ICTeD Services

Digital Divide & Digital Difference for TLN Online 09.05.2013

Digital Divide & Digital Difference is an article I've had published this week for the Teacher Learning Network. The TLN Journal Autumn 2013 [20.1] has a great set of articles around the theme of, Catering for Difference. The Journal is available from the TLN directly,
http://www.tln.org.au.

This Thursday, the TLN webinar, entitled also, Catering for Difference, has invited many of the authors of this issue of the  journal to elaborate on their articles and participate in discussion. Details of how to participate are at http://www.tln.org.au/courses?eventId=616322&EventViewMode=EventDetails

There is a cost involved to join the webinar if you or your school is not a TLN member. However, if you are a teacher or school in Victoria & T asmania, and you are not a TLN member, you should be!

While you will have to purchase the Journal, if you haven't got it already, the presentation for my segment of the webinar is available on SlideShare. Go to
http://www.slideshare.net/ictedservices/digital-divide-or-digital-difference

Hope you can participate in the webinar!

 

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

Teaching and Learning in the 1 to 1 Classroom Using MacBooks

My next PD gig!!

Are you involved on 1 to 1 learning with MacBooks? Are you using a class set of MacBooks for some of your curriculum activities? Then this activity is pitched at you!

This session will cover the following:
• The pedagogy of the 1 to 1 classroom.
• Classroom organisation.
• Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy & the 1 to 1 classroom.
• What are some curriculum activities that are supported by 1 to 1 learning.
• Why collaboration is vital?
• Assessment in the 1 to 1 classroom.
• Buying, leasing, parent co-contribution or ownership.
• Technical support and security.
• School policies for the 1 to 1 classroom.

A comprehensive set of online resources will be available as will membership of a network to support this learning.

DATE: Thursday September 22, 2011

TIME: 4:30 - 6:30pm

VENUE: The Gallery, Williamstown Primary School, Corner of Parker and Electra Streets, Williamstown, 3016.
Ample parking available outside school, check signage.
Nearest railway station, Williamstown Beach.

MacBooks, online resources and afternoon tea included.

PRICE: Non-members $100 Members $80

Register with VITTA

Teaching Takeover: A new model for junior school ICT lessons

Tomorrow start my ICT teaching for this term with Grades 1 and Grade 2. I'm really looking forward to it, as are the students I think. With 3o new computers in our ICT Teaching and Learning Centre , we have been able to roll out the old computers into those grades. So for the first time ever, Grade 1s and 2s students have reasonable access to computers in their classrooms as well as access to weekly lessons in the ICT Teaching and Learning Centre. Lessons started last term with me taking lessons with these classes and with the teacher present, [demonstration lessons]. This model will continue this term but tweeked as part of this Teaching Takeover model. The lessons are based on the school's ICT /eLearning Scope and Sequence.

Here is an example of the Grade 2 Scope & Sequence.

The first sequence of lessons for Grade 2 comes from Online & Networked Resources, Developing Competency using Purple Mash, a website that the school has a subscription.

The model is this. I take a lesson with the whole class and the classroom teacher [as a demonstration lesson]. Students can practice these skills taught in their classroom during the week. When students return to the ICT Teaching and Learning Centre a week later, they complete a second lesson, which is revision and extension. This second lesson is taken by the classroom teacher. I am in the room as a mentor / coach and can assist with the technology and pedagogy.
Plan for the first sequence of lessons.

Using Purple Mash - Lesson One

Revision of previous content:
• Revision of login process, correct holding and usage of mouse and sitting posture.
• Revision of safety rules
• Revision of the Dock and the Desktop

New content:
• Brief introduction to the Internet. What is it? How do we get there?
• Introduction to Safari as a Web Browser
• Introduction to School Intranet
• Purple Mash Login and password
• Sandpit time with what’s on the home page [ 5 minutes]

• Activity One: The Purple Mash Home Page
    How do we print?
    How do we save?

• Activity Two Creative Tools 2 Design and Make
    Purple Mash at home

• Activity Three Games > Simple City > Cafe

Using Purple Mash - Lesson Two

Revision of previous content:
• Revision of Purple Mash login process

New content:
• Activity Four [to be negotiated with classroom teacher]

• Activity Five [to be negotiated with classroom teacher]

I really looking forward to teaching / mentoring in this model. I will write late on it's success or otherwise.

Some of the cohort last term in ICT !

