Workshop Description:

The purpose of the workshop to enable participants to carry out an educational enquiry into improving practice through understand the fundamental principles of living theory action research. The educational enquiries will be located within the processes of setting department goals, identifying strategies to meet those goals and tracking which strategies are working for them and adjusting accordingly. Within the educational enquiries there will be a focus on action planning  and on evaluating the educational influence of the actions on their own, their students’ and their colleagues’ learning.

The workshop will begin with an exploration of the participants’ contextual understandings of the opportunities and constraints on their enquiries into improving their practice with such questions as 'How do I improve what I am doing?' Living educational theories are the explanations produced by participants to explain their educational influences in their own learning in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formation of the school.

Leader: Professor Jack Whitehead

Jack Whitehead is an Adjunct Professor at Liverpool Hope University and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Cumbria. His main professional achievements are in the field of living theory and research to improve learning and generate knowledge. He is a former president of the British Educational Research Association and Distinguished Scholar in Resident at Westminster College, Utah. He is a Visiting Professor at Ningxia Teachers University in China. The resources on his web-site http://www.actionresearch.net are freely available and are being used all over the world by practitioner-researchers in improving their practice and in creating their own living educational theories.

Workshop Description:

This Institute provides insights into the theory and practice of leadership in a ‘learning-focused ‘school. We’ll apply the ideas of thoughtful, accessible thinkers such as Michael Fullan, David Perkins and Jim Collins to the daily challenges of using our time and energy to actually improve learning.

Together we will explore the key questions of leadership:

• Why lead?
• What are the key competencies of effective leaders?
• How do we apply these to the challenge of “making learning happen”?
• How do we balance pressures and manage constraints so that we can focus on what really counts?

There will be a particular focus on ISB’s own vision for learning as expressed through our curriculum.

Institute Overview:

Day 1: Me and Leadership: Building a Conceptual Framework.

We will explore our own purpose for choosing to lead, the “theory” of school leadership and synthesize experience and research to form our personal conceptual framework for leadership.

Day 2: Me and ISB: Where is my School Going and How Can I Help?

This will be a day of “conversations about conversations”. We’ll explore the school’s vision for learning, teaching and leading, developing our own view of how we can support the vision.

Day 3: Me and my Team(s): Understanding my Colleagues, Playing to our Strengths.

We’ll come to understand how to support our colleagues, use the strengths of the team and sustain ourselves through the challenging business of leading.

NB: This workshop is now a required element in the development of all Heads of Department and Grade Level Team Leaders. However, it will be of interest to anyone aspiring to leadership positions, and so is open to everyone.

Leader: Pam Harper

Pam Harper is the Director of Fieldwork Professional Development. She is an experienced teacher and trainer having previously held a senior position in a UK local authority and has written several books and articles focusing on practical aspects of curriculum development and leadership and management. She is project director for the International Leadership and Management Program – for both senior and middle leaders – a learning-focused leadership program developed by Fieldwork along with ECIS and NAHT. Pam provided training and evaluation for the pilot Leading from the Middle Programme (LfTM) for the National College for School Leadership in England. Pam provides consultancy for a range of international schools. She is currently working with schools in Thailand, Indonesia, Qatar and Monaco implementing the Looking for Learning Toolkit which she co wrote.

Workshop Description:

This workshop will include individual and group exercises to explore the creative brain. It will support you in applying this neurocognitive understanding to reflect on your experiences and so provide new insight into your own and your students’ creative potential. It will also include group reflection on the implications of this new understanding for the Common Ground Curriculum.

Day 1

Morning - What is creativity?

The connected brain, localisation of neural function and the distributed nature of creativity in the brain.

Creative cognition – a model of how we use our minds to be creative. Attentional states and the creative process. Neuroscience case studies of creativity.

Afternoon – what influences creativity?

Classroom environment and their effect on the thought processes underlying creativity.

Creativity fostering strategies – how they work.

Working creatively in teams and the brain processes involved.

Day 2

Morning- the creative type: fact or fiction?

Individual differences in creativity and the factors (genetic and environmental) that influence individual creative development. The relationship between individual intelligence and creativity, the creative personality.

Afternoon –teaching for creativity

Applying the neuroscience of creativity to reflect upon and understand past teaching and learning experiences. Planning and implementing for future creative experiences

Implications of this workshop for Common Ground Learning Standards and Criteria.

