SAGT 2007 - Join the Online Revolution - Seminar 8 - R Chambers

1. “ Join the Online Revolution” SAGT CONFERENCE 27 th October 2007 Rob Chambers - St Ivo School [email_address] Enhancing the teaching and learning of geography using new technologies www.igeog.wordpress.com www.geobytes.org.uk

2. Source: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aEFKfXiCbLw

3. Websites, VLEs, Blogs, Podcasts & Wikis “ Becoming part of the online revolution” “ Instead of making kids power down when they enter school, why don’t we let them use their mobile computer devices and ipods to continue their high powered learning”? Ewan MacIntosh Why not make use of the technology that more and more of our students have readily available and join the online revolution? “ When I go to school I have to power down” (unknown)

4. “ e-Learning delivers many enhancements to the teaching and learning experience; the biggest impact occurs when the technology enables social and collaborative interaction where all parties actively build their understanding” Steve Lee & Miles Berry (2006) – “Learning through collaboration” (Coming of Age – An introduction to the new world wide web)

5. GeoBytes – St Ivo School Geography Departments Online Portal

7. A department website Developing an online presence for your department….

9. What information may a Department Website include? Revision Materials Coursework Materials Promoting Geography Homework Case Studies Students Work Fieldwork Write ups Weblinks Quizzes Staff Resources Web Enquiries Podcasts Department News Prof Development Photographs SOW GeoNews Competitions

10. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – 1. Homework

11. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – 2. Revision

12. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – 3. Supporting Independent Learning

13. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – 4. INTERACTIVE LEARNING

14. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning PROMOTING THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT / SHOWCASING WORK

15. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning PROMOTING FIELDWORK OPPORTUNITIES

16. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORTING STAFF: Staff Resources Portal

18. Also known as Personalised Learning Environments Virtual Learning Environments Developing personalised learning experiences…

19. The DfES in their e-strategy document set the following target: A personalised learning space with the potential to support e-portfolios to be available to all schools by 2007-08. What is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)? “ A virtual learning environment is any electronic space where learning can take place or where interactions occur.” Source: http://www.ukcle.ac.uk “ It is an environment that is accessed via the Internet for teaching, learning and communicating.” Source: http://www.kirklees-ednet.org.uk The VLE used at St Ivo is called DigitalBrain . www.geobytes.org.uk

20. Examples of VLEs…

21. Possible Functions of Digital Brain as a Virtual Learning Environment 3. File Sharing Each user has an online storage area – files can therefore be stored and shared. – e.g. students handing in work or staff making available resources from lessons. 1. Electronic Communication All digitalbrain users have an e-mail account. Threaded discussions can also be set up – to encourage debate. A live discussion ‘chat room’ facility is available with or without moderator . 2. Personal Organisation Each user has a series of personal organisational tools – include online contacts, personal calendar etc.. (and when part of a course – assignment deadlines etc. are automatically added. 4. School Portal The overall school portal gives the school a web presence – all staff and students can interact with portal logging in at home and in school and a network can easily be set up to link staff / students through departments / year groups pages. 5. E-Learning Content Content can be uploaded to Digital Brain as powerpoints, word documents, existing web pages etc.. Or staff and students can easily create their own web pages by simply adapting on line templates and adding content 6. Learning Manager – it is possible to combine exisiting resources to create on-line communities. Assignments can be set online with links to useful resources, deadlines, supporting files etc.. Students can submit completed work online – marks can be stored in personal online mark books etc.. www.geobytes.org.uk

22. An Example of an Online Learning Community: GOLC : Geography Online Learning Community Shared Calendar Work area / Stored Resources Discussions Access to Online Resources

24. Online portals and collaboration… “ e-Learning delivers many enhancements to the teaching and learning experience” “ many students find that their learning is most effective when they actively construct knowledge during group social interaction and collaboration” Steve Lee & Miles Berry (2006) – “Effective e-Learning through collaboration” (Coming of Age – An introduction to the new world wide web)

25. Collaborative Approaches to Learning using new technologies One to Many Static content web sites Dynamic Content websites RSS Blogs Podcasts Social Tags E-portfolio One to One E-mail and SMS texts Instant Messaging VoIP FOAF (Friend of a Friend) eg. Facebook / Orkut etc. Source: Steve Lee & Miles Berry (2006) – “Effective e-Learning through collaboration (Coming of Age: An Introduction to the NEW Worldwide Web) – Downloadable from http://terry-freedman.org.uk/artman/publish/cat_index_30.php Many to Many Content Management Systems News Servers Forums Discussion Games Wikis

26. Blogs Source: www.cartoonstock.com Flexibility and ease in providing online materials and support..

27. What is a blog? “ A blog (short for web log) is a website where entries are written in chronological order and displayed in reverse chronological order.” (Source: Wikipedia) http://teachable.org/images/blog_cartoon.gif Blogs are interactive websites (visitors can leave comments). You can set up a blog within seconds and updating them is quick and easy. Blogs do not require knowledge of html to write, in fact they are not dissimilar to the time and knowledge required to write an email! These websites and any changes made are viewed instantly and links and downloadable resources can easily be added. Blogs may consist of anything, from specific niche blogs about specific areas of interest to general thoughts and ideas that people which to share.

28. www.geobytesgcse.blogspot.com www.geobytesadvancedextension.blogspot.com www.geoblogbytes.wordpress.com www.igeog.wordpress.com Using Blogs as part of the GeoBytes Portal …

29. “ Unlike the formal use of email, the blog is easy to access through the schools website and allows you to view other peoples questions and answers that you wouldn’t get in another form. It is a great way for students to share their enthusiasm, learn from each other as well as receiving additional guidance they may need from the teacher.” Amy “ I think the blog has been really useful as well - I agree - it’s nice to be able to view everyone else's questions and if it is checked it often is more convenient and quicker than email. It’s also a good motivator!” Megan Getting Feedback… So what do the students think? “ the blog rocks its an easy way to find all the info you need and if everyone has the same question ony one person needs to answer it and everyone gets a response and its just different from reading other our notes over and over” Fi

32. Wikis Developing a collaborative approach to teaching and learning …

33. What is a wiki? Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki Source: http://recap.ltd.uk/wiki/Main/Guide The main aim of a wiki is.. The collaboration and sharing of ideas A wiki allows ALL authors to read , edit and write web pages – links can be included to other pages in the wiki or extenal links on the web & incorporate other docs / audio / video etc. Changes can be tracked and who has made them.

35. “ Now, instead of making kids power down when they enter school .. why don't we let them use their mobile computing devices and iPods to continue their high-powered learning”. Source: Ewan Macintosh http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/2007/03/200_minutes_a_n.html

36. Podcasting Utilising student friendly technologies…

38. Integrating podcasts into online learning..

41. Can be downloaded at http://terry-freedman.org.uk/artman/publish/cat_index_30.php Can be downloaded at www.geobytes.org.uk (visit the department section) 2. Geography Directory 2007 A directory of weblinks and resources to support the Teaching and Learning of Geography. 1. Coming of Age: Introduction to the new world wide web A fantastic free booklet packed with case studies and teachers / consultants thoughts on the use of new technologies, how pupils respond etc. FREE RESOURCES