Virtual Learning Network

Hi Olivia,

Just open your browser and in the url bar type etherpad.mozilla.org/yourpagename and then press enter. 

 If you have chosen a unique (unused) name for your page you will get a page with this message.  Click yes and the page will be created.

If you find yourself on an already existing page then you have not chosen an unused page name.  I recommend using school name, room and topic e.g. /core1debate

I hope this helps.

Cheers, Jill

Hi Olivia,

Yes you can certainly use Google Docs instead of Etherpad for writing, but my preference is still Etherpad.  The kids like having the coloured highlighting behind their text, the time slider is really good for being able to see writing at any stage of development (e.g. for being able to recover any deleted text by highlighting, copying and pasting across to the active page), the chat box is great for giving feedback to each other (I allocate for each student e.g. comment about the story below your own - last on page comments on first).  Have you seen my page on "Using Etherpad and the Recipe for Writing"?  This page has lots of tips for use.  Good luck.

Cheers, Jill

I have been on the road in my campervan so am a bit slow to enter this discussion.  However Thomas I'm hoping that you have been through all the ideas in the Engaging students in writing section of this group, and have experimented with many of the ideas there.  Engagement is a huge part of raising student achievement, and there are many apps and websites accessible from your Chromebooks, some of which have been mentioned by others here.  However, my favourites are still Etherpad, Storyjumper, Write About This NZ (iPad app so not relevant to you but will be to others) and using the Research tool in Google presentation.  I have linked back to the relevant section in this group for you.  

While engagement is hugely important, so too is the emphasis on the literacy teaching of skills.  Having a great tool will not make a great writer without increasing that writer's confidence and know how, and that needs specific teaching.  You will find a lot of help with this aspect in the Etherpad Recipe writing and in the Different styles of writing, but also specifics under vocab, organising ideas and editing.  The relevant eTools are listed as part of these sections. Good luck in your work in these areas with your students while you engage them with the tools.

I sometimes wonder if in another generation we will be concerned that we are no longer having to type on a keyboard, or articulate our thoughts out loud in order to communicate - for the very same reasons.  Currently we see links to the scripting process because that is what we have known.  Maybe it will turn out that a generation who grew up learning to script via a keyboard will have also have gained those benefits, or for those who learn to script via dictation that that very act creates the neural pathways.  Currently we are too early in the process to have any evidence upon which to judge, but my thinking is that whatever we do it will have benefits of one kind or another provided that it requires thought processes to be occurring.  Some handwriting lessons I've seen actually tend to have a negative impact - being reflective about the +s and -s is important.  Assess what students are gaining and or losing through the activities with which we fill their day.

"Maybe we'll only have to think to get our words recorded!"

Bring it on!!!! 

Meantime teaching kids what style level of voice is appropriate to situations would be a real bonus.  (Maybe that's because I'm down staying with the grandkids at present LOL) 

Great discussion and I'm sure no single right answer. It seems to me there are even two questions. Should we teach handwriting and should we teach typing?  I personally don't think we are quite ready to ditch writing with a pen and like so many things practice during the mastery stage is necessary. However I do get concerned when I see students who can already write neatly, locked into handwriting lessons. Most students with reasonable coordination should be past the need for formal lessons by year 4. If they can't print or write neatly by then, practice is unlikely to help. 

The next question - should we have typing lessons?  Most slowness is caused by unfamiliarity with the keyboard, so some laminated keyboards and word games are a more efficient way of gaining familiarity. Regular use as part of useful tasks would then seem the next most important factor. At primary level, formal touch typing should be weighed against more productive use of limited time. I don't touch type but I can type faster than I can write if I relax and let my fingers do the walking. 

Finally with the major improvement in dictation software, extensive typing will soon be less necessary. Check out https://dictation.io but be sure to set it to NZ speech. Talk slowly and clearly and include punctuation prompts. You will be surprised how accurate it is, and then you can export or copy and paste across. 

Battery about to die - dont have that problem with a pencil ;-)

Fortunately I have my laptop handy so thought I would add in here the keyboard graphic and keyboard word games for anyone who is interested.  Feel free to print as many as you want for use in your classroom.

Keyboard graphic

Junior keyboard word games    

Senior keyboard word games  

Cheers, Jill

Hi Shane,

When you are in the comment box you will see "Embed content" just above the box on the right. Choose upload file, find it on your computer, upload and then click on the file once loaded to place it on the page. I hope this works ok for you but ask again if you have any problems. 

Cheers, Jill

Phew.  Thanks for that Sam.

Cheers, Jill

Thanks Allanah.  I would have been disappointed if I had not heard from you today.  Now added on the page.

Thanks Lyn.  I know I have seen those ones before so will check it out again.