Virtual Teacher
Newsletter No. 76 August 9th 2003 ENTHUSIASM
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
4.
New Printables - Text Types
5.
Technical Stuff - G4 & Netscape 6.1 & Blender
6.
Web Site Focus - Outer Space
7.
Better Bookweek Links
8.
Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10
Next Issue
11.
Code of 'Netizens'
12.
Tips
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1.
WELCOME EVERYONE. What a week. I
had some amazingly
great
results from the UNSW Computer Test, one of my students
came
first in the state followed by a disproportionately high level
of
distinctions and credits from the rest.
As you would realise
from
the newsletter I take a less than traditional approach to ICT;
it
should be fun, it should make life easier, and should be hugely
motivating;
and here it is, results in spades
for the approach.
As
you probably also know I believe this should be true for
school
in general, as well as ITC. So I
will be dining out on this
one
for several weeks to come. For a long time I have felt that
Kids
today have a tougher time than I did when I grew up. There
is
less time for fun, playing, enjoyment, and a great deal more
pressure
and 'seriousness' at too young an age;
I am doing my
best to
change all this in my little corner.
And the benefit? I
find
it much more rewarding and enjoyable as well,
life
sings with enthusiasm.
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2.
MIND CANDY
LIVE WITH ENTHUSIASM
By Samuel Ullman
Youth is not a time of life. It's a state of mind. It's a temper
of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigour
of the emotions,
a predominance of courage over timidity, of the
appetite for
adventure over love of ease.
Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years.
People
grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years wrinkle the skin,
but to give up enthusiasm, wrinkles the soul.
Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair - these
bow the
head and turn the growing spirit back to dust.
Whether 60 or 16, there is in every being's heart the
love of
wonder, the sweet amazement at the stars and the
starlike
things and thoughts, the undaunted challenge of
events, the
unfailing childlike appetite for what-next, and the
joy of the
game of living.
You are as young as your faith; as old as your doubt;
as young
as your self-confidence; as old as your fear; as
young as your
hope; as old as your despair.
So long as your heart receives messages of beauty,
cheer,
courage, grandeur and power from the earth, from man
and
from the Infinite, so long are you young.
When the wires are all down, and all the central
places of
your heart are covered with the snows of pessimism
and the
ice of cynicism, then, and only then, are you grown
old indeed,
and may God have mercy on your soul. "Live every day of
your life as though you expect to live forever."
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/enthus.html
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3.
WWWinfo
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4.
NEW PRINTABLES Again from Adrian Bruce
A
Design Process Poster
http://www.adrianbruce.com/science/dprocess/index.htm
Great
Job Adrian.
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5.
TECHNICAL STUFF
An
Invitation to all Teachers
You
are invited to attend a free demonstration of Inspiration 7.
Inspiration
is an easy to use cross curricula software package that may be used for brainstorming,
planning, concept mapping, diagrams, webs, outlining and visual learning in all
subject areas. As a powerful tool
for visual learning Inspiration may be used to both record and evaluate
learning over time. It is an invaluable tool for both teacher and student.
Version
7 has new features including
·
Visually integrated notes.
·
Enhanced hyperlinking
·
Audio capabilities
·
Multiple main ideas
·
Template Wizard
·
50+ Templates
·
HTML export options
This
session will demonstrate how easy it is to use Inspiration, its many features
and how it may be used in a school environment, as a learning tool for
studentsı as a teaching tool for
teachers and as a planning tool for teachers and administrators.
Presenter:- Linda Zugai, Edsoft
Venue:- Daramalan
College, Dickson (entry via Morphett Street)
Date:- Thursday 21st August
Time:- 4.15 5.30 pm, Coffee and tea from 4.00 pm
RSVP
by Tuesday 19th August to: -
Linda
Zugai
Thanks
Linda get along to this Linda is great Inspiration is great,
This
is a win win seminar. See below for the research on Visual learning and
Inspiration.
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Attention
Computer Coordinators, Teachers and Admin Staff
You
are invited to attend a free demonstration of Adobe products, featuring
Acrobat 6.0, Photoshop Elements and Photo Album.
See
how easy it is to convert documents into the universally acceptable PDF file
format, how to organize and structure PDF files for easy navigation, and how to
turn them into a multimedia presentation.
Learn
how you can teach your students to prepare images for print, e-mail, or posting
on the Web, using Adobe Photoshop Elements. Automatically import photos from
your camera, scanner, a CD, or your computer's hard drive, then easily assemble
all your pictures in the photo well using Adobe Photoshop Album.
Adobe
products are available for NSW Independent and Catholic schools from Edsoft at
highly discounted rates.
