Blog the Leap Year

http://feb29th.net/
This is such a brilliant idea...A one day event, Blogging across the world,check it out and join in.

Thoughts and Reflections

Read a personally significant Blog post this morning that really resonated with my thoughts and indeed some of the conversations I’d had during this last week. Discussing the constant and ever present, dynamic, changing face of Web 2.0 technologies the writer highlights the need to embrace and cultivate such change positively, rising to the challenges presented by the multi faceted dynanism of progressive technologies. The summation of the post provides a reflective and contemplative annotation of my own role as an ICT Co-ordinator engaging with and promoting Web 2.0 technologies, as a valuable asset for teaching and learning and that as such I am indeed a learner seeking to lead the way in my learning environment.

Thanks to http://web20forschoolleaders.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/we-live-in-unce-2/

Communication4All

This is a fabulous site with brilliant resources for all year groups and covering the whole curriculum. All the resources are attractive, purposeful and engaging whether for teaching and learning or display. I have been using this Website for a long time and each time I visit there is always something new to find. I particularly like the interactive ICT and e-safety resources and the Blogging posters will be a fabulous adition to my new Blogging Display in readiness for next term. so a big thank you to Communication4All for those.

Fabulous Podcasts

Some of our KS2 children have been engaging in podcasting within our Learning Platform...Remarkable how conscientious they suddenly became, really wanting to impress and read with their most powerful and expressive voices. They all immediately recognised and innately knew how to apply improvements to their reading. It certainly drove home to me the power of such application for successful engagement and independent learning. Will be promoting further use of Podcasts for all year groups both in the classroom and our Learning Platform. Already developing ideas for extending their use for Literacy and reading. WELL DONE to all the children.

Christmas Advent courtesy of ICT Magic

Take a look at and enjoy the fabulous interactive Christmas Advent Calendar courtesy of ICT Magic, you'll find the page link on the side bar. This little advent is a wonderful, captivating host of individual activities that children of all ages will find engaging as they discover it on their Website. Take the time to explore it yourself first - Simply click on the side bar of this Blog or the link below and you will be taken to the Christma Advent page where you find the Advent Calendar embedded and a further link to the ICT Magic Website.

http://theclassroomcarousel.blogspot.com/p/christmas-advent.html

Podcasts

Finally finished creating an introductory Podcast and lots of, hopefully engaging supportive documentation for our staff meeting next week centred on our Learning Platform. So now it’s fingers crossed for the successful implementation and the effective development of Podcasting in our school. A bit disgruntled that I couldn’t add an engaging background to the Podcast, instead of the large white space that engulfed the screen, but when I tried to add a background the recording was lost and vice versa, regadless of which way I tried to add it; so that’s a new learning curve for me, but I need to find out if it’s possible first! Must say, was pleased with the Podcast though, really good, hope everyone else thinks so, too, but more importantly, hope that we can begin to adopt Podcasts within our classrooms.
Now to move on to planning the remaining portion of the meeting focusing on, ‘Effective Blogging in the Classroom.’ Already made great headway with this but looking to provide perhaps an engaging video or presentation. Really need to capture the essence and the purported excitement of creating Blogs within a learning structure. Need to show that they don’t necessarily need to be more time-consuming than any other teaching methodology, but rather show their desireability in producing creative and effective results with the children. So continuing with the drawing board, so to speak…Any ideas let me in on them, please.

Museum Box

Exploring the idea of using Museum Box - It looks really good! I'm busy researching its use aand am quite impressed with its apparent potential for teaching and learning. Project or Topic work seems to be an obvious starting point. I think it could be quite an engaging tool, offering a dynamic means of gathering information and relevant resources and compiling them in a dynamic and interesting way. I am also wondering if it could provide a relevant methodology for teachers to gather resources for lesson or topic planning? How feasible and appropriate, and indeed useful would such a medium be? I think I need to aquire some hands on experience of using it as a tool for primary learners and as a tool for teachers. So I sense a rather large exploration project looming! This will ultimately highlight its relevance for our school. Obviously I need to focus on something very relevant to make it worthwhile and useful in its entirety; have a couple of ideas in mind. I must say I'm quite excited about using Museum Box, it seems so innovative and I love the idea of beig able to add sound and audio and video files alongside documents and images; even web links can be incorporated and all compiled in one quite attractive little place!
http://museumbox.e2bn.org/
Please let me know your thoughts if you have given Museum Box a go...I would be really interested in hearing from anyone who has given it a go and the way you found worked best for your learners.