Clive James reckons boredom leads to creativity. I've long been a fan of boredom, daydreaming and unplugging from the world. Seems we're not the only ones. Check this out:
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Instructional vids for various domains
Here are links to two sites which provide instructional vids. The Khan Academy has over 2100 educational videos.
Maths Master offers short instructional videos for learning basic arithmetic and algebra and is also working on developing video instruction on probability and geometry
Maths Master offers short instructional videos for learning basic arithmetic and algebra and is also working on developing video instruction on probability and geometry
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
iPads in education
DEECD iPad trial
This website is for educators who want to learn about using iPads in education. Here you will find information about the Victorian school iPads for Learning trial including specially selected apps, classroom ideas and technical tips.
This website is for educators who want to learn about using iPads in education. Here you will find information about the Victorian school iPads for Learning trial including specially selected apps, classroom ideas and technical tips.
What makes a good maths teacher?
Students talk about good maths teachers Catherine Attard
What are the qualities of a ‘good’ mathematics teacher? A group of 20 students in Year 6 were asked their opinions as part of a longitudinal study in NSW. The same study followed the students into the first two years of secondary school. The research identified the interpersonal teaching and learning relationships between teachers and students as the most important contributor to students’ engagement with maths. They engaged well when positive relationships with their teachers were in place, and when curriculum arrangements were conducive to those relationships. By contrast, it was difficult for students to remain engaged when they lacked positive interactions with teachers, even when the teaching was otherwise high-quality and was supported by innovative curriculum and school design.
Curriculum Leadership email alert
Volume 9, Number 6, 11 March 2011
What are the qualities of a ‘good’ mathematics teacher? A group of 20 students in Year 6 were asked their opinions as part of a longitudinal study in NSW. The same study followed the students into the first two years of secondary school. The research identified the interpersonal teaching and learning relationships between teachers and students as the most important contributor to students’ engagement with maths. They engaged well when positive relationships with their teachers were in place, and when curriculum arrangements were conducive to those relationships. By contrast, it was difficult for students to remain engaged when they lacked positive interactions with teachers, even when the teaching was otherwise high-quality and was supported by innovative curriculum and school design.
Curriculum Leadership email alert
Volume 9, Number 6, 11 March 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Text types
Writing Fun
by Jenny Eather
Using text type organizers to help students with their writing
http://www.writingfun.com/writingfun2010.html
by Jenny Eather
Using text type organizers to help students with their writing
http://www.writingfun.com/writingfun2010.html
Monday, February 28, 2011
UNICEF Data: The State of the World’s Teens
Hack Education has links to this report. click here
UNICEF has released its latest “State of the World’s Children” report, and The Guardian has posted the data on its website to compliment its story on UNICEF’s findings.
Although ostensibly about children, UNICEF’s report pays quite a bit of attention to the world’s teens, noting that while much attention (i.e., education, health care, social development funds) is paid the first ten years of life, little really addresses the needs and the problems of adolescents. It’s a cautionary note: “The report argues that adolescents are often marginalised in development budgets and programming, and that if this is not corrected then investment in global poverty, health, education and employment goals will be compromised.”
UNICEF has released its latest “State of the World’s Children” report, and The Guardian has posted the data on its website to compliment its story on UNICEF’s findings.
Although ostensibly about children, UNICEF’s report pays quite a bit of attention to the world’s teens, noting that while much attention (i.e., education, health care, social development funds) is paid the first ten years of life, little really addresses the needs and the problems of adolescents. It’s a cautionary note: “The report argues that adolescents are often marginalised in development budgets and programming, and that if this is not corrected then investment in global poverty, health, education and employment goals will be compromised.”
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Key word research with Google Wonder Wheel
The Google Wonder Wheel is a research tool that helps students narrow down their search results.
http://ianmclean.edublogs.org/2010/02/01/keyword-research-with-google-wonder-wheel/
http://ianmclean.edublogs.org/2010/02/01/keyword-research-with-google-wonder-wheel/
Humanities web pages
Jeana Kriewaldt, Dianne Mulcahy
Curriculum Leadership, Volume 8 Issue 20
A recently completed project has sought to identify the characteristics of accomplished geography teaching and develop a set of standards for the teaching of geography in Australian schools. A distinctive feature of the research, and the main focus of this article, was the incorporation of student perspectives on the nature of high quality geography teaching. For the project researchers observed the classroom practices of a range of high performing geography teachers, supplemented by interviews with teachers and students. The project involved eight schools across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia representing all three sectors and both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.
