Computer Coordinator Update Term 3 2008

General Stuff

• Kidcyber is an Australian site with hundreds of current topics listed in categories. There are two ways to search.  A google search will bring you results based on your keywords, ranked by popularity and other measures.  A category search will bring a list of websites that have been verified as relating to a particular category you select.  Kidcyber is an Australian site with hundreds of topics listed in categories.  Remember each method has advantages and disadvantages.
• It is now really easy to annotate maps for use in many different curriculum areas.  Mapbuilder is a great tool to help you do this.
• Also Paul Clark has provided a collection of quiz, excel and word templates that are great for the primary school classroom.  Let me know what you need and I'll see if I can find something for you.

Infants

• Internet Picture dictionary is very cute and easy to use.
• Funschool Kaboose - cute animal letter printable sheets, lots of different types of games including spelling, science and geography
• The Little Big Book Club: E-books, there is current one book about cats available in different languages.  Great sound effects and presentation.

Primary

• Gimp is a photo-editing tool that is easy to use and free for installation on school machines. 

         The tutorials on the Sydney Region website will provide you with an idea of the programs  applications and capabiilities.  Let me know if you are interested in using this tool by adding a comment at the end of this post.

• Copyright is an important issue for students to understand.  Frankhardcase.com is a resource for students to understand copyright.  Smartcopying is a resource to help teachers understand the detail of copyright legislation.
• KidsView: Parliment in Focus  - flash-based interactives for teaching about Government.
• Bullying: No Way - An interactive website with lots of information on different aspects of bullying.
• Mick Leigh poetry - wonderful poetry from an Australian poet.
• Discovering Antarctica - beautiful imagery, lots of different media and lesson plans.
•  Double Jeopoardy is a great way to engage the students, developing quiz questions and answers on current classroom  or grade topics and then playing this interactive game as revision or just for fun. Double jeopardy is in the Stage 3 2008 Folder. The questions are easy to load, if you would like a little demonstration please let me know.
• Wordle is a fascinating tool that will convert a slab of text into a visual form. Words that appear more often in the text become larger, therefore highlighting keywords.  Check out this example from a homework news response that my class has written.     http://wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/185376/Sport

If you would like to keep abreast of some creative ways of  using technology in the classroom then check out Concetta's writings on this topic. Follow the link. http://me.edu.au/b/cgotlieb/entry/stage_2_social_skills

Tags: updates tips li
Posted at 06:54PM Sep 18, 2008 by Maria Marshall  | 

Unblock a website

Unblock a website:

1. Go to your DET Portal page
2. Click on the 'My Applications' tab
3. Select 'Account Administration'
4. Select 'Web Filter Check'
5. Complete the form including URL and reason for unblocking

The Department are usually fast with these requests, usually within a day.  You will receive an email letting you know when it is done.

Tags: detnsw administration internet
Posted at 12:24PM Sep 14, 2008 by Maria Marshall  | 

Assembly Sharing

This week my class ran the Assembly for Stage 2. Each child had a role to play as presenter. The essential parts of the assembly remain the same from week to week but in addition this week we highlighted the work being done using technology in my class. Children explained that they used Windows Movie Maker to create the little movies during Semester 1. The movies that were shown included How to Worm Farm,  Grandparents Day, Elizabeth Farm and also one of the students speeches called Famous Aussie Phrases.

The children and teachers enjoyed the movies and were impressed by the quality of work produced by the students.

Tags: speeches movies
Posted at 08:34PM Jun 29, 2008 by Maria Marshall  | 

Computer Coordinator Update

I attended the Computer Coordinator meeting last week.  The focus on technology is growing quickly.  Our school will get 1 whiteboard in term 3, this will be installed in my room.  The department has selected the software that will be used with all whiteboards across the state.  The program is called ActivStudio3 with modifications for use in NSW primary schools.  There is training available through Premethean if you're interested let me know.

