The NING challenge

Can you take up the Ning challenge? In this era of Web 2.0, social networking plays a really big part in our students' lives. How many student do NOT have a social network account - Bebo, My Space, etc? Ning is a free social network but what makes it different from Bebo, et al, is that whoever sets the network up becomes the administrator with total control of the content. As a teacher, you could set up a network for your subject and allow the class to upload photos, videos, blogs, and more relating to the topic in question and having the ability to completely monitor the content.

You start by choosing a combination of features (videos, blogs, photos, forums, etc.) from an ever-growing list of options. Then customise how it looks, decide if it's public or private, and add your own logo if you have one. People who join your network will automatically have a customisable profile page and will be able to message and friend each other.

Check this site out as a great example of Ning in action.

How can we apply this to our classroom? How can we use the technology our students use on a daily basis to enhance the teaching and learning of our students? Are you up for the challenge?

Check out these videos showing how to set up a ning network:

SCORM and eXe

SCORM is the Sharable Content Object Reference Model. It allows content to be loaded into, launched and tracked by any learning management system using a common rule set. Today most Virtual Learning Environments are able to handle SCORM-packages (i.e. that it is possible to un-package and use them within the VLE; e.g.: data of tests taken within a SCORM are stored in the VLE's database; student's use of SCORM-modules can be tracked; etc). Learn more about SCORM here.

We have an excellent example of a SCORM in action on our VLE. It was provided by ATT Training Ltd and focuses on the GCSE Motor and Vehicle Course. You can see this here. You can log in with the username and password of 'motorvehicle'.

There are a few open source tools for packaging content to SCORM. One of the best tools around is eXeLearning (eXe). eXe is a program that allows you to merge various media such as audios, videos, images, texts, ... to a single package. Furthermore it provides you with the possibility to create and add interactive elements (like multiple choice questions) to your content. Click here to download the eXe project.

Click here to see an example of a SCORM product produced using eXe.

Collaborative Working with Google Documents

Click on the link to find information and some suggestions on how teachers might use Google Documents - a free means of sharing documents with others through the internet - to encourage students to work collaboratively.

Collaborative working is promoted in the revised curriculum as a means to help students develop their understanding as well as developing the skills necessary for working with others and can be used across all the areas of learning.

You will find other useful information about how Google tools can be used by educators at Google for Educators

What is the Edusim?

The Edusim is a 3D interactive virtual educational environment. It works brilliantly on an interactive whiteboard. Students can manipulate 3D virtual learning objects directly from the board.

The avatar can be changed by the student. Pupils can use the built in Sketch pad to draw 2D shapes which take on 3D properties when saved. They can also work on the 3D aspects of their shape.

Different "worlds" or backgrounds can be downloaded - Mars, Forest, Water, etc. These worlds include 3D animated objects that the student can interact with.

Edusim uses Croquet an open source "Kidsfirst Application Program". Certainly worth a look.

Check this site out for a more in-depth discussion including videos which demonstrate the variety of uses of this software.

Blogging History

If you are wondering about how to use blogs in school have a look at this real time blog to see how blogging can be used to bring history alive.
In 1917, surrounded by the horror of the trenches, British soldier William Henry Bonsor Lamin wrote regularly to the wife and young son he had left behind. His letters are now the subject of a remarkable blog. They're being posted in real time - on the very days that they were written - but exactly ninety years later. In effect, it puts the reader in the same position as the family waiting at home - hoping for the next letter, or preparing themselves for the worst. At this stage, there is no way of knowing if Harry, as his family called him, survives the war or dies in battle. We heard from his grandson turned blogger, Bill Lamin. You can follow the tale, as it unfolds,
at: wwar1.blogspot.com

Introduction to Digital Media using Apple technology

A two day course will be held at the AMMA Centre in Armagh on 31st October and 1st November this year. The programme will provide an introduction to digital media including such applications as iPhoto, Comic Life, iMovie,iDVD and Garageband. The course will be carried out in a relaxed and friendly environment so that newcomers to creative digital media will not feel intimidated.

This training event is a two day residential and applicants are asked to pay a booking fee of £25 - all other expenses will be covered.
For further information call 028 3751 2920 or email vanessa.mcgee@selb.org

/http://www.ammacentre.org

Crazy Talk

Crazy Talk is piece of software which brings any picture or drawing to life. This is the first program we have reviewed that is not free, it costs about £80, however it is very impressive.

To create the movie, all you need is a recorded or imported audio and an appropriate image or photograph to be the avatar or presenter. Crazy Talk automatically works out the mouth movements to match the audio. It also makes the eyes blink and expression change. The combined movie-like end product can be saved as a variety of movie file formats.

The software is great fun to play with. You can transform a picture of a baby into a talking movie, making the baby speak. Educationally, the options are vast. In History, you could simulate a debate between political leaders with the students planning and preparing the discussion as well as recording themselves doing the actual debate with the politicians appearing to deliver it. In Modern Languages, the students can record themselves speaking. This is then combined with their photograph and the end product can be displayed on the interactive whiteboard. The students find that, instead of being embarrassed speaking in front of a video camera, they can focus on the actual speaking and still end up with video-like result. For any subject, using a photograph of themselves, the teacher could be seen delivering a previously recorded podcast.

This program is well worth a visit!