Thinking outside of the classroom box -my top 7 hints [email protected] www.chrisfuller.typepad.com – where all of today’s presentations will be available to download
May 19, 2015
Thinking outside of the classroom box
-my top 7 [email protected]
www.chrisfuller.typepad.com – where all of today’s presentations will be available to
download
First, important things to know...
1) I AM NOT AN ICT EXPERT!!!
I am a Spanish teacher, who was taught how to use PowerPoint 4 years ago.
I do not know how the Internet works, I just push buttons, especially the back button when things go wrong.
First, important things to know...
2) The ideas that I pass on in this session are not...
a)Completely comprehensive
b)They will not destroy your life
3) No notes needed- will be on www.chrisfuller.typepad.com
“If school is to be a truly rewarding experience for today’s students, it must be relevant to
them.”
Connected magazine, Learning and teaching Scotland
1 blag a blog
What is a blog?!?!?!
• Blog= web log – Traditionally used as an online diary
– A typical blog combines a variety of media forms
– Key element is huge increase in interactivity- INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY.
Blogging
• Who uses blogs?
Teachers for motivation
• www.edgehillcollege.typepad.com
• www.roydslanguagesdepartment.typepad.com
Teachers for reflections / to share ideas
• http://tinyurl.com/ycdamq (Neil Jones, resources)
• www.boxoftricks.net (Jose Picardo, ideas)
Blogging
• What can we actually use a blog for?!?!
– Showing pupils’ work
– Sharing files
– Showing pupils’ videos etc
– Increasing Assessment for Learning
– Increasing self-evaluation
Blogging
Why use blogs?• Motivation- make the world your classroom wall
– Learning no longer confined to exercise books
– Who is the audience for work which goes into an exercise book?
– Truly global perspective
• Can be demonstrated by visitors maps on blogs
Blogging
The last 100 visitors to the Spanish blog
Why use blogs?
• Writing
– Increased motivation- will be viewed by more than just the teacher
Blogging
Why use blogs?
• Reading
– pupils constantly reading and re-reading each other’s work
• Allows for dissemination of good ideas
– Allows free choice of which sections to read
– Aids pupil independence
Blogging
Why use blogs?• Speaking
– Pupil and teacher generated podcasts
– Speaking tests / exercises
=learning opportunity rather than just an assessment opportunity
- can be done in the form of vokis, podcasts etc
– Provides a platform for pupil-made videos
Blogging
Why use blogs?
• Listening
– To podcasts (on the blog or via links)
– To videos (pupil created, music, adverts, football commentaries etc)
– To peers’ work
Blogging
Why use blogs?• Assessment for Learning
– Comment function allows peer assessment using “Two Stars and a Wish formula”
= 2 positive elements
+ 1 element to work at next time
– Self-assessment as pupils comment on their own work and thus self target set.
Blogging
Blogging
Music video
- great cultural input
- an interesting homework to find body parts/ weather types
- Year 8 pupils were mostly humming the song round school for next few days
Ideas for use…
Blogging
Pupil-made videos
- high level of motivation
- Provides for easy review of work which might otherwise be lost
Blogging
•Year 8 wrote Guess Who style self-descriptions
•For next homework, pupils read the descriptions and left a comment saying who they were
Who provides the blog facility?
• TypePad - www.typepad.com
– Easiest for inserting fun stuff (provider that I use)
• Blogger - www.blogger.com
• Edublogs - www.edublogs.org
• Wordpress - www.wordpress.org
• Many, many more…
Blogging
To learn about further tools to complement blogs
• www.slideshare.net - embedding .ppt
• www.blip.tv - uploading pupil videos easily
Blogging
Frequently Asked Questions
• Won’t it all take ages?
• Will anyone actually look at the blog?
• What effect will it have on my department?
• What about Child Protection?
Blogging
2 Google Reader
How to find out new ideas?
- keep reading other blogs!
Blogging
Blogging
Google Reader
- Uses RSS feeds to update you when your favourite blogs have changed
Blogging
Google Reader
Why use it?
1)Saves time
2)Regular input of creative ideas
3)Can save interesting articles (posts)- hassle free
3 Moblogging
(across the
universe)
MobloggingWhat is moblogging?
Mobile blogging
- the ability to update a blog from a distance
e.g. on a visit / exchange
Seize the moment
Moblogging
Uses:
Record reports after incidents
Allow pupils to create video diaries without your supervision
Document REAL conversations
Moblogging
Allows you and pupils to leave voice messages on the blog
Uses:
- more detailed update messages
- maintain interest amongst those left behind
- genuine motivation for oral activities
Moblogging
Flip Ultra video cameras
Video-documentaries
Plug into any USB and upload to blog / www.blip.tv
- no converters needed
4 podcasting
Podcasting
What is a podcast?
