GLOBAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2014 INSPIRING AND REFRESHING IDEAS FROM THE WORLD OF EDUCATION

 A     Great  week  for  teachers and educators from all over the world: the Conference   started on  Monday  after  many people  had  worked to organize it and worked all day for five days. It finished on Friday 21 November. 

My agenda had been filled with the many sessions and  sometimes I could not but go to sleep after 1 am or  2 am  ..............  I am a teacher but also a  life-long learner   and I  wanted to learn more  about   other  teachers'   experiences  in different  topics from   using new  technologies to nice  school projects  that  help   classes to be connected.                                                                                                                                

The GLOBAL  EDUCATION  CONFERENCE  2014  started  on 17 November: it was a great event  with lots of  teachers and educators from all over the world  taking  part and sharing a lot of projects and their experiences in using the new technologies, talking about collaboration on line, working on line and using new  technologies to enhance a  different learning environment.
For access  to the many sessions in 2014    please check http://www.globaleducationconference.com/, there is a dedicated page to the recordings for this year  so that you can  learn more and download the pdf  files of the presentations. Sessions were mainly in English and  Spanish and were  broadcast live and later   off line  thanks to Blackboard technology. I have followed some sessions on line, others later because I was busy at school and was working, but I will never  forget  the enthusiasm of the many presenters who made this event   so cool.

Any time  I was at home  my laptop was on looking for the next session  while  I had to cope with the homework correction in the afternoon ;my  week turned into a big and  great  event: I would never go to sleep.

On the first day I did not  do much, working can be hard  and if you are a commuter you must rush  but  on 18 November  I  became  entrapped and loved this journey into education where I learnt much.
This is my diary and my  reflections about  the conference

18 Nov.2014

• 11:00

 Keeping your batteries charged and learning together by connecting globally with other educators - Maria del Carmen Colussa, EFL Freelance Teacher 

Maria  presented such a lovely EFL  teacher' s  KIT  that I am going to use most of the WEBLINKS she  described.
I like what she wrote in her slides  : the future   COOPERATION  COLLABORATION OPENESS.  
The world  is great! Teachers are working  together and this is  a great  for education.

• 18:00

 KEYNOTE: Kern Kelley on "Students as Tech Support"
Never forget the help from students, use the technology which is  available and have your students work

• 22:00

 Integrating a language trip into the Modern language curriculum - Sumaya Ibourk French teacher

An interesting  project, travelling can  be more challenging when you learn a language.

• 23:00

 SPOTLIGHT: Get #UpForSchool! Join the movement to all children everywhere access to education. - Kolleen Bouchane, Policy and Advocacy Director

The day continued with  interesting  sessions about  students and how they can help our teaching. I loved the description of the project with a language trip by Sumaya Ibourk French  and  the day finished with my discovery about UPFOR SCHOOL: YOU SHOULD ALL JOIN because  education is  a must for every child . I did it and now  I feel that we should all do more.
You should sign the petition!

http://www.aworldatschool.org/upforschool

19 Nov.2014

• 05:00

 Collaborative Online Projects: Getting Started - Abena Baiden

• 08:00

 Connecting Education to the Cloud for Digital Citizenship - Chryssanthe Sotiriou, High School EFL Coordinator

• 14:00

 Speak First: Shifting Modern Language Programs from Writing and Grammar Toward Genuine Global Connection - Jason Cummings Ph.D. Modern Language Department Head

• 17:00

 Go and Smell the Roses! - Kathy Beck, Instructional Technology Coordinator

• 23:00

 Going Global: Facilitating and Designing Collaborative Classroom Projects at Home and Abroad - Lindsey Myers, Library Media Specialist

I was not at school so  I followed many sessions: what I liked most were Kathy Beck and Lindsey Myers because  they gave me  a list of  tools and activities which I can now use as example.
Abena was also great because she is a competent  teacher and user of the new technologies. I sent her a message to thank her for the great presentation. 
Interested?  go to  :

http://flatconnections.net/

or you might  check    this  site

https://sites.google.com/site/globalizinggenz/  ( a great  source of tools for  people who want to work on line with technology that is mainly free)

Working on projects is the new way for a  good learner!!!

