I have started to source, tag and share my Moodle investigations, help yourself, Moodle tag @ Delicious. In addition to the Moodle site, there is a demo site, a Moodle blogger, a strategic deployment interview and some book references. I have joined Gideon Williams (Perins School) Moodle group for Hampshire, chatted with the ICT advisor for Bucks, now they are moving and shaking, spoke with Ian Ushers and a few other fellow teachers who have a professional interest in Moodle – at the same time slowly adding these names to my Twitter PLN. AT Hamble we have appointed a ‘Moodler’ 3 out of 5 days a week and continue to work with CTS on the deployment. Now I want to make sure we get the right install with the right plugins, thats means I have to develop my knowledge to be a lead practictioner for our College…… its about developing my Moodle Noodle.
Today I read and learnt about Conditional Activities. Now this a very motivating tool for students. Unlocking is something young people often experience in their gaming worlds. Complete XYZ and get a bonus level, the mystery room, new character, new move/power or end level boss. Exciting.
Other Learning Platform issues being discussed;
Integration with College MIS.
Visual appearance and skinning, this links with rebranding and renaming Moodle. Probably through student voice.
Accessing Moodle Moot.
Staff Training and wholeschool deployment and how this integrates with a Netbook progect and development on Sims.
This is why I love MY news, exposure to something I would never have ever looked for, nor stumbled upon. All thanks to RSS.For those of you unfamiliar with RSS, I will keep it short as not to annoy those that do, because they are thinking you really should have heard of RSS by now.
RSS feeds deliver self selected news to you, where-ever you choose it to be, the theme behind recent BBC campaining. In my case I have grown accustomed to having MY news accessible to me where ever I am, using Googles ‘Reader.’ I simple log into my Google account and read MY news. Its 24/7 CPD.
Now here’s the fix, I am reading TED’s (you should spend some time there too) list of speakers for 2009 (from their BLOG RSS) and mouse-over Ed Ulbrich, digital story teller and that’s me intrigue. From Ted to Digital Domain and I am inspired. Check out their film reels, dig a little deeper and they show how some of the CGI effects are created in ‘behind the scenes.’ Breath-taking visual effects with simple explanation, enjoy.
What a fantastic example to inspire the students, to stretching the boundaries of their perception of the advertising world in which they exist. A pool of production quality examples for Units 4 and 21 in the OCR Nationals. I haven’t even exhausted all link. Digital Domains, get stuck in.
‘Finding the right way to view your data is as much an art as a science.’
Topic or Tool: Many Eyes. A project and website set up to enable anyone to share data and data analysis. More importantly it allows anyone to create, edit, share data visualizations.
What does it cost? FREE.
How it could be used for teaching?
Anywhere you use data, Many Eyes can help. Sharing data, presenting data, investigating and evaluating data. This resource includes over 16 different visualisation tools so if its data you need to check out Many Eyes.
If you can not find a novel use for Many Eyes then I would be very surprised. We will be using Many Eyes to target and explore the large data sets now mandatory for the new curriculum. Combine this with the statistics available at the OECD (organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and you have a powerful lesson in the making. Or perhaps you may decide to use a Google Form to collect data not solely from one group of students but a whole year, school, county, country? Is that large enough? As an example, we researched and sourced over 291 unique movie titles (any imperfect entries or duplicates were deleted, 611 total entries were recorded) from 4 groups working collaboratively and simultaneously in preparation for Unit 7, ‘Use and Design Databases.’ The data set was certainly more comprehensive and current than the measly 30 the board provided. If you want to add to the list, please do. We add some fun challenges, like the oldest film, long Directors name. If you want a copy of the list, you only have to ask.
In November, Microsoft released a major update to its Windows Live online services. The Windows Live suite included updates for mail, messenger, photo gallery and more, I was particular interested in how Movie Maker would work. I blogged about the Windows Live Family Safety features although I am not sure our students won’t find numerous ways around these features. There are also a two new additions: Windows Live Sync and the Office Live Add-In. Silverlight is now also part of the Live Essentials suite.
We now also have Live Sync which allows you to sync any kind of file to the 25GB of space that Microsoft’s SkyDrive online storage service now offers. Now this has potential. I had read somewhere that the LIVE OFFICE would include OneNote? I have not seen evidence of this yet? Anyone?
Regardless we move forward. I am considering to use a folder and group to develop a group of Moodle ICT teachers. A place to share information and documents. I let you know how we get on – my only reservation with this option is that the Moodle group will set up a Moodle LP for this purpose.
Ever heard of Ocarina? All I knew was that it was an I phone application sensation. I didn’t know it was a real instrument believed to date some 12,000 years, and one of the easiest instruments to learn. Now a global phenomenon.
How do we get here?
Step one is a major step but he needs noting. Apple launch innovate i-Phone.
Step two – Smule release I Phone app at just 99c. An instrument as simple as it is brilliant.
Step three – Another one of those bedroom Youtube video enthusiasts docjazz4 is spotted for his Ocarina playing talents (the real Ocarina that is) and asked to show off what the new I phone Ocarina app can do.
Step four – Ocarina the fast selling i-phone app.
Step five – bring Youtube and Smule back into focus and we have an online competition.
In November, Microsoft released a 
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