Educational Origami » English http://edorigami.edublogs.org ICT and Education Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:46:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 en hourly 1 On the wire – Science http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/10/31/on-the-wire-science-2/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/10/31/on-the-wire-science-2/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:03:00 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=1079 In this update of on the wire I am looking at only one site (well almost) – The University of Utah – Genetics Learning Centre (http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/).

This is a brilliant aid to the science teacher and the senior biologist. So lets see what this site has for us…

1. Homepage (http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/) – this links through to a variety of pages, most with a genetics theme but also an interesting look at the ecology of salt lake.

2. Amazing cells (http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/) – this is the portal page for animations, interactive activities, videos and alike – a couple of stand out pages are: Cell size and scale http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/scale/(a brilliant interactive resources showing cell etc) and Inside a cell http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/insideacell/(this interactive allows you to select cell compenets and have these explained to you)

They also produce resources for teachers – http://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/ for cell biology.

3. The Genetics section is also very well resourced with sections on:

Plus a great resource page which indexes their easily accessable materials and lesson plans – http://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/

4.Tap into the world of comics - http://www.slideshare.net/shend5/tap-into-the-world-of-comics this is a slideshare presentation on 21 uses for comics in the classroom and contains some great resources

5. Finally a quick one from the read write web  – what will the internet look like in 5 years time – http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_web_in_five_years.php – This is from Google’s Eric Schmidt

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/10/31/on-the-wire-science-2/feed/ 0 Brilliant.. Nothing short of brilliant http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/10/26/brilliant-nothing-short-of-brilliant/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/10/26/brilliant-nothing-short-of-brilliant/#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:49:08 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=1071 This is a stunning video. Ksenya Simonova takes an inspiring and variety piece of music (Apocalytica – Inquistion Symphony) and combines this with a visual performance of drawing. It is very moving as she displays in a visual medium the emotions of the music.

She uses her fingers and sand.

This is stunning. An excellent example of performance, visual imagery, imagination and emotion. I could see this as an excellent resources for English, the performing arts and music.

Here is the URL – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnfO4R1OUxY

Ksenya Simonova

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/10/26/brilliant-nothing-short-of-brilliant/feed/ 1 On the wire http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/09/29/on-the-wire-9/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/09/29/on-the-wire-9/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:53:14 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=1032 Wow, four days off visiting family. Its so nice to have some downtime, but boy was my RSS reader full. Here are some interesting sites and resources I have found “on the wire”.

1. Storybird – http://storybird.com/ This is a collaborative digital story creation tool. worth a visit.

2. Multitasking research. This is some interesting research out of Stanford university. Not suprising but interesting – two links here

3. Horizon report – Australia & New Zealand edition. http://horizon.nmc.org/australia/Main_Page

I had the privilage of being a contributor to this report. Its a great read, looking at the trends in education for the next 5 years. Myself and Derek Wenmoth were the NZ contingent of this report.

4. Seven things you should know about series. These are great info sheets produced by Educause. There are two links here

5. The Principles of Good web design - this is a three part series looking at good web design. A useful set of resources for teachers, students and web publishers alike.

6. Monster Fact Site – http://www.factmonster.com/ This is a great site for kids who love facts

Need more links? Try my delicious feed – http://del.icio.us/achurches

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/09/29/on-the-wire-9/feed/ 0 Pens or Pencils http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/09/24/pens-or-pencils/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/09/24/pens-or-pencils/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:11:37 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=1027 I read on Allanah’s Blog “life isn’t a race to be finished first” an interesting discussion on what should our children be using pen or pencil and what were teachers preferences. It gave me a moment to think and reflect.

I guess first of all we should state some background – the question was which do you allow your students to use pen or pencil with respect to primary students – so my reflection is not a criticism of the conversation or its validity.

If I was to ask the question I would have liked to have asked which do you prefer and which do your students prefer – Pen, Pencil or keyboard. That we have to teach handwriting and that the process of handwriting is a key component in literacy is a given, but I feel it is equally valid in our world to include this “new” form of writing into the mix.

I have asked several times before in posts this question of adults..

When was the last time you wrote anything official or significant by hand?

For many of our students the last signifient hand written event will be their examination. How many of them will throw away there pens after that?

