Comments on: Virtual Advisory Service http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/ "We learn from our experience.....if we reflect upon our experience" John Dewey Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:21:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: OllieBray http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-385 OllieBray Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:04:58 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-385 Tommy, I would love to be involved when you get to the Geography phase. Ollie Tommy, I would love to be involved when you get to the Geography phase. Ollie

]]> By: Tommy Doherty http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-384 Tommy Doherty Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:12:15 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-384 The Virtual Advisory Service is not an either/or option. Nor is it an exercise in turning the clock back to some mythical bygone better age. The aim of this project is to combine the best of the traditional and the modern; to blend the superb access afforded us by advances in technology with the availability of direct contact with high quality, experienced and credible practitioners to provide advice and support. These aspects are not mutually exclusive. The First Phase Pilot of the Virtual Advisory Service, which is scheduled to begin in February 2007, aims to explore the range of support needs of practitioners in 5 authorities across science, numeracy and literacy in the first instance. The longer term aim is for LTS to provide a forward looking support network that is tailored to the needs and learning preferences of educational professionals. I am looking forward to working with the teachers who will help us develop and improve the service. The Virtual Advisory Service is not an either/or option. Nor is it an exercise in turning the clock back to some mythical bygone better age. The aim of this project is to combine the best of the traditional and the modern; to blend the superb access afforded us by advances in technology with the availability of direct contact with high quality, experienced and credible practitioners to provide advice and support. These aspects are not mutually exclusive. The First Phase Pilot of the Virtual Advisory Service, which is scheduled to begin in February 2007, aims to explore the range of support needs of practitioners in 5 authorities across science, numeracy and literacy in the first instance. The longer term aim is for LTS to provide a forward looking support network that is tailored to the needs and learning preferences of educational professionals. I am looking forward to working with the teachers who will help us develop and improve the service.

]]> By: Craig Stebbing http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-381 Craig Stebbing Mon, 04 Dec 2006 17:09:35 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-381 I'm all for the second option. It makes sense. I would also like to say thank you for your comments on Stebblog. However it has not been all my own work. The people that have really made it happen are the students. They see that collaboration is the way forward and have embraced the idea of helping each other where they can. Long may it continue. I’m all for the second option. It makes sense.

I would also like to say thank you for your comments on Stebblog. However it has not been all my own work. The people that have really made it happen are the students. They see that collaboration is the way forward and have embraced the idea of helping each other where they can. Long may it continue.

]]> By: Robert Jones http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-380 Robert Jones Mon, 04 Dec 2006 07:32:10 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-380 Creating Passionate Users has a great post today - <a href="http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/12/how_to_build_a_.html" rel="nofollow">How to Build a User Community</a> which seems very relevant to this idea. Creating Passionate Users has a great post today - How to Build a User Community which seems very relevant to this idea.

]]> By: Bob Hill http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-369 Bob Hill Sat, 02 Dec 2006 21:29:00 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-369 The second one...but lets call the expert the moderator or better still the facilitator! The second one…but lets call the expert the moderator or better still the facilitator!

]]> By: OllieBray http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-366 OllieBray Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:05:31 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-366 The second option for me is also the way forward. Interestingly in the Geography world we sort out all of our problems and have got advice on-line for years. We do this in Stafordshire! Strange isn’t it. The Staffordshire Learning Net Geography Forum is the most successful forum of its kind for geography teachers it has received over 38562 separate posts in the few years of its existence where as the math thread as received under 50 posts in the same amount of time. I’m not sure why there is such a contrast, but the support, advice and ideas that I get from the forum are invaluable. The second option for me is also the way forward. Interestingly in the Geography world we sort out all of our problems and have got advice on-line for years. We do this in Stafordshire! Strange isn’t it. The Staffordshire Learning Net Geography Forum is the most successful forum of its kind for geography teachers it has received over 38562 separate posts in the few years of its existence where as the math thread as received under 50 posts in the same amount of time. I’m not sure why there is such a contrast, but the support, advice and ideas that I get from the forum are invaluable.

]]> By: Pushing at an open door at Jonesieblog http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-363 Pushing at an open door at Jonesieblog Sat, 02 Dec 2006 15:59:01 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-363 [...] Don’s post about a virtual advisory service has set me to pondering how far we have come in the last few years in our use of the Internet to support effective teaching and learning, and the extent to which central educational bodies can support further development. We have reached critical mass for the live web to become an integral part of education. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been encouraging maths teachers to blog and to set up class blogs, and discovered that I’m pushing at an open door. Craig, Tim, Mags, Jenny, and Paul have all made a start already. I know that we still have a majority of staff for whom the whole thing is a bit of a mystery, but more and more teachers are realising that blogging is a simple, easy thing to do with classes that enriches the learning and teaching experience. My guess is that within a year or two class blogging will have become a routine activity - just another part of good practice that most people do. In the words of Darren Kuropatwa: All my classes are hybrid classes. They have both a face-to-face component and an online component. Each class is supported by a blog. [...] [...] Don’s post about a virtual advisory service has set me to pondering how far we have come in the last few years in our use of the Internet to support effective teaching and learning, and the extent to which central educational bodies can support further development. We have reached critical mass for the live web to become an integral part of education. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been encouraging maths teachers to blog and to set up class blogs, and discovered that I’m pushing at an open door. Craig, Tim, Mags, Jenny, and Paul have all made a start already. I know that we still have a majority of staff for whom the whole thing is a bit of a mystery, but more and more teachers are realising that blogging is a simple, easy thing to do with classes that enriches the learning and teaching experience. My guess is that within a year or two class blogging will have become a routine activity - just another part of good practice that most people do. In the words of Darren Kuropatwa: All my classes are hybrid classes. They have both a face-to-face component and an online component. Each class is supported by a blog. [...]

]]> By: Robert Jones http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-362 Robert Jones Sat, 02 Dec 2006 14:05:55 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2006/12/02/virtual-advisory-service/#comment-362 We maths teachers are now in a collective huff :wink Seriously, how could anyone prefer the first option? The fact is that the second option is what <strong>will</strong> happen, whether or not LTS choose to support it. Support from LTS will make a big difference though, if only because it will give an official seal of approval, which does matter to some people. It will give everyone <i>permission</i> to go down the line of option 2, in the same way that your blogging has given teachers in East Lothian permission to blog. You should not underestimate the influence that you have had :) We maths teachers are now in a collective huff :wink

Seriously, how could anyone prefer the first option? The fact is that the second option is what will happen, whether or not LTS choose to support it.

Support from LTS will make a big difference though, if only because it will give an official seal of approval, which does matter to some people. It will give everyone permission to go down the line of option 2, in the same way that your blogging has given teachers in East Lothian permission to blog. You should not underestimate the influence that you have had :)

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