ICTeD Services

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.

 

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

 

 

Western Region Study Tour: Integrating ICT into your Primary School Program.

Hope you can join me as part of
ICTEV - Western Region Study Tour: Integrating ICT into your Primary School Program.

Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 09:00 - 15:30

From the ICTEV website.

Following previous successful study tours within the metropolitan area, we are pleased to offer this study tour program in the Williamstown locality of Western Region to assist with ideas for you to integrate ICT into your primary school program. The format of the study tour is to provide a mini bus to transport you between three schools in one day. These study tours are a great opportunity to join with fellow teachers, share ideas and see what other schools do. They are days for observation and to discuss the various approaches being used with ICT in the classroom to achieve exciting outcomes in student performance.
Each school has a differing approach to the integration of ICT and yet in each school their students are obtaining excellent results through the use of ICT in the primary years.  In this tour there is an emphasis on the 1:1 program, with detailed descriptions of the planning that went into its successful implementation. Each school took a varying pathway, which provides delegates with choices and alternatives to consider for their own situations. On the tour you will be taken by bus between Williamstown Primary School, Seabrook Primary School and Altona Primary School.

My part of the itinerary:
 Meet at Williamstown Primary School, Cecil Street, Williamstown for a 9 am start.

9.00
 Williamstown Primary School - Host: Mark Richardson, ICTeD Services
Mark Richardson, ICT Coordinator at Williamstown PS, will introduce you to the ways that the school organises its curriculum around its notebook/netbook trolleys and interactive whiteboards. Find out how these devices are used in English, Mathematics and Integrated Studies and learn how you can plan activities like these for yourself. Examples of planning and activities will be shown and you will be able to talk to teachers about their work.
Topics covered will be:
    •    The importance of whole school ICT / eLearning planning;
    •    How to plan great ICT / eLearning lessons;
    •    The organisational and technical support that is needed;
    •    Using Bloom's Digital Taxonomy as a planning tool;
    •    Making the most of all the software on PCs and Macs;
    •    Using Interactive Whiteboards to enhance classroom management, teaching and learning.
Mark will also demonstrate some of the great Web 2.0 tools to use in the primary classroom, discuss the assessment of student work in ICT / eLearning lessons, explain how a Learning Management System can enhance your lessons and conclude with describing how PD can be integrated into these activities.

Followed by
11.00
 Altona Primary School - Host: Danielle Webster and Robyne Luketic
Making the most of the Ultranet: Strategies at Altona Primary School to promote and encourage teachers' learning.

1.30 
Seabrook Primary School - Host: Delores Giordimaina
In 2011 Seabrook Primary School implemented a one to one MacBook program.

To register go to
http://ictev.vic.edu.au/pd/2011/10/27/western-region-study-tour-integrating-ict-your-primary-school-program

Hope to see you there!!

The Biggest Reducer: Student Website Authoring about Food Miles

Kara and I have just finished our second day with students from years 5 - 7  [10  to 13 year olds] from three different schools, who were constructing websites on the environmental impact of Food Miles on the environment. See my blogposts for 29/3/2009 & 25/4/2009 on the background and preparation on this activity. As seems the case with these two day events, the first day is about content background, team building and ICT skill building and with not much website content. However, by lunchtime on the second day it all comes together amazingly! The 24 students we had were just great!

Background to curriculum planning for this event is at
http://www.ictedservices.info/biggest_reducer/index.htm

The completed school Food Miles websites are below
School One
School Two
School Three

Hope this of use to other teachers doing environmental activities on food miles!!

Student Website Authoring Activity - The Environmental Effect of Food Miles /2

 Gathering resources for this activity on "Food Miles" for this activity [see blogpost 29/3]. Have come across some great videos on You Tube These are the five I am using [some have been edited in length, so to enhance their use in the activity]. I hope the makers don't mind them being posted here. They are all great videos and will be a great stimulus for the start of the activity.

[QuickTime required - Don't have Quicktime? Click here]

Will write how the activity went in the next week or two.

Student Website Authoring Activity - The Environmental Effect of Food Miles

The final draft of the Environmental Neighbourhood Cluster's 2009 ICT Project is nearly complete.

It's called The Biggest Reducer

In this activity eight students from three schools will each make a website on the environmental impact of  food miles.

The focus questions are

• Why are “food miles” an environmental issue?
• How can we easily assess the “food miles” of a weekly shopping list?
• What are some strategies we can use to reduce the “food miles” of a weekly shopping list?

