Beginning the study of Modern History at the University of Sydney, years ago, I was abruptly made aware of the radical difference between what was then taught in NSW secondary schools as history, and the reality of contemporary historical scholarship. School history, in those days, was taught from the text book. Any sense of differences … Continue reading Digital archives transforming the study of history
Category: DER
Digital Dawns: Scoping out an idea for 1:1 laptop Project Based Learning
Recently I’ve been struggling with strategies for scaffolding project-based learning (PBL), for providing a clear structure that both students and colleagues could use. Venturing into the task of building laptop wraps was what first started me thinking about the nuts and bolts needed in the new digital PBL class room. After literally tossing and turning … Continue reading Digital Dawns: Scoping out an idea for 1:1 laptop Project Based Learning
Sydney Urban Growth and Decline 2011: Student observations updated
Last November I published the first of these wordles, by way of summarising the language used by my students who had written reports on a field study project conducted earlier in the year. My students completed a field study around the Sydney Harbour foreshore from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay. This was part of a … Continue reading Sydney Urban Growth and Decline 2011: Student observations updated
A small digital initiative in teaching School Certificate Geography
In the hurly burly of media driven assessment of education these days, the general public is often deprived of basic information about some of the success stories in Australian schools. My own state, NSW, in particular has a rigorous and contemporary approach to teaching and learning, combining the best of traditional and contemporary strategies. One … Continue reading A small digital initiative in teaching School Certificate Geography
Sydney Urban Growth and Decline: Student observations
Earlier this year my students completed a field study around the Sydney Harbour foreshore from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay. This was part of a major unit of work within the syllabus topic: Issues in the Australian Environment. A description of my approach is found here. The project was supported by the SSC Leichhardt Geography … Continue reading Sydney Urban Growth and Decline: Student observations
Gathering Images of #Urban zones in #Sydney for a #DERNSW Project
Preparing learning materials frequently involves issues of copyright particularly if the plan is to make them available beyond the classroom. In my experience most copyright holders, unless they're specifically trying to make a dollar out of education, are only too obliging when it comes to allowing use of their materials. Recently I was puzzling over … Continue reading Gathering Images of #Urban zones in #Sydney for a #DERNSW Project
Urban Growth and decline a #DERNSW Research project
In Early December I posted an initial outline of an action research project I've been working on. The project addresses that part of the NSW Stage 5 Geography Syllabus in which Students learn about geographical issues affecting Australian environments. There's a variety of possible areas of study, and students must cover two of these. At … Continue reading Urban Growth and decline a #DERNSW Research project
#DER laptops, Climate Change, Bali and Blogs
It's not been my approach simply to drop items from YouTube into this Blog, please forgive me for the practice this week. As the school year is coming to an end I'm really quite tired. It's been a big year with roll-out of so much digital technology and the accompanying challenge of coming to terms … Continue reading #DER laptops, Climate Change, Bali and Blogs
Proposed Action Research Project with #DERNSW laptops
Introduction In the interests of sharing my work with the digital community I'm publishing an initial outline of an action research project that I intend conducting in the first and second terms of 2010. The focus is on issues in the Australian environment, in particular researching and reporting on urban processes. The tools employed are … Continue reading Proposed Action Research Project with #DERNSW laptops
Using #DERNSW Laptops now the novelty has worn off
Recently I met a teacher, while out shopping, and I asked if they were working with any DER classes. "Yes, but the kids are just playing games", they said. "I think they're doing less work now". I thought this was quite a strange and self revealing statement. "Well why are they?" I asked. "You can't … Continue reading Using #DERNSW Laptops now the novelty has worn off
Russell Darnley Blog 