Learn. Share. Inspire. Empower.

Great to connect with the #GEGNZ  community today at #gafesummit Auckland with +Justine Driver and +Rob Clarke

Lots of korero around Google Certification and Study Groups, plus sharing ideas about how educators can support events locally.

We're excited about the #SparkshopAKL event at Ormiston Primary School on Saturday 28th and the possibilities for similar events in other locations. Thanks to participants who shared their learning in the GEGNZ G+ Community today.

#GEGNZ  will also be at the Wellington and Christchurch events too!  Check out the slide deck for event information and recources.

The First Post

This year Room 10 @ Ruapotaka School have been sharing via their class blog however, we were all very excited to be able to launch individual learner blogs this week. To prepare, our cybersmart learning during the past term has focussed on Smart Footprint, specifically learning to make smart decisions about what personal information we share about ourselves online.

The first post shares individual blogger profiles, an opportunity for learners to introduce themselves. Having already created their profile in Google Drive as part of our Smart Footprint learning, this is ready to share on the day, enabling learners to focus on the actual steps required to post and publish to their new blog.

In addition to their blog profile, learners have also created a series of digital learning objects in their Google Drive that are also ready to share. As beginner bloggers the opportunity to initially repeat the process, within short intervals, helps to reinforce the individual steps required to post successfully to their blog.

For our learners who use Chromebooks* the process of accepting the blog invitation and logging in for the first time is also valuable cybersmart learning. An opportunity for learners to put their cybersmart learning into practice. Browse the Google Slides below for further details.



Once learners have shared their first post add a link to their profile post in the sidebar of their blog so it is easily accessible by visitors. Also, update the class blog with the Blog List gadget and feeds to learners' blogs to improve findability.
Thanks to Room 10 @ Ruapotaka and +Jackie Buchanan for all their contributions to this blog post.

Additional Reading
Room 9 @ Ruapotaka School and +Kate Ginders Smart Relationships: Learning how to create quality blog comments
Blogging Tips for Digital Immersion
So you are planning to create 100 student blogs...
Effective Blogging Site

*recommend that individual blogs for younger learners (1:1 with iPads) are logged in prior to learners posting.

“Your digital footprint is not just for school, it is for life”

Being cybersmart empowers our learners as connected citizens, and their learning as visible and accessible, anytime, any place, at any pace.  Cybersmart young people learn to make smart decisions in digital learning environments and understand that every time  they connect, collaborate and share online it combines to create their digital footprint.

Our cluster has developed protocols for digital learning not only to meet our care of duty to parents, whānau and Boards of Trustees but also to empower our young people as cybersmart learners.

I recently posted about the value of blogging to support cybersmart learning and the importance of our blog protocols. These protocols also guide our use of Google Apps for Education (GAfE) and YouTube as an additional service.

A Google account comes with the option to create a YouTube channel. For teachers, YouTube channels are useful for subscribing to and organising content via the Google Site and YouTube playlists.

Note: Before embedding a YouTube video change settings so recommended videos do not display. Video can only be embedded in a Google Slide from YouTube at this time.

Google Drive to store and share media has become the preferred default ...

Since the rollout of free, unlimited Drive storage to all GAfE schools last year, using Google Drive to store and share media has become the preferred default, especially for learners. Video can be embedded in a blog from Google Drive, where learners connect with their audience via blog comments. As administrators of these blogs teachers are able to monitor content and interactions through their email and Hapara Teacher Dashboard.

For our learners, especially those under 13, creating a YouTube channel with their GAfE account needs to be approached with consideration.  What is the purpose?

If a learner needs to embed a YouTube video in a Google Slide would using the teacher’s channel or a class channel monitored by the teacher suffice?

YouTube is an additional service to GAfE and monitoring an individual learner's channel, including the comments is potentially more challenging and time consuming than monitoring interactions via a blog.
The blog is the default for our learners to share and connect with their audience. Consequently our preference is that all video content is shared publicly via class and individual blogs.

To support our cluster goals, pedagogy and care of duty we have identified the following recommended defaults for YouTube Channels in our GAfE accounts for both teachers and learners:

• Upload defaults for video are set to unlisted
• Commenting is turned off
• Videos are shared via class/individual blogs or class sites
• Channel name for students - first name and initial (same as the label on their class blog)

Where individual YouTube channels are deemed necessary for children, setting the defaults with them for their YouTube channel is also a valuable cybersmart learning opportunity - learning to create a positive digital footprint. I have also encouraged learners to share this learning with their parents and to consider settings on any of their non-school accounts set up at home.

