Saturday 27 December 2008

Simply the Best

Thanks once again to Blogger in Middle-earth, I found another reflective blogger who asks us to reflect on our blogging and choose one that we think is simply the best. Joanna of Confident Writing is compiling this great reflective collection.
I pick a November post, Reflection of an online interview. This post is simply the best because I felt I had taken an emotional moment and reflected on what worked, what I could do next time , as well as extending my critical thinking.

Photo by rexb

Wednesday 24 December 2008

Bibliography creator I wish I'd had the last 3 years

bibmeBibme is an online bibliography creator I found out about from The 2.0 Life, that I wish I knew about during my past three years of studies and essays. As a lifelong learner I intend doing further study in the future, so this will be a gem that I recommend to learners (especially all the student teachers) who need to reference in APA, MLA, Chicago or Turabian formats.

It is easy to use; just type in the title, author or key words and you will be presented with options to add to your list. Then, you enter in keywords (usually author or title), and BibMe finds the results for you. You can reference most media from books to websites, although as with most sites you do need to register to save your lists. Well worth it I say!

iteach on ibeach

In a recent blog by Jama he talks about how he is over all the ithis and ithat of ipod name variations. Well, while camping yesterday at a beach I thought it would be fun to label it an ibeach. An hour later I noticed a family walk past and one the the kids wrote under my writing. I was honored. So parents, get some literacy practice at the beach these holidays, write an ibeach story and take a photo! I'd love to see yours.

Of course I also had to apply my creative and technology skills to build a sandcastle. We collected all the washed up glass on the beach that we could find to use as decoration, a flashy display of wealth. Then as a thanks to the beach, we took all that glass home to recycle. Tread softly.

Thursday 18 December 2008

Men don't read manuals. Discovering detail.

I have a slightly battered Sony T7 camera, I love my T7. After owning it for over three years now and always wishing it had a macro feature, I finally discovered, it does! And WOW WOW WOW. With me it is true, I never read manuals if I can figure it out first. I'm not proud of that anymore, I have been missing the joy of the little details.

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Next Generation User Skills

Derek's Blog is always a source of deeply interesting PD resources. The Next Generation User Skills Report he found has some 21st century competencies/skills that we can use as a guide to teaching and assessing. The report focuses on developments in the US, Europe and the UK, and defines a set of skills and identifies the gaps that exist.

Here is the part I found really interesting:

The NGUS investigation broke down 34 competencies, divided into 5 groups. It is these 5 groups that make up the NGUS Competency Model and they do a nice job of showing their interdependence in this diagram from the report:
• Digital Literacy – including safe and social conduct
• Digital Independence – including management of the IT environment
• Enquiry – including the ability to investigate resources
• Participation – including the ability to collaborate
• Production – including ability to create media

Key Competencies are held in high regard in the New Zealand Curriculum and lauded by many to be the key to developing 21st century learners. As beginning teachers we are told to teach to, and grow them if our students stand any chance, and I agree. But, the NZ Curriculum's five key competencies are so broad and vague that none know what aspects of what competency is important to teach and assess. Compare our Key Competencies to the NGUS Competency groups.
• Thinking
• Using language, symbols, and texts
• Managing self
• Relating to others
• Participating and contributing

Already I am thinking that we could be adding to our own competencies!
But STOP, there is more!
The NGUS competency groups are further refined into the 34 competencies. They are key competencies that we can use to guide our teaching and assessment. It is the closest guide I have found so far to scaffold teaching and learning 21st Century skills and competencies. I'd like to be seeing this in our own New Zealand Curriculum, give our teachers some scaffolds too.

A. Enquiry
A1. Formulate questions as online enquiries
A2. Find, gather and collate information
A3. Research & evaluate on-line content & services
A4. Manage references (e.g. bookmarks) in context
A5. Explore a virtual scenario or simulation
A6. Use information to support decision making
B. Digital Literacy
B1. Understand on-line safety, security & privacy
B2. Recognise social responsibility (ethics)
B3. Understand and respect digital property rights
B4. Compose communications to suit target recipients
B5. Learn critically from reviews of published work
B6. Organise, format and enter data
C. Participation
C1. Communicate & share information
C2. Create & maintain an online identity
C3. Submit ratings, reviews & recommendations
C4. Contribute appropriately to networked community activities
C5. Use shared applications
C6. Work collaboratively online towards a goal
C7. Moderate and manage the activities of an online group
D. Production
D1. Create digital artefacts (diagrams, designs)
D2. Capture digital media (visual, audio)
D3. Edit digital media (visual, audio)
D4. Integrate (mash-up) applications and content
D5. Publish digital content (web, PDF, e-book)
D6. Enable content to be discovered online
D7. Control versions of digital assets
E. Digital Independence
E1. Understand technology operations & concepts
E2. Install, link and network hardware
E3. Install and update software
E4. Manage personal infrastructure and data
E5. Use a range of digital and interactive devices
E6. Make appropriate ICT tool selection
E7. Explore and self-learn digital technologies
E8. Synchronise devices and data

Publish to any of your Blogger blogs from iGoogle

I love gadgets, there I said it!
But amongst the poor pickings one rarely finds a really useful gadget. This gadget publishes to your Blogger blog from your iGoogle home page. It is a simple gadget (I believe: KISS) but allows you to type plain text (with Spellcheck) directly to any one of your blogs.
Cons: No HTML editor, but allows html tags. Therefore I need to go search my html skills in order to link to the blog I read by Blogger Buzz...done that took me 3 minutes (knowledge in a flat box!)

