CPD

I come to education from the IT industry and am often asked if I can provide Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses or sessions for working teachers. Here is a list of some of the CPD I may be able to offer:

The Wiki Wiki Web
What is a wiki? – how to edit a wiki – how to use a wiki for professional development and teaching & learning – (optional) software, hosting and installation
Moodle, a VLE
What is a VLE? – how to use a VLE – examples of good practice – issues – (optional) software, hosting and installation
Social Media in Education : sensible use
choices for teachers in Social Media – what the kids are doing – they are *not* the experts – GTCS code of professional conduct – features and differences: ning, linkedin, facebook, twitter++, bebo
Cognitive developments
Current research and thinking in how we learn – what to teach pupils about learning – tapping pencils – brain gym and other myths – the impact of ICT on learning – the importance of hydration, oxygen and sugar levels – synaptic reinforcement methods – the Cornell method
Critical thinking
Critical thinking tasks – metacognitive awareness – epistemological perspectives in the classroom – the human experience as an abstract of reality – engage and enliven by stepping out of your comfort zone – trusting children to appreciate the limits of knowledge
Video podcasting
Creating and publishing video tutorials to support your pupils out of the classroom and on their own terms
Blogging for beginners
what a blog is and isn’t – how to try it out – what to think about – the GTCS code of professional conduct – is anybody listening? – who blogs (some examples) – (optional) blogging software – hosting – installation – have a free blog!
intro to \LaTeX{}
An overview and the possibilities of professional document production using the platform-independent \LaTeX{} suite of typesetting programs. For intermediate PC literates. I use \LaTeX{} to produce high quality Physics prelim exam papers.
Merge : documents from your data
Using a word-processing program (like Word) with an electronic spreadsheet (like Excel) to automatically produce letters, reports, praise certificates and so on.
Working with digital media
The basics of digital image capture, manipulation and use in documents, presentations and websites. Similar sessions available for audio: capture, editing and use in class, and for video capture and editing.
Interactive or “Smart” whiteboards
Don’t ask me about these. I have yet to see any justification for the expense. The ideal classroom setup is a good digital projector pointed at a rolling whiteboard (at the right height!). If you really want interactivity, spend fifty quid on an RF mouse or Johnny Lee’s solution.

The format of these depends on who the session is for, from lecture to workshop, or a led informed discussion to assist in formulation of policy. Availability is subject to the constraint that I am a working teacher and my first priority is to my students and school. Contact me in the first instance if you want an informal chat about your needs and what’s feasible.