My first blog post….

As I am setting all things required for my EDC1300 ICT course and perhaps getting a little distracted…..I thought this clip was a playful way of introducing a combination of technology and education, specifically literacy.

Weird Al song about grammer

I have LOVED my prac experience!

I hope everyone got as much out of their prac experience as I did!

I got a good insight into planning, particularly planning for 4 groups within each lesson plan, with 2 or 3 rotations of learning/activities.  I was teaching in a Prep to Grade 3 class, with mixed abilities, hence a lot of differentiation.

My mentor was so supportive, gave great feedback and exposing me to the AusVels curriculum.

I just thought I would share with you a great little internet music (like beatbox) programs kids would use in their spare time.  Check it out. It’s lots of fun!

http://www.incredibox.com/

Connect.ed – Cyber Education

I am now certified in completing successfully  the online Cybersmart Outreach – Professional Development for Educators Program! 🙂
This program covered topics including:
➔ schools, the internet and the law
➔ school policies and cybersafety
➔ students as digital citizens
➔ digital literacy
➔ positive online behaviour
➔ personal and peer safety
➔ e-security
➔ online gaming, social networking, cyberbullying
➔ the ACMA’s cybersafety resources
➔ case studies in online safety.

Like Regina, I was unsure whether I would gain much with this, however I was impressed with the presentation itself, the resources available and the points raised regarding policy around the issues for students, staff and school.

In a Specialist school context, I did make this remark on my feedback regarding the problem with age appropriate content needing to be done with greater support due to some students capabilities.  However it is necessary for these students to be exposed to the age appropriate content as it is just as relevant to them.

I have recommended this program to my school.

Here is my Connect.ed CyberSmart Certificate.

Possibilities are endless…Google Classroom

I have just finished with the second webinar this morning from edtechteacher on Google Classroom.

Perhaps a little tired but this was a little overwhelming as it is totally new to me! Edtechteacher have opened me up to a whole new “Google” world that I was unaware of.  I was also sooo impressed with the way in which edtechteacher use technology to educate and demonstrate within there own webinars. True professionals!!

Google classroom is a tool that integrates the whole of the Google suite plus additional programs for a classroom environment.  It allows automation of assignments both for teacher and students from the sending out to students, submission of assignments and marking of assignments.

During the presentation Alice Keeler’s name came up as a source of reference and blogger. I have looked into it and followed her on twitter as well as added her blog into my Feedly. Alice is also a strong ambassador for technology + education and more specifically the role that Google can play within it and the the integration of non-Google products.

As a result of these seminars I am intrigued to find out how and where Google based schools are in Australia?  At a later stage, I may also take a closer look at the training available on Google for Education website and at the least become Google certified.

Sara, as you mentioned the school you will be doing placement at, is a “Google School”, I would love to hear about how they use it? Whether they use Google Classroom? etc

OMG…THAT was inspiring!!!!

Referring back to my previous post “FREE webinar for google apps” , I have just attended the “Back to School with Google” webinar.  In one hour was an exhilarating amount of information and enthusiasm for the way in which the google suite can be incorporated into the classroom through either using google apps or the web version.

Using the google suite is a great way to collaborate, differentiate in either mainstream or special ed classrooms, live access for teachers and even a way of incorporating formative assessment.

In summary the topics touched on were:

Google Drive – a way of storing information and having the ability to access offline too

Google Docs – wordprocessing tool but live and  with collaboration capabilities

Google Sheets – spreadsheet tool, again live and with collaboration capabilities –  nifty little idea of also using as a way to begin collaborative writing 😉

Google slides – slide tool, more capabilities online than through the app version

Table of Contents (TOC) capabilities within Google Docs makes it an option to use for bigger structures such as school policies documents

Google Keep –  web based tool.  It is like a visual calendar of keeping track of events, appointments, assignment due dates etc but can add links, photos etc to it and has a feature of taking photos of text and it converts it to text, then enabling ability to use text to speech.

Evernote – It is a must that I look at this these holidays as it keeps rearing it’s head! This webinar also referred to the integration capabilities between Google suite and Evernote, referring to it as creating private space.

Screencastify – I need to look into this one more but from my understanding, it is a tool that you can use, say combined with Google docs for projects such as research, story creation, revision, maths problem solving where you use to explain your thinking, problem solving processes.

I STRONGLY suggest you seek further information here : http://edtechteacher.org/gafe on the Google Apps webinar and really consider signing up for the next seminar…after all it is also a way of expanding your PLN 😉

Back to School with Google – Fall Webinar 2014 –  this is the .pdf notes I downloaded from the seminar.

Regina, Craig, Andrea, Michaella did you get a chance to log in? What did you think?

David are you aware of Edtechteach?

FREE Webinars for Google Apps for education and Google in the Classroom ;)

From one of my FB pages, I have been lead to the  (US) website http://edtechteacher.org/ in which they promote the use of technology for education and the classroom.  They hold a number of FREE webinars, of which I have enrolled in 2.