How can I apply this to my class?
I plan to have blogs from each student under the one Blogger account (come on Blogger team, how about some educational functions!). Our class computer home page will be an iGoogle page where students can simply enter a quick entry with out changing pages. I am using it now and it should appear inst.......ant..ly in the class blog reader on the same page! Wow, what do you think?

Tuesday 16 December 2008

Wordle Meme

I was reminded by Blogger in Middle-earth about doing regular Wordle reflections on my blog. Looking back at my last Wordle done in October shows how my topic emphasis has changed. I have had a high environmental interest in my blogs but with a strong foundation of education and technology.

Some words I see but would like to be more prominent in my learning:
analysis, decided, expressing, influence, contribute, creating, mentors, helped, experimenting...

I do not understand the reason for tagging, but for now I will assume it's about spreading the meme. Wikipedia says memes self-replicate and are subject to selective pressures. Is then the meme one of reflection or of shared development? Also, how do you feel about being tagged? I hate chain email and it stikes a similar cord, will I have 7 years bad luck if I don't tag?

Sunday 14 December 2008

The many ways of digital literacy

SNOWBOUND
by Elizabeth Tornes
Illustration & Animation by Joshua Spivey

I created this title of a digital story in a reflection of the wonderful style illustrated by Joshua Spivey. It is in a way a continuation of their story, becoming a part of mine as I attempt to convey the beauty of the tale with colour and text. New literacies require we create and respond to them in new ways in kind. Can you assess that?

From Born Magazine: an experimental literary arts and interactive media site. Most publications are not suitable for children, but is one more creative site that can inspire us adults as consumers and producers of digital poetry.

Using, modeling and sharing

Shark dissection brings out the crowd
Sharing real world science news in new ways. Although we may be challenged by the lack of essential technology like data projectors, there are ways use in class such as a class home page. I was thinking web 2 offers opportunities for student ownership of different areas. Is anyone using this idea in their class?

Saturday 13 December 2008

Literacy, numeracy standards bill now law

Education (National Standards) Amendment Bill passed  today and gives the Minister of Education the power to set national literacy and numeracy standards which students will be assessed against. I am waiting to see how this is done without regressing to 20st century education ideals, although as mentioned in my earlier blog National is throwing lots of money towards their education plan. How will we assess them?What worries me is that after this law is rushed through with no consultation, we are told they will consult with the education sector on the standards. Whether we like it or not?tape measures by jek in the box.
Flickr image by jek in the box

Thursday 11 December 2008

Dump Fees promote environmental dumping



Christchurch Mail. Wednesday, December 3, 2008.
As I concluded from my River Dumping Environmental InvesAdd Imagetigation, that Christchurch City Council has created a social/economic barrier to clean rivers; by not providing free dumping. 

In this article by Deb Stringer, she shows us again how little human spirit Christchurch City Council possess. I have always understood our councils are there to serve our community, yet they will not give local charities free dumping! The Christchurch City Council seems to be missing HUMANS who know how to serve the community with empathy. At present some seem to be served more than others.

This is their email, as advertised on their website. info@ccc.govt.nz  I am sending them an email asking them to have a heart,  if you do too, we can make a difference.

Primary school science shows our failure as 21st century teachers

Primary school science skills fall to 1994 levels
According to survey results (including ERO) we are not teaching this essential subject that is the forerunner and our opportunity to teach for the 21st Century. I have seen this attitude to science and technology in New Zealand schools, squeezing it out, or squeezing it in. 
Are primary school teachers or principals to blame? We talk about teaching for the 21st century yet how do we get out of the conforming boxes of fitting in the 'right' curriculum subjects. Who decides on the 'right' subjects and are we still really teaching for the 20th century?

Friday 28 November 2008

Are we teaching our children to lie?

Guilty Verdict in Cyberbullying Case Provokes Many Questions Over Online Identity

As part of teaching children to keep themselves safe on the internet are we also teaching them that it is ok to lie about their identity and become potential identity bullies?

What is your reputation?

After reading an article on Gisborne Girls' High School armed robbery amongst it's students, and also a recent 'fight club' at Gisborne Boys High; I wondered initially if those students had any idea of the reputation they are creating for themselves. I am sure those girls and unfortunately their families too by default, already will have a 'bad reputation' through this incident. Yet reputation can also affect schools and communities, I would imagine that parents researching schools online will think twice about sending their child there if they have the option of a school with a better reputation for safety.

Now I am not judging them, but an article in Netguide's November 2008 edition, pointed me to the site of Hannah Samuel - The Reputation Champion. She very rightly points out that individuals and companies are now subject to online searches that highlight everything good and bad about them. Reputations are being created by every piece of information that finds it way onto the web. The moral of the story is that we need to be aware of everything we post, especially in this web 2.0 world. Hannah offers a reputation quiz that could be a good way to start this discussion with your students, along with 10 smart thing to teach your children about looking after their reputation. Remember, remember, your mistakes never disappear from the Internet, you will live with them forever!
Have you every done a search on yourself or your school, what is your reputation?

