It's great fun doing new things with computers, designing "Inquiry Models" and putting on our "Thinking Hats", but unless we increase the learning and achievement we might almost not have bothered. This contract is about all of the above, but only in the context of "raising student achievement" - not just engagement. This workshop will focus on learning and how these wonderful technologies (products AND processes) can be specifically geared to do just that. Whether it's lifting reading levels and comprehension, improving the quality of writing, increasing understanding of maths concepts, developing numeracy, or deepening the meaning and knowledge of inquiry topics - shift only happens when we stop leaving it to chance. Come with an area in mind where you want to make a difference and we'll work out what products and processes will aid this, how we can assess this, and what the roles of kids and teachers are in getting movement.

Involvement in an ICT PD project is an exciting opportunity. Feedback from teachers about the changes that occur in their classroom shows that ICT makes a difference. * Students are more engaged * Students have new ways of working * They produce creative and excitingly presented work * They have blogs and wikis to show the work they are producing. The list goes on.

BUT! Are students actually achieving at a higher level? * Have reading levels risen more than they would have with prior ways of working? * Are students more effective problem solvers in maths? * Is the quality of student writing any better on the wiki or blog than it was on a piece of paper? * Are the students thinking more deeply, constructing new ideas, solving problems in their learning more than previously? * Are they making a difference in their world?

OR... * Do the graphic organisers contain the same thoughts that the students always had? * Has the use of de Bono's Hats been downgraded to another graphic organiser? * Has the use of thinking tools just fooled the teacher that thinking is happening? * Are the wikis online pieces of paper read by no more audience than previously? * Are the blogs still writer oriented one way processes? * Is that movie they made actually just showcasing, and lacking any new knowledge, thought or innovation? Was it developed through merely following a teacher recipe? Have we just more effectively kept the students busy?

As teachers we need to reflect on what difference we are actually making! Teaching should be about achieving more effective learning and raising student achievement. We need to ask ourselves: * Is the learning any more global, interactive, collaborative or deeply meaningful? * Is the context authentic, relevant and likely to arouse their incentive to take things to a further level and make change? * Has their been any growth of key competencies in the students? * Have they developed any more skills that will enable them for further learning? * Are they empowered as lifelong learners? Have they achieved at a higher level?

Know what their potential is Know how to motivate them to achieve Know what you are aiming to achieve Know the essence of the curriculum area (see NZC) Know the key competencies to be targeted (NZC) Know how to scaffold and support their learning and reflect on progress (together) Know what tools and resources are available

What do your classroom displays say about the learning occurring in your room? Classroom Wall Displays should reflect the learning that is occurring. Sometimes the displays suggest that the learning stopped short of its true potential. Check out these pictures to see what learning is occurring and think about how the learning could have been extended.

Activity: In your focus for the term - what are you expecting your students to achieve? From which learning areas? Which Key Competency? What tools and processes will you use?

Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes It describes level of increasing complexity in a student's understanding of a subject, through five stages, and it is claimed to be applicable to any subject area.

Unistructural Multistructural Prestructural RelationalExtended Abstract When a tree grows, the roots grow down into the soil, and a trunk begins growing above. From this trunk grow branches, twigs and leaves. The roots of a tree anchor it firmly in the ground and absorb nutrients and water from the soil. Plant leaves absorb carbon dioxide, pull water up through their roots and use light to make sugar (photosynthesis). Plants use the sugar to grow. Plants give off oxygen as a by-product. The green parts of the plant make the sugar and oxygen. In winter some trees lose their leaves as the nutrients move down into the root systems as light and warmth diminish. A tree has a trunk, leaves and fruit. This is a Tree Activity: In pairs discuss what your focus for this term would like at each of these stages. What will help to move them out to the right? (Tools and processes) How will you assess achievement? The tree has an important role to play in the survival of the planet. If, for example, we cut down rainforests or clear native bush to develop an exotic forestry industry, we risk irreversible damage to our planet. How will our planet renew its atmosphere if we remove most of the trees? What effect will it have on birds and insects, and how will that in turn affect us? What do we need to think about here?

After the conference, add to the Planning 4 Success section so that we can all help each other.