This certification is - honestly - my first official attempt at a structured external course (online or otherwise), since University 14 years ago! I have attended workshops and PD days but have avoided traditional ‘Professional Development’ – including starting my Masters – because I seriously believe that my professional reading, my online subscriptions, my Google Plus and my personal experiences inside the classroom with real students and teachers – SO my ‘Personal Learning Network’ – keeps me in the loop with all the things that I am passionate about; namely education and the use of technology as a valuable tool to access, share and present learning.
I don’t want the focus to be on the piece of paper – the certification – at the end. I want to learn and extend my learning in practical and meaningful ways. I want to be encouraged to try new things and use new tools and look to the future rather than the theories of past experts that may not be as relevant as they once were. This course was meant as a tester in a multitude of ways. Can I cope with the extra work and time commitment while balancing my time with two children and a demanding (!!) wife? Can I still be the teacher I want to be – and am expected to be by my colleagues – with the added commitment of an online course? Can an online course really embrace future technologies and keep me enthusiastic about learning? And am I really ready to start my Masters?! I love finding new ways to make learning accessible and fun for students and fellow teachers and I get motivated by spending time with like-minded individuals – who are passionate about sharing their love of technology. This course seems to give me both and for the first time in 14 years I am itching to get back into (online) classroom as a learner rather than a teacher. Quietly excited... :)
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I have decided to take on the challenge of a 'Leading Edge Online & Blended Teacher Certification Course' along with a bunch of educators within the GEMS Network. More information can be found here.
It seems like an excellent opportunity to not only be able to lead courses effectively online but also experiment with and explore a number of online tools that would make learning fun and interesting for adults and children alike... I am required to collate discussions, reflections and activity assignments in one place and this is going to be that place...! |
Contents1. Resume/Bio
2. Online vs. face to face Venn Diagram 3. Collaborative Presentation of Web2.0 Tools 4. Designing an online discussion 5. Establishing an Accessible Social Presence 6. Designing a comprehensive Assessment Plan 7. Online Course Syllabus 8. Reflection: iNACOL Standards for Quality Online Teaching About MeHello, I am Tony Potts, the Director of Digital Learning, PK-12 ICT Coordinator, ICT teacher and technology integration specialist at GEMS World Academy, Dubai. Please feel free to ask me ANY questions...
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