Hopefully this will work for everyone.... I used a screen capture program to record my powerpoint presentation.... I wanted to post it here as more proof of how easy it is to use video, power point and narrating altogether on a blog.... this took me less then an hour, I spent most of that time playing around with the animations.
This is a basic example of what can be used. we can take it as far as we like, having powerpoints set up so that students can work on their hand-eye co-ordination without having to use video games. And we can know that our students are accessing a child-safe program.
Interactive White Boards......
They are not something that I am familiar with. Having a look at some of the you tube clips though it is easy to see how they can be utilised within a classroom. I especially like the MIT sketching clip, this sought of use is great for cause and effect and before, during and after descriptions and children could use this to investigate different ways of doing things. I'd love to spend some time playing with one of these white boards to see what I can get out of it.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Week 4
Week 4..... not much on moodle for this week but I did find some interesting reads while looking for information on completely different topics.... more on that later though.
Mahara.... and my e.portfolio
Get a Voki now!
Mahara.... and my e.portfolio
Something I am definitely going to have to explore further soon, especially with our next assignment using it. I can see that it can be a valuable tool for showcasing what I can do, once some time is spent on it I could definitely use it instead of hard copy pieces of work. It appears to have unlimited potential some of which I hope to be able to tap into for this next task.
Vokis!
Voki's are easy to use, simple talking faces which capture your interests quickly. After being prompted to by moodle I joined up for a voki account here. I had a decent play around looking at all of the possible options in regards to your talking person/creature, the backgrounds, voice accents, as well as little tweaks that are possible even to the point of changing the size of the mouth you use. There is sometimes a bit of difficulty with how they talk if using the type and talk function. If you record your own sound files and upload them then that problem is solved.
Get a Voki now!
My voki is unable to correctly say voki, however for more commonly used words she pronounces them clearly enough for directions to be given using this voki. In a classroom this could be used to give directions for activities on computers. It could guide the children to be able to act independently on tasks with minimal adult direction, such as matching games if the child isn't at a stage of reading which allows them to be able to read the written instructions, the voki can be made up by the teachers and then replayed over and over by the children if they do not understand the instructions the first time around.
Other Research.....
This week while researching effective teaching for Learning Management 1, I came across quite a few hits on google which basically linked what I was searching for (effective teaching) and ICT's, as being two very closely linked topics. Which is true according to a few articles including one from ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research) on March 9, 2010 and another from a site called Faculty Focus, where a teacher experimented with his class getting them to use twitter as a way of discussing the topics which he had addressed during the week, it took some trial and error time but it was found that the way to get the most out of the students was to use small groups, have them discuss a reading and post about it and then as a class read about their reflections.
I think that this is a great way to correlate students findings, perhaps more suited to a wiki page, but it had all students involved which I think is fantastic, some students don't want to get up in front of their peers and present, this is an alternative way for their findings to be heard.
Just this weeks thoughts!!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Week 3 - Here comes the technology!
Week 3...... Lets reflect on a few things addressed.
Google Reader.... RSS
Very handy little thing where I can add a number of sites to be followed, helpful for me and my students so that we can keep track of site updates without constantly having to go back to each site google reader is now keeping track of all of the blogs I am following for this task, and as igoogle is my home page google reader is only 1 click away, so much easier. This is also helpful as when I log onto the Uni computers I don't have my handy little laptop with my one million bookmarks of where I am a member, this will help me to keep track of it all online, it seems pretty simple, easy to use for the first time user too.
I'm not sure if it is possible or not but if a class user name and password were set up each class member would be able to use the same reader, I'm sure that there is something more appropriate and I'm sure that it will come up in the next few weeks.... on second thoughts an on going updated blog could be edited to include updated links with comments as to who has updated on these topics.... or there is the good old discussion forums..... how to share these links with my students I wonder..... I shall have to look into it :)
Just some ramblings
Wiki's.....
="">
Can it be any more basic? I love commoncraft and how they can explain things even to me and I thought I understood most of it. I'm definitely keeping it as a reference for when I can't manage to explain a piece of technology to someone. Definitely a useful tool for students if what you are asking of them is a completely unfamiliar concept.
