Edited by Keith Redman

Topics covered in this edition include:

• Habits of Mind Hub – on-line discussion
• Habits of Mind in Indonesian?
• ANSN Board meets via teleconference
• Upcoming Digi Kids Hub workshops in Adelaide
• Upcoming Dimensions of Learning (DoL) workshops: Two-day introductory workshop in Adelaide
• DoL, Brisbane
• DoL website
• Bee Bots: New one-day “Play Make and Take” workshops
• Update on RPiN/CLL
• Some interesting professional readings
• Deadline for the next E-News
• Reminders of ANSN activities

Habits of Mind Hub – on-line discussion

A lively discussion has been taking place on-line among members of the Habits of Mind Hub. Hub Co-ordinator James Anderson (shown below) initiated the discussion by calling into question what we think about the two Habits that have to do with Wonderment and Awe, and Humour.

James believes that these two Habits are currently difficult to teach because we don’t yet have a good understanding of what they are, or the pedagogical tools to help us develop them in students. Discussion has ranged from modelling, and what that means in practice, to the place that some educators perhaps still see for the Habits as part of the “hidden curriculum”, to the association between the two Habits in question and what we think of as “successful” people. More on this in future editions of E-News, as the discussion develops. For further information about the Habits of Mind Hub and how to join, click here. For details and dates of Habits of Mind activities (as well as those for other Hubs) check the ANSN website regularly, at www.ansn.edu.au.

Habits of Mind in Indonesian?

Ian Mills, from Woodleigh School, has circulated members of the national Habits of Mind Hub asking whether anyone has an Indonesian version of the Habits. If any non-members have relevant information, or can suggest links to follow, please contact: Ian Mills, Head of Teaching and Learning, Woodleigh School, Golf Links Road, Baxter, Victoria 3911. Phone (03) 5971 1108, Mobile 0425 830 568, Fax (03) 5971 1010, or email imills@woodleigh.vic.edu.au.

ANSN Board meets via teleconference

Meagan Parker writes to remind us that the next ANSN Board meeting is a teleconference, to be held on Thursday evening 1 May. The meeting will include reports from each of the State Co-ordinators and Hub leaders.

Upcoming Digi Kids Hub workshops in Adelaide

ANSN is now registering participants in the 2008 Adelaide Digi Kids Hub. As with the Hubs in other States, this learning opportunity is based on 5 days of professional training over the year. The activities are designed for teachers of early childhood students, who want to explore how to integrate technology within an early childhood play-based curriculum. The initial 2 days of the hub will be on 19 and 20 May at St Pius X School, Windsor Gardens. For more information, registration details and costs, click here.

Upcoming Dimensions of Learning (DoL) workshops:

Two-day introductory workshop in Adelaide

The 2-day introductory DoL workshop unpacks some of the complexities of learning and provides research-based strategies that can be implemented in all learning settings, to promote students as independent learners. The upcoming Adelaide workshop will be held at Blackwood Primary School, Eden Hills on 19 and 20 May.

For more information, registration details and costs, click here.

DoL, Brisbane

Hanan Harrison reports that educators from 12 different schools have kick-started the first Dimensions of Learning research circle. Forty-eight participants spent two days sharing and building their knowledge around DoL. (see some of the activities, below)

Links to Australian pedagogical frameworks and existing classroom practice were explored through a range of interactive workshop activities. By the end of the two days each school group had established an action plan for their school, with teams working out school specific ways to implement “Dimensions of Learning” strategies in their context. CQU Lecturers Sue Davis and Susan Richardson facilitated the two days and reported that they found the two days to be exciting and inspiring.

“I loved the fact we had very experienced educators there, reflecting and drawing on their expertise as well as others who were young and still quite new to the profession” Sue said. “There was a lovely atmosphere, people were very generous in their willingness to share and engage.” The teams are now enacting their plans before meeting again in May and towards the end of the year to review and share their progress. If your school would like to find out more about the DoL hubs, or if you are interested in running some introductory workshops on DoL, contact Hanan Harrison on 0407 464 472 or email hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au

DoL website

ANSN and the DoL Hubs have launched a new web link for interested members to learn and share ideas about Dimensions of Learning. To view site, click on the following link http://www.ansn.edu.au/dol/what_are_dol. Most sections of the website are open to the public.

