Virtual
Teacher Newsletter No. 79 2003 FREE RANGE CHICKENS
THE
FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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CONTENTS
1.
Welcome
2.
Mind Candy
3.
SMART QUESTIONS
4.
New Printables - EGYPT
5.
Technical Stuff FREE DOWNLOADS
6.
Web Site Focus - SMITHSONIAN
7.
VISION OF LEARNING
8.
Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10
Next Issue
11.
Code of 'Netizens'
12.
Tips
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1.
WELCOME EVERYONE. What happens when students take control of learning. can they
be trusted, does it work, can students design there own curriculum, YES, YES,
YES, will they go to school, will they be motivated???? Check out some exciting
new ideas at - GELF
http://www.glef.org/businesslearning.html
'We
can do anything we put our minds too' - what a great message to give students.¹
Imagine
this, I could be accused of severe overuse of the word imagine, and here again
I am about to commit another crime of overuse. Imagine this, a room full of students working at their own
pace, self motivated, self- directed, evaluating their own work and each
others, imagine the teacher, guiding, applauding, advising, not marking, not
trying to get the room's attention, not disciplining. Imagine the teacher with
time to work with individuals.
This is the educational world I would love, no more de-motivated overworked teachers, rather teachers
working with students in positive and important ways. Abbott envisions this
world and offers a framework which encompasses much of this thinking. The research and ideas he brings to
this subject give a holistic view on the type of educational change that needs
to occur, the type of educational thinking that needs to be thought. Adrian, as
usual has written a great summary of the recent AIS Conference seminar given by
John Abbott. You will also
enjoy reading the wonderfully titled: ŒBattery Hens or Free Range
Chickens What Kind of Education for What Kind of World?¹
http://www.21learn.org/publ/abbott_canadaspch.html
Some
great stuff to read over the holidays.
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2.
MIND CANDY
A
conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good. Faulkner,
Matthew
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Absolute
Carp
"Aoccdrnig
to rscgeearch crraeid out at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn¹t mttaer in what
orede the ltteers in a word
are. The only iprmoatnt thing is
taht the frist and lsat ltteres are in the rghit pclae.
The
rset can be a total mses and you can still raed it wouthit any porbelm.
This
is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by istlef but the word as a wlohe.
Ceehiro
Kregs,
Bill.²
Sunday
telegraph September 21st, 2003 P136
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Which
word means "fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth"
"arachibutyrophobia."
"dorsobuccalarachihypogaea- phobia." "Arachidnophobia."
legumopalatophobia.
"arachibutyrophobia." "cleftosmuckaphobia" ergophobia'
"ddiippllooppiiaapphhoobbiiaa" aibohphobia papaphobia ecclesiophobia
imnophobia
What
do the other words mean? Are they
real or fake words?
from
an article on Wordsmith http://wordsmith.org/awad/a-phobia.html
Answer
at 10.
==============================================
3.
SMART QUESTIONS
Why
do buses come in threes?
Why
do clever people get things wrong?
What¹s
the best way to cut a cake?
How
do explain coincidence?
³Why
Do Buses Come In Threes/¹
Rob
Eastaway and Jeremy Wyndham
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4.
NEW PRINTABLES
An
Old Template from VT
Deep
in the Tombs of Egypt
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/egyptian.doc
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5.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Quantum
Freeware Downloads - an amazing amount of free downloads
http://quantum.fateback.com/freeware/downloads.htm
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Atomic
Learning
Join
up and take on some online training over the holidays.
The
price is In US$ however is very reasonable.
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Microsoft
updates
http://office.microsoft.com/officeupdate/default.aspx
Windows
Updates
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/R1150/v31site/x86/nt4/en/thanksstart.htm
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6.
WEBSITE FOCUS -Dear Cathy,
The
Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum
Studies
(SCEMS), produced by the central education
department
of the Smithsonian Institution announces
the
launch of SmithsonianEducation.org.
This latest online
resource
is an authoritative and inspiring online educational
resource
for educators, families and students.
