edna.edu.au

6th IWBNet Conference Sydney

http://www.iwb.net.au/conferences/australian09/default.htm

What an experience! Back in December last year I submitted an expression of interest in presenting at the IWBNet09 conference.  Confirmation that I would present was sent out in January. 

I was asked to submit two suggestions for sessions, that was the easy part.  Practical ideas for the inclusion of the Nintendo Wii as this has been the focus for my MEd research topic, and how communicating and collaborating with classes overseas is free and straight forward with the wealth of resources and tools online.

There were technical issues to overcome with the Wii, no one had connected one before at the school so I spent just over $200 acquiring various leads suggested by the Techs that would enable me to switch between the computer presentation and the Wii in action. 

The first picture is of a VGA TO RCA Converter cable and leads for sound.  I didn’t use those after all, but the converter cable was able to hook my Mac to my television at home.  Maybe there will be some use for that in the future … (perhaps @shanetechteach will be able to enlighten me?)  The Digitech Component Video to VGA Converter specifically marketed for the Wii is brilliant, although by itself, it is unable to switch between computer and Wii.  At Waverley College there are switches on the wall which do this for you, I needed the converter though because I wasn’t able to have the leads into the back of the projector as I had them set up in my own classroom.

So at the very least taking part in this event has tidied up how I connect the Wii in my own classroom where the leads present a very obvious workplace health and safety issue.

The people who attended this session ranged from primary to secondary teachers, some of whom had already attempted to use the Wii and who were willing to share their experience, and others who had none but were interested to see what was possible.  I allowed some time for looking at a number of programs that my class enjoys using and which I feel offer suitable experiences for literacy development.  Cooking Mama is a favourite – in my classroom it is used on ipod touch ($7 download as an app from iTunes), the Wii and on a DS.  Big Brain Academy and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games were also loaded for assessing their value.  That is the problem with these devices, the games cost so much, usually anywhere from $50+, it was valuable spending presentation time sharing.  My slideshow included links to research led by the Learning Innovation Centre and online links I have gathered. As my research develops, this will also be included.

The second session I led was more relaxed, as I had overcome my nerves, but also because collaborating and getting involved in online courses and communities is what I do.  I have a massive pln (personal learning network) upon whom I call for inspiration, clarification, humour, professional development events and geeky conversations.  The most successful of these online worlds I inhabit is Twitter, although Plurk provides an alternative, less technical space in which to chat.  There are numerous online spaces to become involved in areas that take your interest, you are not alone, whatever you may feel.  Flickr and Diigo are only two of what I shared, take some time to download and flip through my box at LinkedIn to see what else is out there waiting for you to click on to!

To top this exciting trip to Sydney, TD Chet, the class Travel Buddy who is visiting from Florida accompanied me.  He enjoyed the trip as well, his adventures have been shared on his own school site, and as well he is gaining some notoriety on Twitter. 

I will reflect on the wealth of resources shared by others during the #iwbnet09 at Waverley College, Sydney in further blog posts.

Tags: iwbnet09
Posted at 12:24PM Sep 06, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[0]

Issues with the blogs

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Tags: blogs problems
Posted at 12:03PM May 08, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[0]

Microsoft Innovative Schools Asia Pacific Forum 2009 - Forum Presentations

http://mediasite.eq.edu.au/EQ/Viewer/Viewers/Viewer320TL.aspx?mode=Default&peid=aa75f044-c462-41f8-85d5-0849548e2f61&pid=7c9f08a8-eddd-4228-9163-7608d657e655&playerType=Port25

Bruce Dixon, keynote address The Compelling Case
Microsoft Innovative Schools Asia Pacific Forum 2009 - Forum Presentations

