A 'Non-freaked out framework' for literacy

This could be applied in other areas of education as well but this is a cool example of Pareto's analysis of what's important and applying it sensibly.

Non-freaked out framework

Jellybean Scoop (yum)

This service combines some of my favourite things for students - News and Writing.

SK BU2 wikispace update

The school I work with here in Johor Bahru are very proud to have their own wikispace.  It is where we post information about the school including the calendar along with professional development materials we use, so that teachers (and parents if they wish) can access these materials.


Recent modules here are our Literacy Workshop and our 'Next Steps - Teacher Competencies' practical yesterday.

SK BU2 wikispace

ESOL vocabulary strategies/toolkit

Access the links here.

Alannah at Tauranga

Here's Allanah in her workshop at Bethlehem campus in Tauranga. Allanah talked about her journey into ICT and demonstrated some wonderful examples of podcasting. One of the exciting features of Allanah's work are the national and international connections and discoveries she, her students and fellow teachers are making through their use of ICT.

Allanah also talked about how she uses other great Web 2.0 tools to enhance her own and her students' learning experiences. She has found, like many of us that twitter has been an awesome tool for making contacts and learning about ICT in education. Andrew Churches and I were both pleased to be still on Allanah's twitter list after hearing about her regular ruthless culls to keep followers (and followees I guess) to a minimum.

For my part I was lucky to have a great group of people attend our small but useful workshop on Marvin. Bellevue, Pongakawa, Matamata Intermediate, Otumoetai Primary, St Joseph's and Bethlehem schools were all represented so I will be hoping to hear from them about the great ways their students are using Marvin in the near future. Big thanks to Richard van Dijk for his support with the technical and teaching side of things for our group too - Matamata and Katikati are fortunate to have him as their ICT facilitator.

Seamless technology in ICT education - a train bound for glory

Toni Twiss (a 2008 efellow) has some useful tools for mobile phones in classrooms on her blog site. She also makes some valid comments regarding technology use in education, backed up by studies from Jamie McKenzie and further tools from the blog of Wes Fryer.
Reading Toni's blog also served to remind of the amazing power of twitter to collaborate and innovate - educators from across a huge range of backgrounds geographically and demographically are supporting each other and linking learners as well, through technology. Toni sums it up nicely here - I guess what I am trying to say is - YAY other people think like me and it makes me feel like I am barking up the right tree. Social networks being used by educators to keep each other believe that we are barking up the right tree is what will maintain the drive forward to integrate technology seamlessly rather than the visit to the computer room approach to ICT in education.
A further reminder of this today is that my first messages today were from several former students - all coincidentally via bebo but they could have just as easily been facebook or email - proving that once these connections are made the learning does not stop with the classroom, or for that matter the school. Go the learning with flexible spaces and timetables - the lifelong authentic learning.

As Wes Fryer says "A digital learning REVOLUTION is underway. Are you on the train, getting on the train, helping drive the train, or sabotaging the rail line by attempting to blow up bridges along the train’s route?"