QR Codes in Education

This is an example of a QR code created using http://qrnot.es/get

How could you use QR codes in the classroom or school?

Post your comments.

Week 13 Webinar Integrating ICT into the Curriculum

The details of this week's Webinar are below:

Date: 23rd June 2011
Session Time: 8-9pm
Topic: Slideshare & YouTube
Link: http://bit.ly/fxxChR

Kathryn Matthews will present SlideShare. SlideShare is the best way to share presentations, documents and professional videos.

Helen Doyle will present YouTube: Get some ideas about how to use YouTube in the classroom and ways to embed YouTube files if your system does not allow you to use YouTube in the school.

Moderators: Helen Doyle (ICT Pedagogy Officer  Teaching Teachers for the Future @ UNE) and Junita Lyons (Online Facilitator Sessional YNH EGNH)

Past recordings: Week 12’s Webinar on Facebook was recorded and can be accessed here: https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2011-06-16.0246.M.E58F6EDFFA5FA3EDE727DCFB80FBD8.vcr&sid=2008350

Week 11’s Webinar on 3 great tools: Wix, Stixy and LiveBinders was recorded and can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/jDG1xX

Week 10’s Webinar on Blogs with Chris Betcher was recorded and can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/jwwOhX

Calendar of upcoming events: http://bit.ly/dM7HII

If this is your first time you will need to join Learn Central first (http://www.learncentral.org). All our Thursday night Webinars will be run in this room. Each session is recorded so if you miss one you can go to the events page and download the recording (I will also send these out to everyone when they are available for your quick & easy access).

If you are on Facebook, you can get all the latest information if you search for The Australia Series and you will find information about sessions there.

Junita has also set up another Facebook page called E-capability:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/E-Capability/122561081163196 or search for it on Facebook: E-capability

There is also an Australia Series Blog: http://australiaseries.wordpress.com

If you have any suggestions of any Web 2.0 tools or other ICT resources that you would like covered please feel free to contact me and I will endeavour to cover them.

For more information about this or any upcoming Webinars please contact Helen Doyle.

Best regards,
 
Helen Doyle
ICT Pedagogy Officer: Training Teachers for the Future Project
School of Education
Faculty of the Professions
University of New England (UNE)
Armidale NSW 2351

Email: hdoyle2@une.edu.au
Phone: 0428 751 309
Twitter: hihelen18
Delicious: hihelen18

iPod Touch

Looking for an iPod touch (with camera) to do some research with. Anyone got a spare or want to sell or give away to a good cause. Will be used in a local primary school to assist teaching Maths skills/concepts. Need to compare to similar android devices as to which is better suited.


Check out Jenny Ashby's webpage for uses of the iPod in the classroom.

Week 11 Webinar "Integrating ICT into the Curriculum"

Date: 9th June 2011
Session Time: 8-9pm
Topic: 3 Great tools:
    1. WIX
    2. Stixy
    3. LiveBinders

Link: http://bit.ly/fxxChR

 e-Champions Kathryn Matthews and Christine Dix will showcase three great Web 2.0 tools this week.
WIX is a flash website, Stixy is just like a great big sticky pin board that you can pin notes, photos, calendars etc to. A great tool that can be used for your own individual reminders as well as a collaborative tool & LiveBinders are a fantastic way of keeping information together. Just imagine an electronic spiral notepad with tabs and you have a LiveBinder.


Moderators: Helen Doyle (ICTPO TTF @UNE), Junita Lyons(Online Facilitator Sessional YNH EGNH)

Past recordings: Week 10’s webinar on Blogs with Chris Betcher was  recorded and  can be accessed at this link: http://bit.ly/jwwOhX


Calendar of upcoming events: http://bit.ly/dM7HII


If this is your first time you will need to join Learn Central http://www.learncentral.org/ first. All our Thursday night Webinars will be run in this room. Each session is recorded so if you miss one you can go to the events page and download the recording. (I will also send these out to everyone when they are available for your quick & easy access)

If you are on Facebook, you can get all the latest information if you search for The Australia Series and you will find information about sessions there.

