This Teaching Life (kinda)

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63232232011-10-26T17:53:09.103+11:00This Teaching Life (kinda)Well it's all changing. I don't know, random ephemera I guess.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.comBlogger2721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-4980692029307657432008-04-17T13:06:00.002+10:002008-04-17T13:07:51.700+10:00i'm still alive, just not much

yep, i'm still around. i'm trying to finish my phd, get it out of my life and move on. bear with me. i'll be back in the near future. i'm sure no one is listening anymore anyway. until then, then

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-33797233762277167872007-06-28T10:09:00.000+10:002007-06-28T23:18:26.986+10:00Loud and clear - community youth arts project

Loud and clear arts project

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-26109558443231357622007-06-27T13:35:00.000+10:002007-06-28T23:19:41.282+10:00Facebook v MySpace - a class divide

Rising star, Danah Boyd (note the first named URL! 'danah.org' - now that says something like 'KMA, Mimi Ito is my advisor' lol), on social networking and class.Boyd believes richies use facebook and the rest of us use myspace.But of course ... this reminds me of something Pippa Norris has written (who I think I have quoted on this blog previously - but here is is again),Even if the basic digital

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-61176195997191634032007-06-25T11:13:00.000+10:002007-06-28T23:16:47.564+10:00The uses of multimedia

Video from seminar at CCI - Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-27023706583120425342007-06-07T10:47:00.000+10:002007-06-28T23:15:18.888+10:00Responses to Turner - Collins and Donnelly

Some responses to Graeme Turner's piece in The Australian last week ("Another way of looking at it", HES, May 30).One from Dr Donnelly, Learn from our mistakes, which is actually quite measured compared to his usual huff and puff. He doesn't miss the opportunity for some self-promotion though:"ALTHOUGH I am not mentioned by name, it is obvious that Graeme Turner's reference ("Another way of

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-3250615470366047502007-05-30T13:48:00.000+10:002007-06-03T22:33:49.833+10:00Another way of looking at it. Graeme Turner and critical literacy

Is it just me, or does Graeme Turner sound a little like a leftist, more reasonable (and repentant) thinking man's Kevin Donnelly? A case of arriving at the same end point but from a different direction? A kind of liberal humanism that is hard to argue against.Seems to happen to many old lefties?To be fair (to colleagues in Qld and those in other parts of Australia) the use of critical literacy

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-26770934372638276522007-05-30T12:38:00.000+10:002007-06-03T21:48:18.191+10:00Our education failures

Bazza Jones on the state of Australian and Victorian Education. Sums up the state department like this:The Victorian Department of Education and Training is strong in management and weak in strategic thinking, creativity or imagination. It has failed to address major problems in Victorian education.He also gives an interesting definition of education:"Education is a combination of processes, both

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-11477862897872784272007-05-30T12:37:00.000+10:002007-06-03T21:39:20.531+10:00It would take real guts for society to fund schools properly

More from Catherine Deveny on public schools.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-30027109075609279832007-05-23T14:51:00.000+10:002007-06-03T21:37:52.055+10:00Schoolboys plotted massacre online

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-69401559347228918862007-05-23T13:46:00.000+10:002007-05-23T13:48:45.003+10:00If you want private education for your kids, pay for it yourself

Catherine Deveny's thoughts, in response to Shane Maloney's gutsy straight talk to the nobs and toffs at Scotch.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1750169939250808302007-05-22T12:07:00.000+10:002007-05-22T12:15:19.234+10:00Language and Education - Vol 21:3, 2007

Exciting news. A special issue of Language and Education has just been published: Young people's engagement with digital literacies in marginal contexts in a globalised world'.To all my colleagues, congratulations. It's a great, stimulating read.Sue and I have a paper in this issue called:Negotiating digital literacy practices across school and home: Case studies of young people in

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-81145015920091084162007-05-21T12:21:00.000+10:002007-05-21T12:29:37.265+10:00Informing ourselves to death?

