ICTeD Services

Apple's iBooks2 and iBooks Author - Collected Readings

The launch of Apple's  iBooks2  and iBooks Author at the Guggenheim NYC on January 19th 2012, has engendered great educational debate about the role of technology in schools.
It is a great thing to have the debate, but you need background first.
Here's my reading list on the iBooks2  and iBooks Author. My thoughts on the topic will come in a later blogpost.

The Official

http://www.apple.com/education/ibooks-textbooks/

http://www.apple.com/education/ibooks-textbooks/index.html#video-textbooks

http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/

http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/#hero-video

http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/ibooks-author/id490152466?mt=12

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itunes-u/id490217893?ls=1&mt=8

https://eduapp.apple.com/

http://images.apple.com/support/itunes-u/docs/iTunesU_Course_Guidelines_011912.pdf

 

How To's and Tutorials

http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/19/apples-ibooks-author-hands-on/

http://mashable.com/2012/01/19/ibooks-author-app-review/

http://creativity-online.com/work/apple-ibooks-author/25959 or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr076C_ty_M

http://www.tuaw.com/2012/01/23/ibooks-author-an-ebook-publisher-looks-at-apples-textbook-crea/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEUdd8vxK3M

http://www.tmadeeasy.com/tablet-apps-in-education/2012/1/20/ibook-author-a-very-special-tme-tutorial.html or

http://www.tmadeeasy.com/tablet-apps-in-education/tag/ibook-author-tutorials

 

Here's a PMI [ Plus, Minus, Interesting / Implications] on links I have found


Plus

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2012/01/19/an-in-depth-review-of-ibooks-author/

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple_shines_with_ibooks_author/

http://frank-lowney.blogspot.com/2012/01/ibooks-author-and-coming-etextbook.html


Minus

http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/19/2718701/apple-ibooks2-textbooks-hardware-questions

http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/productivity_apps/232500227

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/apple-ibooks-author-ties-your-book-to-ibookstore-1056419

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/01/23/initial_ibook_2_titles_offer_disappointing_interactivity_.html


Interesting / Implications

http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/21/an-ipad-in-every-childs-hands/

http://edudemic.com/2012/01/ibooks2/

http://edudemic.com/2012/01/apple-open-standard/

http://www.macworld.com/article/164914/2012/01/four_open_questions_about_ibooks_author.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBooks


The author has single licence for graphic through Envato / Graphic River

Virtual Classrooms - What I learnt from my first experience.

I came in contact via Facebook with a teacher from Indonesia who regularly has teachers and students from around the world Skyping into her classroom.

I didn't think much more about it until one day she contacted me via Facebook chat asking me whether I would be happy to talk to her class in a couple of hours time via Skype.  I was very happy to do this and conversation between myself and the students went well.

We've been in contact since via Facebook which is how I have these photos.

However I did reflect on how a good interaction should go. Here are my Ten Tips

1. If the class you are speaking with do not have English as their first language learn a few basic words in their language, e.g hello, good bye, good morning, good afternoon, please and thank you. If you know some phrases even better. [ You may even be a competent speaker of their language, which would be fantastic.!]

2 Find out the purpose of the virtual class. Is it for conversational English practice? If so, speak coherently, clearly and fluently, so the students can understand. Avoid colloquialisms unless you want to  explain them. If the purpose is for cultural information use the "Same, Same But Different model". That is, discuss differences in the light of commonalities.

3. Be aware of the time difference between them and you. This is important if you want to have synchronous collaboration. You might was this useful. http://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

4. Expect technical glitches. Communication across the world can often have drop outs.

5. Test your equipment before the session starts- Internet connection, headset & microphone.

6. Know the contact details of the teacher you are contacting, e.g Skype address. Make sure they know yours.

7. Have a couple of means of communication open with the teacher in case one drops out, i.e. If the Skype link drops out, have email or FaceBook Chat open so you can let the other teacher know what is happening.

8. Have some topics in you head that you can talk to the students about, i.e prepare like it is a face to face classroom visit. The more global the better. I was asked about sport and trying to explain cricket [ even though Australia was playing India in a Test Series at the time] was impossible. However, English Premier League was a different matter. Although, when I answered that Chelsea was my favourite team, the class burst into laughter. I think I'll answer Liverpool or Manchester United, if asked that question again!

9. Expect to have fun and be prepared to do something out of the box. In my hook up with that class I was asked about my favourite music which is Jazz. I was then asked to sing a Jazz song. I thought maybe that "One for my baby … and one for the road" was not all that appropriate, as is my singing voice. But I did sing the Australian folksong "Waltzing Matilda" and then have to explain its meaning.

10. Listen to the students' questions, they are great. Answer thoughtfully, they will be very appreciative.

I thoroughly recommend trying linking up with a class in another country. It was a great experience. Even better do the activity with you and your students. I couldn't do that as it is summer break in Australia, but maybe next time.