In a recent blog from Free Technology For Teachers, they pointed out a documentary online that explores teenagers web lives and the digital footprints they leave. This is primarily aimed at teenagers but a must view for all parents and teachers. It really highlights some consequences of these footprints or 'reputation' online that can never be erased.

Thursday 20 November 2008

South Africa

Today I head off to South Africa to visit family and friends. I will be attempting to microblog using my mobile phone. I am not sure how this story will unfold. I envision a mainly visual story and it will be a good way for me to experiment with new ways of literacy. 

Tuesday 18 November 2008

$250,000 sculpture replaces childrens art in Stewart Plaza Christchurch


Flour Power commissioned by the Christchurch City Council, is the new $250,000 sculpture that replaces the beautiful children's art in Stewart Plaza, Christchurch. The glaring bright sculpture is certainly interesting but definitely not eco friendly in any way, although is supposed to reflect loss of, or replacement of rural life with urban life. It is made of new steel road lights strapped with a tyre. I wonder if they at least recycled one of the tyres found dumped in the Heathcote River!  

OK, so I don't like it, maybe it will grow on me. Perhaps I'll be hypnotised when all those lights (about 30 I think) entrap me in their dazzle when they turn on at night. Still I liked the children's art and would have liked to see it reincorporated into the new plaza designs. What happened to the children's art work? Anyone? Stewart Fountain Plaza was a place of warm bright colours, it seemed a bit colder in the hot summer sun.

Sunday 16 November 2008

Activists antsy at ant farm

Activists antsy at ant farm Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 16 November 2008
I always find stories about animal exploitation to be emotional triggers for me. When I first read this story I was horrified buy the idea of ants living in a luminous blue gel. Perhaps some view them as 'just' insects but personally I think we need to respect all life, even an ants. It is the first step to respecting ourselves and each other.

If you want to do some real learning, build a real ant farm. Click here to learn how. English Online also has a nice level 2 unit plan on insects that incorporates an ant farm.

How do you feel about this, I realise that this kit could have learning benefits. Sold as a disposable toy, is it ethical? What do you think?

Thursday 13 November 2008

Using Google Docs to present online

Today I presented my final investigation for my university Environmental Education course. As it is a correspondence run paper and with a focus on inquiry processes and online learning, I decided to create my presentation in Google Docs. It was easy to share and quite interactive, I even got an assessment opportunity by including a survey. A case in point was that another student who had done a PowerPoint presentation was still struggling to upload hers when I had was done presenting!

Without my audio conference commentary it does not make much sense, (reflection: record audio-conference and tag on next time) but I will give you the outline. I investigated rubbish being dumped in the Heathcote River, my analysis showed that 80% of this rubbish could not be dumped for free. I also plotted schools according to deciles along the river and compared the state of the river in each area. I concluded by considering that the regional council is creating economic barriers that contribute to river pollution.

Wednesday 12 November 2008

Go Chrome

For a while now I have been thinking that although I have grown to love writing blogs, I should experiment with other ways of expressing myself. I will encourage my student to do the same. Here is my first Jing captured blog, on my solution to using Google Bookmarks on Google Chrome (see my earlier post). It is a full screen show that opens separately, I managed to get it to open in a new tab by inserting html [target="_blank"] (thanks Quackit). I would prefer this embedded and reduced for easy viewing. 
Any advice would be appreciated.

2008 Edublog Awards

Thanks to Free Technology for Teachers, I found out about 'The 2008 Edublog Awards' . It is a chance for each of us to recognise the many great educators out there that influence our professional development. As a beginning teacher I have found many mentors that have helped me grow as a teacher and learner. I believe this community is modeling the skills and values we want for our students.

Best Individual Blog: Education Investigation
Best Teacher Blog: Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog
Best Resource Sharing Blog: Free Technology for Teachers
Best educational tech support blog: makeuseof.com

Tuesday 11 November 2008

ww1 ww2 www?

by Mark GarrettArmistice Day marked in NZ Today marks the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I. WWI left nine million soldiers and five million civilians dead, with over 18,000 New Zealanders dead.

I often forget important historical events like this. 14 million people died, yet in my excitement of riding the www, I forgot ww1.

I have made an entry into my calendar and a pledge to remember Armistice Day with my class next year.

What did you do to remember?

Monday 10 November 2008

Green Space

Astronauts ready to pimp the space station. The international space station is using sustainable practices to expand the station. A core feature is a revolutionary system that recycles urine into drinkable water. Is this the first step towards a self-sustaining system, like a spaceship, like Earth?


© STS-116 Shuttle Crew, NASA 2006

Chrome needs some polishing


Google Chrome Logo
Originally uploaded by Randy Zhang
After reading a shining article by Ian Watson in NetGuide (Nov08) about Google's new browser Chrome, I decided it was time to take it for a test drive. I am not going to go into all it's features as they are well documented and generally live up to expectations. It is fast, it is vast, it is sleek and I really really like it.

There is just one reason I am going back to Firefox for now, it does not have the Google Toolbar. The Google browser does not have, nor can it load the Google Toolbar! If you do not use Google Bookmarks then I say go ahead and try Chrome, it really makes your screen feel bigger. I think Google Bookmark are the best, so I will wait, anxiously in anticipation.

