Archive for the 'School' Category
May 7th, 2007 -- Posted in School, Tech |
I just went and installed Zotero, a firefox extension perfect for assignments and things like that. I love it when I stumble upon things that are useful like that!
One of the great things I love about firefox, there again. It goes so nicely down the bottom of my screen- unobtrusively sitting there until I need it! Similar to Google Notebook, which I also just got.
So the way it works is it recognises if you’re on a page that you would reference and a little icon appears in the URL. You can click it and it will add it to your library. Then at a later date, when you’re online or offline (who the hell is ever offline?) you can organise it into categories. You can add tags, notes, links, say what it’s similar too. It’s really handy.
If it doesn’t recognise that you might want to reference something then you can always add it in manually.
So I thought that this was a great tool for doing assignments, and I think I would use it even for blogging- a great way to reference things properly. Should bloggers take this into consideration more?
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February 6th, 2007 -- Posted in School, Tech |
This morning I watched a group of 21 Prep students (4 and 5 year olds) operate a SMART board. Chancellor Park State College has a number of SMART boards, and they use them quite frequently. When staff in schools are trained properly, these electronic white boards can serve as incredibly useful learning tools, as well as great planning tools for teachers.
SMART boards are not limited to use in Primary classrooms. Secondary, TAFE and some Tertiary campus’ use them, as well as businesses- to train staff and plan meetings.
SMART boards are large, touch sensitive displays that look very similar to regular white boards. There are three types of SMART boards- front projection, rear projection and LCD modifcations. Students can use their hands, or the special pens provided to draw, write, type, or do anything that they would do on a regular computer, on the SMART board.In 1991 SMART sold the first SMART board to educators. Since then there has been over 250, 000 classrooms equipted with SMART boards around the globe. There are SMART boards in nearly every region in Australia including the outback, rural mining towns in Western Australia, and also up in far North Queensland (Thomas Net). Education Queensland has provided grants to schools to upgrade their ICTs, (Information Communication Technology), and many schools have chosen to do this by putting SMART boards in their classrooms.
The benefits of using SMART boards as opposed to regular computers is the fact everyone in the class can see their work. ICT time changes from being either a cramped lesson, or a small group lesson to an exciting, whole class activity that everyone can be involved in.
SMART boards can control and access any computer application- it is just like a regular computer, just with a very large touch screen! The beauty of it is that you can save and edit your work easily. And print it out when you need to make hard copies. This is great for children of a variety of learning styles- so many different aspects to learning and teaching.
“It (SMART board) is the number one choice among primary and secondary school educators in more than 75 countries worldwide because the pioneering software interface captures the imagination of students of all backgrounds and abilities in order to help them learn together, understand better and achieve more.” (Electroboard)
Still, I can’t wait for the day when we’re using multi touch interfaces in our classrooms, not just as regular computers, but as teaching tools as well.
The fact that the SMART board isn’t multi-touch is a real disadvantage, and the front projection SMART boards have the problem of kids heads getting in the way. Ones that were mounted on the wall with the projector from the roof may work better, but even then you run the risk of blocking out some of your picture.
My only other gripe was the fact that it’s not ‘easy’ to touch. It works best if you use your nail- the back of your hand, to draw with. But a lot of kids, and adults, don’t like to press to hard because they’re afraid that they might wreck it.
This is a really great learning tool, and a big step forward in education.
January 29th, 2007 -- Posted in Education, School |
Remember your first day of school? I hardly remember any of mine anymore, but I do remember today. Today was my first day of Prep.
Since the Queensland Government first started talking about replacing Preschool with Prep in 2003/2004 it has been the subject of much debate throughout the State. I was always anti-prep, mostly because I saw it as a huge waste of time and money from the Government, as the whole reason other states, like Victoria, have Prep is as a ‘go between’ year. If Preschoolers aren’t ready for Year 1, they go to Prep.
The beauty of Preschool was the fact that it was only half the week, and sometimes not even full days. Now, while Prep is not enforceable as full time, this is what Education Queensland has to say about those children who don’t want to attend full time.
Part-time attendance has the potential to significantly limit continuity of learning, and may also interfere with the development of positive social interactions, friendships, independence and confidence in the school environment.
If everyone else at Prep is attending full time, then this is right, it will, but if you’re increasing the age you have to be to get into Prep, then what is there left for the children born after June?
This is the main problem with the Prep year, and it something that has angered many parents.
To be honest, the curriculum sounds great. Learning through play, inquiry based learning, etc. These are all great ways to teach kid, and children that age get a lot out of learning like that. Really, that philosophy and those teaching methods should be carried out not just in early childhood years and primary school, but is secondary as well. It could be very beneficial. “Real World Learning”, it has a ring to it, and reminisces to a few different courses available when I was in high school.
Prep should definitely be about preparing students for year 1. They need preparation for a big step like that!
But the Queensland Government has gone about Prep the wrong way. Shorter days or weeks at the beginning of the year would be a big help. My Preppies today were exhausted and were begging me to have a rest. We gave up after a while and spent the last hour or more of the day laying on the carpet, under the fans (not me - I wish - the kids). It was nice, and relaxing and good for a break. They get a day off tomorrow while the other half of Prep arrives, but they’re all there on Wednesday to start classes. We’ll see how this year pans out. Hopefully the best!
