Application Partners in Learning Institute 2011
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TASK: Create a short video that demonstrates what makes you an ideal candidate for the Partners in Learning Institute. The APPLICANT should feature in the short video.
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- What makes you an innovative educator?
I am a passionate educator and eLearning enthusiast with over ten years teaching experience at a range of schools in Australia and Japan. I was awarded the Microsoft Innovative Teachers – Educators Choice Award in Phuket Thailand for my work with eNotebooks – an interactive and exciting concept which explores and delivers content in Microsoft OneNote. Every day I aim to present interesting, interactive, engaging lessons in order to stimulate and inspire my students. My biggest thrill is bringing new creative ideas to life and my enthusiasm reflects a positive environment for my students who in turn are eager to explore and develop their own new concepts and ideas. Through the use of technology I believe that I am able to plan and implement a balanced, flexible curriculum that fosters independence in learning and prepares students for challenges that they may face in the future. I am currently immersed in a 1:1 program where I have successfully enhanced the day-to-day use of technology and as a result I am able to ensure that all learning styles are catered for within my classroom. I am known to take calculated risks and push the traditional use of technology in order to promote an environment, which creates life long learners. I am always willing to try ‘new’ ideas and believe that my passion, enthusiasm, drive to succeed and ability to solve challenges and work collaboratively are all skills, which help me to be an innovative educator. - Please specify your primary objective for attending this workshop.
My primary objective for attending the Partners in Learning Institute is to further enhance my knowledge of how Microsoft products can aid my own teaching and learning. I believe that the knowledge, connections and opportunities I will establish as a results of attending the Institute will directly benefit the students I teach. Not only will be able to gather a wealth of teaching ideas, but I also hope to gain a better understanding of cultural diversity and how we as a wealthy nation can help improve the educational setting of less wealthy nations. I would also like to expand my own Personal Learning Network and work closely with like-minded educators from around the world. While this network can be easily established online, face-to-face collaboration and communication is invaluable. I also believe that I have experience in using a range of Microsoft technologies in a classroom setting and I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experiences with others. - The Partners in Learning Institute is a train-the-trainer program.Byattendingthis workshop, Microsoft will ask you to train other teachers in your school, district, or region. Briefly describe your plan for how you will reach others. How many others do you believe you can help, train or support? What resources do you believe you will need to reach your goal? If you have any experience in teaching other teachers, please describe that here.
Armed with knowledge gained from the Partners in Learning Institute, I aim to influence the teachers at my own school which consists of some 200+ educators. My role as eLearning Director will directly allow me to engage and share my knowledge at regular Professional Development sessions. While these sessions are already embedded into our school philosophy, I would like to improve the intensity of these sessions by providing simple solutions, activities and ideas which will aid student engagement and participation. After attending the Institute, I aim to facilitate informal ‘Techie Breakies’ and present regular whole school Professional Development sessions. In the immediate future, I would like to share my knowledge at the Microsoft Tech Ed Conference in NZ (Aug) and I am looking forward to attending and presenting at the VITTA Conference at the end of August. Being a member of an Independent School allows me access to a wide range of educators. I have previously worked with many of these schools to showcase my innovative use of technology and I look forward to training other interested educators. I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others and have successfully presented at a range of conferences. In the past three years I have worked closely with a range of educational institutions and have been instrumental in managing and conducting hands-on technology sessions for some 500+ educators. I have also worked closely with Microsoft to produce an Advertorial on Office 2010 and I look forward to showcasing my experiences at the upcoming Microsoft Roadshows.
- Briefly describe your experience in helping fellow teachers to incorporate technology into their teaching practices. Collaborating and sharing knowledge with other educators is a rewarding experience. As the eLearning Director (K-12), I am given many opportunities to share and help fellow teachers. In the past eighteen months I have worked closely with the English, Science and Health faculties to produce interactive, engaging eNotebooks based on the OneNote platform. These eNotebooks encourage students to learn and inspire them to think. I have also been an integral developer of the Yr 10 Blended-Learning Project and have worked closely with the English faculty to facilitate the development and implementation of this project. On a day-to-day basis I am often called upon to work with teachers on various tasks ranging from; providing digital assessment tips and tricks, navigating around Windows 7, developing interactive, stimulating, current units of work and I am also often asked to give advice on how to manage a 1:1 environment. I thoroughly enjoy collaborating with others to ensure that 21st Century learning takes place within classrooms.
