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...