Linda's Meta-learning Journal

5/19/2004

Playfull learning?

Just been reading some interesting stuff about play on Dr Ian Terrell's blog There are a whole raft of entries about various aspects of play and IT. It has occurred to me that part of the problem with Firstclass is that it is not an environment that encourages playfulness. As it was primarily designed as a business tool it has a basically utilitarian approach. JellyOS (our previous community software) on the other hand was much more obviously trying to be "delightful", despite its considerable drawbacks. I have been commited to the idea of 'learning through play' for many years and I still think that some of the most profound learning experiences can be achieved during play.
The question remains how to define this thing "play."
Ian Terrell's definition is here
Do you agree with this definition?

Posted at 8:58:28 pm by lmhartley
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5/18/2004

My ILP

So here is my ILP
Learning Activities:
Learning Activity 1
I will develop a PDP for the coming year, to include a short section looking at both the PDP process and the lack of support for such processes in my workplace.
I will produce a list of workplace learning both formal and informal that I have undertaken since June 2003.
Completion Date: 22/5/04
Learning Activity 2
Identify significant learning from my list of workplace learning activities. For the workplace learning identified, I will collect evidence of learning & add this to my learning portfolio. This will include evaluations, certificates, reflections from my learning journal, mind maps etc. I will identify 3- 5 of these significant events to reflect and focus on in the stitching section.
Completion Date: 23/5/04
Learning Activity 3
The "Stitching Together" in the form of a report.
Using the reflective processes developed in term 2 I will analyse and evaluate my learning. I will provide detailed reflections and evaluations of the significant learning activities detailed above. I will then analyse and report on, what I have learned, why this learning is worthwhile in my context, what I do differently now or in the future as a result of these activities. I will show what difference my learning has made.
I will use these evaluations to make a PDP with SMART targets for the coming year.
Phew, finally got there!
Seen and agreed by my LF:-)

Posted at 5:35:08 pm by lmhartley
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5/12/2004

Japanese kites

I saw these fish kites as I walked home along the canal tow path today & thought what fun they are:

Here's a link to explain the reason for the kites
As First class is going to be down tonight and I am tired I'm going to log on to Ultrastudents chat now & see if anyone's around.

Posted at 8:42:48 pm by lmhartley
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5/8/2004

Showing people how to add a photo

I have just put some instructions in my FC homepages on how to put a photo into your blog.

This is a picture of the sea shore in my village that I took this afternoon when I was out for a walk. It was unusually quiet and all I could hear were a few birds and the bleating of the sheep that have been put out to graze on the salt marshes.

Posted at 8:27:18 pm by lmhartley
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5/7/2004

PDP still causing problems

I AM STUCK as usual early in a module :(
I thought I had this sorted out until I started to try and fit what I'd done into Greta's template. It's the sections in the AE tool all over again. Nothing relates to what I actually have. It all hinges on the existance of some sort of PDP prior to the start of the degree. Of course I have nothing like that so it feels like the whole module is based on a false premise. And as for doing some sort of cost/benefit analysis on the outcomes of this imaginary plan- words fail me!
What happens if I don't use the template?
What then? Can I just write briefly about not having a PDP? Then list the training & informal learning opportunities. Does that work? Will that meet the Learning outcomes?
Maybe I'll feel better about it all tomorrow. I am feeling a bit low anyway as I have had a tummy bug so perhaps I need to wait till I feel more energetic.

Posted at 8:12:14 pm by lmhartley
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5/5/2004

new guest book

Mo e-mailed me to point out that my guest book is no longer active. I suspect it has reached the limit for comments as it has 30 in it now. So this is my new one.

