I need to update more often

Even if nobody else reads it - I find it helpful to keep a record of what is happening with the project and my reflections on it.

We had a great workshop last month with Vivienne and we did clarify expectations and made some headway with conceptualising how the project could go forward. We agreed on a common vision for the long-term desired outcomes and some short term actions we could all take to work towards that. Everybody agreed to coming up with 3 specific actions to achieve prior to the end of June, and to sending me the details of those within a week - most have done that.

We had another iConnect meeting Friday before last which went very well despite some technical issues (mainly difficulty with logging in) and so on. We used the break out rooms for a Think Pair Share activity. Our main focus was reflecting on the classroom management and non violent communication we had learned about at the workshop; and clarifying our action plans.

I have drafted an implementation plan and discussed it with Judy and Cathie. Have now sent it to Peter for comment. When I hear back from him I will send it to the group to get input from them.

Our next iConnect meeting is tomorrow. I'm going to run this one from home, mainly because of logistical problems with the car but it will give me the chance to try the video function which should be fun. The main focus will be Simon showing us how we can use Yammer to share information and documents. I also want to look at our action plans progress. I would prefer to do that mainly out of session to save time but of course it's a challenge when everyone's so busy...

TROPIC II meeting #2 - reflections

Held during the mid-semester break so not so many people attending. Simon gave an interesting overview of what he has been doing, using Flash Meetings to network with his students.

I think it probably is better to use web tour or application sharing after all, even though it did seem pretty cumbersome at the first meeting. Simon put the link to his meeting recording in the chat window so Meredith and I had a quick look but it might have been more effective for Simon to lead us through it - especially when it comes to viewing the recording. (Note that I forgot to hit the record button until part-way into Simon's presentation!)

I want to spend some time at the next workshop talking through expectations of where we are going with this project because it seems to me people have got very different understandings of that. I have a meeting scheduled with Vivienne today by telephone so we'll discuss that and come up with some strategies for the workshop.

VET Futures forum

A somewhat belated post about the VET Futures forum held at Holiday Inn Brisbane on March 24.

This was an excellent opportunity for representatives of the VET Futures funded PD projects to get together and share ideas and learnings. Very well organised by Judy and Cathie and I really appreciated the chocolates!

There are some interesting initiatives happening around the state and I could be wrong but it seemed to me the discussions are at a more sophisticated level than a few years ago. It was good to hear Peter Skippington's overview which emphasised the need for cultural change; a focus on teaching learning and assessment; a strategic approach with implementation up to local institutes.

Peter also talked about the potential for TROPIC II in this respect and the need to think about the project in terms of cultural change.

There are some clear links between TROPIC II and some of the other projects. For example, at WBIT Meredith and Karen have already used many II strategies, tactics and skills in their delivery of Assessment Foundations workshops. They explicitly modelled some of these strategies which was a great value add for the teachers attending.

There is potential to link TNQT's Tek Talks, TROPIC II and PALM, looking at options to use the Madeline Hunter lesson design for Tek Talk sessions to be delivered via e-learning. More on that soon I hope.

And because TROPIC II is all about effective teaching and learning, there is definitely scope to link with several other VET Futures projects. I think there is a two way responsibility between the TROPIC II participants and the project managers and other stakeholders at each institute, to share information, discuss possibilities and initiate actions and long-term planning.

In general news, I completed the mid-term report which is now on my.TAFE, and we have our second iConnect meeting scheduled this afternoon. Next workshop is week after next - can't wait! Lots of work to be done after that though. I'm hoping to schedule some sessions here at TNQT in May.

iConnect meeting reflections

Last Friday was our first TROPIC II team meeting using iConnect. This was an excellent opportunity for us to share our reflections on how we have been applying the learning from the workshop.

Unfortunately attendance wasn't so great with three members of the group unable to attend. However the input from Terrie, Simon and Phil was great. Meredith and Bob sent reports on what they had been doing.

The technology has its limitations - as Terrie commented, when you are presenting it can feel like you're just talking and that's all that's going on, with no feedback or interaction. Of course it's new to all of us and with trial and error hopefully we can get used to the environment and use it to its full capacity. One great advantage is having the recording of the meeting - I was able to get more out of the presentations hearing them a second time.