Bee Bots: New one-day “Play Make and Take” workshops

The previous edition of E-News introduced our readers to Bee Bots (below left, and right with three teachers choreographing Bee Bots in a workshop planning session).

A number of Bee Bot workshops will be advertised next term in various states. These workshops are aimed at introducing Bee Bots (basic Robotics) as a tool for integrating technology within the curriculum for early childhood educators. To download the flier, click here. If you have queries about how Bee Bots and this workshop might be of use in your particular classroom context, contact hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au

Update on RPiN/CLL

Andrew Bills, ANSN Networker in SA, has circulated a paper that gives a summary of the Connecting Lives and Learning (CLL) project. As described in previous editions of E-News, CLL has developed out of the earlier Redesigning Pedagogies and is now expanding from its South Australian base to become a national venture. To get the project happening nationally, facilitated by the ANSN, Networkers have been working together during April, and plan to keep in contact via Skype video conferences. More news as this project develops. To read or download the paper, click here.

Some interesting professional readings

Some material is starting to emerge about Victoria’s blueprint for early childhood development and school reform. The Victorian Government's establishment of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will integrate early childhood and school services across Victoria. Currently, three discussion papers are available to provide an overview of this process, and to examine the links between early childhood development and school reform. To read more, go to http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/directions/blueprint2008/papers.htm

Maintaining the early childhood theme, Hanan Harrison (below, right, with the principal hosting one of her workshops) has suggested that readers take a look at “Evolution of Play”, which explores how play has changed over the past decades.

This includes the shifting of focus from “activities”, which develop executive functions that are integral for students to learn and grow, to the new trend of focusing on activities or “things” that do not actively promote executive functions such as self-regulation. This article can be downloaded as a podcast or a text article from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19267988

Hanan also suggests an article relating to aspects of Dimensions of Learning, entitled “Using strategy instruction to help struggling high schoolers understand what they read”. Available from
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/central/pdf/REL_2007038.pdf, this article explores the findings from recent research that investigates how instructional strategies for building vocabulary (Dimension 2), and based around peer-assisted learning, can provide positive effects on reading comprehension for struggling high school students. If you would like to find out more about these and other instructional strategies for developing independent learners, email hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au

James Anderson suggests checking out a fairly long article entitled “Approaches to Teaching Thinking: Toward a Conceptual Mapping of the Field”, by Yoram Harpaz, from Beit Berl College. The author suggests that the field of teaching thinking is divided into three approaches—the skills approach, the dispositions approach, and the understanding approach. Each one defines the key terms of the field – thinking, good thinking, and teaching thinking – differently. To download the article click here.

The author, Yoram Harpaz, has more related materials here.

Deadline for the next E-News

Keith Redman, Editor of E-News is off to Istanbul for two weeks. While he’s away, please send news items for the next edition by 9 May 2008.

Reminders of ANSN activities

The following activities have been reported in detail in previous editions of E-News.

April and August 2008, Cognitive Coaching Course

In 2008, ANSN is delivering an intensive 8-day leadership development course in Art Costa and Robert Garmston’s “Cognitive Coaching”. The course will be presented by Sue Presler in two 4-day segments, from 7-10 April and 4-7 August, 2008, at the Metro in Melbourne. To download the brochure and registration details, click here.

For details of opportunities for Cognitive Coaching training in Adelaide, in 2008, click here and email Gavin Grift.

Opportunities for training in Action Learning and Protocols

As mentioned earlier in this edition of E-News, in 2008 ANSN continues to offer opportunities for training in both Action Learning and Protocols, through either introductory workshops or more advanced courses. For information about the possibilities for Action Learning click here.

When you have considered the options and decided what is appropriate for your school or group of schools, click here to contact John Hogan, and express your interest. He is gathering details of what schools want to organise and will explore the possibilities with you.

How to subscribe to E-News

To complete a subscription application and receive E-News regularly, click here.

Send us your news

To send us information or reports about news and events in your area, click here. If you do not wish to receive future issues of ANSN E-News, click here