Di's blog - ICT in education

Rules for using social media

2012-01-27T21:26:00.001-08:00

We are often reading about children and their use of social media sites. Although Facebook has people sign to say that they are over 13 years of age the reality is that many who are under still have their own Facebook pages. There are social media sites which cater for younger children where children under 13 should have their accounts - not Facebook.

In some social media sites young children have been 'groomed' by older adults and some have found themselves in situations which are extremely unsafe.

Here is a really good YouTube video from Atomic Learning dealing with some rules to use when working with children who are using, or want to use a social media account (such as Facebook).

Google privacy policies

2012-01-26T12:18:00.000-08:00

Google are getting rid of 60 different privacy policies and replacing them with one. It covers multiple products and features which is a good idea. As most people will have signed up with a number of these policies (often not reading them) this will make things easier for them. The changes take place on March 1 2012.

Privacy issues are very much in the news here in New Zealand at the moment with Kim Dotcom's arrest. Dotcom along with three others were arrested in Auckland recently on charges of racketeering, money laundering and internet copyright piracy in the United States.

It is alleged they gained around $US175 million in criminal proceeds through the world's largest file sharing website, Megaupload. These issues are important for students to understand as these are an important part of today's global society.

Guest post

2012-01-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

How Video Games Enhance Learning

Most parents try to get their children to spend less time playing video games, seeing little value in games that simulate road races, police work, or even 100-year-old battles. As the technology has advanced and video games have become more ubiquitous, more educational games have been created for all age levels. Educators have even begun to incorporate video games into their lesson plans to present the information in a new way that connects with students. Advocates of using video games for learning tout the many benefits of the technology. Here are a few ways that video games can enhance learning, both in and out of the classroom:

Makes Learning Fun

The main appeal of video games is that they're fun. Students of all ages enjoy playing the games -- as well as some adults. Even games that are designed specifically to teach educational concepts are fun for students to play. Learning concepts in this way is fun for many students, and it encourages children to engage more actively with the material.

Multiple Assessments

Video games present several opportunities for learning assessments. Depending on the game and the concept being measured, learning can be assessed at the beginning of the game, in the middle, and at the end. Video games as so-called "steal-assessment technology" can include hidden measures of assessment. How well students perform on the game can be used to gage how well they understand the concepts. Progress and mastery throughout the game can indicate how well the concepts have been learned.

Helps Different Learners

Students learn in different ways. Some are kinesthetic learners and need to be physically active to make learning connections. Others are visual learners and thrive when concepts are illustrated for them. Video games can help these kinds of learners by presenting the material in a new way. Those with learning disabilities or problems with concentration, such as students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), can also be stimulated with video games, making learning easier. Different types of games can reach different students in ways that traditional lessons cannot.

Customization for Individual Students

Video games can be designed or modified to meet the individual needs of students, matching their specific strengths and weaknesses. Game options can be adjusted for each individual player. For example, difficulty levels can be increased or decreased. In a word game, different parts of speech could be emphasized. In a math game, different concepts can be highlighted. Changing options can tailor the game experience to meet the needs of the student who is playing.

Meets Students' Interests

One of the best ways to engage students in the material is to present it to them in ways that meet their interests. Video games help accomplish this. Most students grew up playing video games at some point, and many continue to play them even through adulthood. Presenting educational material in a format that already interests them makes it easier for students to embrace the information and to engage with it.

In addition to helping students better learn classroom material, video games can teach a number of other skills, including teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving. Educational video games are a great way to enhance student learning because it makes learning fun, presents material in new ways for different types of learners, can be tailored to individual student needs, and offers educators multiple assessment tools. Choosing the right video games for the concepts to be taught is essential to finding success with this promising technology.

About the author:
Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor's degrees from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on state grants for college and african american scholarships and grants.

Edutopia

2012-01-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

Edutopia have another ebook out for teachers. Last year I blogged in August about the books available at this site.

This latest addition is Six Tips for Brain-based learning. If teachers (and parents) understand how the brain works they are better equipped to help the students with their learning, this may include such things as increasing retention or it may be focussing attention. As the book points out most teachers are already using many of the techniques and strategies that they are discussing here.

As I read this book I think about how this relates to the use of ICT in the classroom, for example the use of graphic organisers. There are many Web 2 tools we can use e.g. Webspiration (the Beta version was free but alas they no longer have this version), Bubbl-us(free), Gliffy (which you can use for free and then do a screen dump).

The flipped classroom

2012-01-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

The flipped classroom is being talked about on lots of web sites and blogs at the moment. This diagram gives a great overview of the concept.

This is fantastic for higher education but I am not so sure that it is the 'be all and end all' for education with younger children.

While I love certain aspects of this I am also concerned that children/students need to 'smell the roses' and 'get dirty'. We don't want them to have too much to do at home - they need to enjoy life as well.

Created by Knewton and Column Five Media

Teacher Experience Exchange

2012-01-05T12:34:00.000-08:00

Teacher Experience Exchange is a great site for teachers. You need to join the online community to share thoughts and ideas with other educators.

There are discussion forums where you can participate in online discussions.

At this site you will find lesson plans to use in your classroom and of course you can add your own lesson plans to share with others.

In the Professional development area there are online courses such as Creating a digital classroom for teachers to enrol in.

Guest Post

2012-01-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

Communications Technologies - Enhancing Classroom Learning

The dominance of Internet technology in the present age has broadly welcomed a shift in the learning programs that is aiming to match steps with the ever-changing demands of society. The development of communication technologies has opened a new aspect of learning in the educational world that is distance learning or the more advanced form of online learning. The advancement of communication technologies has helped the teachers and the students bridge
the time and distance gap, developing a connection over the virtual world. Alongside, the communication development, the Internet technology is also considered a support tool that helped learners gain knowledge in skill-based areas.

The advent of communication technology in classrooms has helped the students and the executives in pursuing higher education at ease without any compromise. The global professional world in recent times is seen to be more inclined towards skill-based individuals offering great performance support alongside the academic degrees. This particular interest or demand of the professional world has led the executives to enhance their skill support continuously. In the pursuit, most students are seen enrolling for UK distance learning courses. Well, the reason of joining a foreign university is simple - a degree earned from a foreign university is more likely to offer them a better edge.

Furthermore, courses offered by the UK distance learning programs are known to offer the students the finest blend of practical and theoretical learning. Classrooms, be it in the virtual or physical world is greatly supported by the advanced technologies that enhances communication and ensures effective delivery of knowledge. Usually, advanced tech tools support the distance learning programs offered by the UK universities; these include -
· Online Chat forums
· Discussion boards
· E-Library
· Edublogs
· Video Conferencing
· Podcasts and Webcasts

Communication technologies into the classrooms to enhance learning are the new support that is used by universities at large to present a wider access to information and knowledge delivery. Advancement of communication technologies have led the UK distance learning flourish better in the educational industry, as it allows an extension of the classroom at everybody’s
doorstep. It not only helps the students in having a better access to learning, but also allows the parents to track the development of the student in the particular courses. For the executives, the integration of communication technologies has welcomed a new scope towards better learning and enhanced professionalism.

The UK universities in understanding the pursuit among today’s career-oriented individuals have taken the step forward in presenting the distance learning courses laden with enhanced communication technologies.

AUTHOR
BIO - Robert Williams loves to explore the diversity that distance learning is bringing in today’s educational scenario. Here, Robert Williams is focusing upon the prospects of UK Distance learning and the way advancement of communication technologies and its integration in
the virtual classrooms is promoting better leaning.

Guest Post

2011-12-30T11:17:00.000-08:00

4 Ways Social Media Benefits the Online Classroom

How tools like Twitter and Facebook are enhancing the e-learning experience

Social media may have started out as a fun way to tell your friends how you’re feeling and what you’re doing. However, social media can also be a powerful tool in the classroom—especially in an online learning environment. Popular social media tools—like Facebook, Twitter, Skype and YouTube—are exposing e-learners to classroom materials in unique and engaging ways that they understand and enjoy. This style of learning differs greatly from traditional styles of teaching that include one-sided learning with teacher lecture and reading, essays and tests completed independently and with little collaboration with fellow students. Social media literally humanizes the e-learning experience—teaching students to collaborate with instructors and fellow students, share resources like textbook rentals and documents, and use blogs to brainstorm, ask questions, share knowledge and critique each others’ work. Thanks to social media tools, once students graduate and begin working, they will already know and be comfortable working and collaborating with groups of people as is expected in the world of business.

Online schools and instructors know that the potential benefits of social media in e-learning far outweigh the negatives like student privacy, cyber bullying and distracted students. Rather, by incorporating popular tools that students already know how to use, students stay engaged in the learning process. And, open source tools, like Twitter, Facebook and Skype, offer instructors a team-based teaching style—at completely no cost!

4 popular ways that online schools are embracing social media

1. Blogging teaches valuable writing and communication skills

Blogging is an ideal platform for online learning because it’s not dependant on a time and place. For many e-learners, daytime hours are often dedicated to a full time job or care giving, but with a blog, learning can take place any time, from any place. Blogging also encourages participation-based learning—making education student-centric (e.g., contribution from the whole group) rather than teacher-centric (e.g., one-way lecture in front of a class). This way, students are encouraged to browse classroom blogs for instruction, contribute actively to their own personal blog—which in turn helps strengthen writing, grammar and communication skills, and encourages students to collaborate and think outside of the normal classroom box.

2. Skype and YouTube offer learning in real-time

Sure, your students could read the required chapters from the textbook for their court reporting degree and take an online quiz, but wouldn’t they rather hear a real-life court reporter talk about their experience via a Skype chat or a YouTube video? Today, many online colleges are using video to bring education to life. So, for example, students learning a foreign language can converse with a native speaker or students in professional programs can get the scoop on the job market right from the horse’s mouth. Struggling students can also be matched with online tutors who can set up group study times weekly.

3. Smartphones

Instead of fighting smartphone use during learning time, why not use it to create a learning experience that imitates a real life workplace where the use of mobile devices is encouraged? By integrating mobile devices into the e-learning experience, students have a direct link to professors and fellow students— to ask questions, compare answers, trade class notes, and even capture images for sharing amongst groups.

4. Twitter encourages collaboration from a distance

Ideal for online learning where students often feel segregated, Twitter encourages community building with its unique creation of custom hashtags so that students interested in news and events surrounding almost any subject can stay updated.

Bio: Kathy F. Porter left her extremely uninspiring job as a Marketing Director at a large Georgia-based company and she decided it was ample time to do something she loved. The thought of going back-to-school was very intimidating until she discovered you could earn a degree online from a reputable university—without quitting her job or moving to another city. Kathy now works as a freelance writer and is very passionate about learning. You can contact Kathy at KathyFPorte@gmail.com.

Earthquake update

2011-12-23T10:36:00.000-08:00

I am so over all of this, you just get used to it
being over the earthquakes when bang you are back to square one.

We had 46 earthquakes yesterday (we don't feel all of them) and today we
have had 14 so far (it is 7 a.m.). Yesterday there were 4 really nasty ones
of 5.8, 5.9, 6.0 and 5.4.

One of them was centred a kilometre from our house!!! - it was only 7
kilometres deep!! I have to say they
were very scary again! The liquifaction is back so many roads are closed
again but luckily the bridges are not damaged this time. There have been no
deaths and there appears to be little more damage (there is not much left to
damage). I doubt if many shops will be open for those with last minute
shopping!!

Have a lovely Christmas

YouTube for schools

2011-12-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

Videos or movies have always had the power to engage the learners by bringing the topic to life.

YouTube, although it has many relevant videos for the classroom, is blocked by many schools as there are also many inappropriate videos to be found there.

Fantastic! Now YouTube have released YouTube for schools. This provides a secure, safe environment where students have access to hundreds of thousands of appropriate videos.

School admins and teachers can log in and watch any video, but students cannot
log in and can only watch YouTube EDU videos plus videos their school has added.
All comments and related videos are disabled and search is limited to YouTube
EDU videos.
Teachers can customize the content available in their school. All schools get access to all of the YouTube EDU content, but teachers and administrators can also create playlists of videos that are viewable only within their school's network.
YouTube.com/Teachers has hundreds of playlists of videos that align with common educational standards, organized by subject and grade. These playlists were created by teachers for teachers so you can spend more time teaching and less time searching.
YouTube for schools web site

There is an area which details 10 ways to use YouTube in your classroom.

These include:

To spark lively discussion by engaging students through showing videos relevant to their lives. This can then lead to students considering different perspectives or another point of view.
Organise the video content you find into a playlist for you and your students
Archive your work so you can refer back at a later stage saving you time and effort.
Allow students to dig deeper into a subject by creating an appropriate playlist
Get struggling students up to speed and push strong students ahead by giving students the opportunity to review the videos at a later time i.e. at home. Videos can be used to address misunderstandings or difficult concepts
Review for upcoming exams
Create a YouTube centre for your classroom
Create quizzes, using a Google Form, to accompany videos to give instant feedback
Create interactive video quests by using annotations
Flip your classroom where students watch the video at home so you can focus on applying the concepts

Christmas again...

2011-12-02T23:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming up again!! It is going to be a bit different for many people here in Christchurch as many of us are still living under difficult conditions after the earthquakes we have had over the last year.

My favourite web site is there for any of you who are parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents or friends.

Portable North Pole is just wonderful for children. You are able to enter the data about your children, some photos of your child and then a video is made for the child. This video stars Father Christmas speaking to the child - it is personalised for them. Children are so over awed by their video. If you have not used this site before try it - it is free to make and view your video online.

Marking v computer data

2011-11-30T22:34:00.000-08:00

As part of a research project, some children were given a multi-choice reading test. At the moment I am entering the data into a web site on the computer which then analyses the data and produces reports to show how the child is reading in relation to other children of the same age or class level. It also gives the teacher the next steps for the child.

Something I have found quite interesting is that some of the teachers have marked the papers (using a pen and counting the number correct) before we got the papers to enter the data. It amazes me how many teachers have marked incorrectly or added up incorrectly!!

