My new life integrating technology to enhance education

Ready

2011-06-25T19:16:00.001+02:00

I am ready to go. Spain here I come.

Camino route

2011-06-23T09:18:00.001+02:00

http://www.santiago-compostela.net/frances/index_cf_en.html Scroll down the page - can see a list of all the Stages of the route. Hope weather is nice.

11

2009-11-08T22:20:00.000+02:00

Marksheet

Gr 11 Integrated task 2 - Page S14

2009-06-05T11:26:00.000+02:00

Beware! This is our 3rd year doing this work! Some learners may get the work of previous years! One of my learners found a document, on this blog, done in May 2007. Be must be sure to have learners do work in class, where we can guide them, and make sure that all work done is theirs!

Pug dogs

2008-11-11T22:04:00.002+02:00

I managed to get some special green mealies from Gauteng. I made some special green mealie cake (not carrot cake, green mealie cake). I had it wrapped in heavy Alcan foil in a Checkers packet along with chips, peanuts, dips, biscuits, cooldrinks, etc. especially for our weekend in the Cedarberg. All the bags were on the floor in the garage ready for leaving straight after school today. This morning, I was busy dressing and organising the house. Friend went outside to open the garage door and get my car ready, not thinking of the contents of the carrier bags and the dogs. When it was time to lock the front door we looked for the dogs, and found the fawn pug with his nose in the bag and 3/4s of the cake gone! Thank goodness it was not the fruitcake which was still on the shelf in the kitchen

Videos - Downloading from the Internet

2007-11-08T17:49:00.000+02:00

There are many ways to get videos off the net and YouTube but most cost dollars! I do not have money to spare so try anything for free. So …

Go to http://keepvid.com/ and download the Free FLV Player program. Install this program. Do not bother to add any of the extras offered/suggested during the installation process as they are not necessary for this purpose.

Find the video you want to download and want to see off line. Copy its URL.

In the box on the http://keepvid.com/ page paste the URL of the video you want. Click to download. Now look lower down the screen (below the grey bar) and find Download again and click on it.

It downloads without a file extension and with a silly name. So rename it and give it the file extension of flv. If you have the Free FLV Player program installed, open the new flv file with the Free FLV Player program. Great! Acknowledge the creators of the video. So easy and you can now view the video offline.

Drumming at school

2007-09-03T13:25:00.000+02:00

Look at our video on drumming

Blogging - Create first blog

2007-08-12T22:51:00.000+02:00

Blogging is fun. Follow the aural instructions or read the pdf of the slide show.

Distance Education Certified Trainer Program

2007-08-09T22:37:00.000+02:00

I have just started studying for the Distance Education Certified Trainer Program at the University of West Georgia.
The first task required that we create a one page web of our home town. Look at my interpretation of my home town.
Then we had to create a presentation on a topic - I selected Effectivess of Online Teaching.
I hope to get a position soon doing online training as I need stimulus and a change.

What makes a good podcast?

2007-07-21T15:46:00.000+02:00

Time - Each episode should be short (15 minutes or less) - Each topic should be less than 5 minutes - Episodes of your podcast should appear on a regular basis either daily, weekly or monthly.
Subject - Offers an insight that hasn't been exposed in print - Provides users with information that they can't find elsewhere - Gives take-away tips, instructive - Informative and educational - Timely topic
Style - Conversational (features more than one person) - Glitch-free (plays without interruption) - Make sure speakers animated - Give podcast a personality. Listeners want to hear a person behind the microphone not just a voice.
Music - Keep theme music brief (about 10 seconds) - Use good quality music - Comply with copyright issues
Labeling – in sound - Tell us who you are - Create a brief introduction for every episode that includes the name of the episode, the name of the series, the name of the producing entity, and the date of production - Labeling – for upload - Use all available ID3 tags (name of podcast, time/length, artist/producer, album/producer, and genre), subject and summary. - Provide a short descriptive headline that explains what the podcast episode will be about - Provide written transcript / outline of the podcast - Include links to other resources
References
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalpodcast.html
http://www.opportunitywales.co.uk/2-2-10-1c.htm
http://pbaker.wordpress.com/2006/03/07/making-a-good-podcast-better/
http://cctblog.typepad.com/cctnewsblog/2006/04/what_makes_a_go.html
http://dondodge.typepad.com/the_next_big_thing/2006/04/the_problem_wit.html
http://dondodge.typepad.com/the_next_big_thing/2006/09/what_makes_a_go.html

