Friday, 31 July 2015

some people are not here anymore

some of our students have planes to catch

Coffee time

I really enjoyed that Coffee

I need a coffee

It's almost time TFIF

Wordle for Twitter

Here's the missing "Wordle"

Notes & links for our last day


Project Presentations  
Group presentations of Blogs or Edmodo & Twitter to start the day.      After a look at what the future is.
Web 3.0 & More

So what is Web 3.0?            Question, what is web1.0, web2.0, Social Media
            Firstly lets recap:
            Step 1- Website speaks to website visitor: 1way communication. Web1.0

            Step 2- Website speaks to website visitor & allows visitor to speak back: 2way communication. Web2.0

            Step 3- Website speaks to visitor allowing visitor to speak back ( Step 2) & then allows visitors to speak to each other: 3way communication. Social Media

What is Web 2.0? What is Social Media? What comes next??                          Play clip & then go back to recap. What comes next – “Augmented Reality”

“So where do we go from here?”
             The future is already here.
“Bridge the gap between the on line world & the off line world, via mobile devices & apps (the platform).        This is called “Augmented Reality”
                                  
            The app superimposes a computer-generated image on the users view of the real world.           Used on mobile devices i.e. mobile phones.

“Zillow an American Estate Agents has stepped into Web 3.0”
            You point your mobile phone at a house & the phone tells you the price & characteristics of it. Thanks to Zillow’s app & the GPS of your phone this is possible.         Zillow App “Play – Acting” Show them this using my mobile
            So, there’s a computer-generated image between you & reality.

Or you’re in the local supermarket & you see your favourite brand of tea. You scan the bar code on the packet with your phone to see if it’s cheaper in another supermarket around the corner.    Supermarket Scanning “Play – Acting” Point my mobile at packet of tea.
There’s a computer-generated image between you & reality. That’s Web 3.0

Other Interesting Apps to Help You
Dropbox is a free cloud storage service for sharing and storing files, photos, documents and videos. You can synchronize computers, laptops and mobile devices.         Show my Dropbox
Pinterest    
Is a visual bookmarking tool that helps you discover the “good things on the Internet” You save them on your own personal pin board so you can look at them at a moment that’s good for you.  (Really great for research & projects) Bookmarks on the go. Show my Pinterest                                    
About Pinterest

Google Drive         Show clip & then open my Google drive to show Sts https://www.google.com/drive/
Google Drive is a personal cloud storage service from Google.             You can synchronize computers, laptops and mobile devices.

Moodle is a learning platform to provide Teachers and learners with a single secure and integrated system.

Wordle                          Lovely word clouds, the largest being the most common


TED Talks "Ideas Worth Spreading" are relatively short videos (around 18 minutes) from some of the most engaging speakers around the world.             You can find short talks about anything in many different languages & you’re able to download them & share them.

http://www.ted.com/talks/louie_schwartzberg_nature_beauty_gratitude               this is one of my favourites
Course Questions
Any hiccups with what we’ve been doing over the week.
What are you going to do next?
Group discussions about what has been learnt & how to implement it into your classroom.

Thursday, 30 July 2015

Aurora Mariani's School

Here is Aurora's School website

Having a well earned break

After all that Edmodo 
it's time for a break
 
All together enjoying the cool air

The Italian corner

We can't forget Annamaria

Life in Spain's good :-)

Nice to have a rest

Enjoying the break

Tea & Coffee are best of friends
 

We're all hard at work

Some really hard working students
getting their heads round 
Edmodo





Notes & Links from Day 4

Wikis in The Classroom
What is Wiki? 
 “Wiki” means “quick” in the Hawaiian language.   
A wiki is a website that allows anyone to edit, delete or modify content that has been placed there.
Here’s a quick video to help you understand
What is a Wiki
This video is about Wikis for teacher
Wikispaces is the leading server of free wikis for education Wikispaces                   Show students my class wikispaces (MartinSnakey)
Talk about the pros & cons of Wikis, my personal experience


Now, let me introduce you to “Edmodo”
What is Edmodo?     It’s like Facebook but made for schools.
Edmodo Homepage             Show my Edmodo.
Edmodo & the 3 sites (Teacher. Student. Parent): Edmodo at a glance
Edmodo Demo Video                      After the 2 videos go back to my page & open a group for our course.

