This is the first of ten posts about my recent experience at the Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Teachers Forum in Brazil.
I’ve been involved with the Microsoft Innovative Teachers network for years. I first joined in 2005 as part of a joint Scottish Qualification Authority / Microsoft Initiative where I was able to apply for a classroom grant. I was successful in this application and produced some of the first video revision podcasts (geocasts) on the web. I have now pasted the ownership and maintenance of these resources over to do-be ltd (a Scottish based company in Fyfe). At one time however we reached the 16 most popular education iTunes podcast in the world – not bad for something I produced on tablet PC from my living room!
Since my original Geocasts project – I have always tried to stay up-to-date with the Innovative Teachers programme. And as many regular readers of this blog will realize, I am a big fan of personal learning networks.
So, this years journey to Brazil started in December 2008. We had just collected the evaluation evidence of our successful Guitar Hero Transition project and I decided to share the project with Tom Jackson (The Microsoft Academic Programme Manager for Northern Ireland). I had met Tom back in 2005 as part of my original Geocast project.
Tom liked the sound of my project and suggested that I get in touch with Stuart Ball. I did this and Stuart in turn suggested that I enter the project as a UK Virtual Classroom Tour as part of the UK Microsoft Innovative Teacher Programme. I met briefly with Stuart at BETT 2009 also listened to a talk from Dan Roberts who was telling his own innovative teacher story.
As a result I submitted my VCT and was one of ten projects to go to Microsoft HQ in Reading. I blogged about the experience here . For me there were two highlights of my first trip to Reading. The first was meeting and listening to Guy Shearer who I now correspond with regularly and the second was being given the opportunity to present my project at the European Innovative Teaching Awards in Vienna.
The European Innovative Teaching Awards was a fantastic experience and again I blogged about it in detail here. I think it’s important that teachers share experience of this type of event as it add value and extends our communities of practice. There were two highlights for me of the Vienna event the first was listening to Franz Kuehmayer and again Franz and I have remained in contact since the event and the second was winning 1st prize in the Innovation in the Community Category. This meant I gained an opportunity to present my project in Brazil.
As you can see it was a long journey to Brazil. But it was also a really exiting one. There has not been a single moment in the last eight months that I have not looked forward too - it really has been agreat journey! and I hope that many Scottish and UK educators will follow?
I’ll write more about Brazil in the future posts of this series but in the meantime. If you like the sound of going to South Africa – why don’t you submit a VCT for this years Microsoft UK Innovative Teachers Awards. You are exactly in same place as I was 12 months ago – apart from I’ve currently got a tan from Brazil!
Good luck and please contact me if you need any advice, help or support. It really is exciting times...
Hey Ollie- thanks for the mention. Your waork has been outstanding and I wish I could have had you "transfer" to NI Innovative Teachers :).Keep up the great and interesting work and will see you at BETT. BTW- Stuart and Kristen are real stars!!
Posted by: Tom Jackson | November 11, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Your work has been outstanding.
Posted by: Monica Sharma | November 19, 2009 at 08:34 AM