Category Archives: Digital Technologies

Edutech Masterclass STEM & Coding

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Today was a day filled with #STEM and #coding at #EdutechAU Masterclass.

Participants explored how STEM can engage and challenge students while implementing the Australian Curriculum (Science, Mathematics and Technologies).

The days was a ‘hands on’ approach with participants applying a design thinking approach to robotics, programming and STEM, examining related concepts to adapt and implement in their context.

See some below some of the resources and sharing from the day.

Design Challenge with @Sphero @julia_boulton

#EduTechAU #masterclass pic.twitter.com/2928JTmGgw

 

THINGLINK


PADLET

DESIGN THINKING AND CHALLENGES

PROGRAMMING RESOURCES

Global Day of Design

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CREATE – CONNECT – COLLABORATE

In the JS Library Makerspace, we aim to develop students love of learning through hands-on learning by challenging the thinking Design Thinkng Collageprocess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is “a holistic approach that links the disciplines so that the learning becomes connected, focused, meaningful, and relevant to learners” (Smith & Karr-Kidwell, 2000, p. 22).

To celebrate our first week of our newly renovated library (which includes the Makerspace) the students were offered the opportunity to participate in the Global Day of Design (26th April  #GDD16). Over three days, we offered three design challenges based on literature.

As a part of the Design Process, the students worked in groups to complete the challenge and then reflected on the learning (all in 30 minutes!).

The students were also exposed to the engineering design process which includes identifying a problem, developing ideas and solutions, and sharing these solutions with others.

The Challenges

Huff n Puff

Designing a bridge for the Billy Goats Gruff

 Shake it Up

Designing an earthquake proof building

 The Sky is the Limit

Paper plane designs

(Stealth: longest flight time in air)
Materials

toothpicks, masking tape and 3 marshmallows

 Materials

playing cards and ½ metre of masking tape

 Materials

paper
Contstraints

Billy Goats have to be attached to a marshmallow.

Have to use all the toothpicks

 Contstraints

Have to use all the playing cards.

 Contstraints

1 A4 piece of paper

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DSC_0006

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the students’ thoughts:

  • Need to keep it stable and safe and so we used two cards per wall
  • We thought of strategies to keep the building up
  • All the parts have a function
  • Triangles have more stability than other things
  • Thought about the ways to stabilise and use all the cards
  • To use the triangle method not the cube

ICT Mentors design training

 

 

 

 

The ICT Mentors for 2016 were introduced to the Design Thinking concept and were available as support for the groups. They exhibited a wonderful enthusiasm and attitude to their role. Well done.

Digital Learning Day 2016

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Digital Learning Day is an excellent way to celebrate the ways that our students engage with the world. In education, technology has changed the world we interact with each other – from the classroom to the world.

“Education is evolving due to the impact of the Internet. We cannot teach our students in the same manner in which we were taught. Change is necessary to engage students not in the curriculum we are responsible for teaching, but in school. Period.” – April Chamberlain

“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.” – Bill Gates

 

Digital Learning Day – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

ACTIVITIES

Take a Quiz Safer Internet Day 2016 Quiz

View a video

Post your thoughts on the Padlet (see below)

Classes are encouraged to think about their use of technology in the learning process and

“Share your favourite technological tool for learning and add the hashtag #DLD. Why is it your favourite?”

 

Read a blog post (or two)

Lunchtime Activities 

  • BeeBots, Cubelets and Spheros in the Utilities Room

 

How We Organise Ourselves: Mini Exhibition

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Year Five Mini-Exhibition

The Year Five students have been preparing for their Mini- Exhibition this week. They have been inquiring into the impact of economic decision making.

Central Idea

The economic decisions within society have an impact on humankind and the environment.

Lines of Inquiry

  • Economic activities and decisions within society.
  • The effect of economic decisions on human kind.
  • The effect of economic decisions on the environment.

See below some of the apps and websites that they created to share this information.

Select the image below and scan the QR code to view the Blippit apps. Alternatively, all the St Andrews apps can be viewed HERE .

 

WEBSITES

Zoo Industry Surfing Industry Oil Industry  Shoe Industry
Cosmetic Industry Clothing Industry Pet Industry Car Manufacturing
Cosmetics Industry 2 Fast Food Industry Pharmaceutical Industry Palm Oil Industry

MORE WEEBLYs

Pharmaceutical Animal Testing

Visual Effects 

 

POWERPOINTS

Animal Farming

Meat Farming

Robotics Rule:Sphero

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SPHERO MAZE CHALLENGE

JSL Makerspaces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TASK:

  • Design a maze for the sphero to travel through.
  • Consider the ways that the other teams can gain or lose points.
  • Challenge another team to complete your maze.
  • Use any of the sphero apps on the iPad to complete this challenge.

Sphero Challenge

 

 

 

 

SPHERO YR 5 & 6 MAZE CHALLENGE

AIM:  You and your team are challenged to complete the Sphero Maze.

As a team are trying to collect points along the way. You have a limited amount of time per group. The team with the most points wins. This is a game of challenge and strategy.

You will be given time as a team to consider the best approach to achieve the most points.

Consider the below:

1) Is it better to collect points or complete the challenge in the fastest time?

2) Collaboratively decide on the best course of action. Assign a driver and support team.

Mazes sourced: Big Activities

Time Allocation: 1 MINUTE PER GROUP

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Will you take the challenge?

YEAR 3 PROGRAMMING WITH APPS

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Programming with Apps

On Monday 27th April, select students from Year 3, with the support of the Year 6 ICT Mentors participated in a PROGRAMMING WITH APPS session.

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The students were introduced to the following concepts:

  • What a program is
  • How a computer ‘thinks’
  • Computer languages and visual programming

 

They experimented with following instructions and thinking computationally through the use programmable Bee-Bots and the Bee-Bot app.  These tools are excellent for reinforcing directional and procedural language.

Through the use of visual programming apps, the students also learnt to create simple programs. Apps like Daisy the Dinosaur and Kodable support students to learn to code by solving puzzles. The ability to problem solve is a critical and creative skill for students to develop.

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The students were now ready to create their own program using Scratch Jnr. This app has a drag and drop interface designed specifically for programming with younger children.

The students were given the task to collaboratively design a simple story, selecting an appropriate setting and writing an interaction between characters. This task made connections between the story writing process and computer literacy through programming. The ICT Mentors supported and directed the younger students exceptionally well at this stage.

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All these apps are available for free. More apps can be found at Programming for Primary Students.

If you would like to learn more, read some of our blog posts about programming on the JS Library blog or come and see the Bee-Bots in action during first break in the JS Library.2015-04-27 20.49.01

 

JS Library Makerspaces & STEM in the JS:Robotics

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Lego Robotics session Yr 1 & 2

This term select students in Year 1 & 2 had the opportunity to explore with WeDo Lego robotics. Students explored the features of the software,  developing problem-solving skills through experimentation with Lego and  were exposed to what it means to think computationally through programming.

Year1 and 1 WeDo

Students reflected on the experience -see the PADLET below.

 

Screenshots from the WeDo LEGO Robotics Program.

 

ROBOTICS FOR TEACHERS

Other Robotics News from SALC.

RoboCup Junior

St Andrews hosted a Lego Robotics Day for teachers to explore the possibilities of robotics in the classroom. The day was well received. Thanks to the presenters Peter Kellett and Liz Polentas.