Virtual Teacher
Newsletter No. 75 June 13th 2003 EVOLVE
THE FREE ONLINE
FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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Newsletter
Archives can be found at:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/archives.html
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CONTENTS
1.
Welcome
2.
Mind Candy
3.
WWWinfo National Parks
4.
New Printables - Student Centred
learning
5.
Technical Stuff Acrobat 6
6.
Web Site Focus - Darwin
7.
GREAT APES - Online Learning
8.
Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10
Next Issue
11.
Code of 'Netizens'
12.
Tips
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1.
WELCOME EVERYONE. I attended the
IES Conference
yesterday,
I presented a paper on ³Customised Leaner Centred
Instruction²
, had some great feedback and met some VT subscribers.
It is
wonderful to share IDEAS and ICT practices in this type of forum.
It
was well run at the Boulevarde Hotel in Sydney, with some
excellent
speakers, the stand-out for me on day 2 was Wendy Herbert
from
Sydney Girls High who gave a paper on ³ Menopause and
Megabytes
Technology Change in Schools².
Next year is sure to
be
even bigger and better, perhaps Wendyıs topic will be GreyPower
and Gigabytes.
This type of Conference is must for folk who are in
ITC
it is a brilliant way to share ideas and gain new insights.
Best
comment on the day was ³It made me think.²
Another
great day of seminars was last Tuesday at the Wesley
Centre
with Adobe. Three sessions on the
applications of
Adobe
Acrobat 6. The new version is just
fantastic. Just the
thing
for reviewing and editing files, and uploading to the web.
These
sessions are great opportunities for teachers to learn
about
new programs, in a professional entertaining atmosphere.
They
are not held in the 'library' or someone elseıs assembly
hall,
they are held in quality conference centres. The presenters
are
excellent, entertaining and informative.
The content is
comprehensive
and certainly gives a great indication of the
potential
of a piece of software. There are
third party suppliers
on
site, so you can also see the latest printers, educational
programs,
cameras, software and books etc.
There is
usually
at least one free pen or squeezy toy - a real biggy,
and
of course free coffee and biscuits, REAL brewed coffee.
These
professional seminars are days not to be missed, and
provide
teachers with valuable updates and information about
on
software. DON'T miss the next one.
http://www.adobe.com.au/events/main.html
Great stuff.
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2.
MIND CANDY
Chaos
breeds life while order breeds habits'
Henry
Adams.
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To cope with a changing world, ant
entity must develop the
capacity of shifting and changing - of
developing new skills
and attitudes; in short, the capability
of learning.'
A De
Gues, The Living Company
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'It's
not the biggest, the brightest, or the best that will survive,
but
those who adapt the quickest'. Charles Darwin
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'To raise new questions, new problems,
to regard old problems
from a new angle requires creative
imagination and makes
real advances'
Albert
Einstein
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'Creative
people are uneasy about the status quo; they live
on
the edge of their competence. They place themselves in
situations
where they don't know what is going to happen.
They
accept confusion, uncertainty, and the higher risks of
failure,
as part of the process' David Perkins
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Try
a lot of stuff - keep what works!' Anon
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3.
WWWinfo
NSW
National Parks and Wild Life Service
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/
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4.
NEW PRINTABLES
IES
Conference Paper
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/ies.html
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5.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Adobe
Acrobat 6 Read the eweek review
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,3959,1007820,00.asp
Edsoft
is an Educational supplier for Adobe you can contact them
through
Linda at zugai@bigpond.net.au
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Dynamic
Drive Scripts great fun
Flying
bats? Sounds like Hogwarts to me!
http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex4/bats.htm
If
you still want your stars, just swap the graphic on this snow effect.
http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex3/snow.htm
Or a
whole lot of different effects to choose from....
http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex4/index.html
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6.
WEBSITE FOCUS The story of Darwin is a great little story.
Starting
with a reluctant young Darwin a problem at school,
always
collecting damn bugs and never paying attention in class.
But
with a passion for nature. Hereıs
a guy that had some great
adventures,
provided great insights into understanding human
evolution.
And wrote some world stopping books.
Online
Books Site including
Voyage
of the Beagle
The
Origin of Species
The
Origin of Species - 6th Edition
The
Descent of Man
http://www.literature.org/authors/darwin-charles/index.html
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7.
GREAT APES - Online Project
This
project has only one page up so far, you will need to
write
to Muriel at the email address below if you are interested.
Hi
Cathy
I
would like to inform you about a new Internet-based project
that
is just starting. It would be great if you could mention it in
your
next newsletter.
The
website is http://www.iearn.org.au/greatapes/
Project
Description
An
online collaborative project for children of the world to discuss
issues and raise awareness of the plight
of the great apes
through
online activities including a research project, a world
action
project and creative exchanges of art and writing between
participating
schools. Student work will be published on the
project
website and published in hard copy. All participants will
contribute
to an electronic montage, a copy of which will be
displayed
in all participating countries as a celebration of
participation.
The
Great Apes Project is designed to be a collaborative effort
between
students around the world to highlight the plight of the
Great
Apes and to undertake activities to improve the situation
of
the Great Apes by raising awareness and taking action. The
following
activities are designed for teachers and students who
are
just entering the project.
Activities
Research
Project to look at who/what are the great apes,
where
do they live, what are the threats to their habitat, what
conservation
and protection efforts are currently happening,
what
can be done? Students brainstorm ideas to help protect
the Great Apes. Students prepare and
share a multimedia
presentation.
