Tuesday 23 June 2015

Progress so far - Learners Professional Online Presence

I’ve been exceptionally busy since we last met so have integrated my digital leaders ideas into the new A levels that I’m teaching. The work I had done at KS3 I presented previously I had closed for now, earmarked for further development an integration into the KS3 SOW.

I’ve been further developing video screen casts and resources on my website (www.mrbotfieldict.co.uk) as well as maintaining my YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/mrbotfieldict

The discussion we had about teachers being good digital role models, plus more recent media coverage lead me to look how I could integrate being a good digital role model, directly with my classes.

From discussing social network use with learners across KS4 and 5 it appears that the channel they use less for personal use is Twitter – thus making it the ideal platform for them to launch and maintain their own professional profiles.

From speaking to some contacts who are recruitment consultants I’ve established some criteria that will give learners the edge over other candidates when they enter the labour market. One of these is establishing a digital portfolio of work and evidence proving that they can do what their CV’s claim.

So my current year 12 whom are just preparing for year 13 have started keeping a learning log in the form of blogs. They have so far written brief evaluations of what they have done and learnt in lessons (not a great deal at the moment as I’m waiting for Access 2013 and MS Project 2013 to be installed on the network and the new year 13 specification to be released – September 15), but we have been setting up blogs, using twitter etc and preparing as much as we can.

Additionally they will be using twitter to tweet about their blogs and what they have been doing in lessons.

Although it is a course requirement for year 13 to keep a learning log we are developing them more than being about ICT, so learners can include evidence from other subjects, evidence and information on extra-curricular and other achievements – all with a view to enhance University applications and ultimately employability.

We are also setting up and maintaining professional profiles using Twitter. So far learners have tweeted about their blogs and blog entries, and have searched for and followed people and institutions of professional interest, so far University’s that they may wish to apply to, or employers that they may like to work for, with the view of possible making some professional contacts. There is also the opportunity to develop this into the development and use of LinkedIn, but for now one step at a time.

Using Twitter we have been tweeting using #BBAICT13 and I’ll change the # to BBAICT12 – for year 12.

Although the learning log is not a course requirement for Year 12 I will be implementing the same strategy to keep consistency across KS5 and to enable the learners to generate a bigger body of evidence and showcase a wider cross section of their computing, ICT and digital skills.

We’ve also talked about online safety, and discussed how we can promote ourselves publically, but in a safe and secure way.

My long term goal is to give leaners a professional platform and online presence with a positive digital footprint which they can use to launch academic and professional careers.
Some examples of these blogs are: -


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5 comments:

  1. As usual, you have been so busy promoting good practice and developing the effective use of ICT in the school. Are you having any issues with Twitter? We have had some unwanted Tweets posted by ex-pupils.

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    1. Thanks very much! No issues, yet, but I expect it will happen at some point - we'll use it as a learning experience and can discuss how we think as a class that we should deal with it

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  2. I'd love to hear more about your digital portfolios. Great work!

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    1. Thanks Lloyd - It's early days, has the potential to backfire, but nothing ventured, nothing gained!

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