But back to Wiki's, I made a wiki..... http://zelinaswiki.wikispace.com it's pretty boring right now but with everyone's help it could become something.... not sure what though.
Wiki's can be utilised so easily in the classroom, allowing everyone to be able to access and edit as they need to adding more information from where ever they happen to be. http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com has links to other wikis which have been used for classrooms, interesting to see the different ways they can be used.
That's just about it for this week I think.....
Google Reader.... RSS
Very handy little thing where I can add a number of sites to be followed, helpful for me and my students so that we can keep track of site updates without constantly having to go back to each site google reader is now keeping track of all of the blogs I am following for this task, and as igoogle is my home page google reader is only 1 click away, so much easier. This is also helpful as when I log onto the Uni computers I don't have my handy little laptop with my one million bookmarks of where I am a member, this will help me to keep track of it all online, it seems pretty simple, easy to use for the first time user too.
I'm not sure if it is possible or not but if a class user name and password were set up each class member would be able to use the same reader, I'm sure that there is something more appropriate and I'm sure that it will come up in the next few weeks.... on second thoughts an on going updated blog could be edited to include updated links with comments as to who has updated on these topics.... or there is the good old discussion forums..... how to share these links with my students I wonder..... I shall have to look into it :)
Just some ramblings
Wiki's.....
="">
Can it be any more basic? I love commoncraft and how they can explain things even to me and I thought I understood most of it. I'm definitely keeping it as a reference for when I can't manage to explain a piece of technology to someone. Definitely a useful tool for students if what you are asking of them is a completely unfamiliar concept.
But back to Wiki's, I made a wiki..... http://zelinaswiki.wikispace.com it's pretty boring right now but with everyone's help it could become something.... not sure what though.
Wiki's can be utilised so easily in the classroom, allowing everyone to be able to access and edit as they need to adding more information from where ever they happen to be. http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com has links to other wikis which have been used for classrooms, interesting to see the different ways they can be used.
That's just about it for this week I think.....
Blog usage in MY classroom
This is to address the learning activity about using blogs in my classroom.
My ultimate place to be in 3 years is teaching preps or year 1's, so please take that into consideration when reading this.
My class blog would be set up by me with my students contributing to a class endeavour rather then individual blogs which for this age group would be more time consuming then helpful or engaging for a number of students. On this I would post a sampling of students work, (going through out the term, would include all children over time - possibly using a pick it out of a hat strategy for fairness). With parents and the schools permission I may even post learning stories (visuals) so that parents would be able to see the processes that their children have gone through to learn new things.
This blog would have to be set to private with only the parents of these children following it, it would need monitoring and recording of who was actually accessing the posts.
Children would be asked daily or weekly what they consider to be important enough to post to the blog, and would take turns in actually blogging it.
Anyone out there think the process could work?
Who knows!
My ultimate place to be in 3 years is teaching preps or year 1's, so please take that into consideration when reading this.
My class blog would be set up by me with my students contributing to a class endeavour rather then individual blogs which for this age group would be more time consuming then helpful or engaging for a number of students. On this I would post a sampling of students work, (going through out the term, would include all children over time - possibly using a pick it out of a hat strategy for fairness). With parents and the schools permission I may even post learning stories (visuals) so that parents would be able to see the processes that their children have gone through to learn new things.
This blog would have to be set to private with only the parents of these children following it, it would need monitoring and recording of who was actually accessing the posts.
Children would be asked daily or weekly what they consider to be important enough to post to the blog, and would take turns in actually blogging it.
Anyone out there think the process could work?
Who knows!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Week 2 - E-learning Design
Things to discuss..... 21st century learners, internet safety, Access and equity, taking difference into account, learner/student centred learning.....
21 st century learners....
I am a digital native as I have mentioned earlier, I like using technology to keep myself busy. But is technology the answer to our behaviour management issues? Engaging a less then enthusiastic learner with an educational game may be easiest but is it for the best? My goal in 3 years time is to be a teacher who can engage my students using a number of mediums including technology yes, sure but behaviour management will still need to be addressed separately.
Internet safety......
Internet safety, the downside to technology, how do we know that our kids are safe on the internet? How do we know who they are talking to on the net?
