WHO WANTS TO BE MARY?

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:

Interesting isn't it how the technologies we use have the power to change us as users. Reminds me of the first ATM machines that were put inside the banks, alongside the tellers, available only as much as the human versions were. It took a while for the thinking to alter and the new ways of doing things to occur.

Similarly I wonder about the tools as I consider options for sharing e-portfolios. Google Docs has such potential and again I ponder how these tools may alter what we do now. My thinking then meandered on to consultation over the school curriculum ( I really must learn to sleep at night) and I came across Dr Cheryl Doig's work in this area. She talks about our schools perception around engaging with our communities. Check out Cheryl's voice thread on the subject

I remember years ago a high school my children went to engaged us as parents in a community consultation meeting. Not much consultation and very little opportuntiy for engagement. Made me think - not about what was presented but how they could even consider this "community consultation and engagement". It was simply a Show and Tell. How many schools still see this as consultation, I wonder. What does that form of consultation tell us about what the school values?

What is the role of the school in reporting to parents .... ?

- informing (one way conversation, school decides),

- consulting aka "selling" (two way relationship, school decides),

- involving - (discuss, school decides),

- collaborating - (school and community decide together),

- empowering - (trust based relationships, joint discussions and decisionmakers)

PODCASTING TOOL:

Just discovered a nice new podcasting site - one which hosts your podcasts and prepares them for embedding into other web 2.0 applications.


I love it - it seems so simple, so clear in its processes. So much easier than some I have worked with (podcasts that is!:-)

Check it out: Podbean.com

"Education is not the filling of a vessel, but the kindling of a flame." - Socrates