Fun was just part of the learning and sharing that happened during the event. There were a lot of discussions and a lot of student-led learning where the students this time were the educators themselves.
About 9 different schools were represented - 5 government schools, 2 private schools and 2 international schools, from early years to high school up to vocational studies.
We started off with a brief overview of what GEGs are and why we are doing this event then proceeded with the BIG idea session.
What's the BIG Idea?
Basically, this session was like an idea factory where everyone was given the chance to come up with a good (or bad) idea to improve the community we are in in terms of education. This kind of served as an exercise.
Here are some of the ideas the participants came up with:
- Living in the trash island
- Giving each student in class compliments before starting (everyday)
- Eliminating exams
- Better management of classes
- Change Management and potential issues with this
Exploring Programmable Floor Robots with Bee-Bots and Pro-Bots
Bee-bots are a great way of introducing programming and Problem Solving. Many Schools and classrooms are beginning to see the value of Coding at such a young age that their is a high demand for Professional Development for Early Childhood Practitioners.
The focus of the Presentation was on hands-on activities and getting down onto the carpet and Coding!
Some of the attendees even had some full on discussions about the Theory or Pythagoras as they Coded the Pro-bot to draw out various shapes.
For information on this session and how to use Bee-Bots in Class, see the slideshow above.
Unconference Sessions
Kanbanchi is a Project Manager that works really well with Google Apps and Seamlessly allows collaboration on projects, checklists and assignments. It has been described by one of our GEG Leaders as "Google Keep on Steroids".
For more information on this Webb App, join one of our future events or watch the following video:
Session 02: PLN/PLC
This session looked at how two online Platforms can be used as a Professional Learning Network or Professional Learning Community.
The two Platforms in question are Google+ and Edmodo.com.
Edmodo
We heard a first hand account from an Edmodo Luminary and Ambassador about how Edmodo enables teachers worldwide to come together and share resources.These educators then rate these resources, feedback is given and tips shared. Lesson plans, worksheets, presentations, you name it, Edmodo has it. On top of that Edmodo is also a fully equipped VLE, with a visual style reminiscent of Facebook. Perfect for your Young learners, not quiet ready for Classroom. And off course it has integration with Google Drive for power users.
Google+
Who says G+ is going away? It's not going anywhere! Google+ Plus is its own entity, a powerful Social Media Tool with an Emphasis on Professional Development, Collections and Communities.We had a look at how G+ can add to your development and how the use of collections and communities can improve not only your teaching but also brings many interesting articles and resources to your attention.
Both have their strengths and weaknesses and have proven to be monumental in helping teachers and educators worldwide share their experiences.
If you would like to find out more about using any of these platform, Join us at one of our upcoming Meets!
https://plus.google.com/
https://edmodo.com/
Session 03: Certifications
This session was more on discussion - answering the questions: How to get certified, Where to find resources, What to expect, When to get certified and Why get certified.
Getting certified can lead to a new and exciting career opportunities for some while others get to meet people, collaborate and grow.
Session 04: Google Drive and Collaboration Basics
We try cater for everyone who are not techie, are not acquainted with edtech or are newbies. This session allowed everyone who attended to see how to create, share and collaborate on documents.
More photos of the event can be accessed here or visit us on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/gegwestbangkok/
Big thanks to:
- Google for the BIG support (as always)
- JitsupaUthairat and Isada Siwawetpikul from Kudosiz for helping us find a venue
- Mr. Supparat Sivapetchranat and his team at True IDC for giving us a venue to hold this event, and for the coffee
- St. Andrews International School, Samakee for letting us borrow Chromebooks, iPads, Bee-Bots, Pro-Bots and other resources
- Matthayom Watnairong School for letting us borrow Chromebooks, Projectors and other resources
- GEG West Bangkok Team for putting a lot of effort in making this event happen
- The attendees who showed support in participating and more
The next meet up is in the works so make sure to check back soon for more info!