Been reading some classic Neil Postman stuff. This is from a speech given in 1990:The computer and its information cannot answer any of the fundamental questions we need to address to make our lives more meaningful and humane. The computer cannot provide an organizing moral framework. It cannot tell us what questions are worth asking. It cannot provide a means of understanding why we are here or

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-77632120145272994402007-05-10T09:54:00.000+10:002007-05-13T23:44:31.105+10:00School teacher fined over Microsoft piracy

It seems that teachers are all maoist, pinko, tree-hugging sleepers with a bent for software piracy.Seriously though, this kind of deliberate attempt at bringing down the bill and melinda gates foundation can only end in tears for all of us. I denounce this senseless act of decency.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-27932519473237097452007-05-10T09:51:00.000+10:002007-05-13T23:37:38.770+10:00Brave new world or virtual pedophile paradise? Second Life falls foul of law

Sick, seedy stuff on SL.Reminds me of something Pippa Norris says in her book Digital Divide: Civic engagement, information poverty, and the internet worldwide (CUP). Not the divide stuff, the key point about internet as 'real world' mirror, utopia or something else?‘Even if the basic digital divide shrinks gradually over time, it is naive to believe that the virtual world can overturn

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-15015273951861042542007-05-10T09:48:00.000+10:002007-05-13T23:22:15.197+10:00Nine in 10 US babies watch TV

About 90 per cent of US children under age 2 and as many as 40 per cent of infants under three months are regular watchers of television, DVDs and videos, researchers said on Monday.They said the number of young kids watching TV was much greater than expected."We don't know from the study whether it is good or bad. What we know is that it is big," said Frederick Zimmerman of the University of

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-7744132827650472172007-05-04T10:58:00.000+10:002007-05-04T11:00:14.995+10:00Teacher fury at rating website, or ...

student's get some much needed payback? Have those teachers who are complaining about websites such as ratemyteachers forgotten that they are in the business of passing partial, half-formed, and powerful ratings on their students?This whole beat up is a good example of how many 'grown ups' just don't get (understand) how young people interact with each other and new media.Robert Marley sang, '

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-32314689029781288192007-04-21T10:59:00.000+10:002007-05-04T11:11:32.809+10:00The rise of teachers' blogs

Teacher blogging stuff from the Guardian (UK)

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-39064277732226440962007-04-13T08:45:00.000+10:002007-05-04T11:10:40.737+10:00Xavier pupils suspended after bullying caught on film

um?

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-320106241262126462007-04-12T13:18:00.000+10:002007-05-04T11:09:46.068+10:00US Federal Study Finds No Edge for Students Using Technology-Based Reading and Math Products

umm ... duh!see alsoAndrews, Richard. (ed.) (2004) The impact of ICT on literacy education. London: RoutledgeFalmer.This book is basically a collection of the studies listed below. If you don't want to buy the book, get the reports online at the EPPI centre.Burn, Andrew, and Leach, J. (2004) A systematic review of the impact of ICT on the learning of literacies associated with moving image texts

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-21790166302786300912007-04-11T23:19:00.000+10:002007-04-11T23:21:35.478+10:00Holly and Sam

My sister was married today. A good day.It's been a stressful couple of weeks for all of us. All the best Hol.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-10941223929994440872007-04-11T22:51:00.000+10:002007-04-11T23:15:26.577+10:00Tech threatens family bonding: study

A study conducted by Australian Telco, AAPT, has investigated a range of parental attitudes towards young people's use of technologies. 1000 parents were 'surveyed'.About 40 per cent of Australian parents believe their children's fixation with technology is robbing the family of precious face-to-face time, a study has found.The research by telco AAPT has revealed that 16 to 20-year-olds spend an

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-23820950777104006922007-04-08T09:09:00.000+10:002007-04-11T23:18:28.318+10:00Teacher performance pay model won't perform

Some important questions Minister Julie Bishop has yet to answer on teacher performance pay.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-22814850795762996452007-04-04T12:34:00.000+10:002007-04-11T23:17:34.602+10:00Heroes we don't praise enough

Glyn Davis is vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne. This is an edited extract of his speech to the Australia Day breakfast at Parliament House, Melbourne.Thanks, Professor Davis. AUSTRALIA Day is an invitation to celebrate heroes — those extraordinary people who together made possible our large and successful society.I come to praise a group of unlikely candidates who get little

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-44184331507991347922007-04-04T12:27:00.000+10:002007-04-11T23:16:58.642+10:00How to be an education expert (and warrior)

This is by Mercurius Goldstein (what's in a name ... right!) posted over at Larvatus Prodeo. Keep it coming MG.Mercurius says: Well, here’s my review of “Dumbing Down”. Actually it’s a review I wrote for Dr D’s last book, but I’ve since found you can use to review everything he’s ever written. It’s a kind of meta-review.HOW TO BE AN EDUCATION EXPERTYou too can enjoy the public acclaim and