Activity will be held of May 4th & May 11th, 2009
Workshop Outline

Food Miles and the Environment: Ideas to Help Our Planet. An Action Based Internet Project by Students of The Environmental Neighbourhood Cluster

Monday May 4th 2009
9.00 Welcome – Overview of program, outline of expectations & housekeeping.
Introduction to the project, background data, group thinking, team protocols
and planning.
11.10 – Recess
11.40 – Workshop time 1
12.50 – Lunch break
1.50 – Workshop time 2
3.20 – Wrap up of program for Day 1

Monday May 11th 2009
9.00 – Where are we up to? What do we need to finish?
9:30 – Workshop time 3
11.10 – Recess
11.40 – Workshop time 4
12.50 – Lunch break
1.50 – Final session - Presentation of final products & student evaluation
3.25 – Wrap up of program

Multimedia Activities

Students will address the issue of food miles and the environment using the
multimedia forms below [students will be in school groups of 8 and working
with students from the two other local schools].
Website [iWeb]
Developing a website on food miles and the environment
Comic or posters [Comic Life]
Making a comic or poster food miles and the environment
Podcast [GarageBand]
Plan and conduct a podcast food miles and the environment [maybe a debate
with a moderator]
Movies [iMovie] Create a short movie on food miles and the environment  for
inclusion in a website.
Wiki [Wikispaces] Used as a tool to reflect
Publishing [Pages] poster about food miles and the environment

This is the fourth year we have run student constructed websites using iWeb workshops on Enviromental themes. Previous activities were Water Wise in Williamstown: A Student Website for the Environment & Sustainability [2006]
, Sustainable Housing: A Student Website for the Environment & Sustainability [2007]
 and Big Wrapper '08: Student Consumption & Packaging Websites for the Environment & Sustainability [2008]

More info at http://www.ictedservices.info/biggest_reducer/index.htm. I'll also write a blogpost on how the activity went.

Milk Powder: the Movie & Intercept Poverty Fundraiser

Intercept Poverty are having a fundraiser at Harambe Restaurant, in Footscray, March 8th, 2009 from 6:30 p.m.. This will be an International Women's  Day event. See Tanya's blogpost for more information. Tickets are still available if you read this before the event!
My contribution was to do the post-production on video tape that Tanya and Ivon took in Addis Ababa in January. [See my earlier blogposts of the MIlk Powder project.]
This resulted in two videos, "Milk Powder for African Babies" [3mins] and "Monica's Angel Chidren's Home for Boys" [ 6 mins].
Both will be shown at the above fundraiser.
Here is a clip from "Milk Powder".

There are some amazing projects in the world people a doing! If you get a chance to support any small scale projects, particularly in the Third World, then do it"

P.S. The amazing soundtrack "Problem Solving People is by Tanya and the Mudcakes!

P.P.S. Apparently over $2500 was raised!

Milk Powder for African Babies: The Video

Last year you may have read about fundraising activities at my school to provide formula for the orphan babies at the Kidane Mehret orphanage in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. The school raised a large amount of money through various fundraising activities. Tanya and Ivon from Intercept Poverty [read their blog for more information] in Melbourne, Australia, took this money back to Ethiopia and personally purchased the formula and took it to the orphanage. They took some great video of their trip and in particular, this event of visiting the orphanage. It was filmed on a great little camera a JVC Everio. The footage looked great on the DVDs burnt from the SD card. The only issue was they wanted two edited DVDs. A three minute dv to show the students about what happened to the money they raised and an eight minute dv to show guests at an International Women's Day fundraiser.

Then the fun started, Handbrake wouldn't break the DVDs they made apart. Then web research found out that Everios and Macs just don't like talking to one another much. So, eventually a solution, the .MOD files of the Everio are MPEG2. Firstly a free download of MPEG Streamclip 1.9.2, well done so far [and free!]. But that was only half of it, I then had to purchase from Apple a MPEG2 Playback component for Quicktime [This was $29.99 AUD, and after I have shelled out for QT Pro a while back, it makes QT an expensive 'free' app!]

Then the process of coverting the 150 clips to Quicktime. After mucking around for 3 nights, I'm ready to import the clips into iMovie!! Let you know how the editing goes.

----------------------------------------

Sunday 01.03.2009. Finished the rough cut

Energyville: Online Environmental Game

I came across this Sim City like environmental game, Energyville, mentioned on a tweet by a Twitter follower. Looks like a great resource, developed for Chevron by the Economist Group. It has to be stated, [and some Australians may not be aware of this], that Chevron is an oil company [the parent of Chevron, Texaco & Caltex]. It has a webpage is complete with a counter showing the barrels of global oil / gas consumption used during your visit to their website! Click here for Energyville. There is a critique published by Greenpeace that I found, so the use of the Energyville & the Greenpeace blog would be good background materials for high/secondary students to debate. As the homepage of the simulation states "There are many valid and varying points-of-view on the future of energy. We encourage you to add your voice to the debate." So do I.

Meet the Greens

I haven't written on environmental education resources for a while, but have come across this website recently, which looks great for primary/elementary school students. Meet the Greens. Just read their promo!

The GREENS: a cool kids' site about looking after the planet. MeetTheGreens.org is produced by the award-winning kids team at WGBH Interactive in Boston.MeetTheGreens.org is a new kids' guide to looking after the planet. Kids can watch The GREENS' cartoon adventures and discover related green games, news, downloads, a blog, action tips, links, and much more. This innovative, Web-only project comes from WGBH in Boston, the producer of shows like ZOOM, ARTHUR, Frontline & NOVA.