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As I prepare myself, both mentally & physically, to come out of the classroom in August to begin a new role at ISB – Technology and Learning Coach, I’ve been reading a [...]]]> I’ve long been a fan of Multiple Intelligences and of course am a complete geek when it comes to web 2.0 tools in the classroom!

As I prepare myself, both mentally & physically, to come out of the classroom in August to begin a new role at ISB – Technology and Learning Coach, I’ve been reading a lot of blogs and checking out a lot of tools (new and old). Part of my daily routine during the summer break has been to check out my TwitterTim.es feed. (Love this!!)

Today I came across this slideshare presentation by Jacqui Sharp (a fellow Kiwi I might add with a blog worth following) about Multiple Intelligences & Web 2.0 tools. What I love about this presentation is that Jacqui has simplified what each Intelligence means in terms of specific abilities and everyday use, and then she has added possible delivery methods with suggested Web2.0 tools to help you do that.  Awesome!

Today my friend, the lovely Mrs Durff asked me if I would skype into her class of Korean middle school students attending the Global Vision Christian School Pre-camp located in Eumseong, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea. to learn English during their summer break.

Unfortunately [...]]]> It’s always fun to help out a friend, especially when they are helping their students connect and practise using English.

Today my friend, the lovely Mrs Durff asked me if I would skype into her class of Korean middle school students attending the Global Vision Christian School Pre-camp located in Eumseong, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea. to learn English during their summer break.

Unfortunately only one student was brave enough to come up to the webcam and ask me question.  So rather than have them trying to think up a question, I decided to ask them some questions instead.  From the safety of their seats, many students answered my simple questions.  It was a fun way to spend 20 minutes of my summer break helping them learn during their summer break!

Thanks for asking me Durff – the pleasure was all mine!

As mentioned in previous posts, our whole 5th Grade team willingly took on a Science/Social Studies technology rich project for our Sustainability Unit of Study.

Using iMovie, every 5th grade student, either in a group, pair or individually, created a Public Service Announcement [...]]]> As our CoETail certificate course comes to an end, as does our final project post.

As mentioned in previous posts, our whole 5th Grade team willingly took on a Science/Social Studies technology rich project for our Sustainability Unit of Study.

Using iMovie, every 5th grade student, either in a group, pair or individually, created a Public Service Announcement (more commonly known as a PSA) to demonstrate their knowledge of a problem of sustainability, how that problem continues to be a problem if we don’t take action, and how we can take action.

Overall the PSAs were a huge success.  The technology piece was, at times, frustrating for different classes, but the quality of the PSAs and my student’s ability to express what they learned and how they can made a difference, impresses me.

Now it’s time to reflect on my role in this project.

The rubric used for the teacher in this project can be found here.

I feel that I’m meeting the redefinition criteria of the rubric in all areas.

One particular strength I have, is being able to use “just-in-time” learning during any use of technology. I use the strengths of students to help other students and my class knows that I do not know everything – we all help each other.  Hanging in our classroom is our Tech Experts Chart.  As we use particular tools during the year, students have the opportunity to volunteer as experts for that tool.  They are the “go to” people when you don’t know how to do something, not me, them!  This works brilliantly and would have to be one of the best things I have ever used in the classroom.

Another strength that I personally believe you need if you are using technology in the classroom is calmness.  We don’t panic or get stressed out when things don’t go quite right.  I am a firm believer in modelling this to your students at all times, so that they in turn model calmness when things don’t work out the way they want.  We’ve dealt with “lost work”, corrupt files, the spinning colour wheel and a raft of other things that often go wrong when using laptops in the classroom.  Nobody ended up in tears, nobody tore their hair out and everyone successfully completed their PSA and has it uploaded to YouTube.   (You can watch all 12 of our PSAs from here).

The Sustainability Unit will be getting some tweaks here and there as we reflect on the whole unit as a team.  There’s already some things I’d like to add to make it easier for next year but that’s for another post!

Today we spent a 45 minute session watching and peer-reviewing each others’ completed PSAs.  Unfortunately, due to two days of closure right before our Songkran break, we needed to export our iMovie projects to a finished product BEFORE a peer-review.  I would be extremely hesitant to export again before a peer-review. [...]]]> (Reflection Post 4 CoETaIL Course 5)

Today we spent a 45 minute session watching and peer-reviewing each others’ completed PSAs.  Unfortunately, due to two days of closure right before our Songkran break, we needed to export our iMovie projects to a finished product BEFORE a peer-review.  I would be extremely hesitant to export again before a peer-review.   The conversations and feedback that were taking place in the classroom during this session was awesome and I could see the realisation of mistakes on student’s faces – it was disappointing for me and for them in not to be able to give them class time to go back, refine, reedit and re-polish their projects.

Before this session, we had watched all of the PSAs, on the big screen, as a showcase, clapping and cheering, with no commenting or reviewing – just for sheer celebration of hard work and a finished project.  This I recommend as it’s fantastic just to enjoy the finished product and take a breather from all the hard work without the creators feeling that their work is straight away, under the microscope.

I created a google doc and shared it with my all of my students prior to this session:

This was a brilliant idea!  All our feedback was on one document.  We went through the document first and talked about answering the questions based only on what you saw and heard in the PSA.  We also decided that you need to watch the PSA at least 3 times – each time concentrating on a different section (content, polish or copyright) at a time.  We also went through, group by group and added the title of the PSA and the peer reviewers names to their section of the document first.  This was so that everyone was adding their feedback in the right place.  Each group of 4 had two laptops – one with the google doc open, the other with YouTube open to watch the PSA.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/room18tis/4558788981/

We had groups of 4 (either made up from each pair of creators, or two single creators teamed up with a pair of creators).  We had 4 individual projects and 8 pair projects to review).

Today, each group reviewed 1 PSA each.  In our next review session, we will probably review one more, with some groups reviewing two more.  I expect that the reviewing will be much quicker as they will all know what they’re looking and listening for.

We’re almost at the end of our Grade 5 PSA making adventure for our Sustainability Unit – Time to take action!

Our proposed timeline was:

image attribution: teachingsagittarian

…….. my fabulous friend and colleague, Kim Cofino, will no longer be the 21st Century Literacy Specialist (Elementary School) and [...]]]> As I lay awake each night contemplating my next big step in the International Teaching Circuit, (ES Technology Learning Coach – name change from Facilitator to Learning Coach was my idea) I’m thinking ……

image attribution: teachingsagittarian

…….. my fabulous friend and colleague, Kim Cofino, will no longer be the 21st Century Literacy Specialist (Elementary School) and Technology Facilitator (Middle School), – she’s leaving the country at the end of the school year and moving to Japan to take up a new technology position in Middle School at YIS (FYI, YIS, you’re incredibly lucky!!)  and Jeff Utecht (bless his heart he’ll still be around for me to yell for when the going gets tough) will no longer be the ES Technology Facilitator – next school year, he’s moving up to the High School to be their Technology Facilitator.
It will just be me in Elementary School.

You sense my dilemma don’t you?  These are some pretty big footprints to follow!!

So, wonderful PLN – here’s where you come in.  Help a girl get some much needed sleep will you please??

Classroom Teachers/Educators
What do you most want out of your Technology Learning Coach/Facilitator/Integrator (or whatever else your school calls it)?

What do you not want?

Tech Facilitators/Integrators/Coaches
What’s your best piece of advice for me?
What are the do’s and don’ts of this kind of position?

Principals/Admin/Management
What do you want from your Tech Learning Coach/Facilitator/Integrator?

All suggestions, tips, ideas and advice welcome and gratefully received – thanking you in advance!