When their marking and mine do not match I have checked the paper again before going on to the next one to ensure I have not entered the wrong answer but so far it has been the teachers.

This makes me think about the data for any of these tests. Teachers are over worked and errors like this can be part of the reason for this happening. I think it would be best for schools to hire teacher aides to enter the data for the teachers.

Guest post

2011-11-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

Educators: How to Increase Online Safety

You may think you're safe from malicious hackers since you conduct most of your online activity at school, but even with sophisticated antivirus and spyware, sneaky hackers may still be able to infect your computer and gain access to sensitive info such as your social security number, banking account number, or even home addresses. In fact, according to a worldwide survey commissioned by the popular antivirus software company Norton, more than 14 adults became victims of cybercrime every second in 2011 alone. Figures also show that collectively, cyber victims dished out a whopping $388 billion globally this year because of hackers. To make sure that your information (and your students') information is protected to the best of your ability, make sure to follow these tips below.

1. Encrypt, Encrypt, Encrypt. Portable flash drives are extremely handy—they allow users to easily transport documents such as lesson plans or your students' assignments so that you can access them from remote locations. But if you were to ever lose your flash drive or worse—get it stolen—the information stored on that flash drive can result in identity theft. To make sure all of your documents are protected and "for your eyes only," it's best to encrypt your flashdrive. What encryption does is ensure that only the password holder (you) can read and access the info. Most encryption services cost a small fee, but TrueCrypt will do it for free. Just follow the directions given by the installation wizard.

You also want to make sure that you encrypt your work email—you don't want a person from a remote location to be able to intercept your email and exploit the information to their advantage. Most email providers are already encrypted, but if you're not sure go ahead and research how to check for and install encryption. But to learn how to encrypt one of the more popular email providers, Gmail, click here.

2. View Secure Web Pages. When surfing the web, no matter if you are browsing for business or just for pleasure, you always want to make sure that you are viewing a "secured" Web page—especially when doing a bit of online shopping where credit card information is asked. An easy way to check a site's security strength is to look at the address bar: it should read "https://" not "http://"— notice there is no "s" on the latter. You should also make sure the page is secure when viewing social media sites like Facebook. To do this go to account settings>security>secure browsing>enabled.

It's also a good idea to look for a pad lock near the address bar as well—it should be closed (locked). Make sure to double click on pad lock as well and view the site's certificate—double check to make sure it's not out of date and that the name of the website matches the name on the certificate. It's not enough just to see a locked padlock—some creative hackers actually know how to just draw them-in.

To give you a sense of relief when clicking on a website, it's probably best to download a plug-in that can give you extra protection. For example, Mozilla Firefox users can use Web of Trust—it helps identify both safe and malicious websites before a user even clicks on it.

3. Clear Your Memory Cache. Every time you click on a site or image your actions are documented and saved in order to speed up a Web page's loading time the next time you visit that same site. But this also makes it easy for your browsing history and habits to be traced—not only for hackers in remote locations but also for people who make use your computer, such as coworkers. So clear you cache from time to time. The steps taken will vary depending on which Web browser you use, but to learn how to clear the caches of most major Web browsers, click here.

4. Monitor Cookies. Similar to the Web cache, sometimes when you visit a site, minuscule pieces of coding are saved on to your hard drive. These are called cookies. While usually most cookies are installed to give marketers some insight into consumer's habits and are harmless, some contain viruses. That said, to learn how to delete cookies, click here.

5. Know how to Indentify a Virus. Last but not least, it's highly important that you recognize the signs of an infection. There is no "clear" indicator, but if your computer starts acting strangely and does any of the following things, run a spyware sweep and let it get checked out by a professional IT tech.

Slower internet
Things begin to move on their own—mouse cursor moves sporadically, documents open and close, emails are erased, passwords are changed etc.
When you "turn off" your computer, the system still runs—LAN light or Wi-Fi light still blinks etc.

Byline:

This is a guest post from Jacelyn Thomas. Jacelyn writes about identity theft prevention for IdentityTheft.net. She can be reached at: jacelyn.thomas @ gmail.com.

ICT in schools

2011-11-13T10:27:00.000-08:00

Due to positioning theories of learning with ICT in cognitive and social processes we need to carry out research that investigates how students learn with ICT in contexts of curriculum with technology imbedded in them (Kozma 1994). Yelland (2001) feels that this is crucial as many believe that ICT will only have impact on learning if it is integrated into social and cultural contexts. She also feels that this can only happen through school reform in curriculum and pedagogy as traditional forms of instruction were not designed to cope with such issues as complex interrelationships. Johnson (2000) states that we need to take into account two factors in order to be relevant, computers need to be available and accessible to teachers and students and teachers should be confident and competent with the range of applications that are available to support the teaching and learning.

Although some research by Lally and Macleod (1984) suggested that computer aided instruction types of programs had limited use due to applications not leading to improved teaching procedures but merely computerising existing techniques, many still believe this process will work.

In order for ICT to be integrated into the curriculum Yelland (2001) states that changes in the learning process occurs which are characterised by (CEO forum 1999):
 Problem or project oriented – whereby investigations are authentic and where there are many solutions to the problem
 Student centred – students feel empowered by their work and participate in developing their own investigations. Teachers act as guides, facilitators, and provide the materials to support their learning. While teachers remain the cornerstone of the educational process a partnerships is formed with students, parents, peers and other professionals. The teachers’ role is less authoritarian and more one of encouraging and guiding the students towards their goals.
 Collaborative – since learning with authentic tasks is an interactive experience between teaches and students and as students acquire and use information they need to exchange ideas and create relationships with each other and with professionals relevant to their work
 Relevant – learning with ICT has the potential to create educational opportunities to meet the needs of individuals and groups in diverse ways and allows them to work according to their needs and interests. Teachers can use digital devices to record and report on students’ performance in enhanced ways, tracking achievement through databases or using video for observation of skill development.
 Productive – the use of ICT encourages both teachers and students to become ‘content producers’

The characteristics of exemplary teachers who integrated computers into their classrooms as found by Becker (1993) included that they created an environment for learning in which the computer directly related to the curriculum goals as well as incorporating a wide for variety of uses which were relevant to knowledge building across the curriculum. These teachers also had greater access to formal professional development and also had smaller class sizes. In this work Becker states that his ‘assumption of the exemplary teaching label was based on the important academic outcomes which result from systematic and frequent use of computer software for activities which involve higher order thinking, such as interpreting data, reasoning, writing, solving real world problems and conducting scientific investigations (p. 316).

Another study by Swan & Mitrani (1993) found that many studies that had been conducted concentrated on how the computer reinforced or enhanced basic skills and measured by testing outcomes in standardised tests. Another point that they made was that many studies found that when such skills were presented on the computer that they were learned more effectively. However they maintained that such use of computers was detrimental to a broader use which would impact on the actual processes of teaching and learning. They maintain that when computers are effectively integrated into the curriculum and are a natural part of the teaching process that the learning is more student-centred and collaborative than in the more traditional classroom settings. In this setting they found that the dynamics between the teacher and students changed with the teacher taking a facilitators role. From this work they stated that ‘technology alone will not change schools’ as they felt that there also needs to be a change in the classroom climate and pedagogy for the use of ICT to have an impact.

I wrote this some years ago - have things changed much since then?

Model for professional development for teachers in the online learning environment

2011-11-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

The advent of the internet has changed the mode of delivery for many courses in the tertiary sector and courses are now offered in an online learning environment with variable success. There has been a range of studies concerning online learning in such environments as university classes online, however there is little research about the role of information technologies in promoting professional learning for teaching practitioners.

Educational practitioners undertake professional development to either develop their skills and knowledge to improve student learning in their classrooms or for promotional reasons. Educational practitioners want to be inspired by their teachers when undertaking professional development. Some researchers point to the relationship between the teacher and the course members as being an important factor in the success of a course. As many professional development courses are being delivered in an online learning environment, the course members never meet the teacher and the teacher needs to develop strategies to allow these relationships to develop. posted online using the resources from a face-to-face course for the course members to download. Now the capabilities of the internet allow for a range of technologies to be used to enhance the learning in an online learning environment.

The aim of my study was to explore the perceptions of educational practitioners who are undertaking an online professional development course.

My study suggests that a pedagogical shift for teaching practitioners can be accomplished in the online learning environment through the online environment design and the teacher taking an active role in the facilitating.

Using the findings from this study, a model for the online learning environment to encourage teaching practitioners to integrate the skills and knowledge into their classrooms to enhance the children’s learning is shown. This model involves a cyclic approach and involves developing skills and knowledge in educational contexts, linking these to relevant theory and reflection on the learning, completing a range of tasks in the course member’s own context, and completing assignments using the skills and knowledge in a classroom setting to enable the course member to see a technology infused classroom in practice. Seeing a lesson where technology is used and seeing the impact that the technology can have on student learning encourages teaching practitioners to employ technology-enhanced teaching strategies. This model aligns with Timperley et al. (2007) who suggest three stages in professional learning processes: cueing and retrieving prior knowledge, becoming aware of new information/skills and integrating them into current values and beliefs system, and creating dissonance with current position.

Timperley, H., Wilson, A., Barrar, H. & Fung, I. (2007). Teacher professional learning and development: Best evidence synthesis iteration. Wellington: Ministry of Education.

The Ready Classroom

2011-11-11T21:04:00.000-08:00

The Ready Classroom

The Ready Classroom is a great resource for teachers to use with their classrooms. Although it has been specifically written for schools in the USA all of the content is appropriate to schools everywhere.

This resource is to prepare schools, students and families in the case of a disaster.

Disasters that are dealt with on the site are:

Earthquakes
Extreme heat
Floods
Hurricanes
Landslide and debris flow
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes
Tsunamis
Volcanoes
Wildfires
Winter storms and extreme cold

There are also links to appropriate videos which open in a new window. These vary in length and have been graded as to what is appropriate for different class levels.

My city has been through two major earthquakes over this past year. Naturally I therefore had a look through the area about earthquakes. In here is an explanation of what an earthquake is, a checklist to download and all the videos about earthquakes. While the checklist is good it does not deal at all with liquefaction which we found a real problem. At the time of the earthquake many cars got stranded in deep sink holes.

There are teacher tools including lesson plans, themed puzzles and resources. In addition children can make a family plan for emergencies. This is online and is not saved but may be printed out and some parts may be downloaded and saved. This would be well worth doing with students.

The Ready Classroom is part of the Discovery Education web site.

Guest post

2011-11-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

Education and Technology - Welcome a Unifying Approach Leading to Better Learning

Education and technology - will it be able to incorporate a better learning experience among the youth? Well, the debate over whether the blend of education and technology will be able to formulate productive learning might still be continuing, but the integration of tech-based learning that has already crept in the educational world cannot be missed. The influence and dominance of technology in our living, learning, and working has reached such heights that you are open to either loving or hating it but certainly, not ignoring it. The integration of tech-based learning however, has opened multiple doors of opportunities for the career-oriented individuals.

Now, assuming that you wish to advance your career with an MBA degree, but is tied by other personal and /or professional commitments. To add to the blues, your dream was to obtain a degree from a foreign university of recognition. Leaving your job and moving out to pursue the degree through regular studies is certainly not a choice; therefore, what stands as an option for you. Well, the options until a decade back were tied to enrolling for part time program, weekend classes, and correspondence courses, if not regular course. Establishing a digital communication was impossible then, but forward to the present age, living your dream is no longer far away.

You can well consider pursuing a distance learning MBA program to realize your dream; thanks to the magical touch of technological influence over learning. Establishing a communication and sharing information in this age of web dominant technologies is no longer a challenging task. By virtue of technological advancements, distance learning has crept into the digital world in the name of online learning or e-learning. The introduction of learning in the digital world on strength of technology has certainly made living and learning easier than ever before.

Students are now open to connecting and communicating with their instructors anytime and anywhere independent of time and distance gaps. The strong bond of education and technology has made it easier for the mid-career professionals and the newcomers to eye for success in the global job market through distance learning MBA program. While a mid- career professional can conveniently enroll in online classes for upgrading his skills to offer better productivity in the job sector, the students can purse the management course alongside their traditional programs for a better stand individually in the corporate world.

The introduction and advancement of tech-based learning has opened multiple avenues for the career-oriented individuals, as they are now able to pursue a degree course at their own convenience without shifting base or compromising on their respective commitments. Since, the competition is strict leveraging one’s skills in the given professional filed has become essential to survive through the odds of the current job market. Here, is a quick look at some of the applications that has made the blend of education and technology productive for many around the world –

Discussion Boards
Online Chat Forums
Video and live conferencing
Podcasts, webcasts, and vidcasts
Other Internet communication tools

Distance learning MBA on strength of technology has created a road that enables the career-oriented individuals to match pace with global corporate world that is developing with rapid speed and swiftness. Education and technology, the blend has certainly come across as a blessing for the learners wishing to carve a niche professionally.

To learn more about the blend, you can refer to the BBC report on “Digital textbooks open a new chapter” that detail on the initiative taken by educational institutes to digitalize learning.

AUTHOR BIO - Freya Spears driven by his passion towards writing likes to create thought provoking blogs and write-ups related to the educational world that is ever changing in this rapidly developing age. Here, he focuses upon distance learning MBA and the way technology integration in education has simplified the career objective.

Guest post

2011-11-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

Technology in Classroom - Drives Better Learning in Students

Technology for always have shared a close connection with learning. The way we learn with time has undergone major changes and like every time technology played a significant role in initiating the change. However, in 21^st century, when we say technology to influence learning and the educational sector, the focus tends to remain over the digital tools that were introduced in our lives during 1990s. Keeping in mind the reference, technology in classrooms sharply indicate the influence of integrating digital tools in classroom learning and teaching. Be it for bachelors, masters, or advanced degrees, tech-based learning in classroom is said to drive in more interactivity and engagement leading to a better learning experience.

Technology in classroom undeniably holds great potential to change the way student learn and teachers teach in the years to come. Since, performance is driving the current job market, it has become essential for the career –oriented individuals to update and upgrade their skills and knowledge for featuring productive work ability. Learning that is confined within said text books without the implementation of practical experience and hands-on experience of theorems will no longer yield a positive result. It has become significant for learning to set new horizons and reach beyond the brick and mortal setting for adapting a learning experience of worth.

