Scratch Getting unstuck day 1

So I came across getting unstuck a 21 day challenge  for the programming environment scratch.
Having attended the CS firehose at ISTE in Chicago I reconnected with the scratch team by following them on twitter. @ScratchEdTeam . I found out about getting unstuck through that and have started.

So here is my first project



New learning

• Use glide to make movement look natural
• The motion blocks will take on the position of the sprite

Digital tote resources

https://www.ncwit.org/project/counselors-computing-c4c

https://www.weteachcs.org/

https://www.birdbraintechnologies.com/

https://scratch.mit.edu/

https://unity3d.com/

http://bootstrapworld.org

https://www.iste.org/resources/product?id=3981

https://edu.google.com/computer-science/?modal_active=none

http://connect.iste.org/communities/community-home?CommunityKey=6fed01aa-9e1f-4c27-87d1-95d0afcbbbeb&_ga=2.10660724.1543399721.1527795788-599841043.1457746050
Add to digital tote | Go to my digital tote

https://code.org/

https://www.media.mit.edu/people/mres/overview/

https://makecode.com/

https://unity3d.com/education

https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/lifelong-kindergarten
Description: Lifelong Kindergarten by Mitch Resnick

https://www.ncwit.org/
Description: National Council for Women and Information Technology

https://www.iste.org/resources/product?id=4096&format=Book&name=Creative+Coding

Description: Josh Caldwell: Creative Coding

https://nofearcoding.org
Description: No Fear Coding

https://utexas.app.box.com/s/c6pfmvj0dkxc3o7swyplrk95pyu3wnax
Description: WeTeach_CS ISTE 2018 Conference Presentation

ISTECS2018FirehoseAnnouncement.pdf
Description: CS 2018 Firehose Announcement

ISTECSFirehose2018Program.pdf
Description: ISTE CS Firehose 2018 Program

ISTE_CSFirst_EducatorsPDslidedeck_final.pdf
Description: Google: Using CS First to Teach Foundational Computer Science (Grades 4-9)

I learn best

I learn best when I check my ideas with some other people.
I learn best when I can use the internet to find things out.

I am interested in what you think?

Characteristics of Learning

Reflecting on the Term just been I have collected a few pictures that remind me of the learning that took place. To go with this are some ideas of mine and others that I see as important in getting to the learning.

“We need to shift from a focus on’Engagement’ to focusing on ‘Empowerment.’ David Jakes

“The person who does the work is the person who does the learning.”

Facilitating is making sure the things for the learning are there and then standing back as a prompter provoker.

When we work without a recipe we learn to cook. Sometimes when work with one we only learn how to follow instructions.

If creating is what leads to learning, then learners need tools that empower them to accomplish that creating.

Pilgrimage to Thinking - Why do it?

Having travelled for 36 hours to attend the international conference on thinking in Belfast I have been both jet lagged and  tired. It has been a fantastic antidote to that time in the air. The first day included a group presentation led by Robert Swartz who is a leader at the National Center for Teaching Thinking.

Part of his session looked at what strategies can make thinking explicit.
One of the propositions with regard to thinking skills  was that they require a context and process in which to be placed.


Robert used a Thinking Map or organiser to look at Part Whole relationships

Determining Part-Whole
Relationships
1.  What smaller things make up the
whole?
2.  For each part, what would happen to
the whole if it were missing?
3.  What is the function of each part?


I decided to try to apply this to my own understanding as to what made up a conference such as this thinking one. My feeling was that these are powerful learning experiences and wanted to critically look at why. The tool did help me to come to the following personal viewpoint after this is a look at the process map I used. The graphic organisers and perspective tools add to the depth of thinking I think.

Relating Part to Whole

The reasons we attend conferences or professional learning is to add to existing understandings and create potentials. These experiences might provide preferred futures for ourselves our learners, schools and communities. One such opportunity is an international conference which has a particular place due to its unique features. The motion involved: travel, pilgrimage, exposure to new faces and new ideas creates an immersive environment that goes beyond the keynote and workshops. There is invigoration and determination to take as much away from this opportunity. Keynote speakers generally represent considered authority and bring together contempories to challenge each others thinking. These people set some of the big questions for the audience to consider and bring an authority and respectability to the event. The programme brings focus to the ideas and concepts concerned in a way that other learning situations are unlikely to achieve.

