[elearning] What do e-learning coordinators do ?
Cameron Bell
bell.cameron.p at edumail.vic.gov.au
Sat Nov 7 18:02:45 EST 2009
Thanks for that Kevork - nice words. :D
I suppose one situation that I'll always remember is when a parent
volunteered to be on our ICT Committee. He had some experience in the
the industry (Oversaw the implementation of a local airlines online
ticketing system) and thought he could offer some advice. We welcomed
him whole heartedly.
He sat in on the first meeting and we discussed what we were currently
doing and what needed to be done. He asked who were the people
responsible for each of the projects and why weren't they here?
I said it was basically me and my tech. He just sat there and said
"that's ridiculous, no-one should be doing all that." We welcomed him
to the world of government secondary colleges. He wished me luck, told
me I was crazy and never returned. :(
I have always pressed for more time release - when I worked at a
private school, there were two people who had full time jobs (non-
teaching) doing what I did and a team of a dozen technicians doing
what my tech did. I always knew that this was impossible in a
government school, but I thought that at least I could be taken off
extras, maybe not have replacement classes at the end of the year when
my Yr 12's left so we could plan for the following year, but no. I
explained that unless you have done the job (as is the case with all
jobs) you cannot know how time consuming it was.
I have a few things in the pipe line to make it a bit easier on my
suckercessor:
KLA's will have their own trolleys of laptops and will be responsible
for them. No more generic trolleys that people have no responsibility
for and hence they get trashed.
Students leasing their own laptops (more ownership - less damage)
A technical team of 3.
I am happy that now ICT is seen as absolutely essential in almost
every class and "mission critical" in a school that before I arrived
had "bring your laptop to school days" where staff were rewarded for
simply showing up with their laptop (having taken them off their won
kids). The 2010 budget requests are a testament to how far we have come.
Being part of a LSF ICT initiative was a blessing and a curse. Huge
lump sums to start a program - everyone gets used to it - then the
money is gone. I caution any school going whole hog with the Rudd
money to thing about how they are going to sustain what they start.
That's why student leasing is crucial. It is the only way we will get
parents to contribute. They don't pay "voluntary levies" but will part
with the $ for a laptop.
Any way - I am not leaving the online world and look forward to being
able to act on the wonderful ideas that crop up here and start to
contribute some more of my own again.
Cheers
Cameron
On 07/11/2009, at 9:36 AM, Kevork Krozian wrote:
> Hi Cameron,
>
> Maybe all elearning/Learning Technologies/ICT coordinators should
> get together on this one.
> The job description is bigger than Ben Hur.
> Let me see, you need to :
>
> 1. "Manage" the technicians and the network infrastructure and
> development . Ahhhh, shall we go SANs , VM, multi Network Operating
> system ( shall we go Windows, Novell, Linux or all or some ? ),
> application distribution through NAL or some other delivery method,
> imaging of rooms with Zenworks or other products, should we build
> our own :
> a) parent teacher online booking system
> b) password resets of student accounts by
> teachers ( web based ) to allow autonomy for teachers in classrooms
> without
> chasing technicians when 2 Year 8 students
> can't log in at the start of a rowdy class.
> c) internet credit resets by a teacher ( web
> based ) when a student in the middle of an online activity runs out
> of internet credits -- as for point (b)
> d) teacher enabled browsing of student on line
> browsing history
> e) resource bookings of classrooms, labs,
> equipment,
> f) automated account creation for new students
> to get them on the network servers
> g) filtering system for internet traffic so we
> are not blocked from educational resources
> h) should we build our own Web, intranet, DNS,
> Mail, proxy servers, remote access, VPN servers ?
> i) should we build our own student subject
> selections on line to remove the need for paper
>
> 2. Manage the 1:1 laptop program, the pedagogy across ALL
> learning areas, the support, training of teachers, embedding of the
> elearning in the curriculum
> 3. Teach let's see, Junior , middle and senior IT. I assume you
> know how to teach programming with say VB.NET, PHP, Java, C, Games
> programming with the
> 4. I could go on but I would need a few hours to list it all
>
> Too big, too unfair, and in the end it defeats the purpose .
> Students suffer, teacher suffers, and the curriculum cannot be
> delivered adequately.