Leaders: Dr Paul Howard-Jones

Paul Howard-Jones is Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Bristol’s Graduate School of Education. His research spans neuroscience and education: using our knowledge of the mind and brain to improve teaching and learning; game-based learning and creativity. Paul's particular area of interest is applying our understanding of cognition and neuroscience to enhance child and adult learning. His research explores the benefits offered to education by emerging technologies, aided by a critical consideration of underlying cognitive processes.

Workshop Description:

This workshop will include group discussions and formulation of approaches to technology that support student learning and well-being, reflective individual and group exercises, experience of learning through whole-class gaming and opportunities to develop your own lesson plans that connect and engage your students.

Day 1

Morning – Introducing the brain

Brain survey- exploring common beliefs about the brain

Brain anatomy, structure and function; How the brain learns

Brain development (including sleep, nutrition) and plasticity. Neuromyths – and reconsidering the groups’ beliefs in the light of the morning’s learning.

Afternoon – Technology, the brain and digital hygiene

What we know and do not know about how technology effects the brain: search engines and learning, violent games and aggression, social network sites and social isolation, sleep disruption, excessive use, effects of technology use on exercise and attention).

As a group, developing Guidelines for Digital Hygiene that support well-being and learning

Day 2

Morning – games and the brain

The brain’s reward system, the rewarding nature of games and how this influences attention and learning, how games engage the brains of their players. Does brain training work? The impact of action video games on learning processes.

Afternoon- teaching and learning through gaming

The “gamification” of learning and its effects on classroom discourse. How educators can teach through gaming in the classroom using your existing classroom technology and a freely available app informed by neuroeducational research.

Experiencing learning through gaming.

As a group, developing ideas for lessons that teach through gaming: resources, technology, pedagogy

Leader: Dr Paul Howard-Jones

Howard-Jones is Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Bristol’s Graduate School of Education. His research spans neuroscience and education: using our knowledge of the mind and brain to improve teaching and learning; game-based learning and creativity. Paul's particular area of interest is applying our understanding of cognition and neuroscience to enhance child and adult learning. His research explores the benefits offered to education by emerging technologies, aided by a critical consideration of underlying cognitive processes.

Workshop Description:

An opportunity to explore the Common Ground Curriculum (CGC), a coherent learning continuum from pre-school to grade 10, but with much to offer to grades 11 &12. This curriculum framework is the basis for ISB’s curriculum development and will soon be launched as a global network so that interested schools can share ideas and expertise and participate in on-going curriculum. Our exploration will be framed as an enjoyable, interactive learning conversation through which you will understand how the CGC:

• Defines learning and teaching in simple ways that provide all stakeholders in a school with shared meaning and common direction

• Designs learning and teaching using simple structures that make sense to students and support teachers in doing learning work, not busy work

• Delivers learning and teaching in ways that provide students and teachers with the training and tools to do the job of learning

Participants will leave the workshop with an overview of the curriculum as a whole and an understanding of how the pieces fit together, what the next steps are as we move forward with curriculum development and how collaboration with other schools will help move this work forward.

Leader: Kevin Bartlett

Kevin Bartlett is the director of the Int'l School of Brussels, and has held prior leadership positions in Tanzania, Austria and Namibia. Kevin has been actively involved in developing international education for 25 years. He chaired the ECIS Accreditation Committee, is a trainer for the Principals' Training Center and has lectured for a number of postgraduate programs. Kevin has a particular interest in developing learning-focused schools and, hence, an interest in curriculum. He initiated and later chaired the IB Primary Years Programme. Till recently, Kevin was Chair of the Board of the Council of International Schools.

Workshop Description:

The Google Apps for Education Certified trainer is a fantastic qualification for your Professional Development as an educator that once completed you will hold as an individual. In addition if three educators from your school hold the certification your school can apply to be certified as an institution. Reasons to be certified include:

• Gain an internationally recognised certification for your Professional Development and career opportunities
• Gain the knowledge and skills to effectively use Google Apps in your school or college
• Perform training externally as a Google Apps for Education Certified trainer
• Use the Google Apps EDU Certified trainer logo on your blog, website, CV and business card
• Access to the worldwide Google Apps trainer community. There is a closed Google group for certified trainers and trainers get invited to attend Google events, assist on the Google education stand at conferences, present at Google Apps Summits etc.
• Listing as a certified trainer in the Google online directory

Day One

Day Two

PLEASE NOTE: Participants should only enroll in this institute if they intend to follow through on becoming a certified Google APPS for Education trainer. The full certification program includes the expectation that you will devote a certain number of hours to training other teachers and that you will complete a series of online tests.