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-89327063939128647732007-04-02T23:21:00.000+10:002007-04-02T23:22:33.601+10:00Click here to give 'em the flick

Danah Boyd is part of Mimi Ito's (yes and a whole bunch of others) Informal Learning project and here writes about relationships and myspace. I'm sure I have some data on this as well.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-29115193703152606742007-04-01T20:51:00.000+10:002007-04-01T20:52:11.747+10:0014-year-old girl in jail for shoving teacher's aide

This is almost too much to take. I have to read it twice. Is there something the paper is not reporting?A 14 year old student shoves a teacher aide, is found guilty of 'assault on a public servant' and jailed till she is 21!This cannot be right. This is an April Fools gag right?

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-71788644837913447152007-03-30T09:54:00.000+10:002007-03-30T09:58:34.114+10:00Pixies magic as the original emo?

Ah the good ol days.In this article The Pixies and contemporaies (Husker Du, Fugazi, Black Flag) are described as the original emo?That is funny.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-21011152449197016592007-03-26T10:20:00.000+10:002007-03-26T10:35:55.929+10:00Walking the streets of Cyberia

A perspective from Robyn Treyvaud, a former teacher, who is a consultant to the Centre for Strategic Education. The CSE is headed up by Tony Mackay. Some interesting representation on the CES board.This piece makes interesting reading next to my own views to be published in ACER's Teacher Magazine in the next couple of months, which you can also find here.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-59322528462491431642007-03-22T21:50:00.000+11:002007-03-22T21:52:02.239+11:00Mobile dangers for kids

Interesting argument about the problems experienced with young kids and explicit material online becoming a problem for mobile phones in the future (or now).

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-29879377690414302782007-03-20T17:49:00.000+11:002007-03-22T21:53:36.292+11:00New call to 'teach basics'

More of the same from Dr Ken Rowe. Here he is speaking with an Age education writer, Caroline Milburn, who seems to enjoy reporting Ken's research and press releases. Dr Rowe, research director at the Australian Council for Education Research, has conducted a study investigating the connection between teaching methods, (or teacher inputs), and students learning (or student outputs). Here the

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-36037875533170134852007-03-20T11:37:00.000+11:002007-03-22T21:56:02.304+11:00Students use web to diss teachers

More rate your teacher huff and puff from the Brisbane Times.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-14896535540550252222007-03-18T22:34:00.000+11:002007-03-18T23:18:16.107+11:00TV blamed for rise in child-speech problems (again?)

We should thank Renee Switzer for reporting on this 'alarming modern trend' and in relying on Leonie Trimper's self acknowledged 'ancedotal evidence' from School Principals to support shoddy arguments and assertions like:"Families aren't sitting around the dinner table any more every night talking about what's happened during the day and engaging with the children,""Children are sitting in front

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-56411391712523812342007-03-18T18:03:00.000+11:002007-03-18T22:36:00.987+11:00Donnelly: Dumbing Down

Here is another review (from The Age) of Dr Donnelly's new book Dumbing Down.I'll see if I can get URLs for the others later.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-26554812120705356212007-03-14T23:30:00.000+11:002007-03-14T23:34:07.303+11:00Julie Bishop gets an F for fairness

What a wonderful analysis of the Howard government's arrogance towards public schooling. We need much more of this kind of coverage, and from journalists themselves.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-41433462970021184622007-03-14T12:34:00.000+11:002007-04-04T13:01:58.498+10:00Kevin Donnelly's New Book Reviewed

Prof Stuart Macintyre reviews Kevin's new book. I love the way he spends time 'personalising' Donnelly as Rasputin. The reader comments are here.Here is Dr Donnelly's retort.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1170632053564607382007-02-05T10:26:00.000+11:002007-03-22T21:58:07.431+11:00pathogising technologies

Blaming technologies for our ills is nothing new of course, but I'm wondering how these quacks can claim to 'treat internet addition' as if 'it' was some kind of disease. Pop a pill, I imagine.Hysteria around complex social phenomenon like this makes me wonder how it might be possible to cut through the crap and tell a different story. While I have no doubt that there are many and serious social

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1165838233202713722006-12-11T22:47:00.000+11:002006-12-11T22:57:13.226+11:00come back all ye long departed

OK, OK, this is for all you who keep encouraging and hassling me to get back on the wagon (hic). This is something I wrote the other day for an international publication put out by the Monash University Centre for the Study of Global Movements. Just a little piece of fluff. I think the final one has been cut. I only had 1000 words. I remember when this seemed like Everest ... ah those days seem

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1158651205767896512006-09-19T16:38:00.000+10:002006-09-19T17:36:49.643+10:00boring and past it or young and silly?