1. September 18th: Back-to-School with Google

   (8pm EST) Over the summer, a number of features changed – and were updated – within Google Apps for Education. Join us for a tour of these exciting new options and learn how they can enhance teaching and learning this fall. Speakers: Tanya Avrith, Beth Holland, and Greg Kulowiec

2. September 23rd: Get to Know Google Classroom

   (8pm EST) With the recent launch of Google Classroom, it has become significantly easier for teachers to push out and collect assignments from students. Come join us to learn how this new tool can simplify your classroom workflow with any device. Speakers: Greg Kulowiec, Shawn McCusker, Tanya Avrith, and Beth Holland 

These are held during the school holidays and work out to be 11am our time.  I have registered for both of these as may be some useful tips before prac?

Just thought I would share 😉

Cheers,

Maria 🙂

Yep! You guessed it…study session commencing….with TED…again ;)

OK, so this is becoming a routine…and quite frankly I like it! 😉  To begin my study session with watching 1 or 2 3 minute TED talks is inspiring and opens up my mind to other possibilities.

Today I was watching one on a story with emoticons by Rives.  This is very clever using text speak as a way of story telling.

I thought this may create some discussion as it is both relevant to ICT but also literacy.  I recall during my study thus far the debate about whether “text speak” needs to be considered as another form of literacy.  There is also a lot of discussion around whether “text speak” is negatively effecting the grammatical skills with the students of today?  It is an interesting debate….is it in fact another form of slang? In every society there is slang! Has that ever effected the students writing in the classroom?

The other side of the debate is the consideration for life skills.  Coming from a Special Education/Needs perspective is it more important that students have “relevant” means of communication, to find their place and being able to contribute in society!?!  

Regina, I would love to hear your thoughts on this?

Cheers, Maria 🙂

Got a meeting (lesson) take a walk…..with ICT….a quick pondering

In preparation of another intense study session, I do my TED Talks warmup….so many motivational and inspiring talks come out of TED.

This morning I thought I would listen to a couple of the 3 minute series and came across the TED talk titled “Got a Meeting? Take a Walk” and caused me to ponder, as I am sitting here on my tush about how much time I spend sitting on it due to study and work.  Furthermore, how much the students generally sit on theirs.  This lead me to question…just because we are looking at ways of increasing the integration and use of ICT does not at all mean it needs to be confined to the classroom, particularly with the mobility of technology these days.

It is often used as a reason for the current generation of overweight children, playing on too many electronic devices and not enough exercise!  We need to utilise this more….majority of students love ICT…..lets think of news ways to incorporate and invigorate the partnership of ICT and physical activity……mmmm this gives me an idea 😉 for my geography/maths unit 😉

I thought Tim, Aaron and Katrina may share my view or at the least, find this TED talk inspiring for the movement (see what I did there 😉 ) of incorporating ICT and physical activity.

Fellow EDC3100ers….could I please have your feedback? :)

I am just reaching out to fellow EDC3100 students to make sure I am on the right track.  I would be ever so grateful to receive some feedback for Assignment 2.

I have inserted my post from the forum below.  I have noticed Tina is for Year 2  unit plan, but unlike mine with a Science focus. Andrea is doing Year 2 and Maths but with a different focus to mine.

David what do you think?

Cheers 🙂

Hi All,

My context will be Special Ed based on a Year 2 from Australian National Curriculum.

I am unsure if this is correct but here goes:

Constructing knowledge:

Mathematics / Year 2 / Measurement and Geometry / Location and transformation / ACMMG044

• Elaboration – understanding that we use representations of objects and their positions, such as on maps, to allow us to receive and give directions and to describe place

Transforming Knowledge:

Mathematics / Year 2 / Measurement and Geometry / Location and transformation / ACMMG044

• Interpret simple maps of familiar locations and identify the relative positions of key features

Geography / Year 2 / Geographical Inquiry and Skills / Collecting, recording, evaluating and representing / ACHGS015

• Elaboration – locating on an outline map the places they are connected to, or the places they visit for shopping, recreation or other reasons
• Elaboration – developing a treasure map incorporating map symbols to show significant features and the route to the treasure

Maths url: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/mathematics/Curriculum/F-10?layout=1#level2

Geography url:http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-social-sciences/geography/Curriculum/F-10?layout=1#level2

Am I on the right track? I only have 1 for constructing and 3 for transforming – is this ok?

Cheers,

Maria

Free Resources!:D

Studyladder is a web based literacy and numeracy program.  As literacy and numeracy week commenced the 25th August (yesterday), Studyladder are offering FREE resources and you do not need an account to get them! 😉

There program and resources are aligned with the Australian Curriculum, so I thought it might be useful for fellow students of EDC3100 for assignment 2 and/or prac.

Students interest in treasure maps

I was looking into what may be available in the ways of creating treasure maps with ICT when I came across a post on free technology for teachers dated 17th August and titled “20 Good Map Creation Tools for Students”.

It is great to see a number of them available and thought I might share this with Tim Fisher as he is studying Geography as part of his Bach. of Ed.

It may also be useful for anyone doing their subject/lesson plan around Geography for assignment 2??