Traveler IQ Challenge

This game is cool. There are many different things you can do in this game, it's so simple, but very effective for learning. I use this for homework activities, great with social science and I also think a game like this is a harmless reward. I certainly will be encouraging my children to play games like this in the future.

This Traveler IQ challenge compares your geographical knowledge against the World's Original Travelogue's other 3,259,091 travelers who have taken this challenge as of Sunday, November 02, 2008 at 08:54AM GMT. (TravelPod is a TripAdvisor Media Network partner)

Anyquestions

Many websites are appearing, designed to support learners and parents with learners school work. Anyquestions is a group of New Zealand Librarians, have created, supported a website, which learners are encourage to ‘chat online’ with qualified librarians, in a safe environment, in order to gain support with their home learning. This site is designed to support learners with finding information appropriately, in a manner applicable to their assignment, and with people trained to guide them. Learners will not receive the answers from the Librarians in the chat rooms, but direction, usually assistance to find information, in the hope that future learning is made easier with the continued development of research and problem solving skills. anyquestion.co.nz chat rooms with librarians are open week days between the hours of 1:00pm and 6:00pm. A link is also available to the Te Reo site, where librarians are available for support in Te Reo, between the hours of 2:00pm and 3:00pm.

Netsafe

Netsafe is an organisation partially funded by the Department of Education for New Zealanders. It is designed to support, guide and give direction with internet safety. Netsafe are developing programs to support and sustain not only parents, but also teachers, with regard to guiding our learners in appropriate direction when online. Parents are also able to contact Netsafe for support with specific concerns.

Netsafe are internationally renowned and have developed online software which other countries education departments are trying to apply to their own online educational practices. They provide links to support appropriate safe behaviour for learners online and how to deal with online bullying, as well as other associated issues. Links to other areas are also supplied to further support information.

Netsafe is the first port of call in New Zealand for support with regard to online safety. Netsafe is not only for learners, but also parents, community groups, businesses and any other interested parties. Have a look, if you have any issues with online safety within your home, keep the link as a helpful resource. Netsafe take online safety very seriously.

Google Page Creator no more...

Please note, an earlier post I have done this year encouraging Google Page Creator... Google have decided to "shift their focus" to other Google sites. I presume from the wording of their front page, that they are working on further development of a similar style of web set up.

I have spent much time online looking at web page creating software and am not finding much out there at this stage. I am currently looking at SynthaSite. It appears to be more 'clunky' than other Google Page Creator, but at least it works... Will let you know when I hear more.

Wikipedia

Now I know I'm stating the obvious here for most people, but I would like to remind you of one of the simplest and most empowering tools on the Internet. Wikipedia. I use it countless times a day. If I'm teaching, especially History, and unsure, I just whip Wikipedia out on my smart board, and we go through and find the information I don't know. I'm not intending on telling people how to do the basics, but would simply like to remind people of such a powerful resource, which is free....

My learners understand that anyone can contribute to Wikipedia and this can cause much bias, but we also understand that Wikipedia is the most up to date encyclopedia in the world, because of this fact.

Don't forget what's at your finger tips!

BibMe; Fast & Easy Biliography's

BibMe looks awesome. I really wish this kind of thing was around when I was studying!!! I feel we really missed out! The information available is priceless and I think that rather than spending hours in a library looking for missed information, just have a quick check online.

I really like the huge quantity of information that is available, not only regarding books, but also Websites, Magazines, Films, Journals etc.

However, please remember to teach learners how to find the information for a Bibliography. These skills must still be learnt, understood and able to be applied. BibMe really is a time-saver, but not a teacher.

bubbl.us Mindmapping

bubbl.us is a mind-mapping collaborative piece of software which is available on line for all to freely use and apply. It looks like it could be very handy, especially at the introduction and conclusions of different units etc... or assignment work...


You can save mindmaps as a JPEG or download an Html code for later use. Learners can use this software with ease from both home and school to complete projects.... I think this is a very useful peice of software...

Spelling Bee

Spelling Bee online, something to be honest I would have considered as quite an unusual idea, but it works. All you need is some ear phones, or an appropriate environment, and the kids go crazy, they take the competitive side very seriously! I use it as a treat for learners who are finished!

Highly recommended!!

Motivational Creative Writing

One of my favourite things in the world is youtube. I believe learners respond far better to visual stimulation. I also think learners of our era have a far higher expectation for teachers to continuously use this level of resourcing. To me this is rather ironic, as I remember when I was a school, film, as a resource was 'few and far between' - it wasn't an expectation, and to be honest we got excited if we received a colour picture! And I'm not that old - I represent generation X!

