Technology Integration - at its best :)

Yesterday I had a really good lesson in Grade 1. The focus was about force and motion. The students were given the task to carry out a simple experiment involving two balls - one heavy and hard and one light and soft. Here is the movie that was made by three teachers documenting the learning by filming the experiments with their iPhones. Each child was ask to predict what would happen and then reflect after the experiment about the outcome.

School-Based Book Publishing Group

I have started a book publishing group at school. We have currently around 15 teachers in the group. So far we have met as a group a couple of times to work out some agreements like a title page template and a proof reading system. We have already produced several books. Here is a photo of our first big book. We are fortunate to have colour photocopier machines in the school. The teachers are able to print wirelessly from their Macbooks to these photocopiers. The hard binding is done outside the school at a local photocopy centre. An A4 book costs Rp30.000 ($3.50) to bind and an A3 costs Rp60.000.

Our system is a simple one:

All work must be original which includes all photographs and written work

All books must include a Preface and a title page

All books must be proof read twice by a language teacher from the language of the book before the book goes to the printing stage

We intend to develop an eLibrary of our SWA-Published books. I am currently looking into a few options. I want the books to be embedded as well as on virtual bookshelves.

Here is a copy of our Essential Agreements:

ESSENTIAL AGREEMENTS OF SWA PUBLISHING GROUP

The number of pages must have a minimum of 15 sheets of paper. (for printing purposes due to hardback binding requirements, eBooks not limited to this)

All content must be original including text and pictures. Eg: photograph is taken by the SWA community (not downloaded from internet) children’s pictures or artwork may be scanned

Font and layout style must be consistent.

Fonts have to be easy to read.

Pictures should be clear (not too dark, not too bright, not blurry)

Parental permission need to be obtained, when the book would be published outside of the school

Language used in SWA books is according to the language guideline and is proofread by a proofreading process.

The topic can be vary in any subject or any grade level. (eg. picture book, non-fiction book)

The book should include preface

Here I am reading our first big book together with Grade 1. These kids co-wrote the book. They were very excited!!

Rethinking Technology Integration

A couple of days ago I tweeted about my misgivings about being a tech integrator. Don't get me wrong - there are parts of my job that I really enjoy. I do enjoy getting to see the big picture and being involved across the school. My problem is that I have been in this position for 3 years but the last 2 years I have been doing the Integration for 100% of my time. As you all know technology changes rapidly. I have had no class of students of my own so I never get a chance to do any real deep learning with technology. I do a lot of assisting, giving ideas and supporting of other teachers but I work in fragments. Most of it is small projects and a lot of quick solutions or problem solving.

I miss having a group of students with whom I can develop their digital literacy over a long period of time. I miss real teaching where I get to decide on what to do and then make it happen. I miss that connection with the students where I can see development over a longer period of time.

I'm a creative person and I have a lot of ideas - but I then have to persuade other teachers to allow me to act on these ideas. It doesn't happen very often so I am left thinking - Why am I in this job? I have to give up and compromise which leads to a much different outcome.

So where do I go from here?

Wow Factors with iPads

We have started our 1:1 iPad trial at Jakarta World Academy. Up until this time at Jakarta World Academy, I have been using my iPad with various classes and the mobile set of iPod Touches. Yesterday I got to teach with the iPads in K2. In this trial program the students were issued with an iPad each which they can take home. What I want to learn about is how we can build a system for these children to archive their work easily (probably at this stage by emailing the teacher) and to use these devices effectively in all learning areas.

Wow factors

The iPads have such a large tactile interface which make them perfect for younger learners. What I saw yesterday was a lot of interaction between learners and a lot of fast modelling. Yes the iPod Touch have that touch interface but the screen is small and you really need to hold the iPod in your hand to be able to use it successfully. This can make it hard to look on as the screen must face the user so that they can be accurate with their input. With the iPads what I saw was the child could have the iPad in from of them and the teacher was able to tap and guide without moving the device. This gave the child greater ownership as they could seamlessly have the activity modelled without having to hand the device over.

The second thing that I noticed was how easy it is to cater for differentiation. There are only 6 students in this class but each child was able to work on an activity suited to their level with complete engagement at the same time. Yes I know that this happens in the non-technology classroom - but the level on constant engagement was very intense as the children moved through the task at a pace suited to their own needs.

