ulearn Day 3 You Can't Fool Us!

You Can't fool us! Indeed.

Breakout 6 was a look at how to make sure that the websites learners visit are valid. Presented by Penny Harrison and Jenny Armitage.

Good ideas showing criteria children can use when using websites.

Delicious.com is a place where you can place your bookmarks in the cloud.

Hey, here's the link that Penny and Jenny were using at the Breakout using their delicious.com folder. I'm sure they won't mind. (Like all the other generous presenters. )

Make the most of it.

They suggested C.A.M.P.E.R as way of evaluating (Consequence/Constancy. Assumptions/Accuracy. Meaning/Main Points. Prejudice/Point of View. Evidence/Examples. Relevance/Reliability.)

ABCDE was another Author. Bias. Content. Duplication. Edited

There are others on the link.

Then I bowled on into Allanah King's podcasting website. Using macs she showed the versatility of garageband for podcasting and using podmatic.

Allanah is up for the Interface magazine blog of the year. Vote for her 'cause if ya need help in this area she gives it freely an quickly. Legend!

Anyhoo, tried to find quick way for podcasting for pc. Myna (Audio Editor) and Audacity are good in conjunction with Window Movie Maker. Myna is good because you can do a straight audia podcast with no image and no movie maker if you wish.

The system I have been using seems ok. Until we get software perhaps. I did look at Podium in the exhibit hall.

Lunch was great everyday, and today catching up with Gordon an old T-Col mate, now head of ICT at Kaitao Middle School in Rotorua. Also vote for him in the other category for Interface Mag competition.

In the afternoon keynote speaker, Margaret Carr, did well to hold the attention of everyone.

Her content was superb however.

The idea of "possible self" was forwarded. Here's random notes.

Possible Selves – what we might, could and are afraid of becoming. What the role of the school in discovering self/selves?

Quoting James Paul Gee – in particular his writings on literacy. Encouraging people to read his writing. Value of the gaming world for children to ‘play as [being?] experts’

Role of the teacher is to encourage and nurture possible selves for children.

“Education is not about children achieveing their potential – it is about them GROWING their potential”

concept of learning dispositions, relating them to Key Competencies.

Being ‘ready, willing and able’ to exhibit the dispositions/KC’s is important.

Learning pathways will be travelled by chidlren in their own ways. Incoming dispositions (etc) have an impact on them, as does what the teacher and other adults do:
A. Agency/Authoring – children should have the opportunity to manage and reporting/reflecting on their own learning. ‘Flow’ and its impact on learning. Learning stories as way of doing this and children working on their own.
B. Breadth. making connections in the learning.
C. Continuity. making the learning public and track it over time. Going back and forth to the learning (serendipity) a huge amount of time is needed to do a good job of learning stories but is probably worth it.
D. Depth. deep learning and imbedded. The development of their own language in that learning. Constructing own opportunities for their favourite goals. Giving something new a go.

I see a potential here for video is incredible.

Watching my two kids 3.5 years and 15 months. They are learning at a huge rate. She tinkers, plays, babbles (communicates), he plays asks questions, explores, explains and reasons....

Analysing video of them thinking and tinkering is incredible. Can this work in the classroom. Hell yes. Children could respond with their own reflection and thoughts on where to next too.

Exciting eh?

Is this diminished when children enter school? I hope not.

Cheers to all for getting me to ulearn this year.

Brilliant.

Myna pod

Mike's pod.egg on Aviary.

Just been trying Myna as an audio editor. Some pluses and minuses. I think I'll need a bit more tinkering (learning!) before I decide where to go. And yes all you mac users, it would be easier with itunes.

testing video blog

Best Educational Ideas in the World- ulearn Day 2

Back into it. Derek Wenmoth's keynote was excellent.

THE FUTURE IS NOT WHAT IT USE TO BE.

The potential is tremendous, we need to harness it.

He covered

use of mobile interenet devices

The cloud

Virtual Augmented and alternate reality

Open Content

Location based learning

Smart objects and devices

Check out the notes on his blog. The videos will help to clarify.

"Change is the constant."

Gary Stager was again on his soap box.

"Every Education Problem has been solved... somewhere." A need for will and connectivity.

All good ideas and projects are imbedded with the principles.

