Archive for category school

Champions Megamix

Posted by kmcg2375 in random, school on August 10, 2009

Thanks to everyone who suggested songs on Twitter for my Champions Megamix CD, which played on the way to the Senior Debating State Final last Friday.  In case you were wondering, here were the tracks I went with, in order of play:

  1. Eye of the tiger – Survivor
  2. We are the champions – Queen
  3. O Fortuna
  4. Without me – Eminem
  5. With a little help from my friends – The Beatles
  6. Hold on – Wilson Phillips
  7. Long way to the top – AC/DC
  8. Playing to win – Little River Band/John Farnham
  9. All fired up – Pat Benatar
  10. Simply the best – Tina Turner
  11. Champion – Kanye West
  12. Stronger – Kanye West
  13. We are family – Sidter Sledge
  14. The way we get by – Spoon
  15. Today – Smashing Pumpkins

It’s a killer playlist!  Put this on and you will be able to take on the world!  I made copies for the students to listen to while they study for HSC Trials 😛

What would you put on your ultimate champions playlist?  What is your ‘eye of the tiger’?

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State Debating Finals

Posted by kmcg2375 in school on August 8, 2009

I was so proud on Friday to take my AWESOME Senior Debating team to the State Final.

Our team valiantly argued the Negative side of the topic That we should publish school league tables.  It was a close debate, and we had a lot of support from the crowd!  Ultimately the other team won the debate and the Hume-Barbour trophy, but as finalists our team won the English Speaking Union prize, and are now also eligible for the Elite Athletes and Performers Scheme at the University of Sydney (something we did not know, weren’t expecting, and were thrilled to hear!)

Watch the ABC News story about the debate.

One of my students gave the most moving thank you speech at the end of the debate I have ever heard…she said really nice things about me as their coach and we all started to cry!  Can’t believe another group of Year 12’s are almost leaving.  I have had so much fun coaching this team 🙂

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Great expectations

Posted by kmcg2375 in school, technology on June 30, 2009

As I wait with baited breath to receive my new laptop courtesy of the NSW DET, an invigorating post by Melissa Giddins has got me planning how to introduce change to my faculty. Only where Melissa as Head Teacher has the authority to set the pace of change in her faculty (laptops used in some way every lesson for the first few weeks, then moving to every second lesson on average – I love it!), as a rank-and-file classroom teacher I can only lobby for such change.

My major strategy will be resource sharing at our faculty meetings – a new teaching idea each fortnight, starting with using features of Word to annotate texts (using formatting, comment, track changes etc.) and moving through to more time consuming activities such as making a digital story.  Luckily the teachers in my faculty are all quite excited about the arrival of the laptops, though some will need more tech (and moral!) support than others.

Download my handout on using comments in Word

Download my handout on tracking changes in Word

During these meetings I’ll also be able to model some key pieces of software starting with Audacity (for making podcasts), Adobe Premier Elements (for movie making – most staff are familiar with MovieMaker…), and taking a look at where to find things in Word 2007 (most still working on 97-03 versions).

Another important strategy is to share work samples from my own classes and discuss what worked, and what didn’t work.  For teachers to feel confident in explaining a task or activity to student, I think they have to have a picture in their mind’s eye of what the product will look like.

All very ‘lead a horse to water…’, I know.  So far though, so good – I’ve been doing this kind of thing (without the software modelling) all this year, and the mood in the faculty is feeling far more positive these days.

But…what could people a bit higher up than me initiate that may bring about change more rapidly?  How about:

  • Head Teachers set high expectations for their faculty – laptops to be used in some way every lesson for the first few weeks, then moving to every second lesson on average, sounds good to me
  • Paper based ‘Daily Notices’ and ‘Staff Bulletins’ be sent electronically – ensures that teachers check email daily/weekly to retrieve these
  • Form a Technology Leadership team, with representatives from each faculty, to meet regularly to share ideas/resources and take ideas back to the faculty level
  • Add links to resources for teaching with laptops to school intranet homepage (e.g. TaLe, Curriculum Support)

I’m sure there’s loads more.  What can you think of, or what have you been doing already, in whatever role you are in at your school?

