i see tea

e-safety

I started writing a Moodle course for e-safety this week.

I am authorised to deliver the CEOP materials but the course will be taught by another teacher as well so I cannot use these in the course. Instead I have gone for (lesson 1):

teach-ict.com e-safety quiz games

a social networking flash video

a Moodle quiz to identify who has accounts on various social networks

A Moodle assignment with a comprehension exercise on a cyber-bullying article from the BBC

I am now wondering where to go next. It is such a big field. The ThinkUKnow and CEOP reporting buttons are there, which we will have a look at, but what activities are best for the pupils to learn all about e-safety. I would rather it was less about the teacher and more about the pupil doing. Any ideas or resources?

My Mac and me. But why?

I did it. After XX years as an ICT teacher I caved and spent money I haven’t got on a MacBookPro.

Apple with your coffee? CC by re-ality on flickr

So far, what do I like?

• hardware is better quality and it all relates to operating system. Magnetic power lead is so clever I could write a thesis on it.
• all the software I require downloaded really quickly.
• it installed even faster (no I mean really fast).
• it opens and closes at great speed. No waiting around.

Things I don’t like?

• cost. I just spent a whole bag of cash.
• preciousness. I am concerned about scratching it. I don’t like that feeling and tend to avoid it with all things. My car is 17 years old and looks it and I like it more with age.

I am looking forward to living with my Mac and learning its ways. Even if they remain the ones listed above, I will be happy I bought it.

Wallwisher.com: sticky note online collaboration

Name WallWisher

Teachers sharing ideas about leadership in schools

URL http://wallwisher.com

What is it?

An online pin board that everyone can pin things on. Allows teachers and pupils to collaborate on one web page.  Double click the web page to add a new note. Fill in your name and enter your text and links to relevant websites including videos. Good for whole class. No sign-in required to post messages, but accounts quickly created (good idea for teacher to keep a library of their walls).

Opportunities

• Quick text ideas (160 limit per post)
• Share instantly
• Add links
• Embed videos on screen
• Create your account to store a library of your walls
• Embed into your VLE (Bernard) so pupils can view posts from within your learning course

Barriers

• Moderation of posts
• Fake identity (classroom management issue – demerit, detention – and you can delete any post)
• Free, so may get turned off or charged for at some point; but whilst it’s free, why not make the most of it?
  

  Rhavine (Y9) put a video link on his post. Plays on the wall.

Basic guide

1. Create account
2. Build a wall
3. Share URL with pupils (link on Bernard or VLE, or email them or tell them)
4. Moderate
5. Can be used in an ICT room, but at it’s best when pupils access it outside the lesson and at different times.

Cost FREE

Frequently Asked Questions http://www.wallwisher.com/faqs

Video tutorial (TeacherTube on YouTube)

Examples

I did this with a Year 9 class: http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/nethistory.

Image at top of page is of this wall: http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/leadersleading.

Reviews

Free Technology For Teachers

A librarian

19 Interesting Ways to Use Wall Wisher

Thanks to Doug Belshaw for the heuristics of this post

Email productivity

Delete me, I dare you...

Here are some tips you might like to help you manage email fast and forever (and yes, they do include the delete key).

http://five.sentenc.es/ (very brief justification of five sentence rule, also leads to the more efficient two sentence rule – how low can you go?)

or

http://elearningstuff.wordpress.com/2007/10/01/dealing-with-e-mail/ (video is one hour lecture – watch if interested. It’s a good lecture.) Good quick advice in this post:

# Delete or Archive

# Delegate

# Respond

# Defer

# Do

Other Tips:

1. Good email signature (not so relevant for internal mail in a school, except for your phone extension)

2. Edit the subject line of your email reply to give the response e.g.<— Yes (or no?)

3. Don’t be afraid to be brief: aim to further or complete the conversation (you are not being rude, just efficient)

4. Use decent grammar and capitals but don’t create literature. Any more than two/three minutes and you should be creating a document or blog post for future reference, or using the phone or going to see them.

The delete key is not always the answer. But your time is precious so respect it by not writing long emails, and so will I.

Reply in comments if you have any other ideas.

Image CC: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetruthabout/

With assistance from Doug and James

Spreeder: teach pupils (or yourself) to speed read

I came across SPREEDER via @Documentally on twitter.

It strikes me as an excellent tool to get pupils reading large quantities as well as helping them to learn to speed read it may well be great for learning. People often complain reading on screen is a chore and many people print long documents to read hardcopy.

A comprehension test of any content would be well served in all subjects by this delivering the text via spreedr. Just drag the bookmarklet into the links on your browser, select the text and click to start. Or, copy and paste the text into the spreedr window.

In class, this could spark an element of competition which may help improve pupils productivity. It certainly helps me read a lot faster.

Have a go and let me know what you think.