Principles

Respect, authentic, Real tools and materials, expanded ops, learning is natural, urgency, commitment to social justice and democracy.

FAB programme-Neil Gershenfeld working with design tools to make anything!

Making things is better than being passive.

Making good things is even better.

Personal fabrication- instead of buying it go and make it. Using tech to solve local probs.

Bricolage -learning through tinkering. (The french express it so better.)

“How to make almost anything.” Check out the the video on what personal fabrication is all about.

Make magazine, a brilliant magazine facilitating the creating of just about anything. Bring out your chemistry sets!!

Microworld is a software mentioned often with personal fabrication. Go to the link and download the trial software.

The introduction of the theories of Reggio Emilia education showed how our preschools inherently do this stuff. The kids learn by what they are doing. The Reggio Emilia schooling hire a pedagogista who helps interpret what the children are doing as they learn. (Our job?)

Another version of learning through tinkering perhaps.

Elements for effective projects (definition- something to share with others)

purpose

time

Personal meaning

Complexity, including serendipity

Connected, shareable

Access to and constructive materials

All seems so easy when written down.

Reasons I'm so excited...

Firstly, the inquiry process lends itself to this perfectly. Don't know if many have mentioned this to Gary.

Secondly, Room 1's adaptation inquiry and it becoming Save the Wrybill, has many of the elements that he has been talked about in the sessions.

With perhaps a little more foresight by me, (this was heavily lead by the children), and an injection of more self reflection I can see the learning being strengthened.

Thirdly, our technology inquiry will lend itself to the "lets address the problem" of this tinkering, creative, child lead and reflective learning that has been espoused at the conference, and that is the inquiry process.

Bring it on.

Ulearn 09 Day One

Well it's underway. A morning of paradox.

Anne Tolley extolling the wonders of the govts generosity of 1.5 billion 0f OUR money going to laying cable all over the country. Get everyone in your school's neighbourhood to drop their passwords on their wireless and log on!!! Be cheaper eh?

Gary Stager an excellent keynote speaker. Seems a bit grim up North... in the USofA education system. Fighting the bureaucracy and ignorance.

Software is the key to 10 things to do with your computer

1. Write a novel

2. Share knowledge

3. Tougher questions via primary sources

4. Make sense of real data

5. Design a video game

6. Build a killer robot

7. Lose weight (PE/nutrition and tech)

8. Direct a blockbuster ("video should be shorter"- "edit it one more time.)

9. Compose a symphony

10. Change the world.

Easy eh? Well some of it. Now where's that software budget...

Stanley Bay School showed two excellent projects (defined as -"Something to share with others"- G Stager). Publishing a book to raise money for charity and creating a school newspaper. Yr 6 stuff that shows how an inquiry approach, well constructed group frameworks and brilliant use of the experts in the community can result in some creative, reflective and purposeful learning.

Alot like what Room 1 are doing with the wrybill but with alot more outcomes. I'll be curious to see how the crew reflect on their learning on this one.

Child security was another interesting point made by Gary. "Parents and teachers are the best filters of the content that children view." Indeed.

He also feels a need to lower the antagonism between adults and children/teenagers. Giving them access to technology will aid this. He compared it to days of old and chemistry sets. The kind that you could create gunpowder with, or melt the kitchen sink. Now days, if you can find them, they come with packaging stating no fire, no acid. What's the point. That's what chemistry is all about isn't it?

Then there's computers. You can have it but only to do.... Get the idea.

And the National Standards and all this. Well bah-humbug. "Who demanded these? Schools? Parents? ("Did you have a fun day at school dear?(not an above the national average in achievement day!!).

Any parents reading this can you contact me re your feelings on what info you get from your school, or what you like to hear or see what's going on. And national standards and testing, what do you think?

In defense of them, I do believe they have excellent exemplars and I see the challenge for us teachers is to set up challenging and relevant programmes where we can show children achieving.

And that's where the video, podcasting, audio, et al comes in...

Looking forward to tomorrow.

Orana Park Rocks

Afternoon at Christchurch's premier animal experience. Feeding giraffes by hand, rhinos close up, seeing the lions getting fed and the cheetahs get some exercise. Brill.

Here kitty!

My turn Dad!

