Virtual Teacher Newsletter No. 137 December 9th 2006 THE M THEORY OF CHRISTMAS
THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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CONTENTS
1. Welcome
2. Mind Candy
3. WWWinfo NORAD Tracks Santa
4. New Printables - Text Types
5. Technical Stuff – CHRISTMAS PRESENT from BRYN
6. Web Site Focus - PHOTOBOOTH
7. Cathy’s Forum
8. Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10 Next Issue
11. Code of 'Netizens'
12. Tips
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1. WELCOME EVERYONE
This week I was offered the opportunity to make a SANTA
video from Santa Videos.
This is a great idea and I couldn’t resist getting one for
Crown St and Lisa Kemp, who has just staged a brilliant Art Show.
Take a look at it here
http://message2.myvideowebstream.com/view/?id=TUR3WOINCJQ6YAH4WI7I
Also, take a look at the other videos you can order for
children at: http://www.santasvideos.com
Michelle and Aidan run the site – and they say:
“I hope you can understand Santa's think Irish accent
We have really enjoyed doing this for the Crown St children.
Hope you all have a terrific Christmas and all the best for 2007!”
The name videos would be great fun at Christmas and a great use
of the Internet.
I have been reading the book - Infinity – by John D. Barrow 2005
Some of the concepts are so amazing. The HOLY GRAIL
of Physics is - The Theory of Everything - apparently
there are 5 contenders for this theory which all appear to
be different views of some deeper underlying 'M' theory,
where 'M' stands for Mystery. I love this and what a great
message for Christmas. pp187
http://www.templetonprize.org/bios.html
http://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Book-Boundless-Timeless-Endless/dp/0375422277
http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/gr/about/members/barrow.html
http://www.abbeys.com.au/items.asp?productcode=0099443724
Christmas is always a great mystery to me, the biggest Mystery is
how I actually end up with everything done by Christmas Day.
But, I do, everyone does, and Santa is real, the fairy lights
work, everyone loves their Christmas gifts and Christmas lunch,
everyone is full of good cheer, 2 glasses of great Champagne
and I can live with the unexplained.
Go forth with good cheer and make the Mystery of Christmas
work for you. ciao Cathy
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2. MIND CANDY
If there'sno buy in from students , at the start of the project,
then you are starting students off on 3 months of torture.
GLEF PBL in Action: The Wing Strength Design
http://www.edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_1726&key=037
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"If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it."
~~ Jonathan Winters (1925 - ) American comedian
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If Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus had a child, what would he be called?
A subordinate Claus.
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The 3 stages of man:
He believes in Santa Claus.
He doesn't believe in Santa Claus.
He is Santa Claus.
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3. WWWinfo NORAD Tracks Santa
We anticipate Santa will be leaving the North Pole in 13 days.
Stay tuned for latest images from Santa Cam.
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/tracking.php
Send Santa an Email
Santa’s journey explained.
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4. NEW PRINTABLES - NORAD
Colouring Book Printables. Maps of Santa Territory
and a wonderful selection of Christmas music performed by
the a Nave Band and an Army Band.
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/downloads.php
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5. TECHNICAL STUFF – CHRISTMAS PRESENT from BRYN
ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – Don’t miss out
go for it and test this site out – it’s great.
It's nearly Christmas and so we have a present for you
and your colleagues. We are making all of our ICTPD
Resources totally free to schools for the month of December
to tie in with any end of year PD. If you would like a password
for yourself or the whole school please contact me off list at
bj@ictpd.net
If you know any schools that would like to take part please
ask them to contact me too.
No obligation. Hope you find it useful.