Presenter:- Alan Rosenfeld
Adobe
Education Business Manager - Pacific
Instructions
for Parking
Enter
via Gate 2 or 3.
Parking
at Gate 2 is the
closest
to the venue.
The
session will be given in the
Theatrette
below the library.
Venue:- The
Hills Grammar School
43
Kenthurst Road
Kenthurst
Date:- Tuesday
12th August
Time:- 4.00
- 6.00 pm
Coffee
and tea from 3.30pm
RSVP
by Friday 8th August to: -
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This
is another great FREE seminar opportunity your are
nuts
to miss these. Adobe presentations have style and class
Alan is a great presenter and will assist you with any
questions. Elements is exactly the right program
for schools
K-10
both in price and flexibility for painless photo manipulations
and
all the bells and whistles this is the program to use.
Save
yourself some time and energy coming up to speed with
yet
another new program attend this lecture with Alan and let
him
teach you. Iım sure Alan wonıt
mind if you RSVP on
Monday
or Tuesday.
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On 13
August, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm Eastern Australian time,
I
will be taking a Professional Development workshop for
Tasmanian
English teachers, offering ideas for incorporating the
Internet
in classroom activities. The venue
is Elizabeth College in
Hobart.
This
is a warm invitation for any of you to log on at that particular
Time
and join with us as cyberparticipants.
In
the meantime, you are very welcome to check out the link (above) to the
discussion thread on the topic and contribute at your convenience.
If
you register, you could add your ideas and links to your own pages or
your
favourite sites in support of literacy learning.
My
aim on the day is to get a few more people confident in accessing the
professional development support of the web, even if they don't yet have the
confidence to use it with classes.
Dr
Sheila Gersh from New York has been in Tassie inspiring people in a
general
way and I hope in this follow-up to show lots of good stuff to support reading
and writing.
Please
share your wisdom and experience.
If registering at Discover is too much trouble, I'm more than happy to
take advice/feedback via e-mail.
Look
forward to hearing from you soon,
Roslyn
Teirney
teirney.r@ogilvie.tased.edu.au
http://www.discover.tased.edu.au/ec/teachers/goodprac/ogilvie.htm
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Edsoft
is launching a new web site and we would like to give students the opportunity
to exhibit their art/multimedia work.
To
prospective contributors:-
This
is a virtual space where students and schools can join together in sharing
their art and multimedia creations with others.
We
would love to receive your contributions, and hear your suggestions and
comments on what you would like to see on this site. We accept work from
students all around the world.
This
is a free service we provide to the school community, and work displayed is not
for sale.
Your
submission must meet the following criteria:
1.
The work you submit should be distinctive. We will consider 2D images, photos,
multimedia creations, homepages or websites for display.
2.
The work you submit must be original (no plagiarized images, text, or other
content). It is alright to use clip art that is royalty free, as source
material for a work, provided it is edited and manipulated by the artist to
depict another original idea and image.
3.
Preference will be given to art that has been created using software tools
distributed by Edsoft.
4.
Work will not be displayed unless all details in the submission form have been
provided in full.
5.
Students and schools are encouraged to provide contact information so that
people interested in their work can contact them directly.
6. If
a website is submitted, it should function in most browsers (recent versions of
Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape) and on both the Windows and Mac OS
platforms, and should download in a reasonable amount of time, even for
low-bandwidth users. Edsoft will provide a link to the site from the Art
Gallery.
7. No
pornography will be accepted.
8.
Edsoft reserves the right to accept or decline work for display. At our
company's discretion, we may refuse submitted work or remove it from the Art
Gallery at any time.
Work
may be submitted via our new web site which should be available from mid August
at http://www.edsoft.com.au
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6.
WEBSITE FOCUS -Construct 3D shapes and then take a slice at different angles to
examine the different faces created. Online Activities
http://illuminations.nctm.org/index2.html
http://standards.nctm.org/document/eexamples/index.htm
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7. NO
CHILD LEFT BEHIND
I use
Inspiration/Kidspiration for Digital Portfolios as well as many
other
things, it fills my FOUR E stamp of approval
EFFECTIVE,
EFFICIENT, ENJOYABLE AND EASY.
The
most important criteria for any computer software.
THIS
IS IMPORTANT RESEARCH
Using
the "No Child Left Behind" criteria for scientifically based
research
(SBR), 29 studies were identified and evaluated as SBR and
used
as evidence for the instructional effectiveness of the use of
graphic
organizers such as those students develop in Kidspiration and
Inspiration.
The
study, "Graphic Organizers: A Review of the Scientifically Based
Research,"
shows that using graphic organizers--concept maps, webs,
idea
maps and more--improve performance across several content areas,
multiple
grade levels, and different student populations.
