I love the idea of managing time - it is a great idea. I never seem to pull it off successfully - I lurch from one project to another, usually just squeaking it all in in time. So you can see why this seemed like a great week of stuff to learn and master.
Well, it didn't all go to plan - as per usual, I guess. My favourite one was Wibbitz. I could see definite possibilities there - thinking mainly of our younger students - especially the ESL ones.
My first try was putting in the URL for my school blog and it worked quite well. However, it would only go so far and no further. So I tried out a range of URLs - most of which, or so the site informed me, were 'not valid'. I came to the conclusion that if it couldn't find headings and/or pictures, it just decided the site was 'invalid'.
Trying to find a text-based site with a relevant URL became a headache. I had planned to use it for web evaluation lessons with our Yr 7s (eg: Tree Octopus, Dehydrated water and similar) but I think I will have to give that idea up. But it looks to be a really fun program - if I could only make it do what I want.
The other one I signed up for was TopicMarks. It looked easy, seemed like a good idea - and once I was in there - it all got too hard. Even when it had uploaded something, it then presented me with a blank page.
The conclusion to be drawn from this, I think, is that it was operator error. The one constant in all this, was the person trying to make it work - ME. Either I was asking the programs to do more than they were designed to do - or - and this is more likely - I was making mistakes in what I entered or tried to upload.
This requires more 'playtime' so the links will be kept to attempt and, hopefully master, at another time.
I also had an attempt at signing up with Strawberry Jam - however, once I had inputted the email address and a password - I was presented with the same page. Operator error again?
Maybe lots of reading, paper and pens is the way to go for me. (And I should give up the idea of managing time?)
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Week # 8 Search Engines
It has been interesting trying out new search engines. I was aware of Google's tendency to accept payment to put various sites higher up the food chain so to speak.
Working in a Secondary school, the first inclination of the students is to 'Google it' - and they are convinced if they just stay on Google long enough, it will all be provided for them. They have trouble even conceiving the idea that it may not be there. It is always there - how can I possibly suggest otherwise? Use a book - what medieval century did I arrive from?
My favourite out of these was Blekko - the spam free engine. It was quick and simple to use and didn't even blink when I tried out a Boolean search on it - whereas Twurdy just quit on me. Twurdy took forever to respond to search enquiries and often just presented me with a blank page instead of results.
Kngine was just an app - so I need to download it onto my Galaxy Tablet and give it a try. It looked very similar to the searching app on a friends iPhone - Seri, I think it is called.
Qwiki lost me very quickly - it appeared to be a presentation program rather than a search engine. Podscope I couldn't get into at all - just 'Page not found'. Wolfram Alpha I had seen before but it is very hard to search. I found it was brilliant at maths queries but little else, I think.
Dewey Digger was way too complicated, even for a Librarian who knows Dewey - or maybe it is just me with little patience. Not something I would use with the students.
We are currently overhauling our Library and Research classes and I will be including Blekko in our section on Web skills - and possibly Kngine if I can download it onto the iPads.
Others I have used at school which are not too bad are: Quintura Kids and Sweetsearch both of which are fairly easy to use:
http://quinturakids.com/ - cloud type search engine
http://www.sweetsearch.com/ - search engine designed for students.
Both are worth having a look at - especially if you work in a school environment.
Another one that I use regularly at home is Copernic - which is a search engine that searches multiple search engines. I can't use it at school as the network blocks it - but it is my usual 'go-to' search engine at home.
Working in a Secondary school, the first inclination of the students is to 'Google it' - and they are convinced if they just stay on Google long enough, it will all be provided for them. They have trouble even conceiving the idea that it may not be there. It is always there - how can I possibly suggest otherwise? Use a book - what medieval century did I arrive from?
My favourite out of these was Blekko - the spam free engine. It was quick and simple to use and didn't even blink when I tried out a Boolean search on it - whereas Twurdy just quit on me. Twurdy took forever to respond to search enquiries and often just presented me with a blank page instead of results.
Kngine was just an app - so I need to download it onto my Galaxy Tablet and give it a try. It looked very similar to the searching app on a friends iPhone - Seri, I think it is called.
Qwiki lost me very quickly - it appeared to be a presentation program rather than a search engine. Podscope I couldn't get into at all - just 'Page not found'. Wolfram Alpha I had seen before but it is very hard to search. I found it was brilliant at maths queries but little else, I think.
Dewey Digger was way too complicated, even for a Librarian who knows Dewey - or maybe it is just me with little patience. Not something I would use with the students.