20 Nov.2014

• 01:00

 Using Facebook and Twitter as Online Classrooms: Connecting Educators and Learners Around the Globe - Pierre Moncal and Katrina Ingco - BEEd Special Education Undergraduate

• 14:00

 Maximize Collaboration and Sharing with Google+ Hangouts - Ms Rita Zeinstejer - EFL Teacher and Teacher Trainer

• 14:00

 Using Video to Teach EFL in a Cultural Context - Mr. Mohamed Ramadan Mahmoud Mohamed

• 16:00

 The role of ELT+IT in promoting global collaboration and networking in professional development - Mr. Victor Hugo ROJAS B. 

• 23:00

 SPOTLIGHT: Digiteen/Digitween - Global Digital Citizenship Project - Theresa Allen, Technology Teacher/Coordinator

All these  sessions made me   think about the advantages of on-line learning and how  today we can  work together and  learn: not only students but also adults with MOOCS.

21 Nov.2014

• 14:00

 Go Global: Collaborating Teachers and Students Across the World Using Google Classroom - Shenna Kate Torres (Undergraduate Student- Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Biology)

An  interesting session about   GOOGLE.  I have  learnt more.

• 17:00

 Out My Window - Erin Olson, Instructional Technology Consultants

An interesting  session about  more creative activities!

At 8 o'clock we  had the last  session, it was farewell and the great  satisfaction from teachers who had   appreciated the great  debates and the organizers. THANK YOU  : YOU WERE  GREAT AND I WILL SUGGEST YOUR  EVENT  TO MY   FRIENDS WHO ARE EAGER TO LEARN  FROM   OTHERS  AND SHARING EXPERIENCES!! 
I would like to thank  everybody: you made me dream.   EDUCATION can be the opportunity for many and teachers and educators can make  the difference!!



I hope to follow the  other  sessions in the next  days, and  look forward to seeing  many  more next year.

Tiziana Angiolini  ( English Language Teacher  and  life-long learner)

WEEK 6 WORKING ON LINE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS- THIS IS THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION!!

                                                              THESE ARE 
               MY  FAVOURITE  WEBSITES FOR STUDYING, LEARNING, SELF-DEVELOPMENT ON LINE

• https://www.coursera.org/
• https://www.futurelearn.com/
• https://www.edx.org/
• http://www.discoveryeducation.com/streamathon/
• http://www.classroom20.com/
• http://www.lend.it/italia/
• http://anisadedej.com/
• http://www.lepidascuola.org/
• http://community.eflclassroom.com/
• http://www.mondadorieducation.it/Canali/ENGLISH
• http://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/
• http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/52_1_5_brenner.pdf (about  digital stories)

SELF-DEVELOPMENT: HOW?
Read this interesting post :

• Can Twitter replace traditional professional development? in http://hechingered.org/content/can-twitter-replace-traditional-professional-development_5315/
• http://www.classroom20.com/( great site with  lots of webminars and forums)

• http://www.webenglishteacher.com/index.html

TEFL   AND  ENGLISH TEACHING

• Chris Baldwin - Learning Technologies for the Classroom: A Whirlwind Tour  in

https://britishcouncil.adobeconnect.com/_a917587435/p33d2n3zcqj/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal 

• from Macmillan    about LIFE SKILL  DAY  on 14th May  2014  

  

• Useful webminars   from CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

What  school   activities?

• Project Based Learning (PBL)

• for more  information  please   check                                                                                    

 http://www.studentguide.org/the-complete-guide-to-project-based-learning/

                 USEFUL  RESOURCES OR  WEBSITES:

http://bie.org/objects/cat/archived_webinars


THE  FUTURE OF  EDUCATION?    TEACHERS WHO ARE CONNECTED........................AND CAN  WORK TOGETHER

Week 6 What future for EDUCATION? A bright and sunny DAY into the LOVE for LEARNING

                                                      WEEK   6

                WHAT  FUTURE  FOR EDUCATION ?                                               


The future for  Education  IS more children who have  access to education all over the world  , in particular girls. Education should be free everywhere,  in poor or developing countries too. Because it is  a right.
The future for Education IS more people who have access to Learning on line courses, MOOCs,who  can choose what they want to do and  decide what subject, when and how to do it.
I would like to  refer to the great speech of this young woman who has claimed  the right to  have  access  to education:

