February 2010

After a bit of a rest, the ICT Blog is back!  First up a recap of the goals for the year, then some websites you might find useful. Don’t forget to use Interface. It seems to be written for teachers by teachers and has a wealth of ICT related information and links.

I am very interested in personal learning networks and how technology can facilitate learning in this way. Spend 3 minutes watching this video and ask yourself if this isn’t a good way to learn? It throws the old homework question out the door!

Some of the sites mentioned in the video:

http://edu.glogster.com/

http://www.symbaloo.com/us/

http://www.evernote.com/

 

Sites of the Month:

Edutopia article on using video in the classroom.

Video Collections:

Maths at the Movies…….

Video Collection Site – organised into subject areas.

Smartboard videos on the Smart youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SMARTClassrooms

 

Online audio editor

Supermarket maths – which queue is the quickest

Powerpoint to Youtube conversion tool – display your class powerpoints on Youtube.

 Train your brain. Set up an account and watch yourself improve! 

 

Goals for the Year (and progress from last year!)

• Provided upgraded wireless access point management ( Thanks to the parents assn.)
• Placed more content on KnowledgeNet
• Rolled out student KnowledgeNet logins and training to Year 4 to Year 6
• Implemented Parents portal to KnowledgeNet.   166 caregivers now have logins.
• Implemented online roll marking
• PAT Data entered in PCschool system
• Migrated PCSchool to stand alone server
• PCschool database changed to faster .sql software
• Provided full broadband solution for 2010
• Upgraded server software for 2010 ..
• Mobile netbook trolley for 2010
• All computer switches 1GB
• Web and mail filtering in house
• All school computers to be standardised on Windows 7 for 2010

What’s happening this year …..

• More assessment data provided to PCSchool
  • Basic facts
  • ICAS Achievements
  • Curric Levels/ national standards inf
• Use of KnowledgeNet for class planning/teaching/communication
  • Development of Parent Portal
• Continued use of KnowledgeNet or Blog for communication and publication
• Wider use of internet as a learning tool – Faster internet connection
• Extended use of PCSchool Spider as an admin tool
• Integration of Smartboards as a classroom tool
• Use of video in classroom programs

Some More Useful Links!

Just when you thought I wouldn’t bug you with any more blog emails, here’s another one! If you get a chance, have a look at some of these links – some are good to use with your Smartboard and some provide some thought provoking ICT/Learning stuff. 

I’m also writing this blog using Microsoft Live Writer which is looking to me like a very easy way to post blog entries – ie write them off line, then post them directly when you have them finished. Regular blog writers may want to try this tool.

I think I’ve posted this before but  I like videos and this is a great commercial!

 

The above site is worth a browse……..

1,000-year-old fishing trap found on Google Earth Britain's most ancient fishing trap has been discovered off the coastline of Wales after research carried out on Google Earth.

For The Smartboard:

Try this timezone map - Good smartboard tool??

Interactive science and engineering for 9 to 12 year olds. For interactive, read game!

Or try these byte sized activities from the BBC for Year 1 / 2. ps I think the narrator eats pork pies and drinks scrumpy!

Interesting:

Wow Science investigation! Teenagers armed with only a £56 camera and latex balloon have managed to take stunning pictures of space from 20-miles above Earth.

Are our kids Narcissistic??? The growing expectation placed on schools and parents to boost pupils' self-esteem is breeding a generation of narcissists, an expert has warned. A BBC article

Or try Don Trapscott’s view:

Video of the Week:

More next week!

More stuff for your Class - May

This could be useful for the senior school inquiry this term: Time Magazine's best inventions for 2006. Did they do one in 2007? I haven't found it yet.

From Interface mag ( In the staffroom, well worth a browse) These activities are interesting rather than being stupendously educational. They're worth a play, though.

Linerider – try it on the whiteboard – pure wet day fun!
http://linerider.com/play-line-rider-online

Grammar Ninja someone’s independent study!
http://www.kwarp.com/animations/grammarninja.html

Genius Boxing – Pick a fight with Archimedes, Einstein, etc
http://www.mrnussbaum.com/geniusboxing1.htm

Or if you really need a low intensity activity, try this on the Smartboard!! Virtual bubblewrap.....
http://smartboards.typepad.com/smartboard/files/bubblewrap.swf Manic mode seems to work best for me.(especially at the end of the day.)
where would you assess ithe thinking skills involved on the SOLO scale????

Or Have a look at Newsmap on your smartboard:
http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/index.cfm

Newsmap is an application that visually reflects the constantly changing landscape of the Google News news aggregator. A really interesting way of looking at the news.

And:

Scicity – Hosted by Otago Museum and IBM - SciCity is a rich learning environment that utilises innovative new technology to engage young New Zealanders in ongoing interactive experiences.
SciCity has direct links to the revised New Zealand curriculum. It achieves success by approaching many hard to reach curriculum areas in a fun and creative way.
Scicity is here I’ve used it in ICT sessions last year, so ask if you need help. Meet your class in Scicity!

Teacher resources are here!




Using your Smartboard with maths. Have a look at this video. Persevere, it’s worth watching as he is using the recorder feature of the notebook software. Maybe something to get an able child to try with........ say.....long division??
http://csdsmarties.blogspot.com/2008/03/adding-fractions-flash-student.html

Class tools of a varying nature : http://www.classtools.net/

Youtube Corner:
Classics:

Teenage Affluenza:


The Piano:


Kiwi:


And for a better ending for Kiwi: