Tag Archives: ICT

ROBOTICS RULE: THE JS Library M@kerspace

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Robotics banner Think Sense Act

The focus for the JS Library Makerspace in Term 4 is exploration with robotics.

Students have access to the following robotic resources

  • Bee Bots
  • Cubelets
  • Spheros

In Term 1 some Year 1 students were able to learn with the Lego WeDo).

 

Additionally, we try to match the concepts to literature.

JS Library Term 4 display (3)

 

 

 

 

 

Photos of students at the initial mentor training session

The ICT Mentors (and friends) have learnt how to use the cubelets and the sphero in an introductory session in order to teach other students. These student were already competent in the use of Bee Bots.

As a part of the construct of the Makerspace, it is desired to have some permanent stations or activities for the students as well as ones that are temporary and supervised  (led by a teacher or the ICT Mentors) in order to support the more complex programs and tasks.

Jonah mentoring

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 3 ICT Mentor in Training Mentoring Preps!

Permanent Stations for Exploration: Bee Bot

The Bee Bots will be available each day and at first break.

Sphero

The Sphero will be able to be ‘borrowed’ by other students (with a trained student willing to support the other students in its use and to assist with trouble shooting).

2015-10-18 09.46.35

 

 

 

 

 

 

Temporary Station for Exploration: Cubelets 

cubelts set

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMING SOON

In Week 4 students across the Junior School will have the opportunity to use these resources and will be set a collaborative challenge to complete.

See below more information about these challenges below (select thumbnail to view larger size).

Bee Bots in Action

Cubelets in Action

Sphero in Action and see Cathy Hunt’s iPad Art Room for more exciting ways to explore coding with the Sphero.

ICT Mentors’ Explorations, AC and Digital Technologies

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Today I had an ICT Mentor meeting with students who have nominated to be involved in this leadership group.

The students have been tasked with the role of introducing Beebots to the students and supporting the younger students inquiry. The students will work in pairs to teach and support the younger students learn about basic programming using the Beebots.

We have purchased a variety of ‘maps’  to support this inquiry, as well as the Beetbots and iPads with the Beebot app.

Street map

BB road map 3

 

World map

BB world map 2

and we have a ‘blank’ map with 15x 15 size squares. Sparkle Box has many fantastic resources for the blank map.

Later in the term these students will work with the younger students to use the Beebots. One possible approach to conducting these sessions is to connect with a picture book and then use the Beebots as a supporting tool.

1) Students will read the book (or use a video of it being read).

2) Students teach the basics of the Beebots and the commands.

3) Students use the blank map to explore the concepts further.

For example, adapt the ‘I went shopping’ game and  turn it  into ‘One day the Hungry Caterpillar ate _____’.

This photo below has the templates for The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

VHC map

Looking forward to this!

Additional note:

These skills and processes not only connect to developing students’ leadership skills, they also support the Learner Profile and Attitudes of the IB Primary Years Programme. From the teacher perspective this will link into many curriculum  areas. Finally, it provides us with ways to introduce the TECHNOLOGIES curriculum (for Digital Technologies) to students and staff before implementation in 2014.

Specific to the Digital Technologies curriculum

Digital Technologies processes and production skills

Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions

Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)

Year 3 and 4 Content Descriptions

Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them (ACTDIP010)

 

 

 

Mapping media to the curriculum

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“Media maps are workflow storyboards for multimedia products. What do you want to create with your students today?”

This website clearly sets out how to develop a workflow with ICT to support the curriculum.
Simple, yet effective examples that can be applied to the classroom.

Wesley Fryer created the “Mapping Media to the Curriculum” website to accompany and support his eBook, “Playing with Media: simple ideas for powerful sharing.”

Love it!

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Continue reading →

Ruben R. Puentedura’s SAMR model

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Last week I was fortunate enough to listen to Ruben R. Puentedura and hear directly from him about his model SAMR about how to effectively engage and challenge in order to be innovative and creative AND how to enable true pedagogical change and improve student learning outcomes. 
The following is from Dr Ruben’s weblog:
September 3, 2012
Building Upon SAMR
The slides from my presentations in Brisbane are now online:
Building Upon SAMR
I have also uploaded the slides from my workshop on SAMR ladder design: SAMR: Thoughts for Design
My thanks to everyone who attended the session – you’ve given me a wonderful welcome to Australia!
Additional Resources
The links to his presentations and resources can be found on my diggo link.
Other resources about SAMR
This SAMR modle image cames from Jenny Luca’s blog
Source

The 50 books every child should read

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Micheal Grove from The Independent (UK) recommends 50 books that every child should read.

What would you recommend or add to this list?

Put a post it on PINDAX (like wallwisher) or reply below.

One of my recommendations is the Chronicle of Darkness series by Michelle Paver.

Go the the PINDAX here or post below.




ICT in the PYP Conference Hong Kong

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The PYP ICT in the PYP Conference was held at Renaissance College, in Hong Kong.

It was focused on futher developing an understanding of the place of ICT in PYP.

The inital day was focussed on the purpose and philosophy of ICT in the PYP,  international mindedness and the development of the  essential elements of PYP through the use of ICT.

The subsequent days built on this knowledge and understandings developed allowing for application to specific participants environments.

To see some of the comments via the twitter comments go to ICTinPYP (#ICTinPYP), my book marks (delicious) @JSSALC and my prezi @

And completely off the track – have you tried  vegetable stuffed pig intestines? I  have… at a vegetarian restaurant in Hong Kong.

This is what they looked like!

 25092010

To view some photos go to ICTinPYP flickr, kkfung’s photostream and my wiki page JSSALCLibrary.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kkfung20462046/show/

GOOGLE EARTH – Educational value

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Have you considered using GOOGLE EARTH  to enhance your lessons?

Go to 25 ways (and tips) to use GOOGLE EARTH in the classroom.

Some other useful GOOGLE EARTH sites are:

Some examples:

Google Earth Outreach Showcase
How non profit organisations are using Google Earth and maps to show their cause visually.

HUMANITARIAN

CLIMATE

and see GOOGLE EARTH LESSONS website.

Geo Visitors Map

Add your comments to your photos – Fotobabble and Superlame!

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Ever wanted to add speech bubbles or conversation to your student photos or work?

Fotobabble is just one tool that can do this easily. Another is Superlame!
Photobabble allows you to add audio, whereas Superlame allows you to add captions and to download the image to use offline.

Judith Way’s award winning blog has some suggestions about how to use Fotobabble in the classroom as well as excellent advice about how to do this ethically and responsibly.

“Students can use their own photos or those from copyright free or Creative Commons websites and then record a narration. Fotobabbles may be kept private, just remember to ensure the privacy box is ticked and click ’save’. As with most social media sites, there is a way of reporting objectionable content, but there is no way of ensuring students don’t find any, unless you investigate first and supervise use.”

Source
“Fotobable” by Judith Way from the Bright Ideas blog
April 9, 2010.