Del.icio.us social networking

2007-07-18T22:05:00.000+02:00

Delicious is a collection of favourites - yours and everyone else’s. To learn how to use it view this video and or listen to my comments about it. Each of these files are about 6 MEG, so wait! And here is a much smaller file with almost the same information but without sound - click the slides to move forward.

WHY USE DEL.ICIO.US
Cuts down on online clutter to deliver more relevant bits of information.
Makes it easier to find desired information again.
Allows users to make their list of tags and sites available to (and searchable by) either a closed community of individuals or all other web surfers.

HOW DEL.ICIO.US CAN BE USED IN EDUCATION
Storing links that might be lost to time, scattered across different browser bookmark settings, or distributed in emails, printouts, and Web links.
Tagging can offer new perspectives on one’s research, as clusters of tags reveal patterns (or absences) not immediately visible by examining one of several URLs.
Finding people with related interests can magnify one’s work by learning from others or by leading to new collaborations.
Creating multi-authored bookmark pages can be useful for team projects, as each member can upload resources discovered, no matter their location or timing. Tagging can then surface individual perspectives within the collective.

WHAT A TEACHER CAN DO
Get information to students on different topics and have students subscribe to RSS feed. Organize resources for courses and subjects they teach, which is useful if a teacher teaches more than one class or subject. Create accounts for workgroups or entire classes with each student in the group having the password to the account so he or she can add bookmarks.

LIMITATIONS
Can be seen as a rejection of the search engine status quo in favour of tools that are both created by the community and beneficial to the community.
Traditional publishing made evaluation of material simple – was done by ‘authorities’. With del.icio.us new democratic format. Which is better – collective voice of public or of expert academic?
Need tagging standards so there can be real sharing but benefit of tagging is that colloquial or community meaning can be attributed to tags.

ACTION
My students will learn to use deli.icio.us as their bookmarks are not kept in their profiles on a network! They work at home and school and need their bookmarks! They need to collaborate to work effectively.

Rapid web based tools

2007-07-07T22:52:00.000+02:00

These quizzes were created to assist in training in Excel - one looks at common errors and the other important functions.
Teachers can use the following quizzes with their students when they teach the Access primary key and Access datatypes.
Teachers can try this fun presentation to check if they have grasped all the features of the Performance Assessment Task (PAT).
It was very easy to use these tools from Raptivity.

Most promising tools for synchronous delivery for distance educators

2007-06-28T22:22:00.000+02:00

Voice – as found in Skype, Google talk – best option. This is not podcasting but communication in real time
Chat – with messaging - not the best option
Web cam – with responses, such as Webinar - not the best option now
Just sound most promising - really just needs microphone
Currently sound too bandwidth intensive for Africa but that is changing particularly in the urban areas and with prices are coming down.
I do like the audio aspect for Africa as Africans, (as well as today’s youth) are not text enabled, preferring the aural aspect.
Not difficult to learn as based on experience with Skype/Google Talk.
Time – depends on the time zones being covered – should be able to fit in a convenient time such as every Thursday evening.
Office hours - Cheryl brought up an important point for education. Lecturers need time when they are not available - using WebCT would control that whereas in Google Talk/Skype that may be problematic but not unsurmountable.
Speed - I found Google Talk/Skype so much quicker to log into than WebCT. And WebCT does not allow quick typing - it is almost as if it prefers 10 words a minute and reflective writing, whereas there is no such problem in Google Talk/Skype.
For reflection - talks could be saved as podcasts and texted messages archived as well.
To sum up - need audio with ability to interact, with the reflective aspects of archiving of sound, and additional messaging/texting.
I have brought together the ideas from chats, emails and blogs of Bessie, Cheryl and Paul, and my own ideas.

