Reflections on the MS Regional Innovative Teachers Conference

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia May 26^th – 29^th

Attendees:- Approximately 110 people from 15 countries in Asia/Pacifica and Canada. They represented many cultures, religions and creeds. The majority of attendees were teachers, some Microsoft staff, students and judges.

My poster – a crazy patchwork quilt

Conference groups at work

The museum in KL

Inside the traditional Malay house

Indigenous shelters -traditional Malay house

A poster

Some participants

This colourful poster was by an Indonesian teacer

Colourful posters for judging

Sections:- There were two elements – the teacher and the inaugural student section.

Constraints: Language barriers. English was the conference language, but the majority of attendees used English as a second language or could speak little English.

Highlights

The posters and poster sessions.

All innovative teacher winners had to set up a poster on boards provided.   The posters featured the nature and application of the innovation. These posters were judged on the second full day by global judges. Both student  and Malay teachers were invited in, to talk to us and look at the posters after the judging. Conference participants mixed freely, discussed innovative themes and swapped contact details. As teachers, we were consistently pushed beyond our comfort zones.

The project based learning focus of the conference.

All teachers were placed in small groups – each of the members from different countries. My group consisted of representatives from Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Each group had  a theme – indigeneous shelters, the cityscape, environments and culture and religion. The first full day took us on a half day excursion to the museum for an overall understanding of the Malay people and then groups went in different directions according to their theme. Our group had “ indigeneous shelter” as its theme, so we visited an old Malay house, investigating how it had adapted near perfectly, to the somewhat harsh conditions of Malaysia – incessant heat, rainstorms, dangers of jungle animals etc  We had to work in our groups to produce a lesson plan that could be used as a potential global project. This was challenging as English was not strong amongst our group members. However, we worked on and within our strengths – technology, photography, educational expertise and English writing etc, with all group members contributing. These lesson plans had to be handed in for judging. The best 6 presented to the gathered audience and from these three were chosen for final online publication. As the presentations were made, those delivering the presentations were reminded of the need to keep cultural differences in mind.

The speakers

Although not many in number, were high in quality and calibre. Ms Janet Pillai who is heavily involved in The ‘Arts in Heritage Education‘ project , where students are removed from school for a period of time in Penang to study culture. It is feared that with the onslaught of the internet, traditional culture and knowledge may be lost, as the world becomes globalised. This project attempts to ensure that students are immersed in their tradition.  The director of Microsoft for Malaysia, spoke proudly of her mother, a teacher, who ensured that she had biscuits in her bag to feed the hungry children before school, tissues to clean their dirty faces and a comb to make their hair look respectable. She spoke of the need to continue producing human capital and develop unique citizens. Exploiting opportunities of ICT helps us to perform this goal. We can experience the classroom of tomorrow,today.  Gwang-Jo KIM, Director, UNESCO Bangkok has published works in ICT and Education.  Eventually he feels that ICT makes teachers learner centred. Teachers will be able to free their tie so that they can auto-manage teaching content, student data, learning process and learning results. If teachers are innovative, engaging and big in high knowledge application and project based collaborative learning, powerful learning will occur. He also spoke of the work of UNESCO in Asia.

The student conference leader

The final speaker at the opening ceremony was Michael Gurdyk co-founder of Taking ITGLobal.org Social networking for social good for young people. Michael established a business at the age of 12, sold it at age 17 and became a multi-millionaire. He has since become a social entrepreneur working with young people across cultures.  Three of the students involved in the conference were questioned by the audience on educational related matters.

The students came from various Asian countries and also worked on a project that was passionate to their designated group. On the final day, they had to present their concepts to all participants and convince us that their idea, should be the winning project to win $1000US to take on the project.

Other highlights include the following:-

• The accommodation, catering, evening dinners, conference venue were first class
• The sharing of ideas, projects, contact details and friendships gained.
• Connecting with many teachers, from both our own country and from across Asia of like-minded ideals which will continue into our classrooms, once back home.
• Realising that teachers in any country are innovative and able to use ICT effectively, often despite much adversity. That despite language, religious, cultural barriers, we can work together and have common goals and ideals in teaching.

Impact on me as a teacher

• Reinforced the value of project based learning
• Attempt to use groupwork as much as possible, allowing students to use their individual skills and strengths to contribute to the final outcome.
• Gave me valuable connections to work with collaboratively and interactively
• Increased my awareness of working with other cultures

Potential impact  for my school

• Chinese mandarin LOTE is our second language. Despite having a sister school relationship with a school in Beijing, there have been many firewall barriers to connecting with China in real time.  Internet speed is limitied etc  Until these are resolved, we could work with the Chinese students of Malaysia, eg  connect our  year 12 VCE student learning Chinese with a Chinese Malay who wishes to improve her English. They can work together at nighttime as our time zone difference is compatible for synchronous connections.
• Established contacts of educationalists who may come in as experts virtually as speakers when classes study a specific country in Asia.

Potential impact for education

• The need to consider a global curriculum
• Connect the innovators in Asia to transform educational communities
• Incorporate students more as leaders, experts, decision makers etc in conferences, planning and policy making.

Partners in Learning Regional Innovative Teachers Conference Day 3

Thursday 28^th May

It is indeed becoming a global world, or should that be a ‘flat one’. Checking out my blog, I noticed that I had a comment from a parent of one of the 13 students who are also attending a part of this amazing conference. Last night at dinner the NZ and Australian contingent went to a restaurant with the Australian MS Manager. One of the NZ teachers told me that she was there as a chaperone for a student. At lunch today, I met the student and it was just after that that, that  I received the comment from the NZ Mum. As part of the opening ceremony, this same student was one of a panel of three who admirably answered questions re their preferences for education, from the assembled crowd of 200 or so. How wonderful!

