Day 3 Media

Day 3

Media 

Creativity 

The power of 'Create' to engage, empower and encourage critical thinking and collaboration is such a natural process. I found myself reflecting on learning I had witnessed this week with my learners.  This was in no way planned but resulted in my own child dropping his Ipod through the gaps in the decking outside my classroom while I was at a meeting.  I happened to mention this the next day to my learners, which created a flurry of discussion on how we could get it back.  A team of learners then spent their breaks coming up with a plan and trialing their ideas.  Learning from the failed attempts lead them to collaboratively create a tool, and working together they extracted the Ipod.  They were so engaged and invested in solving this problem and creating a solution.   Taking the natural curiosity and creativity I witnessed, and adding the limitlessness of creating in the digital space is an exciting prospect.   

While I have a foundational understanding of the Learn Create Share pedagogy, and am working on embedding this in my practice, I must prioritise my own learning in this area, to ensure I am not a barrier to the opportunities for success it affords our learners.

YouTube

I have already been using YouTube to share learning content with learners in the classroom, having completed a Digital Toolkit at the beginning of the year, today's content was a timely reminder of why we use YouTube - to create learning content for our learners. It was also helpful to pick up a few tips like being able to make changes to other peoples playlists by making a copy to allow changes, being able to embed directly to Blogger and removing recommended videos with a URL edit (?rel=0).

Media - SISOMO

Sight, sound and motion - a fantastic way to engage and communicate!  The Moviemaker packs are an idea I will investigate further, having previously felt the expense put this type of equipment out of reach.  Use landscape!

I am looking forward to exploring tools, such as Wevideo alongside my learners, I feel this is an area in which we will embrace ako!  I will be looking at the Wevideo Academy tutorials over the next few weeks as this is a tool I have yet to explore.

Drawing

How have I never discovered the mask image crop tool?  This session provided some great time savers as well:

PNG files - rather than search for 'transparent'

Polyline tool - double click to disengage

I attempted a Google Draw polyline self portrait (still a work in progress) and am looking forward to introducing this method to my learners next week as it fits in brilliantly with the visual arts learning we are currently undertaking. 

Slides 

Pick a Path Slides

Considering how creating in this manner links with A/O's in the Digital Curriculum was really beneficial to me. Testing/debugging/computational thinking - has reminded me to use digital language across all areas of the curriculum.

Control + D to duplicate - why have I been Control + C, Control + V all these years?!

Day 2 Workflow

Day 2

Workflow

Using Google Meets as a Create tool was an interesting experience today.  I can see great this being an enjoyable and useful way that learners can share and critique their presentation and communication skills, while creating a rewindable learning tool. 

 Day 2 - Workflow

Today content has provided me with timesavers!  It has also given me tools to streamline my practice - such as RSVP'g a calendar invite from the email invite (how did I not know this??) and organising my tabs with Toby Mini, or just pinning, to save that valuable time in front of my class, when learners are engaged and ready, only for me to lose them while frantically searching for the elusive tab I desperately need to open.

Manaiakalani Pedagogy - Learn Create Share - 

Recognise effective practices

Amplify effective practices

Turbo-charge to take it to the next level

Effective Practice - What is it? Identify it, amplify it and turbo charge it!

I found this presentation very informative and motivating - I feel like, although I am at the beginning of my digital journey, I am definitely on the right track with my thinking.  The value and opportunities digital tech can afford us and our learners is exciting.  

How does learning look in my school? PB4L, Catholic character, Values, learning in faith, T shaped literacy, Learn Create Share.

                                                                    Slide with Resources

Google Meets

I picked up a couple of shortcuts and tips here - Chrome tab for best quality video sharing, share tab v screen.  Utilising this as a Create tool was something I had not considered - This could translate to the classroom so well, within many curriculum areas.

Google Calendar

While I use Google Calendar daily I have not yet explored this.  Today I have learnt many small (but mighty!) time savers and short cuts.  The use of the Appointments function could prove useful.  I was not aware of the note function when RSVP'g - having sent accompanying emails in the past.

Google Keep

I have added this extension and downloaded the phone app.  I am looking forward to investigating this further and can see how this will be beneficial in both professional and personal life.  I am an avid note taker, so the text grab function has got me hooked already!

Tab taming

I needed this session.  I am looking forward to creating folders and temporary grouping to streamline my presenting, both in class and in meetings.  I am still exploring the Toby Mini extension and look forward to trialing this.

Day 1 Core Business

Day 1 

Core Business Reflection: 

 Manaiakalani:

 Wow what a back story! I have been aware of the Manaiakalani Trust for years - as a parent and BOT member at my childrens' school. I was interested to hear how Learn Create Share came to be. I had always assumed it was a completely digital pedagogy that was conceptualised with digital tech in classrooms - not before. 

 The concept behind Learn Create Share has always 'spoken' to me - it makes sense - Learner engagement, access to all, learner agency, critical and creative thinking, collaboration! 

Chrome: 

For me as a teacher - The handy shortcuts! While I tend to enjoy exploring and having 'a play' with all things digital, I find that now I am working fulltime I do not have the luxury of the time required to enjoy this! The shortcuts mentioned are so handy (even being reminded to 'drag and drop' rather than using dropdown menus), now I just have to remember them! I will look for a cheat sheet online to print and display. Control + tab # -navigate between tabs 

For my learners - Having easy access to a 'one-stop' shop for their learning, in which they can become fluent digital learners along with their teachers. My daughter (now 15) has been a great mentor to me over the last two years as I re-entered teaching in the digital age. She has been able to coach me through many Google related melt downs (mine!). Witnessing the ease in which our 'digitally native' learners navigate and benefit from the learning tools they now have access to is incredible. 

Google Groups: 

Provides an ease of access to information and communication that I am looking forward to enjoying. No longer will I waste time typing numerous email addresses, I will make the initial time to set up my groups, then sit back and reap the benefits! 

Google Drive: 

One area I am unfamiliar with is the Workspace function. I will endeavour to try this out before my next meeting to trial this. Maria also suggested the Extension Mini Toby, which I have now added and will test out. 

Google Docs: 

For me as a teacher - I enjoyed the opportunity to try out a couple of new aspects I was unaware of. My biggest takeaways today were using the Explore tool, and using a table for display purposes then hiding the table lines. The citation function is an added bonus in Explore, as is not having dozens of tabs open from my searching for images and information outside of Docs. 

I also added the Colourpick Eye Dropper extension which was the basis of the document I created to display in my classroom. Hiding the table was also a first for me, so I incorporated this, leaving boxing for cut out names to be added to the roster display.

For my learners - The Voice typing function will be of great benefit to a couple of my learners. I am looking forward to introducing this to them and seeing how they take to the freedom it provides. Blogger: I started my blogging journey last year, and am still amazed at the opprtunities this provides both myself and my learners. The instructions provided in the slideshow will be very handy as a refence going forward!

I will go forward and organise my Google Drive, find a list of shortcuts, and bring some of my learning into the classroom for the benefit of my learners (Voice typing, Google Groups for my learner committee groups).