Strategies Tech It Up

Strategies for the Classroom Generalist

Plotting a courseLisa Read

October 2009

Friday, October 23, 2009

• If it feels like work, you’re doing it wrong....

Alternate Title:


Or for people who just want to know some more

about technology and Web2.0 tools and other

stuff.


Anyone, really


Tell your friends....


OK, I’m ready

• Why do I make such a big deal about the digital culture

• Suggestions for running a middle school lab

• Integrating InfoTech to other subjects

• Trying to sort the meaningful from the fluff


Why is this a complicated issue? Answer: IRP-less in BC

• Well, there is no IRP for Middle School IT, AFAIK

• Unless you count the Grade 8-10 (1996) and/or the Grade 11-12 (2003)

• Seems to me that Technology has undergone a lot of change since 1996...


Come to that, what is Technology?

• Strong Bad knows....


Anyway....back to the topic

• Incidentally, PowerPoint presentation should NOT make up the majority of your IT program


This is OK

• It’s KeyNote.


What do we need?

• Consider a plan for a Grade 7 Information Technology course.

• Working backwards from the Grade 8 IRP Learning Objectives (er.....from 1996)


And now, an excerpt• It is expected that the student shall:

• identify information technology tools used to access information

• protect information using information technology tools

• enter information accurately using appropriate keyboarding techniques and software that allows for the storage, retrieval, and editing of material

• demonstrate the ability to formulate questions and to use a variety of sources and tools to access, capture, and store information

• use appropriate information technology terminology

• evaluate a variety of input and output device

• demonstrate the ability to install software

• describe and practise appropriate safety procedures when working with information technology tools


Which boils down to:

• Foundations

• Processes

• Presentation


Presentation

•DOES NOT JUST MEAN POWER POINT!!!


Ask yourself...what would Lisa do?

• There are as many course designs are there are students, but here is what I do:

• What is Technology?

• Ergonomics

• Ethics

• Graphic Design

• Language/Code

• Efficient Internet/Keyboard short cuts

• Presentation-names/collages/Fireworks/Flash

• Media Literacy


How to begin

• Let’s talk licensed software for a minute.

• Imagine you are designing a lab and have unlimited funds to set it up

• Stop laughing.


Software I must have:

• Apple iLife suite

• Adobe CS3 (or, of course, CS4)

• Comic Life


Software I could run a program without:

• Apple iLife

• Adobe CS3 (or 4)

• Comic Life


The “Typical” Teacher


The Networked Teacher


As long as there is a Web, there is a Way

A plethora of Web 2.0 tools at your Finger Tips


The Evolution of the Web


This is where it gets really fun

• In this section, look for sites and tools to complement what you already do.

• Think about your program and consider any unanswered questions.

• Be open to sharing.


Maybe you want to focus on word processing and

KeyboardingKeyboarding does not have to be: fff ggg jjj hhh

Check out TypeRacer

http://play.typeracer.com/


http://play.typeracer.com

http://play.typeracer.com

Behold the Awesomeness


Race against others, or just practice:


TypeRacer telling me I made a typo:


When I’m done, I get my score, other’s scores, and I can see where my text came from. There is even a link for more info.


And now something for the font geeks

• Suppose you really wanted to study fonts: All you every wanted to know about Sans Serif is right here...


“What does Font mean?”

• Here is a site that tells you more about baselines, descenders and serifs than you ever thought possible.

• The basics of Typography


http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/html-css-techniques/six-ways-to-improve-your-web-typography/

http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/html-css-techniques/six-ways-to-improve-your-web-typography/

Create your own font

• FontCapture: neat little application

• Allows you to capture your own handwriting and convert it to a digital font

• You just need a printer and a scanner


http://www.fontcapture.com/

http://www.fontcapture.com/

They aren’t really that into your fonts...

• So here is a really nice way to bring meaning to “Word Art”

• A great scaffolder

• Good introduction to “Tagging” (you better explain that one)


Wordle


http://www.wordle.net/

http://www.wordle.net/

Want more? You could do a workshop just on

Wordle

• Here are 38 more ways to use it


http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_157dpbsg9c5

http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_157dpbsg9c5

What about Text and Graphics? Try Glogster


Student Example - Kali, in Grade 8:


What was the Assignment?

• There wasn’t one. Kali just took a notion.


Don’t have an advanced Draw program?

• Try Tiny Designer


http://www.tinydesigner.com/Home.htm

http://www.tinydesigner.com/Home.htm

Images from Flickr: Tell a story

in 5 photos


http://www.flickr.com/groups/visualstory/




BeFunky


http://www.befunky.com/

http://www.befunky.com/

A Whole Collection of Good Things

• Techy Tips for Non Techies


http://virl.com/c5825/

http://virl.com/c5825/

Want a simpler photo-editor?