We are currently overhauling our Library and Research classes and I will be including Blekko in our section on Web skills - and possibly Kngine if I can download it onto the iPads.
Others I have used at school which are not too bad are: Quintura Kids and Sweetsearch both of which are fairly easy to use:
http://quinturakids.com/ - cloud type search engine
http://www.sweetsearch.com/ - search engine designed for students.
Both are worth having a look at - especially if you work in a school environment.
Another one that I use regularly at home is Copernic - which is a search engine that searches multiple search engines. I can't use it at school as the network blocks it - but it is my usual 'go-to' search engine at home.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Week # 7, Picture Pop
My choice of photo-editing software was BeFunky. I uploaded a photo that I had taken of the Devils Marbles at sunset eons ago. (Well, maybe not that bad - but quite a while ago)
Then using Befunky I tried out some of the effects. There were a couple of effects where I found myself saying... "Ohh, so thats how they do it".
I can't see myself using these in a work capacity - but then, never say never. Who knows? I find myself using the oddest things at the school.....skills that were just for fun have sometimes become a teaching moment. (Not that I am a teacher - but you never know when you will be asked to give a hand) Teaching a Yr 7 class to make ice-cream in a ziplock bag comes to mind. Really handy when you are on a Guide Camp and it's 30plus degrees - but a Home Ecomonics class.... who knew?? Could be Science as well.
Anyway....below is the original photo and then some of the effects I tried out. Cool or what? I had fun with this.
Original
Then using Befunky I tried out some of the effects. There were a couple of effects where I found myself saying... "Ohh, so thats how they do it".
I can't see myself using these in a work capacity - but then, never say never. Who knows? I find myself using the oddest things at the school.....skills that were just for fun have sometimes become a teaching moment. (Not that I am a teacher - but you never know when you will be asked to give a hand) Teaching a Yr 7 class to make ice-cream in a ziplock bag comes to mind. Really handy when you are on a Guide Camp and it's 30plus degrees - but a Home Ecomonics class.... who knew?? Could be Science as well.
Anyway....below is the original photo and then some of the effects I tried out. Cool or what? I had fun with this.
Original
Fisheye
Temperature - Colder
Enhance Detail - Check out the grass in the foreground!
Colour Filter - Pink
Pop Art Effect.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Week # 6 & AV Content
I wasn't aware that there were so many sites that provide video clips or on-line lessons. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised given the explosion in home schooling over the last few years as a knee-jerk reaction to the perceived problems in schools concerning standards of education.
I had come across the TED talks before - however the TED ED was new to me - and I certainly hadn't heard of the Khan Academy.
The above sites are the main ones that I have been checking out. I liked the Khan Academy with its myriad lessons and the challenges. (I confirmed all over again that I am lousy at maths by taking one of the challenges) http://www.khanacademy.org/exercisedashboard
I also liked the idea of designing or constructing a lesson relevant to the teachers needs and then putting it up there to be used or tweaked by others. With students that are comfortable with self-directed learning, this would be great.
http://ed.ted.com/tour
My 88 year old mother had been telling me about U3A - University of the 3rd Age - and grumbling that she hadn't been able to find anything that interested her on the website. I suggested that she should check out these sites and see if there was anything there that appealed to her.
Although I cannot see myself using any of them at school, I will more than likely return to them again for my own personal interests. I was happily engrossed in watching a video about Darwin and his ideas on skin colours and genetic diversity when I was interrupted by someone wanting me to work!! I don't think they believed me when I said I was studying.
I had come across the TED talks before - however the TED ED was new to me - and I certainly hadn't heard of the Khan Academy.
The above sites are the main ones that I have been checking out. I liked the Khan Academy with its myriad lessons and the challenges. (I confirmed all over again that I am lousy at maths by taking one of the challenges) http://www.khanacademy.org/exercisedashboard
I also liked the idea of designing or constructing a lesson relevant to the teachers needs and then putting it up there to be used or tweaked by others. With students that are comfortable with self-directed learning, this would be great.
http://ed.ted.com/tour
My 88 year old mother had been telling me about U3A - University of the 3rd Age - and grumbling that she hadn't been able to find anything that interested her on the website. I suggested that she should check out these sites and see if there was anything there that appealed to her.
Although I cannot see myself using any of them at school, I will more than likely return to them again for my own personal interests. I was happily engrossed in watching a video about Darwin and his ideas on skin colours and genetic diversity when I was interrupted by someone wanting me to work!! I don't think they believed me when I said I was studying.
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