Edmodo Tutorial (BASIC) for Teachers
Introduction to Edmodo for students
Edmodo student training: How to turn in assignments
Effectively Using Edmodo in Your Classroom More Advanced 


10 Reasons to Use Edmodo in Your Classroom
  1. Edmodo is Free, without adds.                                                                        There are no restrictions to how many students can be in each group

  1. It provides a secure environment.
               The classrooms are completely teacher controlled.        Teachers can delete inappropriate posts from students.          Make the class read-only.      Students cannot message each other privately.             All student posts are visible by teachers and parents.

  1. It is user-friendly.
               The design and layout are similar to Facebook so it’s quick to get going.                  Plenty of videos and guides on Edmodo available online. Edmodo Support Staff respond within 24 hours to every email.

  1. It’s really useful.
               You can post;   “text”, “polls”, “videos”, “links”, “quizzes” and “homework” all directly through Edmodo.           There’s a calendar, so students can keep track of homework due dates and major events.              It has a digital backpack for the Students giving unlimited storage of files, documents, photos, etc.

  1. Environmentally friendly.
               Everything in on line; “No Paper”

  1. It’s mobile friendly.
               Edmodo has free apps for Android and Apple products.  Students can check it on the go.

7.     Different needs for Students.
           Teachers can modify the content by using the “small groups” option and share folders.

8.     Blended Learning.                                                                                                          A great for “Blended Learning”

9.     It facilitates Active Learning: - Active learning is "anything that involves students doing things and thinking about the things they are doing"                            Through projects, discussions about them & collaboration of their projects in smaller groups.    
                      
10. Parent Involvement.                                                                                                       With the three options Teacher, Student & Parents all three can be involved.



Plenty of Ways to Use Edmodo
1. Assessments                                                                                                                Utilize the Edmodo quiz builder or poll feature to assess students’ learning.
 2. Role Playing
            Help students understand key historical and literacy events by re-enacting them through role-playing activities in Edmodo.

 3. Peer Reviews & Critiques in Small Groups
            Place students in small groups and have them post their work to their group for peer review and feedback.

  4. Writing Projects
            Students share writing projects with each other, encouraging peer learning.

 5. Build Digital Citizenship Skills         (The norms of appropriate; responsible behaviour with regards to technology use)                                                                                       Enforce online “Norms” for students when using Edmodo to help them build digital citizenship skills.
 6. Foreign Language Practice
            Encourage students to practice their language skills, as well as spelling and grammar, through conversations in Edmodo. 

 7. Book Clubs
            Set up a book group in Edmodo to encourage students to read and discuss novels with each other.

 8. Teacher Training Session
            Set up an Edmodo group for your next Teacher Training Session to enable teachers within your school to discuss ideas and share content before, during and after the workshop.

 9. Cultural Exchange Projects
            Give students the opportunity to learn about other world cultures by connecting your classroom with classrooms around the globe via an Edmodo group.

 10. Out of Class
            Use Edmodo to communicate with your students when you’re out of the classroom.                     Send updates to students who are absent from class.

 11. Backchannel Discussions  - (Backchannel communication is a secondary conversation that takes place at the same time as a class. Students discuss a lecture as it is happening)
            Inspire real-time discussions and extend them outside the classroom by posting a backchannel in Edmodo.
 12. School Trips                                                                                                 Planning trips with the Students, Parents & Other Teachers; Before the trip, during & after in class.
 13. Current Events
            Help students stay up to date on the latest news by creating a small group called “current events”.      Nominate a student a day to update it.