When does one know that you're 'boring' or 'past it' (or both)? Is this a realisation one should come to oneself or something we each need to be pushed towards? Is it 'unprofessional' or discourteous to use these words generally about a group of people, or in reference to people specifically? Are professional relationships most effectively based on honesty and critical openess or something else?

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1158018297345873902006-09-12T09:44:00.000+10:002006-09-12T09:45:03.533+10:00Good times not for all time

Ahh, Colebatch. Reason in the midst of unashamed stupidity. This is the kind of political, social and economic analysis that we need much much more of. Instead we get news about Anna Nicole Smith's son passing on (I'm sorry for her loss of course, but ... )There are a few peeps I would like to pass this on to, but I doubt they'd read it.Had we invested this money to expand our industries, that

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1157936504808993792006-09-11T11:01:00.001+10:002006-09-11T22:06:10.486+10:00Elite schools' fees surge despite subsidy

What a surprise ...It's important to keep the public thinking that they are paying more because it's a better service. If the fees are lower and private schooling is available to more and more people, what's the benefit for the few? A simple twist on supply and demand; economics 102; create a perceived need for your own product by running your competitor's product down, while at the same time

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1157629882777080092006-09-07T21:51:00.000+10:002006-09-07T21:51:22.800+10:00Why learning is child's play

Report from Jim Gee's involvement in the Curriculum Corporation's conference in Adelaide. Jim was in Melbourne a few weeks back where he gave a very interesting talk building on the ideas that Jason Hill reports on in this article.If you haven't read Jim's book, I'd highly recommend it. Gee, James. Paul. (2003) What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Palgrave

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1157602313850217672006-09-07T14:11:00.000+10:002006-09-07T14:11:53.986+10:00Teachers know money isn't everything

Ross Gittins on performance pay and the economic rationalisation of education

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1157159603565378642006-09-02T11:13:00.000+10:002006-09-02T11:13:23.680+10:00How Lucy's email became an inbox hit

interestingn email stuff. PhD student comments on email shaming etc

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1156817769266013172006-08-29T12:16:00.000+10:002006-08-29T12:16:10.096+10:00If it ain't broke, why fix it? - Education News - theage.com.au

Kevin Child's review of 'Only connect ... ' is quite interesting. He does a good job of capturing the feeling and sentiment expressed in many chapters in the book. I'm not surprised that he liked the teacher contributions - they are for me quite powerful and grounded accounts of great English teaching.His 'outsider' perspective is also fresh. It suggests to me that educators can take their

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1155984193165027322006-08-19T20:43:00.000+10:002006-08-19T20:43:16.653+10:00My virtual chance at a second life

Second Life stuff. Seems everyone is getting on the virtual world bandwagon. Wider acceptance or curiosity about things most people will never do? A bit of both?

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1154483320318060682006-08-02T11:48:00.000+10:002006-08-02T11:48:40.543+10:00Study shows IM is OK - like we needed a study?

Researchers at the University of Toronto have done us all a favour and concluded that, 'contrary to popular opinion, instant messaging may not be harming the literacy of today's internet savvy teenagers'.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1152930662005257552006-07-15T12:20:00.000+10:002006-07-15T12:31:02.026+10:00Dialogic negotiation: a study of digital literacies across home, school and community

OK, so here is the abstract for the paper I gave earlier this week at the AATE conference in Darwin. Lovely place and a great conference.Dialogic negotiation: a study of digital literacies across home, school and communityWithin the broader context of policy, media and professional debates around young people, new technologies and education, this paper reports on the preliminary findings of a

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1151927379252904272006-07-03T21:46:00.000+10:002006-07-03T21:49:39.266+10:00im getting there, where ever there is

the blog break is doing some good, as I'm beginning to feel itchy again. not quite ready to get back in the saddle just yet. don't know why but it seems as my blog hiatus is connected to me buying two copies of WOW and giving one to one of my younger brothers. late nights and late questing ... a way of life?