Collaboration – across countries every single day and communicating
Better equip our learners to be better collaborators  across cultures, across countries.
Competitive and comparative nature of education around the world, globalisation.
Accountability to ensure optimum learning experiences.
Wider boundaries, virtual space / environment – quality and convenience of experience
Don’t simply repeat what been doing in the past.  Not going to solve problems of the world in the same ways. Leshard.  
Have to be innovative and create unique solutions, have to create creative collaborators.
Makes assumption that widely spread, diverse collaborative networks. Challenged by access to chat, FB, MySp. Google banned. Interesting challenges.
Relevance – children can get to Google as soon as they leave school, adjusting to them. Access whatever they like, at school don’t let them this presents a challenge of relevance.
Talking about MIT sharing podcasts, powerpoint slideshows, discussions we are doing this already on Twitter, not allowed to use at school.
Intel says we are in the Collaborative Age.
Publishing, creating, constructing.
Web2.0 opportunities create, collaborate, construct and publish – audience anywhere.
Allowed to think very differently. Opened up medium audio, images, video. Young people who couldn’t express through text on a page have a medium, video and an audience beyond school.  Karl Fishch. “Shift Happens� The reach of a staffroom PD.  Slow in responding, opportunities presented.
People in room invited because creative thinkers, will start sharing (we already are.)
Gardner predicted tool for businesses. Most organisations use today.  Web2.0 doesn’t have an end point, more than blogs, wikis and podcasts.  Exciting.
What is possible?  Barrack Obama – largely able to raise funds by not going out to large organisations. He built on John Dean’s work previously and coopt with Facebook. Search “Explain�. Mixed technology with nature of political fundraising. Society voted in a democratic leader.

Mohammed Unis – professor in Bangladesh.  Recognised need for offering micro loans, what we’d see as very small amounts.  $25 and $50 at a time.  98% paid back. Helped them move out of state of dire poverty.
Micro philanthropy – couple of young people connecting anyone to lend money.  Kiva  - micro loans
Dan Buckley “What does this technology make possible?
How can we innovate using social technologies for process of assessment.
Content masters are textbook publishers.
Content of facts not what education is around.  Not just formal but also informal outside school.  Justin Caverton and Symour Papert  Challenge of this environment is to look at previous world and what can we do with it, our job to give children the skills to do that. Success in the future is doing well what you were not taught to do.  Our challenge is to equip students to do that.
Challenging traditional approaches about communication and literacy. Implications in every school, think creatively what this makes possible?

How is a blog assessable?  Response, genre, writing, exciting possibility.  
Standardising assessment – how can we be accountable? – balance between what is taught in school and assessment results.  Teachers are trying to minutely manage assessment (e.g. Naplan)
Relieved not in US.  Barry McGore 1:1 in 1994 – National Curriculum, also leading project looking at 21st Century Assessment Funded by MS, Intel & Cisco. Pulling together best across the world. Real hope in this space.  Potential for rethinking what assessment might be.

Lessen the gap between real world and education institution.  Instead of banning everyday stuff, incorporate in learning process.  “Grow and Transfer�.  Gap is the big challenge, young people are continuosly connected. Have to readdress.  Biggest strength – always open to new ideas from other people, biggest weakness is not always done well.

Every teacher in profession seeks to do best for children in their care. Need to have confidence in what innovations they do with them.  Hopefully strategies will be presented for those challenges.
Confidence in those processes and look to improve and innovate in the future.

What will happen as a result of access to the technology?
Technology allows us to be pedagogically innovative.  Biggest barrier – failed to show broad number of teachers what is possible.  Simply increases capacity to innovate. We were innovative before technology. It can significantly increase our pedagogical capacity.  

Allows us to go to other places we couldn’t go before. To date automating processes, haven’t been ambitious or bold enough.  
How to address this – how should we be valuing these new pedagogies and ideas?
Give tangible examples – e.g. maths and achieving deeper understanding.

Unlocking personalisation.  Across learner diversity but also across systems and processes.  Learning mediums, styles. Have to think about cultural impact of all this.  
Papert – goal is to define ways chln can use the medium that not able to do before. Complexity not able to achieve before.  

Ubiquitous access, universal access.

$2bn for 9-12s. 1:1  OLPC Eeepc  Uruguay 1:1 PC  Years 1-6.  Portugal, PM young people not a lot of job opps. Knowledge economy.  Need knowledge workers.  Medium – own person computer.  Addressing needs of students today.  State of Maine – took initiative Year 7 & 8 laptop in attempt to improve their potential.

Giving ideas, thoughts, trends. Lot happening, lot of innovation going on.  Some just about technology.  Kevin Rudd $1.2bn.

Here are some ideas, aspects, to present a whole view, one tiny of aspect is provision of technology.  What is role of technology?  Pedagogically inert or non aligned.  
Technology to transform is what we are seeking.  Michael Fullen makes “more powerful it becomes, the more indespensible good teachers are.�

Challenges: better leverage technology in school. Assessment, thinking of environment.