Since, technology in today’s age has achieved a new reference in the form of digital tools; classroom also is no longer confined to a physical setting. The dominance of digital tools has conveniently made way for the presence of a virtual classroom that assists in simplified learning. Professionals or students wishing to enhance his or her career through advanced degrees no longer find it a challenge. Technology in classroom has made communication and connectivity possible between learners, instructors, and content independent of time and distance and other geographical boundaries.

Well, the integration of technology in classroom has facilitated learning in many ways that in turn has led to form a better learning experience, especially for student’s eying career development. Here is a look at some of the advantages that the integration has bestowed upon career-oriented individuals and learning -

It has helped students achieve an active participation in learning breaking the shackles of being just a passive learner and recipient. This has helped in personal enrichment of the students thereby, increasing his or her self-confidence.
It has helped the students to stay updated about the latest skills and the ideas that are storming a change in their job sector. This has led the students to become more performance-oriented and has thereby, helped them survive through the odds.
It has also enhanced the motivation among the learners, as it is said to design an interactive and engaging classroom helping the students to be more communicative and confident.
It has helped the students’ access learning anytime and anywhere facilitating them to take the full advantage of the freedom and flexibility endowed upon them. Furthermore, technology usage helps in better understanding of the problem and demonstrating concepts.

Well, the integration of technology in classrooms holds multiple benefits for the learners. Excepting the cardinal rule of helping the students to balance work and studies, tech-based learning also help them to make choices, execute skills, define goals, involve in decision-making process, performing practical lessons, judge their progress, and many more. Studying for advanced degrees in a teach-enabled classroom helps the individual emerge a winner amid all the competition and odds driving the industry.

AUTHOR BIO - Robert Williams loves to create thought provoking content on topics related to education. Here, he focuses upon the idea and the benefits of integrating technology in classrooms and the way it is affecting the change in advanced degrees.

Guest post

2011-11-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Integrating Technology in the Classroom for Any Subject: 4 Ideas

In the 21^st century, integrating technology in the classroom isn’t just a matter of learning how to use basic computer programs. Now, more and more employers seek college graduates who can do a number of things on the Internet, from creating and uploading videos, heading social media campaigns, and more. If the subject you teach is not directly related to technology, there are still various projects you can assign that will help build these essential technological skills. Here are a few ideas that can be implemented in any classroom, even as “non-technological” as literature or music.

1. Create a classroom wiki.

Creating a class wiki is one of the best ways of integrating technology in the classroom for any subject. Have students create their own pages where they can submit homework assignments, have classroom discussions outside the classroom, and where they can edit and critique other students’ work. For more information, check out this Smart Teaching article that discusses multiple ways that of using wikis in the classroom.

2. Have students create videos related to the subject matter and upload them on YouTube.

More and more employers expect first-time workers to be comfortable around all forms of media. For example, decades ago, a journalist was expected only to write. Now, journalists must be able to take photographs and make videos as well. As such, learning how to use a camera is an essential job skill. If you are a literature teacher, consider having students create short videos of different parts or chapters of whichever novel you are currently reading. Learning to adapt literature into video helps students better grasp any given work of arts’ themes.

3. Create websites.

When I was in college, I took an introductory astronomy course in which the final project was to create a website on any star or planet. This was a wonderful way to learn basic website design while learning about a specific planet in-depth. Creating different pages on each website enabled us students to learn different facets of the same topic—the history of the planet’s discovery, its physical composition, and its relation to the cosmos as a whole. In the same way, having your students create a website will help them to learn a specific idea from several different angles.

4. Create an online course.

They say that the best way to learn something is to teach it to others. Having your students create an online course to teach other students about your subject matter is a quick way for them to become engaged in the subject, as well as helping them improve their presentation skills beyond mere PowerPoint. Using Odijoo or various other free online course creating tools will help students to become actively involved in the classroom.

These are just a few basic ideas for integrating technology in the classroom such that your students learn basic Internet skills that will serve them well in the workplace, while still learning whichever subject you are teaching. Good luck!

Author Bio:

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Chrome web store

2011-10-31T22:56:00.000-07:00

I have just been looking at what is available in the Chrome Web Store. There are some interesting applications or Web 2 tools that would be good for schools however...

I have been looking at the map showing earthquakes that have happened in the world during the last 7 days.

As you can see from the screen shot it tells us that there have been no earthquakes of a magnitude of 2.5 or above in my country in the last seven days. They say none at all!!!

This is completely incorrect as we have had 27 earthquakes in my city (or surrounding countryside) in the last seven days! Where am I? Christchurch New Zealand. The majority of these earthquakes are over 2.5 but of course that is not a big quake as far as we are concerned. Below you can see a screen dump of where some of these earthquakes happened, their magnitude and the depth.

What concerns me here is that if there is such a glaring error i.e. 27 earthquakes not registering on this site how accurate are any of the other offerings here?

If you are using any with your class I would suggest that you check it out carefully before the children use it.

3D technology in the classroom

2011-10-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

I have just been watching a video from Fox television about a school in Colorado where they are using 3D technology in the classroom.

This is a biology class where the students are full of praise for the technology e.g. "I think it's awesome! In my past biology classes I've always had a really hard time understanding what a molecule looks like and how it can be rotated and how it changes. But, with the 3D movie it shows it rotating," and "It makes me really interested in the topics that we are studying about. It's a new way to see things,".

That sounds like a gimmick however the teacher says her students have a better understanding of the subject and their test scores are up 10% which is pretty impressive. Obviously a serious drawback to the use of the technology is the expense - this report mentions that a projector and 30 pairs of glasses is about ten thousand American dollars!

For those interested to find out more about the benefits of 3D technology there is a white paper available. This paper suggests that benefits of using the technology are:

Test results
Higher retention rates
Enhanced learning experience and excitement

Frankly I seriously doubt that the technology will become available in many schools for some time and I would see limited use for it with primary aged pupils especially given the cost. Having said that another article discusses a pilot test third, fourth and fifth grade students. During this time the students participated in classes using the technology in maths (calculate the volume of unusual shapes through objects that could be viewed or moved around to show different angles), science (a tour of the solar system, life cycle of a plant, dissecting a frog) and health (going inside the human body to see how antibiotics work). Benefits of using the technology included:

Those who tended to be disruptive or inattentive during traditional instruction were so enamored they uttered nary a peep. Those with limited English proficiency suddenly had a visual that helped them grasp concepts where mere words had failed. Gifted kids were making so many new connections and asking such provocative questions that the lessons often mined territory far beyond teachers had anticipated.

I would be interested in what others feel about the technology and particularly if you have used it in the classroom.

Guest post

2011-10-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

Exploring the Integration of Tech-tools or ICT in Learning

The blend of technology in teaching and learning process has initiated a change in the practice and progression of education. With education transpiring in the digital world, learning in 21st century has become more flexible and accessible. From traditional classroom learning to distance learning, the integration of technology is found in all approaches to education. In most cases, educationists of today are relying upon the newly evolved from of blended learning that initiates a wonderful mix of technology in learning. This blend not only ensures better and motivated learning but also helps in highlighting the needs and interest of students in learning styles.

Information and communications technology in classroom has been the major catalyst in leveraging the way people learn in this new age of evolution and innovation. Integrating classroom technologies in learning instigating better communication and information exchange can be of a major benefit in effectual classroom management techniques. Several statistical reports on this line have stated that if learning is relevant and interesting, behavioral issues automatically lessen. This particular concept has indeed initiated the implementation of technology in classroom learning. Several UK high schools, colleges, and universities have embraced the evolution of blended learning making study in UK far more interesting.

The influence of information and communications technology in classroom has also helped in the evolution of distance learning in such a wider scale. The integration of technology in education has paved way for swift information exchange and communication. Furthermore, the integration has also helped in replicating the entire classroom-learning feel over the virtual presence without any physical setting. You can sit in one corner of the world and enjoy an interaction with your instructor sitting in another corner of the world independent of time and distance constraints. The implementation of technology in learning has effectively opened the study in UK door without any restraints.

This implementation in the online world of learning is best experienced through the advancement of integration of E-learning in education. For further references onto the subject, you can browse through the Wikipedia page on E-learning.

Information and communications technology in classroom calls for better interaction and communication among students, teachers, and parents. This implementation in classroom learning allows the students to blend their theoretical knowledge with practical experience. From updating the wiki with a research article, recording narratives as podcasts, creating blogs, or participating in a conference talk, technology works towards the goal of fuller development along with personal enrichment. Any information that is delivered to students with the help of technology holds maximum chance of being more engaging and effective. Classroom learning relying upon power point presentation offers the student a visualized learning approach.

Tech-blend learning if delivered effectively by a proper instructor knowing the terms well is sure to offer the students with a platform to publish their own thoughts in text, video , and multi-media format enabling a better learning experience. Information and communication technology in classroom learning lays a different and immediate approach to learning that comes with a feedback forum. This integration helps the students in developing creative thinking ability. Furthermore, learning technologies also helps in connecting the students’ parents in the communicative approach.

Technology in learning, be it for study in UK programs or any other courses is becoming an essential part in the life of most learners and the onus of offering it with a stronger platform lies in the hands of the teacher. However, it is to be remembered that information and communications technology in learning though a potential tool in learning serves a purpose than being an end.

AUTHOR BIO - Robert Williams driven by his passion of writing and interest in education loves to write on various educational topics and new-age technologies and innovations affecting the course of studies. Here, he focuses upon information and communications technology in classroom and the study in UK approach.

Guest post

2011-10-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

Information & Communications Technologies - Changing the Way of Learning

The role of technology in changing the way of teaching and learning is all-pervading. Advancement in information and communications technology in education has indeed provided a support platform to learners worldwide in keeping them integrated with performance-oriented skills along with the knowledge. Implementation of information and communications technologies, referred to as ICT, in learning has benefited education in many ways. From making education accessible for all to formulating a convenient and flexible learning mode – the significance of ICT in distance learning is indisputable.

The concept of learning via distance has been quick enough to respond to the innovation and advancement in the field of technology support towards education. The blending of technology and education in making distance learning courses accessible and flexible for all can be attributed to the reasons of introducing need based course programs and developing performance skill and support among today’s learners and professionals alongside the knowledge base. Furthermore, implementation of ICT in distance learning also helps in designing a flexible schedule of learning assisting the professionals and learners in developing their own learning module.

Implanting information and communications technologies in learning is a proposal or idea that finds it integration in all branches of education. The augmented and enlarged use of ICT in delivering learning at all corners of the world connecting the student, instructor, and content over a single platform is currently perceived as an up-and-coming practice in the educational sector. The focus of the initiative lies in bringing the rural and geographically remote areas under the fold of education via distance learning conquering over the geographical barriers and other odds.

Offering support services to the learners form an important part of distance learning courses and the educational program. Since, the learners are not involved with campus learning process directly; effective teaching-learner interaction needs to be carried out over the virtual learning setting. Support services like, admission process, academic counseling, academic career guidance, teleconferencing, teleconferencing, ICT implemented e-learning, library support, and information services are provided to the students for building an efficient interaction platform among both teachers and students.

Distance learning that until recently relied upon postal and mailing services now enjoys a new twist under the hands of technologies and online tools that holds the power of transforming the learning environment completely. The implementation of Information and communications technologies in distance learning courses hold multiple benefits in transforming the way people learn -

· Technological developments and advancements have paved the road to better learning enriched with visualization, interaction, and graphical representations.

· Video conferencing and live conferencing through enhanced satellite system helps the student and teacher connect beyond the geographical barriers and physical classroom setting.

· E-mail and other communications technology have made communication easier ensuring greater feedback and increased interaction among the peers along with teacher-student interaction.

· The Internet acts as a complete source of information making the incorporation of classroom environment easier for both the student and the instructor. It also offers the scope if self-paced learning and self-development.

The greatest benefit of implementing information and communications technologies in learning can be solely attributed to the fact of making distance learning courses available for worldwide. Distance learning courses now holds the potential of transforming the way of education and the way people learn in shaping up a new global economy conforming to the rapid societal changes.

For more references on this, you can refer to the Wikipedia page on Educational Technology.

AUTHOR BIO - Robert Williams loves writing and holds an interest towards various education related topics. He loves to write about distance learning courses and the changes the learning mode is facing in its evolution. Here, he focuses upon the influence of information and communications technology in learning.

Embed Plus

2011-10-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

I wrote earlier in the year about Embed Plus (check my previous post to find out about how this tool can be used).

This site is now very popular with educators as can be imagined.

They have now got an area where they have an example of how their tool might be used in a classroom or with students. The first example is a dictionary which will be great for ESOL teachers (pronouncing words) where students can find how to pronounce words and use the word in context. This will also interest other teachers to give them some ideas of how they might use it.

You can also go the link page to get the html code to use in your own web site.

Guest post

2011-10-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Communications Technologies in Classroom helps in Learning Enhancement

With technology continuing its influence in the world affecting our way of living and working, the educational sector too is not left far behind. Advancement in Internet and communication technology within the last decade has also offered a massive turnaround in the way of our learning. Today, the world of education under the dominating influence of the digital transition is continuously confronted with numerous challenges and opportunities. Distance learning, as it was in the past is embraced with new technological developments that are paving way for better learning. Online courses in today’s age is largely shaped in the mould of interactive classroom teaching characterized by online learning system management

The implementation of the online learning management system in the school or college environment is all set to witness a new turnaround under the influence of communication technologies in classroom. Several statistical surveys has reported that integrating technology in classroom studies hold positive results, as it increases concentration and appeal of learning among young students. Information and Communication Technology abbreviated as ICT is recognized as a universal potential tool for educational advancement leading to national progress and personal enrichment. Application of such technologies in classroom is conceived as a beneficial approach in transforming the way we learn.