>
> Back to the drawing board. Now Mr Bell, tell me how can we make
> this work ? We need your advice
>
> Look after the young-ns ----- I have 2 at home and know exactly what
> you mean except it must be harder with the extra one ....:))
>
> Keep well
>
> Kevork Krozian
> kevork at edulists.com.au
> www.edulists.com.au
> Tel: 0419 356 034
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Cameron Bell
> To: elearning Teachers' Mailing List
> Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 12:44 PM
> Subject: Re: [elearning] What do e-learning coordinators do ?
>
> In the new revision we tried to place the emphasis on the
> Coordinator actually Coordinating rather than doing all the doing.
> Having to "do" it all, I am exhausted.
> I have decided to change schools and step back and just go back to
> classroom teaching rather than continue this leadership role - IMHO
> you really need someone who doesn't have a life, other interests or
> a young family to do this role justice with the time allowance
> given. I really miss not being able to play with the technology in a
> manner that enhances my teaching. I am too busy administrating,
> budgeting, teaching others, trying to do justice to my Yr 12 Physics
> classes and raise 3 young'ns to have the fun I used to. I hope that
> by returning full time to the classroom I can re-kindle the spark
> and catch up on actually using developing technologies for teaching
> rather than just reading about them and hoping someone else will
> have a play with them.
> Cheers
> Cameron
>
>
> FWIW - here is the new version of my (ex) job description.
>
> The Digital Technologies Coordinator will:
> • Coordinate the development and implementation of computer
> technology in the College in accordance with Department of Education
> and Early Childhood Development and Training guidelines and Council
> initiatives guidelines
> • Develop and review the Computers Across the Curriculum strategy to
> identify the needs of the College and evaluate future trends and
> directions
> • Coordinate the implementation and integration of the student
> management system across both curriculum and administration network
> to provide real-time, online access to: - attendance (Staff and
> Parent access)
> - ongoing curriculum progress (including reports) - behavioural
> matters - appropriate forms, policies and information pertaining to
> student management.
> • Ensure compliance with DEECD policies and data requirements.
> • Coordinate digital communications throughout the school and to
> our community.
> • Demonstrate best practice of the use of digital technologies in
> the classroom.
> • Coordinate professional learning in the use of digital
> technologies in the
> classroom.
> • Coordinate professional learning in the use of digital
> technologies for school
> administration and communication.
> • Liaise with, and direct the Technical Support Team on the suitable
> and timely
> provision of digital technologies for teaching and learning.
> • Oversee the development and revision of appropriate policies for
> developing and
> sustaining digital technologies.
> • Work with the Leader of Educational Programs to ensure that
> curriculum
> requirements are being met.
> • Liaise with the Principal Team to respond to DEECD initiatives and
> policies.
> • Perform other duties as required by the Principal Team
>
>
>
> On 05/11/2009, at 9:59 PM, Kevork Krozian wrote:
>
>> Hi Folks,
>>
>> A cross post from the VET-MM list regarding elearning, what is
>> involved in coordination , work with other curriculum managers and
>> a job description of the position.
>> As many LT ( Learning managers ) undergo reincarnations into
>> elearning managers in leading teacher positions it would be really
>> helpful for all of us on this list to share and learn from each
>> other. Therefore, any job descriptions, examples of software and
>> hardware implementation into curriculum areas, alignment with VELS
>> and more are all welcome on this list.
>> To assist us, I have set up a wiki at http://www.edulists.com.au/dokuwiki/embedding_elearning
>> called "Embedding elearning" which has among other things an
>> action plan timeline, and examples of " How elearning is used by
>> Key Learning Area or VELS Level ". Anyone can add to the wiki by
>> registering and editing the wiki immediately.
>> Looking forward to hearing from the many of the 206 subscribed
>> people on this list at the time of writing.
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Hi Kevork & Litsa,
>>>>>
>>>>> I just read the last few posts. (thnx for the kind words Litsa!)
>>>>> To help answer some of your Qs, Kevork, it's my 1st year as
>>>>> eLearning Cooordinator @ MSJ (where Litsa is) and I've taken the
>>>>> "stepwise refinement process".
>>>>>
>>>>> One reason being that it allows for the naturally occuring
>>>>> organic growth of the curriculum to continue to develop along
>>>>> side the evolving technological advances.
>>>>>
>>>>> To deconstruct and reconstruct courses is difficult enough for
>>>>> teachers, in my opinion, without the added pressure of having to
>>>>> "add" an ICT element. The approach of "adding" ICT to a course
>>>>> also tends to trivialise ICT and cause it to be percieved as a
>>>>> seperate and novel addition to any course, rather than a truly
>>>>> integrated and living organ within the curriculum.