Click here for the complete article
BBC History
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/
Bring history to life with animated maps, movies, games, picture galleries, virtual 3D tours and more.
British history, Ancient history, World Wars.
Awesome stories
http://www.awesomestories.com/
AwesomeStories is a gathering place of primary-source information. Its purpose is to help educators and individuals find original sources, located at national archives, libraries, universities, museums, historical societies and government-created web sites.
Queensland History Teachers Association
http://www.qhta.com.au/default.htm
There are some useful links on the 'links' page.
The map as history
http://www.the-map-as-history.com/
Animated history maps. While this is a subscription site, there are a number of animated maps available for free.
Curriculum Leadership, Volume 8 Issue 20
A recently completed project has sought to identify the characteristics of accomplished geography teaching and develop a set of standards for the teaching of geography in Australian schools. A distinctive feature of the research, and the main focus of this article, was the incorporation of student perspectives on the nature of high quality geography teaching. For the project researchers observed the classroom practices of a range of high performing geography teachers, supplemented by interviews with teachers and students. The project involved eight schools across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia representing all three sectors and both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.
Click here for the complete article
BBC History
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/
Bring history to life with animated maps, movies, games, picture galleries, virtual 3D tours and more.
British history, Ancient history, World Wars.
Awesome stories
http://www.awesomestories.com/
AwesomeStories is a gathering place of primary-source information. Its purpose is to help educators and individuals find original sources, located at national archives, libraries, universities, museums, historical societies and government-created web sites.
Queensland History Teachers Association
http://www.qhta.com.au/default.htm
There are some useful links on the 'links' page.
The map as history
http://www.the-map-as-history.com/
Animated history maps. While this is a subscription site, there are a number of animated maps available for free.
English web pages
Elif Shafak: The politics of fiction
http://www.ted.com/talks/elif_shafak_the_politics_of_fiction.html
This 20 minute TEDvideo explores the importance of story telling/fiction. 'Listening to stories widens the imagination; telling them lets us leap over cultural walls, embrace different experiences, feel what others feel. Elif Shafak builds on this simple idea to argue that fiction can overcome identity politics.' She is also a story teller herself.
Adolescent Literacy
http://www.adlit.org/
AdLit.org is a national (U.S.A.) multimedia project offering information and resources to the parents and educators of struggling adolescent readers and writers.
CMIS Fiction Focus
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/fiction/index.htm
From the Department of Education, Western Australia. CMIS has an ongoing commitment to promote the reading of fiction for enjoyment as well as to develop students' literacy and thinking skills and to foster the growth of their cultural and aesthetic appreciation. It's also worth subscribing to the CMIS blog
Opening lines
click here for details
This post links you to ideas for using the opening lines from books. Some really terrific lines which could be used in all sorts of ways: story writing (how to start well); stimulus for creative writing...
http://www.ted.com/talks/elif_shafak_the_politics_of_fiction.html
This 20 minute TEDvideo explores the importance of story telling/fiction. 'Listening to stories widens the imagination; telling them lets us leap over cultural walls, embrace different experiences, feel what others feel. Elif Shafak builds on this simple idea to argue that fiction can overcome identity politics.' She is also a story teller herself.
Adolescent Literacy
http://www.adlit.org/
AdLit.org is a national (U.S.A.) multimedia project offering information and resources to the parents and educators of struggling adolescent readers and writers.
CMIS Fiction Focus
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/fiction/index.htm
From the Department of Education, Western Australia. CMIS has an ongoing commitment to promote the reading of fiction for enjoyment as well as to develop students' literacy and thinking skills and to foster the growth of their cultural and aesthetic appreciation. It's also worth subscribing to the CMIS blog
Opening lines
click here for details
This post links you to ideas for using the opening lines from books. Some really terrific lines which could be used in all sorts of ways: story writing (how to start well); stimulus for creative writing...
Science web links
Climate change: NASA's eyes on the earth
http://climate.nasa.gov/
A wide range of resources dealing with climate change.
United Nations Environment Programme
http://climate.nasa.gov/
PDF posters on a wide range of environmental issues that can be downloaded or added to student resources.
Women in science
http://www.astr.ua.edu/4000WS/
4000 years of women in science (biographies).