The Ugly Duckling

Myself and Barney went to the Court Theatre today for his first real theatre experience. (I don't call the Wiggles a theatre experience. ( Call me a snob if you like.))

Fantastic. The three actors presented it clearly and enjoyably for the kids, and like a good pixar film they had some subtle adult humour too. Barney was a little quiet at first but the adults and bolder children soon showed him what it was to be a participating audience. It was pleasing too that when mentioning his favourite part it wasn't the drink or treat in the form of a kitkat!

$7 dollars each. Not much to get children away from the telly or game consul?

ULearn09

Very excited. Heading to the Ulearn Conference next week. Myself and colleague, Corrina will have a mixed bag of breakouts I'm sure. Lots seemed to be full.

The keynote speakers should be inspiring in themselves. and hopefully enable a bit of self reflection.

I'll keep you up to date and hopefully be networking there and online here!

Ciao.

Vocaroo

This is a website that allows you to do easy recordings and upload them easy peasy.

Click on the icon and you should here my meagre recordings. Sorry about the sound but I'm not using the mic.

scratch example

Here is an example of how to use the scratch software. Simple, but effective problem solving is key to using it.

Learn more about this project

Trying out Drop box

Click here to see a file I've stored in Drop box. Hope it works as looking to post the homework on here.

Barney Gets Camera Shy

Barney, ever full of the gab, wanted to join in on this blogging lark.

Here's his first attempt.

etime tour

Reremoana (left) and Selwyn Ridge school, one of four visited on the North Island tour. Te Akau ki Papamoa was quite extraordinary in its living culture and vision throughout the board, staff, pupils and community.

Tauriko (left)had its Self Managed Learners organised brilliantly but their future wasn't clear. There were some great ideas however on getting my class to make them own more of their learning.

Selwyn Ridge with the all singing dancing Craig as head, was a great example of how to utilise the skills of your staff utilising a simple vision ( The Kid on the Ridge and a easily understood inquiry scheme with effective themes. (Eg. Speaking Out).

Plenty to take back to the colleagues on our vision and its implemetation and how I can up skill Room 1 further.

Stay tuned.

Why Blog?

etime Tour

So here we are at the second day of our North Island tour looking at some spectacular schools and being inspired. Or is that feeling inadequate. No. Inspired.
I met a lovely girl I taught in my first class back in 97 who is a student teacher at one of the schools we visited,
Tauriko.
Georgina I remember as a bright and confident 8 year old who I had for 2 years. It is a great feeling seeing a pupil you've taught entering the profession.

The school we visited first was Reremoana in South Auckland. I came away acknowledging a school that had created a culture around focusing on effective team work. They had a retreat before the start of each year and was the single most powerful tool the school used -the principal. He Tangata indeed.

5 functions of a successful team
Trust
Conflict
Commitment
Accoutablilty
Results

The fish philosophy underpinned this. You need fun in learning!!!

All decisions are underpinned by research/evidence.
This flows on to PD, the culture et al.
All reading in the research or ideas were undertaken by all staff and and discussed in an environment of trust where all views could be aired.


Teachers make the difference!

Change is gonna happen. Embrace it.
– Re-visioning
Learning for change, learning to learn
Change is inherent in life.
Prioritise the needs in change.
Every step leaves a mark so does staying put (negatively?)


“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”


Tauriko school was a different kettle of fish. A dynamic leadership had taken the school to the forefront of child lead learning. The Self Managed Learners (SML) worked on Hotspots ( essentials such as maths basic facts) then their challenges ( to complete by the end of the day/s/week and then their choices ( based on the learning intentions.) These were self monitored by weekly guides (timetables) set by the teacher and child.
Upon query the children were able to answer articulately what they were doing based on their walts
Children could move freely in and out of the classroom.
Teachers would call children to them based on needs at different times.
The same resources were in all classes and the many activities available to the children meant there was no room for boredom.

I can see this being readily adaptable to reading and writing in my class. Individual goal setting for reading and writing and weekly activities and targets could be easily set up. Conferencing would be skilled based.
Rewards on completion would see children motivated to proceed to the end.

Photos soon

Daylight Saving?

You'd think you'd get use to it but the old body doesn't seem to adjust as quickly.
Was awake with Barney at 5:00 am (6.00 am) trying to coax him back to sleep. Then Fianna thought she would join in. Yah. An early start to a day.