“Your digital footprint is not just for school, it is for life”

Tumeke Tamariki! #GEGNZstudent Summit

"Take the people around you with you on the journey" via +Toby Carr, inspiring opening keynote for  the inaugural Google Educator Group NZ Student Summit last Wednesday.

Toby's words resonated with me throughout the day as I observed #GEGNZstudent participants immerse themselves in leading their learning. From the presentations to the hands on sessions students approached the day prepared to make the most of the opportunities offered.

This was also evidenced by how students responded to the unexpected. When double the number of participants arrive at your session or there's a hiccup in the network, how might you respond?  These students were not phased but confident to back themselves and their learning. Shout-out to the team from Alexandra Primary School in Central Otago who shared for the first time via Google Hangout on Air. Their presentation is available on-demand - Managing your Own Learning, Goals & Reflection. Also participants who travelled from as far North as Ohaeawai and the central Waikato to participate.

I valued the opportunity to immerse myself in the learning spaces, observe and listen to the conversations.  While many people contributed to enabling this event its success on the day is attributed to the students and the opportunity to engage in learning that is authentic and empowering.

Quick vox pop captures some of the awesomeness from the summit...Tumeke Tamariki!

"Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei"

Further links to explore:
bit.ly/GEGNZstudent Summit Site

Hangouts on Air:
#GEGNZstudent Summit Keynote - +Toby Carr , DeXTech Founder & CEO

#GEGNZstudnet Summit Ambassadors

NZ Student Summit featuring Google for Education

During last Friday's Hangout on Air, The Google Educators Group New Zealand (GEGNZ) were excited to launch the first NZ Student Summit featuring Google for Education.

This was also the first GEGNZ Hangout contributed to by students. If you missed the event the Hangout has been recorded and is definitely worth watching, especially if you're investigating the Maker Culture...lots of useful recommendations, tips and strategies for accessing the NZC.

GEG NZ Spotlight - Maker Culture

We know there are many students exploring innovative ways to create and learn and our hope is that the NZ Student Summit featuring Google for Education will enable students to not only contribute but lead the learning on the day.

Visit the NZ Student Summit site

Students are invited to pitch a proposed presentation, demo or hands on workshop by Friday 22nd May. Pitches also include an option to present via a Google Hangout on Air if located outside of Auckland.

This is a free event and to support the programme we are also planning additional activities including a keynote speaker plus a demo slam competition with prizes.

Head to the event website for more information, dates and contact details and please share with your networks. Please post to the GEGNZ Google+ Community if you have any questions, Tweet @GEG_NZ , tag #GEGNZstudent

Blogging about this event? Please share to the GEGNZ Google+ Community under the NZ Student Summit label.

'Capitalising on Affordances in Efficiency' with Digital Images

"An emerging model of an effective classroom is one in which the 1-1 devices afford a streamlined, efficient delivery of curriculum via google sites and docs. The reduced need for organisation and management of students provides the teacher with opportunities to engage students in extended discussions and feedback about their learning; and extensive access to online curriculum resources" (Stuart McNaughton, Manaiakalani Evaluation Programme)

Learning can be enhanced through the effective use of digital images scaffolding opportunities for higher-order thinking and creativity. Including revisiting and using images to ground learning conversations with students, parents and peers.

To enable this it is essential that there is a process for efficiently archiving and sharing digital images.

Enabling the email upload function in your Picasa Web Albums, especially from a mobile device, is one way content can be organised and shared to provide increased opportunities for teachers and students to "capitalise on affordances in efficiency".

Prior to a planned event create and share a Picasa Web Album, embed in your Google Site or Blog then send images from your smartphone or tablet, on the go.

Add 'secret email' to your address book.

• Include opportunities to collaborate with students to identify what images are needed to support the learning. 
• Establish routines with your students for collecting, storing and sharing the images. 
  