I have  just  prepared my final presentation by using  PREZI and it will be part of my final reflections on line ........   what I have read and  seen in the videos has made me  think...................... 

http://prezi.com/1muy3ko8yu64/education-is-getting-digitalized-and-our-life-is-changing/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Education  is a world that will continue  changing:  more and more  teachers  will be involved in such  changes because technologies are  "changing" our  habits, " shaping " our ways of life......  it is the  XXI  century.
Teaching for Teachers  will not end but   Learning will become more important and also the students who will become  central in the process of  Learning.

Why do Governments fund Education?

                               WEEK    5

Education, Governments  and   Money 
                   An  Italian perspective 
 ITALY AND THE  GREAT AGE OF  REFORMS  FOR  EDUCATION

                    THE   PRESENT  SITUATION 
              THE  MIRROR OF A NATION  THAT IS  STRUGGLING
                  ...... Now  Protests among students and  Teachers
..............................Problems for those who are unemployed and are not  studying or do not have education on line or access to training  classes and self-development

............................   Lots of  young  people with good education who  are leaving the country and look for a job  outside Italy

Italy  is now undergoing great changes, the recession in the  last  six years has left more  people  without a job, more  young  people without  a   good  qualification and no chance to find a job . Thus  schools  and   education   are  in  need of  a  reform while more   Prime Ministers have   talked about the importance of  a good school system for the future of the  country   they have never found funds to help the   system work . 

( See the webisite  https://labuonascuola.gov.it/

This site has been opened to Teachers, students, families to give their opinion about the  new Reform of  Ecation that the present  Government has presented )

Meanwhile  Europe is  looking for a  fast change 

Education in EUROPE- What Europe  chooses 

Italy and  other European countries now  must follow these  guidelines:

education is  central for  nations, for  citizens and  for  children who will become   future citizens  in the world.

    

                                               

The needs of  students and  teachers who are responsible for education  are now  a priority  because the country- my country  Italy-  still has a lot  old people  and children  are the future of a nation with  fewer young people .The level of  education is below the level  of other   European  nations.
Websites of the most important  newspapers and specialized magazines (1) are now   dealing with the demand for education. 

What is  happening  everywhere  now ? There is a globalized change  into   ........................a  different   system or form of Education.(2)

More and more teachers are  becoming aware of the importance of  21st Century skills:

and  students  are the great  players

Looking to Montessori to guide  Education Reform

The power of  student-driven  Learning

Blended  Learning

Flipped Classroom

          More   MOOCs  for  students, adult learners and  for  self-development

(1)http://www.repubblica.it/scuola/?ref=HRHM2-1,
       http://www.corriere.it/scuola/index.shtml
       http://www.orizzontescuola.it/
       http://www.tuttoscuola.com/cgi-local/hp.cgi
       http://www.scuolaoggi.org/
      http://www.lend.it/italia/index.php/articoli-primopiano/427-lend-lingua-e-nuova-    didattica-a-proposito-del-documento-la-buona-scuola
        
(2)http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2011/01/21st-century-skills-teachers-should.html



                                         FINAL  CONCLUSIONS
                                 ( WEEK 5)

We are involved in a process of  great changes but   Education is still important.
However,money is what is missing  to create a better  system  and  states must cope with this problem.   The old  school  has  died, but  we do need to have

-        better  Teachers
-        teachers who are  working on self-development
-        teachers  who  teach   different  skills for a better  learner
-        teachers who share  activities and work in team
-        teachers who can develop  activities by using  Technologies and people can  work from home and at school(MOOCS, Blended Learning,Flipped  classroom.....)
-        teachers  who assess students in a different way

            What's more

-        students are important in the process  and  we should have less teacher-centred  activities and more projects, cooperative work.....
-         a different  Learning  environment   is being  created, this is  more  based on  the use of technology  but  teachers will not be  replaced , they will work in a different  way
-  since  education  costs a lot of money  schools  should be open to helpers, supporters and be part of  a community  to  take advantage of  external  resources
-        more people will be  involved in education and

          EDUCATION  WILL BE  FOREVER 

 by   Tiziana  Angiolini    self-reflection  about COURSERA COURSE  " What's the future of Education '"

      1st November   2014

CAN SCHOOLS MAKE A DIFFERENCE? FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

CAN   SCHOOLS  MAKE  A  DIFFERENCE?
                               ( PART 2)

                            WEEK    4

• How has your experience of school shaped you as a learner, and as an adult?
• In what ways do you think your own schooling could have been improved, and what priorities do you think are the most important for schools today?

