Southwell ICT PD 2004

 

Thursday 18July visit to Hibiscus Coast ICTPD cluster conference at Stanmore bay School.

Iona Rait, Joanne McFarlane, Jacira Meyerink.

Keynote speaker: Mark Treadwell.

Mark spoke about the future of teaching and how IT integration would change the approach to teaching and learning. He emphasised inquiry learning processes and explained at length what he meant by a second paradigm of learning and teaching. To find more about this, visit his website http://i-learnt.com . He also drew our attention to his teachers at work site (see links). Another interesting site he brought forward was http://fathom.com. This site contains many digital learning objects.

Breakout sessions

Session 1

Iona attended a session called: Little minds and ICT-make it happen. Aimed at integrating IT in the NE to year 2 class.

Jo attended a session on Inquiry Learning. Barbara Woods, DP of Viscount School shared her journey in understanding this new pedagogy.

Jacira attended a session with Angela Sime who shared her experiences on using video in the classroom. She showed us a variety of examples which her children had produced. She used MS Moviemaker as well as Ulead. She explained about the learning that took place: storyboarding, visual language features, camera shots, messages, genre, camera care to name but a few. She shared teaching/management techniques like task setting, time limits, availability of equipment, rosters, deciding on who the audience is. The chn would share their videos by placing them on the intranet, sending them to epals and burning them on discs to share at home. Angela used the video's to create resources for the listening post, using the videos for daily news which would be sent over the school network, advertisements, recording of plays (reading theatre), making artworks come to life by putting them into a video editing program and use effects and add music. Angela uses a smartboard in her classroom which was used for this presentation. A wonderful interactive resource...definitely a step up from the quiet whiteboard.

Break out session 2

Jo attended a workshop by Mark Treadwell in which he shared 12 practical ways of using technology powerfully and appropriately in the junior classroom.

Iona attended a workshop with Mark Grimes from edtech. In this session they explored music tools that can be readily used in the classroom.

Jacira attended a workshop by Martyn Weatherill called 'is there life on Mars?' Martyn examined how to integrate control technology into a maths, language, science and technology unit. Martyn used four different 'spybot' cars. The chn were required to find out which of these cars would be best suitable to go to Mars. He handed out a total unitplan which sets the scene through a letter from Nasa asking the chn to test the cars. The chn were required to use excel to record all their findings and draw their conclusions at the end of the unit. Martyn also showed how the cars can be programmed to make certain moves. This was based on LOGO. The cars were fitted with a feltpen, programmed to make certain moves and on a large piece of paper on the floor the cars would make the programmes patterns. Spybot cars cost around $80 each. Martyn can provide the excel programme including all the formula. Ready for the chn to enter their data.

Breakout session 3

Jo attended a session with Jacqui Sharp, an ICT consultant. The session was about the versatility of the digital camera in classroom programmes.

Iona went to a workshop by Mark Treadwell on how best to use Digital learning objects libraries and knowledge nets via the Internet.

Jacira attended another session by Martyn Weatherill. This one was about creating powerful, motivational and just plain 'fun' digital storybooks. To create the storybooks the chn used Power Point and a digital camera to make the pictures. The pictures would be taken into PPT, sound and words added. The motivator for an activity like this came from reading books in the classroom. The teacher would allow the chn to recreate the book using a number of resources. Martyn had bo xes with material (blue for the sky, green for grass, etc), rocks, plastic animals, people, monsters, blocks, etc.  really just anything that takes your fancy and can be used to set up a scene. The chn would take a photo, change the scene, make another photo etc. Photos would then be uploaded into PPT and sound and text would be added. A truly wonderful activity. Martyn reckoned especially boys were very interested in doing this activity. What a great way to show whether the story was understood by the chn.

It was again a very interesting and inspiring day.

Jacira

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

 

Posted by: Jacira at 09:51 | link | comments |

Will add some info re redland beach later.

 

Posted by: Jacira at 08:39 | link | comments |

Wednesday 30 June 2004

Visits to: Stanmore Bay School and Redland Beach School.

Participants: Susan Dyck, Rae Stafford, Joanne McFarlane, Iona Rait, Bev. Boyes, Dave Winter, Jacira Meyerink.

Facilitators: Dave Fletcher (Principal Stanmore Bay School), Lesley Tait (AP at Redland Beach School), Shirley (?) (facilitator Hibiscus Coast ICTPD cluster).

Stanmore Bay School

For more detailed info on the school see website (under links)

School is part of the Hibiscus Coast ICT PD Cluster. Teachers (2 at the time?) partake in an intensive PD programme over two terms. This consists of 8 (release) days to participate in workshops. The PD culminates in teachers presenting research undertaken either re a piece of hardware or a unit of work integrating ICT.

The school used to have pods of 9/10 computers which could be used as a comp suite. As a result of the integration of IT into the classes and the lifitng of the skills of the chn these became obsolete. The comps have now been absored into the classes. The chn learn the IT skills as they go on a need to know basis.

Apart from the cluster PD staff would partake in workshops set up inhouse by colleagues.

All classes have at least two computers and a tv.

The adventure classes have 4 computers, tv.screens with splitters to double as a monitor. Specific furniture to facilitate use of comps (trapezoid shaped tables). Teachers have undergone PD to be able to teach in these classes. The comps are placed at a variety of places in the classrooms...they don't seem to be too obtrusive or dominant. Adventure classrooms are used at all levels of the school. It seems that only in the year 0/1 class parents or teacher aides were used to help with the chn comp skills. Most classes would have some smart-ict-minded- children who would function as tutors for the others in the class. The adventure classes are being 'installed' at 2-3 per year.

The tv. monitors are used extensively to teach across all curriculum areas as well as skills instruction for comp use. They were attached to a bracket on the ceiling to save space. The tv. monitors were not very clear. Words were smudged and it was recommended to use a large font. The monitors we saw later were a lot clearer. (Price: tv's $700, monitors $2500)

Software (besides Office programmes): Sounds Great, Kidspiration, Inspiration, Galaxy Kids, PM Reader, Superminds, Te Ao Software, Number sense (basic facts), Numbers Up (Vulcanic Panic), Spelling Force.

Website used in jnr classes: bbc.uk

ICT specialist: .5/week. Works directly with teeachers.

ICT Technician: 20 hrs/week for 120 machines.

Observed: yr 0 class during newstime. Child takes digiatal camera home to make some pictures. These are downloaded on the classroom comp (by child). Child tells a story about the pictures. Chn were made aware of shot techniques.

Year 1 class during reading/writing activities: chn were sending emails home. Writing about what they had done in class that morning. Chn could open email programme and add address, subject and message and send. Others were seated at a table with a small tv connected to a laptop with sunshine books and a listening post. Book on the screen and the chn would read along with their own book.

Year 3. Class reporters. Chn would be class reporters for a day and use the digital camera to take pics throughout the day. These would be placed on a PPT and presented to the class at the end of the day (literacy, oracy, IT skills)

Year 6 class using a smartboard. This was on trial for the year. Teacher would use it for all cur areas.It functioned as a whiteboard as well as a monitor. The big size meant that all chn were engaged in what was happening. At the end of maths often used (maths) game software as a warm down activity. This class uses E-Pals extensively. This class also uses Ulead 7 for their movies.

Posted by: Jacira at 10:19 | link | comments (2) |