http://epencil.edublogs.org/
This is a blog from a class in the USA called The Electronic Pencil, and it is a 6th grade Writing Workshop Weblog. It can provide some ideas for student contributions to a class blog.
http://bryanclass.edublogs.org/
This is a blog from a class in Australia called Mrs Bryan's Bright Bunch, and it is another example of how a blog is used within a school context. It contains educational links, games and activities, brain teasers and a link to a page detailing how maths is everywhere, even in your home and where to look for these. In this way the blog can be used both at home and during class time and can provide ideas for a blog in your own class.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
An Interactive Idea....
This powerpoint excerpt is a demonstration of a way to introduce the visual literacy in "A Book" by Mordicai Gerstein. The picture book's illustrations are from an oblique view, placing the reader in a spectator position with the characters and story.
To help introduce this rare concept, this excerpt shows am image from an oblique view. Students are to use the image as a stimulus in deciding on what story might be told from this image.
!Copyright!
Can I copy material from the internet for research? Yes, material from the internet can be copied for research as long as you use the information fairly. Also, check the website as the copyright owner may state that they are ok with you copying material under specific conditions. What constitutes research and fair use? RESEARCH is studying a topic for the purposes of finding out more about that topic and FAIR USE is 1. regarding a hard copy text, reproducing 10% of the amount of pages or one chapter and/or 2. regarding an electronic resource, reproducing 10% of the amount of words or again, one chapter. Can students (university or school) use music in videos that they make? Yes, as long as they use the music fairly (see above for definition of 'fair use') and identify the orignal source.
The Power of Blog
Kim Pericles' article 'Happlily blogging @ Belmore South' provides tomes of ideas to incorporate the use of blogs within the classroom. Exciting, relevant and student-directed learning is possible if utilised in the right way.
For instance, in Years 4, 5 and 6 students conducted work on an 'Everything Football' blog where they distributed information and answered others' questions, others were involved in the creation of a Macbeth slideshow and another student worked solitarily, writing chapters of her own book to post online with the aim of receiving comments and feedback from other students all over the world.
In this way, the learning is done by the stduents themselves. The teacher can faciliate the learning but the content, processes and outcomes are decided upon by the students, providing them with higher levels of autonomy and responsibility which reserach has shown can increase self-efficacy and therefore performance in students.
Blogging, Kim states, is a useful tool that can be used to facilitate learning across all Key Learning Areas (KLA's). From English to Math, HSIE to Creative Arts, all of these KLA's can be explored using blogs.
Lastly, Kim writes that blogs are interactive. Communication channels are opened between students, schools, states and continents. Comments and feedback can be given on students' work which also allows students to experience a sense of responsibility and pride in their finished products.
To read the article, look for:
Pericles, K. (2008). Happily blogging @ Belmore South. SCAN, 27(2) 4-6
or visit:
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/assets/pdf/hblog.pdf
For instance, in Years 4, 5 and 6 students conducted work on an 'Everything Football' blog where they distributed information and answered others' questions, others were involved in the creation of a Macbeth slideshow and another student worked solitarily, writing chapters of her own book to post online with the aim of receiving comments and feedback from other students all over the world.
In this way, the learning is done by the stduents themselves. The teacher can faciliate the learning but the content, processes and outcomes are decided upon by the students, providing them with higher levels of autonomy and responsibility which reserach has shown can increase self-efficacy and therefore performance in students.
Blogging, Kim states, is a useful tool that can be used to facilitate learning across all Key Learning Areas (KLA's). From English to Math, HSIE to Creative Arts, all of these KLA's can be explored using blogs.
Lastly, Kim writes that blogs are interactive. Communication channels are opened between students, schools, states and continents. Comments and feedback can be given on students' work which also allows students to experience a sense of responsibility and pride in their finished products.
To read the article, look for:
Pericles, K. (2008). Happily blogging @ Belmore South. SCAN, 27(2) 4-6
or visit:
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/assets/pdf/hblog.pdf
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Digital Literacy
A fascinating video about a website that describes an 'endangered' species known as the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus- 49 out of 50 students in the 7th grade class stated that the website, which happens to be completely fictional, is accurate despite the teacher asking them 'what if I told you that this website is fictional?' The students disagreed with the teacher, stating that it included all of the information they need to complete a project on an endangered species- for this reason, it was perceived as reliable.
It's a fantastic way to teach critical evaluation of resources for kids.
To view the video, click below:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid6415358001?bclid=6310839001&bctid=1457684597www.artsonia.com- Art Online
'Media Galleries' which exhibits various forms of art, 'School Galleries' which offers the options of newest, top ranked and international artworks and 'Grade/Skill levels' are available pages to explore.
Want to find out more? Visit http://www.artsonia.com/museum/
What Are "New Literacies?"
The definition of new literacies, according to Knobel and Lankshear (2006) begins with the exploration of two mindsets regarding knowledge.
The first mindset is defined by the notion that "the world is much the same as before, only now it is more technologized, or technologized in more sophisticated ways" (Knobel & Lankshear, 2006: 81). There is a focus on individualism, whereby intelligence is located in individual entities including people and institutions and spaces are viewed as rigid and closed.
Contrastingly, the second mindset perceives that "the world is very different to before, largely as a result of the emergence and uptake of digital electronic inter-networked technologies (Knobel & Lankshear, 2006: 81). Collectivism in terms of intelligence being collectively constructed and distributed is a defining element of this mindset, along with the notion that spaces are open and perpetual.
According to Knobel and Lankshear (2006) new literacies are a reflection of the values and notions involved in the second mindset. It is not necessary that new literacies involve the use of digital equipment, however in reality they primarily do.
References
Knobel, M., & Lankshear, C. (2006). Discussing New Literacies, Language Arts, 84(1), 78.
The first mindset is defined by the notion that "the world is much the same as before, only now it is more technologized, or technologized in more sophisticated ways" (Knobel & Lankshear, 2006: 81). There is a focus on individualism, whereby intelligence is located in individual entities including people and institutions and spaces are viewed as rigid and closed.
Contrastingly, the second mindset perceives that "the world is very different to before, largely as a result of the emergence and uptake of digital electronic inter-networked technologies (Knobel & Lankshear, 2006: 81). Collectivism in terms of intelligence being collectively constructed and distributed is a defining element of this mindset, along with the notion that spaces are open and perpetual.
According to Knobel and Lankshear (2006) new literacies are a reflection of the values and notions involved in the second mindset. It is not necessary that new literacies involve the use of digital equipment, however in reality they primarily do.
References
Knobel, M., & Lankshear, C. (2006). Discussing New Literacies, Language Arts, 84(1), 78.
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