The library wiki that was given as an example in this module is fantastic. I loved the use of the glog as the front page. I am inspired to improve on the wiki I have started but realise it will have to be a holiday project. I am going to aim to get it up and running as a truly interactive wiki for the children to use right from the beginning of the year.
Overall this course has been very beneficial both in making me aware of all that is out there that I hadn't already discovered and I am keen to take on some of the tools we have been exposed to.
many of the tools will be good as motivating tools for the students to use as well as letting them be creative and reflective - good bllom's higher order skills.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Module 9
Scootle is great and we have been using it for some time to access LFO and resources. Much better than previous way through myclasses.I have often shared learning pathways with teachers in my school but had't thought to share or check out what others in the system had shared. On checking this I found lots of other resources to use.
In regards to twitter and facebook I haven't bothered to get into these as I find I don't have time to be checking in with these as well as all the emails i get. I think there comes a time when you have to decide what works for you and go with that rather than being a member of everything and not having time to investigate using the tools properly. This is where the sharing of information is so important as we can't all trawl through and master everything, but maybe we can develop one tool well and then teach others.There have been many times when I have been trying to put something together and given up in frustration only then to ask someone who has been there done that and who can then help you around the obstacle you were facing.
1 module to go!!!!!!
In regards to twitter and facebook I haven't bothered to get into these as I find I don't have time to be checking in with these as well as all the emails i get. I think there comes a time when you have to decide what works for you and go with that rather than being a member of everything and not having time to investigate using the tools properly. This is where the sharing of information is so important as we can't all trawl through and master everything, but maybe we can develop one tool well and then teach others.There have been many times when I have been trying to put something together and given up in frustration only then to ask someone who has been there done that and who can then help you around the obstacle you were facing.
1 module to go!!!!!!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Module 8
RSS feeds seem like a great idea but as I don't follow too many blogs and many of the websites I visit don't have a subscription to them I have not used RSS feeds much. Maybe that will change now having done the web 2 course. I wonder if you set up individual student blogs can you subscribe to these so you can check when they add to it.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Module 7
I discovered delicious some time ago and love it. I have downloaded the toolbar to my home computer and my school computer and use it all the time. Just yesterday I was checking websites i had tagged for simple machines and found I could check other peoples bookmarks for simple machines by clicking on the word popular at the top of my results.Found some other great sites. Have also seen delicious links used for students to provide possible websites for assignments. I also put the link to my delicious account on the library for teachers myclasses page so if teachers want to find something that I have mentioned or shown them they know it will be there.
Reading some of the other blogs is reassuring as many express the same ideas and reservations.However I also picked up a few tips and ideas which is what web 2 is partly about - sharing.
Reading some of the other blogs is reassuring as many express the same ideas and reservations.However I also picked up a few tips and ideas which is what web 2 is partly about - sharing.
Module 6
Glogster looks like a practical program that I can see students really being motivated to use and can see applications where we can possibly use it.Stage 3 are going to Bathurst for an excursion so am thinking they could develop one based on the Gold theme.Also Yr 6 might be able to use it to deveop something as a reflection on their primary school years.
Bubbl.us could be a good collaborative tool but at the moment students have access to kidspiration and can do similar things.
This brings out a point I often toy with- we have similar tools on myclasses- journals, voting etc that we probably don't use well enough but they are there without having to go on WWW and register or create accounts. Trying to weigh up the learning and expertise needed for some of the web 2 tools and privacy issues etc vs using ïnhouse"tools that are relatively safe. I suppose it boils down to what children are using at home and being aware of what is out there and the possibilities of the web 2 tools.There is just so much out there and continually growing and changing I feel I will never be able to feel like I am "ontop of it all".
Bubbl.us could be a good collaborative tool but at the moment students have access to kidspiration and can do similar things.
This brings out a point I often toy with- we have similar tools on myclasses- journals, voting etc that we probably don't use well enough but they are there without having to go on WWW and register or create accounts. Trying to weigh up the learning and expertise needed for some of the web 2 tools and privacy issues etc vs using ïnhouse"tools that are relatively safe. I suppose it boils down to what children are using at home and being aware of what is out there and the possibilities of the web 2 tools.There is just so much out there and continually growing and changing I feel I will never be able to feel like I am "ontop of it all".
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Module 5
Digital storytelling is something I have tried with students and they get a lot out of it.From storyboarding to script writing and planning to working with others and being organised. I highly recommend trying the CBCA Stories on Screen competition.Although a huge task the first time the children gained so much from it and were highly motivated. Just recently we have made book trailers with Stage 2 on the CBCA books using photostory. We found some book trailers on You tube and discussed these and then created our own. The main thing is to allow plenty of time as they really need time to assess what they think is their finished product and then have time to improve on it.
My main problem is how to share with our school community including parents without putting them on You tube and the problems associated with what other content children can access. Maybe teacher tube is the way to go, although I have just found out there is a property on myclasses that lets you load video files DYI property but have yet to work out how. Or have also been shown a site where you can save you tube to - keepvid.com and then insert into a wiki etc.Still need to work through this too! Pity we haven't had some more training on how we can use myclasses better or more efficiently or how to get around issues with youtube etc.
My main problem is how to share with our school community including parents without putting them on You tube and the problems associated with what other content children can access. Maybe teacher tube is the way to go, although I have just found out there is a property on myclasses that lets you load video files DYI property but have yet to work out how. Or have also been shown a site where you can save you tube to - keepvid.com and then insert into a wiki etc.Still need to work through this too! Pity we haven't had some more training on how we can use myclasses better or more efficiently or how to get around issues with youtube etc.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Module 4
This was quite a frustrating module to get started with as I was trying to do it at school and had trouble with the flickr account and a cookie problem!! I still haven't found out how to solve this except to do the module at home! need to check with someone about cookies as it has cropped up before.
Anyhow while exploring flickr thought that as a group of teacher librarians- many of whom are getting new libraries -we might be able to share pictures of good designs/ideas shared by those who already have fairly new libraries.So made a group in flickr and will load some pictures from libraries I have visited (but will get permission from librarians first!) Will then share group at next meeting - week 8 for others to add.
In regards to copyright we need to teach children from the beginning not to just google for images but to use creative common searches and to reference where they get images from just as they do information.
Anyhow while exploring flickr thought that as a group of teacher librarians- many of whom are getting new libraries -we might be able to share pictures of good designs/ideas shared by those who already have fairly new libraries.So made a group in flickr and will load some pictures from libraries I have visited (but will get permission from librarians first!) Will then share group at next meeting - week 8 for others to add.
In regards to copyright we need to teach children from the beginning not to just google for images but to use creative common searches and to reference where they get images from just as they do information.
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