U.S Geological Survey
http://www.usgs.gov/
Aims states on site: 'As an unbiased, multi-disciplinary science organization that focuses on biology, geography, geology, geospatial information, and water, we are dedicated to the timely, relevant, and impartial study of the landscape, our natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten us.'
http://climate.nasa.gov/
A wide range of resources dealing with climate change.
United Nations Environment Programme
http://climate.nasa.gov/
PDF posters on a wide range of environmental issues that can be downloaded or added to student resources.
Women in science
http://www.astr.ua.edu/4000WS/
4000 years of women in science (biographies).
U.S Geological Survey
http://www.usgs.gov/
Aims states on site: 'As an unbiased, multi-disciplinary science organization that focuses on biology, geography, geology, geospatial information, and water, we are dedicated to the timely, relevant, and impartial study of the landscape, our natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten us.'
Maths web resources
Dy/Dan is Dan Meyer's blog for maths teachers. There is also an extensive list of blogs that he follows that may be of interest too.
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Illuminations (U.S.A) website is full of activities and lesson plans. NCTM's weblinks collection is reviewed by an editorial board. The collection is divided into five categories; Numbers & Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis & Probability.
Mathtrain TV 'a lovely set of screencasts to help teach maths. There is a choice of student or teacher created screencasts as well as videos with captions.'
More maths screen casts 'a resource for students studying maths who may need further explanations on the topic... [and] an exemplar of how students can demonstrate their learning of maths concepts (and media creation skills) by teaching others.'
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Illuminations (U.S.A) website is full of activities and lesson plans. NCTM's weblinks collection is reviewed by an editorial board. The collection is divided into five categories; Numbers & Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis & Probability.
Mathtrain TV 'a lovely set of screencasts to help teach maths. There is a choice of student or teacher created screencasts as well as videos with captions.'
More maths screen casts 'a resource for students studying maths who may need further explanations on the topic... [and] an exemplar of how students can demonstrate their learning of maths concepts (and media creation skills) by teaching others.'
Current affairs in French
Mon JT Quotidien
Le seul journal televise pour les enfants de 8 a 14 ans. (Apologies for the lack of correct punctuation.)
A useful site for current affairs in French and spoken at a good pace.
Le seul journal televise pour les enfants de 8 a 14 ans. (Apologies for the lack of correct punctuation.)
A useful site for current affairs in French and spoken at a good pace.
Language education in Australian schools
The current state of Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean language education in Australian schools: four languages, four stories
Curriculum Leadership
Volume 8 Issue 17
This article is adapted from the introduction to a new Australian Government report of the same title that is available in full on the website of the Asia Education Foundation (AEF). The report provides an overview of issues addressed in four separately published reports covering Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese language education, also available on the AEF website.
Click here
Curriculum Leadership
Volume 8 Issue 17
This article is adapted from the introduction to a new Australian Government report of the same title that is available in full on the website of the Asia Education Foundation (AEF). The report provides an overview of issues addressed in four separately published reports covering Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese language education, also available on the AEF website.
Click here
22 Frames
22 Frames provides a central location for locating captioned videos for learning English and for Internet users who have hearing impairments. 22 Frames provides more than just captioned videos. For each video 22 Frames provides a list of idioms, slang words, and commonly mispronounced words in each video. 22 Frames tells viewers where each use of idioms, slang, and commonly mispronounced words appears in each video. Viewers can click on any of the words in the lists provided by 22 Frames to find a definition for each word and to find pronunciation tips. Videos range from current news stories to videos from popular culture. Covers a wide range of languages including Arabic, French and Indonesian.
22 Frames
22 Frames
French audio tour of Melbourne
Produced by the University of Melbourne, Podtour: A l’écoute de Melbourne is a downloadable audio walking tour in French that will take you through the streets of the city to discover some fascinating and little known facts about its history and its laneways.
French audio tour of Melbourne
French audio tour of Melbourne
texting
The Age had a local article, also with photo, dealing with the danger of texting whilst driving.
Check it out here
or see The Age, Monday February 7th, 2011 page 7
Check it out here
or see The Age, Monday February 7th, 2011 page 7
parents and new media
Common Sense Media has lots of advice for parents to help them guide children's use of new media: internet, mobile phones, etc. It's American and has ties with Google.