However, the actual challenge comes in connecting the advanced communication technologies in support of teaching and learning that now happens at a multi-dimensional level. Initiating a child to learn or appealing a college student towards regular learning is a challenge for every teacher. In such a situation, technology acts as the engaging tool for initiating the students to learn and grow. With the entire world turning digital, students are seen to hold a special interest for tech-blend learning. Communication technology in classroom is sure to support the genre of online courses or e-learning thereby, making learning far more associable and flexible along with being convenient.

The Wikipedia page on E-learning details on the use of communication technologies in classrooms to support e-learning. The page also details on various other leaning management software that assists the usage of communication technology in enhancing learning.

The advancement of Internet technology and the availability of communication tools in the generation of web 2.0 application offer an extensive resource for communication technologies in classroom. From wikis, blogs, productivity application, concept mapping tools, to social networking sites, today’s teachers and students are proficient with every usage and application of communication technology. Online instructors to support greater learning are complementing the use of such technologies in classroom for presenting the course content and proving a wider access to information. Online courses in many universities are supplemented with platforms like Blackboard.com.

Wikis and weblogs too are known to offering an excellent platform of implementing advanced communication technologies in classrooms to enhance learning. These communicative platforms in today’s age of flexible learning make sharing ideas, initiating discussions, and indulging in question-answer session a lot easier. Videos and podcasts act as other engaging tools of enhancing learner working towards the same goal of connecting instructor and learner along with the content over a virtual platform independent of distance and time.

However, implementation of communication technologies in classroom, as it supports a learner initiative to learn at his own pace also holds challenges for both the educator and instructor to use the technologies properly. A number of universities and colleges today have implemented online courses on information and communication technology for helping the collaborative undertaking of enhancing learning through communication technologies in classrooms.

AUTHOR BIO - Robert Williams is a blogger by choice and he loves to write on educational topics for benefiting the learners of today’s age in knowing about the new implementations and changes in online learning or distance learning courses. Here, he focuses on the subject how communication technologies in classrooms can enhance learning.

Guest post

2011-10-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

Getting the Picture: Using Photo Editing Software in the Classroom

As technology becomes increasingly sophisticated and more widely available and accessible it also becomes more of staple in almost every environment, from hospitals to elementary schools. For teachers everywhere this can be both a blessing and curse: On the one hand it gives them another tool to teach students (and one that they are naturally receptive to); on the other, it is a new tool that they have to learn to use themselves.

If you are a teacher, you shouldn't fret—introducing new techniques and technologies into your classroom doesn't have to be complicated, and can be fun and enriching for you.

There are hundreds of activities you can plan that incorporate technology into your lessons. One type of free program has proven especially versatile in my experience: online photo editing and collage programs. With these programs you can have students upload a photo (or a whole album of photos) and edit, arrange, save, and print the final product, all without having to use crayons, markers, scissors, glue, or any other conventional supplies.

Programs like these are especially useful when introducing new vocabulary to students, no matter what level. At the elementary level, you can use these sites to reinforce categories by asking students find images of a particular type—of animals, shapes, or similar things—and group them together. From there, you can even ask them to further distinguish the groups—putting fish with fish, mammals with mammals, etc.

With middle school students, you can similar things, but perhaps at a higher level, with more advanced concepts. Middle school students can also handle assignments like a visual book report, in which they would have to gather together images that mirrored the plot or theme of a book they read.

You can even work these sites into high school (and college) lessons. Something that I find helps older students remember new words or concepts is if they have to match the word or concept with an image they think corresponds to it. This forces them to connect with the material on a personal level, and increases th

e chance that they will retain the information.

The possibilities are only limited to your imagination! If bringing technology into your classroom in a seamless (painless) way is important to you, try out some of the lessons suggested above in your class, with the sites listed below:

Picnik.com: Picnik is a very powerful image editing suite that allows user to make basic edits to photos, such as cropping and color correction, as well as more advanced (and pretty fun) edits, such as photo effects, adding stickers, text, and combining photos into a collage. After editing, users can save the edited photos to a hard drive, or print them. All in all, this is very impressive, and very capable software that is intuitive and easy to use.

Fotoflexer.com: Fotoflexer is very similar in capability and power to Picnik, but is more centered on collage from the start. Users have a canvas they can upload several photos to and edit simultaneously. Fotoflexer also has more fun effects, geared toward younger users, such as glitter text. Again, users can save and p

rint their pages.

Photomix.com: Photomix is a software users have to download, and is more focused on scrapbooking on collage. It has more or less the same features as Picnik and Fotoflexer, but can be run from a user's computer without having to open an internet browser.

Take your "pic" from these great programs and get learning—or teaching, whichever comes first!

Author Bio:
This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at accredited online colleges about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.

Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T18:12:00.001-07:00

Like many other people, I was saddened to hear of the death of Steve Jobs yesterday. Apple computers were so important in schools right back since the 1980s. It is fascinating to read that he started to make and sell Apple computers as long ago as 1975, truly ahead of his time. He was a known perfectionist who worked tirelessly to ensure that his products were the best they could be.

He was a great visionary who has died at such a young age. My thoughts are with his family.

Interactive Learning

2011-09-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

Interactive learning is a new web site dedicated to improving student performance through interactive learning. Here teachers can find how schools are integrating technologies into the classroom to enhance the thinking and learning.

There is a very interesting article which gives a ten year update on technology and education. The article points to how, after 30 years with technology in the schools, there has been a lack of change in the classrooms:

"The reality is that advocates have over-promised the ability of educators to extract a learning return on technology investments in school. The research studies now suggest that the error was not in citing the potential of technology to augment learning – for research now indicates that the effective use of technology can result in high levels of learning. The error was in underestimating the critical need for the system changes required to use technologies effectively in learning."

Here in New Zealand, we have a similar scenario. Although we have some schools where change is evident and the teachers are using the technology as a tool in their classrooms to build 21st century skills we also have others where the technology is used as a 'reward' for good behaviour or for word processing a story but little else.

I was teaching some students in an intermediate school last term. The students in this group came from every class in the school and were learning new skills to be able to show others in their class as well as using the skills in their own learning. Every Web 2 tool I went to use with the group was either blocked or was not able to be used properly on the school's network - very frustrating for the teachers wanting to use these technologies. Staff professional development was offered to the teachers in this school on a needs basis and was held before school in the morning. Few teachers took up this offer 'we are too busy in the mornings getting ready for the day'.

The research states that the real potential of the technology has still not been realised in education.

"Overall,across all uses in all content areas, technology does provide a small, but significant, increase in learning when implemented with fidelity and accompanied by appropriate pedagogical shifts. While this is generally encouraging, the real value lies in the identification of those technology interventions that get significant positive results that warrant investment."

Classroom of the future?

2011-09-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

The New York Times has an online article (a version has also appeared in print) about whether the use of technology in the classroom does in fact improve the education for the students.

The article discusses Kyrene School District where digital classrooms are the norm. Here the aim is to transform the classrooms with the teachers facilitating the students' learning. However standardized tests of student performance in reading and maths have stagnated here while they have risen in other areas. They suggest that there is little convincing data to show that spending the money on technology is improving basic learning.

Teachers need some research which clearly shows the effect of technology on teaching and learning.

A question plaguing many education researchers is how to draw broader inferences from such case studies, which can have serious limitations.

Educators would like to see major trials years in length that clearly demonstrate technology’s effect. But such trials are extraordinarily difficult to conduct when classes and schools can be so different, and technology is changing so quickly.

And often the smaller studies produce conflicting results. Some classroom studies show that math scores rise among students using instructional software, while others show that scores actually fall. The high-level analyses that sum up these various studies, not surprisingly, give researchers pause about whether big investments in technology make sense.
I would be interested in what other teachers think of the article and their ideas of the use of technology in schools.

Adventure Maker

2011-09-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

Adventure Maker is free software available for download.

This software is great for use in the classroom. Children are able to create their own multimedia games. Included in the download is Creative Painter (a draw tool). Children do not need to be able to programme as this software just requires point and click. A great tool to encourage higher order thinking skills.

This video will give you an overview of the software as well as a tutorial on how to use it.

While there are examples of some games that have been made using Adventure Maker on the site you need to be very careful in your selection of the ones you download as examples for the classroom.

Zamzar

2011-09-18T11:24:00.001-07:00

Zamzar is a quick and easy online web site where you can convert files from one format to another.

Their mission is

"To provide high quality file conversion
for as many file formats as possible"

So many times I have wanted to convert files to another format to send to someone or to use with other software (e.g. put a video in a PowerPoint presentation - PowerPoint will only allow some formats to be used). This tool is free to use - there are options ranging from $7 to $49 per month - but most teachers are not usually wanting to use the service enough to warrant the expenditure. Just to convert files is free and will take files up to 100mgs.

Steps are:

upload the file
choose the file format you wish to convert to
put in the email address to receive the converted file
press Convert

Reading programme

2011-09-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

I have been helping with entering data from a research project about a reading programme which is becoming widely used here in New Zealand. Availll is a research based literacy programme for the classroom. It uses films in a series of scripted lessons to teach skills in three areas of literacy:

comprehension strategies
vocabulary
fluency

Availll was developed by Dr. Alice Killackey (previously from Northern Arizona University) who had found, when teaching in the classroom in 2001, that while students had a good understanding of video they did not have good reading skills. She was inspired to use the students' strengths in video to bring up their weaknesses in reading. A range of activities were created, tested and re-tested with dramatic experimental results.

The researchers have found that students are highly motivated to use the programme. Originally this programme was only available in New Zealand but is now available internationally at a very low cost. For those teachers who are looking for a reading programme to motivate their children this is very worthwhile. Some of the books used are available as free downloadable ebooks.

A list server I am on is currently discussing the use of this programme and here is what one teacher had to say:

We found that the students were all very motivated and they found it
exciting to 'read' a DVD. After a term of the programme we found
students listening skills had improved and when we did the PROBE testing
we found most students reading and comprehension levels had improved by
between 1 and 3 years (great result after a term)

My Brainshark

2011-09-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

My Brainshark is an interesting site for teachers to use.

Using this site teachers can upload their PowerPoint presentations and then add their audio to it to then embed the presentation in their online course or email their students to share the presentation.

You can also upload other documents, photos or video clips and add audio to these.

While this site has been developed for businesses but can certainly be used by teachers for educational purposes.

It is free to sign up.

SchoolTube

2011-09-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

I have used YouTube (like everyone else),TeacherTube (which I love) and now have just found SchoolTube.

This web site was launched some time ago and is a teacher moderated video sharing website.

They are dedicated to supporting educational institutions and have a range of videos for educators to show how a range of ICT tools and software can be used in the classroom to enhance the thinking and learning as well as motivating the students. Teachers are able to share concepts, ideas and lesson plans with others.

There are various channels you can use starting with the free channel for teachers. There are other options which will cost the school e.g. a Premium channel costs $US495 a year.

I was disappointed to see on the main page of the site showed this video (title). I am not sure if the teacher moderated this video. While I know it is fashionable not to correct a student's work it is possible to discuss the spelling of something like this before it is uploaded to the site.

Online networks

2011-09-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

Not all agree with the last post. In our Saturday Press is an article "facing up to Facebook" by a university lecturer from New Zealand. He is a lecturer in Marketing but also has an interest in 'what makes people tick' - how people interact and express themselves in online worlds such as Facebook. He highlights how these sites can be used in positive ways but also warns that there is a 'dark and dirty side'.

It will be interesting to see this research when it comes out.

Learning together online

2011-09-09T10:12:00.000-07:00

Steve Wheeler has just put up a new slide share about Learning together online. This presentation discusses how social networks are an important part of the culture of many young people. In light of this teachers need to exploit the power of these tools to engage students to enhance the thinking and learning in their classrooms.

Here in New Zealand, we have had some instances where a social media network (such as Facebook) has been used in a way where the outcomes are probably not what was envisioned by the young people using it. Teaching how to use the tools in a responsible way is also important.

Learning together online

Diipo

2011-09-05T01:30:00.000-07:00

What is Diipo???

Education 2.0: Social networking for your class

Diipo connects the teacher with their students making it easy for the teacher to communicate with their class. Diipo also connects teachers with other teachers as well as their class with other classes. Diipo uses an easy-to-use and familiar user-interface which is similar to Facebook and Twitter. One of the aims of Diipo is to help students stay connected and engaged.

Teachers can connect with other teachers to share and exchange ideas as well as best practices on how to get the most out of Web 2.0 technologies. In addition teachers can share educational content with each other or brainstorm ideas for collaborative projects.

This is an ideal site to use with the students so that they can also learn to use a social networking site in a responsible way.

Art History

2011-08-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

Smart History is an wonderful web site for Art History students and teachers.

This is a free and open multimedia website that can be "taken anywhere" replacing the heavy text books.

You will also find videos timeline, articles and podcasts to engage the students and increase their understanding.

They aim for reliable content and invite Art history teachers to contribute to the site through photographs, content or ideas.

Teachers TV

2011-08-22T23:19:00.001-07:00

I have been a fan of Teacher TV for ages. This web site has now been closed down but luckily the Dept of Education in the United Kingdom has stepped up and:

signed a number of non-exclusive distribution agreements that will ensure that the 3,500 15 minute programmes in the archive will still be available to watch on-line.

I am so pleased about this as I have been sending so many students and teachers there as there are just so many useful resources and ideas for teachers.

Edutopia

2011-08-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Eudtopia have free downloadable books for teachers. The latest is Ten Tips for Classroom Management which looks at all areas of the school. In their tip about the relationship between schools and home they suggest going digital and using Edumodo which offers a free platform where you are able to set up a secure social-networking site for you, your students and your families - this would have been a great site during our earthquakes (for those with access to the Internet!!). Many of our schools ban social networking sites such as Facebook (one school I was working in had also banned Delicious accounts!) so this might be acceptable for them.

Other (free) books they have available include:

Ten Top Tips for teaching with New Media
Summer Rejuvenation Guide
Ten Top Tips for Assessing Project Based Learning
Home to school resource guide

Converge Special Report

2011-08-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

Center for Digital Education published a Converge Special Report.