Sunday 9 November 2008

Reviewing National's Education Policy 2008

It was a tense and exciting election and now we have a new National government, I was curious to see what their education policy was, here is was what I found out.

National Party 2008 Education Policy: Crusade for Literacy and Numeracy says that one out of five New Zealand children leave school without the qualifications and skills they need to succeed. (I am not sure what these skills are supposed to be and if they are 21st century skills. )
National will provide an additional $47 million a year of funding for these critical 10 steps.

Nationals First 10 Steps

1. Set National Standards in literacy and numeracy. These standards will describe all the things children should be able to do by a particular age or time spent at primary or intermediate school.

2. Require every primary and intermediate school pupil to be assessed regularly against National Standards. These assessment programmes compare the progress of pupils with other pupils across the country. Does anyone else worry about this point? Who is going to look good here, and what is the 'norm'? One of the 10 principles of Assessment for Learning: Research based principles to guide classroom practice, by the Assessment Reform Group (2002) says assessment should be sensitive because of the emotional impact they have on learners confidence and enthusiasm. How will disadvantaged and low-achievement pupils and their community feel?

3. Require primary and intermediate schools to report to parents in plain English about how their child is doing compared to National Standards and compared to other children their age. These reports will give parents information in plain English (perhaps there will be a guide?) about how their child is doing compared to National Standards and compared to other children their age.

4. Provide targeted funding of $18 million a year to assist primary and intermediate schools to give an extra hand to those pupils who are not meeting National Standards.
Apparently only 59% of schools in decile 1 to 3 have a Reading Recovery programme, yet 71% of decile 8 to 10 schools do. Are there limiting age restrictions to Reading Recovery assistance that disadvantage struggling students?

5. The will refocus the Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office to support schools in the Crusade for Literacy and Numeracy. National aim to minimise the many demands and compliance requirements they place on schools, so that principals and teachers can focus their attention on providing pupils with the skills they need.

6. Provide extra support to under-performing schools to ensure their pupils are on track to achieve National Standards, using an expanded range of intervention methods to assist schools.

7. National will get tough on truancy by prosecuting parents of persistent truants and giving schools an extra $4 million a year to crack down on truants.
Having little experience with this point I am very curious to here what experienced teacher say about this. Will it help? Is this a teachers job and is punishment or education of parent the 'right' path?

8. Give schools extra help to deal with disruptive pupils, including an extra $2 million a year for the Interim Response Fund. National say that disruptive pupils are at risk of leaving school without the literacy and numeracy skills they need to succeed. They also threaten the progress of other children in their class, and in the medium term will allocate some of the funds currently tied up in the Ministry’s contestable funding pools and use this to give individual schools the ability to tailor solutions that are best for their particular situations.
What are the criteria for a 'disruptive' pupil? I really would like to know this one as I am sure many teachers out there will as well.

9. They will support teaching excellence by:
- Review teacher training.
- Encourage a high-trust flexible teaching environment (I am not clear on the meaning of this).
- Encouraging schools to co-operate to expand successful teaching methods.
- Celebrating the success of top-performing teachers with an extra $2 million a year for excellence awards.
- National will also support the current goal of reducing pupil-to-teacher ratios in new-entrant classes from 18:1 to 15:1, and we will maintain all budgeted funding for this initiative (why only new-entrant? I believe that should apply all the way through school).

10. Improve special education services by:
- Ensuring more special education funding makes it into frontline services.
- Increase Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS) funding by $18 million a year for pupils with the highest special education needs.
- Drop Labour’s emphasis on mainstreaming and work to support the choice of those families who wish to send their children to special schools (Again as a beginner teacher I have mixed feeling about this, any experiences to share?)
- Expand special education schools and encouraging the development of satellite special education classes.

National also have 2008 Education: 21st century school building plan which aims to future-proof existing schools throughout New Zealand. National say they will work with schools to provide better facilities for technology and trades training, ICT, and special education.

"New Zealanders have a right to expect that our schools will be up to the task of providing our children with the skills and knowledge they need to prosper in the 21st Century. " Quoted in these building plans not the literacy and numeracy plans... and further are we going to assess them?

- National say many schools current ICT facilities are separate from areas of ‘normal’ teaching. They say it is evidence of ‘past thinking’ and the possibilities for new teaching and learning approaches using technology such as video conferencing, virtual learning, and internal information portal will change the face of education. (Fantastic news, who do I call?)
- National will provide enhanced capital funding for future-proofing our schools with better ICT facilities and integrated ICT access within the teaching spaces throughout schools. (This requires we change our teaching and learning concepts, do you think this clashes with National comparative testing?)

- National is committed to improving trades training in schools. Right now many schools tell us they have inadequate ‘technology’ facilities for providing this training.

I start my teaching career with a new government and I do believe we all at least have the same goal of providing the best education and well being we can for our children.

How do you think Nationals education policy aligns with 21st century education? How do you think it may affect your classroom?

