"The secret to learning lies in all of us. Let me show you the way"

Study Grandmaster
" A revolutionary educator who motivates and influences students around the world"

This blog allows students' all of the work of all ages access to advice and support when studying for exams. The blog contains postings and responses with tips for success and words of wisdom. It enables students to express their concerns and receive feedback.

http://blog.studygrandmaster.com

"Pulsy's People" : An Educational Blog

I came across this educational blog which is used by an entire school and is divided by classes. Each class blog is customised and contains different categories. To access the blog students' click on their class teacher’s name, where they can then post, comment, print off homework or complete extension work. It also contains various units of work that the class are completing and enables parents to take a look at their child's classroom. This blog demonstrates how blogs can be used as a platform for accessing new information and experiences which exists outside of the classroom. Parents can access the blog and see what is going on in the classroom, whilst students' can contribute their experiences and what they have learned in particular units of study.

http://mpuls.edublogs.org/category/what-our-class-is-doing/

SKWIRK

Whilst on prac. my teacher showed me this educational tool that is fantastic for learning both in and outside of the classroom.Skwirk is an online education portal featuring syllabus-specific content for Australian school students in every State and Territory. Skwirk covers the core subjects studied in Australian primary and secondary schools including Maths, Science, Technology, English, History, Geography, Commerce, SOSE and HSIE.

I recommend it!!

http://www.skwirk.com.au/

CopyRIGHT and not copyWRONG

Copyright: A few things you need to know when accessing and using information:

Q: Can I copy material from the internet for research?
A: You should always check the website first for any statements regarding copyright that may refer to the material that you wish to use. There may be stated conditions for the use of the information, however in all instances, any information obtained from any other source other than your own primary investigations, the source or author needs to be acknowleged and appropriately referenced.

Q: What constitutes research and fair use?
A: Copyright Act deems 'research' to be:
“diligent and systematic enquiry or investigation into a subject in order to discover facts or
principles...”.
The Act also sets out some factors for judging whether your use is deemed 'fair' based on the:
• the purpose and character of the dealing Eg. educational versus commercial use.
• the nature of the work
• the possibility of obtaining the work within a reasonable time at an ordinary commercial price Eg. purchasing the information rather than photocopying an entire book.
• the effect of your use on the potential market for, or value of, the work
• the amount that is being copied
The amount being used is an important aspect to consider when researching. The Copyright Act deems a "reasonable portion" as "10% of the number of pages or one chapter, if the work is divided into chapters".

Q: Can school and university students use music in videos that they make?
A: As outlined above the Copyright Act should be followed when using music in videos because you are still 'using' somebody else's work. The guidelines about what is deemed fair and reasonable should be adhered if you wish to use music in videos that you make.

Keep thing fair. Copyright matters!

I Went Walking. Guess what I saw..?

Leave your suggestions here...

Laptops: A successful approach to teaching

Barone and Wright (2008) explore experiences of using laptops to demonstrate successful approaches to teaching with technology. Three key ideas from this article include:

• Using laptops enables students to accommodate to the 'literacy demands' that are present in the current social and educational environment and those that will be present in the future.
• One misconception with laptops in classroom is that it is a new phenomena, although they have been in existence for almost 20 years. However, bringing new literacies into a classroom environment is a new phenomena that is not an easy task. Barone  and Wright (2008) explain that this is because 'teacher feel underprepared to use technology' (p. 292).
• The use of laptops and the internet by students in an educational context enables teaching and learning to occur both inside and outside of the classroom. As explored by Barone and Wright (2008) students, like Michael can leave school 'ready for out-of-school learning' (p. 298).

Reference to this article can be found below:

Barone, D., & Wright, T.E (2008). Literacy instruction with digital and media technologies. The Reading Teacher, 62 (4), p. 292-302.

Happily blogging

Kim Pericles, Assistant Principle at Belmore South Public School shares a plethora of great teaching and learning ideas that are made possible due to blogging. Three examples which I liked in particular and would be interested in implemented when I start my professional teaching are:

• Blogging as a sharing and communicating tool: Students uploaded a video of a class performance of a Scottish dance which enabled students from Glasgow to view it and comment on the performance, which they has previously sent instructions on how to perform. By uploading their performance, the students were able to widen their audience to people all over the world and receive feedback from a wide variety of perspectives. This is an example of blogging as a group activity.

• Platform for critique: One student posted chapters from her book in order to get 'comments and feedback from her friends around the world' (Pericles. 2008, p. 5). Blogging made possible a chance for this student to share her work and receive constructive criticism which will aid her in editing and reviewing her book before she finishes it. This is an example of individual benefits of blogging.

• Sharing is caring: A group of students constructed a photographic montage of hundreds of pictures taken throughout the year to add to each students individual blogs. Blogging enabled these students to share these images and work created so that their fellow peers also had a copy of it on their own blog as part of a farewell for the end of the year. This is another example of the shared benefits of blogging for a whole year group.

For further ideas this article can be found at :

Pericles, K. (2008) Happily blogging @ Belmore SOuth. SCAN, 27 (2), 4-6 http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/