Category: Primary School

Google Teacher Academy application

Posted on by John McLear


What is Google Teacher Academy?

The Google Teacher Academy is a FREE professional development experience designed to help primary and secondary educators from around the globe get the most from innovative technologies… Upon completion, Academy participants become Google Certified Teachers who share what they learn with other primary and secondary educators in their local region.

Why am I applying?

I’m not doing this for the badge, in fact the thought of Google needing to put a stamp of approval on my work as an Educator is cringe worthy.  The same feeling applies to all big brands, be it Apple, Microsoft etc.  A teacher can be a fantastic teacher without any badge or sign of approval, just ask their pupils.

Most of my job is listening to teachers and educators, trying to understand how they want to use ICT to deliver the curriculum. I feel like GTA should be a great opportunity to meet other people that have a similar role as myself and hopefully share some of my experiences and best practices that I have discovered over the years.

What I hope to gain from GTA

I hope that the users of safe search will benefit from increased confidence in knowing that I have been on the course.  Safe Search is built on Google Custom Search engine technology so it would be good for me to get some more contacts, feedback and support with delivering a service that thousands of people use every hour.  The same applies for the work I do around GTalk, App Engine and Etherpad.  I work with about 100 local schools in Bradford promoting web2 so I’m sure I will be able to share some of the experiences I hope to learn at GTA.  I especially want to ask what the Google Apps team thoughts on free office WApps 2010 are, how the two products compare.

UPDATE: 25th of June 2010 – My application was unsuccessful.  d’oh – I hope that doesn’t put any one off applying to GTA in the future!

Focusing on Reading, writing and arithmetic will be a disaster.

Posted on by John McLear

View from 5:30 if you don’t have time to watch it all. Basically saying it will be a disaster to go back to reading, writing and maths only model. For the most part I agree. I believe that it is our duty to give pupils opportunities to be creative as a priority.

Educational Gaming on a PC without a iwb/keyboard/mouse.

Posted on by John McLear

Here are two alternative ways to control the Interactive whiteboard or PC in your classroom while engaging in game based learning.

I apologize for the slightly lame video quality, Camera Mouse stuff starts at 2 minutes 20 seconds.

Timocco‘s coloured object tracking.

Using coloured objects and encouraging motor skills. The timocco software (considering I only had a limited access version(wtdeuce?)) is average, I mean its okay but it’s not web based and it’s a bit of a pain to configure, the music is pretty annoying and the games don’t really present much scope for learning.  The focus here is on an individual motor skills.  It would be interesting to see multi-player built into this package however I think the obstacle of it not being a web based tool should be overcome first.

Head tracking with Camera Mouse 2010.

Why ‘o Why does this software not have a simple function that allows the mouse to be clicked when the operator snaps their fingers? Other than that, it was quite an eye opener for me how easy it was to get onto primary games arena and start learning.. Obvious obstacles of no keyboard so I can’t input anything or do left/right.  Obvious frustration with the delay before mouse click too..   Other than that, the opportunity and scope for different applications such as this one are obvious.  It was my second time trying to use this tool, it is extremely natural to adopt.  This application is not web based either but it is more of a way of extending your operating system as opposed to just extending an exclusive application.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Websites and info:
Timocco
Camera Mouse 2010
The webcam I’m using – Microsoft Lifecam

Google Cloudcourse is not a learning platform

Posted on by primaryt

"CloudCourse is a course scheduling system. ” — Google Code.

Not a learning platform.  (as claimed by this post)

C’mon people, just because something is a web based tool that can be used WITHIN a learning platform doesn’t mean it IS a learning platform.  Educators are already confused enough with companies offering them learning platforms that don’t do what a learning platform should do according to Becta(RIP) and Wikipedia.

Obviously a lot of people are still confused to what is a learning platform.  I recommend you watch this video.

There is a live version of cloudcourse for YOU TO PLAY WITH here.

It is pretty much irrelevant for Primary Schools, I will try to find a creative way to use it in a primary but don’t hold your breath…

I am waiting on a call/email from Irwin(from the CloudCourse team) who will hopefully disagree with me and prove me wrong.

Does Cloudcourse compete with Frog, Moodle & other learning platforms?  No.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Dry wipe erasable paint (IWB paint)

Posted on by primaryt


I bought some of this paint from Homebase when it was on special offer.  The paint basically allows you to use a dry wipe marker on your wall.  I used it to make notes and the like (see right hand side)…  So far, so good.
It seems to be working well.  I’m tempted to do the rest of my walls.  

One thing to note:  Prepare your surfaces well, just a quick scotch down of most surfaces wont do.  Also ensure you don’t have any hot lights beaming down on your surface as it may make the paint dry a bit funny..

Next step is to try it with one of these Epson projectors that don’t require an IWB.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]