Part Whole Thinking

Roberts co-authored this book which maybe worth a look: ‘Infusing the teaching of Critical and Creative Thinking into Content Instruction” by Robert Swartz & Sandra Parks (The Critical Thinking Co.) It can be purchased online from The Learning Network NZ.

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

Connected Schools – Six mths in

We have been working as a professional learning community for six months and we can see impact in the video below.

With the project comes regional goals and as leaders what I see as crucial now is:

• Communication with other schools (newsletter coming)
• Collaboration with others like the University and Polytechnic
• Clear internal roles such as (organiser secondary voice)
• Sharing of successes and failures (learning)
• Strategic planning for sustainability and engagement
• The creation of Reuseable and AAA (anytime ,anywhere, anyhow) material

Great to watch a lot being picked up from our community development day and being used by the students,
EBooks , Voicethread, numeracy interactives. This will make for engaged learners and improved learning outcomes.

Connected Schools Six Months in from Media team on Vimeo.

Hamilton Schools working together to create a professional learning community for themselves and other educators.

Letting kids learn

“The longer you wait for the future, the shorter it will be”

ThinkExist.com Quotations. “Loesje quotes”. ThinkExist.com Quotations Online 1 Nov. 2009. 28 Dec. 2009 <http://einstein/quotes/loesje/>

I had the opportunity to work with some students who were taking part in end of year examinations. Those who finished early (and in this case most did) were given the opportunity to do something quietly. I watched as they involved themselves in a number independent activities. I took some photos on my mobile which are here in the slideshow. I reminded me of books we used to have like 100 things to make and do. I feel that this sort of activity, scaffolded and enhanced, has the ability to increase the potential of our student’s

literacy/numeracy/operacy .

Have a look at the slideshow (just eight pictures) and I will explain what I mean.

The only instruction given was that the activity had to be silent while others were working on their exams. We have looked at and developed a framework for learning at Southwell where I teach. I highlighted the values and key competencies personal learning time similar to this might support. This is about “learning to learn” and putting the learner at the center of the learning. Accepting where our students are at and providing them with the tools for self improvement but how ….

Quality Assurance
Such a strategy as this independent learning time is now possible to develop and support through the use of ICT tools. I believe the key characteristics of this might be. This is the big disclaimer

• Classroom Climate - Supportive classroom communities where learning modeled shared celebrated etc.
• Reflection/expression/evidence/collaboration portals ie social networks, eportfolios (for lack of better word), gallery spaces, video repositories etc
• Clear goal setting and articulation for learning perhaps SMART Students are asked to check off whether the goal is specific, measurable, action-oriented, reasonable and timely. This could be as simple as What is the purpose of this learning? What will represent success for me? What have I/we done so far? What do I/we plan to do next? with this information in a web environment peers and others can be used to motivate guide learners through this.
• Formative community assessment – embedded teacher,peer and whole class feedback/feedforward
• Time availability for learning to take place – this could be small pockets of time after say maths in an primary/elementary environment as we know that the brain need less intensive work in order for the neural pathways to become entrenched see syn-aps. It could also be represented in a more flexible programme where teachers facilitate learning with significant online support and individual access to personal learning.
• Exemplars, evidence – Examples of tall poppies – growing poppies and aspiring poppies give students a clear direction.
• 1 to 1 Access - to the connectivity, networks, creation tools and appropriate physical spaces and resources.

The place of personal learning can find its feet and show its evidence. I will finish with a building created in google sketch up by a year 7 students and a link to an online novel written by my son Jack (16) both examples of personal learning and endeavour.

Googlewave don’t believe the hype?

Google have many of us waiting to find out what wave is and what it might mean for us. Having had a bit of a read around the place and not having an invite myself I became interested. Rather than add yet another review the connections I looked at showed something new and powerful The you tube example is a realtime dialogue with translation. Below this in the iframe is Daniel Tenners take on what Google wave is and isn't for the full page is found here. Personally I think this is going to be big for collaboration and that connectivity is going to be the big delivery point for personal learning in online connected real time environment like google docs etherpad and google wave.