School – change in recent times.  In many countries saying schools not meeting needs.  Korea leading over US over 20 year period.  OECD stats.
Routine manual space. Need to rethink skills provided to young people.
No need to provide skills that can be automated and outsourced.
Synthesise, explain, versatile thinkers. Generalist/specialists past. Challenge for schools.
Reimagine what might be possible.

What level of change might take place over 4-5 year period?  Fundamental change or incremental improvement in school?  No right answer, take moment for reflection.
Responses: Need to re-educate parents and society as a whole.  
15 years this has been discussed. Incremental change. Fundamental change in minority of schools.

3 lenses
Different world for children
Technology changes
Schools challenges there and nature of change

Innovation rethink, imagine changes
Have to think:
What is innovative?
A whole process dealt with fragmented, incoherent way. Queensland has purpose to go forward.
Cultural thing, have to say to ourselves “What is it about culture of school that allows us to move forward. Can’t just be one or two people.�
Student voice – have to be aware of measures of accountability.
Innovation is about improving. It is about increasing pedagogical capacity.
Looking at individual child.  How can we truly personalise learning. Styles and how technology
Lumiar school in Brazil – designed set of competencies Mosaic allowed to measure and assess competencies as a result of innovation in that school. Challenged a lot of trad boundaries.
Start to get something that is scaleable, something that is sustainable and scaleable.

Instead of thinking about assessment done by teachers, rethink how we assess, review concept of peer assessment, add more rigour, teacher in moderating or mediating role. Do through technology.
What are opportunities this makes possible? Careful, has to be thought through, Charles Sturdy dip at start as you innovate goes to peak, everything in place, have to rethink next phase when at the top of curve for transformation of schools. Ongoing. Have to reimagine what is possible.
Papert – imagine if we could develop ways children could use technology to do things that were not possible before. Possibility is in front of us.

Adrian Greig  50 mins.

Transformational learning – admin typically in early days, innovation or vision = technology. But it does not mean vision.  How do you know before you look at the learning.

Hamilton SS and Stanthorpe SS photos.

None designed to house technology.  Have to look at retro fitting.  Technology changes rapidly.

Devices can do both work and play.

Wii for therapy, work and play.

Halo Disc  500GB  450,000 photos!

Challenge for the technology – storage of the data.

Siftables

Sense and interact between each other.  Music, flow charts, people, coloured square, storyboard, maths, computer in a matchbox. In next 12 months. 

Sixth Sense – TED talks.

RSS

http://johndwilson.wordpress.com/2007/02/05/gotoweb20-is-a-very-cool-directory-of-apps/

http://photosynth.net/

http://www.popfly.com/

Cloud computing, all information is online not on machines.  Software is not running locally.  Software is a service.  Storage.  Genuine collaboration on files.  Will hit education in next three years.

Haptic technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haptic  e.g. surgeon remote from operating room.

Microsoft - The Surface.  One of biggest services is based in Sydney.

Children can sit together, have the conversations and work collaboratively.

g-speak Wearing gloves, multiple table surfaces.  Mapping, different angles.  Multiple people.  Video editing.  http://oblong.com/   

Remote sensing technologies in classrooms within 5 years. Full colour monitor displays.

Smart goggles – if you lose your keys. 

Rosewood State School 1926 – could be the classroom of today, no change in some instances.

Transformational learning – technology does not = vision. 

Committed Sardines The Blue Whale – takes 3 mins to do a 180 turn. The school of sardines.  Heavier but can follow each other.  Critical mass 15 – 20%, school will change and follow. 

European Commission – critical learning how to learn for jobs of the future. 

Technology visual example of change. What roles will we be taking? 

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Tags: lic
Posted at 10:30AM May 08, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[1]

What comes next with the Wii

I was fortunate enough to catch Jeff Souter on the phone today, he is mentioned in my earlier post "Weeee we've got the Wii up and running."  We had a brief chat and he answered a couple of my questions, such as what to do with the leads and which games to try and get hold of.  If anyone is out there with the wherewithall to manage this, we need some kind of device that allows us to plug the Wii into a computer or transmit the image to the data project without the leads.  They are in the way.  Apparently there is a very expensive, approximately $1000 for a video switch box which can be bought from Video Pro.  That isn't going to happen any time soon!  He also suggested placing vinyl floor mats over the cables to help avoid the inevitable trip over them.