You can find out more by reading http://ictpd.net/download/ICTPDInformation.pdf
Web site http://ictpd.net
Best wishes for the holidays
Bryn
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JEFF HAN
Jeff Han is a research scientist for New York University's
Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. Here, he
demonstrates—for the first time publicly—his intuitive,
"interface-free," touch-driven computer screen, which
can be manipulated intuitively with the fingertips, and
responds to varying levels of pressure. (Recorded February 2006 in
Monterey, CA. Duration: 09:32)
http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=j_han&flashEnabled=1
Other Great Videos from TED
http://www.ted.com/about/introduction/flash_page.cfm
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Hi Cathy
I just read through your comments about the Sony HD camera. I have a JVC
Everio HD camera (this, I believe, was the first HD camera on the market)
and have found similar issues. I read on a blog somewhere that the file
format (.MOV) is native to DVDs, so you should be able to burn directly from
the camera to a DVD. Fine, if you are so good at taking movies that they
don't need editing... I haven't been able to get this to work, though.
Anyway, I went through the same issue you are having - I couldn't get the
files to work in the iLife suite. I get around it by using MPEG streamclip
(which is free but you need to buy the Quicktime MPEG-2 playback thing for
about $35). This doesn't make Quicktime play back with sound, but it makes
MPEG Streamclip work.
You then have to convert all your files to DV stream, which works with iDVD
or iMovie. If you've got a fast computer (which I don't, really - an oldish
G4) it isn't too bad - but as you say, you need to be happy to fiddle.
It's interesting that you say the camera is a dud - it's not the camera
that's the problem, it's the lack of available software. There still aren't
many of these cameras on the market, but as soon as someone realises that
they haven't been popular because of software problems, they might just
develop something good. JVC and Sony aren't software
developers - hence the fact that Pixela has developed the
software for both of them. I have contacted Pixela to a
sk about their other software (mono DVD and DVD/DV 2 or
something) and was told that mono DVD (which allows you
to burn DVDs without editing) is included in the capty
MPEG (which it is not!) and you have to buy the other
one, which is similar to iDVD in drag and drop. It still
doesn't solve the editing issues, though.
I feel ripped off, too, as I can't even burn to dvd without converting files
and mucking around. I wonder if the JVC dvd burner that you can attach the
camera to would solve the issue? Maybe a little more time and software
developers might make something better...
Don't toss it out yet!
Ciao
Deon Scanlon
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Hi Deon,
Sony have offered to give me a credit for the camera – so I will
return it. I managed to export footage to DVD, rip it & re-encode
and import it into Final Cut Pro for editing, with loss of quality –
which defeats the purpose and loss of time - which defeats
the purpose.
So I will take up their offer.
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6. WEBSITE FOCUS - Using PhotoBooth on the New Macs
What fun.
1. Open Photo booth, put a comfortable chair in front of the
computer and feed the students through. You can give a direction,
make a sad face, make and angry face, use the effects to
make a weird face. 5 minutes
2. Photos should automatically appear in IPHOTO, if not just add
to the Library. 2 minutes
3. Click slideshow, then click play. And Bob’s your uncle.
4. Connect to a digital projector your students can view
the slideshow immediately.
5. Use it as a catalyst to make a list of descriptive words. 8minutes
6. Bulk Print them out, enlarge to A3 and have your students
write about the images using the words. 5 minutes
7. Wall display with all the students faces and great words.
You can fiddle about with the settings in iPhoto, timing, transitions
and of course add music, including garage band.
Great satisfaction, immediate end product. Love it.
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7. CATHY'S FORUM On the 13th Day Before Christmas
The Forum rests. Send in your topics for the Forum over the break
and we will tackle them in the New Year.
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7b. Response for WHAT TO CHANGE AT DET
Dear Cathy,
My apologies for the delay in writing this - I had reports and final
exams/tests to organise first! But here it is - my response to
DET and how to make things better.
Firstly DET needs to acknowledge that teachers are leaving because they
are not offering enough to keep good teachers. Teachers are the most
patient people I have ever met - if DET was a private business, they would
have no clientele. It is the small things that make things difficult. The
constant changes (I refer to WACE and COS here - the concept it good but
the execution is very poor, information coming out in small packages,
sometimes daily, instead of larger better worded, easier to understand
etc.)
Also the transfer system is fundamentally flawed. How dare they leave
teachers until school has finished for the year before telling them where
they are to be placed next year! That's what happened at my current school
last year. I am concerned - we have 10 teaching days left and the is still
half the staff unsure of next years position.