This
new website brings the highest quality of resources
from
the Smithsonian Institution to millions of homes across
the
nation with visuals, recordings, animations, and interactive
features
aligned to national standards. This easy to use website
features
cutting edge interactive activities and Idealabs for
students;
teaching tools, lesson plans and special events for
teachers;
child-friendly exhibitions, reading lists and field trip
finders
for families online.
Please
share this announcement with your readers and link to SmithsonianEducation.org
for students, educators or families at: http://www.smithsonianeducation.org
See
below for further details regarding the release.
I
look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Katherine
Foster
This
is a wonderful resource with information for K-12.
Great
links pictures and info.
==============================================
7.
The Vision of Learning
New
understandings about the brain; about how people learn; about the
potential
of information and communication technologies; about radical
changes
in patterns of work as well as deep fears about social divisions
in
society, necessitate a profound rethinking of the structures of
education.
Here
are some of the points that resonated :) with me:
-Letís
be clear about learning ñ then weíll talk about technology.
-It
is not necessarily the smartest or the strongest that will succeed
more
those that adapt the fastest. ñ Darwin
-Learning
is a consequence of thinking. Therefore we need to encourage
thinking.
-Humans
are born with an appetite to know and a capacity to learn. School
can
kill this.
-We
need to teach and discuss metacognition (the thinking about thinking)
and
reflective intelligence.
-Our
schooling systems breed specialists. More and more people who know
more
and more about less and less.
-When
you¹re being creative you are doing the unexpected. So examine what
you
call being creative.
-Research
shows that stress in the last 3 months of pregnancy can hinder
brain
development by as much as 2 years.
-It
is not the quality of the milk when breast feeding that is important
but
the quality of the interaction with the mother that facilitates brain
development.
-Children
need people around them that encourage question raising and
people
around them to help them find the answers. NOT give them the
answers.
-Brains
develop much better if we give people the skills to think for
themselves.
Don¹t do everything for them. It stunts their development.
-In a
rapidly changing world learners will inherit the earth and the
learned
will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no
longer
exists. So learn how to learn.
-Technology
gives us the opportunity to make qualitative changes in
education.
-The
child needs to be interested in learning and committed to it.
-There
is no messiah out there for technology in education, just us.
-Leave
them time to smell the roses.
-Don¹t
forget the social elements, we are collaborative animals.
Hi
Adrian,
I
read you summary of the John Abbot seminar - right
on
the money - wondered if I could use some of it in VT???
Let
me know if it's OK.
No
worries just as long as you mention it was the AIS
Conference
'Making the Most of the Middle Years 2003'.
:)
Adrian
http://www.21learn.org/acti/johnscv.html
http://www.21learn.org/arch/slides/index.html
==============================================
8.
GREAT SITES
HOT
SITES
DNA
Interactive - You'll love this site with it's movies and interviews.
http://www.dnai.org/index.html
A
huge, beautiful undertaking, the DNA Interactive site is divided into
sections:
Timeline; Code (what is it); Manipulation (how do you work
with
it); Genome (analyzing, mapping, sequencing); Applications (how DNA
applies
to healthcare and our past); and Chronicle (using knowledge
responsibly,
can we do it?). Use the Site Map to get an overview of what
each
of these sections contain. Each section contains short bits of
information
and accompanying media. Flash required. Created by the
efforts
of many - copyright Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Website
evaluation guidelines
http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/webeval/index.htm
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Using
Live Insects in Elementary Classrooms for Early Lessons in Life
http://insected.arl.arizona.edu/uli.htm
This
site, created by the Center for Insect Science Education Outreach
at
the University of Arizona, is online curriculum and resources
developed
to support K-3 teachers interested in moving from a
traditional
textbook-driven curriculum to a more integrated, hands on,
inquiry
approach. This site contains twenty integrated lessons with
science
and math activities that use live insects
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Artist's
Toolkit (Minneapolis Institute of Arts)
http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/index.html
Another
production from ArtsConnectEd and it's a good one! Each section
(Line,
Color, Space, Shape, Balance, Movement/Rhythm) allows students to
watch
animated demonstrations, view examples, and create their own.