This report covers such things as:

From digital tools to digital teaching
What does digital teaching mean?
Types of digital content
Digital teaching and the evolving classroom
Ensuring digital teaching is effective

It discusses the different roles and the skills a digital teacher requires. They point to the focus in the classroom being on the student creating more personalised learning. They suggest that the classes are able to be interactive where students are fully engaged in their learning.

A teacher who uses Web 2 tools in her classroom has found that her students have a higher level of interest when they are allowed to illustrate their own videos and upload them to a blog or when they participate in a wiki collaboration with another school.

Another teacher discusses how they have used Inanimate Alice to infuse digital and interactive literature. The teacher says; 'I have never seen them more engaged in text'.

Automatoon

2011-08-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

Automatoon is a great Web 2 tool to use in the classroom for free. There's no authoring software to install and you can share your animations online. You can also export your animations and embed them in your own websites (e.g. classroom blogs), all for free! These could also be used in other web 2 tools such as Glogster or 280 slides. What a great tool to use as a reading activity for example - certainly would give motivation for some readers. I used animation in my classroom as a reading activity where the children designed an activity (simple) that one of the characters from the story was likely to do. They could then make the animation for others in the group to guess who it is and what they are doing.

This video shows you how to use it.

StencylWorks

2011-07-30T00:26:00.000-07:00

Another great (free) programme to download for the classroom is StencylWorks. It is a drag-and-drop gameplay designer that builds off the successful MIT Scratch project (which I talked about in an earlier post). They have extended Scratch's block-snapping interface with new functionality and many ready-to-use blocks. Proficient users can create their own blocks to use and share with others.

280 slides

2011-07-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

280 Slides is a great Web 2, presentation tool. It is free and allows you to have your presentation available for you to use where ever you want it.

At present it is a Beta version. Some of the features are:

Import existing documents
Presentations are stored on their server so it is available where ever there is an internet connection
Built in media search which allows you to add photos, movies etc to your presentation from web sites such as Flickr and YouTube
Quality themes
Autosave and recovery
Download your presentation to PowerPoint
Publish to the web using SlideShare or embed it into your own web site
Presentation runs in your web browser

This tool will be very useful in the classroom and is extremely easy to use.

iPads

2011-07-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

Someone just sent me a link to a story in the Mail Online about a school in Kent requiring the parents to help buy iPads and interactive whiteboards - the whiteboards will link to the iPads.

Some experts are criticising the school for pressurising the parents to pay for the ‘toy’ and are questioning the school’s desire to use iPads as an educational tool – they contend iPads are more suited to watching movies, surfing the internet and playing music.

Obviously it is not just New Zealand schools who are looking at using the iPads.

What is the important part of this idea is that the teachers are trained in using the technologies and are able to integrate these into the classroom to enhance the thinking and learning.

Future tools

2011-07-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

An article in our local newspaper last week discussed the findings of some research done relating to ICT in the classroom. One of the findings the researcher suggested was that schools will be adding an iPad to the children's stationery lists as these will be tools that they need to be using for their futures.

As this researcher and many others have said we are preparing children for jobs that are not there yet using tools that have not been invented yet. I therefore wonder if using an iPad is the way to go. Some of the private schools here are already doing this but how long will these be the tool to be using - it is not beyond the realms of feasibility that children will need several different tools during their schooling.

Here these are around $800 which is a lot of money for many of our families. I am sure that in the higher socioeconomic areas that it will not be a problem but it will be in the lower socioeconomic areas. This is widening the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'.

I wonder how other countries are getting on with this type of thing - does the government provide these, the school, the family??

Authentic ePortfolios

2011-07-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

Tech Learning has a story about Authentic ePortfolios which, the story suggests, are being developed after leaving school! The story goes on to describe how to set up an ePortfolio for the 'real world'.

Here, in New Zealand, we have many schools (primary and secondary) who are using ePortfolios through MyPortfolio.

An ePortfolio can be used as an online collection of reflections and digital Artefacts (such as documents, images, blogs, resumés, multimedia, hyperlinks and contact information). Learners and teachers can use an ePortfolio to show their skills, their learning and their development. These can then be shared with a selected audience.

An ePorfolio allows the learner to build reflective activities through blog functions and the creation of diaries in which users can reflect on their learning and experiences over a given time frame or activity. This can then become a two way process with a teacher or peer providing feedback via the same diary.

Guest post

2011-07-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Why Schools Should Support Technology

Perhaps our congressional leaders just don't understand technology enough to realize the value of including it in our educational system or maybe they just assume kids will learn on their own as they discover things on the internet. It's a tough call really when determining the root of our lack of technology training in public schools.

It could be the distraction factor. Technology has in many ways changed the nature of communication, taking a toll on people's attention spans, just for conversations much less lectures in class. What educators and policymakers must realize is that anything can be a distraction and the fact that students are using the amazing new technological innovations at their hands as ways to distract them from studies, reveals more of their lack of education in training in using these devices in productive, life-changing ways.

How Removing Technology and Censoring Websites Hurts

It makes sense that educators want to block out distractions (and cheating) in classes. As all new technological devices do this, it's understandable why so many schools ban them. However, banning technological devices altogether and blocking sites that could potentially aid learning (Wikipedia has been blocked by multiple schools before) will disenfranchise our next generation of students with no productive sense of media literacy who will be unable to find jobs in a market full of internet media positions.

Just look at how online media is replacing print media, Netflix is replacing Blockbuster, and the music industry has restructured their whole business model due to the internet. It is really hard to deny right now that the future of the economy is in the internet, especially considering the continuing boom of social media.

Anyone can tell this would be the worst time to discourage technology use from our next generation job market. The egregiously little amount of educational material regarding media literacy is frankly disturbing. Rather than receiving punishment for bringing a smartphone to school, students should be receiving an education about how to use that device to organize their workflow and even publish and market valuable content.

Most importantly, students must be taught how they can use the internet to build their careers, reputations, and even earn some income. If students are not taking the internet seriously enough, this is due to the fact that they have received no formal training on how to use it practically.

Imagine If…

I know it's really hard to picture where technology and media literacy fit within the already bloated course load and curriculum that's crammed into public schools, but just try to imagine the benefits of a proper media literacy education.

Imagine a school in which students not only learn how to write well or play an instrument, but they learn how to publish these skills strategically on the internet in a way that gives them positive recognition and reinforcement. Imagine how much more they would try to accomplish if they recognized the internet as a lucrative sandbox at their disposal ready for any passion that they can express through words, audio, or video.

Some of the positive effects of using the synergy of technology and creative expression have already been demonstrated, such as the work of students at a New Zealand primary and junior college. I love that these schools have empowered their students by showing them that they have a presence in the online sphere. This encourages them to create better work that they can then publish and perhaps even receive recognition.

By-line:
This guest contribution was submitted by Lenore Holditch, who specializes in writing about top online colleges. Questions and comments can be sent to: holditch.lenore @ gmail.com.

Web 2 book

2011-07-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

Especially for schools: David Kapuler has made available a book giving the addresses and a screen shot of some of the Web2 tools that are useful for teachers to use in the classroom.

He is updating this book regularly so it is worthwhile keeping an eye on his blog for the update.

The three Ts

2011-07-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

I have been reading, in our local newspaper, that handwriting may become obsolete and that schools of the future may concentrate on The Three Ts rather than The Three Rs (for those of you who don't know what the Three Rs are - Reading wRiting and aRithmetic). The Three Ts refers to Typing, Texting and tapping. As I read this I was filled with dread and hoped that we were not going to throw the baby out with the bath water. Handwriting is a skill that we use a lot in many different ways.

I decided to see what other people were saying about this topic and found an article from The Tribune newspaper which reassured me. In this article the author points to some emerging research (from Indiana University) showing that handwriting "increases brain activity, hones fine motor skills and can predict a child’s academic success in ways that keyboarding can’t."

Here are some of the reasons this article referred to as to why handwriting is important:

Handwriting may change the way children learn and how their brains develop. In the Indiana University study researchers used scans to measure brain activation in preschool children who were shown letters. One group of children then practiced printing the letters; the other group practiced seeing and saying the letters. After four weeks the children who practiced writing showed brain activation similar to an adult’s. The printing practice also improved letter recognition.

Handwriting may be faster. Researchers in another study (from the University of Washington)tested children aged seven to ten and found that children compose essays faster when using a pen rather than a keyboard. In addition they found older children wrote more complete sentences when they used a pen. This study as also shows that forming letters by hand may engage our brains thinking differently rather than pressing down on a key.

Handwriting aids memory. By writing yourself a list or a note you’re much more likely to remember the list rather than if you just tried to memorize it.

However technology may help invigorate the practice of handwriting as applications that allow users to hand-scribble notes on a touch screen rather than paper may be useful tools. Researchers are working on software to help improve handwriting.

I would be interested to know what others feel about this debate.

TubeChop

2011-07-09T20:23:00.001-07:00

Many schools block YouTube but as a classroom teacher there are times when you want to use a video from YouTube. I have previously written about EmbedPlus for editing YouTube videos. Often you only want to use part of the video. TubeChop is a great tool for the classroom teacher to do this. It is a simple and quick tool to use.

You type in the YouTube url. The video is then loaded into TubeChop. You can then cut out parts of the video so that you are left with the relevant parts you want to use. You then have the embedding code which you can use or you also have a new url that you can use (the url is no longer a YouTube link but now is a TubeChop link).

Here is an example of one I have chopped some off.

The new url is: http://www.tubechop.com/watch/182695

Quadblogging

2011-07-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

Today I was in an online session with Terry Freedman. I have always admired the work Terry does - he is the editor of The Amazing Web 2.0 Projects Book.

Doug, who was also in the session mentioned quadblogging. I had never heard of it before but have now investigated it and what a wonderful global tool for schools to use.

Schools register and are then put into groups of four. One of the four teachers becomes the co-ordinator for the quad. In the first week all of the people in the quad will visit the blog of one of the schools in the quad and leave comments etc. In the second week another school will be the focus and so on. Children will see a boost in traffic on their blog as well as comments - this gives the children the impetus to have their post ready and online.

Here is a video to explain quadblogging.

Animation

2011-07-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

I have used Microsoft gif animator and Image Ready to make my animations. One of the teachers I am working with at the moment wanted me to make some animations with his children (aged about 7 - 8). The machines they are using are Macs with iMovie. I know that we could use iMovie to make the animations but here is a quick and easy (and free..) alternative.

It is called Make animation. It is extremely simple for children to use:

Upload your pictures or photos to make the animation - these can be any type eg jpg, tiff, png
Double click on uploaded picture to add text and draw on it.
Drag 'n drop left icon with top and down arrows to change the animation order
Set size and speed as well as other options and effects
Make the animation by clicking on "make animation"
Your animation will be displayed and you can download it

ZooBurst

2011-06-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

A great Web 2 tool for teachers to use with their students is ZooBurst. This tool allows the students to create their own 3D pop-up books. When students start building their own books they can choose any angle and also rotate the book. They can make objects on the page clickable so that readers are able to read more about them. They can place speech bubbles on the characters that pop up when it is clicked and make them talk with each other. Children can retell a story or write their own stories.

A basic account is free. A free account entitles the individual user to make 10 books, upload your own characters (PNG or JPG files), use characters from the clip art gallery, arrange characters in 3D space, use character speech bubbles, customise backgrounds and have privacy options (e.g. private, public or password protected books).

A guidebook for change

2011-06-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

The Technology for learning web site has a book to download called A Guidebook for Change.

In today's world there are many ways of using communications, media and digital technologies. Our students are using these in their everyday lives but often not as part of their education. Our learners need to use these skills as well as the traditional skills. Schools can embrace these technologies to help improve student achievement.

This book is a guide to help teachers. It is based on real-life successes and can help teachers whether they are new to these ideas or have already embraced them.

Earthquake update

2011-06-14T23:16:00.000-07:00

On Monday we had two more significant aftershocks. The first hit at 1 o'clock (lunch time) and many parents came and took their children home then - it was about 5.3. The school I was at did not suffer any new damage at that time despite the fact that it was a school near the sea. Other areas did suffer some damage and that time and then the second hit at 2.20 and was 6.3 - a vicious aftershock which did more damage to the eastern suburbs. The liquifaction came back, more flooding more buildings damaged and some came down. There has only been one reported death this time - an elderly resident in a rest home who had something fall on his head. In Feb there were 181 deaths.

My own house has more damage and more broken crockery etc (I'm running out...). Again we lost power and water - chemical toilets and portaloos are becoming part of every day life here. It was a cold night - down to freezing. Luckily I had a gas heater so the neighbours came over to our house for the evening and everyone sat round telling stories. We got the services returned on Tuesday.

All schools were closed on Tuesday but many reopened today (Wednesday) some are reopening tomorrow but a few do not know when they will be able to reopen. We still have several high schools sharing sites - this entails one school taking all their classes in the morning and a second school being bused over and taking all their classes in the afternoon before being bused home again.

Ways to use Tagexdo

2011-06-14T22:33:00.000-07:00

I recently blogged about Tagexdo. In Google Docs is a great presentation 101 ways to use Tagexdo. The graphic on the left shows one of the ideas used in the presentation. There are some great ideas in this presentation which I am sure can be adapted for different classrooms. There are ideas for different ages but as I looked I at some of the ideas for older age groups I could also see how these could also be used with the younger children too. Teachers are good at thinking laterally and adapting to suit the needs of their students.

ICT in schools

2011-05-31T00:11:00.000-07:00

This term I have been volunteering to work with teachers and children in the schools which were badly hit by the earthquakes here. One of the things I have found is that some schools which had not used blogs before are now wanting to use them, why? ...

Children here were off school for up to three weeks (some for more). During this time many families moved away from the city to stay with people from other parts of New Zealand. The children attended other schools. Many of the schools these children attended had blogs and, so when the children returned to their own schools, they wanted to have a classroom blog too!! How great to have the children pushing their teachers to get on board!!

Guest post

2011-04-11T01:19:00.001-07:00

5 Ways Online Education Has Changed College Learning

As more and more universities make online courses and fully-online degree programs available, the way students access higher education has changed significantly. Here we'll explore the five main ways online education has impacted and changed the way students learn in college.