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Narrative Unit: Texts

Posted by kmcg2375 in digital storytelling, english, school, technology on May 19, 2009

An update on how things are coming together for my unit of work on Narrative, which combined more mainstream print and visual texts with ‘new technology’ texts.

The texts I have selected to study are:

  1. The Raven – Edgar Allen Poe (poem)
  2. And antoher thing – Anthony Dennis (Sunday Life opinion article)
  3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon (novel)
  4. Fairytale and fable selection, possibly using a webquest
  5. Fox – Margaret Wild (picture book)
  6. Inanimate Alice (multimedia)
  7. and, if time permits, The Castle – Working Dog / Sitch (film)

After/while studying these texts, students will be creating their own narrative compostions:

  1. An individual digital story on the theme ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ (term 2)
  2. A group drama enacting a fairytale of students own choosing (term 2)
  3. A short story using hypertext to link to flashbacks in the story (term 3 – using new laptops)

I’m loving teaching this unit – so far we’ve looked at the poem and the magazine article, and are now reading Curious Incident…if we finish looking at the book by the end of week 5, that will leave plenty of time to look at the other texts (not a ‘close study’ – just exploring select aspects of narrative) and do some work on the assessment projects.

More updates to come!

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ICT Cross Curriculum Content

Posted by kmcg2375 in school, technology on May 17, 2009

A comment by Pixeltoy on an earlier post about the Laptops for Learning Forum got me thinking: although I do believe much work will have to be done to ensure authentic integration of ICT resources into all subject, I’m not sure that syllabus change is the answer.

NSW syllabuses already have cross-curriculum content embedded into each syllabus.  One of the content areas is Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The ICT cross-curriculum content in the English 7-10 syllabus is worth quoting here at length:

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) content in English enables students to develop and apply skills, knowledge and understanding of ICT in their composing, responding and presenting, and as part of the imaginative and critical thinking they undertake in English. The ICT content has been incorporated into the content of this syllabus to ensure that all students have the opportunity to become competent, discriminating and creative users of ICT and are better able to demonstrate the syllabus outcomes of English through the effective use of ICT.

In their study of English, students are able to apply their existing knowledge of word processing, multimedia, ways of formatting and presenting texts, simulation software, graphics and electronic communication and further develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of these technologies. They learn about the ethics of information communication through technology.

At Stage 4, students use specified tools and functions of word processing for composing. They learn to import images and graphics into folders and documents. In formatting documents they learn to desktop publish using graphics in a multimedia presentation or webpage, evaluating appropriate layout and design principles for a specific audience.

At Stage 5, students use more advanced specified tools and functions of word processing for composing. They learn to create, import and manipulate graphics. They learn about advanced forms of digital communication such as video conferencing.

So, what is it that’s already letting us down?  What is it we are missing in our professional learning to be able to implement this content, which already appears in our syllabus documents?

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Laptops 4 Learning

Posted by kmcg2375 in school, technology on May 7, 2009

Wanted to get down some of the big ideas (and fast facts) that have come up over the past two days at the Laptops 4 Learning Forum.  There is so much I could say – and will say, in some more blog posts over the coming week.  For now…

Big Ideas:

  • Schools should work toward developing a ‘digital culture’ by using technologyas a tool, rather than scheduling technology events.  The laptops should become part of the learning environment, like pens, papers and whiteboards.
  • Laptop use in schools has the potential to make classes and projects more student-centred.  The increased capacity for project-based learning through connectivity (and nifty software) can mean that the technology can have a positive impact on pedagogy.
  • Teachers will need to develop their skills in classroom management to accomodate problems with the technology…but this is no reason to give up or shy away.  We already do this when the photocopier breaks, or the OHP bulb blows!
  • Laptops are exciting, and the potential for student engagement is huge.  Rather than facing their work and asking  “why do I have to do it?”, this will get them asking “can I do it this way?” (This great point from Steven Plummer, who is leading the English KLA project)
  • Barbara Bober gave us a great metaphor – some teachers will be like Formula 1 drivers with the technology; most will ordinary, but competent and perhaps even excited drivers or smaller vehicles (to extend the metaphor for those who worry about teachers losing control in laptop lessons – in this metaphor, the teacher is still the driver!)
  • When planning, we should consider how the laptops will impact on the students, the teachers, the pedagogy, and classroom management.  All are important factors
  • There isn’t a need to re-invent the wheel.  As well as imagining new and foreign possibilities, we should be looking at current curriculum and pedagogy and asking: what can be enriched?
  • Ken Olah explained that feedback to kids has the largest correlation (1.4) with increased student learning.  Imagine the opportunities for feedback that constant access to personal laptop creates!
  • It will be a bit messy to start off with…but it is worth it.

Students Talk:

In one panel discussion two students talked about what they saw as the benefits of having and using laptops.  They suggested:

  • Being able to do bits of work ‘here and there’, rather than only being able to access desktop computers at certain times will relieve some stress around homework and assignmetns
  • Homework etc. will be more easily recorded in a school diary or calendar on the laptops
  • Work can be saved, and easily shared – no more lost sheets or notes if you are away
  • Having computer access at school.  Students reported often having trouble getting into a computer lab or finding a free computer in the library
  • Assiting group work outside of school hours
  • Better access to whole school information – they suggested school notices being distributed electronically.

Fast Facts:

  • Students will get their laptops in Term 3.  Teachers will get theirs before students do, probably in July.
  • Wireless is getting installed in April, and this is bound to be a bit disruptive.  Libraries plus one classroom will get it first.
  • Every school will get one full-time technical officer to support laptop use.  There is a 4 year funding commitment from federal governemt for this, and this person is employed regardless of whether your school already has ‘an IT person’ – their sole job is to support the laptops
  • Schools will have spare batteries and laptops for students to use if they don’t have their laptops (and policies will be in place to curtail repeat offenders)
  • Students are expected to charge their laptops overnight and bring them charges to school.
  • Operating system is Windows XP
  • Software installed is Microsoft Office 7 (standard suite plus One Note) and Adobe (Connect, Presenter, Captivate, Photoshop Elements, Premier Elements, Dreamweaver, Flash and Acrobat Professional)
  • Disk size is 160 GB, but about 50 GB of this is used up with the software
  • The Lenovo laptops have two USB ports,  an Ethernet port, Bluetooth an SD memory card reader, and an inbuilt webcam

As I said, there is so much more information to come.  In the meantime, enjoy a peek at the new laptop 🙂

dsc00446 dsc00448

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Twitter #TED

Posted by kmcg2375 in online tools, school, social media, technology on April 2, 2009

Recently for some reason unknown to me I have found myself often amongst students and colleagues hating on Twitter.  The thing is…they haven’t tried it.

Of course, people are allowed to have opinions, even when they are not based on any real knowledge or experience.  But I have been a bit surprised by how quickly, and with what venom, people are ready to leap into attack mode when someone mentions Twitter.

Wow, some people must really think they are important – as if anyone cares about your sad life.

Don’t people have anything better to do?

Who could be bothered checking to see if someone posted some random note.

As if I want to hear about the boring details of someone else’s life!

It’s a place where sad-cases can find out what P. Diddy is doing every minute of everyday.

Narcissists!

Yesterday a penny dropped for me, and I realised a big reason why I find these comments so unsettling: Why are people so determined to express how much they DON’T care about anyone else’s world?  Sure, meeting in person is a ‘nicer’ way to be closer to people you know, but these comments don’t smack of pro-embodied-socialising; they just reek of tall poppy syndrome and a bunch of I-don’t-care.

