Favourite ICT Workshop, Final Note

I'd have to say... Seminars. Yep. Seminars. I actually found many of the presentations provided great ideas and resources for ICT in the classroom. Even groups who chose to present ICT specific to their discipline, I still heard many clever ideas as well as websites, programs and other software. Some examples include using Skype in LOTE classrooms to communicate with native speakers. While this is a great use of a free program in one specific discipline, I feel inspired to find ways to use this in my own area. I'm from the U.S. and completed my undergraduate degree there and still remain in contact with several professors. Perhaps I could have students read up on what those professors are currently researching and prepare an interview for one of my former professors. It could be great for students to have real contact with a scientist, and Skype would provide the bonus of a scientist from overseas. Another great example was given by a History group, who shared an interactive website allowing a virtual tour of the pyramids. While surely a great resource in the History classroom, this and other virtual-environment type websites could be used in other subjects. Imagine having students perform trigonometry on the pyramids by making measurements in an interactive environment, rather than simple data or photos. What about having students use similar sites, such as Google street view, to collect scientific data and make measurements anywhere in the world? Although I enjoyed the workshops and believe they covered many of the basic uses of ICT in education, for the most part I had previous knowledge and experience with most of the topics, with the exception of 'conditional formatting' in the Excel workshop (which was taught in ALT as well, however) and making webpages. The seminars and my own presentation were the best chance to learn about ICT in education. On a final note, I have read much regarding people's final opinions about ICT in education. I must say I'm a bit perplexed that this is even an argument people we continue to have. ICT surrounds us in our modern world and continues to to absorb into more and more of our lives. You are entitled to teach the way you believe best, and I don't see ICT being forced upon any teacher, aside from basic email and school website protocols. I enjoy trying to keep up with technology and am constantly brainstorming more creative ways to add to my knowledge and experience with ICT and applications for teaching. If you decide this is not for you, that's fine... but I would still argue that you and your students will have a gap growing between you as they continue to grow up in a world infused with technology. That being said, I'm also aware of the idea that true social interaction is essential for learning and agree with this, but am sure that this can live in harmony with ICT. As I dream now of things like an iPad being wirelessly projected in a classroom, which other students could see, edit, and get for themselves, I can hardly imagine what kind of technologies I'll be geeking-out about in the future. So here's to ICT in education, to the fellow educators whom I look forward to creatively collaborating with in the future, and to the many exciting new ideas this generation of teachers brings to the table!

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a new and interesting science, branching form Chemistry and therefore falls under a curriculum which I'll be teaching! Although I hadn't studied Nanotechnology as an undergraduate, the basic idea is easy to understand. Sometimes also known as surface chemistry, the surfaces of materials play a huge role in how they interact when they come in contact with other materials. This only needs to be an extremely thin layer covering the material, sometimes a Nanometer (1x10^-9m) or one 'layer' of molecules! While there are potential applications for nanotechnology in medicine, electronics, energy production, and many other industries, it is also controversial as its effects, namely long-term effects on the environment are not yet understood. An evolving, controversial topic in science to liven up the curriculum? I'll take it!
However, as far as I know, Nanotechnology falls short in the experiments/demonstration component which is vital for science teaching. ICT to the rescue!

Take the following video for example:



Now isn't that great!
Oh! And where might those scientists gotten the idea from?


Another simple example of using ICT to reinforce learning and pick up the slack where other activities aren't available (Not to contend that using ICT is always a 'backup' to another resource).  The point is the video is interesting, relates to and supplements the topic, and would scaffold lots of educational glory.

Top 10 Uses of Google Docs for Teachers

Hello Everyone,
My colleague Nick 'The Coach' Kemp and myself 'The Doc' created this video explaining the top ten  uses of google docs for teachers for our group presentation of assignment two. We chose the topic: 
"Actual or potential opportunities for enhancing education due to recent developments in Web 2.0 applications, or in 'the cloud' generally." -John Murnane
Enjoy!

The Great Debate by Two Great Minds

What do you get when you cross one of the world's foremost spiritual thinkers with a one of the greatest physicists alive today? The ingredients for a stimulating yet mind-boggling debate about the known and unknown, measurable and unmeasurable, science vs. spirituality (and careful NOT to say religion).
Deepak Chopra and physicist Leonard Mlodinow join Tom Ashbrook from OnPoint radio to talk science and spirit. Try to keep up with this one, folks:

Click here to listen to the podcast

Deepak Chopra and physicist Leonard Mlodinow. (CalTech/AP)

Post-Production, Pre-Viral Internet Video

Hello all,
It was week 3 I believe in which we explored movie production in the ICT workshops. Being an Apple snob, and therefore only associating with other fellow Apple elites, chose to use iMovie since several of us have experience with using the program.
I had originally planned (and still plan) to edit and produce my own version of the following video, but at this point I suppose I'll just post our group's video. All post-production credit goes to colleague and life-coach Luke. His editing skills (and more importantly his punctuality) created the following masterpiece:



The views and opinions in this video do not necessarily reflect any of the personal viewpoints of members involved, and definitely do not intend to insult the real security guard, who was obviously a bit overwhelmed by all the student backlash.

Podcast Partnership

I started listening to podcasts several years ago. I started with radio shows I liked and eventually discovered many podcasts I liked. I find them a great source of knowledge, enjoyable to listen to, and convenient. For some time now, I've wanted to make a podcast. In our biology methods, one of our assessments was a blog post about an issue related to biology teaching to discuss, analyse, and give an informed opinion of. The 'professional voice' type thing. My biology colleague, Mark Danaro, and I worked together to publish a podcast on 'inquiry-based learning' and it's place in the science classroom. We included a discussion of the research for and against, interviews and our perspectives on inquiry learning. We used garage band (on Macs) and uploaded it via our biology blog, posterous.com
Check it out!
It was a lot of fun, some hard work, and I learned a lot. I hope to continue to produce regular podcasts as a science teacher, hopefully with a colleague, that would be targeted at students. We'd talk about science news, relevant issues, our science curriculum, and anything else science! I'm thinking I could even make this part of my assessment scheme. Students would be responsible to choose a topic, research, interview, and draft a layout of a discussion between me and any guests the student organised.
I suppose some students may not want their voice published, which I would respect, but overall I think students will try their best if they know their work will be available online.

El Commento!

Hey Rose!
It's a well-scripted post and a nice looking blog. I like the moon background especially!
But I also agree with what you say here! I think many people who have tried and failed with ICT still perhaps misunderstand how to creatively utilise it in classrooms (which is a challenge of course!).
I used ICT to organise a few inquiry based lessons this semester and it worked out great. I am on board with inquiry learning and think students need the chance to use their scientific and problem solving skills in the science classroom.
I had some ace physics lessons that were set up as challenges to different teams of students. The students responded well to a bit of a competitive atmosphere. Do you have any good inquiry-based to share?
Oh and I also love 'Mythbusters!' has many episodes which can be used to supplement a science lesson. I used one last semester where they try using Thermite to blow a hole in a wall! Do you have any favourites?
I'm hoping to improve learning with ICT and share my knowledge with fellow science teachers... like you!
Well Done!
http://roseictblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/vels.html?showComment=1316507469717#c953940464462623205