TROPIC II - the first workshop

Last week was our first Instructional Intelligence workshop, brilliantly facilitated by Vivienne Scott. Our learning covered two main areas: lesson design and cooperative learning. If I try to convey in writing what is involved in those two things, it would probably sound dry and boring, but it certainly is not. Let me attempt to summarise by saying, lesson design is all about increasing the chances students will learn. Cooperative learning is about recognising that simply putting students in groups does not ensure they will work together or that they will learn. Deliberately establishing the conditions and explicitly teaching the social and other skills required, greatly increases the likelihood that students will learn cooperatively.

Research shows that when students engage in cooperative learning and particularly when processing and reflection of both content and group work are built into the learning, retention of knowledge is up to 40% greater than with individualistic learning.

The great thing about the workshop is that we were fully immersed in the process - it wasn't a matter of learning about cooperative learning; we were engaging in it.

Next steps are for the participants to apply some of what we learned in our own teaching practice. We have a meeting scheduled via Elluminate on March 19 when we will report back on what that experience was like.

The next workshop is scheduled for April 20-22.

first post in over a year...

2009 - the lost year. Many things happened, but in terms of TROPIC it was a year where other demands on my time at work seemed to take precedence and maintaining a focus on TROPIC was difficult at times.

A few events worth noting:

• our action research project continued - a paper will be presented at the 2010 AVETRA conference
• we piloted running the Teacher workshop as a series of 3 x 90 minute sessions - this worked well and was much easier for teachers to access
• Bob, Gillian, Meredith and Phil presented at the VET Teaching Conference
• Teacher and Mentor workshops at Skills Tech were well attended
• We had a fabulous PD/Refresher workshop for Mentors with Andrew Fuller as a keynote speaker - notes from the workshop are on the wiki
• We ran a Mentor workshop at SQIT
• I took long service leave July to October - wonderfully refreshing! I am now a qualified yoga teacher and I visited New Zealand for the first time
• We ran a Mentor workshop and two Teacher workshops at WBIT

Most importantly, late in 2009 we met Vivienne Scott from WA TAFE and learned about the Instructional Intelligence program. We have now commenced the 'TROPIC II' (TROPIC 2/Instructional Intelligence) project.

In this project, teachers from Skills Tech, SQIT, WBIT, TNQT, CQIT and BRIT will be trained in Instructional Intelligence strategies, tactics and skills. These include a whole raft of wonderful things like:

• cooperative learning
• generating student accountability
• lesson design for engaging learners
• employability skills
• embedding literacy skills
• and more

Teachers will then apply II in their own practice; share II with colleagues through structured PD and through coaching/mentoring; and work towards embedding II in their institutes long-term.

Vivienne Scott will facilitate the workshops for us to learn II. Our first workshop is March 2-4 - next week - so I will post again shortly after that with an update.

december 2008

We had some great workshops this month: at Maryborough from December 2 we ran the first ever combined Teacher and Mentor Workshop, with 11 teachers and 8 mentors present on Day One. The 8 mentors stayed on for the next two days. They were Suzy, Cheryl, Cheryll (with two l's), Jonathon, Emma, Anne and Trevor from WBIT and Peter from SkillsTech. Meredith was there too co-facilitating and multi-tasking.

Then on December 5 Meredith and I facilitated a Teacher Workshop at Bundaberg.

I got to have a weekend shopping in Brisbane and dinner with Simon and Janet on the Sunday evening then on December 8 and 9 Teacher Workshops at Acacia Ridge and 10 at Eagle Farm. Simon was there for all of these and I really appreciate his support and enthusiasm for TROPIC. We had fantastic participants in the workshops and great support also from Alex and Peter. Bob and Gillian from SQIT came along on the 8th. They have got a lot of things happening at SQIT in the new year and Gillian is setting up a TROPIC space in my.tafe so I'm sure we'll hear more about that soon. Lyndal co-facilitated on the 9th and took over the reins along with Simon on the 10th so I could get home and attend my youngest son's primary school graduation. Thanks to you all for your support and participation.

In the meantime there was another Teacher Workshop back here in Cairns on December 3 co-facilitated by Mike, Phil and Lyndal and the feedback from that was very positive.

There will be plenty happening with TROPIC next year as the action research project continues with WBIT, SQIT and TNQT. It looks like SkillsTech is going to continue to expand TROPIC as well and hopefully we can keep building the network links.

More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/marthatropic and check out Simon's resources too at http://delicious.com/stonemasonry/TROPIC - link to Simon's photos also at left.

Wishing everyone a great Christmas and all the best for 2009.

cheers,

Martha