 14. Project Based Learning
            Facilitate project based learning in your classroom by with Edmodo’s small-group feature.

 15. Help for Teachers
            Join an Edmodo Community to connect with other teachers around the globe and share resources, exchange ideas or get advice.

 16. School Clubs
            Create an Edmodo group for clubs, sports groups etc to coordinate meetings, practices and games, as well as post results.

There are heaps more ways to use Edmodo; once again it’s your imagination that’s your only boundary.



Tuesday, 28 July 2015

Notes & Links from Day 3

Social Media & Twitter 

Social Media

What do we understand by Social Media, what is it, how does it work & what examples can you give us. Then show clip from 1.05 mins

Recap what was said in clip

A social network is a website or application which enables users to communicate with each other by posting information, comments, messages, images, videos etc
            It works like this…

            Website speaks to website visitor, allows the website visitor to speak back to website, via comments, images etc (User Generated Content) then also facilitates (makes easier) conversation between visitors (members) 3way communication.
Lets just go over Web1.0 & Web2.0 form Day 1

To recap:
            Step 1- Website speaks to website visitor: 1way communication. Web1.0

            Step 2- Website speaks to website visitor & allows visitor to speak back: 2way communication. Web2.0

            Step 3- Website speaks to visitor allowing visitor to speak back ( Step 2) & then allows visitors to speak to each other: 3way communication. Social Media

Do the Social Media Quiz      (In Pairs)
1. When did Facebook begin?                                                                                                                              (2004)
2. Of children born in the 1980’s, what % have joined a Social Media site?                            (90%)
3. What % of couples who got married last year met Via Social Media?                                  (15%)
4. What is the 3rd largest Social Media site?                                                                                    (Pinterest)
5. If Facebook were a country, regarding population where would it be in the position of the largest country in the world? 1st, 2nd, 12th 19th etc?                       (4th behind; China, India, USA;)         
6. What’s the 2nd largest “Search Engine”?                                                                                       (YouTube)
7. What does “Wiki” mean?                                                                                             (“Quick” in Hawaiian)     
8. How many articles are there on “Wikipedia”?                                                                        (15 million)
9. How many Bloggers are there in the world?                                                                      (250 Million)
10. Of all the bloggers in the world, how many post daily?                                (60%, 150 Million)     

Examples of Social Media in the classroom

Examples of Social Media.                                          I write on the board Twitter, then Sts talk about what they know about it, then YouTube etc.                   When we finish WhatsApp they jot down any others they know.

Twitter           Is an online social networking service that enables users to send and read short 140-character messages called "tweets" users can read and post tweets.

YouTube        Is a free video-hosting website that allows members to store and serve video content.  It has also become the 2nd largest search engine.

Flickr              Is a website that allows users to post and store photos & videos online. It is one of the first places a blogger or teacher will search for images to use.

Facebook       Is a social networking website that makes it easy for you to connect and share messages, photos & images with your family and friends online.

Instagram      Is an online mobile social network that enables its users to quickly share photos & video clips of 15seconds.

WhatsApp     Is a messenger application used with mobile devices to exchange messages. Works like a mini Wiki.
 

Lets have a look at Twitter & How to Use it

            Twitter is a “microblog” therefore everything we can do with a blog we could do with Twitter. 
            Some people agree others disagree.
One thing’s for sure, it’s an important tool to take into the classroom.
I open my Twitter account & give a brief overview.


Then introduce “Twitter Terminology”
Some Twitter Terminology
I write the 8 points on w/b & Sts discuss them: Then 1 by 1 we go through them

1, A Tweet
            Is a message/post that may contain photos, videos, links and up to 140 characters of text.

2, @
            The @ sign is used to call out usernames in Tweets: "Hello @twitter!" People will use your @username to mention you in Tweets, send you a message or link to your profile.