 

The Pencil Metaphor and #pencilchat for eLearning Professional Development

 

There has been a few versions of using The Pencil Metaphor in eLearning and #pencilchat in Twitter going around the the past two months.

I thought I would aggregate them here in one place as a handy resource for any Professional Development sessions I might run. The resources below are handy icebreakers which can really start a discussion. So the resources here are not original, but what you do with them could well be.

The Pencil Metaphor surfaced in early January, describing six cohorts of teachers and their uptake of eLearning as the different parts of the pencil. From the leaders being at the pointy end of the pencil to the Hangers On and the Erasers being at the other end [ i.e. the blockers]

http://rhul-lt.blogspot.com/2012/01/e-learning-and-pencil-metaphor.html

Now I really liked this and was amazed when I found that pencil metaphor had been around for quite a while.

http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/lindy/pencil/pencil.htm

If that is the case, then we haven't really moved as fast as should be expected expected. Is there still dead wood, erasers and hangers  in  your school?

The other pencil metaphor was #pencilchat on Twitter. In tweets the words desktop, notebook, netbook, iPad etc were replaced with the word pencil. That is the name of one tool [ computer / device etc] was replaced with that of another [pencil]. Eg. "I'm not using these pencils until I get professional development in how to use them". or "Students might use these pencils to write words that they aren't supposed too!'

This tweets where put together by MiddleLevelEd using a xtranormal using a great animation.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/12783558/ode-to-pencilchat-technology-integration-in-the-classroom

 It is great viewing, really useful for Professional Development. Watch here

 

The pencil manufacturer in the images has nothing to do with the content of this article

 

 

My Updated Online Website Resources

This needed to happen for a while now! That is, updating my websites.

Why?

1. Because my websites really need a makeover and some new currency.

2. They had been created in an old version of Dreamweaver and in iWeb [which is no longer supported by Apple].

3. Some of the videos that are linked to this blog were hosted on a site [created in iWeb] on Apple's soon to be defunct MobileMe.

So I created the two new websites in RapidWeaver.  This was easy to do and they look great! For hosting I continued with DotEasy , who have been very reliable and responsive to me over a number of years. [ I upgraded one of the hosting plans for .php support]

4. Much of the content of the old websites is still archived in the new sites.

5. Both new websites now give everyone a much better idea of what ICTeD Services is all about.

6. My CV has been moved from this blog to http://www.ictedservices.com/styled-3/index.html

7. URLs are the same.

ICTeD Services.Com [Main site] http://www.ictedservices.com/index.html

ICTeD Services.Info [Support Portfolio] http://www.ictedservices.info/

 

I hope this is clearer to all!

Students as eLearning Leaders Project 2012 - Leadership in a Digital World Module

Attribution http://blog.rozee.pk/2010/05/12/effective-team-leader/ & http://icon-king.com

Great meeting today about the continuation of the DEECD WMR Hobson's Bay Network Students as eLearning Leaders continuing for Grade 5 students in 2011.

These were my ideas below, which were  thrown into the mix. The final outline when completed, will really build on the successes of 2011.

 Download my presentation to the project team. Download HB Students as eLL

 

 

ICTEV Webinar: Defining Digital Identity

I'm looking forward to moderating this Elluminate webinar next week with my fellow ICTEV State Councillor, Roland Gesthuizen as presenter. I had the privilege of hearing many of Roland's thoughts on the recent ACCE Study Tour of the USA. If you haven't heard Roland before, this is your chance to hear his amazing knowledge and analysis on education in general and eLearning in particular.

Thursday, December 8, 2011 - 16:00 - 17:00 [GMT/UTC +11]

This is Roland's abstract

With the huge selection of social networking tools available online to engage with others and expand your professional learning network, the question arises as how to best manage your online identity. With that in mind, the next in our series of free professional learning webinars has been developed.
Defining Digital Identity
The digital identity of an educator is the online representation of their role within a school or the wider community.  With different social networks, an individual could have different identities or alter egos spanning multiple communities. With some exciting possibilities and new threats, engaging and sharing online is a double-edged sword for many teachers. It is no longer enough to remain completely anonymous and just hide behind a web browser.  
This session will share some of the different stories about our digital identity, the places that teachers meet, ways we share and describe how to build a personal learning network that can help shape our digital identity.
 
To join the session, please click on this link
 https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2007026&password=M.3D82B35A25427F214330DFE7EA66CB within 30 minutes of the start time on December 8th.

For more info see http://ictev.vic.edu.au/pd/2011/12/08/free-online-professional-development-defining-digital-identity

If you miss participating, a recording link will be available after the session.

 

Teaching Digital Video to Grade Two Students - Week Two

Session Two went really well

• All groups finished storyboard, which contained description of action, location, costumes & props.
• Demonstrated how to use [Flip] camera without tripod by using the non camera hand as a brace.

