One of the many tools that Tim Rylands unleashed upon us during today's event was this magical music creation web 2.0 app. Seaquence lets you, the composer, create life formed music which you control during composition. Watch the video to get an idea of what to expect.
Tim Rylands' presentation moved along at a rapid pace starting with Twitter and why it could be an important tool for teachers. The list of tools can be found at http://bit.ly/world2me
I'm focusing on his message. For example, we still call cameras, digital cameras whereas children call them cameras. We need to move along with our learners or we will end up speaking the wrong digital language. Interspacing his presentation with humour and stories is part of Tim's way of getting the message across.By using taxgalaxy ''I'm going to that planet to see the pictures it's populated for our perusal' alliteration in a presentation!
When introducing a new tool to a class, let them loose to explore all the cool, fun stuff. They will get it out of their system leaving you the time to fine tune the use of those tools for their work and to move learning along.
Story telling.
Starting with a static image, being there. Then moving to a image that can be explored. Immersing the learners in a moving world by using games, green screening to put them into the story itself. Tim is well known as a composer too and his presentation dipped into the use of paid for and free apps to create music for use in classrooms. Just remember to let the children create music too.
These online tools encourage children to try, create, edit and share their creations. Even the youngest learners can get involved with isleoftune.
The outdoors
Games are not the answer to everything, getting the children outside is and will always be a valuable learning experience. Yet it needs as much careful planning as staying in class. Combining outdoor elements with indoor is a challenge but a worthwhile one to explore. Mobile devices play a big part in Tim's use of technology, we shouldn't be afraid of them but it's important to know the safety issues surrounding them.
Tim may have left teaching but he will always be a teacher. His style of presenting makes you realise how important it is to engage by using visuals, audio, movement, conversation, participation, changes in your voice and having a genuine desire to help others learn.
We sat enthralled, smiling, laughing, thinking and all had a desire to try out what he had shown us. Get that right in your own teaching and your learners will go home everyday with a desire to learn.
Instead of "I don't know what to do sir!" "Press this one."
TRY
"I don't know what to do." "Sir, press this one."
Listen to the learners.
David Mitchell inspired the audience with his story of blogging at Heathfield. His story included a pupil, Binyameen blogging from home - 60,000 words in 12 months. His video demonstrated the power blogging can have when used effectively. Binyameen now uses blogging as a hobby. Binyameen's mum even told us how her son was inspired as a writer where before he wasn't. The impact blogging has had on Heathfield Primary School - 9% at level 5 in writing before blogging. After 12 months that had increased to 60% level 5 in writing.
'Absolute magic'
The learners were inspired by the audience of their blogs. Their blogging adventure even took them to presenting at BETT. Blogging gave the learners an audience. Their writing, stories, the content they created. The audience has changed some of the learners' lives. The learners' writing was tagged so that it would come up first in Google searches. It was even used by other teachers as a resource for their own teaching!
The audience is key. Getting them to interact with the blog is essential which is why David began the 'Quad Blogging' idea. School's that are keen to blog can join a quad of blogging schools. By blogging together they have an audience for each other's blogs. There are now over 400 schools involved!
David's latest blogging idea is the 'Well Done' blog which he uses to congratulate children's work on a daily basis.
Amazing.
James Jordan - Young people are already immersed in ICT, will teachers get left behind?
Birmingham CLC advocates the use of current and emerging technologies to engage pupils and to deliver effective teaching and learning. Schools are sitting on a wealth of technologies that are not being utilised by staff. Imagine what could happen when those technologies are used to inspire and engage.
Classroom practice needs to be redesigned. Using technology shouldn't be as a replacement for current teaching and learning but as a catalyst for new, to drive the use of ICT to solve problems, create content and share ideas.
#ICTLive The link you want for all the cool links
Tim Rylands sets the scene with Games based learning. Telling stories using technology such as the Epic Citadel app on the iPad. The Pickpocket story returns:-) The pocket watch ticks a challenge to our pickpocket. However the owner of the watch is a hypnotist. Let your children solve that adventure!
Using freely available tools you can take your class on a journey that can inspire. Using members of the audience, Tim uses role play to bring the pickpocket's tale to life by using their answers to tell the story. Bringing others into the story by asking the a volunteer to translate the story. Brilliant! Are you up for a challenge? Asking children to come up and become one of the characters and explain what is happening through searching questions that lead not demand. Use it in Science, one comes to explain and the translator translates!
Our role as teachers is to extend the learning. Use a tea cup to stop you talking, to allow time. Pretence. A thinking cup!
Pictures, Images, Standing still.
It's not just about the picture, it's the story it tells. Use it to tell the story. It's what is said that's important. Big ideas need big spaces. Wild African safari on the Wii is a wondefully immersive game with vast spaces to explore. Shooting the animals with your cameras. Needs a wow factor. Knowing what to do when they don't know what to do. Knowing when to use the right tools. Learners investigate the animals using various tools. Take outside elements inside. Children go hunting their animals with cameras David Attenborough stylee. Give the learner time to stand still.
Design a door.
Who lives behind the door? Stories can be written, told, lived. What's behind the door? Stand still and say what you see. Music also adds a dimension to tell the story. Children can use freely available software and instruments to tell their stories. Make the story telling experiences tactile. It's what they say rather than what they use to say it.