>>>>>
>>>>> The "stepwise" approach also allows teachers to take ownership
>>>>> of the changes in 'their' course. Ownership of any change to a
>>>>> course is much more permanent than any change that is percieved
>>>>> as forced and laboured.
>>>>>
>>>>> A major part of my job, as I see it, is to assist in promoting
>>>>> ideas. I help teachers see which technogies may assist them in
>>>>> their particular course. I show them things that might help
>>>>> achieve the goals they already have, that will engage students
>>>>> and save both parties time and I assist the teacher in ther
>>>>> ability and confidence in using that technology.
>>>>>
>>>>> It isn't easy, independantly:
>>>>> "To identify new and emerging computer based learning
>>>>> technologies capable of enhancing the quality of the educational
>>>>> program and outcomes for all students in the College ".
>>>>> ...so I don't! :) I do it in consultation with the teacher who
>>>>> is the expert in their area. I give an idea or two, WE try it
>>>>> out with as much support from me as possible, and we refine it
>>>>> wherever needed. When it's successful (and it isn't always) it
>>>>> creates a buzz around that faculty and (fingers crossed!)
>>>>> eventually permiates throughout the school. A few successes and
>>>>> a ripple turns into a wave.
>>>>>
>>>>> I see this approach as only one key strategy in the process of
>>>>> changing the way teahers have done things for hundreds of years.
>>>>>
>>>>> Other key strategies/ingredients include:
>>>>> - loads of promotion of success stories (especially if local)
>>>>> - keeping staff aware of changes in the culture of the planet
>>>>> (like the stuff that allows me to be typing this out on my
>>>>> iPhone whilst I watch NCIS in my PJ's)
>>>>> - and the eLearming Coordinator REALLY needs the support of a
>>>>> forward thinking principal and leadership team
>>>>> - as well as an ICT Dept that supports the trial of new
>>>>> technologies.
>>>>>
>>>>> We do have a great mix and I'm in an awesome position at MSJ.
>>>>> Most staff members are also very supportive and want to learn.
>>>>>
>>>>> I hope that helps! :)
>>>>>
>>>>> Raymond Nashar
>>>>> eLearning Coordinator
>>>>>
>>>>> Mount Saint Joseph Girls' College
>>>>> 133 Maidstone Street
>>>>> Altona, Victoria, Australia 3018
>>>>>
>>>>> p :: 03 8398 2000
>>>>> f :: 03 9398 3498
>>>>> w :: www.msj.vic.edu.au
>>>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> Hi Litsa,
>>>>>
>>>>> It sounds like you have a truly integrated team working very
>>>>> well together rather than pushing the elearning person out the
>>>>> front to do it all. I think that is the key and the balance
>>>>> sounds spot on at your school. It was presumptuous of me to
>>>>> assume otherwise .. sorry ...:))
>>>>> Thanks again for sharing the job description.
>>>>> I do have a question about the journey from the inception of the
>>>>> elearning job to the present. Was it necessary to deconstruct
>>>>> and reconstruct the curriculum in each area or was it a stepwise
>>>>> refinement process to move towards the embedding of learning
>>>>> technologies ?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks again
>>>>>
>>>>> Kevork Krozian
>>>>> kevork at edulists.com.au
>>>>> www.edulists.com.au
>>>>> Tel: 0419 356 034
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>
>>>>> What do e-learning coordinators do ?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Sorry for any cross posts and being off topic perhaps, but:
>>>>>
>>>>> My school is creating a new position for an "e-learning
>>>>> coordinator" for next year.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Just out of interest, what do existing e-learning
>>>>> coordinators do in other schools ?
>>>>>
>>>>> Run the moodle, and school website, organize ICT PD for
>>>>> staff on podcasting, vodcasting, and other things, Review
>>>>> software and technology, formulate strategic plans, team-teach
>>>>> helping teachers out with software and technology, and ??????
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>
>>>>> Paul Pascoe
>>>>>
>>>>> St Francis Xavier Co llege Berwick
>>>>>
>>>>> mppascoe at tpg.com.au
>>>>>
>>>>> http://passyworldofict.blogspot.com/
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>
> Cameron Bell
> Mooroolbark College
>
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