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1147173029971551462006-05-09T21:10:00.000+10:002006-05-09T21:10:30.076+10:00Keeping an open mind to learning

In this week's Education section of The Age Brenton does a wonderful job of speaking back to John Howard's recent degrading remarks about the English teaching profession. As an Advocacy Group we have been thinking hard about how to encourage the media to print a range of voices in response to these attacks as they inevitably come. It seems that our work, thinking and conversations with

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1146244939624925092006-04-29T03:08:00.000+10:002006-04-29T03:22:19.640+10:00London calling ...

It's been much harder keeping up online activities while travelling than I originally thought. Despite the rhetorica about growing wifi access in airports and the like, I've not had much luck. This includes those networks I've tried to hack and piggy back on. I've tried to avoid internet cafe type stuff just cause I've wanted to try and so things on the cheap or be a little more inventive.So I've

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1144288911958426932006-04-06T12:01:00.000+10:002006-04-06T12:01:52.026+10:00Homing in on the human element?

Now this would be an interesting job.Homing in on the human element

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1144066535583915392006-04-03T22:07:00.000+10:002006-04-03T22:16:21.546+10:00ASFLA Armidale

Here is the abstract I've just submitted to the Australian Systemic Functional Linguistics Association Conference 2006. This year it's in Armidale, NSW. Cross the fingers and hope for the best. It's not great, but it's something. Plenty of interesting people, including the young Angela Thomas (aka anya), who I've been wanting to meet for ages.Using digital technologies for literacy across school,

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1144066019046970612006-04-03T21:29:00.000+10:002006-04-03T22:06:59.136+10:00Reviewing what?

VATE has an annual organisational 'review day' where some meaty issues are nominated for extended discussion and reflection. It's held on a Saturday and provides an opportunity to get to some of those issues that are vitally important but not always urgent. With the amount of work that VATE does throughout the year some things, often the bigger picture issues to do with the wider educational

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1143636292783658732006-03-29T23:32:00.000+11:002006-03-29T23:44:52.796+11:00this researching life ... frustrations

I'm just going to say that this research gig is much more challenging that I thought it might be. Or the whole academic treadmill is much more annoying that I imagined. My life at present seems to be one endless round of meeting and minutes and agendas and following up this silly problem or that issue. I just want to do my own work! It gets really frustrating and I'm actually really unhappy about

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1143635397798873722006-03-29T23:18:00.000+11:002006-03-29T23:29:57.810+11:00Only connect ...

This is the cover of a new edited book being published by the AATE and some other good friends of mine. I have a chapter in it called, 'Curriculum and conversation in an English classroom: What's it to you huh?' It's just a short piece but I like it. I've just read the proof today, so things are almost set ...

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1142853517532809412006-03-20T21:58:00.000+11:002006-03-20T22:47:31.986+11:00Is that an IDIOM?

Nat and I have just finished editing the new edition of VATE's journal IDIOM. It's called 'Consuming culture, Creating cuirriculum' and is a collection of papers arising from a conference we organised late in 2005. It's being printed as I write and should be mailed to VATE members and schools early in term two (ie next week). If you are interested in a copy, then join VATE you bludgers! (or email

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1142820718966944452006-03-20T12:55:00.000+11:002006-03-20T13:11:59.013+11:00ACER Teacher magazine

Ok, so I'm a little embarressed. For a couple of reasons:1. ACER publishes a magazine called Teacher and Jo and I are featured in one of the articles. One of the tags for this article is about how Jo and I are 'pioneers' in online learning communities or some such fluff! This is quite funny. I mean while I don't know many teachers in Australia using blogs in their teaching or for their own

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1141261787916536282006-03-02T12:09:00.000+11:002006-03-02T12:09:47.970+11:00Now class, take out your computer games

Tasmanian school using computer games, mmm just in time for Marc Prensky's visit to Australia 'Now class, take out your computer games'

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1138232462879174462006-01-26T10:41:00.000+11:002006-01-26T10:41:02.936+11:00War games

Games and military interests.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1136976353774523762006-01-11T21:45:00.000+11:002006-01-11T21:45:53.826+11:00Violent video games alter brain's response to violence?