School is the  first  important environment you get  familiar with after you  grew  up and  your  family  has enabled  you to become  older and let you enter the  outside world. Schooling  is the most  important  experience in the life of  a person, it means  you learn, you socialize and  develop  skills and your  character.

School is so important for our  lives since we spend  there   years and years, some students   go there only in the morning, others may spend something like  6-8 hours a  day at school . Thus we should  learn and  become more and more involved in our  school  life and get connected with our  schoolmates and our  teachers. It is time spent on  a process of  developing  skills, competences and   getting inspired to become  a better lerner.

Yes, school  shapes our  character  and also our  future  life,  if you  love  school and the  activities that have been   carried out at school   you will   continue  loving   school  and   life will be  a nice  journey where you  will  continue  learning and learning  forever  .

I have been influenced by my teachers: most of them  were good and  made me realize that  I was  getting more proficient and what's more  I decided to  become   a teacher, a  person who wants  now to share my experience of  teaching with other  teachers  to help  them  in order to  share   tools, better  techniques and  also  have  more students  love learning.

If......if...........if...............   school  still needs  improvement,  and  my  past life as a student   is an example of a person who had  good  teachers  and masters , but  I also  met difficulties.   Some  teachers  were not  friendly or open , they did not  try to  involve all the  students, some students suffered, but  again  I admit that this is an  experience  we all have, because  schools are  made by teachers and  students and  human  beings  are  complex and  have  different   ideas about   learning and  teaching.  

What are the priorities for  schools  today ? There is a long  long  List....................

- First  develop a nice  environment   where  students  like   to spend  the time
- Use new media 
- Teachers  should be  involved in self-development  and  be  good  supporters for  their  pupils
-  Schools and  education are part of the  world, thus  we  should all  have  good  technology at school and  share  the  use of  technology  with our  students who are more  advanced than us  sometimes
-  Be in contact with  the  community and the families
-  Develop  projects where  our   students    learn   how to  do  something
-  Teach   critical thinking  and   21st Century  Skills

-  Try to teach  everybody and   help them  to develop  their   learning  style
-  Learn about  other  successful experiences
-  Remember that  we have  different  abilities and   skills but   we all  should   be  important at school  
-  Teachers should work in team and   share  experiences  with other  schools and  classes
-  Develop Blended  Learning

            
USEFUL  WEBSITES OR  INFORMATION  ON LINE


http://www.discoveryeducation.com/streamathon/

WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER ?

                              WEEK   3
What  Makes  a  Good  Teacher?

Any time I think about my past life as a student I keep telling me that a good  Teacher is more than  a teacher, good  Teachers  love and take care of their  students, they are not  NUMBERS.

A   good   teacher is  someone who  loves  supporting you and can understand you if you have difficulties...........................................

Thursday                         16th October   2014

Yesterday I went to a  teacher's refresher seminar organized by our  local Language  Group for  English Teachers. The topic was  Objective: LIFE LONG LEARNING  through REFLECTIVE  TEACHING AND LEARNER  TRAINING. It was  an interesting  reflection made by a teacher who is working  at university and shared ideas with us. We got back into our  past life as students and we were  asked what we liked and what we did not like when we were at school and were just  learners. It was interesting to see how    FEELINGS  were  so important. Professor ANILA S.Scott-Monkhouse of the UNIVERSITY of Parma made us  think  and  I realized that  once you  get entrapped into the process of teaching and feel you  are under  pressure to cover the syllabus  you  do not  Always think about your  students in  terms of  people who  are involved in your  lessons.
She left us by  using  these  words:

Before you  say anything
Remember the  educational   importance of   self-esteem. 