- effectively an audio file which is then put onto the Internet
Podcasting
How have I used them?
- Grammar series
- role-play raps
- pupil recordings
- pupil grammar explanations
Podcasting
Grammar seriescreated to help reinforce grammar learning OUTSIDE of the classroom
- responding to a request by a pupil- FANTASTIC for audio learners
Podcasting
Role-play rapsCreated to strenghten knowledge of key role-play scenarios
- each set to a different musical style to aid recognition
Podcasting
Pupil grammar explanations
- benefit of explaining to others
- need for script
- peer assessment on podcasts
- minimal teacher input, maximum output
- pupils then have an immediate revision tool
Podcasting
How to record a podcast...
1) Recording material
Podcasting
How to record a podcast...
1) Recording material
2) Audacity for PCs- www.download.com
+ LAME FE
(allows you to export as MP3)
OR Garageband for Macs
Easy way to change volume levels
Highlight sections then delete
Podcasting
To finish the podcast, export as MP3…
Podcasting
Podcasts as listening materials...1) Coffee Break Spanish
-excellent topic explanations
2) Notes In Spain - come with supporting materials- based around topics effecting life in Spain
Podcasting
Podcasts as listening materials...3) Elliot school podcasts
- KS5 topics, with exercises
Podcasting
5
Add your podcast
to i-tunes
Podcasting
So we have our finished podcast, now what?
a)Insert it into a blog post as an .mp3 file
b)Add it to iTunes- very easy to do thanks to www.podomatic.com and www.jellycast.com
Podcasting
Adding the podcast to iTunes
-Motivation
-Can put onto MP3 players / computers and listen to work again, rather than just forgetting it
www.podomatic.com
www.jellycast.comPodcasting
We need to find the RSS feed
In iTunes (free!!), go to the podcast section Podcasting
• Scroll down, and you will see this box
• You want to Submit a Podcast
Podcasting
Podcasting
Paste in your feed from jellycast or podomatic
Podcasting
Podcasting
6 Voki
Blogging
•www.voki.com- Pupils write scripts
-Peer assess
-Practise
-Record
-High level of enjoyment
Customize your character- allows more timid pupils to hide- but still thrive
Blogging
Produces an animated character with your voice.
Easy to embed in a blog
Blogging
7 Using mobiles
in the classroom
Using mobile phones
Issues:
1)Banned in many schools
2)Risks of inappropriate behaviour
3)Fear of pupil intercompetition
4)Concern of pupils not having a phone
Using mobile phones
However, there are huge benefits...
1)Enjoyment and motivation- MFL becomes cool again
2)Speaking the pupils’ language whilst teaching them ours
3)Increasing range of services available via WAP
- e.g. YouTube
- Extension of learning beyond classroom
Lasting motivation is about students feeling a genuine emotional investment in the activities they undertake. This will come about through a learning process that centres around rich, real experience with relevance in the wider
world.
Connected magazine, Learning and teaching Scotland
Using mobile phones
Using mobile phones
Useful tools available on most mobile phones...
1)Voice recorder
2)Camera
3)Video camera
4)Stop-watch
5)Bluetooth
6)Ability to play-back videos and music
How much would it cost a department to have enough of these to share between 2?
Using mobile phones
Ideas for video projects using mobiles...
1)Describing school as go round it
2)Describing local area
3)Guide to saving the environment
4)Following and giving directions
5)Describing friends
6)Recording grammar explanations during the lesson
Issue: how to get the recordings back to the teacher
Options- 1) bluetooth them to a computer
2) bluetooth them to teacher’s phone3) other options?
Using mobile phones
Using mobile phonesFor example, directions:
- in pairs, pupils decide which room they will give directions to
-write script
- walk around the building and record the directions
- swap phones / bluetooth to each other and follow the instructions
- find out whether they followed instructions appropriately
FOR EXAMPLE
House and home
- pupils build up to estate-agent style description of their house
- free choice of recording manners
- mobile phone
- voice recording
- video on camera
Using mobile phones
Other ideas...
- record an interview / dialogue at home
- leaving answer phone messages through Gabcast
- record grammar explanations during your lessons.
They can then make the worksheet as homework, based on your advice.
Using mobile phones
Key = extending learning beyond the classroom
- more and more we will also need to think about how to capitalise on the power of ipods
- quizzes produced using www.iquizmaker.com
- videos converted using www.zamzar.com
- podcasts
- mobile slideshows / role-play raps
Using mobile phones
For more info…
www.chrisfuller.typepad.com
(where this presentation will be available to download)