New Scientist Breaking News - Violent video games alter brain's response to violenceThe Age - Games aggression link

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1135391997068017052005-12-24T13:08:00.000+11:002006-01-04T21:54:56.136+11:00christmas cheer

Just wanted to point out some good writing in today's Age.Shuan Carney (Apathy: I'll drink to that) does a hatchet job on Australian apathy (political and social) and its connection to alcohol (and alcoholism). He makes a damning link to examples such as 'schoolies' and recent events at Cronulla in Syndey.Anybody who has been to an Australian barbecue knows that for many of the people who come

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1134947601867892732005-12-19T10:13:00.000+11:002005-12-19T10:13:21.930+11:00Flashmobbing racial violence

So it's the technology that is to be blamed for race riots in and around Sydney? A fairly typical response.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1133568756520202092005-12-03T11:12:00.000+11:002005-12-03T11:12:36.563+11:00Teacher training out of touch, Kosky warns

Lynne Kosky, Victorian Minister for Edcuation and Training claims that teacher educators are out of touch with schools because they arn't spending enough time in schools keeping up to date with 'cutting edge teaching developments'. I wonder how much time Lynne spends in schools these days? If she spent more time in English classrooms she might learn to think and talk for herself and not parrot

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1133522237785861162005-12-02T22:17:00.000+11:002005-12-02T22:17:17.823+11:00Lemmings and similar phenomena?

Just found Chris Bigum's blog! Great. Don't know why I hadn't found this earlier. In this post he gets right down to it on schools as 'organised child abuse' and I find myself agreeing in large part. Here is what he says about our penchant for vitally important skills like spelling and grammar. Let's make sure everyone can spell catastrophe or onomatopoeia. But let's make sure our children do

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1132181293557999622005-11-17T09:48:00.000+11:002005-11-17T09:48:13.626+11:00Love textually

A followup in an earlier post about love poetry on mobiles. Well not exactly, but in the ball park: txting and romantic relationships. Interesting, but rather positivist research. 'Findings' are fairly obvious. And I had to chuckle:But while text messaging seems set to continue its meteoric rise in popularity worldwide, Robinson's own phone has suffered a steep decline in incoming messages. "

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1132097724727337512005-11-16T10:35:00.000+11:002005-11-16T11:14:49.726+11:00Orwellian night moves?

The recent ARC funding round has been much much lower than anyone really expected - approximately 16-17%). The grants for Education research in the whole of Australia can be counted on two hands. People are trying to make sense of what happened. Stuart Macintyre has a few ideas and they are worth some careful investigation."A committee appointed by the minister, meeting in secret, is vetting

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1131923829687262442005-11-14T10:17:00.000+11:002005-11-14T10:29:03.420+11:00Kelly's lyrics right on course (but Rick Price is still with me)

Not a day goes by.Some people are annoyed with the selection of Paul Kelly's song lyrics/poetry as a possible senior text in the Victorian English course over the next few years. Salam Pax's Bagdad Blog is also on the list (the print version!).The text list was released last year and has only been picked up by the media now? It all works to build up to the National Literacy Inquiry due to be

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1131713827826564122005-11-11T23:57:00.000+11:002005-11-12T00:13:03.213+11:00Testing blitz in reading reforms (winners and loses?)

Here is the next article on the National Literacy Inquiry debacle.It makes sense doesn't it? If we want young children to learn to read, we make sure we test them before they begin school and then every year after that. That way they can learn early on whether or not they have a future. No need to waste time and resources on the ones that are dumb. After all some are winners and others losers.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1131490408538708452005-11-09T09:51:00.000+11:002005-11-09T09:53:28.546+11:00Reframing the debate

Letter from SMH today. Now this is 'reframing the debate'Double standards again?Dr Brendan Nelson continues to disparage the literacy of university graduates ("Teachers told: prove you can read and write", November 8). He also frequently criticises numeracy standards among Australian students. At the same time the Government insists that all workers, regardless of education, can readily

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1131405887698852902005-11-08T10:24:00.000+11:002005-11-08T10:43:10.756+11:00Prove literacy, teachers told

Well, it looks like things are getting started early with reporting for the National Literacy Inquiry. A draft report has been circulated to 'key bodies' for comment ahead of the official release date in early December.So already we have some interesting claims being made:Teacher graduates (English and literacy teaching graduates) 'lack the skill required to be effective teachers of reading',

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1131012377728586752005-11-03T21:06:00.000+11:002005-11-03T21:06:17.733+11:00Computer and video games as a family literacy event

The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia has released a study that has found parents are spending more time with their children playing computer games. The report is apparently 'independent', and authored by Dr Jeffrey Brand, director of the centre for new media research and education at Bond University. IEAA members include, Microsoft, Sony, Eidos, EA games, Atari, and Activision.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1130970557147581932005-11-03T09:29:00.000+11:002005-11-03T09:29:17.206+11:00Can one write love poetry in txt?

