When we make it real…

Being back from Sydney for a while now trying to decode try to work out exactly what happened at Google teacher Academy and what it meant. I really enjoyed being in a larger city and especially one so beautiful and vibrant. A visitors experience will be different to a locals.

Our look at google maps and google earth was inspiring. “Our Earth” is a learning bonanza. Thanks Wendy Gorton. Perhaps as a result of this being in this new environment I found the maps information captivating. On reflection maybe other reasons like my long held belief in the power of visual language play a part. Below in a narrated Google Earth Tour I talk about some ways we learn through map/earth exploration.

GTASYD from Media team on Vimeo.

Here is a video of howto make a Tour in Google Earth

Finding Unread messages in Gmail

With a large inbox it can be hard to find all you unread messages Tech-recipes have a method for doing this that I have adapted here and made a quick video to show how.

1. Go to Your Gmail account
2. In the Search box at the top of the page, input the following:
label:(unread inbox)
3. Click the Search button

A list of all unread emails located in the Inbox will appear.

If you need to do this frequently, you can save time by Making a quick link

1 Go to you email settings and search labs for the quick links feature and enable it.

2 While having the unread mail up as above add a quicklink by clicking add a link on the gmail side bar. You can then always bring up unread mail easily.

Here is a video showing the process.

Finding Unread Gmail from Media team on Vimeo.

A little more info here about how you can achieve the same thing for mobile

1. Open Gmail for Mobile.

2. Select Menu.

3. Select Search Mail.

4. Input label:(unread inbox) and select Search.

A list of all unread emails located in the Inbox will appear.

The Google Message

The video below was Recorded over four minutes and sped up. It is an attempt by student to show how
they can utilise and collaborate using Google docs and a record of their thoughts of the impact of technology
on their learning

A First look at message from Media team on Vimeo.

What Students want to Say to us

The Key Message: That we don’t just enjoy using the computers but they help us to do research.
               We can learn alot faster using the technology we have today.

I found Says it on Lenva’s Cool tools for teachers Wiki and
put some of student messages into images

The students came up with these in a Google Doc

Sayings we could use:

1. I can do 3 different types of homework at once on a laptop and still talk to my friends.
2. I can see France, England, Japan and go on top of Mt Everest all in one day just by clicking a few buttons.
3. I can search, listen to music, type and personalize at the same time.
4. I can be made more interactive.
5. I understand the topics by thinking real world problems.
6. I can see more clearly how things happen and work.
7. Instead of taking forever by drawing diagrams, I can make diagrams online.
8. I can think about how to make some technology better which expands my thinking.
9. I can use art programs to make my ideas more creative.
10. Most people don’t think how technology helps us in learning... we do.
11. We explore our technology instead of using it only for it’s designed purpose. We become curious.

Tomorrow we looking to develop this more into a movie watch this space

The Form of the Message

I have been lucky enough to work with some students creating a message for the leaders of Independent Schools of New Zealand.
The theme of the conference this year is Understanding Generational Diversity. What I like about this is that the people have asked for a message from the students of these schools in a video form. This topic would not work without student voice being present.

I am working with a group of Southwell Students to develop a presentation of their message.

We started last week with an Eliminator (see Below) as to what they thought should be the message

The winner was

Modern Day technology allows access

to advanced learning

 

Other ideas are found in the picture:

• Boys and Girls work differently
• Adapt teaching to meet individuality
• Social Networking helps with learning
• Listen to us about how we would like to learn
• We want work to be slightly challenging

The Next step is to choose a form for the message and they have discussed
having a Digital Story or Movie.

When we next meet we will view the following three movies that show student voice and possible ways of
creating a visual message to support it.  I wonder what thinking these videos will create?

Michael Wesch

A video I produced about motivation

A look at the power of Google Docs