• Try “Tuxpi”. All you need is one good photo:


http://www.tuxpi.com/

http://www.tuxpi.com/

This is my one good photo:


And this is how I Tuxpi’d it:


Feeling narcissistic and Time-Travelly?

• Try Yearbook Yourself


http://www.yearbookyourself.com/

http://www.yearbookyourself.com/

A neat Morphing tool

• A little clunky to use, but very cool technology

• Face of the Future


http://www.faceofthefuture.org.uk/

http://www.faceofthefuture.org.uk/

Start with a “normal” picture

Use the app to zoom in, set the eye and mouth

markers....and transform!

Different ages, ethnicities or genders


Child


Child

Caribbean


Child

Caribbean

Elderly Adult


Child

Caribbean

Elderly AdultMasculinize


Use Face of the Future to become a Masterpiece



Modigliani



Modigliani Botticelli



Modigliani Botticelli Manga


Or a different animal altogether:



Chimpanzee



Chimpanzee Drunk


Many more Mashables here:

• 13 Fantastic and Fun Image Generators


http://mashable.com/2009/08/22/image-generators/

http://mashable.com/2009/08/22/image-generators/

But first, it’s time for An Activity

• OMG PWNIES!!!!

• You will see a collection of Acronyms around the room. How many can you decode?

• What about the L33t phrases?

• Why is this important? Well, it’s not, especially, unless you want to understand


What else should I know about the Culture of the Internets?


Yo, Dramatic Hamster, I’mma let you finish, but “Charlie Bit

Me” is the greatest meme of all time


Cross Curricular


Cross Curricular

• Design class pages (in Moodle, or Blogs, or Wikis)


Cross Curricular


• SMARTboard/Notepad projects


Cross Curricular



• Character Blogs or Discussion groups


Cross Curricular




• Illustrations (Fireworks/Kerpoof)


Cross Curricular




• Illustrations (Fireworks/Kerpoof)

• Retellings: Pod casting, Flash, Comic Life


Speaking of Kerpoof

• Nice little movie making application.

• Kids can easily create their own stories, or retell stories

• Limited editing=limited time-loss

• Kerpoof


http://www.kerpoof.com/

http://www.kerpoof.com/

Kerpoof Ideas

• Use the Van Gogh or Escher backgrounds as part of an artist study

• Use the Movie making function for retelling stories, or as an introduction to movie-making.


The Teaching Lab

• It is a TEACHING Lab

• Lock it down-- this is a TEACHING LAB

• Do you have a bookable lab, roving carts, or stations in the Library? If so, then the TEACHING lab is for TEACHING

• Same deal for SMARTboards. They should not be used as a Projector Screen for Movie Day.

• Assign chairs to stations, set the rules in force Day 1.


Teaching Lab Wish List

• Remote Desk Top

• Projector and Screen or white board

• Groups Folders-- hand in/hand out

• A Management Plan--seating? lighting? Free Time??


Oodles of Moodle

• Example: Grade 9

• Grade 8

• Grade 7

• Math 8


http://www.sd79.bc.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=16








Model Edmodo

• Edmodo is an easy to use basic CMS


http://www.edmodo.com/

http://www.edmodo.com/

Play Time or Talk Time?

• Flip a coin?


http://www.random.org/coins/

http://www.random.org/coins/

The Slide before the Last

• A few more resources, more for theory and philosophy. Ponder at your leisure....(or is that pwnder?)

• Top 11 things to know about technology

• Collection of Canadian education blogs

• Interesting collection of “Social Media” contests

• Good article on a “hacker”. Scary.

• A sobering article about a cyber bully/hacker

• Ten Photoshop disasters. This would be great for a Media Literacy assignment

• Probably the most important site on this page. 100 things you should have already seen on the Internet...


http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2009/07/top-eleven-things-all-teachers-must.html

http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2009/07/top-eleven-things-all-teachers-must.html

http://canadianbloggers.wikispaces.com/

http://canadianbloggers.wikispaces.com/

http://mashable.com/2009/08/11/social-media-contests/

http://mashable.com/2009/08/11/social-media-contests/

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/29787673/the_boy_who_heard_too_much/print

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/29787673/the_boy_who_heard_too_much/print

http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_10178

http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_10178

http://www.pcworld.com/article/170859/10_more_tech_company_photoshop_disasters.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/170859/10_more_tech_company_photoshop_disasters.html

http://www.youshouldhaveseenthis.com/




Check out Louis CK.... “Technology is wasted on a generation

of spoiled idiots.”


Thank you!


Thank you!

Lisa [email protected]

Twitter: LisaRead

Blog: http://readlisaread.edublogs.org/


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://readlisaread.edublogs.org

http://readlisaread.edublogs.org

Strategies Tech It Up

Education

Transcript of Strategies Tech It Up