I was curious as to how to maximise the number of students who can use the Wii at a time.  His response was that of course it will depend on which game is being played.  The Dance Mat can have up to 16 people.  One person for each arrow and 4 dance mats placed together.

He suggested that numeracy is well covered.  The sports games provide a wealth of statistical information that can be taken and used.  For Mario Olympics children can graph times and make calculations.  Cooking Mama is a memory exercise as well as measuring the ingredients. 

Tonight Chris Betcher was chatting with a couple of HPE teachers from NSW and our very own Queensland boy Shane Roberts who I present PD sessions with for the SMART classrooms initiative about a Wiimote project and also how the use IT in their lessons.  Shane is right up there with asynchronous events such as geocaching and the like. 

I'll keep you informed as I launch into the evaluaion aimed at identifying effective use to be made of the Nintendo Wii in the primary school classrom.

Tags: wii wiiteachers wiimote project
Posted at 09:30PM Mar 17, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[0]

An introduction to me...

Hello,

My name is Fiona and I am an internet/web2.0 junkie, networking with my PLN on Twitter, Flickr or in an assortment of nings and virtual worlds most days.  

My husband and I both work full time and study part time, we can often be found sitting side by side in our respective online worlds - the 21st Century equivalent of passing our twilight years in rocking chairs. 

Our daughter is a teenager so rarely circles in our orbit (unless she needs money) and our son has joined the Navy so we have to forge our own social life now rather than live for theirs!

I teach Year 3 at a new school on the Gold Coast which is full of new electrical things.  This year has started well with all of the computers working and I have the role of supporting the teachers two days a week with the ICT elements of their units. I am also a member of the team that presents PD as part of the SMART Classroom inititative in the South Coast District.  I will be speaking at a conference in Sydney later in the year about using the Nintendo Wii effectively in the primary classroom and also encouraging educators to develop their own online Personal Learning Networks.

I am about to embark on the fifth subject of eight for a Master of Education (Education Technology) with USQ.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the experiences to date and love the global networking.  I do ponder over what I will get from completing this degree.  There are still so many teachers and school leaders who do not recognise how to use the internet to network students and themselves with the world and who will not listen to those of us who can translate and show them how to harness the power!  It has been important for me to find others like myself who are keen to use computers and confirm that I am on the right track.  I do get disheartened from time to time.

Feel free to have a look at one of the projects I'm in, a bit of fun with my Twitter network.  We have to take a photo of ourselves every day and post it on Flickr, commenting on the photos of others and responding to what others comment on ours. It is fun seeing what people look like and sharing in their lives.   http://www.flickr.com/photos/fionabanjer/sets/72157611998224574/

Click here for the photos of all contributors http://www.flickr.com/groups/twitter365project/pool/

Posted at 07:43AM Feb 21, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[0]

I want it and I want it now!

The story so far... 

We have six Apple computers at school which I have been commissioned to put into action.  I am a PC person!  My daughter and husband use Macs but I'm not allowed any air time on them (unless they can't work out the features of MSWord!!)  Anyway, I have been twittering about getting my hands on one hoping salary sacrifice would provide an answer and seem to have some other interested parties (@shanemason, @bobbartley, @jnxyz, @shanetechteach) involved in the dialogue, it is now a race to see who can cut through the red tape first! :o)

Remserv is the organisation I have a novated lease through to buy my car.  This is the second car I have had using this system, money is taken out pre tax and I am able to claim back petrol, services, tyres, insurance and registration which is excellent as we never have $100 at the end of the weekend to fill the petrol tanks!

I have done a couple of things:

I went into JBHiFi and priced the machine I want, top of the range of course!  I was quoted $205/mth using Flexirent for a Macbook Pro + CS4, Office, Final Cut and extended warranty for 2 years.

I rang the financial planners who arranged my novated lease the next day but they advised I actually go through Remserv directly, they also said the computer had to be 100% work related use, which it would be because that is what I am doing all the time online, but Remserv said 51% work related use. (http://www.remserv.com.au/Education.cfm)  I was also sent a pdf document to fill in which has to be signed by my Principal and lists three reasons that I would use the computer in my employment.

I was informed by Remserv that I could either pay up front and claim back what I had spent, but I had to have funds built up - of course I want $4000 worth of equipment (including software) and have to save up about $1500 if I'm going to do that.  Otherwise I can use Flexirent which is not a cheap option.  I make payments and get reimbursed in my pay, again I have to have the funds there to cover those payments.