Ride the wave if you have trouble reading the frame below Daniels website is only a click away

Reality Check - Digital Story

We had a look at digital stories and how to make them with students at Southwell School. No matter what, it is important to hand over the learning to the students. Well ... here are some results. No success criteria in this first attempt was laid out but we talked about copyright, tone, static images etc. The students were self motivated by the chance to work in the digital environment and to apply learning to this media genre and format.

There is some strong story telling and visual language with the voice coming through in the Siberia story strongly. We would love some feedback and a quick comment would be appreciated by the students.

It's now and it's social if we let it

Missed the start of DK from mediasnackers workshop and came into with history of social interaction on the internet and then the Mobile/social learning onslaught.
Why are phones unwanted in schools? I am thinking especially camera in our school environment.
What about Kindy? See the 1 year old below

DK had an interesting digital story created by people writing on a4 and holding up their message and taking a picture
of it with the writer in the frame. .

My similar ideas for content

• What are the issues in our school?
• What helps you learn?
• I learn best when
• The book character was
• How does bullying effect people
• How does encouragement help you
• Also single frame digital story telling could come from these cameras
• sustainability messages
• Safety messages
• Poems
• Emotional responses
• Love more in comments below What do you think?

Milton Keynes youth service created the message below

This is simple but effective somehow knowing that the word was someone's makes it more powerful.

The second most popular reason youth use the web is Learning.
From the web makes me feel … This site collects and reflects on the results gathered from one ok DK's web interaction points.

I really liked this reflection on twitter

 

“Twitter not about contacting people about finding out about stuff”

DK was talking alot about the way things just are. You can use hash tags as a stream of information in twitter so why wouldn't you? it just is.
Very pragmatic I thought lets look at reality and what we can use around us. Simple tools and social networks.

As a 44 year old the infographic below made me feel so good I had won a competition that doesn't exist.
What do the baby boomers do in social media?

n 

Link to Media Snackers is found above. DK is very open and inviting
jumps straight to honorary kiwi status in my book.

Reading the right thing

This maybe what happens when people read this blog post. If not it probably because
we have chosen to or are seeking to learn about text vs visual language
through an emotional connection.
If from our perspective this is meaningful to us our brain will store it. I see visual information as more inately engaging.
Did the use of the red bold text get our attention? Is this a method of making the reading have more perceived benefit?

I plan to use visual text and prior reflection to help select what material, media, genre that students I work with will be exposed to.
Enthusiasm and engagement will need to be established before they start reading 
Even better if they are part of the selection process it may help to ensure they predict benefit.

.

Quizlet learn it and have fun

My son Jack is studying for NCEA Spanish. Being a geek and believing that a computer and the internet will solve all ills I looked to the web for a way through. I was amazed at how empty searches were when looking resources that would really help. I was taking part in an online meeting with 0ZNZ educators and by chance one of them specialises in modern Languages He had alot of ideas about learning using technology. His name is Joe Dale and his wiki is found at http://joedale.typepad.com/. Michael Fawcett a local blogger who I have alot of respect for was talking about what his daughter used as study tools and both confirmed the use of mp3s and flashcards as the major tools for exam preparation. I have started to work with these ideas and Jack has recommended Spanishdict.com. I have also come across Quizlet which is an online flashcard place. Between now and the end of the year Jack will put some of the NCEA vocab into Quizlet. I have embedded a match up below see how you get on.

Reality Check 3

Working with Year Eight students on Digital storytelling aspects the following is the sketch of what and how we will work.

Most important part I think In the Session

1. work out what we know
2. have clear learning intentions
3. interact with each other
4. try to allow cognitive rehearsal for thinking
5. create new personal knowledge

 

From an earlier collaboration with another teacher

the following are the learning intentions

What is a digital story ? Look at three of these on these sites.

http://lc.celebrateoklahoma.us/

http://seein2it.wikispaces.com/Digital+Storytelling

 

Activity

Give 1 get 1. Move around the room give someone an idea about

What a digital story is ? and

• Story like
• Emotional
• One person speaking
• Transition of pictures
• Similar to a movie
• Pictures of what it is about
• About a personal view of someone
• Past tense
• Music or Song
• Pictures are still
• Pictures and voice describing

What it Isn’t

• A movie
• Made up
• Moving pictures
• Voices out of pictures
• Just all facts

 

Look at a factual survival story

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguayan_Air_Force_Flight_571#The_crash_and_rescue

 

Fact to fake narration

The students came up with these ideas

• Good hook
• Tense : generally Past/flashback. Present .Future
• 1st person 3 rd Person
• Ending in a question (keep people wondering)
• Balancing fact and experience/emotions
• Diary form
• Suspense
• Point of view

Read the article highlight important facts perhaps collect facts as a group. the article is too big and needs to be reduced if one session is used for whole activity.

