Last month I participated in RSCON 5 The future of education, an online symposium on the Blackboard Collaborate platform with presenters and attendees from around the world. The times of the sessions were not really Australia friendly and I was the only Australian in most of the sessions I joined. But it was certainly worthwhile to attend and it provides valuable PD for educators.
Website NING http://www.futureofeducation.com/
Those who missed RSCON 5 can still listen to recordings of the sessions here
Recordings http://www.futureofeducation.com/page/recordings-2014
Peggy George has compiled a collection of the tools and programs that were shared in the Swapalooza in a Livebinder at http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1399927
A participant’s badge was given for each session attended. Here is my collection of participant badges.
Here are some highlights, images, quotes and links from one of the keynote sessions I attended
Keynote Session Dean Shareski: Whatever happened to joy?
http://www.futureofeducation.com/page/rscondeanshareski
In a data driven, achievement focused system, does joy in learning matter anymore? Not that these are mutually exclusive but in our attempts to see results we often forget that joy should not be a means to an end but a worthy and important goal on its own. So how do we insure our students experience joy and wonder everyday? Let’s examine some practical ways that take advantage of new tools and affordances to be intentional and make our schools places of joy.
Moment 1 Why does Christina never smile?
Moment 2 Hearing a child singing when not in a formal music lesson – just for happiness
Link to trailer for The Happy Movie http://www.thehappymovie.com/
Wonder
Awe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QyVZrV3d3o&feature=youtu.be
How often do your students get to wonder?
What if each day your students left school with a great question?
All of Dean’s slides for the presentation are here
http://www.slideshare.net/shareski/what-about-joy-rscon-5
I am sorry that it has taken me so long to write this post but I do encourage you to visit the RSCON 5 NING and catch up with the excellent sessions that were presented on a wide range of education topics.
Details of future online conferences in the series can be found on the NING at http://www.futureofeducation.com/
Gifted Resources 