[Year 12 IT Apps] VITTA Regional PD

Fri Feb 29 14:59:20 EST 2008

This is all excellent news!

Geoff

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Adrian Janson
Sent: Friday, 29 February 2008 1:53 PM
To: 'Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List';
yr11it at edulists.com.au; 'Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers'
Mailing List'; itapps at edulists.com.au
Subject: [Year 12 IT Apps] VITTA Regional PD

Hi everyone (and apologies for the cross posts!)

Leading up to the first couple of VITTA PD events this year, there was
quite a bit of discussion on the lists about VITTA's support (or lack
of) for those of you in regional and rural Victoria.  Last year we tried
to offer more regional PD than we had previously but encountered the
same sorts of barriers that we have in previous years (mostly being
related to cost of holding face to face PD).  Being an IT teachers
association - we should be able to do better.  I know this and you all
know this!

Our desire has always been to do the best we can in this regard - but
what we have been able to offer has not come even close to meeting your
needs.  As President - and on behalf of the VITTA committee - we are
determined to do better in 2008.  This may all sound like rhetoric - so
you may just have to see how it all pans out - but you have our promise
that we are working hard and have already spent quite a bit of time on
this issue.

Firstly, (and thanks goes to Geoff Hutchinson, Kevin Feely, David Doolan
and Kent Beveridge for their willingness to help out - and their input),
VITTA is in the process of establishing regional reps who will better be
able to gauge the needs of their areas, coordinate venues and
communicate with teachers in their area.

Thank you for your input in regards to the PD times that we set for
Metro PD sessions.  Many of you asked that the times be more reasonable
for those that need to travel long distances (and are making the effort
to do so!).  I must confess that this was not an issue that we had
considered (and yes - I do take on board the criticism that we are very
'Metro-centric' when organising these events - guilty as charged).  From
this point onward, we will endeavour to start our PD at 10am (instead of
9am) - which I know is only a small concession, but one which I know
will make a difference to many of you.  In addition to this, VITTA is
prepared to offer a subsidy (on application) to anyone that is
travelling to a VITTA metro PD more than 100km in one direction.  We
know that making the effort to come to a metro PD incurs a number of
additional costs that make it far less attractive a prospect - so we
want to do what we can to help.

VITTA will produce recordings of our most popular PD sessions - and
these will be made available via an online facility that will shortly be
launched on our website.

In other news, we are in the process of applying for a grant that will
allow us to set up a communication portal - which will hopefully
excellent teleconferencing and collaboration to take place - at no
additional cost or complication to those wanting to attend.  More news
on that later!  

Hopefully these initiatives are a step in the right direction!  Stay
tuned for more news in the months to come!  All the best!

Cheers,

Adrian

Adrian Janson, 

VITTA President

Director of ICT, 

Melbourne High School, 

Forrest Hill, South Yarra 3141 Australia.

Phone: 03 9826 0711 International: +61 3 9826 0711

Fax: 03 9826 8767 International: +61 3 9826 8767

E-mail: janson.adrian.a at edumail.vic.gov.au

Website: http://www.mhs.vic.edu.au

Blog: http://jansona.edublogs.org <http://jansona.edublogs.org/> 

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