Writing
and Art Exchange: Students produce writing (stories
and
poems) and art about the Great Apes and hold an exhibition
of
art and writing in the school/community or get an article in the
local paper or produce a booklet of all
the writing or create a
Great
Apes mural for the school. The
artwork and writing can
be
converted to a digital format and will be published on the web site
Great
Apes Declaration: All schools in the project will think
about
and discuss what they would like to be included in a
Great
Apes Declaration about the conservation of the Great
Apes.
The declaration is a collaborative effort of the schools
who
are initially involved in the project and schools will work
together
to compile a final draft. The Great Apes Declaration
can
be adopted by individual classes, schools or communities.
It
can be displayed in participating schools and on the project
web
site. It can also be sent to relevant organizations and government
bodies.
Participating schools can decide who should be sent the
Declaration.
World
Action Project: Participating
schools will identify an
action
that students will take together to help the situation of
the
Great Apes. Schools will work
together to define the
focus
of the World Action Project.
Muriel
Wells
School
of Social and Cultural Studies
Faculty
of Education
Deakin
University
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8.
GREAT SITES
LOTE
Sites
Virtual
Japanese
http://jin.jcic.or.jp/kidsweb/virtual.html
Go
Indonesian
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/accessasia/goindonesia/index.htm
Primary
French Website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryfrench/
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Physics
Classroom
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/
This
is a fantastic site with multimedia animations of physics concepts as well as
tutorials and quizzes. Itıs fun and enjoyable to paly with as well as having
high quality information.
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Pitsco's
Guidelines for Hands-on Competitions
http://www.pitsco.com/Competitions/comprules.htm
Competition
Guidelines from
Pitsco
consists of guidelines for 32 hands-on competitions. Print the
guidelines
in simple text form or download the full-color, printable
document.
You are free to print, copy, and even modify them, if you
wish,
to suit your purpose.
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9.
READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Hi
Cathy
I
just love to get your newsletter it has so much information in it - Thanks!
Do
you have any links to good sites re advertising (in Australia)
I am
doing a unit for year 7/6 and have found lots of American info
but
want Australian info. I have looked through you archives but
have
not seen anything. Any information would be much appreciated
Thanks
Kate
Day
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Hi
Kate,
My
other company Combridge International has a number of quicktime TVC's which we
shot in HD - you are welcome to use at:-
http://www.combridgeinternational.com
B
& T is an Australian Industry magazine
http://australia.internet.com/partners/bandt/
Advertising
Agencies list
http://www.business.vu.edu.au/bho2250/Advertising/AdAgencies.htm
Australian
Broadcasting Authority Info and Compliance.
http://www.aba.gov.au/tv/content/advertising/compliance.htm
VT
Create your own add
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/teachtool.html
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Hi
Cathy,
I
love the newsletter and the site. Great work keep it up.
If
there is anything you want off the iShine site give us a yell!
cheers
Greg
Alchin
Director
iShine http://www.ishine.org.au/
Imagineer
ideate (http://www.ideate.net.au
Editor
Verve
Apple
Special Features Editor Information Transfer
CC -
Anson St SSP
Apple
Educator of Excellence
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Hi
Cathy,
My
name is Nikki Deighton. I am on
the list for receiving Virtual
Teacher...it's
such a beaut resource! Thanks for
developing it!
I am
writing to seek your permission to include your Virtual Teacher URL
/ and
home page image and a link in some training materials I am
developing
for IBM. They have an IBM
volunteer program which has IBM
people
going out to the community to work with them in different areas.
I am
working on some teacher PD modules.
The kinds of resources in
Virtual
Teacher would be fabulous to tell teachers (around the world -
these
volunteers could be anywhere!) about.
If
you're happy for me to include a grab of the Virtual Teacher homepage
and
also your URL...and maybe a little summary of what Virtual Teacher
is...then
please let me know as soon as you can.
I will be completing
the
modules by Friday 4 June (I am hoping) and your permission would be
most
appreciated.
Cheers
Nikki
Deighton
principal
consultant
dk2
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Hi
Nikki,
Go
right ahead.
------------------------------------------
Hi,
Cathy
Just
wondered what you use to manage your newsletter list?
Thanks
Terry
------------------------------------------
Hi
Terry,
I use
mojo mail.
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Dear
Cathy,
What
are the legal rights of a teacher who suspects a student is
deliberately
using 'scripting key' hacking software to infect a network and
ultimately
the state network. Can we search
the laptop (which the student
owns)? Can we confiscate this laptop for a
period of time to ascertain if
software
of this nature is on it? Would
appreciate your advice or any
reports
of this kind of problem from around the country?
Andrew
Jones- Laptop teacher
Does
anyone have any ideas on this
one???
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Hi
Anthony,
From
my limited understanding children with this syndrome seem
to
prefer very directed type activities - ones without too much creativity. Computers seem to be soothing to these
children.
CDs
suitable are the reader rabbit series, circus maths, maths
blaster
series, phonics alive series, and any really highly directed CD.
Lots
of times children with this problem become inpatient with the www,
I
prefer working with offline CDs.
Sites suitable for this though would include:-http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/megamaths/picknumber/index.html
http://www.mathcats.com/explore/tessellationtown.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/mathsfile/gameswheel.html
http://kids.f9.net.uk/flash/planets/about_planets.html
Here
are just a few - however - the CD games are better, the
more
directed the better.
Does
anyone else have some suggestions here???? In the
US
there are some studies done on brain wave pattern control
via
computers using games I am keen to get more info on
this
aspect of computing is anyone savvy???
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10.
NEXT ISSUE Weıll take a look at Aboriginal Art Sites
and I
will again try to cover intranets, as well as some of the great
ideas
from the IES Conference. Have a good fortnight.
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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