Write this as a narration

Reflect at end what was good learning what wasn’t any comment you would like to make.

Googledocs a quick learn

We are starting to use google docs for our students

Why for those who are not sure?

Once we get over the wow look at this, look at that; we need to focus on how to improve learning.

Nick Rate has a good idea for writing the pic below links to his full post with examples.

Colours could also be used to identify (multiple concurrent authors is powerful learning just ask Vygotsky)

• ownership
• parts of speech
• editing process
• thought process
• de bonos thinking hats
• perspectives
• main ideas
• disagreement
• discussion points

This Google presentation has some other good ideas

 

I am working with some teachers on this tomorrow and it needs to be about teaching and learning

the good thing with google docs is I know it can be just that.

Te Mihi

Been working on my Mihi I have recorded it on utterli as well.

It felt good to find out where I come from and to be able to acknowledge

the Maori language and its part in our identity.

Taku                      Mihi	Meaning
Ko David ahau	I am David
Ko Ngati Tahu te iwi	My tribe is Ngati Tahu from the South Island
Ko Rakeahua te awa	Rakeahua is my River
Ko Rakeahua te Maunga	Rakeahua is my Mountain
Ko Alyn taku papa	My father is Alyn
Ko Dorothy taku mama	My Mother is Dorothy
	They are both Dead now but their spirit is still with me

A good resource for this is here http://www.tki.org.nz/r/language/lls/wehi/units/unit14/index_e.php

Examples from Pt England school are here http://softwareforlearning.wikispaces.com/eStory2

Thank you Linda

Linda Woolhouse from Hamilton East School gave a well received numeracy workshop at our Cluster Development Day a couple of weeks back. The online resources are here with a description of what you will find.

Linda Says

These are a few sites I have stumbled across. Many can be played with a partner helping, supporting or just watching.

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/bitesize

Many, many areas to choose from. It’s a great website, fun, easy to play and able to be used independently. The games are quick so able to share a computer. At differing levels to add a greater challenge. Stage 1 is about up to our strategy stage 4, stage 2 is strategy stage 5 and beyond.

www.crickweb.co.uk/ks2numeracy.html

A site more for Teachers with some activities for warm ups on the Interactive Whiteboard of data projector use. Look out for the interactive 100’s board and a calculator. Many activities are designed for above stage 4.

www.softschools.com/math/games/

A website that looks at practice equations across all domains for all levels. Refers to the activities, as ‘games’ but are equations to solve. Some games are timed for the students to compete against the clock.

www.visualfractions.com/

Nice format and simple practice activities.

www.kidsnumbers.com/

A whole range of games that model answers as well. Broken up into domains and going into Algebra, Fractions and Percentages. From Stage 1 upward.

www.tburg.k12.ny.us/mcdonald/mathfun.htm

Loads of games, huge variety using the 4 operations and testing the student’s basic facts knowledge. Leveled for interest and challenge.

www.counton.org/games/map-fractions/racing/

This has games, resources, news, and activities for all stages and an area for Junior students. It has games for 2 players.

www.uen.org/3-6interactives/

This has multiple games that link you to other game sites. Suitable for the higher stages. It has a high level of interest for older students. Games across all domains. Try the ‘Algebra vs. Cockroaches’, not easy.

www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/Mathmagician/cathymath.html

Simple basic facts speed tests. Students have a set amount of time to answer basic facts equations across the 4 operations. You can select level 1 or 2 and which operation you want to work on. Excellent for speed recall and practice.

The Dog Woke Me, The Blog called Me

It’s 2.59 and the dog has come around to the front of the house and woken me. There have been a lot of thoughts in my head about blogging its relationship to learning and now am in front of the computer putting them down.

 

A New Zealand teacher posted some pictures of students running a cross country. The purpose of this was for parents to be able to see their children and the children to see themselves online. What followed was a series of opinions criticising the use images and names and implying the teacher should not be blogging because of lack of understanding of net safety and protocol. What a post on whaleoil's blog shows in my mind the need to prepare for comment or controversy where we least expect it.

