ICT in my Classroom

Tonight I delivered a staff meeting that introduced the social bookmarking tool del.icio.us. It was really well received by all and I began by explaining that the need for such a tool had been highlighted in responses to subject audits which coordinators had carried our for the SEF (Self Evaluation) and wider school improvement planning.

Del.ici.ous was an obvious solution to the need to have a more structured approach to online resources. I also believe that we will benefit from other school’s similar commitment to the use of social bookmarking. So not only do we get a better system for our own online resources that we know and love, but get to see other school’s take on it too.

So far I have got a handful of schools that have begun using del.icio.us as a whole school resource, and I would really appreciate anymore that you know of so that we can benefit from a greater network of resources.

We are priestsic on del.icio.us

For the session I produced some simple cards that I laminated and trimmed down so that staff can stick them up close to their school computer. One explained the login details and the other was a simple summary of how you can easily add a new bookmark.

The resources are on a computer at school in MS Word format but I will publish them tomorrow so that you can use them in your own staff meetings etc.

I must just thank David Muir for his excellent Simply del.icio.us guide that I directed my staff towards at the end of the session.

Links for use in the workshop.

• Flickr
• Bubblr
• Spell with Flickr
• Earth Album
• Postcard Search
• Other Flickr Links
• Priestsic6 Blog

I am putting together a list of early years classroom blogs - please help to contribute any you know, doesn’t have to be in the UK just of ages 4-7 :

• Room One’s Blog - Class blog by year 2/3 students at Mapua School in New Zealand.
• Interactive Chatting Teddies a collaborative blogging project in Argyll Scotland involving children in P1-3 (ages 4-8 ) and their teddy bears

Last week I completed my penultimate workshop for this term on classroom blogging. I changed the day to later in the week and had a great turn out, I always like to think of it in terms of the year groups I am reaching with this training and I managed Foundation stage right through to Year 6 so every year group was represented.

I just wanted to raise their awareness of what edublogging is all about - have a look at my class blog as one example and give them some next steps. The response was great and very, very positive - I hope that this continues and is not dampened by Christmas too much. I am still aiming to get more class blogs up and running at school. I am just pleased with the great response!

I now need a list of early years blogs to help exemplifiy to some colleagues- so if anyone has a handy list somewhere, that would be helpful!

Flickr up next - later this week.

After school today I delivered some training that introduced ArtRage 2 a paint application from Ambient Design, a New Zealand based software company. The intuitive nature of the software made it a real hit with my colleagues.

Most importantly as a teacher you can clearly demonstrate mixing of colour with paints. The virtual paint behaves just as paint does (but without the mess) I did make a point of explaining that there is obviously a place for using the real thing when demonstrating to a small group or to younger children. I used a large clean paint brush on the SMARTBoard instead of my finger during the training which is a nice little touch.

Well worth a look. ArtRage2

This half term I am providing some voluntary training workshops in school on a real variety of different exciting topics, tools and concepts that I believe will be extremely important in the definition of a modern classroom embedding ICT and making the most of web 2.0.

• Infomapper
• ArtRage2 - this is amazing and a valuable addition to the schools software. I will post more about it soon.
• Google Earth
• Flickr
• Classroom Blogging
• 2Simple’s 2Connect and 2Investigate

These (not in any particular order, although I am delivering the ArtRage2 work tomorrow) will be short 45 minute sessions that any member of staff can come along to. I have already delivered some work last Tuesday on Infomapper that utilises OS data sets (bought by the LA).

I spent most of today attending an INSET day at Highwood Player Infants School talking to them about using their IWBs which they have just had installed.

Many thanks to everyone at the school for inviting me and making me feel so welcome I hope that some of my ideas provide a springboard for your school’s IWB development.

Apart from the resources I planned to discuss we spoke about and used a range of other material. Below I have tried to record most of those thoughts from the morning:

• Artrage 2 - a fantastic art package ideal for the use on the interactive whiteboard. Look out for more on this soon, here on my blog as I will be introducing the use at my school and planning some training.
• Microsoft Local Live - we looked at the school and Highwood Player had really clear imagery from the “bird’s eye view” setting. Would be useful to look at before short walks or local area studies.
• Quikmaps - Another mapping site that allows you to scribble and add placemarks. Again would be to look at before short walks or local area studies.
• BBC Little Animal Activity Centre - we had a read of the animated books and phonic activities.
• Google Earth - just mentioned this briefly but a wonderful tool that I am huge fan of. Read the rest of my blog for more information.
• Topmarks Educational Website Search Engine - very handy when looking for something specifically aimed at schools.

Please follow the links above to the relevant sites.

Further down my blog, you will have to scroll a bit, there is the notes from the session with the links from the images. Please feel free to print these and use in school.

Notes from session (handout)
Ferry Halim Guidance
Powerpoint of Year 2 Instructional writing work (ordering digital images)

I would really appreciate it you could take some time to leave me some feedback about the training session - scroll to the bottom of this post (or the one further down) and find the word “Comments” click on it and leave me your thoughts.

I really value your feedback and remarks so that in the future and can take them into account for other similar training sessions. Thanks again.

Aims for the session:

• To give you some real, creative and practical examples of ways to embed the use of the IWB in your teaching.

Introduction:

• Tom Barrett
• Year 6 classteacher
• ICT Subject Leader
• Assistant Headteacher
• I have been using IWBs for the last 5 years in my teaching.

5 Ways in for Free

1. Ferry Halim

Non-educational site providing a wealth of beautifully created games. Ideal for early whiteboard or mouse skills. Links to these skills I have highlighted in my Ferry Halim Guidance document.

2. Furbles

A maths programme that needs no internet access and runs as a small piece of software downloaded in seconds. Its uses range from sorting according to colour, shape number of eyes etc – to data handling and creating pictograms and bar charts. DOWNLOAD IT HERE
3. Mathszone

An extremely useful set of maths links to interactive activities throughout the maths curriculum. Notable links include activities from Toftwood Infant School.

4. Northumberland Grid for Learning

Some excellent activities for early mouse and whiteboard skills; such as connect the dots and dress the teddy.

5. Using Digital Photographs

Where is your troll?!
Taking photographs using the digital camera and feeding these into a literacy activity.

Instructional texts – link with science and forces. Year 2

Class went outside with skateboard, TA with a digital camera recorded each step when discussing how to skateboard. TA returned to class and loaded the pictures into whiteboard software (also printed small pictures off and photocopied for other independent work) – lower ability children were asked to work independently (could be supported initially by TA) to put the photographs into the correct order. Highly motivated and completed the task successfully.

Your next steps

• Make the most of online resources - get the children using the boards with the Ferry Halim games.
• Approach the IWB as a tool that can be used in every part of the lesson - from shared to independent to plenary.
• Never worry about doing something that works perfectly well without an IWB; you are allowed to switch them off! - Just be aware of and reflect upon the choices you make.
• Share your experiences regularly with each other. Have a fortnightly clinic session or make time for getting excited about successes in staff meetings.
• Perhaps plan an IWB related target for performance management - as the development of IWB skills will be something that is already happening and is part of the School Development Plan

Any Questions?

Giving Feedback for this session

http://tbarrett.edublogs.org

At the very bottom of the post is a link to COMMENTS please leave your feedback in this way and if there are any questions or queries in the future please feel free to add a comment or contact me and I will try my best to help.

HANDOUT from the session with these notes.