e-Learning Round-Up | 14th February 2013
Tēnā koutou, talofa lava, and welcome to the first fortnightly round-up of 2013. Here’s hoping this finds you all refreshed and looking forward to many new learning opportunities in the coming year.
If you’re looking for an easy way to explain the VLN Groups/Enabling e-Learning community space to your friends and colleagues, then why not share this short PowToon presentation in YouTube.
NEW GROUP: Using Digistore is a new group in the VLN groups space. You can ask your questions in a discussion thread within this group and a Digi Advisor will respond to you as soon as possible. There are many relevant links, as well as a FAQ page in the group, with references to commonly asked questions.
Looking forward to ‘seeing you online’ - hei konā mai,
Karen, Tessa & Catriona | Blended e-Learning Online Team
We welcome many new members to the national Blended e-Learning Professional Learning Development team this year and will profile individuals in the coming weeks.
Each fortnight, we like to say thank you by nominating a community member for active participation in the Enabling e-Learning / VLN Groups. They can download and add an Enabling e-Learning badge to their profile.
Leadership & strategic direction
- Government welcomes report on 21st century learning: Read and listen to the latest commentary around the ‘Inquiry into 21st century learning environments and digital literacy’. There’s something for everyone in this report.
- Are schools being funded for 21st Education, or are they still being funded for chalk? The great debate about the digital divide continues. Gerard Macmanus asks us to consider what it means when, ‘every child should have access to a digital device’.
Check out Leadership and e-Learning via the Enabling e-Learning website.
Professional Learning
- To what extent are we utilising the e-Learning Planning Framework within our appraisal and/or professional inquiries? Mary-Anne Murphy asks what documents or platforms you utilise to support this process and how do you use these?
- Building connections with other schools and teachers with similar interests: Simone Gentil invites us to engage in feedback, share ideas and leave comments as she continues her blogging journey.
- New Year - New Learning! Community members share their hopes and goals for 2013. You might also have common interests or needs to share.
Check out e-Learning & Professional Learning>>the Enabling e-Learning website.
Teaching and Learning | Digital Citizenship
- Twitter in the classroom: Does anyone currently use Twitter in their classroom or know of anyone that does. Can you help?
- Personalised Learning and Flexible Learning Spaces: Some considerations for how physical layout of classrooms can support different learning needs.
- Register your students participation for VLN Primary online learning: They need to hear from you now!
Interested in using e-learning to support English language learners?
Interested in conversations about our priority learners?
- Technological evolution: Envisioning the future: An infographic giving an insight into technological advancements for now and the future.
- Google Apps - how do we embed their use in classroom programmes? Ross asks, how are people harnessing the real potential and power of Google apps in the classroom? Do you have examples to share?
- iPad mini: On-going conversations about the practical use and educational benefits of the iPad mini.
- MLEs and Office 365: Mike Perry asks some practical questions about the similarities and differences between an LMS and Office 365. Do you have an opinion on this?
- QR code blog: Catriona Pene shares her blog on using QR codes in the classroom.
- Mega Upload vs Mega: Sean Lyons from Netsafe offers an explanation for Mega while Dorothy Burt discusses the implications for schools.
Mobile technologies
- Teaching Photography to 8 to 10 year olds this winter in school. Is Guided Access broken? Jonathan is working through Guided Access code in iOS6, while teaching photography to his students in Hawaii. Do you have anything to add?
- Individual iTunes accounts vs VPP: Community members continue to offer support in relation to individual or multiple iTunes accounts.
- iPad screens Scratch Resistant? Do we really need a protective screen on our tablets?
- Great app for the music lovers on iPad: Here’s a list of apps for teaching and learning music on an iPad.
- Handwriting on Tablets: Amy McCauley asks, What are people's thoughts on using the iPads to teach handwriting (with a stylus) - pros/cons, any good apps?
- App Sharing: Something new to view everyday!
New bookmarks added:
- 15 iPad Skills Every Teacher and Student should Have ~ EducationalTechnology and Mobile Learning - Allanah King
- Apps for the classroom - iDave
Bring your own devices (BYOD)
- BYOD in our intermediate next year: Want to know what happens when school’s update their parents about BYOD in their school?
Check out e-Learning and Technologies on the Enabling e-Learning website.
Beyond the Classroom
- Connect with our communities with - and about – ICTs: One school connects with their parents via the airwaves - on their very on radio station.
- Engaging with tamariki and the wider Māori community - Establishing partnerships: What does engaging with our Māori students and their whānau look like? What could it look like with an e-learning pedagogy?
Check out Beyond the Classroom on the Enabling e-Learning website.
For your calendar...
Enabling e-Learning events
- Enabling e-Learning webinars: Find the recordings here for 2011/2012 sessions you may have missed, including using digital resources, digital learning spaces, BYOD, social media and ethics for teachers, LEARNZ field trips and many more!
e-Learning events around NZ
- Through the Looking Glass Conference: 15/16 March 2013, Orewa College. Contact m.jackson@oc.school.nz for more details.
- Learning@School Roadshow 2013: 3-19 Apr 2013, Whangarei, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Napier, Gisborne, Nelson, Dunedin, Greymouth, Christchurch.
- Ignition for Emerging Leaders, 22-23 April 2013, Albany High School, Auckland
- ULearn 2013, 9-11 October, Hamilton.