Module 8 Assignment 2

2007-06-26T21:42:00.000+02:00

Google Talk does not seem to work with Macs. So a group of us decided that we would have a conference call on Friday 29 June at 3 pm EST with Skype. May I suggest that you type up your ideas for YOUR group project and post them to your blog BEFORE the time so that others have time to read it prior to the conference call.
BEFORE Friday contact me on Skype so that you are already a ‘Contact’ so that on Friday I can add you to the Conference. My Skype address is Dr Pam Miller.
If you have contact with others in the group please contact them re this blog message, just to jog their memory and interest.

Google Talk for e-learning

2007-06-24T12:55:00.000+02:00

Signing up or Google Talk was easy. I have chatted with voice to Martie, Carol, Paul, Sandra and Bessie. I invited many from my address book to Google Talk but they do not have broad band or have another chatting program and were not able to talk with me.
I have had Google Talk open on my desktop this week. What I did like about Google Talk, perhaps the feature was already there with Gmail, was that if anybody sent me an e-mail while I was online, it opened a box on my desktop and I was aware that someone had sent me an e-mail. I also like the fact that a transcript of all texted messages are kept and can be viewed. I have not seen if Conferencing can be done with Google Talk but apparently not.
Could Google Talk be used for e-learning – yes if you do one on one audio work. You could set up a mailing list with Google Group and send the same mail to all students, then deal with them one on one with audio. It is easier to use that the Chat features in WebCT because it is quicker to log in (WebCT takes ages). It does not have the features to share documents found in WebCT but with Google Apps that is and will be possible.
I have a masters student who has broad band and lives far away – we will use Google Talk to talk about his work – he will have his work on his desktop and I will have a copy of the work on my desktop. We will then meaningfully talk about the work, without his travelling and with low telephone costs.
I did like the way all Google applications are linked.

Camtasia - Experience with

2007-06-18T13:10:00.000+02:00

I spent the whole weekend creating work in Camtasia. I used it at school this morning. Let me discuss the problems. When Camtasia opens it defaults to a 1024 * 768 screen. For Camtasia I used the 'whole window'. When I viewed the work on the data projector with my class we could not see the work as it was too small. In future I must make sure that I make a video with 800 * 600 settings as it is so much clearer.

Google Talk Account

2007-06-18T08:31:00.000+02:00

My Google Talk Account address is docpam@gmail.com

Survey - Reflections

2007-06-13T14:47:00.000+02:00

The survey was aimed at CAT teachers in South Africa who mainly/probably use the textbook I co write. On a blog, studyopp.blogspot.com I have been putting material which can help make any CAT teacher a better teacher.
It appears that I may be missing the target market with my blog. 11 people responded.
63% have speakers attached to their computers
50% have a JRE environment and can therefore watch Impatica materials
33% have Shockwave and can therfore watch my Camtasia videos
100% have Windows Media Player
From this I must deduce that if I wish to help people I need the same material available in Impatica (JRE) and in Camtasia (Shockwave) and in PDF. That is too much work!
I think I will encourage them to get Shockwave (free). I should then develop Camtasia video clips with labels and titles as that will allow them to see screen video captures and read the labels and titles.
The last question where I asked for details of topics they would like covered was the most valuable for me as I can get details of their requirements.
Of the 11 who responded I am suspicious that one person was not part of the target group. I did as Paul suggested and asked for personal details – I am awaiting her response.
I fell down in that I should have asked other questions which actually tested IF they had Shockwave or a JRE environment.