Company after company have brought out net safe, kid safe, programs to protect our kids but do they work? Only time can tell us. The government has gotten on the bandwagon in the past bringing up the website www.netalert.gov.au as an informative website for parents and has links to child directed activities to help with the educating of our little ones.
I believe that the best way for our students to be safe on the net is to be supervising them and at home if they are at the age where they want their privacy make sure you are checking who exactly they have been typing frantically to for the last 4 hours.
The walled garden is one approach for schools but I think that the private schools may be on the better track with rules set in place for the students to be able have freedom to great websites that the government may not have gotten around to approving yet.
Access and Equity.....
Watching 'Voices from the cape' from ABC's Message stick does show how technology can help engage students in the classroom. Getting the students involved in these sorts of programs shows not only the students that school is worthwhile and that they have great potential inside of them but it shows their parents, siblings, elders, the community and the rest of Australia the tactic works and here are the results to show it. Each of these areas of Australia no matter how bad their reputation, should be given the opportunity to have these sorts of visitors to engage the children, help manage behaviours and bring them technology and experiences that they may not have been able to gain from anywhere else in their life.
Each child within Australia no matter where they are from should have access to computers, cameras and someone to motivate them to make something of it. In 2007 Kevin Rudd did make a promise of a computer for every student from years 9-12 in his election campaign in 2007 and sure we are starting to see these computers pop up here and there but are they too late to help some of our less fortunate students?
Korea international School.....
They made a online reference for themselves and the world and they got noticed. It's a brilliant idea and it is apparent on youtube that they are now using it as a bit of a draw card for the school. But it comes down to the students were involved, they put time, energy and a lot of thought into the presentation of this piece of work (or is it art?) As a student I would have loved to have been able to sit back at the end of the term put up old Internet explorer and go "look mum this is what I did all term". Looking at it, it is something that I would have loved to have done and I wish that my schools had the imagination, creativity and the energy to help us create something so outstanding.
Just some thoughts on the things brought up in this weeks eLearning exercises.......
21 st century learners....
I am a digital native as I have mentioned earlier, I like using technology to keep myself busy. But is technology the answer to our behaviour management issues? Engaging a less then enthusiastic learner with an educational game may be easiest but is it for the best? My goal in 3 years time is to be a teacher who can engage my students using a number of mediums including technology yes, sure but behaviour management will still need to be addressed separately.
Internet safety......
Internet safety, the downside to technology, how do we know that our kids are safe on the internet? How do we know who they are talking to on the net?
Company after company have brought out net safe, kid safe, programs to protect our kids but do they work? Only time can tell us. The government has gotten on the bandwagon in the past bringing up the website www.netalert.gov.au as an informative website for parents and has links to child directed activities to help with the educating of our little ones.
I believe that the best way for our students to be safe on the net is to be supervising them and at home if they are at the age where they want their privacy make sure you are checking who exactly they have been typing frantically to for the last 4 hours.
The walled garden is one approach for schools but I think that the private schools may be on the better track with rules set in place for the students to be able have freedom to great websites that the government may not have gotten around to approving yet.
Access and Equity.....
Watching 'Voices from the cape' from ABC's Message stick does show how technology can help engage students in the classroom. Getting the students involved in these sorts of programs shows not only the students that school is worthwhile and that they have great potential inside of them but it shows their parents, siblings, elders, the community and the rest of Australia the tactic works and here are the results to show it. Each of these areas of Australia no matter how bad their reputation, should be given the opportunity to have these sorts of visitors to engage the children, help manage behaviours and bring them technology and experiences that they may not have been able to gain from anywhere else in their life.
Each child within Australia no matter where they are from should have access to computers, cameras and someone to motivate them to make something of it. In 2007 Kevin Rudd did make a promise of a computer for every student from years 9-12 in his election campaign in 2007 and sure we are starting to see these computers pop up here and there but are they too late to help some of our less fortunate students?
Korea international School.....