I’m hoping some teachers on our school technology committee will start dabbling in Twitter soon, so I can start making the rich professional connections in school that I currently need to seek out of school.  I found this TED Talk on Twitter very interesting, and I’ll pass it on to my colleagues soon:

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Macbeth

Posted by kmcg2375 in english, school on March 30, 2009

Just beginning a Year 11 unit on Macbeth (comparing Shakespeare’s play to a film version). Going through my resources I would have to say that I find the following three online resources provide all the material my students will need to supplement their reading:

  1. Royal Shakespeare Company resources for Macbeth, in particular the online play guide
  2. The No Fear Shakespeare ‘translation’ of Shakespeare’s play into modern English
  3. Notes on Macbeth from the new literature website Shmoop (still in Beta)

These sites don’t take a ‘cheat sheet’ approach to the play, but instead help students to cut through the language and think more deeply about the play in production, which in turn helps them to find meanng in the play.  Are there any ‘must see’ sites that you would add?  Of course all the big Shakespearean plays have a million online summaries, but would you add anything from those to my best of list above?

I would LOVE to get more adventurous and use Angela Thomas’ Second Life Virtual Macbeth island, but the machines at school would seriously not cope (on so many levels!)  I might see later in the unit if the students would be willing to explore this from home.

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Edublogs blocked by DET

Posted by kmcg2375 in online tools, school, technology on February 11, 2009

Well, the NSW DET has finally gotten up to blocking the last place we had left to blog, edublogs.  Along with everything else.

Any site that can be classified as a blog or wiki is blocked to students from years 6-10 at best – most are blocked for senior students too.  The constant fear that we all now must live with of our students having any interaction *whatsoever* with the outside world lives on.  Forget using edublogs, pbwiki, twitter, edmodo, wordpress…the list goes on.

Add to this the continued blocking of two of the most used/useful sites on the whole internet – Google apps and YouTube – and what is there left on the internet to use??

The DET released a new version of guidelines for creating blog sites in December 2008.  Though it is hard to understand the point of this, when the sites are blocked anyway.  Am I missing something here?  And, while I understand the importance of ensuring student privacy, consider the following requirements included in the guidelines:

  • All users must be registered and password protected to prevent anonymous contributions.
  • All contributions are moderated by the Teacher Administrator before publication.

I can see where they are coming from.  Honestly.  But guidelines like this make it either untenable or just plain uncomfortable to use a blog with a class.  Students who have problems signing up, logging on, or remembering a password will be disengaged with the blog and class management becomes a joke in blogging lessons where kids can’t get onto their blog.  And moderating comments before they are published is just too much.  This is like asking kids to run their classroom answers past you before they say them out loud!

Using online learning spaces provide students with opportunities to learn about cyberbullying and ‘netiquette’ – shielding students from online environments will not adequately prepare them for the world of work into which they will enter post-school.  School rules, student welfare, and sound pedagogical practices are not abandoned in these online spaces – if anything, the transparency of these sites (your Principal, or your student’s parents, could decide to take a look at any time!) is more likely to promote professional practice.

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Technology Leadership Team

Posted by kmcg2375 in school, technology on December 14, 2008

Last week I went to my first meeting for my school’s new ‘Technology Leadership Team’.  I am so excited about working with other teachers, especially because they are mostly from other faculties, who are also excited about using technology to enhance learning.

The focus of our group is to plan and/or provide collegial professional development for other staff members in areas of technology.  We all agree that an important aspect of this will be PD in using online tools, such as blogs, wikis and podcasts.

Another exciting thing about the group is that we are planning to trial Moodle with some of our classes this year, and depending on our success, introduce Moodle as a tool across the entire school in 2010.  I can’t wait!  I’m interested to hear from anyone who is Moodling already, about how their school introduced it, and what kind/level of PD was needed.  Are majority of teachers in Moodle-schools using the system effectively?

I’m going to send my blog URL to other members of the team now – I hope they drop by and leave me a comment!

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