Category Archives: Uncategorized

changing paradigm for universities

Posted on January 30, 2011 by mwalker

Having just completed a course at University I have some experience in the way universities use technology for learning. Most of my notes were online, the bulk of the articles I used in my research came from online journals where it … Continue reading →

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Implications of the “still face” experiment

Posted on January 26, 2011 by mwalker

Thanks to John Connell for this clip which I think has wider implications for all those working with our youth – not just parents with babies. I think this experiment along with a few others like the little Albert Experiment … Continue reading →

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Race to Nowhere – a film about the pressure to get good grades – coming to you.

Posted on January 25, 2011 by mwalker

I stumbled on this clip from Scott Mcleaod’s blog to a movie that touches on an extreme, that if normalised in schools would spell disaster for a generation of students. The pressure to perform on tests – to get high … Continue reading →

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Floods in Queensland and Victoria

Posted on January 25, 2011 by mwalker

For the past few weeks we have been witnessing the most devastating floods in Australian history. The areas most affected are in Queensland and more recently in Victoria. The newspapers have been running special reports each day for the past 3 weeks and the … Continue reading →

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Reflections on closing the school year

Posted on December 26, 2010 by mwalker

Now that the school year has closed for 2010 and we start to unwind and prepare for the festive and summer holiday period with family and friends its an opportune time to sit back and reflect on the last month … Continue reading →

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Neat way of showing data.

Posted on December 19, 2010 by mwalker

  I saw this clip courtesy of Darrell Fraser. Increasingly I think its not good enough to simply collect and interpret data which we do lots of in schools . Its about distilling the essential messages so that they are clear … Continue reading →

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Do student incentives give the wrong messages?

Posted on December 15, 2010 by mwalker

As we finish the school year and pack up for Christmas and the summer holidays I’m starting to reflect on what we achieved this year and what’s part of the journey ahead. We have just finished a 3 year building … Continue reading →

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Walk throughs

Posted on December 9, 2010 by mwalker

A little clip that might help inform a conversation about walkthroughs at your school.

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Hattie’s comments on the effect of feedback on student learning

Posted on December 9, 2010 by mwalker

  A few of Hattie’s comments on feedback that he made at a recent seminar struck a discord with me: Feedback is much more about what students receive than teachers give. When feedback is given to the whole class its received … Continue reading →

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Hattie on the effects of various influences on student achievement: winners and disasters.

Posted on November 28, 2010 by mwalker

Last week our school leadership team spent the day with Professor John Hattie from Auckland University and his team from the the Visible learning Lab.  John has published his research in a book title Visible Learning and presents at lots … Continue reading →

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To err and succeed

Posted on November 17, 2010 by mwalker

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.             And that … Continue reading →

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Memorable quote for leaders!

Posted on November 16, 2010 by mwalker

  “The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out … Continue reading →

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Donald Graves: a teacher of writing and an inspiration to many.

Posted on November 16, 2010 by mwalker

Professor Donald Graves of New Hampshire University recently died of pneumonia at the age of 80. In the early 1980’s his research on student writing which became known as  “process writing” had a profound influence on Australian educators including me. His … Continue reading →

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Here’s one for those who like to organise things!

Posted on November 14, 2010 by mwalker
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One to One Computing

Posted on October 31, 2010 by mwalker

This book takes a serious historical and international look at the “digital pencil” movement to equip every student with a computing device with wireless connection. Using an ecological perspective as an overarching framework, and drawing on their own studies and … Continue reading →

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