This is worth a look. A study at Cambridge has found that young people's writing skills have not, as some continue to say, fallen, in fact they seem to have improved. (From The Australian) Despite this, a two-year study by Cambridge University found that today's teenagers are using far more complex sentence structures, a wider vocabulary and a more accurate use of capital letters, punctuation

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1130758981808852642005-10-31T22:43:00.000+11:002005-10-31T22:43:01.870+11:00Games as environments and systems

An interesting piece on gaming. Many games take the player through some kind of narrative arc, but I think, in general, storytelling is one of the least interesting things about gaming. The great majority of gamers, I suspect, engage because they want to figure out how the system of the game works, or because they want to explore the space the game represents. Banal narratives and

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1130718107751574952005-10-31T11:17:00.000+11:002005-10-31T11:21:47.786+11:00Maths teachers are failing too!

The poor old maths teachers are now coping some shtick. We could say they've been kevin'd!Here is a quick linguistic analysis of Donnelly's article and it's helpful binaries.(1)'Bad' / (2)'good''Outcomes based education' / 'Syllabus' documents'Student centred', 'inquiry learning' / 'Direct instruction'Teachers 'facilitate' / Teachers 'teach''Standards have fallen' / 'master the basics''

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1130385565385980562005-10-27T13:59:00.000+10:002005-10-27T13:59:25.440+10:00School orders students to remove blogs

Teaching responsible and ethical use of blogs and other online communication is an interesting issue. This article represents one popular reaction. Also mentioned in the article is, I think, a more widespread response - ignore it and it will go away. Here is yet another position,Kurt Opsahl of the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, which champions the rights of bloggers, said

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1129854974324216992005-10-21T10:36:00.000+10:002005-10-25T10:02:24.280+10:00Literacy lagging behind?

Donnelly, Donnelly, Donnelly!It seems to me that the more Kevin, and others on the same wavelength, rail against schools, teachers and ENGLISH teaching, the more their arguments seem a caricature of themselves rather than something intelligible and worth any serious consideration. Although that remains the chief challenge - finding a way to intelligently and senstively resist what is generally

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1129506212939290862005-10-17T09:43:00.000+10:002005-10-17T09:43:32.940+10:00Report finds teachers in tech gap

A technology-learning study conducted in WA with early childhood teachers has found some fairly typical results.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1129505894858407232005-10-17T09:38:00.000+10:002005-10-25T09:55:57.596+10:00Generation Lite or generation hype?

Here is Baden Eunson's opinion of the proposed draft VCE English Study Design. Depressing stuff. This is not a vision of English teaching that I would necessarily share.Of English curriculum in the past (specificially the 1960s) Eunson says, While the quality was not always high, the quantity was, and the system produced generations of people who could spell, had a wide vocabulary and could

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1129274037471157602005-10-14T17:13:00.000+10:002005-10-14T17:13:57.513+10:00journal of what?

I love using journal alerts. Great way to keep on top of stuff without having to go looking every month. You can have a crap load of journals sending contents pages to you! The other reason I love it is for the weird ass stuff that I just cannot work out. Check this article title from the latest edition of 'Human-Computer Interaction' vol 20, no 3. "Exploring the Functional Specifications of a

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1129172871039883462005-10-13T13:07:00.000+10:002005-10-13T13:09:14.323+10:00Watchdog calls for shake-up in English

No not Australian, but British. Good to get another perspective now and again. It looks as though the poor brits are being pushed the same way we have with the VELS/ELS, New Basics stuff. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) has released a 'Futures' paper reflecting on the nature of schooling and current curriculum modes.Perhaps compared the the National Literacy Strategy this

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1129122299636454132005-10-12T23:04:00.000+10:002005-10-12T23:04:59.683+10:00Steve Johnson on Web 2.0

Thanks to Colin for this article. I'll have to get some of Steve's books.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1128917723770155432005-10-10T14:15:00.000+10:002005-10-10T14:15:23.853+10:00A state of decay?