1.) Delivery.

For decades, instruction was delivered by a professor or lecturer from the front of a classroom using classic tools such as slides (or more recently PowerPoint presentations), illustrations, blackboards, whiteboards (or more recently SMART Boards or interactive white boards). Professors would pass out any necessary handouts and administer exams directly. The onset of online education has moved instruction to the Internet, where professors upload their lectures and courses materials in the form of video and audio files and documents for students to access at their convenience. Professors can also stream their lectures live from a classroom for students to view in real-time from their home computers. Instead of a college classroom, the learning environment can be a student's living room, a coffee shop or a Wi-Fi accessible public park.

2.) Communication.

Communication between students and their professors used to take place in pre- and post-class discussions, as well as in office hours and via e-mail. Professors would encourage class participation by asking students in the classroom to share their thoughts on the material and call on students to answer questions. They can use Web 2 tools such as Wallwisher where students can post ideas/arguments about a topic. With online classes, communication takes place primarily via email, virtual office hours, and online message boards. In other words, most online students can't just raise their hand to have a question answered, although some new online learning technologies that focus on real-time lecture delivery are working on this. Instead, students have to articulate their questions well in emails, or wait for the professor to show up for his or her virtual office hours to chat live or video conference with their professor in real-time.

3.) Class discussion.

Hearty class discussions in liberal arts courses such as philosophy and history are what many people who attended traditional colleges remember enjoying about the college experience. In online education, these class discussions haven't gone away they've merely moved to the Web, where robust debates and discussions on the class material take place on online message boards. Professors and lecturers may pose a scientific or philosophical question and ask his or her students to weigh in with their thoughts. The professor then uses student contributions to these message boards as a means of gauging individual students' class participation.

4.) Testing.

In the traditional college setting, professors and their teaching assistants proctor exams in person to prevent cheating. With online college, tests are handled in a variety of ways. Either they are delivered in the form of timed essays, forcing students to demonstrate their knowledge in words, rather than multiple choice questions and cutting off their ability to refer to textbooks; they are scheduled with an online proctor who observes the test-taking via webcam with technology in place that prohibits students from accessing external websites for answers; or students are asked to show up to a physical campus to have their scheduled exam proctored by a person.

5.) Audience.

The traditional age for campus-based college students is 18-24, with a limited number of older adults, working parents and other non-traditional students. While many campus-based colleges cater to non-traditional students by offering night and weekend classes, class scheduling still tends to cater to the younger student who can realistically schedule classes throughout their weekday. Many online universities, however, cater to older working professionals (30+) and working students of all ages by offering asynchronous courses, which allow students to access their courses at the time of day that works best for them, rather than trying to fit their job around rigidly-scheduled courses on a campus.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online college. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

Tagxedo

2011-04-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

For those of you who use Wordle in their classrooms (or personally) to make word clouds you will love this site to use in the classroom. Tagxedo is similar to Wordle but has more features for the user. With Tagxedo you can make a shaped cloud - you will see some examples in the graphic on the left. You can look at this presentation to show 101 ways to use Tagxedo. Some ideas for using a word cloud with your class include:

Children create their own word clouds to show their own interests or to describe their feelings about something

Collaborate as a class to discuss trends and themes.

Write goals for the year and display them visually.

Create art from a student’s poem.

Compare speeches by Members of Parliament (Prime minister) to show trends in national sentiment.

Create chapter summaries. Decorate your classroom with a story created by the class.

Guest post

2011-03-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

Should teachers Take on online Educational Technology graduate program?

Technology Education is a growing and important field for teachers. Teachers need effective strategies to incorporate educational technologies into the classroom. Some teachers have an understanding of social media and other education tools but have a difficult time translating their knowledge into effective classroom practice. Educational Technology Master's degree programs provide the knowledge and skills teachers need to make their teaching more effective through the use of today's technologies.

MET and MSET

The Master of Educational Technology (MET) is a practitioner-oriented program designed to teach effective use of technology in the classroom, e-learning design, and school technology coordination. The programs cover the important trends and theories about learning and teaching with technology. The Master of Science, Educational Technology (MSET) is a research oriented program, preparing students for advanced studies in educational technology.

Typically, teachers taking an MET program discover useful technology they were previously unaware of. They learn how to find useful information and resources. The programs also provide the technical and research skills needed to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating technology into the classroom.

Online Master of Educational Technology Programs

Online programs yielding this degree typically require 30 to 36 credits and take from one-and-a-half to two years to complete. The typical on-campus 3 credit course last 15 weeks. Colleges such as Michigan State University, located in the United States, offer accelerated online Educational Technology Master's degree programs, which allows students to complete a 3 credit course in only 8 weeks. In the MSU program, students are expected to spend 18 to 24 hours per week covering the assignment material and completing the assignments.

Some colleges providing online MET programs, such as Boise State University, another American school, customize course assignments to a teacher's specific work setting.

MET programs cover a wide array of technology topics, including:

Website development

Digital video production

Graphic design

General productivity tools

Interactive media

Web 2.0 technologies

Developing multimedia materials

Using the Interment in the classroom

Podcasting

Educational hardware systems

Elective courses include topics such as:

Issues in distance education

Learning, technologies and organizations

Instructional needs analysis

Developing effective training with technology

Advanced instructional design

Computer interface design for learning

Educational Technology Certificate Programs

Certificate programs often focus on a particular aspect of educational technology. Some schools, such as George Washington University in the U.S., offer graduate certificate programs in subjects such as:

E-learning

Instructional design

Multimedia development

Training and educational technology

Leadership in educational technology

Integrating technology into education

Professional Network

Most online programs provide students with the opportunity to communicate and learn from each other on a daily basis. Students establish a professional network that supports them throughout their teaching careers.

This web page offers links to some online graduate degree programs in Educational Technology provided by schools located in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

The University of Sidney is another top school that provides an online Educational Technology Master's degree program.

The University of British Columbia, located in Canada, offers an online Master's of Educational Technology degree developed by an international partnership. The program has attracted students from 35 countries, including New Zealand.

(It should be noted the author has no connection with any of the above mentioned schools).

Online Master's of Educational Technology programs provide teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to enhance the learning process through the use of current technologies.

Brian Jenkins, a BrainTrack.com staff writer, contributes feature articles about careers in high school teaching, among other career fields.

Earthquake update

2011-03-28T00:12:00.000-07:00

Our power and water are still very fragile and likely to go down at the drop of a hat. The electricity frequently cuts out.

We have had assessors, builders etc out to check the house over the last two weeks and they do not know what to do at the moment. It is increasingly looking as though they will demolish it.

It is such a shame as we are right on the beach and have views all over the city looking out to the mountains as well as over the sea.

Twurdy

2011-03-21T17:50:00.001-07:00

A Beta version of Twurdy is available to use for searching.

A really great search engine to use in schools to help children quickly see which of their results are written in such a way that they will be able to manage the text. It gives an approximate reading age for the text.

In the example on the left you will see the first result needs the viewer to be able to read at a higher level: about 18 years. The second result the text is written at a 10 to 15 year level and the last result shows the text is written at an 8 to 10 year level. In the classroom this enables the teacher to help the children go to sites they are able to read to gather the relevant information.

Getting good with Google

2011-03-20T21:31:00.001-07:00

In the global world we need people who are able to access, evaluate and use information.

Something I find many people are not good at is using search strategies. On Google docs is a document, Getting good with Google, to help people become efficient at using the web.

I have always felt that these strategies should be introduced in the primary/elementary school and then reinforced and built on each year. In this way they will become adults who are able to access the information they want quickly and effortlessly.

The first thing they suggest is that the settings are changed to 'safe search' - this is something we need to ensure our children are doing.

A lot of the ideas are from the Google Help page but I find that many people don't even know it is there!

At the bottom of the document is an online quiz for the children to complete to see how good they are at doing efficient searches. Great ideas here for teachers in their classrooms.

The classroom using ICT to enhance the teaching and learning

2011-03-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

Scott McLeod (video - Shift Happens fame) is currently visiting from Iwoa University. He has been saying that classrooms need to change and that the days of pupils sitting at desks listening to the teacher have gone. This is something I have been saying for over ten years and yet as I go round in schools I still see the traditional style of teaching in the classrooms.

Scott advocates that we must transform our classrooms into collaborative, technology driven, interactive teaching spaces. He argues that today's learners should be working with others from around the world on real inquiry or problem based issues, pursue topics they are interested in and be content creators rather than regurgitators. He says:

In a really robust, collaborative classroom where kids have good technology you often can't tell where the front of the room is, as teachers roam around helping small groups and the kids help each other. There is a lot of learning power that comes with these new technologies and we need to help teachers understand that power and how they can take advantage of it.
Christchurch Press Saturday Feb 21

He acknowledges that the transformation will be expensive but asks the question: What happens if you don't do it? He suggests that the schools who don't will be left behind in the global economy.

Mission Heights, a school in Auckland is teaching in this way. This is a new school which was set up to take advantage of the technologies.

Literacy resources for teachers

2011-03-06T20:46:00.000-08:00

Our New Zealand web site, TKI, has Literacy Online which has many resources for all to use.

The Teacher Resource Exchange is a facility for teachers to contribute classroom resources, teaching notes, worksheets and assessments. In contributing a resource it will help your colleagues if you fill in all the information fields.

These materials are offered in a spirit of generosity by the contributors. They have not been through the normal English/Literacy/ESOL Online quality assurance process and we advise professional discretion in their use.

Teachers are also able to add resources for others to use by clicking on Contribute a resource. This is a very valuable collection of resources which I know teachers will find very useful in their classroom practice.

More on the earthquake

2011-03-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

We have finally got water back on and power – a week and a half without!! Let me tell you you get over the ‘fun camping’ idea very quickly. I have put the hot water back on and am looking forward to having a bath (a good soak).

Having a flushing toilet – let me tell you they are a wonderful invention. We coped OK with cooking on gas but the water was another thing.

The bad news is that they are no longer looking for survivors and the expected death toll stands at 240

We have felt very isolated not really knowing just what was going on even though we had radio which was good for the first couple of days but went back to regular programmes after that. We haven’t really had any interest in what is going on anywhere else in other parts of the world which is a funny feeling.

Although I generally cope with things pretty well I have found myself in tears a lot in the last few days, I think that is because you worry about making things as ‘normal’ as possible for everyone else and then suddenly it all starts to fall in on you. I am still piling rubbish up ready to get rid of it all.

Earthquake

2011-03-02T12:48:00.000-08:00

Well we do have power but no water.

The dust is now a major problem making breathing difficult. This has been caused through the liquefaction which was very bad throughout the city. I saw this at first hand when I went to get water last week and saw vans down holes in the road and submerged in the liquefaction. They have now been dragged out. Students have been helping to shovel up the liquefaction in the streets and there are huge mounds up and down the streets. The students have been fantastic. With the dry and dusty conditions the winds are now creating the breathing problems.

We are continuing to get a lot of after shocks which make everyone very jumpy.

I must admit this sort of experience makes you realise what is important and it is not the material things!!

Earthquake

2011-02-28T22:09:00.000-08:00

One week ago we had another earthquake. I have been unable to blog as we have not had electricity, water or sewage. We now have generator power but still no water or sewage. Today is the first day we have seen any news (only had battery radio) and in some ways I am pleased not have seen it before. I just feel shell shocked.

Our house is badly damaged. Things are a real mess.

It is not nice not being able to have a shower for so long. Yesterday we went to visit some people some distance away (they had power and water). I used a proper toilet for the first time in a week and also had my first shower, LUXURY!! We have portaloos along the street and are also being asked to dig long drops. We have been using gas BBQs for cooking and boiling water. We have to go out to fill bottles etc with water (all need to boiled before drinking). It is really not pleasant but with so many dead it seems not so bad.

People have been coming together looking after each other which is fantastic although many have fleed the city.

Although it was only 6. something the devastation is far greater. There have been many deaths and the toll is expected to be a lot greater.

I am praying for Christchurch and all the people who are staying here and helping each other.

Critical thinking in the classroom

2011-02-14T12:06:00.001-08:00

Critical thinking is an important part of today's classroom. With the amount of information now available to us it is important that children learn to access, evaluate and apply the information appropriately.

Microsoft and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) have developed an ebook for teachers to use 'Critical thinking in the classroom'.

In this ebook teachers will find information about literacy and critical thinking in the digital age and what this means for our children.

In addition teachers will find lesson plans - for example for students who are starting to learn the research process develop beginning skills for conducting an effective and efficient search of web-based information. To support the lesson plans are student worksheets and handouts as well as the class demonstration guides.

For those teachers who want to find out more about critical thinking there is a Critical thinking channel on YouTube.

Guest post

2011-02-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

4 Free Online Learning Tools for Language Teachers and Learners

While the Web 2.0 has completely revolutionized the way that we teach and learn, nowhere is this more true than in the realm of language learning. Before, learning foreign languages was confined to rote memorization and conversation in class among learners and teachers. Now, the powerful interactivity that the Internet enables empowers students of foreign languages to connect with native speakers, in the process becoming acquainted with accurate pronunciation of the language in question. What’s more, online language learning tools motivates students who are often frustrated by the fact that they aren’t getting any substantive practice. Here are a few sites online that will be sure to make language learning fun, and can serve to supplement any curriculum.

1. Live Mocha

Live Mocha is very much like Facebook in that it’s a complete social networking site with added language learning modules. Live Mocha functions on a collaborative level. That is to say, when a student completes writing and speaking exercises, a native speaker of that language will make corrections, suggesting ways to improve. In exchange, you are expected to serve as a teacher yourself, correcting others who want to learn your native language. The more you participate in these exchanges, the more points you get, enabling you to unlock additional free language modules and tutorials. It’s a great way to make friends around the world, too!

2. Skype

Skype is one of the best ways to brush up on your conversation skills with native speakers. Using both instant messaging or full video chat, you can interact with native speakers of your target language who are eager to learn your language, too. Very much like Live Mocha, social is the name of the game. The best thing about Skype is that you probably already have the tool downloaded. To see how you can use Skype to learn languages, check out this resource.

