Standing in line for a coffee,
Tired, and feeling brain dead.
On a break from an all day workshop
Something great happened instead!
“Thank you for wearing our T-shirts,”
the Pearson people say.
“Have an ipod with best wishes,
and we hope you have a good day!”
We couldn’t believe our extreme good luck
But this we have to say:
“Thanks so much to Pearson Ed
and their T-shirts we wore today!”
Kathleen Blake Yancey wrote this great piece about writing in the 21st century, so I was not going to miss this session!
How is literacy different now - not just the tools.
Community
Cramped definition of writing - what does writing look like today?
Writing is happening in new and exciting ways
Historical context -
WRITING TODAY IN SCHOOLS - activities to try
1. Blogging from school to the world
2. Becoming Jane Austen
3. Information Ecology
4. Blogging as Learning in Action
WRITING TODAY
PARTICIPATION NOW
Spent all day Sunday at the Google Workshop for Educators here at NECC, where the Google suite of apps and Apps were explored and explained. I can see that I will have to make the time to explore and play further.
The day was really hands on and active, with opportunities aplenty to try out, ask for help, share ideas, set up accounts and play with the applications.
The huge size of the group meant that there were educators of all experiences and teaching levels – who were able to share what they were doing or ask questions for clarification that really helped everyone get the most out of the session.
I had already heard (and seen on their blogs) lots of really exciting ways to use Google apps from Tom Barrett and Ollie Bray so I was hoping to get some more info on how to use the apps I knew of and the many others that I knew were available.
I wasn’t disappointed with the day – I learnt about many cool apps and features that I will use with my kids back in class. Here are some of the ones I like most:
· Google Search (!!!!!!! Yes I know its basic – but wait just see!) Click “Show Options” and then Wonder Wheel – a basic visualiser of the search results. Timeline – another option which puts all the search results in a timeline (obviously!) great for disasters, geography.
· Google Books – I’d like to play with this one a bit more, waiting for some ideas on what to do with this!
· Google Forms - interesting tool that I think the kids could use as well as the teacher – they could make their own revision quizzes, own tests, and surveys too 
The session was supported with lots of online info, presentations, videos etc so that we can explore further in our own time. Check out the swag of goodies given out - gotta love a freebie
Hmmmmm now to see how many of these great apps are not blocked by the department when I get back to school! ;-(
Washington DC, is a big place - the buildings are big, the roads are big, the sidewalks are big, but the Washington Convention Centre is bigger than big!
It takes up 3 blocks and is over 4 storeys tall. It’s spacious, well planned and state of the art! I can’t imagine it full of people, but have been led to believe it will be by Monday when the NECC conference begins for real.
I am here early on Saturday morning to take part in Edubloggercon, described as a fringe event to NECC proper. It’s an “unconference” organized and attended by bloggers and Classroom2.0 participants.
First up is a “Web2.0 Smackdown!” led by the pumped and exuberant CoolCatTeacher herself, Vicki Davis! The smackdown is a bit like a UK TeachMeet on uppers! Its fast, very fast - each presenter has 3 minutes to share a web2.0 tool that they use with their class. Much cheering, clapping and woo-ooing goes on - it’s loud and fun!
Here are the apps that caught my imagination on the day:
QR reader - scan and read mobile barcodes (QR-Codes)
Take pic of bar code – taken to web page, domain or website OR ON YOUR PHONE
Launch the picture – email to yourself
Take photo of the code
Google - Similar searches
Go to - More, even more, labs
“similar searches” – eg similar images search
pick an image that I am looking for – click Similar images – just like the image I picked
Images –Comp fight + Flickr storm
Look for related tags, related photos and can custo
mise even further options to customise, refine searches
flickr search tool
Searches text
Flickr stream of pictures for students to use = keep images on a tray = one URL to link to all of the photos
Cover It Live - Live Blogging tool that allows you to broadcast live commentary to your readers.
Everything that is typed into the event is kept
Back stream, Chatroom,
Use in classroom for reflective pieces = panel function
Fur.ly allows you to create one URL from a bunch of links. Just enter your desirable choices, and fur.ly will do the rest (Slideshow navigation look & feel).
A series of web pages like a tour for kids to follow.
Start at one page and move through the linked pages.
Takes any sort of document and turns it into an online book.
Turns pages like a book
Embed codes – to add to wiki/blog etc
Twoogle provides an easy way to search Twitter and Google simultaneously, from the same site, displaying its results side by side.
Type in something and get google result and twitter result on same page
Visualization tool. Browse through Flickr photos in 3D with this flash application.
Type in tag, brings in photos onto a globe
Generate conversations within the classroom
Reverse image search engine.
Search engine for images
Tracing images and where they have come from
Egs of photo hopping
An online application that lets you display, edit, print and play back music notation with professional quality, right in your web browser.
Play the music
Collaborate with others
Use with Jam studio – put in chords – links, backing tracks, instruments, kids can add own voice, raps etc
Opus09.ning.com
Whew!! heaps there to investigate over the next little while!
Have you used any of these applications with your class? Please, let me know what you’ve done - thanks
;-)
A fun aspect of the presentation was the backchannel chat that occurred alongside the streamed version of the session. I can’t remember the name of the application Will used, but he videoed the session live and the viewers watching live were able to chat along as they watched the session.
The comments and quips came quick and fast as people asked questions, requested more info, passed comment and shared insights. Very enjoyable, but really fast paced and a little scary for a newbie
“We write to connect - to publish as a mid point - to converse and engage. There is no final copy - we can articulate our ideas to a certain extent - but we put it out there to be read and to be pushed.
We publish because we want to engage in the conversation.
