Journeys in Education
Ramblings on ICT, Education, Web 2.0, Christianity and Staff PD
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What is Twitter? Twitter is a website site where you have 140 characters to give your message. You follow people and they follow you. So you can see each others messages. Messages are called Tweets! What is the purpose of Twitter? it allows you to connect instantaneously with people all around the globe to share ideas, resources, news and much more. Many educators have accounts on Twitter and a font of useful information, there are also news services such as the ABC that ‘tweet’ the latest news, celebrities that tell you what they are doing, airline companies, bands, cruise lines, churches, emergency services even Kevin Rudd. I have even seen a twitter account which tweets each earthquake in the world as they happen!
Twitter has also been an amazing resource for broadcasting the news before the news services get onto it. See my post here where I speak about the speed at which social media such as Twitter and Fazcebook had accurate news on the Korumburra Earthquakes!
So how do you use Twitter? Sue Waters has written an excellent post on a wiki which pretty much sums it up so I am not going to reinvent the wheel. So click here to go to the wiki post
My Twitter account is: ldumicich
Some interesting people to follow to get you started…
Getting started, follow some people that you know and some famous people/organisations. Start slowly or else you will be overwhelmed with info!
Some useful links for how it can be used in an educational setting….
Interesting ways to use Twitter int he classroom
50 Ideas for using Twitter in Education
Record in Garage Band normally. Use Sype to have the conversation and records it via CallGraph (PC’s). Google docs is used to collaborate on the podcasts.
http://www.edtechcrew.net/vitta-session-2008/
This is the link to all of Darrel and Tony’s links from the presentation
Feedburner is what they use to get the tags that is needed for itunes
John Pearce
http://saltysolutions.pbwiki.com/
zoho Suite is a good alternatived to Google Docs and cazn easily be embedded into blogs and wikis. It is more fully featured than Google Docs. Can export out into the Office suite
Google Docs less featured. The Spreadsheet function allows you to create easy online forms ahich feeds back live into the spreadsheet.
Interesting link for Primary Science curriculum
http://www.science.org.au/primaryconnections/
Derek Robertson – Gaming in education
Scotland’s got game… …and is embracing game based learning
The application of NintendoDS in the primary classroom, we looked at the game nintendogs. The computer game creates an engaging environment for learning especially for students weho may not succeed with traditional curriculum structures. When playing games students are hypothesizing and problem solving at a rapid rate. Scotland rewriting nationa; curriculum - curiculum for exxcellence, successful learners etc
Semiotic domains – school domain - and area that someone owns and has infliuences over. Game domain is something the students have ownership and mastery over. In Scotland trying to get the 2 domains to intersect.
Consolarium – Scottich centre for games and learning
Brain Training for the DS 30 DS’s in a class with head phones for 20-25 mins every morning for 10 weeks. Found a huge improvement in the mental maths ability compared to the control goroup. Now in 16 schools throughout scotland. Student voice saw improvement in their own abilities ” coz we’re smarter” became cool to be good at maths. Students became very colliegiate, sharing hints and tips, Students even wanted to improve their hand writing so the DS would recognise their writing better.
Nintendogs – created a context for the game, was an integral part of the course not just a reward. Kids enjoyed reading about dogs from books more cause they were using the game. Students mentors for children that couldn’t play the game. (some students who were traditional strugglers were mentors). SOme parents were not happy intially but by the end of the project they were quite enthusiastic.
Moshi Monsters www.moshimonsters.com social networking for young children. Currently being trialled by Scotish school for the early years
Nintendo Wii + endless ocean Awesome immersisive way for students to see the ocean. Use it as an integral part of a unit on the Ocean
Crazy Talk which is a website that animates drawings to make them look like that are talking
Guitar Hero for learning! Gotta love that!
Afrika PS3 game for learning! Photgraphy, Animals etc!
Professor Leyton for DS
Spore for secondary students
Games devices ave a low technology skills threshold, teachers get succes from games technology, enhances self confidence, teachers can focus on teaching and learning and not the technology, teachers are getting results. Good teachers use good resources to engage learning www.hotmilkydrink.typepad.com
http://accetour2008.ning.com/photo More photos of the study Tour!
Very cool session on collaborative carbon footprint reducing using wiki’s and a carbon footprint website.
A collaborative lesson on blogging, voice thread, skype and google earth with Primary classes teaching each other about things that they know about e.g. North americans teaching Australian kids about maple syrup making and Aus kids teaching North American kids about little penguins
Students value connectiveness as their birthright, we power them down when we take off their mobiles. Second Life used in learning, students pick u the scripting really easily, they have a private island on the teen grid of second life. The students can only get onto their private area with their school accounts. There is constant adult supervision adults who are invited onto the island such as NASA specialist they have to undergo a police check etc. This is used in a Health and wellness class, 8th grade, 4 55 minute lessons. www.campaignforrealbeauty.com Project is to make their avatar look much like they are in real life. Then like the media would say is beautiful, the third day is to make a oppoisite gender avatar, Students starting to really get angry about the media portrayal of beauty. The final day was to get the avatar to look how they would like them to look like then reflect on the experience. Teachers get transcript of all chat sessions held in Second Life.
Had a lovely evening last night. We had dinnert in the buffet at the casino and then a small group of us went up to the top of the Sky Tower apparantly the tallest structure in the southern hemispere! The view was spectacular even with the glass floor in the elevator! We then went one floor down to the Sky lounge and had drinks and some very interesting and funny discussions!! Today we are off to visit some more schools and a tour of Auckland then a long flight this envening to San Francisco.
Hi All Photo’s are here if you want to see them. I will update as I go!! Nice smiley one for you Trish.
Have arrived in New Zealand safely with an uneventful (except for the small deodarant spill) flight. We are staying in a young, funky hotel (their words not mine) called the Quadrant. The weather is just like Melbourne and the city looks alot like Melbourne too. We are just about to head out for dinner to a mystery location. More later!!!