Blogbridge and Google Reader

2007-06-10T08:36:00.000+02:00

Why does it take so long for Blogbridge and Google Reader to pick up new material on a blog?
I put details of my survey on my blog on Saturday at 16h00 South African time. It is now Sunday 8h00 SA time and neither Blogbridge or Google Reader has picked up my posting. It is 16 hours later. I have switched off my machine, and switched on again. I have synchronised things on Blogbridge.
Blogbridge and Google Reader are good but so slow!

Survey

2007-06-09T16:39:00.000+02:00

Teachers in my country have been on strike for the last week (industrial action). I sent my survey via email to about 60 computer teachers but only those who are able to access the Internet from home will receive the email. I am not optimistic about getting more than 10 responses.
I found SurveyMonkey very easy to use. I used it late on Saturday afternoon, not heavy work time in the USA or SA but it was still very slow to respond.
Students from UWG please do not complete the survey, just look at it. Here is the link to the survey. Click here to take survey.
The responses to my survey are very important! Last week I went to the university where I train computer teachers - no speakers are available. Today - Camtasia does not work because the computers do not have Shockwave and I may not install Shockwave! Now I wonder what is the situation at schools!

Entering marks

2007-06-03T19:40:00.000+02:00

I used Camtasia to create the following clips relating to working with marks in Excel: the first is about checking that valid marks (Validation) are added to a marksheet, then showing how the highest and lowest marks (Conditional formatting) can quickly be seen, and then how to add a code (Vlookup) to a percentage. Please WAIT to view them and make sure your speakers are switched on.

Processing marks

2007-05-27T18:25:00.000+02:00

This PowerPoint slide show looks at processing the marks from a test or an examination. The slide show is made with Camtasia which was downloaded from the www.techsmith.com web site. The zipped file I downloaded may have had a missing component or I may have installed it incorrectly as it would not recognise my microphone which I knew functioned! After unsuccessfully trying to add sound to the Camatasia PowerPoint I uninstalled the software and downloaded the not-zipped program which worked. My slide show was very stressful to make but it has been done!

How to manage and mark a practical computer examination

2007-05-23T22:10:00.000+02:00

This PowerPoint was written as a number of trainee computer teachers asked how to manage and mark a practical computer examination. This is how I do it. Officials may have a slightly different ways but this has worked for me for years. Listen to it. It may take a little while to download.
This PowerPoint should view easily and the audio should be clear. If it does not run check that you have a Sun Microsystems Java Runtime Environment (JRE). Sun JRE version 5 (1.5.0_07) is strongly recommended. If you do not have a JRE environment download it free from the Java web site. It is best viewed at 1024 X 768 settings.
The PowerPoint was made or changed with Impatica from Impatica.com. I have just checked – an educational licence for one copy is USD299. I cannot afford it and am using an evaluation copy. It is great software!!

Screen capture with SnagIt

2007-05-20T10:51:00.000+02:00

This screen capture was made with SnagIT. I wish that I had known about this software before - I use so many screen captures in my work.

Email to Blog

2007-05-19T09:15:00.000+02:00

My blog takes ages to open and upload material. This test is to see if email to blog functions or not. I removed my signature for this exercise. Added by me later within Blogger - In Blogger I must add labels and check the ending of lines.

My first video post

2007-05-13T17:04:00.000+02:00

To view my first video on online safety click on the picture below. And before you create a video make sure all animals, i.e. pug dogs are not there to make silly noises. )-;

Podcasting

2007-05-10T17:37:00.000+02:00

I received this and read the article. I had totally underestimated the use of podcasting! However in the developing world with expensive and poor bandwidth it must be used carefully.

In "Working the Web" (UNIVERSITY BUSINESS, April 2007) Chelan David surveys the use of Web 2.0 tools in academe. Examples he discusses include Harvard's "H20" collaboration project, Stanford's use of iTunes U, UC Berkeley's use of Google Video, and Wikipedia's School and University Projects web page.

The article is available at
http://www.universitybusiness.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=729&p=4#0.

Obviously a novice podcaster

2007-05-06T20:15:00.000+02:00

Refering to my problems earlier in the weekend about podcasting, it was my lack of knowledge which caused the 'problem'. Anyone who knows podcasting will tell you that you can stop the podcast, and continue it at a later date picking up where you left off.