"Millions of parents turn to Common Sense Media every day to find the best media for their kids. We have thousands of reviews based on child development principles so you can help them find that perfect, age appropriate movie or song. Common Sense is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to improving the media lives of kids everywhere."
Here's their You Tube site
Here's a clip about internet use
"Millions of parents turn to Common Sense Media every day to find the best media for their kids. We have thousands of reviews based on child development principles so you can help them find that perfect, age appropriate movie or song. Common Sense is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to improving the media lives of kids everywhere."
Here's their You Tube site
Here's a clip about internet use
Mike Eisenberg on information literacy
Information literacy: the most basic of basics
This audio power point presentation argues that information literacy is "the most basic of basics". It comes from Mike Eisenberg, one of the developers of the Big 6.
click here for presentation
This audio power point presentation argues that information literacy is "the most basic of basics". It comes from Mike Eisenberg, one of the developers of the Big 6.
click here for presentation
Monday, February 14, 2011
graphic organizers
Help your students children classify ideas and communicate more effectively. Use graphic organizers to structure writing projects, to help in problem solving, decision making, studying, planning research and brainstorming.
This site provides a wide range of graphic organizers and you have permission to print and copy these pages for classroom use.
printable graphic organizers
This site provides a wide range of graphic organizers and you have permission to print and copy these pages for classroom use.
printable graphic organizers
Ideas for using ICT in the classroom
Here's a collaborative collection of ideas for using ICT in the classroom.
Interesting ways
Interesting ways
Friday, February 4, 2011
Voki for education
http://www.voki.com/Voki_for_education.php
Voki now has a site for educators. Students can create their own avatars. We often use a Voki on the library homepage for announcements.
Voki now has a site for educators. Students can create their own avatars. We often use a Voki on the library homepage for announcements.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Awesome stories
AwesomeStories is a gathering place of primary-source information. Its purpose is to help educators and individuals find original sources, located at national archives, libraries, universities, museums, historical societies and government-created web sites.
Subjects covered are ' biography, disaster, trials, flicks, history, inspiration, religion and sports.'
http://www.awesomestories.com/
Subjects covered are ' biography, disaster, trials, flicks, history, inspiration, religion and sports.'
http://www.awesomestories.com/
OzArts
OzArts is the Australia Council for the Arts program of market development initiatives to showcase the best of Australia’s contemporary arts to the world... profiles a broad spectrum of the Australian arts – dance, literature, music, theatre, and visual arts and crafts – and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, and artists whose work is performed for young people.
http://www.ozarts.com.au/home
http://www.ozarts.com.au/home
Google Doodle
When Google does pretty things with its search page.
Doodles and Doodle history
Doodles used previously.
Doodle 4 Google competition
This is only open to U.S kids but you might like to use the concept.
Arthur Boyd Doodle
One of Australia's great artists 'doodled'.
Other artists/musicians have also been doodled, e.g. Frida Kahlo, Vincent van Gogh and Dizzy Gillespie.
Doodles and Doodle history
Doodles used previously.
Doodle 4 Google competition
This is only open to U.S kids but you might like to use the concept.
Arthur Boyd Doodle
One of Australia's great artists 'doodled'.
Other artists/musicians have also been doodled, e.g. Frida Kahlo, Vincent van Gogh and Dizzy Gillespie.
Partnerships between schools and the professional arts sector
http://cmslive.curriculum.edu.au/leader/default.asp?id=31905&issueID=12177
Partnerships between schools and the professional arts sector are becoming more common in Australia and around the world. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in Victoria has produced, with Arts Victoria, a research report highlighting the growing body of national and international research into such partnerships. The current article briefly describes some examples of partnerships covered in the report, and highlights the role these partnerships play in the advancement of students' engagement, social learning, personalised learning, creativity and arts-related knowledge.
Partnerships between schools and the professional arts sector are becoming more common in Australia and around the world. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in Victoria has produced, with Arts Victoria, a research report highlighting the growing body of national and international research into such partnerships. The current article briefly describes some examples of partnerships covered in the report, and highlights the role these partnerships play in the advancement of students' engagement, social learning, personalised learning, creativity and arts-related knowledge.
Art Project (Google)
Explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share your own collection of masterpieces.
Includes virtual tours of a number of museums.
http://www.googleartproject.com/
Includes virtual tours of a number of museums.
http://www.googleartproject.com/
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