Ultranet - Release Two. Why can't I access my students?

This blogpost is to let off a bit of steam! I usually don't do this via my blog It's about the Release Two of the Ultranet. For anyone not familiar with what that Ultranet is click here.  I've spent a lot of time developing professional learning materials for the first part on the Ultranet [Release One]. See earlier blogposts here tagged Ultranet. For the DEECD Ultranet Getting Started Guide for Release One click image below.

I've not no issues with Release One. It is now stable and is a very useful toolbox for students and teachers. I'm currently working on the incorporation of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy and the Ultranet at my school. See earlier blogpost about an Elluminate session I did on this.

My frustration is Release Two, where teachers can design online learning tasks for their students. For the DEECD Ultranet Getting Started Guide for Release Two click image below.

In primary schools, classroom [Home group] teachers are linked to their students by a timetabling module of the DEECD CASES adminstrative system. However, as a specialist teacher, [ICT Coordinator], there have been consistent problems linking teachers such as myself with all students in the school. While this has supposed to have been fixed it hasn't. I really want to write learning tasks for students in a number of grade levels at my school. These lessons would also model good online curriculum design for my colleagues. Now to do this, I need access to the 24 grades in my school, but when I login I get access to just 2! [See below].
So I've got no access to the missing 22 grades of students! I really hope this is fixed up soon, as it is holding back Ultranet implementation [ student tasks and teacher professional development] at my school.

Abstracts of my Elluminate sessions for this term: What's Burning in eLearning?

So what's growing in the walled garden? And ... can you go out through the gate?
Wednesday 21/7/2010 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  [GMT / UTC +10]
Internet filtering in DEECD schools with Mike D’Monte, Education & Government Manager, Netspace Online Systems]
Mark will be in conversation with Mike about how internet filters work in DEECD schools. What is DEECD policy on internet filtering? Who decides what is blocked and what is not? Can schools do their own blocking? Can schools open up blocked sites? What are the ramifications if schools take on this responsibility? How can you teach cybersafety in schools, when students live in the “walled garden” of filtered internet at school, but have the "jungle" of unfiltered internet at home? What if students are smart enough to get around DEECD filters? What are the filtering implications for schools if students bring devices such as smart phones with internet access to school?

Session Link: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2007026&password=whatsburninginele
arning

"Behind every cloud is another cloud"
 Cloud computing in DEECD schools - Will the Ultranet become the only cloud in the sky?
Wednesday 4/8/2010 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  [GMT / UTC +10]
[John Pearce, Educational Consultant, Salty Solutions]
Mark will be in conversation with John about the latest  Web 2.0. tools of interest to schools. John will also discuss his list of "must have" Web 2.0 tools for teachers and students. Participants will get a quick peak of some of these and be able to discuss these and any other Web 2.0 tools. Links to all these great tools will be given out in the session. The second part of the session will look at the Web 2.0 toolbox that is the Ultranet. What will be the implications for DEECD teachers who already have blogs and wikis? Will those blogs and wikis have to be duplicated both inside and outside the Ultranet? Can Ultranet blogs and wikis be used for a different purpose? Will the use of other Web 2.0 tools still be supported by DEECD after the introduction on the Ultranet? This will opportunities for participants to discuss their views with John & Mark.

Session Link: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2007026&password=whatsburninginele
arning

Zen and the Art of eLearning Maintenance
Wednesday 18/8/2010 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  [GMT / UTC +10]
Mark will be is conversation with Christian Enkelmann & Alvin Prasad of DEECD ITD discussing technical support and resources for DEECD schools.
Technical issues just drive teachers and students nuts! But there are many things schools can do to keep things humming along smoothly. There will be a discussion of DEECDs technician services and how these work. What are the ways that schools can augment the DEECD technician services?  In the bigger picture, other DEECD ITD technical initiatives such as the SIPS audit, eduPASS and the eduSTAR images will also be up for discussion. This program is designed for teachers and principals, so you can have a better idea of how DEECD technical support and services work. Here will also be an opportunity to share your views with Christian & Alvin.