Can we just grow up in public?

We engage in blogging to change our personal or community worlds. A post is out in the global domain may  be seen as a statement even if we don’t intend it to be. A process is taking place where we are often adjusting our thinking, forming opinions and learning.

• What happens if we don’t follow protocol?
• We say something that our schools for example don’t believe in?
• What happens if we make a mistake?, Have a bad moment?
• What happens if someone takes issue with what we have to say?
• What are the risks if we are blogging at school as a classroom community?

Firstly I do not believe the greatest risks are from Stalkers or paedophiles as some would have us think. A photo and a student’s first name is a responsible risk. In New Zealand the ministry of education guidelines for inclusion of images is here. With parents permission there is no issue here.  The teacher posted some pictures of students running a cross country. The purpose of this was for parents to be able to see their children.The greatest risk I see with blogging are pedants and nitpickers.

To help survive this risk

• find out about blogging from an experienced leader, doer and thinker such as Dorothy Burt
• try to make sure our words make sense (not always a strong point of mine)
• read other class blogs and online material
• realise that our audience may not be who we think they are
• care mostly about our preferred audience (the one we want to engage)
• develop a thick skin i.e. accept that we may fail at first but that is not a bad thing
• moderate comments if it is a class blog or students
• think about the content of other online presences we may have and how they are linked eg facebook

Also realise the benefits of blogging

We can see blogging changing peoples personal worlds and creating

 

Blogging should be innately positive because it is based on choice

With so many people choosing to express themselves there seems a good match to

William Glassers model of Survival. Are we blogging for Survival? I have used this model

a few times and acknowledge Joan Dalton and David Anderson who introduced me to it.

So keep up the blogging or start if you wish to.

For Me I am looking to Work out what it means for our school as a community this term.

There are some more thoughts here in a guide to educational blogging from Microsoft.

And a more comprehensive reflection http://learningweb2.wikispaces.com/Important+considerations

Seeing is Believing

Sometimes somethings just are!
When we worked as a team investigating the use of games in education one of our
goals was.

To determine the best method of student involvement in the game that will maximise student learning .

We posed this question to teachers and students as well as videoing what happened when we got 100 students together for a big game day. The video is below What do you think?

Tomorrow is a big day

Extracts from what I want to say about the need for open access fibre networks to connect learners, learning organisations the world over.

I was unable to attend the first planning meeting of the group who have organised this event but have since understood the brief given for this part of the day’s programme to be look at Wow technology .

I was somewhat uncomfortable about this at first because afterall we were to address school principals. People who have had technology pitched to them over along period of time. Often we have shown you the big picture, the future, nirvana, the promised land of technology. And the education landscape is littered with failed promises, the unused and the past its use by date. We all know there are some realities around education that have not always worked in well with life on bleeding edge of technology. 

So before we consider wow factor I think it is important to look to look at the future through rose tinted glasses, through binoculars and under the microscope. We will not be able to do this in the timeframe of one day or meeting but what we may be able to consider is relationship of network connectivity to what we are trying to achieve as learning organisations. This will add to our ability to move towards a preferred future rather than the default one.

Connectivity is at the heart of this meeting and we will briefly outline the different types of network connection people are using to be part of the internet.

In terms of wow technology we have chosen a video conference and matched its participants to further discussion the potential of learning over networks.

This we hope will give a working example of the capacity of fibre optic bandwidth unachievable without such a connection.

We will look at what one New Zealand Council believes about the need for open access fibre networks.

What is happening with infrastructure

A student starting school today if attending till year 13 will leave in 2022.

From Ian Jukes

 

In Broad Sweeping Generalisations

We are increasing the number of devices because of

• Weight
• Cost
• Battery life
• Reliability
• Connectivity
• Functionality
• Value of the network to which they connect

The implications are

• We need either greater simplicity/reliability of equipment or greater technical support
• Increased device density requires better internal networks especially wireless
• Learners create more as well as consume
• School/community partnerships and
• anytime anywhere anyhow learning grows
• Much of this relates our new curriculum whose vision is “for young people who are confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners.”
• And this relates perfectly to networks and connections.

I hope it goes well tomorrow.