3. Babbel

Babbel is a wonderful site for language learners, utilizing more traditional methods with some chat features. The trial period for Babbel is free, as are some additional features, but for full access, a minimal fee is required. Still, it may be worth it considering how many structured lessons, designed to track your progress and push your limits, are offered. Babbel also has voice recognition software that works to improve pronunciation. Another feature unique to Babbel is that it has iPhone and iPod touch applications as well.

4. Digital Dialects

Digital Dialects is one of my personal favorite online language learning tools, because the whole website is just games. For those students who are kinetic learners, this may be the best option, as it combines doing with learning. Younger language learners will be delighted by this site in particular. It also offers a very wide variety of language from Spanish to Russian to Swahili and more.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Katheryn Rivas, who writes on the topics of online universities. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: katherynrivas87@gmail.com.

Rogo Puzzle

2011-02-08T03:04:00.000-08:00

Rogo Puzzle

Rogo Puzzle is a new Maths web site – free – that has a great puzzle for children. This puzzle is easy to learn how to play and will keep the children on task, motivated and learning. Rogo puzzle for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch was launched in December 2010. I am really excited as it is a New Zealand site so very applicable to our students.

Press release:

Rogo is the new kid on the increasingly popular puzzle block. Though designed originally for pencil and paper, Rogo has made the touch world of iPhone its own. Rogo will soon be played on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch in subways, in waiting rooms, and even in classrooms in the US, Japan and China as well as in its home town of Christchurch, New Zealand. Rogo is completely new and original, a mixture of a maze, word-search and sudoku, with an innovative and intuitive interface. Appealing and easy to learn, Rogo is solved by drawing a loop of a designated length, avoiding obstacles and adding up numbers to collect points.

Each Rogo puzzle has a unique solution, which has been generated and tested using a special computer algorithm designed by Creative Heuristics Ltd. The idea for Rogo comes from the outdoor sport, rogaining, which involves using a map and compass to design and travel around a large area in a given amount of time. The mathematics behind it comes from the field of Operations Research. Doctors Shane Dye and Nicola Ward Petty, senior lecturers at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, are the directors of Creative Heuristics, and inventors of Rogo. They have developed Rogo for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch in just over a year.

Trials of Rogo have shown it to be popular among school children of all ages, and right through to senior citizens wanting to keep their brains active. A test group of 12 year old pupils enjoyed the challenge of the paper-based version, saying, “It makes me focus hard on them, but in a relaxed way and you laugh when you are frustrated!”, “they are challenging but fun and make you think”. Maths teachers use paper Rogos to help students develop numeracy and problem-solving skills.

From Rogo web site

Rogo develops a variety of skills such as number recognition, adding, counting, problem solving and geometry. The puzzles can be adapted to teach specific number facts.

Currently you can download a new printable Rogo puzzle to play; a new one is available each day. You will also find instructions on how to solve Rogo on the web site.

Using Classroom Tools

2011-02-07T19:30:00.000-08:00

On the Classroom Tools web site (which has so many great things for teachers) was a video showing some children using the web site to reinforce their learning about fractions.

The children are working in groups and are showing obvious excitement about their learning - isn't that we all strive to do - enhance their learning and make it fun. You will find other videos on their web site to help you using some of their tools in your classroom.

I have used Embed Plus to just show a small snippet of the video on this blog post (another great tool for teachers.

Bit Torrent

2011-02-02T12:45:00.001-08:00

I have always found Common Craft's videos very well done and useful for teachers to use to explain the technologies to students.

Common Craft have released a new video to explain Bit Torrent.

"This video teaches the basics of how BitTorrent's technology works to make downloads faster when more people are involved. It includes points on:

•How files are shared on the web and what makes BitTorrent different
•The BitTorrent application and how it's used
•How trackers, peers and hosts work together to deliver "pieces" of files
•How anyone can use BitTorrent to share or download files" From: Common Craft web site

Explorer

2011-02-01T22:53:00.000-08:00

Microsoft has warned of a serious security hole in Internet Explorer. If you are using this browser you are at risk of having the computer hijacked, emails, credit cards and bank accounts hacked.

"Microsoft has issued a global warning that there is a security hole that allows hackers to install malicious scripts." Christchurch Press 2 Feb 2011

Users of other browsers such as Firefox or Google Chrome are not affected.

If you are using Explorer:

Go to:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2501696

scroll down to fix it under the enable heading

follow the download and installation instructions

Embed Plus

2011-02-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

A great web site for everyone (but especially for teachers) is Embed Plus.

Teachers often use videos from YouTube in their classrooms to enhance the thinking and learning. These videos can stimulate interest or illustrate a point. With Embed Plus you can edit the movie from YouTube to customise it for the needs of your class.

The slow motion is great for action videos or if you are teaching how to do something like a long jump in PE. The Previous and Next buttons let viewers skip forward and back within scenes that you’ve marked. The zoom will give viewers a closer look at wherever they move their cursor. You can also add your own annotations to the movies - something teachers will love where they can point out things that they want the students to take particular notice of.

A beauty of this web site is that it is all free! All you have to do is click the Get Started button and away you go.

I would love to hear how anyone is using this site for their classrooms.

Guest post

2011-01-31T09:55:00.000-08:00

3 Must-Use Websites for Teaching and Education

The Internet has completely redefined the way we do everything – it’s easier now than ever before to communicate with people, it is simpler today to enhance knowledge and learn additional skills, and it has opened up a world of opportunities that did not exist before. In the world of education, the web has ushered in a revolution of sorts – what was exorbitantly priced earlier is now available free of cost. You don’t have to sign up for expensive courses anymore; rather, you can learn pretty much anything you want on the web, for free. For teachers who’re looking to supplement their arsenal of classroom tools and searching for creative ways to boost the interest of their students, the web is a treasure trove of resources. The three websites below contain an abundance of information; they’re updated regularly, and they can be tapped to augment your teaching methods and enhance the quality of your lessons:

• BBC Schools: The BBC’s own site for schools, teachers and students, these pages feature content for learners of all school ages and subjects that span junior, middle and high school. You can download video clips to play in your classroom, you can find content for various subjects including History, Geography, Mathematics, Art, Languages, Music and Science, and while the syllabus leans predominantly towards the standard of British schools, the facts and information presented are accurate and apt for students from all over the world.

• Teacher Resources: This site is a collection of links to various resources that are useful to teachers. It caters to the needs of those who teach younger children, from Kindergarten up to the 6th and 7th grades. It has exercises and worksheets designed to make learning more fun and more interesting, and it allows teachers to creatively plan their lessons and make their classes more stimulating and exciting.

• Lantern Fish: If you’re looking for resources geared towards learning the English language, then this is the site for you. From quizzes to crosswords, creative writing to phonetics, this site has it all. It is particularly useful for students who are not native speakers of English, and it provides lesson plans, holiday worksheets, flash cards and many more interactive ways to study English and improve your written skills and vocabulary in the language. If your medium of education is English and your students are not native speakers of the language, they could find it hard to learn other subjects as well. So helping them to improve their English first is the best way to help them improve their grades in all other subjects as well.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by April Davis, she writes on the topic of Accredited Degree Online . She welcomes your questions and comments at her email id: april.davis83@gmail.com

More earthquakes

2010-12-28T22:48:00.001-08:00

Believe it or not we were hit by more earthquakes on 26 December. (see blog posts in September) Everyone here was just starting to relax as the after shocks had settled down and then...

we were rocked by several big ones on one day and a lot of further damage has been caused. I have been very lucky as we have had very little damage but many of the buildings in the central city area were badly hit again. Some of the ones suffering damage this time had survived the first major one but not this one. Hopefully that is the last of them but they are predicting that it is not all over yet.

Christmas

2010-12-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite web sites at this time of year is Portable North Pole.

You put in the information about your child (or a child that you know) and a Christmas video is made. They are just beautiful. Santa talks to the child about them in a video (you can also upload your own graphics of your child which are used in the video.

Last year my sister did one for a family member. She was Skyping them when the child opened the video. Children just love this one, try it and see...

Happy Christmas

Using ICT in Literacy Instruction: Tips for Teachers

2010-11-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

Guest Post

Using ICT in Literacy Instruction: Tips for Teachers

There are many benefits to using ICT in education, especially math and literacy – ICT is a growing field, and related skills are required for many types of work now. Technological developments continue to increase the widespread applicability of ICT in a variety of venues, from the medical field to the arts and everything in between. Using it to teach literacy and other educational subjects can give students a head start on learning how to successfully use ICT in daily life, which could increase their chances of receiving higher education opportunities and jobs.

Teaching with ICT can also help students learn material more efficiently with a better rate of internalization – so they’ll be able to recall what they’ve learned from you about literacy when they need to use it. The connection between information and ICT skills is great for students, especially where literacy is involved. With both communication technology abilities and literacy knowledge, students will be better prepared to interact with the world in a successful and rewarding way. So if you’re thinking about integrating ICT into your literacy instruction methods, try using some of the following tips from a Newcastle University ICT research team to get started on the right track.

Get Comfortable with Educational ICT

ICT isn’t the tough subject you might imagine it to be – it’s just Information and Communication Technology. By breaking the title down into its three individual components, you’re simply using these tools to help you teach literacy: information, communication, and technology. Brainstorm to come up with ways to include these tools in your literacy lesson plans, such as using word processors, presentation software, spreadsheets, database software, desktop publishing, graphics software, and more. There are also many online tools that can be used in effective teaching, such as introducing students to Google Notebook to keep track of online research more easily.

Identify Ways ICT Can Contribute to Class Objectives

Now that you have some potential ways to use ICT in your classroom, check your objectives to make sure that ICT has something to contribute. Using new technology just to use it doesn’t make for effective teaching, so unless the ICT activity brings something unique and important to the table, don’t use it. Students can be easily confused by activities that don’t relate to the content you’re teaching. While many forms of educational ICT are relevant to almost any topic, it’s important to make sure that your ICT activities are on-target.

Assess Students’ Current ICT Skills

Do all of your students know how to use the technology you’re considering for the classroom? If not, you’ll need to teach them how to participate in educational ICT before you assign any activities. You can check for ICT skill by doing a simple exercise in class that uses the technology you’d like to fully implement later on. While students are trying to complete the task, walk around the room to make sure everyone is familiar with the technology.

Assess Available Equipment, Resources and Back-Up Options

You’ll need to make sure that you have the resources to use ICT in your classroom. For example, you’ll probably need a computer lab with at least a few computers – about three students can share one computer at a time if needed. It’s also helpful to evaluate which types of software are available to you, what kinds of licenses they have (single or multiple), and what your budget might allow in terms of new software or other types of technology. You can even collaborate with other teachers to see if you can share resources, propose purchases that would benefit the whole school, and get some practical educational ICT advice.

Integrate ICT Activities into Lesson Plans

Now, the last step is to modify your lesson plans to include ICT activities. This doesn’t always mean tacking on ICT as an afterthought or as a lifesaver if you run into unplanned down time. The best way to integrate it is to re-structure your lesson plan, using ICT as a focal point in the lesson content and methodology. Your students will be better able to connect ICT and literacy if your lesson plans incorporate both themes seamlessly.

Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching various online programs and blogging about student life issues. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Using video to evaluate student teachers in the classroom

2010-11-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

I have just been reading about this 'new' idea - using video to evaluate the student teacher in the classroom situation. This article is from the States.

Here in NZ this is something we used to do and also something we used to get students to do for their own personal critique. Students found that they learnt a lot watching themselves teaching although many couldn't believe it was 'really them' they were watching. The advent of the Flip video, ipod touch with camera and the like make access to videoing and editing assessible. Now many NZ schools do not like our students using videos in the classrooms due to the New Zealand privacy laws.

In some states in USA the students will have:

"more demanding requirements to receive their teacher license: Under a new
teacher evaluation system being tested in 19 states, evaluators will watch video
clips of student teachers delivering lessons in their classroom, and candidates
must show that they can prepare a lesson, tailor it to students of different
abilities, and present it effectively."

These assessments are made by independent evaluators rather than the Teaching Colleges. It will be very interesting to see how this goes. As one professor said:

“It’s a big shift that the whole country is going through,” said Misty Sato, a University of Minnesota education professor who is helping to adapt the assessments for Minnesota. “It’s going from ‘What has your candidate experienced? to what your candidate can do.”

I am very strongly of the view point that our graduates need to know both about and how to teach. I wonder, if in the present environment, some feel that the theory (about) is more important than the practical (how) i.e. the 'about' rather than the 'how'. We are in the middle of changing our courses and are now lecturing in mass lectures rather than smaller classes (where people are able to model behaviours that can be used in a classroom).

Seems that those in the states have now gone through most of this circle and are bringing more 'how' back into their courses. I saw a newsclip in Sydney two years ago on the same thing - 'we think it would be beneficial for our students to have time in classrooms rather than lecture theatres' was the the person being interviewed said. We are not up to that realisation yet, I wonder how long it will take us?

Virtual field trips in the classroom

2010-10-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

A great overview describing the use of virtual field trips in the classroom is found on this web site.

Taking your pupils on a virtual field trip is a really good way to spark their interest or motivate their learning in a particular topic. It is often not possible to take a field trip particularly if there is distance involved but by using virtual field trips the world can be available to all children at any time.

Taking children to art galleries such as The Louvre while living in New Zealand is very appealing and now so possible.

LEARNZ is a New Zealand site which I have discussed earlier where New Zealand teachers and their classes can register (free) to be part of a variety of field trips. Coming up on their web site are two virtual field trips; Takahe and Wetland Treasures.

It is an interactive site with a lot of interesting and relevant information.

ULearn conference 2010

2010-09-29T16:43:00.000-07:00

ULearn 2010 starts next week on 5th October - Collaborate, Innovate and Educate. They are having a new stream this year for research where there will be speakers, papers presented and some posters displayed.

There is an interesting programme for teachers including such things as:

Using Web 2 tools in the classroom
Global communities
Virtual field trips
Developing iPod Touch/iPhone applications for learning

For those not able to come to the conference look at the web site for some ideas to use in the classroom.