There is also an Australia Series Blog: http://australiaseries.wordpress.com/

Android Tablet

On Sunday I purchased an Acer Iconia A500 10.1" Android tablet after 3 days research by my husband. This is my review.
Why? The reasons: 1. My laptop is a HP 17" & though overall I am pleased with it, at present it won't let me change locations quickly. It needs constant restarts when going from room to room or place to place. At work I am in meeting after meeting and it makes more sense to be able to be able to type up my notes as I go. Also going to a few conferences in June and one of these has dedicated tablet sessions.
2. I want to trial and research the use of tablets in an educational setting whether that be school or University. BUT why I hear YOU ask:-)  My reasoning is that school & University budgets are being cut & therefore we need to be able to recommend options to institutions. I believe that mobile technologies are a viable option. The statistics are overwhelming for the number of students with a mobile phone, (around 90% of school students) and the majority of these are smartphones. We need to work with the technology that students a. Have available to them as well as b. They are willing to use. Tablets are an extension of this mobile technology.

Operating System? Android v I pad V Windows Mobile:
My main reasons for going Android? 1. Price, price, price
2. Ability to use other devices eg USB, HDMI,
3. Android v 3 operating system is Honeycomb & supports flash
4. My Project Coordinator (Boss) has an Ipad 2 and gives me an excellent comparison in real time trial. We both need to use the tablets for similar reasons.
5. I also have an HTC Wildfire Android Smartphone and it was low cost ($280) and has been able to do everything that I want it to do. Looked at upgrading to a bigger HTC such as a Desire but for the price couldn't see the benefit.
6. The one thing holding me back was that the Iconia wasn't 3G. Off we went to see the local man at Bing Lee Armidale to ask if a Telstra USB wireless internet device would work. I would therefore be able to share with my laptop (my reasoning). He was very helpful & knowlegeable as he showed me how to make my HTC Wildfire into a Wireless Hotspot. Problem solved. I now only need to pay for one data plan & it is easy to up or down the plan as needed. It is working like a dream. Thank you

Impressions so far?
1. Couldn't wait to get it home, plug it in and try it out! Came in a sealed box and the adaptor was non Australian. 2 more trips to town sorted this out & I was on my way.
2. The supplied power cord is so short that it is ridiculous. Need to carry an extension cord with me & frankly that is plainly stupid. Acer need to do something about that.
3. WiFi not quite as good as laptop & phone but Hotspot is working so will review this after a month to see just how much data that it is using. But have WiFi where the I pad doesn't.
4. Can't get the Acer Sync to work with laptop Outlook and tablet. Have downloaded another AP that is working but does not appear to do incremental updates.
5. Joined a Whirlpool forum dedicated to the Acer A500 and this has answered nearly all questions.
6. No accessories available in Australia & Amazon won't sell the protective cover outside US or Canada. Some available on eBay but question the quality at this stage.
7. Google Docs can be edited and viewed where as ipad can only view or create a new one.
8. All other functions that I have used have worked perfectly.

I will update the aps that I am using in further posts. Especially in an educational setting.

musicteachtech - Music and Mobile Devices 2011

musicteachtech - Music and Mobile Devices 2011
Just look what you can do with an iPad! I am blown away.

ICT Skills for PSTs

With the advent of the Australian Curriculum, Graduates (preservice teachers) will be expected to have ICT as part of their Professional Standards. These are currently being worked at present. They are general elaborations so the question is, "Do the PSTs need a minimum set of skills (like a check list) that they know to be able to successfully pass their Graduate Interviews?" If so, what would this minimum skill list look like? Please add your comments and if possible a reason for your selection. We could do a separate list for tools but they change more frequently than skills, I believe. So do we need a minimum list of tools?