Wednesday 5 November 2008

Reflection of an online interview

Yesterday I had an online interview with a prospective school. I was excited and nervous as we were going to attempt using an online conference site Dimdim. I thought it would be a good opportunity to show my ICT skills. Before the interview, their ICT teacher spent ages on the phone with me testing out the conference site. It was not going well, I had failed to consider that they had Apple Macs and my browser kept shutting down! I was already impressed with this teacher who went to so much trouble, who was so patient and understood the ICT discourse.

In the end the they could see and hear me on video. I could not see or hear them, so was on my mobile on the webcam. It was not what I had invisioned but we ended up using ICT in a variety of ways to overcome barriers and have a wonderful interview.

Things I would do next time:
  • Use a simpler web conferencing system like AIM or MSN. (KISS)
  • Test, test and test with time to spare.
  • Mention a strength of mine is flexibility when ICT tools crash :-)

Food for thought:
One aspect of online communication even when using video is that it is difficult to tell when someone has finished speaking and is ready for the next person. I think it is a point in case about how much we 'read' from body language. Do we need conventions for passing the speaking ball online, are there already?

Monday 3 November 2008

Not enough men?

On TV One this morning they discussed the lack of men in pre and primary teaching. The question was posed (but not discussed, they got completely off the point) of weather scholarships for men would help rectify this situation. Another question that came up was is it legal (human rights) to offer just to men?

As a male primary school teacher who has just been through three years study and looked at scholarships along the way, I can say that there are no scholarships out there for men. I think stating human rights, because a scholarship targets just men is a cop-out. Scholarships are a business transaction aimed at filling a need. Do we ignore the need just to be politically correct? It seems to me there are many scholarships aimed at other minority groups, and as men in primary teaching we certainly are a minority.

Friday 31 October 2008

Barrier Game Stand

With all my final assignments due in the next few weeks I have not blogged in a few days. WOW, really I mean WOW! A year ago you could not have gotten me to write anything that did not require grading. Engagement and ICT are effective for any age learner.

My EAL Learners course require teaching students at a local school. I needed a barrier game stand the night before! I was inspired and would like to share my new invention with all the educators out there, the easy and cheap barrier game stand.

You just cut slits in the cones of an egg carton and slip your card in. They stack easily and you can afford to have 30 sets ready at any time.

I will revisit this in time and look at some effective barrier games.

Do you have any interesting barrier games ideas or successes to share?
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Friday 24 October 2008

Building a Yardstick for PD Success

Building a Yardstick for PD Success: Establishing Key Performance Indicators for Web 2.0 Personal Optimized Learning Environments” a K12 Online Conference presentation by Sharon Peters and Vincent Jansen.

This presentation discusses the ways that teachers are recording and measuring their Professional Development (PD), and suggests some ideas for developing their own measurable reflective practices.

A big question regards how effective PD really is and why? They say that often it does not even pertain to the classroom, because it tends to be organisationally driven (top down) as institution wide PD for all staff. They do have their role but these PD's are not individualised and not aimed at meeting the needs of individual teachers. We are just like students, we need PD based on our
individual learning needs. We also need to provide evidence of our PD, and what success we have had implementing it into our classrooms.

PD can be followed up and reflected on in new ways, through discussion, blogs and wiki's. The vital element here is that we as teachers are taking ownership for reflecting on
and recording our PD. Over time this becomes a collection of resources, artefacts and a portfolio of ones own PD growth.

Sharon and Vincent briefly looked at some web 2 tools that can be used to measure and record PD growth. My own blog is an example of self directed PD and reflection. PD growth can be measured through comments and looking back through reflection. Further they look at using Key Performance Indicators (KPI) which
define and measure progress toward organisational goals.

We all know the benefits of PD but I believe we now need to reconsider how we approach and measure it. We are modelling ourselves as lifelong learners, and this is just what we hope for in our students.

What is the future of PD? Thanks to the internet and online networking, education is being transformed and we can take responsibility for our own PD. We do not have to wait for mass generic PD to be organised from the top. We are now empowered to make sound PD choices of our own, hopefully more principals will recognise this new individual approach to PD and allow teachers more flexibility.

PD teaching in the future is more likely to be delivered by 'friends' and colleagues which make it more likely to be used and followed-up. The focus needs to be on the individual teachers needs! We insist we do this for our students, are we not worthy of the same?

Tuesday 21 October 2008

The BP Science Technology Challenge

I love seeing children take on creative thinking challenges, and The BP Challenge for primary and secondary students held today at Villa Maria Girls School was a wonderful example of this. The categories were the same for both primary and secondary.
Challenge 1: Creating a waterproof shelter for two people that can withstand some wind, using only the materials provided (newspaper, tape and crayons). Students were allowed to practice for this challenge before the day.
Challenge 2: The Ginger beer challenge. All contestants had to bring in home-made ginger beer, with all the packaging and a portfolio. I was honoured to be a judge and after tasting 25 home-made ginger beers my stomach was feeling a bit wobbly. Thanks to all those students for their hard work and interesting flavours.
Challenge 3: The surprise challenge was for each team of four to get a message in a film canister over a wall and be retrieved by on the other side again using only the materials provided (newspaper, tape, rubber bands, string and a film canister). There were many really creative solutions, but I was particularly impressed with the students perseverance and engagement. A long and exciting day.