Back to the point of this entry. I have one particular class of learners who, let's put it politely, simply hate anything to do with writing, English or simply just school work!!!! This makes it very difficult for them to pass senior grades, as a huge part of our courses involve writing... my life is not easy. So today, eleven learners arrived. I thought, great, I'll get eleven pieces of work handed in - if I hold my breath! I turned on my smart board and went to youtube. I like to start every lesson with a fun starter or brain teaser, to get their attention. I googled Billy T James, who for those who don't know was one of the most famous comedian's New Zealand has ever had. My learners had no idea who he was, but they laughed - they were immediately able to understand and relate to the cultural aspect of the clip! Interest was grabbed immediately and learners wanted to know more... so we watched three random clips (which I'd seen before!), had a discussion about they Billy T James, who he was, what he represented and how he became famous... Then I gave the instructions - learners will write a story, imagining Billy T James in modern society! Create an event or situation, where Billy T James has been placed in modern society (but missed the evolution to get here). Well, the learners were on fire. They thought that was great. I left them with a reliever and went to do my own thing, and the most incredible thing happened. The reliever wrote a note saying how great these kids are - I know this - but a reliever has NEVER said that before!!!

So check out the clip below, use youtube for all it's worth, never under estimate the value of a simple starter... feed the learners expectations, engage them in their world....

Google Page Creater

This is cool. Googlepages. Google is creating a real monopoly, or realm of services which, in turn means we will hardly need to use anything else... (unless of course, your one of those people who doesn't like to support the masses!) Googlepages is also a representational change for the future... the Internet is becoming almost too user friendly, catering to those, not unlike myself, who are inept with regards to programming and writing HTML, but more than capable at piecing together usable information on a user friendly site, with all the mechanic's previously programmed into the back-ground.

I use Google... I use there reader daily, I have two blogs with Blogger and there search engines appear to be second to none. However now you can do so much more, Gmail has changed the face of Internet based email, Google Docs are amazing and now they are designing Google page Creator. I first came across a this yesterday when I found a neat website by a teacher, looked at the URL and discovered the words 'Googlepages'. This was a new thing for me so I did some more investigation - only to discover the availability, and the request for constructive criticism.

Upon more investigation, Googlepages allows you to have up to three different URL's under your email address. You can have a lot of opportunity for change, design formats and usage, as well as creating appropriate URL's for your site. My only question is whether or not Blogger and Googlepages are linked, and if you could have a Google blog linked to open as a page on your site! That would be cool - but will take more investigation!

I will let you know how I go with this... I have a couple of cool ideas for implementation, so I will certainly be able to let you know how user friendly it is etc...

Voki

What is a Voki? It is a little animated video clip, which you can personalise and post on a webpage. It is nothing too exciting, noting really important, but just a piece of fun, which makes your stuff look cool, and probably more attractive to our learners!

Here's something new and exciting... the kind of thing we've seen for years, and often wondered how others did it... and low and behold, some kind person has designed a site that is idiot proof and now anyone can make these cool personalised and instructional video's if they want too!

I have made one my first Voki, and placed it on my wiki... but I did have issues... I do think they were my laptop and our Internet security not wanting to upload the script... so I had to type my words in, which was disappointing, but I also intend on having this issue addressed!

I have made another Voki, in order to show you... so have fun, follow the links and see what you can come up with... feel free to let me know what you create!!!




Get a Voki now!

Find a story... Map a story... Create a story...

This is a great site, probably best aimed at intermediate learners, when formatting and writing stories. Unfortunately in New Zealand creative writing is often overlooked at an intermediate level, due to curriculum pressures (although I'm not speaking on behalf of the school I'm currently working in!!), and then learners are expected to complete NCEA Creative Writing tasks... which in turn becomes very daunting.

This website really supports learners who are not interested in writing, gives them another aspect of motivation and development... I would highly recommend it as a teaching tool. It takes them through planning and implementing a story - which in turn allows learners to give their work meaning.

Breathing Earth

This website is scary and an eye-opener. It points out what some of us don't want to see or admit to either!

Kids love it... you are able to create wicked class discussions, and this could lead into much follow-on work, incidental learning or simply introduce a term's topic. Breathing Earth is brilliant when studying sustainability, Environment etc... or simply want to give ideas for motivation in writing...

Blogging....

Blogs. They are a wave of the future... or maybe more so, now... until the next wave of evolution from Web 3.0. Blogs create a facility for the infamous to be the famous... the unknown and quiet to be known and often loud... Blogs give those who are not confident in first person, a safe avenue to let their opinions fly out into the world wide web - which is now so overwhelming!!!

I love blogs. I have a personal blog, for my children... I want them to have something to reflect back to... I know I will not be able to remember every little thing they do... I want them to know I cared about their growth and development into the people they are yet to be. But, you must notice, even with this blog, I do not allow them to take over my life. I have heard horror stories of people who are allowing blogs to take over their lives... nervous breakdowns occurring and realistically stopping their realistic life, for their second life. I will not do this. This is why I am not too regular with my contributions.

However, as a Teaching tool blogs are fantastic. It doesn't matter what subject area you are referring to or what your doing.. they could be used in nearly any avenue... crikey, soon we may not use exercise books, just blogs...but I don't now how much I'd like that! As an English teacher, I feel learners don't write enough anymore... they don't express their opinions enough, as especially with our education system - NCEA - they are constantly stressed and trying to meet the course requirements. Blogs give an avenue of an out... as well as a learning opportunity.