• Discussed shots from Extreme Wide Shot to Extreme Closeup. Also how to pan.
• When to pan or zoom or when not too!
• Students all got hands on practice time with the cameras.

See updated teaching notes. Download Digital Video Grade 2

 

 

A Postcard to Tim and Moby [and everyone else at BrainPop UK!]

http://www.brainpop.co.uk/

BrainPop UK http://www.brainpop.co.uk/

After getting this nice postcard from Tim and Moby a while ago I thought I would write back [all the way from Australia as we used to say in the snail mail days].
I'm Information and Communication Technology Coordinator at Williamstown Primary School. Williamstown is a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.
In 2009 we really started to install Promethean Whiteboards at the schooland wanted something else as well as ActivStudio [later ActivInspire] to support student learning. After investigation by a group of staff who “road tested” a number of subscription websites, we decided that BrainPop UK was what we needed. So we are into our second annual subscription, it has been great, but it hasn’t taken off in the way that I want. Yes, we are using BrainPop UK in years 3-6 particularly, but we need to give it a real boost in 2012.

So there is the 10 part plan for BrainPopUK implementation at my school next year!

1.     Explore BrainPop UK fully myself, looking for links to the activities we are doing already at         school.


2.     Add a BrainPop UK PopBox to the school’s website home page when it is revamped next year.         See http://www.brainpop.co.uk/blog/request-a-popbox/ Also add the PopBox to the school’s         Intranet homepage. The PopBox highlights new BrainPop UK videos and will generate a lot of         teacher / student and parent interest.

3.     Take some lessons with all Grade 3 – 6 students and their class teachers. Go through some of         the huge amount of resources that are in BrainPop UK and the different activities for each         topic, e.g. the quizzes.

4.     Encourage all of our Professional Learning Teams [PLTs] to add BrainPop UK activities into         their term and weekly planners.

5.     Now we have the 24/7 license [a really worthwhile purchase] get students to start using         BrainPop UK at home. Publicise this feature in the school newsletter.

6.     Build BrainPop into Interactive Whiteboard activities that teachers and students do throughout         the year.

7.    Explore the link between BrainPop UK and Promethean Learner Response Systems. This looks        to be a really cool feature, see
       http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-gb/resources/partner-resources/brainpop/brainpop-uk.aspx

8.     Encourage teachers to share their use of BrainPop UK at their PLT meetings and in their space         on the school’s Learning Management System.

9.     Encourage students to share what they like about BrainPop UK in their class blogs.

10.   Put the URLs of favourite BrainPop UK activities on appropriate pages of the school Intranet          for easy student access.

So that is the plan, let’s see how it goes!.

 

Teaching Digital Video to Grade Two Students - Week One

 

With the end of the school year approaching in Australia, I've decided to teach all the grade twos movie making!

The Task

1. Production time: five x one hour sessions.

2. Text type: narrative.

3. Topic: A re-telling or a "Fractured Fairy Tale" [ Rocky and Bullwinkle ride again!]

4. Production teams: 4 - 5 students

5. Equipment: Flip cameras, iMac / iMovie

Just completed week one, students are very excited!

Download my lesson presentation here Download Digital Video Grade 2

Will write about the progress each week. The idea is that each grade can show there movies to a buddy grade in the last week of term!

Multiple Sites in iWeb - Recuperating After Cardiac Arrest in Lion!

I've been playing around with a get around to keep iWeb going under Lion, particularly when you want to create multiple iWeb websites under the same login. [See my earlier blogpost, Death of iWeb, 21.10.2011].  There is some hope!
This is one way, a bit clumsy, but it works. [There may be other "get arounds', please post if you have others.]

1. Open iWeb. This will open up your last created iWeb website or a blank iWeb site. Work or edit this file until you have finished with it.

2. When you want to create your new iWeb website do this.
Find the Domain.sites2 file. To do this in Finder > Go > Go to Folder.
In window where it says Go to Folder type ~/Library. Click Go.
This will take you to the now hidden User > Library folder.
Then go to Application Support > iWeb.
In that folder is the Domain.sites2 file that is your iWeb website 
Drag this onto your Desktop and rename it to something more useful.

3.  Click on iWeb again and start a new website.This will create a new file in the User > Library > Application Support > iWeb folder called Domain.sites2.

4. Work on your new site, when finished drag this file onto your Desktop and rename it to something more useful.

5. Want to edit the first iWeb file?
Go to the User > Library > Application Support > iWeb folder [ as you did above].
Drag your first iWeb file into this folder, Rename it Domain.sites2.
Click on it and bingo you can edit your first file!

Confused? Maybe this screencast will help. Download is 13.2 MB, QuickTime required
Download IWeb_Lion

[As with any software recommendations in my blog and websites, what I write about, is my opinion only and I take no responsibility for anything going wrong with your computer, server, network etc.. Please read the conditions and product disclosures and EULA for each application. Always exercise care and caution!]