The primary school turnout was disappointing, only four schools entered. I believe schools need to receive printed information packs as well as emails and websites. This year they tried only send emails, and although a big supporter of digital media, I do believe that printed media is still a vital part of literacy and the real world. Secondly, I believe that science and technology are often treated as token curriculum areas. Do you know that many of the 21st century skills were first used by scientists.

The primary school challenge will be open to Years 5-8 and can be mixed age teams. So this is a call to all primary school teachers for the 2009 BP Challenge. It is an engaging event that encourages creative thinking and can be integrated into many curriculum areas.
Same time next year, come have some fun learning.
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Monday 20 October 2008

Teaching for the 21st century

At the K12 Online Conference Professor Stephen Heppell presented It Simply Isn’t the 20th Century Any More Is It?: So Why Would We Teach as Though It Was?

Stephen says that technology can do almost anything what we want, but the challenge is to determine what it is we want? He asserts that the education factory model needs to be replaced by new concepts that reflect the fundamental changes of society. He describes it as the end of “they” and the beginning of “us”. "They" being the big corporations and "us" being individuals and communities who now have the tools, knowledge and ability to make their own choices and have their own voice.

In this age, individuals have more power by having knowledge freely at any time and thus make their own informed decisions. Also important, is the social communication and collaboration that globally creates communities of interest that can rival a corporation.

Definitions of knowledge, literacy and identity are changing and this is impacting throughout our society. Stephen says we are witnessing “the death of education and the dawn of learning.” It is time for education to catch up, our challenge is to find new models for teaching and learning.

Saturday 18 October 2008

Logo: a visual communication

Almost every business has a logo which is a visual brand that represents the ideas, values and identity of the company. Many individuals may have their own logo in the form of a family crest. Maori culture have tattoo's called Moko, which serve as a visual identity showing their rank, nature and ancestry. A very personal logo.

As I am in the process of sending out my CV, I realised I needed a logo for myself, something that personifies my philosophy of teaching and learning.

My logo was originally based on the Maori poutama pattern which represents the steps and scaffolding that guides learning. I then created Tetris blocks to represent the many different personalities and communities that come together and collaboratively construct knowledge, forming a strong foundation for learning. What makes it a strong structure is that it depends on each piece being different. The bright Tetris blocks also represent the digital age, integrating ICT and considering new ways of learning for the 21st century.
In itself it is a form of multi-literacy, it tells a visual story that required an inquiry process, deep reflection and critical questioning. It has the structure of a story and has inspired further writing in the form of this blog post. I will now go on to incorporating it into a variety of media.

Wednesday 15 October 2008

Millions mark UN hand-washing day

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Millions mark UN hand-washing day
I wonder how many New Zealand schools took part in this event? I have noticed that hand washing is part of daily routine in junior classes, but seems to be lost in many middle and senior primary classes. Are we presuming that now that they have been taught this, that is really happening? It is such a small but important health routine that needs reinforcing within routines. This is an impression from limited experience, I'd love to hear what is happening in classes out there.

Remember the Bird Flu panic? It is not an impossible concept and consider where a pandemic would run wild first; in schools. The Ministry of Education says that all early childhood education services, schools and tertiary organisations are expected to develop their own pandemic plans to protect students and staff.

Does your school have a Pandemic Plan and do you know what it is?

My aside is that I like to know that the things my students and I are touching and sharing, are kept clean and safe through the simple ritual of hand washing.

Poverty Action Day

Poverty is a worldwide social issue but as a beginning teacher I have decided to reflect on what this means for me in New Zealand. Having taught at schools where children come to school hungry, I have felt a sense of helplessness when thinking about what I can I do to help. It's easy to think of the big ideals, education is the solution to poverty. Yet that is no immediate solution for me or for the child sitting in your class each day. We give children breakfasts and attempt to deal with the social issues often accompanying poverty, but there is only so much we can do as teachers outside the classroom. What we can do however is provide safe learning environments and show that we care.

I would like to know how other primary school teachers deal with poverty in their school communities.

Tuesday 14 October 2008

Assessment in the Digital Age

I have been very interested in learning environment assessment possibilities since I created my first WebQuest. I felt the rubric was limited and not utilising the web 2 abilities. My attempt to address this was to include a self-assessment poll that also allowed them to see a graph of the results. I continue my search, and I have two educators to recommend that have taught me some amazing strategies to apply formative assessment that both scaffolds and engages the students.

Konrad Glogowski
is a presenter at the K12 Online Conference, in
Initiating and Sustaining Conversations: Assessment and Evaluation in the Age of Networked Learning” he aims to address some of the challenges associated with assessment and evaluation in Web 2.0 classrooms. His message that grades stop learning, is very powerful and something I have experienced myself at university. His presentation is a must if you plan to blog with your class, you will find he teaches and practices scaffolding.

My second recommendation is blog ICT in my Classroom, Tom shows how he uses Google Documents for formative assessment in writing. The fantastic part is it can be done while they are working on their document. I was first introduced to Google Documents by a university colleague. He suggested we do our joint project online using Google Docs, we were able to work collaboratively on the same document. It open my eyes to the possibilities of collaboration and communication in an ICT classroom.