Leader: Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is director and founder of CloudSource solutions, a specialist eLearning (Moodle, Blackboard, other LMS systems) and Google Apps consultancy with clients across Europe, North and South America and Asia. CloudSource solutions provide set up, migration, training and support for Google Apps for Business and Google Apps for Education.

Workshop Description:

The Open Recertification course is open to graduates of all wilderness medical training courses of 64 hours or longer with a current Wilderness First Responder certification. Successful graduates of this course will receive Wilderness Medical Associates’ Wilderness First Responder, Anaphylaxis, and BLS/Healthcare Provider-level CPR certifications. WMA WEMT graduates with a current EMT-B or Paramedic certificate may also recertify the wilderness portion of their WEMT with this course.

This course is presented in 24 hours over three days. Typically, mornings are devoted to lectures, discussions and quizzes, with afternoons devoted to outdoor practical skills and scenarios. Evenings are reserved for study and assignments. Expect rescue scenarios with made-up victims and simulated wounds to prepare you for backcountry emergencies. Sessions may be videotaped for enhanced learning.

Day 1: 8 hours - Introduction/Registration; Review Study Packet, Patient Assessment System, Basic Life Support (including Healthcare Provider-level CPR), Circulatory System, Respiratory System, Nervous System, Lifts, Moves and Extrications, PAS Drills

Day 2: 8 hours - Musculoskeletal, Dislocations, Spine Management, Wounds and Burns, PAS Drills, Splints I - Extremities, Splints II - Spines, Simulation

Day 3: 8 hours - Allergies and Anaphylaxis, Environmental Injuries, PAS Drills, Simulation, Final Testing, Conclusion

Prerequisites:

To be eligible for a WFR recertification through this course, candidates must have completed a wilderness medical training course of at least 64 hours. Cumulative training hours from different courses are not eligible. Training must have been completed within three years of participation in our Open Recertification course. Any exceptions to these conditions must be verified prior to the course by contacting the Wilderness Medical Associates office. Proof of current certification is required at the start of the course. Students without proof of certification or approval from WMA International will not be eligible for WFR certification. Only WMA International trained WEMTs are eligible for WEMT recertification through this course.

Upon receipt of a course roster from the sponsor, study guides will be mailed to students two to four weeks prior to the first day of their course. Students should complete the study guide in preparation for the course. It was designed to familiarize students with the essential points in the curriculum. Instructors will collect it at the beginning of the course but it will not be figured into the final grade.

Students must be at least sixteen years old to participate in the three-day Open Recertification course. Those under age eighteen will require the written consent of a parent or guardian

Leader:

A certified instructor from Wilderness Medical Associates International.

Workshop Description:

Google Apps is a set of web based applications comprised of Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Sites, Gmail, and Google Calendar.  Because these applications are web based (“in the cloud”), they can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection and documents can be easily shared and edited by any number of collaborators. This makes collaboration between and amoung students and teachers very easy. More specifically, Google Apps allows students to respond to in-time, ongoing feedback from their teachers.  This one day institute in an introduction to the Google Apps Suite of applications.  

This one day institute will be an introduction to the main Google Apps.  We will focus our time on learning the types of Google Docs including the documents, spreadsheets, presentations and forms.

The following questions will be answered during the day:

• What are they and how can I use them to improve student learning in my class?
• How are they created and shared?
• How do I determine what students can see and edit?
• How can I work with documents in other formats in the Google environment?
• How will Google Apps and Blackboard work together?

Leader: MJ Farris

MJ Farris currently the Head of Educational Technology at the International School of Brussels. She taught middle school math, social studies and English in the United States before starting her international career. After teaching in Stavanger, Norway, and Taipei, Taiwan, she returned to the US to receive her degree in Instructional Technology and Media from Columbia Teacher's College. She spent five years at the International School of Brussels, first as a Technology Facilitator, then as the Head of Educational Technology, taking the leadership of the integration of technology and curriculum. After two years as Technology Coordinator at the American Community School of Beirut, she returned to Brussels.

Workshop Description:

This course is currently tentative and will be confirmed in the next few weeks. It is intended for those who are already certified with teach on the climbing wall and wish to be recertified.

Leader: Lionel Plomteux