I think that we should all   rember that  a good  teacher  does not destroy the self-image of the student, each student is different from the Others and each student is important.  They learn  little by little but  we should encourage each person and   tell them that they are important and  they are the  player of the lessons.  

What  makes  a good  Teacher?
A good  teacher can deal with the problems of the  students who are Special, Today we have  a lot  of  students with  Special  Needs, disabled students and students  with dyslexia.

                             SELF - DEVELOPMENT
What a good teacher   can  do in order to become  a  better  teacher
- use  blogs and  social  forums for  teachers
-  take  part in  conferences , webminars, special courses for  teachers
-  work on his/her  self-development in terms of courses or  special  webminars that might  enrich  his / her teaching  tools
-  write  a reflective diary
-  meet  other Teachers and  share ideas with  them about  best practices and also difficulties

              WORKING ON LINE.........  FROM HOME.............................
            
My  favourite  web sites and the ones which I usually use for studying on line and Learning  more  about Language teaching in general:
 - http://www.hltmag.co.uk/oct14/index.htm   ( Humanising  Language Teaching)
- http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/resources-for-teachers/webinars/
http://www.pearson.it/index.php
-http://grahamworkmanbili.wikispaces.com/CLIL+websites
-http://www.webenglishteacher.com/index.html
-http://www.classroom20.com/  ( to learn more about  new Technologies and teaching )
- http://www.onestopenglish.com/
-  http://www.ted.com/
-  http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/


What I think............End of week  3

I have  had  good and bad   teachers in my school life. Referring to the film DEAD POET  SOCIETY  I should say that  the teacher of the film is  a good   example of  someone who is  a great  supporter for  his  students. He loves them and they love him but  at the beginning of the film they may find him an unusual  man and teacher. Once they get to KNOW  him and his  approaches  they are involved and entrapped into his lessons and will  discover the world of poetry.  I had  two great teachers in my school life :they taught me   Italian and  History of  Art  and  I will never forget them  because they  cared and made me love  what they were doing with us.   

By quoting from   W.A.Ward  we could   say  " The great teacher   inspires"(1) . Unfortunately in some   cases our students  have to  face the coldness of their teachers, not  always   teachers can be  people who  inspire  students, they may have  difficulties in establishing a  relationship and interact with them.  

A  good teacher is a person who changes gear when he/ she realizes that  students do not  always understand what  he/she  is  trying to explain. Good teachers are able to make    their  teaching  better by reflecting. Critical reflection should  help  teachers to  approach teaching and learning in a different way.

Teaching is an on-going  process and all good teachers  should  cope with the main  achievements and  difficulties and  think more about  the best  teaching  practices they should  have.
The classroom climate is also crucial for having  better  learners. "Outstanding teachers create an excellent classroom climate and achieve superior pupil progress largely by displaying more professional characteristics at higher levels of sophistication within a very structured learning environment. " (2)From the discussion we  had with other  teachers it seemed that  most of the good teachers  work hard for their  students. This is true in many cases, I would also add that a good  teacher is able to  cope with the complexities of life, in terms of   students and their  social background; in addition more and more  teachers  may find  themselves in the situation of  having students with disabilities and/ or special needs- in particular  in compulsory education. The lesson can be planned, well-designed but  when  we enter the classroom we have  different   students who might react in  a different way, and it is our  duty to understand and  help  them, especially the less able ones.To conclude a good teacher is  a person who  is used to thinking about  his/her job and  never stops   learning to become a  better teacher .
(1) http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/good_teacher.html
(2) http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/4566/1/RR216.pdf _____________________________________

                  References for self-development

 -   Towards Reflective Teaching by Jack C. Richards  Department of English, City Polytechnic of Hong Kong      http://www.tttjournal.co.uk/  

- Reflective teaching- The Principles and the Practices    ENGLISH TEACHING  FORUM- October  2003

http://www.onestopenglish.com/support/methodology/professional-development/professional-development-reflective-teaching/146478.article

 http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/4566/1/RR216.pdf

 http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Teacher

 http://www.school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/goodteacher.html

 http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/7-differences-between-a-good-teacher-and-great-teacher/

 What do they think?