They made a online reference for themselves and the world and they got noticed. It's a brilliant idea and it is apparent on youtube that they are now using it as a bit of a draw card for the school. But it comes down to the students were involved, they put time, energy and a lot of thought into the presentation of this piece of work (or is it art?) As a student I would have loved to have been able to sit back at the end of the term put up old Internet explorer and go "look mum this is what I did all term". Looking at it, it is something that I would have loved to have done and I wish that my schools had the imagination, creativity and the energy to help us create something so outstanding.
Just some thoughts on the things brought up in this weeks eLearning exercises.......
Monday, March 8, 2010
Week 1 - The introduction
This is basically the beginning of my blogging life, as a child of the technological era, I've had a myspace (since abandoned), A facebook (mainly used for the apps), a twitter account (followed a few celebrities and gave up), an email/facebook/youtube enabled phone (unfortunately not an iphone) and I currently have two laptops and an ancient desktop to my name. Yet, this is my first blog, it is confusing how I can be so up to date with technology and yet not have a blog (until now). But really it is a time constraint thing, how many people really have the time to sit and blog? although there was a hyperlink about blogging on your phone, so if i get around to reading that I won't even have that as an excuse anymore. But now onto the point of the BLOG.
Week one!
The OMG! factor, how am i supposed to get through all of this content and still live? Not sure but I did manage it, here are some reflections.
Learning engagement theory.....
For students, this could mean less boredom in the classroom, make them feel included, wanted, and interested. Keeping our students interested is what we need to be doing, involving them in activities like open ended tasks. What a concept... let the children choose how to present a task to you. Depending on the age of your group you may need to supervise or you may be able to sit back and be surprised at the results in front of you.
For teachers, this could mean that we are interested, involved and even interacting with the assignments as works in progress or as finished results. Keeping us interested, now that's an idea I'd like to be part of and help grow.
Active learning....
Just goes to show everyone that we do need to be getting somewhere different to where we are today.
Learning Style.....
Personally, I am balanced as both an active and reflective learner, I'm definitely a sensing learner, I'm reasonably balanced with visual and verbal learning, but I am definitely a sequential learner. Knowing this about my students will help me to adjust my teaching style to each of them, and by being flexible in my teaching in this way my students, may not always be addressed personally and to their greatest strengths but they will be able to understand how other peoples strengths can bounce off their own creating a stronger piece of work.
Learning Theory....
Behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism - three theories which we can read and understand but in today's world are they really relevant? Will I be using these theories as a basis of my teachings? or will I be helping my students connect this topic to that topic to something we studied a year ago?
Keeping our students interacting, engaged and interested in what we are trying to help them learn is where we need to be heading. I hope that as a future teacher I can learn the best methods right here and right now to assist and guide this vital learning of the future of our world.... We shall just have to wait and see how I go
Week one!
The OMG! factor, how am i supposed to get through all of this content and still live? Not sure but I did manage it, here are some reflections.
Learning engagement theory.....
For students, this could mean less boredom in the classroom, make them feel included, wanted, and interested. Keeping our students interested is what we need to be doing, involving them in activities like open ended tasks. What a concept... let the children choose how to present a task to you. Depending on the age of your group you may need to supervise or you may be able to sit back and be surprised at the results in front of you.
For teachers, this could mean that we are interested, involved and even interacting with the assignments as works in progress or as finished results. Keeping us interested, now that's an idea I'd like to be part of and help grow.
Active learning....
Just goes to show everyone that we do need to be getting somewhere different to where we are today.
Learning Style.....
Personally, I am balanced as both an active and reflective learner, I'm definitely a sensing learner, I'm reasonably balanced with visual and verbal learning, but I am definitely a sequential learner. Knowing this about my students will help me to adjust my teaching style to each of them, and by being flexible in my teaching in this way my students, may not always be addressed personally and to their greatest strengths but they will be able to understand how other peoples strengths can bounce off their own creating a stronger piece of work.
Learning Theory....
Behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism - three theories which we can read and understand but in today's world are they really relevant? Will I be using these theories as a basis of my teachings? or will I be helping my students connect this topic to that topic to something we studied a year ago?
Keeping our students interacting, engaged and interested in what we are trying to help them learn is where we need to be heading. I hope that as a future teacher I can learn the best methods right here and right now to assist and guide this vital learning of the future of our world.... We shall just have to wait and see how I go
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