Infusing E-Learning in all that we do.......Te Akau ki Papamoa School

As part of my role on the E-Learning PLC at Te Akau ki Papamoa we have chosen to share what's happening within our classes via a schoolwide blog. Feel free to visit and gather inspiration and ideas,  we will link to the learning intentions, the "PURPOSE, OUTCOME and AUDIENCE" as this is what we value and hold as our driving focus.

Infusing E-learning in all that we do

Also feel free to leave us a comment, feedback or thoughts or contact me if you have any questions etc.

Padcamp BOP

I have been busy organising the first Padcamp BOP event, based on the Educamp unconference structure and style.

We have over 70 teachers registered, from all around the Bay of Plenty as well as the Waikato and further afield. This is a FREE event that provides the opportunity for educators to connect with likeminded people with a passion for all things iPad - whether you have just taken yours out of the box or you are an app developer, we will have something for everyone.

A HUGE thankyou to our sponsors NOEL LEEMING (who has provided 15 itunes vouchers)

Kristian Tabb
Commercial Business Manager – Region 4
Kristian Bay of Plenty and Rotorua
Phone: 027 283 3345 
Email: kristian.tabb@nlg.co.nz
Linked In: nz.linkedin.com/pub/kristian-tabb/26/432/3b3
Kristian is based in Tauranga – 266 Cameron Road, Tauranga


and Guilt Free Shopping (who has provided iPad cases).

We are looking forward to a day of making connections and discovering new things.

Te Akatea Maori Principal's National Conference

I am fortunate to currently be involved with the the Aka Tauranga Moana branch of the Te Akatea Maori Principal's Association. With consultation I have created and are maintaining their online space for them. I am also looking forward to next week and playing a role in their National Conference, the calibre of Keynote Speakers is outstanding!

Here's a copy of their conference programme, if you are at all interested in making a difference to the educational outcomes of Maori students then I think attending this conference is a must. This event is NOT aimed at Principal's alone but rather at all those that have a role to play in lifting Maori student engagement, motivation and achievement (which in reality should be each and everyone of us in the NZ education system!) The venue, Trinity Wharf and setting, stunning Tauranga Moana is a bonus of course.

Voice Recording Tools

Two posts in one day........I'm on a roll!

I'm exploring my 'collection' of voice recording tools today and just wanted to embed the ones that are currently in my 'toolbox' so that next week during my workshop I can show how each individual player looks on a blog. For 'How to's' visit my 'Green for Go' Wiki.


So here goes

SoundCloud looks like this



Chirbit looks like this



Check this out on Chirbit

Audiopal looks like this (the recording below was created using the 'Text to speech option' and selecting 'Alan' the Australian.



Fotobabble looks like this (the recording below was done using the Fotobabble iPad App and choosing a 'theme')

 

Voicethread looks like this (this is several years old but I chose this example as it highlights text as well as voice recorded options when commenting)




Voki looks like this (this was created 5 years ago when Harry Potter first came out!)



Vocaroo still to come......

Blog versus Facebook

I have to admit, I just don't seem to be able to 'get into' this blogging thing.

I add to my Switch On NZ Facebook page almost everyday but as you can see I haven't been here since February. This led me to wonder why.......I use curation sites a lot eg Scoop it (I have 5 different 'Topics') - Scoop it cross posts to my Facebook page and Pinterest. So this multitasking ability is what I like. I need to find something that cross posts from Scoop it (and the like) onto this blog. I discovered the tool IFTTT ("If this then that') several years ago an this might just be what I am looking for. As i always say, "Just put it in the back of your mind and when you have a purpose for it, you'll be able to say - ah I think I know just the thing". Time to practice what I preach.

Tip: Be discerning with what tools you choose to link eg I use to cross post my Tweets to my Facebook (personal one) and as I use Twitter for professional PD and have taken a great deal of time over the years to strengthen my personal learning network, I then barraged my friends and family via facebook with teaching and learning 'stuff' they weren't remotely interested in. Yes, I know there is a 'grey area' as many friends are also colleagues but this is unavoidable in making and strengthening connections through life.

I'm off to explore IFTTT.

What am I reading?

Several teachers have asked me what books do I read for my own professional learning.

Well, surprise surprise I VERY seldom purchase a paper copy book anymore, strange that. I still visit the Amazon bookstore but I purchase Kindle books and use the Kindle free App to view them on my iPad.

Just before school started again this year (better late than never as I had done lots of personal 'chick flick' type reading at the beach!) and after I had attend the International Conference on Thinking, I went online and purchased

What Great Teachers do DIFFERENTLY 

Teaching Outside the BOX

How Children SUCCEED

Empowering Students with TECHNOLOGY


I feel that those of us that live and breathe teaching and learning through and with technology need to challenge ourselves to go deeper, to remember it's NEVER just about the tools, to view and explore others points of views, to challenge, and provoke.

I'm hoping to have all these read by the end of term. I'll post a review of each one when I'm done.

Digital Books

I have just spent the last hour researching and downloading digital book Apps for the iPad. I felt I had a fairly good selection but was asked by a Middle School teacher if I could recommend any that could become part of her reading rotation. This then led me to realise there is a wealth of Apps aimed at Junior or younger readers (especially Picture Books and well known stories) but finding quality age appropriate content for older readers is not quite so easy.

I have just downloaded

Flip
Oh the Thinks you can Think (Dr Seuss)
Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the REALLY big Adventure
The Penelope Rose
Gone Wishing
Numberlys
Eleanor's Secret

I initally found an article via The Digital Media Diet website, which then led me to the
 Digital Storytime digital book review site. There is a wealth of Apps on this site, many of which I have been using in classrooms in the past. I'll spend some time exploring and using the apps I have just downloaded and add another post soon.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has any digital book apps they could recommend for this age group. Just leave me a comment on this post. Cheers.

Te Akau ki Papamoa

A fabulous start to 2013 with two Teacher Only Days and a Powhiri today, for all new comers to the Te Akau ki Papamoa (TAKP) School Whanau. Including myself plus the teachers and students new to TAKP there were also 35 RTLB's who will have the school as their base/lead school for at least the next two years.

It's fabulous to feel not only part of a team but also to have the enthusiasm and excitement from staff to have me 'back' under their wing.

I am working 0.5 in school with teachers, so 'odd weeks' of the school calendar and then even weeks running Switch On NZ (with all workshops based in TAKP).

I appear to be one (if not the only) facilitator who is not now working for CORE.

Interesting and challenging times ahead.

Holiday Find Number 1

I stumbled across this fantastic array of Presentations this morning via Pinterest  they are created by Karen Ogen. I have been using and enjoying another site of Karen's (Interactive Sites for Education) for years but hadn't discovered this one until today.

The presentations are attractive, clear, concise and would not only be useful for teachers but you could use many of them in class with your learners to drive and guide them through the new learning (eg Lights, Camera, Green Screen, Action! - even thought the tutorial is using Abode 8 there is also links on the last page to tutorials with iMovie, Windows Movie Maker and others)

You can view all of Karen's fabulous presentations by clicking the link below
http://karenogen.weebly.com/my-presentations.html