Reflections on the day

The morning started with another sumptuous breakfast. From 8:30am, we were to stay with our posters for the judging. Any spare time was to be used to complete our collaborative project proposal. However, my poster was not to be judged until 11am. So, I spent some time watching others being judged and looking around at other posters.

Teachers in traditional dress

All 15 countries (involving approximately 100 teachers) were judged by two or three judges from other countries. Australians and Canadians had a Malaysian and a Korean judge. Everyone was dressed in stylish business outfits or gorgeous national costume.

The time soon came for my turn. We were given 5 mins to talk about our poster and projects, allowing 3 mins for questions. 8 mins is a very short time to tell them of a journey of 18 months. The judges appeared interested and asked questions as I spoke. They wanted to know about other teachers being involved. The asked whether I had hardware and software problems. The most interesting question was “What was the greatest challenge to connect, communicate and create  with the world” My response was the language barriers, but I changed it to time zones and holiday time differences.

After lunch, 100 student teachers and other teachers from  Malaysia, walked around our exhibits. Then, at mid afternoon we had our opening ceremony. Just prior to that Ministers of government, the  Secretary to the Prime Minister  and other dignitaries also walked around our exhibits.

 The theme of the conference is “empower, enact and engage”. First speaker was  the convenor or director for Microsoft  in Malaysia. She talked about the grass roots needing to accept change but that it is far better if change is  instigated from the grass roots. She also talked about her mother, who was a teacher and later a fierce headmistress as being her inspiration. She remembers her mother walking to school, carrying her bag which inlcuded a comb, powder, tissues and biscuits. The tissues were to clean the faces of those who had not washed and the powder was sprinkled on first. The comb was for those who did not have combs to tidy their hair and the biscuits for those who did not have breakfast.

Integrating ICT into learning provides excellent opportunity to raise the playing field in global equality. This conference is a platform to show creativity and innovation which offers an opportunity to share with each other and continue connections beyond the conference. It is necessary to continue producing human capital and develop unique citizens. Exploiting opportunities of ICT help us to perform this goal.

Gwang-Jo Kim Director of UNESCO Bangkok

The two guest presenters were Gwang-Jo Kim, the Director of UNESCO Bangkok and Michael Furdyk, the co-founder, Director of Technology and Finance, TakingITGlobal.  Michael is one of Tenn People’s “20 teens who will change the world.” Gwang-Jo spoke about technology and how it should be accessible and affordable for all. It will eventually change the pedagogy and how people will learn and will change the way that teachers prepare lessons and manage. He showed some images – one being of a robotic teacher who may teach in a classroom in Tokyo contrasting with another, of a teacher who had carved their lesson in a slab of stone, teaching his students in the street rubble. (no classroom, no blackboard).  This teacher was still delivering and students are learning, despite the hardships. More details on his presentation and the work of UNESCO can be found on their website.

Michael Furdyk started his own business at the age of 12 and sold it at the age of 16, becoming an instant millionaire. He then started a websited encouraging global youth to collaborate to change the world. He was awarded the title one of “20 teens who will change the world”. The student component of the conference have been working with him. They presented their statements on effective education and a panel of three were questioned by the audience on their views on education.

Michael Furdyk and students

Some of the student comments were as follows:

• These students wanted more project based learning.
• Teachers need to understand what students listen to and are involved in outside school hours.
• Students want learning for learning and not just for the sake of learning.
• Teachers can explore with students together.
• Teachers should accept that one person cannot know everything.
• The world is changing so what is in textbook may not be updated.
• Allow time for students to go out and explore on their own, but with teacher’s guidance.
• I see everything on the screen,why wont teachers let me use screens at school.
•  Inspire me to want to learn what we are learning.

Partners in Learning Regional Innovative Teachers’ Conference 2009

Day one of the conference commenced this afternoon at Le Meridien hotel, Kuala Lumpur, where posters were  put up by each of the teachers attending the conference. Mine looks like a bit of a crooked patchwork quilt, as I have just put 25 A4 laminated sheets up on the board, showing “My global classroom in a digital world” This is in stark contrast to the other professionally put together poster exhibits from my fellow Australian counterparts.

I love the Korean exhibits as they are just so beautifully and meticulously put together – beautiful artwork! At 5pm all attendees gathered on the 6^th floor of the magnificent Le Meridien hotel for the opening session and introductions. Approximately 15 Asian countries are represented, with numbers being down on previous years, due to the Swine flu epidemic and the global recession. The Japanese and NZ educationalists had not yet arrived.

Janet, from Arts-Ed aptly outlined their innovative approach with primary students from Penang. More details can be found at arts_ed website where community based heritage education programs take place. We have been all placed in small groups where we will work on a collaborative project based on a given topic. My team includes a teacher from Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. I am lucky in that English is the spoken language but some of my group members speak limited English, so this will test our group skills.

Our group topic is Indigenous Shelter Systems and tomorrow we will spend time looking at traditional Malay homes and look at how spaces reflect cultures or values. The sites will be looked at through the eyes of children and a presentation will be made back to the conference. Six presentations will be chosen further to be uploaded onto the MS website. (I am experiencing what my flatclassoom students have experienced.) ICT will be used to understand the cultural heritage. It is so interesting to find out from the other teachers what their innovative ideas have been that enabled them to win MS awards for Innovative teaching.

A fabulous reception completed the evening where a full range of Malaysian foods was served. Looking forward to tomorrow!