Hearing the podcast

2007-05-04T22:18:00.000+02:00

When I uploaded my podcasts I could hear them. I probably created them over a weekend when there was good bandwidth. On three occasions during the week I have tried to listen to them but only start hearing anything half way into the episode. Pretty disastrous.

Discuss the experience of creating a podcast

2007-04-30T14:40:00.000+02:00

It was a most challenging task creating the podcast. After discussing what a podcast and an episode should be, I was most apprehensive of creating my own and put it off for a whole week. When I eventually tried to create it I could not follow the instructions. After sleeping on it I tried again and eventually got it right. I went a little bit beyond the scope of the assignment by creating a tip sheet on the subject which I will use with my students when I get them to create their own podcasts. http://www.compmat.wcape.school.za/PHS/odeo/podcasting.htm Feel free to use the tip sheet if it will be of assistance.

I learned that I am frightened and scared of technology but am willing to try and try. When I saw that Diane Fulkerson had done her podcast I took courage and struggled on. When I saw Sandra Doran’s podcast I was fired up to get it right!

Diane Fulkerson’s podcast impressed with her clear diction. Sandra Doran had a picture on her blog with the podcast link – I must investigate that. Sandra also, I think did not use Odeo but another program and I liked all the features it makes available for Getting new episodes, Exploring, etc.

Suggestions for improvement – in the course structure – no, by doing it together over this two week period we get support from others struggling although far away. Just seeing their work gave me inspiration – thanks Diane and Sandra.

Suggestions for improvement – for me – yes, add more files to podcasts and make use of it. It really is easy once you get over the initial hurdle. I know mine will not satisfy the criteria I so glibly gave about a good podcast but my students and I will add more episodes to the CAT Grade 11 class.

Podcasts

2007-04-30T13:22:00.000+02:00

I made two podcasts. The RSS URL for the podcast on Online safety is http://odeo.com/channel/400893/rss.xml. The RSS URL to the podcast for the CAT Grade 11 learners is http://odeo.com/channel/401943/rss.xml.
I had great difficulty creating my podcasts. I worked on it until I understood Odeo, Blogger and iTunes. Here is a tip sheet on creating a podcast with Odeo. I hope it helps.

Odeo

2007-04-17T19:54:00.000+02:00

The audio program Odeo is rather tricky to use and not intuitive (to me). I will be teaching my students to use the program so I created some tip sheets. Feel free to use them.

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

2007-04-16T18:05:00.000+02:00

Read this article about our young people. It was written a few years ago but I was introduced to it today by Jason from Gabcast.
It is small world - My school principal arrived back in Cape Town from a conference of school principals in New Zealand this week and they were addressed by the writer of the article Jason referred to. This man must have important things to say!

http://www.twitchspeed.com/site/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.htm

Use of gabcast #1

2007-04-14T14:27:00.001+02:00

Gabcast! Use of gabcast #1

Audio and Gabcast/Gizmo

2007-04-13T10:35:00.000+02:00

I downloaded Gabcast but there was no place where I could 'phone'. I then downloaded Gizmo Project and tried to connect to 'anything'. My broadband bandwidth is so poor I could not hear the prompts. It seems that the prompts in Gabcast are spoken in American or Canadian or computer robot speak which I can not understand. Odeo is great but this - well, I gave up! I think audio is fine but use must be infomed by the technology which works in a particular environment. I will try during the weekend when the available bandwidth should be better.

Audio files not used

2007-04-07T23:09:00.000+02:00

Audio files are used in some academic institutions. I have not used them much for the following reasons.

Blogging and linking

2007-04-06T12:47:00.000+02:00

The latest work is about using blogs and RSS. One of the major features of blogs is the social networking nature and writing, and linking to articles. I have just gone back and made a link in my previous posting to a posting in Bessie's blog, as suggested by David Parry.
I have just added a feed to my Blackboard university class where I teach part time in the school holidays. I see the students on Tuesday and wonder what they will say about the feed!
All in the class are probably using Blogbridge as the common aggregator. Paul sent me an OPML file, a list of his Guides from BlogBridge. I was able to import and use it. I am now 'really' seeing the use of blogging and aggregators.

