of money for ICT equipment into a school that’s not ready for it. You have to prepare the way by changing the infrastructure and skillset of the staff first of all. Hence my role next year!

]]> By: Miss H http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-884 Miss H Sat, 07 Jun 2008 22:40:25 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-884 For a great description of a '21st Century Literacy Specialist', see Kim Cofino's post on her blog. You might find it interesting, I just stumbled across it the other day. http://tinyurl.com/yokrpu As for every student having a laptop (comment above) I don't know... first of all, the teachers need to be trained and savvy as to how to engage those kids with their laptops. All students & staff should have access to the appropriate equipment in a timely fashion? Sure, that I could agree to. That's why I like the thought of mobile labs. Use a space in the school (if you need to get out of the classroom), and go to it! Not every student needs to be working independently all the time... and, I think starting off with a smaller number of accessible (albeit likely in-demand) computers is more realistic than every child getting a machine. Just my thoughts. :) For a great description of a ’21st Century Literacy Specialist’, see Kim Cofino’s post on her blog. You might find it interesting, I just stumbled across it the other day.
http://tinyurl.com/yokrpu

As for every student having a laptop (comment above) I don’t know… first of all, the teachers need to be trained and savvy as to how to engage those kids with their laptops. All students & staff should have access to the appropriate equipment in a timely fashion? Sure, that I could agree to. That’s why I like the thought of mobile labs. Use a space in the school (if you need to get out of the classroom), and go to it! Not every student needs to be working independently all the time… and, I think starting off with a smaller number of accessible (albeit likely in-demand) computers is more realistic than every child getting a machine. Just my thoughts. :)

]]> By: Arvid Brurok http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-888 Arvid Brurok Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:39:37 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-888 Doug This is exactly what we are trying to do up up here in Bergen, Norway (we call the position "epedagog"), and I am looking forward to learn about your experiences\achievements\disappointments in your new job. However, have your school ever considered buying an LMS (learning management system)? Even though blogs, and even better wikis, have many advantages, an LMS is superior when it comes to managing the communication between the school's administration, teachers,pupils and parents. Anyway, every pupil should have their own laptop. ICT rooms are not satisfactory in the long run. Teacher-pupil communication should not be barred by ICT-rooms and parents' economy. Therefore, every pupil should be provided with a laptop by the school, funded by the government! Doug
This is exactly what we are trying to do up up here in Bergen, Norway (we call the position “epedagog”), and I am looking forward to learn about your experiences\achievements\disappointments in your new job.
However, have your school ever considered buying an LMS (learning management system)? Even though blogs, and even better wikis, have many advantages, an LMS is superior when it comes to managing the communication between the school’s administration, teachers,pupils and parents.
Anyway, every pupil should have their own laptop. ICT rooms are not satisfactory in the long run. Teacher-pupil communication should not be barred by ICT-rooms and parents’ economy. Therefore, every pupil should be provided with a laptop by the school, funded by the government!

]]> By: Doug Belshaw http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-899 Doug Belshaw Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:57:35 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-899 There's absolutely no excuse for what you describe, Pete. I don't see that at my current (high-achieving) school, but we used to get it a lot at my previous (very low-achieving) school. It's unprofessional, undermining of other staff, and very frustrating. :-( If I was a Head, I'd be asking for proof of digital literacy at interview. Fair enough things need to be done about existing staff, but there's no reason to be hiring more digital illiterates! :-p There’s absolutely no excuse for what you describe, Pete. I don’t see that at my current (high-achieving) school, but we used to get it a lot at my previous (very low-achieving) school. It’s unprofessional, undermining of other staff, and very frustrating. :-(

If I was a Head, I’d be asking for proof of digital literacy at interview. Fair enough things need to be done about existing staff, but there’s no reason to be hiring more digital illiterates! :-p

]]> By: Pete Lee http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/06/03/help-me-write-my-job-spec-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-898 Pete Lee Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:18:21 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/?p=592#comment-898 Yeah I agree with that last point you made - but to get them to use the resources you need to put in place support. If schools were serious about IT they'd employ a full time person/people to aid those teachers who aren't as digitally literate. That also links into one of the other comments above by Chris PJ. There needs to be a joined up structure....with someone responsible for all of these things / or at least populating... As for controversial - maybe :-) - but we did a trawl through who was using the IT suites and had certain staff who [on average] were using it 2.5 periods (out of 5) per day.....and they tended to be those who were experts in 'google searching'! :-) Yeah I agree with that last point you made – but to get them to use the resources you need to put in place support. If schools were serious about IT they’d employ a full time person/people to aid those teachers who aren’t as digitally literate. That also links into one of the other comments above by Chris PJ. There needs to be a joined up structure….with someone responsible for all of these things / or at least populating…

As for controversial – maybe :-) – but we did a trawl through who was using the IT suites and had certain staff who [on average] were using it 2.5 periods (out of 5) per day…..and they tended to be those who were experts in ‘google searching’! :-)

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