General tips and resources:

• The NSW Public Schools website has recently updated printable documents to help parents understand technology and keep up to date are available on the Newstand
• Kerpoof is a web-based tool that can be used to create short animated stories.  It seems very easy to use but I haven't tested it with my class yet.
• JigZone is a web-based tool that takes a photo and turns it into a puzzle. You can vary the number of pieces so that the puzzles are suitable for infants or primary.
• Olympics resources from the school education theme pages here at Edna.  There's lots there.  Write a comment either here or in our community at Gymea Bay Primary School and let me know what's useful. 

Primary Resources

• Animator vs Animation is a very cute short video demonstrating the tools in drawing programs using an animated stick figure.
• Create a virtual neighbourhood with the online game My Neighbourhood. Visually rich, easy to use.

Infants Resources

•  MathsIsFun is a cute website with maths activities.  It has good explanations of working out and colourful pictures.

And don't forget to drop by wormbins.edublogs.org.

Text is published under Creative Commons licence please feel free to reuse.

Tags: primary ccday links tips technology
Posted at 10:29PM Jun 22, 2008 by Maria Marshall  | 

Play Youtube Movies at school

Most videos in youtube and other players are flash video.  This is incompatible with with Windows Media Player which is where you would normally play video if you own a PC.  To make matters worse the converting Flash video to WMV or something compatible with Windows Media Player doesn't usually work.

Instead get the free Adobe Media Player then you'll be able to convert the video to MP4 or something else compatible and play your video.

There are two steps:

Downloading the video

1. Go to Video Code Zone
2. Open tab Video Download
3. Copy the URL of the video you want to convert to MP4
4. Save the video on your machine.

Playing the video

1. Download Adobe Media Player
2. Open the video to view it

Any other tips feel free to post them in the comments.

Tags: technology youtube tips
Posted at 09:09PM Jun 22, 2008 by Maria Marshall  | 

Update on our blog

I am really happy with contributions from both parents and students on Wormbins.   I’m finding the best thing about blogging is that it is an opportunity to reflect on work and to include parents in the classroom in a more interactive way.

This is the text of a note I provided to update parents:

• Speeches – To provide students with the best possibility of creating interesting engaging speeches this term I am posting their ideas online.  We will then all provide ideas, suggestions and constructive feedback to help make their ideas come to life.
• General class posts – Read the posts and talk to your child about the work they are completing.  Post questions or ideas.
• Good work – If your child has good work posted please comment on it.
• Encourage your child to check the blog every weekend to see what task is set for the week.  I’ll post the homework on Friday.  If they are having trouble with the homework or tasks feel free to comment in the homework posts.
• Tips on commenting
• Be specific.  What did you like?  What do you think could be improved?  Ideas that could be included.  Useful connections eg talk about something you have experienced or where you found extra information.
• Be kind.  We will not post any inappropriate or bullying comments.  This should be a positive learning experience for students.
• Become an ‘expert’ for our students.  Everyone has strengths and interests feel free to share.  If you would like to contribute a post that you feel would be valuable email me.
• Encourage your child to be a regular commenter.  It is a way for them to show their thinking and writing skills in a real way and in their own time.

General issues:

  As you may be aware we have been creating videos of our experiences in the classroom. 

•  I have created a link to the finished videos on Wormbins.edublogs.org. Click on the ‘Teacher Instructional Videos’ link which is located down the right hand side in the box called Blogroll.
•  Most students in 4/5M are included in the videos but Alexi, Julian, Chenaya, Pheobe, Ashlee, Heather, Abby, Sinead, Ben, Tim, Jay, Dane, Holly and Albert feature in speaking roles.
•  The main videos they feature in are ‘One Classroom’s Blogging Experience’, ‘Organising the Classroom’, ‘Multimedia for Everyone’, ‘Spreeder’, ‘Survey Monkey’.

Tags: blog parents
Posted at 09:05PM Jun 22, 2008 by Maria Marshall  | 

Comic Life

As my first project in Comic Life the children in my class selected 4 questions and answers from an interview that they had with their parents regarding Australia and the changes they had lived through. The children converted this into a comic inserting pictures of themsrlves talking about the responses that they had from their parents. It was a wonderful motivating and challenging piece of writing with a lovely finished product. The children have embraced this program and are having fun with it at home in their own time.

Tags: comics tip technology primary ideas
Posted at 08:52PM Jun 22, 2008 by Maria Marshall  |