Saturday 18 July 2009

Time for a second look



Following a post by Adam Brice at Skoolz Out I took a second look at Simply box . In the constant onslaught of new apps and variations of new apps - it is easy to say this is too hard I will stick to what I am doing, but after watching the video and reading the post i am going to give this a try with my Year 8 class that is studying the topic of Refugees. Simply Box seems to have so many ways to teach social book marking in such an accessible way. Sure I still love delicious and Diigo, but this has more power in terms of selective capture and the use of visual prompts rather than just text. I am sure the kids will love it.

Adam has also written about Shelfari and I am going to get my students to construct a Shelfari of their fave books on their blogs for all of us to read what they like.

Thanks Adam for your timely posts. I have seen these tools before many times but your posts have made me rethink my attitude to these and I am looking forward to trying them out. If you go to Adam's blog make sure you check out his new book all about Digital storytelling and the work he has done with primary school students on film making- it is absolutely fabulous!!

Sunday 5 July 2009

Blooms Digital Taxonomy - the video



Thanks to Andrew Churches from Educational Origami for posting this video by Kellie - I think it is great - a good starting point for lots of discussions especially about blogging!

Wednesday 1 July 2009

NECC one year on.



One year one from my ACCE tour to NECC and I stop to look at how my world has changed. I spend so much more of my life online but I am also feeling more connected to people in a broader sense. Fellow bloggers are at NECC in Washington or watching from afar like me. I am trying to stay awake at night to catch sessions online and I am missing the social magic that came from meeting people whose work I so admire face to face. It only lasted four days but I still think about it all so much.Other bloggers are travelling the world and I keep connected by their blogs and tweets.

At the moment I am dithering around being a presenter- still so terrified of the gaps in my knowledge, but wanting to move on to the next level. I have just picked up the green chromakey and a stand from the post ofice and have organised lights and a spare computer so we can have the TV station actually working in the Year 8 centre.
I applied for a secondment position as an Innovator Trainer at the Ed Dept two weeks ago and actually got an interview, but not the job. I applied for another emerging Tech grant for using Ipod Touches in class and didn't get that either, but that is ok cos we did get one last year. I am still working on how to complete our PLP project with only three of us to work on it- this one is tricky but I will keep at it. I have requested being released from a two period class so as to do some regular coaching in others classes. I am trying- I am seeing ways into moving things forward and I am wishing I was over there for another drink of the Cool- Aid!!

The plan for the Year 8 Centre is to run the Murder Mystery unit as a cross curricular one in english, sose , maths and science. I will use the resources we have built up plus the ideas from the Sleuth English festival I ran as part of what happens. Incursions, dress up days and across the centre displays will be all part of what we do. Maybe a Detective TV edition?
This is a catch up ramble here and my thoughts are racing across a number of subjects and classes, so I apologise to any reader but that is how it feels in my head at the moment. I am organising two bloggers feasts - one for Judy O'Connell who pens the amazing Hey Jude blog and one for Julie Lindsay who is a co founder of the Flat Classroom project.

I am exploring podcasting with my classes and movie making as we finally get some access to the macbooks I got a year ago but haven't been able to use this year.The slidecast above is about Mahara - New Zealand free product that is directed towards use as a digital portfolio platform so I will be researching this one. I am trying to train myself to use ILife09 and IWork 09 properly and be able to teach and use them effectively. Adam Brice and I are hoping to set up EMUG an eastern region Mac users group and I just love the name and the possibilities. Off to a meeting about planning a conference now- yep life has definitely changed and I am loving it!