I am looking forward to attending my second  DEECD  Innovation Showcase later this week.   Last year, I attended by chance, having seen an email on a mailing list.  Coincidentally, I was just beginning an on-line course that was to introduce me to many Web 2.0 tools.   I was experiencing a steep learning curve and the Showcase was a great opportunity to see and hear from teachers who were putting great ideas into practice.

One presentation I attended was Louise Duncan demonstrating her use of iPod’s.   Louise has done a lot of research and practice and  I wrote afterwards, reflecting on Louise Duncan’s “Conditions for Innovation” )unfortunately, I can’t find the original article as it has moved, however this is the summary I made at the time)

Conditions for Innovation – Louise Duncan

• Believe in yourself and your pupils.
• Be prepared to take risks.
• Have a go and share as much as you can.
• Always be prepared to learn and listen to others.
• Take people with you.
• Surround yourself with the “right” people.
• Be passionate.
• Tune into others’ fear of change.
• Focus on the learner – student or teacher – and their “hooks”.
• Make the activities relevant to their needs.
• Create momentum.

I still really like this list – it works on so many levels – as a teacher working with other teachers, as a teacher working with students and as a teacher wanting to expand my own personal knowledge.    I am hoping I will have many more take-aways from this years event.