• Images can be made available immediately for students to repurpose and share on their own blogs, in Google Apps and multimedia presentations.
• Another option is to share a Picasa Web Album with users via email only and enable them to contribute to a Picasa Web Album. Also by sharing your 'secret email' for Picasa uploads and ensuring contributors have the name of the album, they can also share using a mobile device. Once the event is finished you can change your secret email.
• Take screenshots or photos of non-digital exemplars of learning to share online or display in class to support a specific strategy. Often these opportunities arise 'in the moment' and if you are ready for them can engage students in extended learning conversations. If you don't have a smartphone in your pocket ensure your camera is accessible and that you know how to capture a screenshot on a variety of devices.

Let people you share albums with contribute photos

Also an alternative to sharing images is the 'Post via email' option in Blogger to send images directly to your blog, or use the Blogger App available for iOS and Android.

Share Picasa Web Album in Google Site

Create Picasa Web Albums and embed on your Google Site for students to access, download or take a screenshot to use in their blogs, Google Apps or  other multimedia presentations.

When I first linked my Google account with Google+ I noticed that the URL https://picasaweb.google.com would default to my Google+ photos page when opening. If this happens to you try the following:

Bookmark the following URL to redirect to your Picasa Web Album page

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos?noredirect=1

I found that after a while this stopped, so may not be a current issue.

GoogleFest 2013 - Google+

GoogleFest Site
Google+ is Google's social network enabling users to share and learn across the web. With a Google+ profile users can also manage content and connect with other Google Apps e.g. Blogger, YouTube and Google+ Hangouts (video conferencing). Google+ Communities also enable participants to create and share content others who have similar interests.

Users must be 13 years or older to use Google+. To manage this in schools with Google Apps for Education (GAFE) sub organisations are created in the GAFE control panel e.g. students, staff, Each sub organisation is assigned permissions and access to applications is either switched on or off.

We have recently begun to explore using Google+ communities with senior students (Year 9-13) as part of our CyberSmart Curriculum, specifically focused on Smart Footprint and Smart Relationships.

The following Google presentation is a copy (adapted) and shared with students and their teachers to assist in getting started with Google+.

 

GoogleFest 2013 - VideoNot.es

GoogleFest Site

Pause and play YouTube video as you take notes that will be automatically synchronised with the video and saved to your Google Drive. Click the image below to view a shared example of VideoNot.es. You will need to have the Chrome App installed

Compare and contrast tourism prior to the eruption with today. Begin by using descriptions and images from the documentary 'The Eruption of Tarawera' to guide your thinking.

GoogleFest 2013 - YouTube

GoogleFest Site
Using a video hosting site to store and organise videos enables content to be conveniently shared across a number of online platforms including blogs, sites and online communities. As YouTube channel features have been upgraded, including integration with Google Apps for Education (GAFE) we have begun to consider the potential for utilising YouTube to organise and share original content in addition to using digital video as a rich medium for learning.

We have taken into consideration our blogging protocols, developed to "ensure student safety, maximise student learning and accountability to our BOTs and parents." All video content that is shared online remains under the ownership of the school's GAFE domain. Teachers set up and share content using their GAFE account. Because accounts are never deleted this ensures that the school always has access to content even if the teacher leaves the school. 

 

GoogleFest 2013 - Google Draw

GoogleFest Site
Think this might be my favourite Google Docs App. Students really enjoy creating with Google Draw and many of the tools are transferable so it is a great app to start with if you are new to Google Docs.

Google Draw can be located in your Google Drive, click the red Create button and select Drawing. It is a great option for page layout, creating charts, posters, graphic organisers and info-graphics. Create a drawing via Google Support

Google Draw integrates with all other Apps in Google Drive, drawings can be downloaded as image files and inserted into another doc type. They can also be embedded in blogs and sites.

Multiple Users in Chrome

Update to this post Friday 15th January 2016

Working across multiple GAFE sites and Google Accounts can be made a lot easier by using the multiple users feature in Chrome. I created this Screenr for our GoogleFest session at #uLearn12 in October demonstrating how I have set this up for 15 school GAFE and Blogger accounts.

Power Searching with Google

Certificate emailed on completion of the course.

@nickmajor81  recommended the Power Searching with Google course at one of our Netbook Teacher meetings last term. I'm  fairly confident searching online however, was interested to learn more and explore possibilities for our CyberSmart category, SmartSurfing. 