School buildings in decay? Learning environments or holes for student oppression? Another beat up or something more? My experience of state schools certainly fits with much of this. In fact is seems to me that governments can get away with this kind of crap first because it's really expensive (I'm sure they could spend the entire state budget on school works and not finish the job) and second

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1128512486642430342005-10-05T21:41:00.000+10:002005-10-05T21:41:26.680+10:00Ideology blackens schooling research?

Professor Moe, Stanford University political scientist, whose 'market-based' research has inspired the "school choice" movement in the USA, says that while educational research is often clouded by ideology, that his own research is not - it's just research and has nothing to do with ideology. Oh, I see. Thanks, Professor.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1128482001748811822005-10-05T13:13:00.000+10:002005-10-05T13:13:21.803+10:00Time for teachers to talk the iPod talk?

This article mentions a recent report called 'Emerging Technologies', published by the Department of Education and Training in the ACT. Written by people at education.au limited. There is also an interesting report published by the LSDA and Ultralab in the UK, called 'The use of computer and videoo games for learning'. mmm

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1128168793274567812005-10-01T22:13:00.000+10:002005-10-01T22:13:15.406+10:00You can lead kids to authors, but you can't make them think

Thank goodness for restraint in the face of frenzy and unashamed stupidity. I love this man's mind. Thanks, Chris.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1127876663916747522005-09-28T13:04:00.000+10:002005-09-28T13:04:23.923+10:00It's thumbs down for 'English Lite' (VCAA caves to populist pressure)

It's a shame the VCAA didn't have the guts and gumption to defend the proposed study design - in particular the innane and anti-intellectual arguments about 'English Lite'. They've done a backflip and caved to the pressure. Let's see what happens from here - I'm sure it's not the last we'll hear of it.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1127824681040068352005-09-27T22:38:00.000+10:002005-09-27T22:38:01.116+10:00The 'blindingly obvious' way to revive our schools?

It seems that this guy has it all worked out. This is so blindingly obvious - improving children's performance in schools is a question of how well teachers teach in their classroom. The task of everyone else in a school system - school principals, local administrators, teacher trainers, government and other stakeholders - is to align everything they do to ensure that each teacher walks into

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1126917670048837262005-09-17T10:41:00.000+10:002005-09-17T10:41:10.050+10:00Busy? Mind your own busyness!

Ah, the busy bug! I have found myself becoming increasingly busy over the last few months, and not always with the work I'd really like to be doing. I made a decision to try and moderate this better and build in more time for thinking, reading and writing. Just a few more things to do ...

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1126753141088608382005-09-15T12:59:00.000+10:002005-09-15T12:59:01.176+10:00Joyce's gray hair

This Joyce bloke is a crack up! Since he folded on Telstra, Voluntary Student Unionism is his next project. ... maverick Queensland Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce threatened yesterday to block plans to introduce voluntary student unionism. "If they don't change it, I will vote against it," Senator Joyce said. "I'm going to ring up Brendan Nelson and tell him to stick VSU up his jumper. "I'm

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1126744005632742052005-09-15T10:26:00.000+10:002005-09-15T10:26:45.636+10:00Why don't you ask them?

I guess it takes a perceptive young man to set the debate, currently raging over the PROPOSED VCE English Study Design, straight. HERE is an idea that might shock both proponents and opponents of the new VCE English proposal. Instead of sitting around debating about what is best for students, why don't you ask them? They aren't stupid, after all, they are your sons and daughters. And ultimately,

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1126743004685316822005-09-15T10:10:00.000+10:002005-09-15T10:10:04.773+10:00Big cash is being tucked into wallet phones

Wallet phones and the cashless society ... sure beats all those pesky coins!

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1126591381023406732005-09-13T16:03:00.000+10:002005-09-13T16:03:01.073+10:00Trading insults?

Once again I really cannot pause to comment on these (at the moment) ... but have a look yourself. Roslyn Guy Peter Guest

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1126485014931715002005-09-12T10:30:00.000+10:002005-09-12T10:30:14.930+10:00Massive revamp plan for schools (and for winning the next election?)

and on this, later ...

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724768303901981521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6323223.post-1126484960939693162005-09-12T10:29:00.000+10:002005-09-12T10:29:20.943+10:00English Lite (teachers?) are s a tragedy for students?