Session Link: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2007026&password=whatsburninginele
arning

“The catering was pretty lousy!" - Professional learning without leaving your desk
Wednesday 1/9/2010 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  [GMT / UTC +10]
Mark will be in conversation with Jo McLeay, Professional Learning Officer, Victorian Information Technology Teachers’ Association on using online resources, tutorials, and social networking to set up a Personal Learning Network.
There was a time when teachers thought to have professional learning that they needed to leave your school, go to a venue and be "talked at"  for a day. We now understand that teacher professional learning is much, much,  wider than that. Part of this wider definition is the Personal Learning Network [PLN]. Using Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, Twitter, Facebook, you can have access to the best educational minds on the planet 24/7/365. Jo will demonstrate her favourite Web 2.0 tools forusing in a PLN and also give participants a list of great educators to follow on the internet. Participants will also be able to chat to Jo about their experiences with PLNs. T

Session Link: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2007026&password=whatsburninginele
arning

These session are open to anyone interested. Join in!

Moodle for Teachers - Online Course [M4T-3]

I just received my Moodle for Teachers: Intermediate [M4T-3] Certificate  for the four week online course I completed earlier this year [32 hours all up]. Thanks Nellie, Jenni and the rest of the crew! This course [ and many others was run by ITALL - Integrating Technology for Active Life-long Learning]. It was blended learning using Moodle for asynchronous content and WiZiQ for synchronous web conferencing.

See these websites below and follow IT4ALL & WiZiQ on Twitter & Facebook

IT4ALL Courses http://www.integrating-technology.org/
IT4ALL Global Exchange http://www.integrating-technology.com/
IT4ALL Ning http://integrating-technology.ning.com/
WiZiQ http://www.wiziq.com/

Why did I do this course?
• We had just built a Moodle server at the primary school where I teach and I really wanted to explore the pedagogy of online learning. Each week of the course had readings, tasks, web conferences and discussion forums.

Why would I recommend this to others?
• Absolutely! Great dialogue and collaboration with educators from all over the world [ although this can mean completing webinars in the early hours of the morning if you in Australia!]

What did I produce?
A seven week Moodle course for my school colleagues, as part of the introduction of Moodle at my school. It is a conbination of pedagogical readings and practical tasks using Moodle.If you are interested in looking at my Moodle course, leave a comment below and I will give you guest access to it.

The next Moodle for Teachers Intermediate Course [M4T-I] starts soon [see the website listed above]. There are also Beginners and Advanced Moodle Courses. However, is you miss this one there are new courses happening all the time
All upcoming workshops have a one time registration fee US$39 to cover costs and keep IT4ALL running! However, those who cannot afford the registration fee, can apply for a scholarship.

The course outline for Moodle for Teachers [Intermediate] Course is below

Goal
The goal of the M4T-Intermediate workshop is to help educators ensure the quality of online learning through systematic instructional design of online and blended online courses (BOL) and instructor training on online pedagogies.
Description
This intensive, four-week-long workshop is designed to engage you in theoretical and practical aspects of online learning and teaching with a Learning Management System called Moodle. By successfully completing the program you will be ready to teach blended online learning (BOL) or blended learning (BL) courses using Moodle. In the workshop, you will be introduced to online learning pedagogies and best practices. Moodle course development tools will be demonstrated, reviewed and practiced. As online learners, you will learn to understand online learning from the student's perspective so you can prepare your future courses with the learner in mind.
Workshop Context
You will collaborate in teams to design or redesign a course on your chosen topic. You will add content and resources, explore web 2.0 technologies, integrate synchronous and asynchronous learning activities into your course and develop assessments for online learning. You will also be encouraged to reflect on the process of developing your course and to share your learning experiences with your peers.
Workload & Format
M4T requires participants to be active at least 8 hours a week on theoretical and practical aspects of online learning (individually and in teams). 
M4T will include asynchronous (via the Moodle) and synchronous (via WiZiQ) components. 
Workshop Layout
This 4-week facilitated workshop will cover the following topics:
    •    Week 1: Connect, Communicate & Collaborate
    •    Week 2: Moodle Course Design
    •    Week 3: Moodle Course Development
    •    Week 4: Moodle Course Facilitation & Assessment
Expected Learning Outcomes
By the end of the workshop learners should be able to:
    •    Use Moodle editing tools
    •    Use communication tools to communicate with team members
    •    Use collaboration tools to collaborate and create team documents
    •    Design and develop a Moodle course in conjunction with team members based on a constructivist     pedagogy
    •    Integrate web 2.0 technologies into their Moodle course
    •    Add Moodle resources to their course
    •    Add Moodle activities to their course

    •    Critically reflect on their own and others work and provide constructive feedback for course improvement

Have a go at it! it is a great opportunity!