Power Searching with Google is a free online course that includes search techniques and teaches some of the advanced tools in Google search. Short video clips with demonstrations from Google Search guru, Dan Russell, are supported with activities that can be worked through at your own pace. These can be revisited along with short tests to review new learning. 

Links to online resources, search forum, blogs and lesson plans are also included.

I am going to include this as part of our orientation for new netbook teachers and suspect that many teachers would find this course useful for identifying search techniques that can be adapted to support existing programmes of learning. Depending on literacy levels students could also enroll in the course with their GAFE account and complete independently.  

How to be notified about upcoming Power Searching classes via Dan Russell

Is Technology Just a Tool?

This week has been one of those 'perfect storms' for learning. Four days of conference breakouts, five keynotes, the combination of online and face-to-face networks, considering different perspectives that challenged my thinking and making valued new connections to continue the conversations. Also preparing my contributions to conference breakouts can provide some of the most powerful reflection for my own learning even before the conference begins.


This post continues a conversation (with @rachelboyd @annekenn @MtManaia) in response to a tweet I posted after hearing the statement "technology is just a tool", referenced in more than one keynote this week.

I appreciate that this idea may have different meanings in different contexts however, I try to stay tuned to its use in rhetoric. It's very easy to say! What do we mean when we refer to technology as "just a tool" and how might this be interpreted?

If I default to technology as 'just a tool' I don't believe I am recognising the complexities that surround its use to support learning. That is:

• The professional learning and inquiry educators invest in to improve their ability to integrate new technologies as effective pedagogy. 
• The increased opportunities for students to learn, create and share new knowledge and thinking when they not only have access to 'the tools' but also the support of teachers who are skilled and confident professionals. 

My analogy to the ukelele was in response to watching a clip of Jake Shimabukuro playing his ukelele in combination with a quote from Jason Ohler when he suggested that technology could be akin to giving bad guitar players bigger amplifiers.

"... although multimedia can act as an assistive technology, it cannot take the place of vision, talent, or skill, whether developed or inherited. We will always need to tell a story with our art and to tell it with honesty, depth, and detail if it is to survive as more than a transient, disconnected thought. For this reason, teachers will become more important as technology increases in power. More than ever, students will need teachers for their wisdom and knowledge to help navigate a purposeful path through the glitz and distraction".  (Jason Ohler)

I originally used the video and quotes as a prompt in a breakout I facilitated at Learning@School in 2006.  I had been wondering what might result if we explored this statement as a question and considered the actions of the teacher or the student, and how these actions might impact on the concept of technology as "just another tool".  

In the hands of Jake Shimabukuro the ukelele is an amazing instrument. What does this say about his approach to learning?

What does your use of technology say about your learning?

Just another tool? from Fiona

"The ukulele itself, and those like Jake who play it so insanely well, represent both the struggle and the inspiration and delight that comes from blowing away other people's low expectations of you through your own hard work, unbridled passion, and dedication to excellence." (Presentation Zen, 2010: Jake Shimabukuro wows TEDxTokyo)

GoogleFest #uLearn12

This post supports my contribution to GoogleFest at uLearn12.

Kiwis @ Google Teacher Academy Sydney 2011

CyberSmart Curriculum
Exploring how to deliberately teach Digital Citizenship within a context that is relative to students specifically in a 1:1 netbook class. For example all students from year 5-8 with a netbook have a blog. Students learn SmartFoot Print and SmartValues in a context of learning how to write a quality blog comment. These are two of  ten categories we have identified as important to a cybersmart curriculum. 

This Google Doc includes a process we have used to introduce blog commenting to students. Students save a copy of the document in their Google docs. Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to practise and reflect on their blog commenting. Initially students leave comments on blogs in their school as teachers can monitor these comments through the Teacher Dashboard.

CyberSmart: Private and Personal Information

This Google Doc was used to explore the difference between personal information that is safe to share online and what is private. Students write a personal profile for their blog which is initially posted as a blog post with a link from their blog side bar "About Me" widget.


Using Google Apps for Education (GAFE) to support learning with primary sources
Using primary sources as a context with the aim of demonstrating how I select and organise digital content to support learning using GAFE. It also includes some new thinking that I am exploring around using primary sources to teach Digital Citizenship.

