Mrs Banjer’s Little Bytes

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Not sure how to add this to the side bar, will apply myself to this blog in the holidays coming up in THREE WEEKS TIME!

Comment Challenge directions day 1

1. Answer the following questions:

• How often do you comment on other blogs during a typical week?
• Do you track your blog comments? How? What do you do with your tracking?
• Do you tend to comment at the same blogs or do you try to comment on at least one new blog per week?

2. Now review Gina Trapani’s Guide to Blog Comments and ask yourself how well you’re doing in each of the different areas. Are there any specific areas where you think you need to do some work? What do you want to do to address these issues?

If you’d like, it would be great if you blogged about your comment audit to share what you’ve learned about yourself and your commenting behaviors. Be sure to tag your post with “comment08.”

Now this is typical of me, I’ve been meaning to get involved but didn’t quite make it! Missed the boat so to speak. So, here goes, better late than never…

I don’t track other people’s blogs, except Christ Betcher of course. When I first started the MEd Tech course with USQ, his name was raised as someone of interest to listen to. His podcasts interested me and I was so glad to hear others were as interested in using ICT in the classroom as I was that his work struck a chord and I’ve followed his publishings for the past year as a result.

I don’t track my blog comments either, I accidentally managed to create an RSS list on my Flock browser – to Sue Waters, and there were the news feeds that were standard. I will get onto that now and see if I can add my own.

I don’t tend to comment, so I think I had better start to speak up. I have made a couple of comments on Chris’ blog but I have enough going on in my head now to probably be able to say something coherent further afield too.

I have just skimmed through the suggested reading, all of it makes sense. It makes explicit how we should interact with each other irl as well as virtually. Wish me luck as I jump out of my comfort zone as an observer!!

DIVING IN TO JOIN THE REST OF YOU!!

http://flickr.com/photos/fred_isdead/120235301/

Tags: comment08comment08_late

I am listening to a podcast where some ‘virtually’ high profile educators are discussing how to encourage change in the educational environment.  In preparation for an OZNZ Teachers meeting using Flashmeeting on Sunday night. 

http://www.thethinkingstick.com/ondeck/2008/04/10/shifting-our-schools-episode-8-how-to-shift/

It is interesting listening to the talk from the administrators point of view.  I feel that it is time to move on from this global picture now.  I am after practical solutions, strategies that have worked, handouts or sites that we can adapt to our own contexts. 

From my perspective, there are three groups that we need to be communicating with. 

1. Administration so that we know that they know what we are capable of and the tools that we need to work to our potential and for students to learn to their potential.
2. Colleagues, share the skills, encourage the development of a shared knowledge base.  I write “Mrs B’s Little Bytes” each week and email to friends who are interested and post on this blog.
3. Parents, offer explanation of what is covered in class.  I use a Learning Place project room as a class blog which includes a general overview of what is happening and it also contains links that we use at school and Learning Objects to practice what we cover in class.

Recommeded Texts

LeaderTalk blog

“A Mind at a Time” Mel Devine – Brain research, looking at each child and investigating how they look through their mind’s eye.  Looking at the research to see how to help them.

Staff in Australia’s Schools

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations performed a nationwide study in 2007 on 13,000 secondary and primary schools to “characterise the teaching profession to support workforce planning”. 

http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/publications_resources/profiles/sias2007

I have heard that a pay rise is in the offing for senior teachers (that’s me!), I suppose this would be some of the back up research to justify decisions to be made.  As I was contemplating the pleasant thought of using cash instead of credit cards it occurred to me that we would of course be expected to be ‘on campus’ for longer hours.  If this is suggested I would be against it on the grounds that I prefer to work with my superior machine at home for planning, research, PD etc. 

Tags: OZNZcommunicating education reform

My son has just started recruit training at HMAS Cerberus in Melbourne.  Tugged at the heart strings to say goodbye but I can follow his journey online!

http://www.navy.gov.au/recschool/newsletter/258/week1.html

Trying out the blog tool, it really is as easy as viewing the picture and dragging it into the post!  I have just completed a questionnaire for the above site.  I was placed at this site with lots of resources on completion, sure to be something useful…  http://www.edtechcrew.net/

A Twitter colleague, Sujokat, has shared her Del.icio.us links to digital storytelling. 

http://del.icio.us/sujokat/DigitalStorytelling

Need to capture images and video from your computer?  Free, download from here:

http://www.jingproject.com/

Just found this on YouTube.  I have not jumped into Photoshop, which is surprising on reflection, because I am always adding images to my work.  This YouTube video is silent but quickly demonstrates a simple process for creating interesting text.

Tags: Photoshop

Click here for full screen version

At last I have made what may be some progress into researching virtual worlds for primary school students. Over the weekend I constructed an expression of interest in an online research project being conducted by Lindy McKeown up at the Sunshine Coast. As I read it the interaction would be done in-world which is as it should be! LOL Fingers crossed that I am one of the ten chosen to submit a report on the usefulness of virtual learning environments. I had an interesting time tonight exploring Lindy’s SL workspace.

Also, my Twitter network has put me onto a new ning space, Second Classroom. I already have more than half a dozen ‘friends’ to interact with. Wonder where this one will lead me…