Posted at 9:23:33 pm by lmhartley
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4/29/2004

More on Module 3

I had a phone conf with my new LF tonight. I think my plan from yesterday might be OK. I just need to be careful not to lift LA1 entirely from my Report 1. It occurred to me that the way to avoid this would be to use the areas I identified for research as a starting point rather than my strengths and weaknesses.
So, for example,
the area might have been to investigate behaviour management techniques, I could then narrow it down to the Team teach approach, use the mindmap of the training day & the jelly discussion as artifacts, pick out a significant thing that was learned, reflect on it, and evaluate the impact on my workplace and my own practice.
improve my knowledge base: finding out how to use the ecologger, writing some teacher friendly instuctions, using it with groups, reflect, evaluate
researching the copyright -free artwork and putting together the resources etc for the Telling to Writing Project, reflecting on how I found it, why it matters to have great pictures, using the evaluation sheets with the kids, the impact on the literacy lessons and the quality of work produced. What have I learned from doing this?
Display was an area I identified so I could use the 3d display course, What, if anything, did I learn that day? I have a myriad of pictures of the day & I can use my Land use display to show me using a technique I learned there not working and explore why.
That's all for now and I must be getting to like being off-line as I am again away for the weekend - hope everyone has as nice a time as I intend to:)

Posted at 10:49:57 pm by lmhartley
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4/28/2004

(not) Getting to work on the ilp

I am still having problems getting to grips with the new module. Shirley and Anthony have both offered some good advice but I just can't seem to get started. Life got in the way a bit this week too so I might let myself off. I get the idea of using the module as a plan - do- review cycle. I think that might mean that the targets I set in report one(plan1) and the actions that I took based ('do' 1) on them are then reviewed (review & evaluation 1) and a new plan (plan 2- the new cycle) is made.
Activity 1:
I have a look at report 1 and the targets I set then
The actions I took based on them is just a list of the courses I have attended plus any new skills I have aquired
Activity 2
Then I pick any important learning experiences in the courses or in my workplace in general (between 3 & 5 examples)
I make a list of potential new SMART targets.
Activity 3
Finally stitch it together into a report to meet the level 1 criteria. Reflecting on between 3 & 5 of the learning experiences and their impact on my learning and any impact on my workplace Links to literature?
Sounds straight forward put that way I suppose. I'm going to avoid getting into too much depth. I will settle for my 20 credits & try not to worry too much about getting such a high mark this time. The first thing to do is look how to fit this into the ILP and get it filled in and approved. Activity 1 is then almost done at once, leaving just 2 (identifying learning) and 3 (stitching the report & adding in relevent literature) The whole thing to be finished before the half-term break so that I can enjoy a bit of a holiday. I definitely need one. Even though it is only just after Easter!

Posted at 10:00:29 pm by lmhartley
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4/23/2004

Back on line

Hello, my brief enforced holiday is over and I am back on line. It was all a bit frustrating but not too awful I suppose. Apple have gone up in my estimation - everyone said it would take ages to get my laptop back but Monday to Friday is pretty good I think.

I have a new LF now, which was a bit of a shock! Still I'm sure we'll get on fine. Don't know if he reads blogs, but if he does "Hi!"

He'll have to get used to me moaning at the start of each module about how I don't see how I am ever going to do it! I always get there in the end :-) Though this time I'll settle for a pass, no point in going for these really high grades all the time now I know they don't really count towards the degree. Time to pick and chose where I put my efforts and this next module looks particularly uninspiring!

Management twaddle, Performance Plans, Development Plans, JARS -Ugh! I had enough of that when I was in the civil service:-( Meaningless tosh mostly, made up to look good on paper.

Oh well never mind- Cohort 2 have all this to look forward to! Still, even with all my moans, I'm glad I'm doing this degree. It is a life- changing and life enhancing process. Even if it does eat time, become an obsession, drive me nuts, I wouldn't be without it. Or without some really good friends that it has given me:-)

Posted at 9:02:21 pm by lmhartley
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4/21/2004

Macless :-(

so here I am at a cybercafe trying to up date my blog. Not easy but never mind. If anyone wonders what has become of me I am macless for 7 to 10 days having blown my laptop back light!
If you've emailed me or left a message I can't really get back to you very easily till then so bear with me folks! I can get on FC from work but the blog is banned by the smart filters. Some one assured me that after a few days I wouldn't miss it. They were wrong!
Bye for now
Linda

Posted at 3:58:08 pm by lmhartley
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