Educational Origami

This week I am heading across the ditch to Brisbane to attend the MYSA Conference (MYSA – Middle Years Schooling Association), But its is taking me out of class for 3 days.
So I have to prepare relief for my classes and I have work that I want the students to cover. With all the best [...]

This is a nice and useful visual search tool that Google has added to its search engines results page. The tool allows you to visualise your search results and then select and extend from the original search.
First step – Load google and run a search. Then Select Show options

Then Select Wonder Wheel
Having done that [...]

This is a free multi platfom tool that allows you to create mosaic images from your own pictures.
The product is called Andrea Mosaic – http://www.andreaplanet.com/andreamosaic/

The Download is available from this page – http://www.andreaplanet.com/andreamosaic/download/ as is the link to the instruction manual – http://www.andreaplanet.com/andreamosaic/AndreaMosaicManual.pdf
Both the program and the manual are multilingual – the program is in [...]

PLE is Personal Learning Environment.
Educause has just released the latest in the 7 things you should know series. This one talks about personal learning Environments. These are great resources for Information Technology, Professional development or just interest.
PDF Version  -http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7049.pdf
Homepage for this issue  -http://www.educause.edu/Resources/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutPerso/171521
Recent issues in this series

Second life – http://www.educause.edu/ELI/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutSecon/163004
Flip camcorders – http://www.educause.edu/ELI/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutFlipC/163488
Google apps – [...]

This is quite a cool site. Its a little like lifehacker in that it is full of interesting tips, tricks, freebies and tools.
http://www.makeuseof.com/
One of my first finds was an idiots guide to photoshop – http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/an-idiots-guide-to-photoshop/
Another Blog I would recommend and I subscribe to is free technology for teachers
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
Other interesting sites for the day:
Lesson plans  -http://www.kodak.com/US/en/digital/edu/lessonPlans/
Google [...]

This is a very good resource site for Google earth.
The site is called GELESSONS – http://www.gelessons.com/lessons/
with excellent links to videos, courses, resources etc. Well worth a visit

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This video was posted in the latest ICT PD newsletter. Its a 7 minute video that is worth watching.

source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opXKmwg8VQM
As I watch it it raises a number of questions for me some serious.
How many of our children as still rote taught?
Could we take our children out on the field trips that we see here?
How many [...]

This is a great quotation that I found on First class online.
Its one that I believe applies to education, and particularly to one of my favourite  topics assessment.
It is pleasing to see that increasingly we are seeing assessments that are not just examination or test based, that emphasis and value is being placed on project [...]

I just read this in a computerworld e-article.
This is very cool  and is reminisent of the Google earth/ sketchup marriage. Photosynth is a great photostitching tool which aloows the user or a collaboration of users to create brilliant 3D images that the viewer can manipulate, dive into to change the depth and perspective. Very cool!
Add [...]

Google Earth is a great entry level GIS tool (GIS geographical Information system)
The basic download (which is available from http://earth.google.com) will allow the user:

to navigate the globe
switch easily between map and satelite views
manipulate layers which overlay infrastructure, roads, etc or areas of social significence
and more (See the tutorial)

But there is far more tham this [...]