All my learners are required to have blogs. I started this year, and my HOF has adopted this policy - we are trying to implement this across the school. It is not always an easy thing to do. Our goal is to get learners writing. Obviously. I am looking forward to looking at each learners evolution over the course of the year, and also it will be interesting to see how different writing styles change on their blog, as we move through different Achievement Standards.

Learners must write on their blogs a minimum of three times a week. This becomes their primary home learning. Learners are given options of what they can write about - motivational ideas on a daily basis...

• Today we watched a web 2.0 safety clip on YouTube today, and they were sent home to write a review of the clip onto their blogs.


• Learners are allowed to create stories, let their minds run free.


• Learners can complete their course work as home learning and simply publish what they have done in class.


• Learners can share Web2.0 information, ideas, books reviews - basically anything (but if they are sharing something like a video clip - they must write a paragraph review).


• Learners can write about their own thoughts and ideas - but in a safe manner

Blogging brings in opportunities to discuss and implement ideas regarding personal safety on line. I am currently working on gathering material to create an on-going unit regarding safety on line with Web2.0. I relate this to any interaction on line, not just school work.. and find YouTube to be one of my best friends! I will be posting more of my ideas regarding this online as this starts to evolve. I strongly believe it is something that educationalists and parents do not always realise the importance of and it can be over-looked at times.

New Zealand Book Council

I realise that many people may already be aware of this site, but it is worth a mention. I have a few learners in my classes who regularly enter competitions, and a couple more who should enter regularly. This is simply a New Zealand site to monitor, in order to allow/encourage our learners to enter, grow confidence, and grow passions. I am posting it on my wiki for my learners to follow, as well as supporting and encouraging those who show interest to enter what ever they deem relevant.

This site has been established to encourage and foster the love of reading, which in turn also encourages the love of writing. Our New Zealand writers are growing in confidence, and I feel it is very important to encourage the next generations to do realise they are more than capable. I very strongly feel that as an educationalist, it is not only our job to teach skills, it is also to teach learners how to teach themselves - giving them skills to carry forth into adult life, allowing learners to constantly evolve. The experience learners can get from entering such competitions such as those from the book council would be invaluable - failure is not an option - success can be gained simply from a submission.

Lingo2word

Hey, I have to say I thought this site, Lingo2word could come in quite handy in the future, as a teacher, especially in my Deaning capacity. All mysteries, or misinterpretations could come to an end!!!

If you are presented with a text type code/language which you are unable to understand, enter it in the site and it will give you a variety of relevant translations! I now feel very confident with a variety of fings I never understood! lol

It is simple, concise and doesn't take long at all... give it a whorl, or save the site for when you will need it!

flickr

flickr is designed simply to share images. You can join, upload, share and view... It is simple and effective. It also has a cool blog, which I have found a nice light hearted change.. as ironically the blog is primarily based on images rather than opinion... You can also create tag lists of photos, favourites etc, but you need to be careful to take into consideration, how many different types of sites your going to commit yourself to.

flickr does have the many of the common adaptations of modern creating personalised merchandise such as photo books (which I think are really cool), simply printing out your photos, creating large prints, calendars etc. However, I am not sure how New Zealand friendly production is...

flickr would be useful if you were wanting links from blogs, wikis or to share your images around the world.

Check out the Whangaparaoa College flickr pages...

I have one word of warning, which I think will be a regular from me, when ever you are choosing to share personal items, such as photos etc, think very carefully how you label/tag them, and what peronsal information you are prepared to share with the rest of the world. People don't realise how easy it is to track information and it would be very scary to find out someone you don't know, knows far too much information about you, as well as what you look like...

Slideshare

I have just discovered Slideshare, and what a discovery it was!

Slideslide has been established with the modern ideals of communication and collaboration made easy. Imagine, instead of uploaded a large PowerPoint type file into your blog or wiki, you simply embed a HTML code.

You could consider the aspect that you are expected to share your PowerPoint files with the web as a negative, but considering also that you are prepared to share them on your own pages, this in reality is not really a negative. Once you have uploaded your files to Slideshare, you are given a HTML code, which you simply embed into your own page. This in turn means you are not storing huge files on your own pages - and everyone knows this is a bonus!

Slideshare also has a huge variety of slides avaliable for you to embed into your work... if you are not able to create what you are looking for, instead of reinventing the wheel, see if someone else already has!!! Good luck and happy embedding

Webster's Online Dictionary

Old fashioned ideas such as finding the meaning of a word, or using the appropriate word are things we must always remember to do. Computers are not fitted the artificial intelligence which we dream of for the future... and also I strongly feel we must remember to always allow our minds to evolve, rather than let someone else do the thinking for us.

http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/

This is a valuable site, I often use it in the classroom to check not only the initial meaning, but varieties of meanings, interpretations as well as the evolution of the word itself.

Remember, to keep up with our ever evolving world, it is becoming ever so more relevant to expand our knowledge of the written word - this is a good resource.