And what are we saving anyway? Power from the fact we don't have to put the lights on as early? We have to give the time back in autumn so is that a saving?

Any hoo. Busy week with the farewelling of our illustrious principal at school and then a quizz at the squash club last night. Sounds like we have a social life! Thanks to my mum and my sis.

Basic Facts Game

Try this game out to practise your basic facts at home.

The Wiki World

Finally got the Wiki thing sussed. Took a while but that was because I was trying to apply many of the widgets and gadgets to the blog as well. What is it they say about men and multi-tasking?

Any hoo... here it is in its basic form with a voice thread as well (Bayyyyy sic!). Hope soon to decide what will be best for the class. Any ideas please get in touch.

Wiki address is https://room1wairakei.wikispaces.com/ .

ICT Practicum

I'm out of the office (the class) today!
My e-time practicum is on web 2.00 tools so as you can see I am up to speed on the blog one.
The wiki was an interesting experiment. After we all got on line we proceeded to find how tricky it is to start one. I found blogging a lot easier but this wikiing may come with time and I will see the benefit of the wiki. I do like how it is muti-layer and the embedding and things seem to be more relevant to getting your ideas out there. Any way we're only half way through so stay tuned.

Super Harry

What can you do? Barney woke this morning insisting he was Super Harry ( He's reading Harry and the Bucket of Dinosaurs.) So you feed the mind and give super hero a cape, mask and St Patricks Day Rosette.

Super Harry to the rescue.

On the benifit of Class Observations.

Planning? Check. 30 children? Check. Assessment data gathered? Check. Assembly preparation? Check. Parent interview forms out? Check. Observation by DP?... Heck!

Middle of week five at the new school. I felt like I was swimming under a pool of policy and procedure folders. My green appraisal and black data handling folder had had last years dust blown off them and my delightful DP handed me a schedule for her visits.

It was due during literacy. I'd only established the reading groups and the routine was patchy at best. I'd lost a quater of the class to a Young Writers group and the nor'wester had kicked in, with it's potential mayhem on the minds of all.

I arrived late after the bell with her on my heals and... the children had heads down engrossed in their own reading books. God bless 'em. Quick check of planning and said DP ensconsed at my desk, away we went.

Once down on the floor with the first group I couldn't see her and to be honest forgot about the whole observation business, until I'd sorted the last group. She was chatting to one of the children by then, looking through one of her books. Gulp. Were the relevant LIs in ( I like to call them WALTs "We Are Learning To...")? Had she followed proper book procedure (illustrated in the grey folder)? Ah not to worry.
On to writing. Conferenced a few while the others madly edited (great use of the dictionary lads!) and published.
And she was gone!!

The last of the kids had bundled out the door when she came back in.

"Wow" was her first comment. Eh? What was going on?You've never seen anything so bad... What?

"Five weeks in and all that up and running? Brilliant."
Ok ,she wasn't taken the mick.
It hadn't felt like it. New job and all, I felt I was flying on serious amounts of Berocca and information overload (that sea of folders!)
However among comments of clever questioning and happy children engrossed and knowing what they're doing and why, I had missed a couple of folder moments but nothing that couldn't be sorted with a few copies of exemplars by the end of the day.
Cool.

As educators we never seem to stop and often are too self critical. Stepping back and taking stock of what we do, or getting someone else to do it ,can make you feel like your dog paddle is going to keep you afloat and that you're not sinking.
Plus there's the wonderful colleagues, like my DP, who never cease to amaze me in their generosity of time.
I teach, I learn.

Wow I'm out there.

Nice to be on the web finally. A small step for one man but hopefully a giant leap into the technolgy unknown and bringing my class with me.

Have not set up a class blog yet, but for you primary teachers, it would be great to hear from you. My year 6 class have brilliant minds and it would be great to get them out on the ethernet and shared with others.

Having returned from overseas after 7 years in October it is great seeing NZ teachers getting into the technology. The UK seems way behind (though I did enjoy the interactive whiteboard).

Thanks to Allanah King in Wayne Erb's report in the Gazette for getting us a gentle kick up the backside and showing how easy it is.

Looking forward to hearing from you and passing 'round the knowledge ball.

Cheers.