Chris Betcher offered some advice, explaining how he was lured over to the"other mac side" and also justification for purchasing a top of the range option too!

Can anyone add information they have gathered please?  Have I got the facts right?  Will I get all the money put into Flexirent or just the GST component?  I'll have to phone Remserv again to clarify that.  Whatever... I will get that MacBook Pro and soon!

http://www.apple.com/au/macbookpro/

The last thing I have done in this quest is phone the Apple Store on @shanemason's advice as their finance appears to be more reasonable.  I was quoted $3166  for MacBook Pro, 15" with slight modification - 250 GB Serial ATA@7200 (whatever that means).  I spent a bit of time chatting with the sales rep who responded to what I said I would be doing with the computer.

UPDATE:

@jnxyz has done this previously, he said that he signed up for Flexirent over the phone with Apple whilst ordering his computer, which was sent to him.  He then contacted HR to organise the salary amount to be sacrificed.

Tags: salary_sacrifice
Posted at 07:10PM Feb 20, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[1]

Ipod Touch Unleashed!

MacTalk offered a fix to enable my ipod touch to store files from my computer.  I tried a couple of different file types but it seems to be limited to .doc and .ppt extensions.This is alright to start with. I have photos and a number of free applications as well so the children who do get to use it are enjoying the novelty (and celebrity of it as they get to sit away from the class in pairs to use it). Thumbs down to Apple though, why would you create such a magnificent beast and not give it the grunt that the promotions implied it had!  Truly bizarre.  Thanks Twitter community!

Tags: ipod ipod_touch
Posted at 07:19AM Feb 15, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[0]

Ted Talks - Elizabeth Gilbert: author of "Eat, Pray, Love"

Elizabeth Gilbert talks about creativity, historically genius was a creative mystery.  A comment is made in the postscript to the embedded movie that suggests that she may be talking about "flow".  Where a person becomes so engrossed in what they are doing that everything else pales into insignificance.  I find that when I am coming to terms with a new application or program on the computer.  My weekends disappear as I engage with Twitter or my online learning as I fall deeply into the reading that I do for my MEd (Ed Tech.).  She suggests that everyone is capable of finding the love and stubborness which motivates a person to continue in their endeavour to engage with their passion.  In my case, with computers, web design and internet communities.  I enjoyed what she had to say.

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Tags: elizabeth_gilbert ted
Posted at 11:23PM Feb 14, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[1]

Kaywa Reader

This interesting block pattern is a link to secret messages that the Kaywa Reader is able to decode and send you to.  The ultimate James Bond tool!  In a primary classroom this could really take the fancy of the amateur sleuths interested in creating their own codes.  A couple of suggestions have been made on MrRobbo's blog, in my room I will use it to engage the children a step further into the code making and breaking they encounter as we read Deltora Quest books.  This is a fantastic tool and I'm willing to pay the 50c or so it will cost to see their faces once in a while!

Tags: apps
Posted at 10:54PM Feb 14, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[0]

Weeee we've got the Wii up and running!

Finally got the Nintendo Wii up and running.  The kids loved it as most of them could tell me what to do, it was interesting how the boy who never enjoys writing or thinking aloud was able to take on a lead role, telling me where to put the leads and how to start up the games.  It was lovely to see his eyes light up and his face turned straight towards me full of confidence!

First time doing anything there are hiccups.  We couldn't work out why the image was not projecting onto the board.  Of course the groundsman could tell us straight away, we had to click 'find source' (of course!).  

 This photo is taken the next morning, we built a table corale around the wires that hang from the projector down to the console, will have to find a solution to that.  The infra red bar has a very very thin wire leading to the console that cannot be seen, some sort of flag will have to be put on I think.  Any suggestions?

Jeff Souter is speaking in these two videos about the value of using the Wii for special education students, he does emphasise that it is suitable for mainstream use as well.  Let me know what you think, I want to use it in a general primary classroom.

Using the Nintendo Wii with students with disabilities
presented by Jeff Souter, ICT Learning and Development Centre – Students with Disabilities
at Get Game! the 2008 Games in Learning conference held on 6 June 2008

Tags: wii
Posted at 01:26PM Feb 07, 2009 by Fiona Banjer  |  Comments[0]