New tool box 008
Originally uploaded by ktbogenrief
Have found an excellent site called wikiHow. Embracing the wiki concept of creative commons, this site is an online DIY manual that anyone can contribute to and edit.. It has approximately 39 000 articles. These range from practical tips like maintaining your bicycle gears to more abstract issues like learning styles. Indeed there is a whole section on memorisation skil.ls, which I am going to pilot with my S1 c.lasses over the next two weeks.
Today’s slide show
[Will also be posted on the Ethos homepage-shared documents]
Here is a sample of the many blogs and wikis out there, mostly relating to Scottish education.
General learning and teaching/use of ICT in teaching:
Ewan McIntosh, LT Scotland http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs
LT Scotland list of blogs: http://ltsblogs.org.uk/
Biology:
Tessa Watson; http://edubuzz.org/blogs/tessawatson/
English:
Neil Winton, PT Perth Academy: http://nwinton.wordpress.com/
Geography:
Ollie Bray, Depute Head, Musselbrough Grammar http://olliebray.typepad.com/
Val Vannett, PT Geography, High School of Dundee http://www.gmpay.blogspot.com/
Music
Alan Coady, East Lothian:http://edubuzz.org/blogs/alancoady/
Physics
http://www.mrhood.co.uk/pub/
Technology:
Stuart Meldrum: http://stuartmeldrum.co.uk/blog/
School/class blogs & wikis
http://www.innerleithen.tv/blog/2007/12/04/Natural_Heritage_Improvement_Project_at_St_Ronans_Primary
http://eastdunbarton.wikispaces.com/Blogging+Project
Everyday Geographies http://primarygeogblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.sandaigprimary.co.uk/pivot/eco.php
Independent Schools Council blog:
http://blog.isc.co.uk/
Perspective of a Director of Education:
Don Ledingham, East Lothian http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/
Perspective of a Quality Improvement Officer
Andrea Reid http://andreareid.wordpress.com
A wiki on wikis:
http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/Articles+and+Resources
Will be doing an In Service on blogs and wikis on Monday 21st, along with Jane Bulloch our librarian. I have made up a PowerPoint, which I;ll put out on the school intranet. Here’s a preview below. It’s really just a few images designed as hooks for the discussion. I don’t want to spend more than 20 iminutes on this, as we want colleagues to try making their own blog, and to ask questions.
When I watch or make up a PowerPoint slide show, I recall the story of the IBM president, who, attending a presentation by one of his senior mangement, stood up and switched off the projector. “How about we just talk about your business?” he said. There was a very long pause, before the meeting recommenced, but he had made a vefry important point.
I think we need to watch that we don’t use PPs as a crutch and switch off our critical thinking faculties. I think that’s whay embedding slide shows on blogs is a useful option-you can direct people to the blog to look at the presentation in detail, and spend more time actually engaging with them at the meeting, rather than just talking at them.
I am hoping to develop the concept of wikis as part of my focus on international education. We have established a partnership with an English-speaking school in Nitte, India, and are about to embark on a pupil exchange with Goulburn Valley Grammar School, in Shepparton Australia. This summer four of our S4 pupils will be flying out to spend 5 weeks at GVGS. During that time, they will stay with host families, attend classes and get the chance to explore Australia. Later in the year, they will reciprocate, and welcome their hosts to Scotland. I’d like them to keep a blog and a video diary of their experiences, but I’m also keen to set up a wiki, that will allow pupils in each of our partner schools to share idaes by working to produce collaborative web pages. For example, each school could contribute to an article on EcoSchools, or the local environment, or share thoughts on issues that interest and affect young people, be it sport, music, fashion, etc. I have set up a wiki which is only at the experimental stage, but I hope to set some clear goals which we could share with Nitte and GVGS. Have a look at it; http://hutchieinternational.wikispaces.com/ any comments or suggestions about how to develop wikis in the classroom are welcome
S1 Traffic Survey
Originally uploaded by jmmcdgll
Here is one pupil’sgraph on a traffic survey we carried out in the Mechant City, Glasgow. I think Flickr is good for showcasing classwork and letting parents see the general standard and quality of work. It is also ideal for formative assessment and I have added notes to this graph, suggesting some points for next time, ie providing feedback. Please feel free to add helpful comments on this graph.
Attended a meeting of LT Scotland’s International Education coordinators in Glasgow today. Among the keynotes was a presentation which included the following thought-provoking slide.
To Do
1. I’d like you to take some time to view it, and add a comment to this post (below)on what slide (or slides) you found most interesting, and why? (PS Health Warning-ask yourself are all these facts true; are there any you find hard to believe? Let me know!)
[slideshare id=33834&doc=shift-happens-23665&w=425]
2. We are now looking at Brazil; we are interested in how it compares to the USA. Make sure you have completed the climate graph for Manuas on page 5 of your booklet. Manuas is a large city on the Amazon. We have looked at Phoenix; now write up in your jotter how you think Manaus compares with Phoenix. To help you, also look at this site here.
My thanks to Judi Hedding, who formerly worked in international banking, and who now writes a very informative blog about Phoenxi. I contacted her, pretty much out of the blue, having found her site while searching for resources on Arizona for my S2 class. Judi has responded several times to the comments my pupils have been leaving, sometimes to add, or to correct things they have said. Have a look at the S2 page to see what I mean. This seems the ideal use of blogging for teaching and learning, where we can begin to draw on local knowledge to enhance pupils’ awareness of ideas, and to help provide feedback fairly rapidly.
