Week 1: E Learning

Week 1: Going in with closed eyes!!!!!

What a great lecture! I learnt so many things, even ones that I should have known however before that I learnt how to set up a blog account with a touch of help from Shelley: thank you:) Well this is my first blog ever! I had a small amount of trouble getting back into my blog page but...........I persevered and won!

I discovered the word "hardware" does not only consist of Iphone, Ipad or computer; there is the TV, digital camera printer and many more. Then I discovered software is what you go into on the internet: for example banking, Facebook and so many more. Life will be so much easier now! I must have been living under a rock! Connecting all the dots throughout the lecture I realized I was actually quite ICT savvy. I have used sites like Glogster, Voki & Wix for an assignment for Science last term and although finding it a little challenging at first to navigate, perseverance and a bit of swearing helped to finish on time.The website for Voki I knew about as my daughter Danyellah used it to create a Voki for a Gr7 assignment and no she wouldn't help me except for, "you need a HTML code mum", as if I knew what that was.

Ok! This is me out for now as I don't know how much to write at the moment. I am sure I will find out. I am going to enjoy this course because I do like to find things out and play with even though it may take me a bit longer. 
Caio for now:)

I am back to blog again...6/7/2012 Friday: 

Okidoki:) The last couple of hours have been very trying! In between yelling at my child because the music was up a tad loud to hanging out the washing hoping it will dry today to reading about Learning Styles, Multiple intelligences, Digital Natives & Engage me or Enrage me. My head still hurts!!!! Bring on school next week where I can study in peace! Love my child really!!!!! My plan of attack is to try and digest everything this week very slowly or else I will turn into a raving lunatic. I completed engagement activities 1,2,5,6,7 found Marc Prensky's readings very helpful. 

I learnt a new words whilst reading: Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Legacy & Futures content & Edutainment. There are a few words I still need to familiarise myself with: hypertext, powerdown, genomics & nanotechnology. I am a Digital Immigrant who is slowly learning. Kids really these days have the world at their fingertips. Technology is here to stay & our kids will reap the benefits.
Learning Styles:

I took the learning style questionnaire finding it very interesting because some of the questions asked were similar to questions previously asked. I would have liked a third multiple choice for some of the questions because I know I am a bitsa this bitsa that!!! 

The Visual aspect did not surprise me at all. I like to see...........and I like to have it written in front of me. I find it difficult to read from the computer and if I do read from it I also take notes. Right this very minute I am reading from the Learning Styles & Strategies that I downlaoded after I did the questionnaire. I am learning though. Last year I printed everything off. At least now I have saved alot into my USB. 

The Sensing & Intuitive section surprised me a little. It wasn't that far out it was a 5 on the sensing scale I know I also lean toward the intuitive side. I suppose it is all in the wording of the questionnaire? I would use this in my classroom because it will give me a great starting point to know my learner. Below are my results:

Results for: Marie Rac
  ACT                  X                                REF
          11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11
                              <-- -->

      SEN              X                                    INT
           11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11
                              <-- -->

      VIS      X                                            VRB
           11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11
                              <-- -->

      SEQ                          X                        GLO
           11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11
                            <-- -->  

Trying to digest everything; I think to truly understand how the kids prefer to learn will depend on how we as teachers gather information on them however it does not stop there. Observing the kids at what they do & how they do it will give even a greater insight into how they prefer to learn. Catering to all the diverse student needs will be challenging at first but as time goes by and we become more entrenched in our profession, it will get easier (hopefully)!!!!!

Multiple Intelligences:

Whilst performing this activity I discovered (flavor word at the moment) what the terms Interpersonal & Intrapersonal mean. Who would have thought that after learning for a year and a half that I only just get it!! I have just tried to copy & paste my results but........it won't work. It was interesting to see the results because depending on the way the questions were worded it spat out a result you know that your value should be higher. Anyway it gave me food for thought as to where I need to develop further. Another great tool for the kids obviously dependent on year level. 

Ok enough of the ramblings of an old woman. I still have to cook dinner because I think I could be charged with neglect if I don't. Bye for now.............

Maz! 
I am so glad I read the Sir Ken Robinson text on Do Schools Kill Creativity? Notice I read didn't watch. Didn't matter I could see by reading the text that this man is quite intelligent & logical with a sense of humour. He is right in what he was saying though; I notice that with our kids I try and push toward a particular field when in reality I should let them be and express their creativity. I want them to be the best they can be and if they aren't lawyers or doctors who cares however that is not going to give them a green light to slacken off!!!!!! 
I have created an account with Bubbl us. I love it!!!! Easy to use & colorful. I like to create a mind map when trying to nut things out and this is perfect. At least when I make a mistake I can just delete that tile. Beautiful!!!!!! No more tree cutting for me. This is great for the kidlings; more so a middle to upper primary tool. Luv it!!!!!!!!

Hello

Well it's Tuesday today and I had to ask a fellow student Kat why my font had changed when I posted my blog. Kat made it look so simple to fix. Thank you for fixing my font on my blog. I will try to promise not to screw it up again! I haven't tried to get back into Wordle yet. 

I went into the soundz website ( I think that's how it is spelt) and had a listen to some of the sounds. That was as far as I got. I will go that little bit further and actually downlaod a sound and play around with it.  

I was asked today would I consider doing E-Learning as a flex student! My answer to that was a definite NO as I prefer to have the face to face contact with the lectures, the room etc. There's that visual component! I know it suits many people but not for me. I know one day it may have to happen. 

Can't wait for tomorrow nights lecture:) I know what I learn here can be put to good use in my other subjects.  

Ahhhhhhhhh........................I worked out Wordle!!!!! Yay. I had to remove the older version of Java and install a newer version. 

That's all for now!!!
Mind Mapping: Tony Buzan 

I thoroughly enjoy creating a mind map but...................let me tell you, they looked nothing like Mr Buzan's! What a genious!!!!! I was and probably still am until I do my next one, one who does straight lines however I did start to use color weeks back. That video was awesome. Can you imagine the kids you know when you give them the tools, creating a mind map? The possibilities are endless because they get in have a go and don't really care if it looks wrong or if they can't draw. Me if I do one and I make a mistake I screw it up and start again; or if my writing isn't quite the way I want it I will START AGAIN!!! You are able to put down on paper what you are thinking and as you continue thinking you think some more until you have created this wonderful thing called a Mind Map. The message I got out of that video was that mind mapping allows the freedom to express your thoughts and creativity and you can create it in color. There is only one rule: it has to be curved lines not straight. If we all create a mind map in this way we could all be geniouses like Da Vinci, Darwin etc. There were a few names to that list but I forgot the rest...........thank you!!. My ramblings retrieved from watching the video three times:         

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MlabrWv25qQ.