Allanah talks about rewarding the students with typing/keyboarding (I know this is additional to the great work she does with IT and her students). The use of the computers in class for the students is engaging and fun. Hence there use as a reward as well as a classroom tool. Isn’t it nice to have a  classroom learning tool the students love to use.

I believe (and my perspective may be naive as I am a secondary rather than primary teacher) that we must achieve a balance between digital and analog. Between using pencils so we can rub out our mistakes and easily correct them and drafting using the computer. From the youngest years having writing that has balanced emphasis on traditional and digital writing.

It is important to be able to write, but this is diminishing as time goes by. Do I see a time when students learn to write only via a digital medium – Yes. Is it soon – No. Is this, as my friend Ian Jukes would say  TTWWADI – That’s the way we always do it?

flying chairs

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/09/24/pens-or-pencils/feed/ 5 On the wire – education videos http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/08/01/on-the-wire-education-videos/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/08/01/on-the-wire-education-videos/#comments Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:07:37 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=907 The internet has masses of resources that we can use for education. Increasing there are sites dedicated to educationally focused videos. Here are six that I come across:

1. Teachertube – http://www.teachertube.com/ This is a great sharing site for teacher developed content and some professional material.

2. Teacher TV – http://www.teacher.tv This is a brilliant British site with vast resources most professionally developed.

3. MBAvid http://www.mbavid.com This is business education related video site.

4. Lectr http://www.lectr.com/ The Knowledge sharing community

5. Academic Earth – http://academicearth.org/ A more tertiary focused site but some good stuff here.

6. Watch Know http://watchknow.org/ Similar to Teachertube. Lots of resources requires a sign up

Can you add any sites to this list?

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/08/01/on-the-wire-education-videos/feed/ 1 On the wire – History & English resources http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/07/29/on-the-wire-history-english-resources/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/07/29/on-the-wire-history-english-resources/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:27:09 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=901 1. The power of Nazi Propoganda – http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204271104574290581271478134.html

This is a brilliant slideshow in the Wall Street Journal of the poster the Nazis used in their anti-semitism campaign and the strengthening of the Nazi Power base.

2. State of deception – http://www.ushmm.org/propaganda/ – this is the source of the Nazi propoganda posters and much more – this is the state of deception exhibit.

3. Voices on Anti-semitism - http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/antisemitism/voices/ this is a podcast series from the Holocaust Museum

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/07/29/on-the-wire-history-english-resources/feed/ 0 New Rubric – collaboration using online word processing tools http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/02/08/new-rubric-collaboration-using-online-word-processing-tools/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/02/08/new-rubric-collaboration-using-online-word-processing-tools/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:10:08 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=666 This is a new rubric which examines collaboration using online word processing tools like Adobe’s Buzzword, Google Documents or Zoho Documents.

The two aspects examined here are the technical use of the tool and the collaborative aspect of sharing and co-operation.The rubric is at the Applying level of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy

http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/collaborative+editing+using+online+WP+rubric.pdf

As always I would appreciate comments and feedback.

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/02/08/new-rubric-collaboration-using-online-word-processing-tools/feed/ 2 Inaugeration Speech http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/01/21/inaugeration-speech/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/01/21/inaugeration-speech/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:46:17 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=654 This is the quote of the speech

“we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist“

The full text of the speech is available on the BBC’s news site @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7840646.stm

Here is the paragraph

“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.“

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/01/21/inaugeration-speech/feed/ 0 The Lost Generation http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/01/21/the-lost-generation/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/01/21/the-lost-generation/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:10:42 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=653 The link to this video was sent to me by Ian Jukes, with the simple instructions watch this from the beginning to the end.

The video even if you ignore the stunning message is a work of excellent construction and prose, but when you add in the message then it becomes exceptional.

Here is the Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

The lost generation

]]> http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/01/21/the-lost-generation/feed/ 3 Starter Sheet – Mixbook http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/01/01/starter-sheet-mixbook/ http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/01/01/starter-sheet-mixbook/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:50:34 +0000 andrewch http://edorigami.edublogs.org/?p=627 This is another starter sheet resource available on the Edorigami wiki.

Tool or technology:

Mixbook – an online publishing tool that allows the user to create, edit, share and publish their work in a digital or hard copy format.

Curriculum area:

English

Synopsis:

Students use Mixbook to create their own portfolios of poetry in a variety of Genre, styles and forms, enhancing these with images, backgrounds and layouts thatsuit the purpose and audience.

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