Yesterday we used many Maths Apps but Lobster Diver was particularly popular. Lobster Diver is a free app and can be found here Lobster Diver

ANPS - Collaboration Online

I have been preparing for my next presentation which will be at the next ANPS Forum for Emerging Leaders on the 30th April. I am trying to make a more dramatic kind of presentation by using the skills that I learned at the recent ADE Institute in HCMC. I am trying to break out of my slideshow habit and engage the audience by telling a story but using visuals as a support.

As a part of my preparations for this workshop I have been interviewing the technical support at my school to find out about the current size of the Internet bandwidth and how many users that can support at the same time. We are indeed fortunate to have 8 megabit bandwidth.

One of the biggest problems that the local schools here in Indonesia face is access. Most schools still use computer labs which offer limited access for teachers other than the computer teacher. On top of this the Internet access is barely sufficient for the teachers to access let alone the students.

This issue of computer access and Internet access will be the deal breaker for most national plus schools. It is very costly often costing more than other school needs - never less it is essential.

Things can only change here if schools consider computer and Internet access as equally important as staffing. It needs to be considered as an integral part of the school and not just 'added value'.

ADE Institute Hochimin City - Thinking about Personal Branding

I feel very honoured to be a member of the ADE Asia Advisory Board. There are nine of us on the board and we have been a part of the running of the Class of 2011 ADE Institute. Currently we are half way through the Institute for 2011 and I feel that I must write about the experience - even though it is not over yet.

The first day was intense. Each member of the board was asked to present their personal branding. I did not attend the Class of 2010 Institute where personal branding was introduced to the ADEs there. I have struggled to get a video made in time. I knew that if I didn't push myself to get something done - that the process to get it ready could go on for some time. As a part of the Apple Institute, all of the ADEs were given a book as a guide about personal branding. I was sent a copy and it was a helpful start but I ended up abandoning it and found it much easier to talk to my husband who knows me both as my artistic self and as my teacher self. I know that these shouldn't be separate but I don't associate the artwork that I do with my teaching practice. My husband helped me to focus on the 'now' and not so much on the past. Indeed as I sit here typing this post - I am already thinking about my version 2 video and how that will look. I already have the concept and how I can make better use of 2 minutes. Less is more ....

I am really interested in how technology can be best used in Kindergarten and younger. In fact I am interested in how it can be used with Toddlers (18 months). I have developed a way to make the iMacs in the Toddlers classroom more accessible for that age group by using programs designed for very young children (such as keyboard bangers) and by making those programs easy to click on through use of big picture icons. These young children cannot talk but they are very comfortable using computers as they are often introduced to them by their parents. My goal is to set up the computers for the teachers so that the students can use them independently. I have started to notice a pattern as these young children develop quickly and soon grow out of using the keyboard banger programs to progress onto more mouse directed games. From this the kids are introduced to creating content and so the progression continues.

And because of this ...

I would love to share what I have developed over the past year in my position as Tech Integrator for Toddlers-Gr5 at JWA and SWA.

Looks like I need to get back to Jakarta so that I can begin making PB video #2

Personal Branding - janeinjava ADE 

I finally finished the first version of my personal branding video. Here it is for you all to take a look:

Mother Tongue Week

Soon it will be Mother Tongue Week at school. I thought that I'd get a jump-start on things and make a story together with my youngest son in his Mother Tongue which is Indonesian. Today is a public holiday so we went to explore the river at our housing estate. My son likes to play there and catch little fish. We made a story about this. I plan to get it printed up with hard back binding.

Ikan-Ikan Kecil (Little Fish)

Google Translate App for iPhone - Seriously Cool!

Wow what a fantastic app!! It was just last week that I helped the Chinese teachers at school to get a Google account so that they could use Google Docs as an aid for translation/enhanced communication during staff meetings and training sessions. At the same time I showed them Google Translate - http://translate.google.com The teachers were so excited by the prospect of using Google Docs together with Google Translate. Since that session, some of the teachers told me about how useful it has been for them to be able to use Google Docs during meetings combined with Google Translate. It has really helped them to keep up with what is being discussed.

Today via my Twitter feed @javajive informed me about the newly released Google Translate for iPhone http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/google-translate/id414706506?mt=8



I immediately downloaded it to try out. I am so impressed. The App can translate text between 57 languages and translates by speaking (not typing) for 15 languages. It will also speak 23 languages from written text.

I am thinking of all the ways this App can support language learning. How exciting!!!

Digital Stories for Inquiry

Today in Grade 1 the class continued to create a digital story about the habitat at school that they have been studying. The students have been studying the Koi pond at school and the story that they are making is about about the Koi fish that live in that pond.
Here is one of the stories in progress:


Where the Koi Fish Live