My dad was military for 23 years. We moved every 2 years when i was a
child. Teachers are not that dissimilar - we all want the best and most
qualified person for each job. DET needs to chat to the transfer dept of
the Army and model their system. IT WORKS - unlike most of what DET
touches...... sigh. 10 teaching days and there will be mass quitting if
my school doesn't know where they will be placed next year.
I think if we can sort the transfer crap and insist on the quality of
changes before they are implemented (to hell with deadlines) I would
rather wait then deal with half-baked crap! Then DET will keep teachers.
Carolyn, 1st Year Graduate, Country WA.
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Great Carolyn, unless we ask and critique the system no changes
will be made. The upshot of this is that teachers who give a damn,
great teachers, teachers who care, like yourself WILL leave the
system. The system looses the best teachers through, well
basically, frustration, and the rest will just stay in the profession
complain and do nothing. Either way a de motivated workforce.
Keep hassling them Carolyn.
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8. GREAT SITES
HOT SITES
Four Candles
http://i.euniverse.com/funpages/cms_content/2529/4candles.swf
Kathleen Comber
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Yes, Latiude and Longitude Can Be Brought to Life!
Teaching Latitude - GLEF
http://www.edutopia.org/community/spiralnotebook/?p=192
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Quality Thinking and Learning at Kurwongbah
http://www.kurwongbss.qld.edu.au/thinking/thinking.htm
There is so much on offer at this site
Audrey
Teacher Librarian
Sandy Beach Public School
NSW
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9. READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Hi Cathy
I belong to another list run by Pete, McKay, a teacher from
Canada. He sends one site per day.
Today's message had a wonderful site which I thought I'd
share with you.
This Four Directions interactive video that teaches about
Native values...
http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/main.html
It is an exquisite site, beautifully designed.
Like you Pete does a great job of getting teachers sharing ideas.
His site is http://www.theteacherlist.ca
I certainly have learnt a lot because of the dedication of
teachers like you and Pete.
Thank you and Happy Christmas
Daphne Gonzalvez
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I have always loved native American History, ever since
I read Black Elk Speaks years ago.
http://blackelkspeaks.unl.edu/index2.htm
This site the echoes many ideas of Aboriginal Culture and
indeed generic ideas that have resonance in all cultures.
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Hi Cathy,
I have some http://www.teacherjoe.us/Jokes.html
English Jokes with glossed vocabulary that students can
listen to. They're very popular with my students. Perhaps you
could add a link to ESL Lote.
Thanks for your time, I really do appreciate it!
Joe
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Hi Cathy - sorry to be a prig, but I'm a stickler for syntax.
I think you mean 'tenet', rather than 'tenant'.
Kris Bowtell
TiC Music, Lesmurdie SHS, WA
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10. NEXT ISSUE – VT will be back next February, send in your
great ideas and your forum ideas to make it a bumper issue.
Have a great holiday. ciao Cathy
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11. Code of the 'Netizens'
This Newsletter is not free, despite the misleading advertising
above. The Fee is now due. Each week you must help one
colleague on the Internet who has less knowledge than you.
Help that person even if you have to visit their classroom or
do a little research and get back to them. Trust me, this will
help a lot of people get their computer classrooms running better.
OK I'm trusting you!!!
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12. TIPS
1. Double click on highlighted URLS to open in browser.
2. Send in your Questions, Questions will be published with
Answers, send in your Answers, if you have expertise to share.
3. Nominate a brilliant site for review and inclusion in this
newsletter.
4. Nominate a fantastic school site for review and inclusion in
this newsletter.
5. Make contact with other schools using fantastic programs.
6. Prepare and innovative article for this newsletter.
7. Tell 2 colleagues about this newsletter.
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The opinions expressed here are purely those of the editor,
Cathy Brown. All other small print clauses apply. Such as:
Use at your own risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed. If it doesn't
work for you send me an email.
Editor: cathy brown mailto:cathy@virtualteacher.com.au
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