For a bit of perspective...

...just watch this video from Afghanistan. Meant to post this ages ago, and it was subsequently widely reported, but important to keep this to the fore to highlight the plight of young women in Afghanistan simply trying to get to school.

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It's been a while...

It's been a while since I last blogged and it's also been a while since I last played cricket. These items are not linked. Cricket season started, for me, on Saturday. We lost, and it was a fairly miserable experience on a ropey ground with even ropier weather. Sign of things to come? Let's hope not. More blogging in the offing? Who knows?

Lots of testing, very little learning.

"I don't understand why I have to do all these tests. I mean, it's not as if I'm learning anything." These were the words of my son, a few days ago. My son is in P7, his final year of primary school, and so far his year has been blighted. Blighted by tests, dozens and dozens of them. Blighted by the incessant, soul destroying grind that is the transfer test, formerly known as the 11 plus. Since Easter, the entire focus of his schooling has been working towards the transfer test in November. The intensity is building up. First practice tests completed in April, May, June. Then, the summer revision pack, "just to keep his eye in". And now he's in P7, all systems are go: 2 practice tests a week, another to do at home at weekends. When he's not doing a practice test, he's reviewing a completed practice test or practising for the next practice test. The tests he does are either numeracy or literacy or both and that is all he does; day in, day o...

Dr Richard Schwier, Informal Learning and My Web

Way way behind in commenting on the goings on in eci831, but it's been another busy week. This past week I have listened to MP3s of George Siemens ' session on Connectivism, and Richard Schwier 's session on Learning Communities. I also watched the Elluminate recording of Sue Waters ' session on Educational Blogging where she posed the question " what are your thoughts on educational blogging? ". There has been lots of food for thought from all 3 sessions and it's very difficult to summarise where I am with it all. A few key points would be: - I'm a lurker, but hopefully not a loafer - I DO feel engaged, with the learning if not so much with my fellow learners - I'm a 'not for credit' student - what I'm involved in is definitely non-formal learning with the odd informal moment along the way. - I feel connected to the course and the social element is something I am conscious of and engaged with on the periphery. I wish I was more engage...

Shifting Expectations

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