As I have said previously, I have secured funding available to create a physical education practitioner research network to serve the schools and teachers in the local area. However, I want to help to built something that:

  • Is transformative
  • encourages collaboration
  • is inclusive
  • is supportive of all those who get involved
  • encourages a pedagogy of physical education that is innovative and student-centred
  • allows teachers a platform for personal and professional development
  • is flexible enough for a post-industrial age

Yet, now I am at an impasse. I don't want to rush into anything and am looking for help. I have a rough idea of how I might like the website to look but the content is still unclear. This is where I seek help. Please comment on this blog, or on your own blog, about the skeleton upon which to hang these aspirations:

  • What simple, easy to navigate and inclusive facilities should be housed on this website?
  • What should teachers be able to access from here?
  • What support do I need to offer?
  • What tools can I use to invite busy teachers into this virtual learning environment?
  • How do I create a PLN?

Thanks, in anticipation of your help

Ashley

Comments From Previous Blog...

On 11 May 2010 20:01 Kevin Morrow said...
great question. I'm not sure either. small changes are good. Grow a little at a time. I am trying to start a pod casting initiative. Trying to get other Physical Educators on board to make pod casts about their PE programs that all of us can listen to a learn from. A bunch of pod cast from PE teachers all over the world all stored in one place that all of us can listen to and grow professionally. I have access to an i tunes U account where these pod casts could be archived. Whatever I can do to help you let me know. If you would like to make a podcast about what you are trying to do I would love to listen to it and archive it for you. I have two podcast posted under my link PEpros on my website. www.coachmorrow.com 

 

On 13 May 2010 01:24 Dr Ash Casey said...
Hi Kevin,

Thanks for your comments. I have looked at podcasting but not in any detail and I would love to try one out about my aspirations. Any guidance you could offer would be great.

I want to help to create a virtual staffroom where teachers and teacher educators can come and find like-mined people to challenge their ideas and support their think about teaching in physical education.

I need a structure though about what to put there. I have an idea of front page with say four images of physical education and a mission statement and a few key quotes. Then I would like a ...

This is where I need advice. I want teachers to have a chance to chat through ideas. To seek help with their own attempts to change their practice. To find academic work to read and fellow physical education teachers to follow and talk to.

I want it to be a web 2.0 environment filled with interaction etc not a place to leave a library of information for people to find. I want the vibrancy of a staffroom but for the topic of conversation to be about best practice and fantastic teaching.

Any ideas? 

 

On 13 May 2010 07:41 kylemckune said...
Look at the big sites like www.pecentral.com and www.pe4life.com and see what they are lacking. Try and fill in the void. It seems you want the interactivity that web 2.0 provides. I use twitter for that, but the PE teacher segment on twitter is small. I think it will take grand marketing skills to get the amount of people you want to create a network that will continue to come back. Best wishes.

On 14 May 2010 09:12 Dr Ash Casey said...
Thanks Kyle,

I am going to contact teachers in the local community and offer free PD. I am hoping that I can visit personally with teachers and talk to them as part of the wide old student network we have at the Uni. Still, I think your right it will take a lot of effort to get teachers to engage but any help or advice is always welcome. 
 

On 1 June 2010 14:28 doug said...
First chance I've had to check out you site, thanks to Tom Fullerton, I'm taking a class with him in Vancouver Canada. I'm a PE guy who up until this point had little or no knowledge of using technology of any kind with either my class or my teaching. Things have now changed drastically over the last year, implementing blogs, web pages and now looking at getting into some networks with PE minded people. I have found this to be somewhat difficult because there are only few out there, maybe I just don't no where to look, and in my school anyway, change doesn't happen quickly. I teach coed Grade 10-12, with an emphasis on weight training/personal fitness and am always looking to discuss ideas and strategies with other educators. I like the idea of a virtual staffroom, I'm always interested to see how others are motivating students. I'll also like the idea of pod casts, haven't done one yet, but would be open to trying. Look forward to hearing from you.