3, @username
            A username is how you're identified on Twitter, and is always preceded immediately by the @ symbol. For instance, Katy Perry is @katyperry @FullersBrewery @MartinSnakey

4, Follow somebody
            Twitter allows for one-way relationships. If you find Twitter users who are interesting, you can "follow them" to subscribe to their tweets. They do not have to follow you back.

5, Direct Messages
            Links to your Inbox/Sent messages (140 characters or less) that are privately sent to and from you

6, @replies
            Use an @ in front of a Twitter username to reply to someone.  To refer to them, or direct a new message to somebody. e.g., @MartinSnakey

7, Retweeting (RT)
Retweeting is the act of sharing someone else’s tweet with your followers “spreading the word”


8, Hashtags (#)
            A hashtag is any word or phrase immediately preceded by the # symbol. When you click on a hashtag, you'll see other Tweets containing the same keyword or topic.      #richmondpark #deer #holyisland #ashes2015

Now I give a more in depth look at Twitter using My Twitter @MartinSnakey

Home Page,        in the middle timeline,     left your profile how many tweets, following etc, trends.
At the top right Notification.        messages (direct messages) 
Top right search put in  #richmondpark or mahou & find what you’re looing for or @scotland to find a particular site.
On image on right under “Home” shows “Tweets”” Following” &” Followers” click on each to see.
To see your “Profile” click on image or @MartinSnakey where you can see your favourites, lists etc.
Show lists.

Here is a collection of videos showing you step by step how to use Twitter

Firstly a really good set of 4 videos to get the most out of Twitter by Anson Alexander





This video is a rather quick overview.

Lists are useful to organise the people you are following into groups
Introduce Terminology as we go through.



Privacy Setting on Twitter

There are only 2 options, the whole world sees your tweets or you approve people to see them.
How to Protect your Tweets
At the top right of your Twitter account you’ll see your small profile photo, click on that then click on “Settings”. Choose “Security and Privacy” Go to Privacy & you’ll see “Tweet Privacy” click in the box “Protect my Tweets”
I show them
This video also shows you how to do it
You can have a Twitter Account Solely for your class, parents etc.



How to use Twitter in the classroom
Some ideas to get the ball rolling. I give a few ideas of Twitter in the classroom & students in groups brainstorm more.
Screen saver from Wordle in pen dreive.