"Getting My Google On" - In this blog post I share my top take-a-ways from GAFEsummit 2012 and my resources from my breakout "Integrating GAFE to support learning with primary sources."

Chrome Apps: Hootsuite
Twitter - some of the best free PD. If you are serious about building your PLN you need to get serious about managing your social networking. With Hootsuite you are able to set up multiple tabs, searches and organise your social media dashboard. Set up on your laptop and when you log in to your iPad/iPhone App, Hootsuite will automatically sync. Enables you to easily follow current events using a #tag or Twitter handle.

Click to zoom

Getting My Google On

I participated in New Zealand's first Goggle Apps for Education (GAFE) Summit yesterday. Masterfully organised by the EdTech Team and our own Dorothy Burt it was a day full of opportunities to learn, valued conversations with my PLN and just the right balance of Google geekiness. My top take-a-ways from the day included:

YouTube in the Classroom: Jim Sill (@mistersill)
YouTube often gets a bad rap but in just 60 minutes Jim was able to skillfully demonstrate how this resource can be a powerful learning and teaching tool. I would recommend exploring Jim's site, especially YouTube for Teachers, which includes some valuable recommendations for finding and organing the best of what YouTube has to offer including TED-Ed Lessons Worth Sharing.

GoogleChrome Breaking the Seal: Tony Richards (@itmadesimple)
I have been skirting around Google Chrome for a while but have found the ability to set up multiple users has made a huge difference to my work flow this year across multiple school sites, GAFE admin accounts and school Blogger accounts. I have created a Screenr to demonstrate and would recommend setting this up even if you are switching between 2-3 accounts during your day.

Tony's Google presentation is a treasure trove of useful tips for managing your setting, apps and extensions and is worth investing the time exploring. It has definitely improved my ability to personalise Chrome for my needs.

Integrating GAFE to support learning with primary sources
In this session we explored integrating GAFE to support learning with primary sources. I used primary sources as a context with the aim of demonstrating how I select and orgainse digital content to support learning using GAFE. This is shared as a Google Presentation which I have also embedded in a GoogleSite as there are links to examples of how content might be organised within an online learning environment. It also includes some new thinking that I am exploring around using primary sources to teach Digital Citizenship.

More presenter resources can be accessed on the GAFEsummit site and also #GAFEsummit on Twitter.

Navigating New Networks

Navigating the Panmure Roundabout - click for a birdseye

It has been an exciting couple of weeks. Joining a new team, visiting new schools, new learning and giving my Google Maps App a daily workout navigating new routes...and the notorious Panmure Roundabout!

I'm thriving on the new learning opportunities as a result of growing my professional learning networks. Lots of learning for us all including 1:1 Netbooks, Google Apps for Education, Teacher Dashboard and some new Mac users too!

Below are some resources I have shared over the past week. Your recommendatiosns appreciated, use the blog comments to share more.

• Interesting Ways - A series of Google Presentations crowd sourcing ideas and resources, including Google Apps.
  
• Snapshot of learning for Google Forms - Contributed by Joy Paton, Panmure Bridge School, Panmure
  
• MasterChef Google - explore this Google site created to support a breakout at uLearn2011
  
• Google Apps for Education - Another uLearn2011 Google site created by Shaun Wood sharing how he is using Google Apps
  

• sMACdown - Loads of top tips for getting the most out of your Mac.
  
• Recommendations for building your PLN...where would you start?
  
• Enabling e-Learning Newsletter - Sign up here, lots of useful reosurces shared each term. February 2012 issue is recommended! 
  
  

  Google Reader

  A must for keeping track of your favourite blogs and news sites.

  From my Google Reader this week : Keeping Students Engaged in a 1:1 Project-Based Classroom

Exploring the "Raw Materials of History"

Exploring primary sources or the "raw materials of history" provides students with an opportunity to examine the past free from the interpretations of others.  

(Library of Congress)

The following Google presentation has been created to explore strategies and resources for teaching and learning with primary sources. It also includes:

• strategies to support students to analyse primary sources 
• support for using analysis tools and Google docs for collaboration
• links to Google research and search tools for locating and organising data and information 
• support for creating and integrating Learning Paths in Digistore

The intention is to revisit and add to this resource in response to feedback and the evolution of further resources and web tools.



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