Saturday, August 30, 2014

An update from Startup Weekend

You may have heard of Startup Weekend and you may have noticed my tweets today about our startup weekend project. So I thought I would take a quick moment to share with you what we are up to.

I turned up on Friday night for a pitch fire - time for you to share your one minute pitch for a company. This was then added to a quick poster displayed around the room. You then got to vote for your ideas with a sticker. It was through this process that I met my team for the weekend.

Using many of the design thinking process that Steve Mouldey and Di Cavallo have shared at Hobsonville Point, we have worked at empathising with a problem, seeking feedback, refining, refining, seeking feedback, refining and seeking feedback and again and again and some more. I was also introduced to the idea of validating - testing the idea with stakeholders. This involved a visit from the always fabulous Philippa, a Skype call with Tim, feedback and contributions via Twitter and emails from loads of the fabulous #edchatNZ crowd.

So... What have we come up with?

The problems: 

  • Innovation enables us capitalise on opportunities HOWEVER 84% of our validation participants believe that innovation is not adequately taught in schools.
  • Teachers do not have the skills, confidence or resources to support the development of key competencies from the New Zealand curriculum that result in innovative students. “they are trained to kick the ball into goal posts – innovation is about creating new goalposts” 


The unique value proposition:
  • Increased engagement and by in from students in learning
  • Safe Environment – facilitated through teachers and mentors
  • A tool to prepare students for jobs that do not exist yet



Idea brainstorm of what the process might be that scaffolds students through the "innovation process"

But now, to make sure that we are creating a tool for teachers, by teachers, we need you!
  • You can contribute your ideas about how to guide/teach/facilitate innovation here
  • You can follow our Twitter account here 
  • You sign up your interest in trying this tool here

Monday, August 11, 2014

#edchatNZ meme

I am still making sense of the events from the #edchatNZ conference. Hence, I really appreciate some questions to scaffold my thinking. Thanks Reid for this fantastic idea - a blogging meme about #edchatNZ!

If you get included in the blogging meme: copy/paste the questions and instructions into your own blog then fill out your own answers. Share on twitter tagging 5 friends.

1. How did you attend the #Edchatnz Conference? (Face 2 Face, followed online or didn't)
I was there. With bells and whistles on... I mean, I was wearing my fantastic new #edchatNZ hoodie thanks to the amazing educators who helped me put this thing together. Thank you Philippa, Matt, Sonya, Heather, Mel and Alyx. Your ideas, your feedback, your hard work, your encouragement and support is what made #edchatNZ happen. Thank you.



2. How many others attended from your school or organisation?
It was at my school. 125 students and 300 teachers all in the same building, learning side by side. I suspect that Hobsonville Point students will have a very different opinion about teachers when they grow up... After all, even on Saturday, we had students turn up at school. There was something beautiful about one of my students sitting next to me in a workshop learning about SOLO on a Saturday morning.

3.How many #Edchatnz challenges did you complete?
I completed ten of the challenges. However I feel a little disappointed that it slipped my mind to make the whole auditorium dance... Thank you Steve for making up the challenges!

4. Who are 3 people that you connected with and what did you learn from them?
It was absolutely amazing meeting some of steering committee for the first time! Imagine organising a whole conference with people via Twitter and Google Hangout and then meeting on the morning of the conference for the first time!! I really learnt what collaboration means through the organisation of this conference. It is the perfect example of just how powerful social media is for collaboration, not just connection. I was also super excited to have three amazing ladies from New York join us, especially since they reiterated something I really believe, there is something special happening in New Zealand education. Thank you Peggy, Bron and Marianne. Your presence and your contributions were greatly appreciated.

The steering committee 

5. What session are you gutted that you missed?
All of them! I would have loved to be in every session, to be able to support every presenter. Putting the programme together it just blew my mind that we could offer such a high calibre event with such an all star crew of presenters.

6. Who is one person that you would like to have taken to Edchatnz and what key thing would they have learned? 
I would have loved to have every one who has every participated in #edchatNZ there. Meeting face to face is completely awesome. However, in particular, I would also have loved to have Pascal Dresse there as he was one of the first people to really get onboard with #edchatNZ. New Zealand misses you!

7. Is there a person you didn't get to meet/chat with (F2F/online) that you wished you had?
Yes! But I tried my best. I guess we will just have to have another conference?

8. What is the next book you are going to read and why? 
The Key Competencies for the future book that Steve is hogging! Really looking forward to reading it as I am a big fan of the key competencies. You can see more of my reading plans for the near future on Goodreads though!


9. What is one thing you plan to do to continue the Education Revolution you learnt about at #EdchatNZ?
Where do I begin?? Blogging challenge, mentor groups, supporting all the new chats, planning another conference, emailing delegates to check on their progress... and a whole lot more!

10. Will you take a risk and hand your students a blank canvas?
Yes! But we will spend a great amount of time learning about painting techniques, inspiration, masters and muses. We will practice together and prototype so that eventually they can create a master piece for their future.

Thank you to all those who were there. You are all legends.