Value of blogging / Problems with Vista

2007-04-01T11:36:00.000+02:00

Bessie posted a number of questions on blogging one of which was what will readers value about blogs.

You have to look at the blog as you would any other qualitative data for research – have to know the bias of the subject – so firstly I have nothing to lose from putting my reflections up here – am paying my own fees, will not get any pay credits from doing the course and therefore am not indebted to anyone. You then look at the rich data to see if there are any commonalities with your own situation and the process in which you find yourself.
So to - Use of Vista
I could not see my new postings. When other people posted their messages something came up in ‘New’ but not mine. I was worried and thought there was a problem with Vista. Preeti came to my assistance but the problem persisted. I stupidly did not realise that, of course, I would not see my ‘own’ messages as ‘new’.
So to - Value of blogging
Other readers new to Vista would see that, maybe they were also not so stupid.
So to - Problem with Vista
I was sure that there were many messages but could only see about 10 every time I looked. Where were those with yesterday’s date? Silly me, I did not read the screen and see that there were 2 or 3 pages of messages. Maybe other users of Vista have the same problem.
So to – Value of blogging
From my CV you are able to gauge my job and skills base. From this description of my experience with Vista you can see my ‘problems’. Maybe the reader finds commonalities in the situation and perhaps comfort if they also had problems and realise that they were not so stupid. From this rich data information can be extracted about using Vista.

Speed of Blogger

2007-03-28T11:12:00.000+02:00

I have found logging into Blogger so slow. And viewing the work of classmates, well I can make a cup of coffee while waiting for some to load. But I created a RSS feed from Feedburner to Google Reader and am able to see anyone's work quickly! This was experimenting with RSS - I am looking to improve on my skills in that field in the next module.

Testing a video

2007-03-24T13:11:00.000+02:00

Click here to view some birds in my garden and me in front of the computer.

Learning!

2007-03-23T17:41:00.000+02:00

This class is very exciting for me. In my job I currently seem to know a 'great' deal and I always seem to be doing the 'teaching' of computer skills using the Office suite. In the last few days I have 'learned' about so many new applications, i.e. RealPlayer, SeaMonkey and polling. In the next few days I want to learn to take a video with my digital camera and upload it. Looking at the blogs of the group has been very stimulating. Thanks to those who have given me support.

Wonders of HTML Creator

2007-03-20T15:39:00.000+02:00

Based on the instructions one of the wonders of HTML Creator is that it can do formatting, and presumably insert images.

Well, I cannot find anything on the menu bar which allows the insertion of images. Can anyone tell me where they find that feature.

Benefits of broadband

2007-03-17T19:40:00.000+02:00

I visited with family in Chile in 2006 and travelled in an old asensor in Valparaiso. I found that the family had a permanent broadband Internet connection. When I returned I considered it and the accompanying costs. Later I landed up in hospital, with bed rest for 8 weeks, and that made up my mind on getting broadband. Having broadband has enabled me to do this course. I hope my camera skills will become honed so that I am able to take better photographs.

New ways of looking at things

2007-03-17T18:55:00.000+02:00

At New Year I sent out a PowerPoint presentation via email to people wishing them well. Most people could not open the PPT. Thinking about this course made me think of doing things in a different way. I impatized the PPT and uploaded it to the web. Now people can go online and see it without any problems. It was made with digital photos taken during the Xmas break. Have a look. I have not bought the software so it has a message across every slide - do not worry.

Explorations

2007-03-17T11:26:00.000+02:00

I started looking at the software to be used in the course and downloaded an evaluation copy of Impatica. This is the most exciting piece of software I have seen. I want learners to use it to create PPTs which can be quickly and easily uploaded to a web.