With the earthquake (still getting those aftershocks!!) some people thought it would be cancelled or postponed but everything is going smoothly. It should be a really good conference.

MyStudiyo

2010-09-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have just been making a quick quiz to show my students how a Web 2 tool can be used. I have made this one using MyStudiyo. You can add movies and graphics to the quizzes and then children can add these to their blogs or wikis.

Some ideas to use in the classroom:

Story writing - the children could have a story they have written on the web site with a quiz to finish
Research project - children could write about the findings from a research project on the web site and have a quiz for the viewer to finish with
Maths - children could construct maths quizzes to put on the web site and then others in the class could use them

ict_in_the_classroom

2010-09-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

What Do You Need to Succeed in Online Education?

There was a time when online education was the anomaly; today however, it is the norm. It has grown in leaps and bounds not just in the quality of education offered, but also in respectability and reputation. In fact, the University of Phoenix which offers both on-campus and online courses is the largest institution in the USA in terms of number of students enrolled. More and more people are choosing to study online for various reasons – it allows them to earn while they learn, they can set flexible schedules, and they don’t have to pay through their noses to gain an education.

While critics of online education are quick to point out that the success rate in online education is low because people tend to leave courses incomplete and the dropout rate is pretty high, the truth is that online programs are meant for people who are able to establish a schedule and who have the discipline to stick to their plan. It takes more than just the will to learn to taste success in online education, and to do your best, you must be:

• Determined: You must be determined to succeed no matter how many hurdles you face. It’s not just enough to want an education, you must be willing to do all it takes to ensure that you get one of the highest quality. There will be hurdles cropping up every now and then, you may be bogged down by work and other personal issues, and there will be times when all your efforts seem so futile. However, the key to success is to never give up. Stay on the path that you’ve marked out for yourself, and you’re sure to scale greater heights.

• Disciplined: You’re going to be juggling many balls in the air when you choose to go back to school and earn a degree online. With commitments to work, family and social relationships demanding your attention, your education could take a backseat. However, if you’re disciplined and set aside at least an hour every day to devote to your lessons and assignments, you won’t find the going tough when it’s time for your exams. Just as you make time to eat and do other things that are a part of your normal routine, make some time for your education too.

• Flexible: Even the best laid plans tend to fall apart because of the uncertainty of life; so unless you’re able to change track on the fly and reschedule your day according to the circumstances, you’re going to be stressed out and find yourself staring into the eyes of failure. Learn how to multitask – you can invest in a netbook or a smartphone and learn on the go, when you’re traveling or when you have a quiet hour at the office; know how to alter plans so that you’re able to get things done without getting flustered and losing control. Success in online learning is all about being flexible and knowing how to go with the flow.

• Ambitious: There are times when you need to look beyond your coursework and search for more information. Use sources like the Internet, books and magazines to collect data and information needed when you’re doing practical projects and when your assignments call for you to get creative and push the boundaries of your knowledge. Unless you are ambitious and try to be the best you can, online education is going to be just another thing that you do, not something that you must succeed at.

• Tech-savvy: And finally, it pays to understand technology when you choose to study online. There are a number of gadgets and applications that help you learn better and faster, and which help you get organized and become better managers of time. So invest in learning technology before you invest in the gadgets themselves, because unless you know how to harvest the potential of a device, it’s as good as useless.

So if you’re armed with these necessary qualifications, you’re sure to find online education as easy as a stroll in the park.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Carrie Oakley, who writes on the topic of online college. Carrie welcomes your comments at her email id: carrie.oakley1983(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

Life goes on...

2010-09-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Life is returning to Christchurch. We have been incredibly lucky with no loss of life but there is a lot of damage around the city. At the moment buildings are being demolished and roads are being repaired. We are still having aftershocks.
Even though you think something like this does not affect you, it does. The other day I went into a mall and kept thinking; ‘I don’t want to be here if we have another aftershock’. These were continual but luckily have now died away.

Some roads are still being repaired but most have been repaired to the point that traffic can use them. Many people have found that the houses they live in are going to have to be pulled down and rebuilt which is putting pressure on finding them rental accommodation. It is very unsettling for people in that position.
This week I have been into several schools around Christchurch and found that the children are all coping very well. They know that if there is an aftershock they go down under their desks – they are pretty good at it. For many of them it seemed like a big adventure.

I was very impressed this weekend from someone in England (who I do not know) wanting to know how to make a donation to the earthquake disaster. As this is going to cost several billion dollars we need all the help we can get so I thought that it was lovely that someone wanted to help.

We have had a big storm over NZ this weekend - luckily Christchurch was not in line for this but down South they have had a big dump of snow and the weight of it caused the roof of a big netball stadium to collapse.

Photos

2010-09-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

This was in the newspaper here (The Press) and shows the estuary straight after the earthquake. It looks as though there a lot of mini volcanoes. These were bubbling up during the earthquake which is what caused the sulphur smell we had.

This picture also appeared in the paper. As I said in an earlier post it has always been said that there is no major fault line over on this side of the alps.

The earthquake was centred around Darfield. A farmer from there went out and wrote in his field - right by a new fault line.

Earthquake update

2010-09-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

You would not believe it but...

The city has now extended the state of civil emergency for another seven days.

This morning I was quietly sitting having a morning cup of coffee when the first of the after shocks (this morning) struck. It was very frightening - another big one but not as big as the initial one. The house shook and things feel down but nothing too bad here however in some parts the electricity went off again and more damage has been reported. Since then there have been several smaller ones.

Although New Zealand has fault lines it was always thought that there was not a major fault line near Christchurch. It has always been thought that a 'big one' would strike in Wellington. Well Mother Nature has proved them all wrong.

Earthquake wiki

2010-09-07T11:57:00.001-07:00

Jill Hammond has started a wiki about earthquakes. This will be an interactive collaborative teaching and learning opportunity for our pupils.

It is entirely open and public which means anyone can edit the site so feel free to add your ideas or use it with your students.

Already there are some great ideas for teachers on the Share Ideas page as well as photographs and movies.

What was it like to be in the earthquake?

2010-09-06T21:21:00.001-07:00

I keep getting asked what it was like so ...

I was sound asleep when I got woken up by the initial jolt. I realised straight away it was an earthquake; the house was shaking - side to side and up and down!! Very scary.

As a teacher I have taught disaster units where we have looked at such disasters as the Napier earthquake. During my life time I have felt other earthquakes.

My natural inclination is to want to get outside but that night I could not get out of bed, the whole house was shaking so much I could not have stood up. I have just heard about someone I know who did try to get out of bed and now has a broken ankle.

I just lay in bed, held onto the side of the bed and waited for things to stop. When they finally did stop I realised that nothing much had happened here - the power was still on and I did not realise about the water at that point.

I went outside and there was an awful smell of sulphur, that was from the estuary which had been bubbling stuff up. It was very quiet everywhere and quite eerie.

Family members and friends rang each other to make sure everyone was OK.

At that stage I did not realise how serious things were as none of the houses near mine were damaged. It was only when daylight came and accounts were on TV and radio that the full impact of what was happening struck. I certainly did not venture out on Saturday as I thought that it was better that people stayed off the streets.

It is not an experience you want!!

Still in a state of limbo

2010-09-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

The inner city of Christchurch is still like a war zone. The uni is closed until next week. There are photos on our web site.

Schools are supposed to be open tomorrow but I have seen the state of some schools and I am not sure that some will ever be able to open again. One school in Dallington looks as though it will be condemned.

We had some big after shocks last night and everyone is still very jumpy.

Thank you so much to everyone for their messages of support (they have been coming in from all around the world) - it has been great, especially as we are such a small country and so isolated from everyone else.

Earthquake damage

2010-09-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

Our water is now on!! I am so pleased.

As I have said we are so lucky in that there were no deaths. There is a lot of damage to property around the region (about 2 billion dollars to repair). Gradually things will return to normal but at present you just feel as though you are living in limbo and of course the after shocks keep coming. It is an awful feeling.

Shower

2010-09-05T01:20:00.000-07:00

Stupid as it may sound, I now feel a lot better as I have had a shower. Not at my own home (still no water here) but I went to see a family member who had water on. I took all my stuff to have a shower there. We have portable loos at the end of our street and a tank where we can fill water bottles! I have to tell you it is awful not to have water!!

The husband has wisely decided to stay away for a while longer!!

Water

2010-09-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Still no water!! I was away visiting schools last week and as the earthquake hit on Friday night I have not been able to do any washing - I also need a shower!! Apparently the mains burst in a neighbouring area and there was water everywhere. We have not had anything like that where I live but our water has been off all this time. I am visiting two schools tomorrow morning (if they are open) so I need a shower!!!

Earthquake

2010-09-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

The city where I live is now in a state of emergency.

We had a 7.4 earthquake last night. It struck at 4.35 in the morning and I was sound asleep in bed! I certainly woke with a start as the bed started to rock and roll.

I live in a 4 story house on the beach so luckily the house is on sand and just rolled with the quake. I have to be very honest and say that I was pretty shocked.

My husband is away for the weekend so I was on my own. I was too frightened to get out of bed for some time. Our water is off and a lot of broken glassware but no real damage. In the inner city a lot of buildings have come down and many roads have big holes. A lot of the bridges over the Avon River are closed so we are rather cut off but have plenty of food etc. Really we have come out of the whole thing pretty well as there are no reported deaths and only one serious injury where a chimney fell on a person.

NZ taking lead in classrooms of the future

2010-08-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

TV NZ had a news clip on recently about classrooms of the future which is well worth watching.

Classrooms without pens and paper, and lessons given online, could soon be the classrooms of the future. This is already starting in some NZ schools.

A Ministry of Education pilot programme at Howick College has allowed students to use their cellphones in the classroom.

This style, called mobile learning, was moving the learning out of the classroom and into the family and community. Teaching and learning is no longer confined to the classroom but is also outside the four walls. Many classrooms have their own blogs and wikis.

More on e-portfolios

2010-08-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

As I am part of a group talking about our experiences with e-portfolios I have been thinking a lot about things that I have found this year.

One of the things I have always found is that you can not assume that everyone has the ICT skills at the start. Scaffolding must be put in place for students which will also help them to become independent learners. Someone this year produced tutorials with a lot of information on a page. Our students became confused and would ring/email or come and see me for extra help. I used 'just in time learning' and produced a small book of how to tutorials which were placed in our online learning environment. What students liked with these was that there was only one concept for each tutorial so that they didn't become confused.

Our students use Mahara as do a lot of schools here in NZ. They do not share their e-portfolios with each other although the option is there. I personally would like to see them sharing and giving each other constructive feedback.

I certainly agree with Ewan McIntosh's comment that e-portfolios should be:

for the whole, open web: otherwise we set ourselves up for nearly only
introspective learning with people who share our viewpoints, cultural biases and
outlook on learning and life.

I found that a lot of students wanted feedback from me throughout the course - how much better to get feedback from their peers as well as others from completely different backgrounds.

At an intermediate school in Auckland children have been developing their e-portfolios for some time. A long time ago I discussed Jess's eportfolio on this blog:

I find this e-portfolio inspiring as I can see how Jess developed this over the three years. You can see the growth in her learning as well as how she is also a ‘guide on the side’ to other’s learning (through discussion areas she has on her wiki, tutorials or videos she has developed for the learning ).

This e-portfolio was started in 2007 by Jess and developed through 2008 and 2009. It uses a range of Web 2 tools to demonstrate her personal growth and learning and is fully public as she uses several wikis and blogs. She has done blogs which include reflections about her learning for example there are different blogs for her science inquiries. In her wiki she has a page where she asked her parent’s opinions on what they would like to see in her e-portfolio. This was recorded and put into her wiki. She has developed an area for her own ‘voice’ where she talks about Web 2 tools and 21st century learning.

Jess gets feedback from all over the world – this is authentic and meaningful for her. It is interesting to see how these comments were continuing through 2009 and that Jess was still developing her e-portfolio then – becoming a life-long learner (although no longer being at the school). It is also interesting that the high school she goes to does not continue these on.

E-portfolios

2010-08-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

We have been using e-portfolios with our students as part of their first year programme. These are to be continued throughout their training and hopefully beyond. I have made a small video to explain about the stages of the portfolio process and how the technology can enhance a portfolio - i.e. e-portfolio.

E-portfolios are being used in many New Zealand schools so it is important that our students understand them for when they are teaching themselves. We are using Mahara which has been developed here in New Zealand.

It is interesting that Mahara and other LMS are for private use or just with a small community of peers for example. I really like the way some children in Auckland used wikis and blogs to make their e-portfolios. Jess made this one back in 2008. You see some real value in her e-portfolio when you read all the comments that have been made. This is what other e-portfolios lack.

I have also made a Prezi about e-portfolios for anyone interested.

The Tate Movie Project

2010-08-08T13:08:00.001-07:00

The Tate Movie Project is a great Web 2 site for schools.

The project is for schools in the UK however there is no reason why other children cannot use the site. I set up an account to check it out. You design your avatar and then visit the studio where you become involved with making the movie. As you complete each step you get an award.

In this site the children design characters, write their story and make the storyboard. They use animation and sound in their movies. I can see this site being a great hit with children and would really motivate reluctant writers.

Spreadsheets

2010-08-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have just been reading Terry Freedman's post on spreadsheets.

I was so pleased to see someone voicing my thoughts.

The spreadsheet above was used for children to check their tables, there are different worksheets for each one.

I love spreadsheets for all sorts of things - I make many that can be used in all sorts of ways.

This idea is simple and can be used in any curriculum area. It uses a if/then statement, it changes the red sad face to a smiling green one and gives the user their score.

In this example the user has to solve the problems in order to uncover the hidden graphic.

I have found some ideas like this to be really useful and fun to use in the classroom. Many children then want to learn to make these themselves - learning in an authentic and meaningful context.

In our pre-service teacher training we do not use spreadsheets with our students in any way. It is such a shame I think as they are so great and versatile for the classroom. The thinking by many people is that 'spreadsheets are old hat, no one uses them any more'. I wonder if others agree with this?