[Year 12 SofDev] VITTA Regional PD

[Adrian Janson]

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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