Donna


 * Staff Meeting 12 May 2010 - The Big Idea**


 * I am intrigued by the idea of neuroplasticity - that experiences can change brain structure and chemistry. Does this put a further onus on teachers to provide unerringly positive experiences??**


 * I am excited to see examples of ICT lessons in the classroom and exploring the useful links.**


 * PD Day - photography workshop 18 May 2010:**


 * It is going to be useful to have pages of notes containing digital photography hints saved to my documents.**


 * I liked how easy it seems to be to use kidpix and I envisage my year three students learning to use this quite quickly. It will be great to use it as part of their reading response work.**


 * Comic life is easy to use with eye-catching results too!**


 * I have begun using keynote to create reviews of class books.**


 * Staff Meeting - 18 May 2010 **

Staff Meeting - 18 May 2010

Notes from today ....

If we had all of the ICT tools, the management systems were in place and kids knew how to use them, what would we do?


 * Integrate ICT as everyday learning in realistic contexts
 * Use of ICT both individually and as part of collaboration
 * Everyone would have access
 * Plan for it within unit/weekly planning rather than one off fun activity
 * Use internet/intranet/wiki/blog to further scaffold learning and research skills

What authentic tasks can you come up with that relate to number 1 in the article?
 * Electronic sharing of ideas in reciprocal reading


 * Use key note to share information about an event (like sports day) and add video


 * Communicate with another school - send book reviews to entice them to read or buy for their library

How would we use ICT in our learning activities?
 * Modelling
 * Sharing
 * Reporting back
 * Feedback
 * Recording
 * Promoting visual language
 * Promoting questions
 * Current events
 * Research
 * Presenting

How would we use ICT for complex tasks rather than subject of study?
 * If the task was to report on the causes and results of a significant NZ drought.... children could choose the appropriate ICT graphic integration programme (Kid Pix, Comic Life, Keynote) to show their understanding of the features of different text types, effective use of language etc as well as their mathematical knowledge of measuring and interpreting data. This could be done in a cooperative group context as well as including some individual findings.

17 August

Something I already do re:independent activities in class

Children use kidpix to complete independent maths tasks

eg: to draw the doubles of certain numbers using circles

Children use word to complete independent maths tasks - eg: to write bonds to 100 using 10s and 5s

Something I will do as a result of today's meeting:

use smartkiddies for independent maths activities

use www.bbc.co.uk for independent maths and literacy activities

14 September 2010

Staff Meeting - ICT Celebration

Classes used a variety of Apple applications to cement and extend learning within the "Our Body" theme. Pages, Keynote, Kidpix and Comic Life all contributed to knowledge-packed eye-catching work. Having used a couple of these applications now, the others seem relatively undaunting now!

Children in room 7 have been learning to take, insert and manipulate photographs, add and "up-bling" text and add colours and backgrounds - skills that they can use across a range of applications. This has allowed us to showcase our learning about the three vital organs we have been studying. We have yet to add voice effects but that can be among our next learning steps.

Further extending our use of Pages by using it to publish and illustrate snippets of writing will be meaningful. In addition using Comic Life to present our poetry work will be engaging.



24 May 2011

Response to //Curriculum Going Digital// Reading

Many aspects of this article seem to be referring, in essence, to the ideas of realising possibility/meeting potential. A challenge for schools and teachers is not to use technology simply as a replacement for other teaching and learning resources but to take advantage of their enhanced potential for engaging children and promoting learning. This includes the cooperative/social aspects that can be an inherent part of technologically enhanced learning. Not only can students access, through WEB2 tools, the //knowledge// of their peers but also their //skills// can be shared and grow by working collaboratively on presenting learning through different applications.