Includes
an encyclopedia of Visual Elements (line, shape, color, space,
and
texture) and Visual Principles (balance, emphasis, movement/rhythm).
Requires
Flash.
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DLTK's
Printable Crafts For Kids
This
site is totally home-grown (ie. not slick and professional);
however
there is a wealth of resources here that demand attention. This
site
features a variety of fun, printable children's crafts, coloring
pages
and more including projects for holidays and educational themes.
There
are also "sister sites" with coloring pages, Spanish/English
activities,
French/English activities, and Fun
Facts for Kids. You can
find
templates and craft patterns, sign up for a newsletter, or join
discussion
groups and share ideas. Check out DLTK's Custom Bookmarks to
see what I mean
(http://www.dltk-cards.com/bookmarks/)
The
Global Virtual Classroom
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9.
READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Cathy
In
Word, when I type a word, and there is an error in it, I highlight
The
incorrect part and retype it. However the highlighted part does
not
disappear and I have to delete the incorrect part manually.
eg
sydney becomes Ssydney What do I need to turn on or off and how?
Regards
Terrie
Thanx
for a great teacher resource
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An
answer for Terrie...
The
Word Ssydney Dilemma!
Tools
>> Options >>
Select
the Edit Tab
Under
the heading Editing Options
Look
at the first one in the list. (This may depend on version
of
word?!?) Make sure that you have the check box marked
next
to Typing replaces selection You need to go to the "Tools"
menu
bar, then choose "AutoCorrect" which will display
4
choices. Make sure you are on the "AutoCorrect" tab heading
and
then tick the box which says "replace text as you type"
(the fourth
choice). Works for me!
Fabulous
resource set Cathy, thanks for your time and effort!
Cheers,
Norene
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Hi
Terrie,
When
you make a mistake in Word and a red line appears under
it,
just right click with the mouse over the word and a menu appears
with
correct spellings - just choose the one you want and it replaces
the
incorrect word. (Sydney isn't a good example as my computer
automatically
gives it a capital even if I spell it with a little s).
Regards
Lyn
Garrett
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In
reply to Terrie's question about replacing a selection in Word, it
appears
that the 'typing replaces selection' option is turned off. To
correct
this select options from the tools menu, then click on the edit tab.
There
is an editing option "Typing Replaces Section". Make sure this check
box
has a tick in it and click OK. This should fix it.
Hector,
Bruce
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Hi
Cathy,
In
your latest newsletter there was an item about using
"Questioning"
in the classroom. Immediately the software program
"Reasonable"
produced at The University of Melbourne, sprang to mind.
Have
a look at their website at http://www.goreason.com
Or
download a trial version. To me ( not a practising classroom teacher )
I
think it important that our students ( and anyone else in fact ) are
taught
skills to develop clear, concise arguments.
Regards
Jean
Steiner
Managing
Director
Edsoft
Pty.Ltd.
------------------------------------------
This
seems like an interesting program - what do others think?
I am
very partial to Kidspiration/Inspiration for this type of activity.
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Hi
Cathy
I was
just reading Lyn's note about making a PowerPoint
presentation
for her students. In South Australia lots of us are
trialling
a new piece of software that makes it all easier.
It's
called Capture Cam Pro, and using it you can make a
screen-capture
movie of a particular skill which students can
then
re-play as needed. It's available for a 30-day trial at http://www.capturecampro.com/
I've
been using it for a few weeks and love it - sorry, but it
doesn't
work on Macs!!!
Sue
Lemmer
Assistant
Principal
Mawson
Lakes School
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Looks
like a most interesting piece of software, Mac's also
allow
you to capture video direct to Computer - controlling the
video
using mouse. Has anyone else tries this software??
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Dear
Cathy
Can
you advise me on a good site where I can get a unit of
work
(probably HSIE or Science) that I can use for a stage 3
class
but has worksheets that can be modified for students
of
the same age that have reading difficulties. I need about 12 worksheets.
thankyou
Joanne
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Try
these:-
http://www.worksheets4teachers.com/
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10. NEXT ISSUE - VT will take a 3
week break over the holidays
Back
next Term.
"arachibutyrophobia."
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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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