Supernote on asus transformer

Just in via Endgaget, is a video demonstrating the capabilities of Supernote on the asus transformer. Will need to keep a look out for it when it arrives in NZ as currently, we have had to use a variety of apps on the ipad2 and the toshiba thrive tablet for students to compile their on 'workbooks'.

Supernote proposes a much more integrated experience and the video shows how the process is largely intuitive.  It allows notes to be typed in, sketches to be added and then for these to be manipulated (resized and moved) and photos to be integrated. Did not demonstrate if the photos can be annotated so this will be one feature to test out.

James Gee on ‘opportunities to learn’ and ‘beyond mindless progressivism’

Working through one of the comments brought up by one of the examiners of my PhD dissertation. The context is to ensure that ‘affordances’ to workplace learning is not conflated to cover all aspects of opportunities for workplace learning. The reference suggested to check was one on ‘sociocultural perspectives on opportunities to learning’ by James Gee.

I have come across Professor Gee’s work via my interest in researching elearning, mlearning, reluctant learners and vocational education. His background is in linguistics as informed by socio-cultural frameworks and so I have used references to his work on several occasions. Of note is his work on identity and its role in education research. He proposes four views (nature, institutions, discourse and affinity identities) as lenses that can be used to study how socio-cultural influences impact on learners and their eventual perspectives of learnt concepts/ideas. Antother aspect of his work, is on video games and its contribution to education with an example here  being one of several publications of games and learning.

A recent blog on ‘beyond mindless progressivism’ argues for the introduction of a ‘post-progressive pedagogy ’ form of situated learning. Many of the 17 points he brings up, are relevant to our current Ako Aotearoa Southern hub funded project, using net tablets to encourage students to create their own content. The main gist is to encourage, provide learning opportunities and tools for students to become ‘constructors’ rather than consumers of content/knowledge

Professor Gee's blog contains thought provoking content, along the lines of another edublogger I follow, Artichoke. Both bring up topics that are in accord with much of my work. Keeping in touch with these blogs, provide a source for my continual critical introspection on where my work goes plus affirmation that I am on the right track most of the time.

Cool tools for Schools

Came across a very good repository of web 2.0 tools for education while updating my list of 'alternatives to powerpoint' for recommendation ot our tutors. A good range of Web 2.0 tools is provided with a colourful and accessible interface.