Monday 13 October 2008

K12 Online Conference 2008

Now that I have moved beyond my own blogging and started to participate more online, I have grown through reading other educational blogs and gained confidence in my own ability to contribute. The K12 Online Conference promises to be a exiting opportunity for free professional development using the ICT knowledge and competencies we aim to teach. See you there.

Three things I hope to gain from the K12 experience this year:
  1. To learn how experience educators are using ICT for constructivist learning.
  2. To gain new skills and digital tools that can enhance learning.
  3. Meet new people, professional contacts and mentors.

Sunday 12 October 2008

Using Wordle for reflection


I have been seeing word clouds used in many different ways on the web, and being a visual person I have found them very powerful. I decided to try Wordle and put it to a learning use. It is very easy and quick to use.

I would love to use this as a brainstorming tool and what about using it to assess students written work. In my teaching practices I have often struggled to get children to see how they are using the same word repetitively. This is part of learning, but seeing your own written work transformed into to visual clouds that make words that appear more frequently in the text bigger and bolder, makes you reflect from a new perspective.

My own reflection is that I am on my journey of teaching, learning and ICT. I have surprised myself with a growing interest in digital literacy. The truth is the 'digital' side of it is what engages me and will engage more children into literacy. My blog writing has developed my own literacy skills and concepts. I also picked up on a few repeated words that I felt I could find better alternatives too in my writing.

Do you have any ideas for educational uses of Wordle?

Saturday 11 October 2008

Search Cube a visual search engine

I read about a visual search engine 'Search Cube' in the blog HeyJude. I have been exploring some as well but this is one of the better I have seen. It is visual interesting and quick loading, although as Judy mentioned, it could provide more site information to facilitate choices. I did find a similar visual search engine 'KartOO' which offers fewer choices but they are linked like a mind map and offers more detailed site information.

Judy asks how could this be used as a teaching tool. I believe students need to value different strategies of searching beyond 'traditional' web methods. I would probably use if for exploring visual language and symbolism which is so important in our digital world. Have a look at 'TenbyTen' which gives 100 thumbnail images that 'define the time'.

What about for an art class introduction? Type in 'Picasso' and see the result. It could be a great way to engage a topic, and it could provoke amazing oral discussion around an idea or concept.
Given its shape and rotational ability it would also be great as a maths learning object.

It is tools like these that make ICT learning so interesting, but a tool is tool, how we use it for teaching and learning is what counts.

Friday 10 October 2008

Seven Elements of Digital Stories

This week I read a resource "Learning Journeys with ICT: Digital Storytelling - Narratives for the millennium" by Angie Simmons. Having explored my first digital story a few weeks back, I was eager to learn more. I was pleased to find an adaptation of "The seven elements of an effective digital stories' from the Center for Digital Storytelling. I found it to be a good scaffold for my own learning. I reflected on these seven elements in my first digital story and decided to apply these elements to the story again, and see what happens.




I am very happy with the result, my growth is evident. It was not without problems but that's the fun in learning, I learnt to 'envelope' tracks in Audacity. Can you tell the difference this scaffold has made?

The seven elements of an effective digital stories:
  1. A point of view
  2. A dramatic question
  3. Emotional content
  4. Economy
  5. Pace
  6. Concise narration
  7. Effective soundtrack

Ref: Simmons, A. (2006). Learning journeys with ICT: Digital storytelling - Narratives for the millennium. Essential Resources Educational Publishers Limited: Invercargill.

Thursday 9 October 2008

The Future of Reading - Using Video Games as Bait to Hook Readers - Series - NYTimes.com

I found this article while reading this excellent educator blog, weblogg-ed by Will Richardson.

The main idea I got from "Using Video Games as Bait to Hook Readers" was that we can engage children in reading by providing contextual opportunities. We need to think outside the square when we consider what is appropriate literature. I do 90% of my reading on a computer monitor or mobile phone, I imagine our children will do the same and much more.

I consider my role as a teacher in this scenario would be to guide reading and inquiry learning through a WebQuest or other online learning environment. We all love reading about what we love.

I believe Barton and Hamilton (1998) description of literacy offers an insight to this article. Cited in Literacies Across Media.

Literacy is primarily something people do; it is an activity, located in the space between thought and text. Literacy does not just reside in people's heads as a set of skills to be learned, and it does not just reside on paper, captured as texts to be analysed. Like all human activity, literacy is essentially social, and it is located in the interaction between people.
Mackey, M. (2002). Literacies across media. Playing the text. RoutledgeFalmer: London.

Wednesday 8 October 2008

A Second Pass Past Mercury - The New York Times > Space & Cosmos > Slide Show > Slide 1 of 6

We are fortunate to be living in such an amazing times. These beautiful images evoke an emotional response in me, imagine how children could respond. I would love to present the slide show accompanied by a piece of classical music, or perhaps that could be an activity for the children.
A Second Pass Past Mercury - The New York Times > Space & Cosmos > Slide Show > Slide 1 of 6

Friday 3 October 2008

Praying Mantis a digital story

I love this time of the year when plants burst forth and insects are everywhere. This was my inspiration to create a digital story. It is a simple process the uses ICT and critical thinking while developing literacy in an engaging way. The process requires understanding the story, breaking it down into visual planning which aids extending language. It is an excellent tool to develop written and oral literacy.