  1. Notice Board:          Use it as a notice board, students know what they’re            doing the next day and for students who are unable to attend class.
  2. Teamwork:    Students can collaborate on projects and keep track of          changes by using a Twitter Hashtag.
3.    Coordinate assignments:             Students can use Twitter to collaborate   on different projects and keep a quick reference on any changes.
4.    Write a story or poem:    The limit of 140 characters shouldn’t be an       issue, write short poems or stories or send in instalments.
5.    Daily News:  Encourage students to look at different newspapers to get     view from the left & right. For foreign languages you could do it in        Spanish, French etc.
6.    Class newspaper    The entire class can come together to create a   newspaper, contributing to sections using Hashtags.
7.    Parents:        Can sign up to receive tweets from teachers to see what is     happening in their son’s/daughter’s class.
8.    Discussions:                       Put up a subject & encourage students to follow &       participate.
9.    Role Play:     Discuss a topic relevant to the class & give students a role, so             they give the “roles” opinion, i.e. “smoking should be banned” Give a        smoker the opinion of a non-smoker.
10.  School Trips:         Share information about the place you’re going, then after the trip again share info about what you saw, don’t forget to        Include lots of photos.
  1.  Always late:                  Send a reminder before school starts.
  2.  Share Tips:             Students tweet their tips to classmates about learning.
  3.  Revise Together:               Send out tips & advice on revision for exams.
  4.  Quizzes:                   Send out quick quizzes.
  5.  Recap previous class:      Tweet the key points of the previous class the   day before the following class.
  6.  Summarise                  At the end of the class summarise key points & then add a            quiz the following morning.
  7.  Students choose subject:                        This could be for a discussion or project.             You create a #hashtag for the group allowing students to find out            more information about it.
  8.  Global Classroom:                       Reach out to schools around the world who are            doing similar projects, study subjects; interact with their students.
  9.  Pen Pals in different languages:            Each student tweets in his/her     own language improving their language skills.
  10.  Live field trips:      Show parents what you’re doing as it happens.
  11.  A word a day:         Send a word or three everyday, explaining what it                   means and in class try to use it. Good for Phrasal verbs too.
  12.  Follow a Famous person:                      Choose a famous person relevant to the             class & ask each student to follow that person or a different person      for each student for a week or two & then tell the class about            him/her; or if all doing the same person talk about that person 6                        what he/she got up to, what was interesting, strange, boring etc.      Why!!
  13.  Follow “Experts”:      Connect to authors, scientists, historians,       sportsmen/women etc. Their knowledge will prove priceless.
  14.  Advice:         Students can ask their peers or teacher for advice.
  15.  A daily Question:   Keep the students on their feet.
  16.  Vocabulary User:     Students write sentences using target vocabulary.
  17.  Micro blog:        As twitter is a micro blog get students to type in key         words with # hashtag to see what others are saying about the same subject
  18.  Retweet:  Use the “retweet” to copy other people’s work to the class twitter.
  19.  Quote of the day:  Use an inspirational quote to motivate students, talk     about it at the beginning of the day.
30.  Plan field trips:     Ask parents where to go when planning field trips.      Parents like to be involved.
  1.  Write a review:     About a book, film, series, television programme,           computer game etc. In one tweet or several (part 1of 4.)
  2.  Post Links: A great way to add supplementary material for self study at home.
  3.  Outside the classroom:               Encourage twitter work outside the         classroom thus promoting collaboration, self study & self motivation.
  4.  Bring back the dead:        Tweet what you/ the student think a famous    person would have said, could be serious, or funny.
  5.  Photos:        We live in a visual age, include photos in tweets, why not get             everyone on a Sunday evening to send a photo of what they did &     talk about it in class.
  6.  Art:   Share an image of a piece of art you like & explain why, on twitter or                      in the class.
  7.  Watch The Television at home:                        Can that be right?? Organise your            class to watch a programme or series & tweet as you watch it, the      day after discuss in class.
  8.  Brain teasers, Puzzles, Maths equations etc.:                       What better way to start the day or end it.
  9.  The weather:          Keep an eye on the weather & the changing patterns,             try your hand at forecasting.
  10.  Clues:           A daily, hourly clue to get the students thinking together to    get to where you want them, (i.e. want your students to get to            London so you start with “ It’s in a country in Europe that doesn’t    have the Euro” next clue “A well known river runs through this            place”.)
  11.  Pets:       Post a photo of pet you’d like to have & explain why.
  12.  Direct Messages:   When there are times when you want to talk one to     one with a child or a parent use direct messages.
  13.  But is it Art?           Upload an image of a piece of art you like & one you    don’t like & explain why. What could be a piece of art I like you may    hate, comment on each other choices.
  14.  Summarise:            In a tweet what have your students learnt from this    class, was it enjoyable, any questions etc.
  15.  Good for teachers:                       Share ideas with other teachers, swap lesson     plans, projects etc. Look for groups to help teacher using # (the            hashtag) #ntchat a group to help new teachers, #projects, #history,             using the # you can find plenty of groups to help you.
  16.  Public Relations for the Teacher:        If you’ve done a really good class tweet it, your students have done a great project tweet it, etc. “Blow             your own trumpet” let other see how good you are.
  17.  Twitter is limited by your imagination:         As you can see from our    examples, twitter is not just reading & writing, it encourages so much more from your students. Enjoy!!!
  18.  Finally, get your students tweeting, commenting on other students tweets, retweeting, adding photos, tweeting at home, to parents, mentors, etc. The more they tweet the more the students will get out of it. So get involved today!!!!!!!