World Map is the child’s classroom. “I ask my readers”
Connective writing - real audience and real purpose to engage with people - to expand efforts and knowledge.”
Will walks the walk - his sessions really encouraged you to push your own ideas, and the chat with others also pushed Will’s ideas along as well.
Leveraging the Potential of a Hyperconnected World
Spent Friday listening to, and being inspired by, Will Richardson at Syba Signs Network Literacy Day.
The “most thought-provoking idea” for me was …..
The idea of having a personal connection or personal involvement in learning about /embracing the use of web 2.0 tools before attempting to use them in the classroom rang true from my experience.
Will showed that the map of the world = his personal classroom - that everyone that was there as a “red dot” on the map was there because they want to be there; anyone that joined the conversation joined because they wanted to be part of the conversation, they wanted to share the learning. Will’s classroom is an active and participatory place.
I tried to share some of the joys and excitement that web2.0 applications offered with staff at my school last year. I ran a number of workshop sessions where the group played around with applications, trialled making slideshows and bubbleshare, had time to see applications in actions on blogs and wikis, tried commenting and reading blogs. Unfortunately, there was little “spill-over” effect into classrooms. Participants participated only in what was required in the session, and few even tried to use these tools with their classes.
I realize now that each person has to have a personal reason to try these new tools - they have to do it for themselves first and foremost. Will was able to show what was available, tell anecdotes and stories, and demonstrate why we might find these tools effective and useful. He followed up taking questions and again actually showing how to set up accounts and how to follow ideas, topics and people on-line.
Persuasive, motivating and inspirational I think!
TED Talk: “Why play is vital - no matter your age” presented by Dr Stuart Brown from the National Institute for Play in New York.
Dr Brown’s research indicates that there is a strong correlation between success and playful activity. Play is an altered state, and it’s this state that allows us to explore the possible.
Play changes or overrides:
Types of play as identified by Dr Brown:
Body play - spontaneous desire to escape gravity - playing for play’s sake - no purpose but the joy of play
Object play - play is practical and need curiosity and exploration with our hands to help solve problems
Social play - if you want to belong
Rough and tumble play - learning medium for all, be chaotic and develop emotional regulation
Spectator play
Ritual play
Imaginative play — Internal narrative story
Solo play
Our own play history is unique and personal, and can be a transforming force.
Importance of play to creative thinking leading from Mihaley Csikszentmihalyi’s idea of
FLOW = fully immersed in what they are doing
= energised focus
= full involvement
= success in the process
What has this to do with learning and learning using games?
It reaffirms the “permission to play” idea I was interested in exploring by adding to this idea in these ways:
Here is the talk - 26 minutes in total.
RESOLUTION
Or what can it look like in the classroom?
“Create Something Extraordinary” - Oceans of Info Project
This is what we were studying as a class:
Which led to a negotiated Individual enquiry project.
Rubric - negotiated with students, expectations high and clear.
Oral presentation of information highlighted - talking & listening.
Researching - reading, writing, playing
Planning - writing, reading
Performing - negotiating, practicing,
Outcomes/ presentations can be seen on AllStars blog.
CODA
Games in the classroom!
DS Lites, wii, Playstation
Find examples and write ups of using these games here!
Learning Teaching Scotland’s Nintendogs Project
END OF STORY
Well that’s my story, now its time for you to come on board, to take time to explore and play with these tools that offer so much - especially in the areas of connecting, communicating, collaborating and creating.
Your task is ……..
To play
To discover
To choose something new
That could fit in your classroom and that you would share with your class or your staff, tomorrow or the next day…….
Go on, try for yourself ………. What’s the worst that could happen?
Here is a friendly slideshow that reassures (and offers practical advice) for …. facing the ICT elephant 
COMPLICATION
Change
The world has changed.
The students have changed.
Knowledge and learning have changed.
Schools and teaching have changed ???????
Here are two short presentations to promote some discussion:
See Think Wonder
Child Centred
Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson - “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” TED Talk
“If human intelligences were limited to the abilties measured in IQ tests, most human activity would stop, or would never have started …..”
Out of Our Minds, Ken Robinson, 2001. Pg 102
Where to go for exciting, web-based tools to spark and interest?
Try ……. Cool Tools for Schools wiki
21st Century Pedagogy Conference 2009
The “c” Generation
connect, communicate, collaborate, create
Innovations in ICT Practical Workshop:
Quality Tools and Quality Teaching in a Quality Learning Environment
Here’s the story plan for today: welcome to my session on using exciting tools with your students to explore, communicate and create together in your classrooms.
ORIENTATION
Using the NSW Quality Teaching Framework, the three dimensions of pedagogy that underpin the teaching and learning that occurs in classrooms are:
Quality Learning Environment: refers to pedagogy that creates classrooms where students and teachers work productively in an environment clearly focused on learning. Such pedagogy sets high and explicit expectations and develops positive relationships between teachers and students and among students.
Significance: refers to pedagogy that helps make learning meaningful and important to students. Such pedagogy draws clear connections with student’s prior knowledge and identities, with contexts outside of the classroom, and with multiple ways of knowing or cultural perspectives.
Intellectual Quality: refers to pedagogy focuses on producing deep understanding of important concepts, skills,and ideas. Such pedagogy treats knowldege as something that requires active construction and requires students to engage in higher-order thinking and to communicate substantively about what they are learning.
These are the basics that we are starting and finishing with today - it is the teaching that allows our students to connect, to communicate, to collaborate and to create. It is the quality of the teaching, the quality of the relationships, and the quality of the communication that will make the difference. Technology is the tool that can help us to help our students. It’s the “teach” not the tools that make the difference.
Sort It Out
Diamond