Obama camp offers iPhone app

I have been very impressed with Obama's use of ICT to connect to the public. Through the use use email, texting, website and blogs he is able to create a personal connection to millions through mass multimedia, yet the communication and interaction happening is individual. What a concept and that is the path we should consider when planning learning experiences.

I was particularly interested in in the iPhone app they created. Not that I follow their politics but I think just offering an iPhone app is a limited portion of the ICT market.

Obama camp offers iPhone app

Thursday 2 October 2008

Animation


I have discovered a fantastic tool for animating faces called Gizmoz. As a teacher I already have many ideas on how to use this, particularly in my future WebQuests. This tool could be used to engage and guide. Give it a try, it's easy, fun and your students will love it as well.

As I go on this journey of ICT in education, I realise I want to learn these things for myself because it's fun. More importantly I can use it to develop more engaging contructivist online learning environments and what I can learn my students can too.

Saturday 27 September 2008

First WebQuest

I have completed my first WebQuest. A WebQuest is an inquiry learning approach in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. It also develops students ICT skills and can be very engaging, with a focus on cooperative group work.

This WebQuest is to inform children about the various careers in cooking. As my first WebQuest I am very happy. Yet as I learn more about ICT integration, the more I learn about the skills needed to engage and challenge.

Go and visit it and let me know what you think. Click Here.

I am very interested in ICT in education, they provide many tools to explore teaching and learning in new ways. Watch out for my next WebQuest, I have reflected on this start and believe I need to have more animation, sound, movement and vibrancy. I would also like to experiment with speech and interaction that offers choice.

Sunday 14 September 2008

Talking the talk

I decided that considering I have such a passion for using ICT in learning, I should be applying it to myself as well. I have begun that process by creating an online CV to compliment my paper version and provide further relevant links. This blog will become the first link.

http://shaunwoodnz.googlepages.com/cv

Friday 12 September 2008

Sunday 7 September 2008

Chrome a serious challenger in browser battle - International Herald Tribune

Chrome a serious challenger in browser battle - International Herald Tribune
Having become a bit of a Google junkie myself I'll be watching the development of Chrome. It doesn't seem to be on par with Firefox yet, but ...

Classroom of the Future - Learning TRENDS: Classroom of the Future

Classroom of the Future - Learning TRENDS: Classroom of the Future
When considering the classroom of the future there seems to be an obvious focus on technology. Other top educators argue that it is the nature of teaching that should be the focus. We need a move away from the classroom structure towards a community structure, is what Sheryl says in her blog http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com, a blog well worth reading.

I believe that both are relevant, technologies are not only a motivator for children but given good constructivist learning opportunities can help create a social learning community where the teacher is a guide and learner.

Saturday 6 September 2008

One Laptop Meets Big Business

One Laptop Meets Big Business. I found this article very interesting as I had heard of the XO one laptop one child project but had no idea that they had 'competition'. I get quite angry when I think about how businesses sabotage charity initiatives for $ reasons while waving a do-gooders flag!

Even after a rant, I believe that the one laptop for one child concept is brilliant and the way forward for disadvantaged children and our own ideas about e-learning.

Thursday 4 September 2008

ICT achievement objectives

Today as I searched through the NZ Curriculum 2007 for ICT achievement objectives, I could find nothing in that fine document to guide me. I knew that, but I hoped anyway. I wondered if this had been considered. Perhaps I needed to read the Digital Strategy again. Surely if there is such a push towards the knowledge society, then teachers need some clear guidelines to scaffold ICT teaching and learning. We need to make ICT integration less hocus-pocus and more a curriculum area with achievement objectives.

Friday 29 August 2008

Raising the Bar: How Parents Can Fix Education - WSJ.com

Parent participation has a huge influence on children's development. It's good to hear a parent recognise their role.
Raising the Bar: How Parents Can Fix Education - WSJ.com

Monday 25 August 2008

EDIT372

Started EDIT372 at university today which is the web quest course. I have been so busy with work and study that I have not continued these studies, until now. I am excited again to be able to spend time exploring this subject.

It seems we have to create a web quest based on some actual Year 7/8 children's interests, so for the course I will create a theme others than rats. I have decided that I will continue my "Oh Rats!" web quest as a personal journey.

I have reviewed my previous home page and decided to make so changes to the layout. I hope they like my voting poll :-)

Thursday 24 July 2008

Internet Safety for children

These are some excellent sites for parents and teachers interested in teaching their children how to keep themselves safe online.

The Hector's World Safety Button provides a safety strategy which children can use if something on-screen upsets or worries them. It is a free download and a small file. Your child can just click on Hector who then covers the screen with a soothing underwater scene and gives the child a positive message for clicking on the Hector Button, and encourages them to get adult help.

I highly recommend put this on all school and home computers, but remember children must be taught how to used it and when.
http://www.netsafe.org.nz/keeping_safe.php?pageID=209&sectionID=education&menuID=206

Hector's World™ presents animation that feature residents of the undersea community of Silicon Deep. Children watch the characters as they learn how to stay safe online.
http://www.hectorsworld.com/

Help for Young People
The NetSafe website has a section for young people which has information on what to do about cyberbullying (including txt).
http://www.netsafe.org.nz/keeping_safe.php?pageID=55&sectionID=young&menuID=55