*To
review a detailed summary of the report, go to
http://www.inspiration.com/research
*To
request a full, 44-page report, contact
trainingresources@inspiration.com
Summary
of Research Review
IARE
staff conducted an extensive search of academic databases to
locate
research on the instructional effectiveness of the use of
graphic
organizers. Using the definitions set forth by Section 9101 of
the
"No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB) of 2001, IARE selected 29
scientifically
based research studies that applied rigorous,
systematic,
and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid
knowledge
relevant to education activities and programs.
IARE
conclusions from this review show that the use of graphic
organizers
can help students in the following areas:
*Reading
comprehension. Use of graphic organizers is effective in
improving
students reading comprehension.
*Student
achievement. Students using graphic organizers show
achievement
benefits across content areas and grade levels. Achievement
benefits
are also seen with students with learning disabilities.
*Thinking
and learning skills. The process of developing and using a
graphic
organizer enhances skills such as developing and organizing
ideas,
seeing relationships, and categorizing concepts.
*Retention.
Use of graphic organizers aids students in retention and
recall
of information.
*Cognitive
learning theory. The use of graphic organizers supports
implementation
of cognitive learning theories: dual coding theory,
schema
theory, and cognitive load theory.
To
review a detailed summary of the report, go to
http://www.inspiration.com/research.
To request a full, 44-page report,
contact
trainingresources@inspiration.com
I
REPEAT THIS IS IMPORTANT RESEARCH, IT POINTS THE
DIRECTION
FOR FUTURE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, in
the
search for methods succeed in the future with exponentially
growing
amount of information, graphic organizers are essential.
Visual
learning, graphic organization, are non-linear, they engage
a
larger percentage of students and they give power to the learner.
THIS
RESEARCH IS ESSENTIAL READING
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8.
GREAT SITES
I
have chosen only one site this fortnight.
It has been previously mentioned in this newsletter, this time the big
push. In line with the above study
on Inspiration/Kidspiration, Visual Learning, and new directions in teaching,
this site is a must. It will take
many days to explore it thoroughly, take the time and do it, it will inspire,
it will surprise, it will amaze, but mostly it will demonstrate the importance
of the GREAT TEACHER. MAY THE
FORCE BE WITH YOU- yes that George Lucas.
EDUTOPIA
Envision
the Future world of Public Education
Particularly
check out the Video Gallery.
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9.
READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Hello
Colleagues,
HI
Cathy
There
was a question in your questions section - there is an Ants ON
the
Apple song on a linked website - However - there is also an Ants IN
the
Apple phonics program - written by Lyn Meeks from Arcadia in Sydney
-
phone number - 9653 1573?? She also has a CD - with a slightly
different
song??
It's
difficult when there are two programs / resources so similar in
name
- you might need to check out exactly which is being asked for??
I'm
not sure myself???
cheers
Gail
Thanks
Gail
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Dear
Cathy
Our
IT teacher has just shown me a copy of your excellent
newsletter,
and I would very much like to be on your list. There
seems
to be heaps of things I can use with my class. Thanks for
a
great resource.
Judy
Molan Gr 5/6 teacher
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I Re
Printer monitoring software
Gaia
print charger does just that. You can monitor or even
charge
like a phone card for printing. Info at
We
use it and it works really well
bruce.hector@mn.catholic.edu.au
Thanks
Bruce
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear
Cathy
Thanks
for the great newsletter. I only wish I had enough time to use all of the
great
ideas. I have just received my new apple ibook (at last I'm back on the right
side
of the fence after years of suffering under windows!!!)
I
know you are a mac fan and I want to find virtual PC which will allow me to run
windows
98 on my mac. (Yes I know why would you want to?) I have a couple of
favourite
applications which I would like to use.
Any
idea where I get it.
Regards
John
Annable
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
John,
Most
of the current VPCs seem to run with later Windows OS
systems
- try your luck by ringing a retailer direct.
http://www.firmware.com.au/products/connectix.cfm?id=198
BCA
IT
Unit
8 -12 Mars Road, Lane Cove
02
9420-6832
Computers
Now
222
Pacific Highway, North Sydney
02
9951-7979
Dynamic Web
Training
02
9221-9550
Next
Byte
Shop
5 - 350 Windsor Road, Baulkham Hills
02
9688-6066
PowerMedia
Systems
51-53
Murray Street, Pyrmont
02
9518-9111
TSG
Australia
90
Mount Street, North Sydney
02
9965-1888
ciao
Cathy
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10. NEXT ISSUE A lot of
seminars and research
became
important in this newsletter, exciting stuff, so I will cover
³more
mathematics in the print department and 3D drawing programs,
next
time. Adrian wonderful stuff again.
==============================================
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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