Virtual Teacher Newsletter No.86 February 28th 2004 CHOICES
THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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CONTENTS
1.
Welcome
2.
Mind Candy
3.
SMART QUESTIONS - Figment
4.
New Printables - Time
5. Technical
Stuff TOO MUCH WORD
6.
Web Site Focus Learning to Learn
7.
Visual Thesaurus
8.
Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10
Next Issue
11.
Code of 'Netizens'
12.
Tips
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1.
WELCOME EVERYONE. Choices - everybody has them
-
many people avoid them - most people are unaware of them.
Debunk
the only one right wayı theory now. I like to think there is
at
least 100 ways to do most things. Figuring out which way to
tackle
a problem is empowering and engaging.
There is no best
choice,
although there might be better choices.
There might be
better
choices but also choices more amusing, entertaining,
enjoyable.
There might be choices that are more efficient,
cleverer,
more tactile, more visual. There might be choices
that
suit certain individuals better than others.
This
is huge.
How
many times have you heard students say:-
³I
canıt do anything about it.²
³Thereıs
nothing I can do.²
³Iım
stuck with it.²
³I
hate sport/maths/school/Mrs Smith/ and I canıt do a thing
about
it.²(except perhaps muck up and become and absolute
nudnik).
Or
even more troubling, not considering their options at all!
What
ARE their options?
Making
choices and being aware of the options we have is a
totally
magical thing. It transforms one
from a powerless,
de-motivated,
follower, into someone who can take charge
and
turn their life into something they want it to be.
We
all have options. Some more palatable than others,
but
options nevertheless.
So
you hate school, what are your options:-
1.
Leave
2.
Change schools
3. Consider the things that you like at school do
more of them
4.
Consider the things you hate at school remove or minimize them.
5.
How could you make school better for yourself.
Go on
Option away.
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2.
MIND CANDY
who
know how to learn
Henry
Brooks Adams
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I
like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a
necessary
ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life
through
the wrong end of a telescope. ~~ Ted Geisel, children's
book
author also known as Dr. Seuss
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For
every sound your ears are hearing
A
thousand thoughts can start appearing!
And
each of us imagines different things
From
just a sound, your mind has wings!
Figment
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3.
SMART QUESTIONS
Figment
of my imagination. What an odd word.
Is it used
anywhere
else in the English language except as part
of
this phrase?
What
is a figment? Can you invent your own figment
(
a contrived or fantastic ideaı) ?
Hereıs
figment.
http://www.figmentsimagination.com/
Check
out figment of Epcot.
http://www.themeparks.com/wdw/imagination01.htm
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4.
NEW PRINTABLES - TIME
This
is a excerpt I have mentioned before seems to fit
in
well with this week.
"Your
life is an expression of your mind. You are the creator of
your
own universe. For as a human being you are free to will
whatever
state of being you desire, through the use of your
thoughts
and words. There is great power there, it can be a
blessing
or a curse; it's entirely up to you..²
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/time.html
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5.
TECHNICAL STUFF
The
story of TOO MUCH WORD another issue about choices.
A
distressed parent approach me about printing out a studentıs
work,
which had been prepared in WORD. The document wouldnıt
print,
the student was frustrated, the parent was frustrated ..
THE
PROJECT to make a childrenıs book in word with
illustrations
and text.
PROBLEM
1 The file size of the document was too big
for
the printer to handle.
PROBLEM
2 Word is not suitable for this
type of task.
GENERALLY Word is not suitable for any complex
task
involving
a lot of formatting, a lot of images or a lot of pages.
The
choice the teacher made in assigning the task was not
a
very good one. There are better
choices for this type of project.
OPTIONS
Use a
drawing program to make pictures choose something like:
1.
Kidpix even for high School Students
2.
Paint
3.
Photoshop Etc.
Most
of these programs also allow the addition of text.
1.
Set the page to A4(most home and school printers handle
only
this size)
2.
Set a 10 mm border on all sides(no printer will print right to
the
edge, of an A4 sheet).
3.
Save images as jpegs, or pdfs to reduce file size.
4.
Consider final presentation as a digital slide show
(PowerPoint
or acrobat) rather than a hardcopy print out in
colour. This is very expensive for both parents
and schools.
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6.
WEBSITE FOCUS Learning to Learn
Your path for most effective learning is through
knowing
yourself
your capacity to learn
the process you have successfully used in the past
interest, and
knowledge of, the subject you wish to learn
http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides/metacognition.htm
Knowing something
takes time; do not be tempted to short-cut
this time. At
first you will feel that everything takes too much time,
but do not worry.
http://www.rod.beavon.clara.net/learning.htm
The
Big 6 Approach - Eisenberg & Berkowitz
What is the Big6?
The Big6 is an
information literacy model. Some people call
it a
metacognitive scaffold, or an information problem solving
strategy. Developed by Mike Eisenberg and Bob
Berkowitz,
the Big6 is the
most widely-known and widely-used approach
to teaching
information and technology skills in the world.
When you apply
the Big6 steps, you have an essential
framework to
approach any information-based question
New
Basics
The New Basics
Project is a bold and exciting undertaking
by Education
Queensland to prepare our students for the future.
http://education.qld.gov.au/corporate/newbasics/
Multiple
Intelligences
http://www.gigglepotz.com/mi.htm
Dimensions of
Learning is a comprehensive model that uses
what researchers
and theorists know about learning to define
the learning
process.
http://www.mcrel.org/programs/dimensions/whathow.asp
Habits
of Mind
http://www.habits-of-mind.net/
Concept
to Classroom
Welcome! Here
you will find FREE workshops that cover all
kinds of hot topics in education today.
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/index.html
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7.
Visual Thesaurus
Every
now and then a site comes along that does something
totally
different - this site is truly amazing - don't miss it.
Visual
Thesaurus
http://www.visualthesaurus.com/online/index.html
Visual
Thesaurus is both an artistic exploration and a tool to explore,
study,
and analyze the structure of language. By displaying the
interrelationships
between words and meanings as spatial maps, the
Visual
Thesaurus translates language into a visible architecture. By
Plumb
Design.
Use
your digital projector, project it onto the wall, have students write down
opposites to, similes for, alternatives for etc their spelling words. As a
group explore alternative, innovative words for writing projects. Just
marvelous.
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8.
GREAT SITES
HOT
SITES
Mysteries
of Ğatalhy¸k (Science Museum of Minnesota)
Archaeologists
are excavating the remains of a Neolithic town located in
central
Turkey, southeast of the modern city of Konya. 9,000 years ago,
this
place was one of the world's largest settlements. At a time when
most
of the world's people were wandering hunter-gatherers, as many as
10,000
people lived at Ğatalhy¸k. You'll find information about the
archaeological
dig, artifacts, activities for kids that revolve around
everyday
life, and you can take a virtual tour. Other resources include
a
glossary, timeline, maps and links to additional resources. Quicktime
required
to view the movies.
Virtues
Values
http://www.newthoughtministries.org/Miscellaneous/virtproj.html
and
http://www.virtuesproject.com/
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9.
READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Hi
Cathy,
Last
year you inspired me to use PowerPoint in my teaching of
junior
primary, and I am really enjoying it. I have taken a keen
interest
in computing and now E-mail work done at home to my
school. I have come across a problem, when I
E-mail a
PowerPoint
presentation that I have done at home to my school
I do
not have any of the sounds that I have inserted in the presentation.
These
sounds are from files on my hard drive.
How
can I fix this problem.
P.S.
I am using Office 2000 with Outlook as my E-mail program
Many
Thanks
Gaby
Cirillo
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Hi
Gaby,
The
theory:-
When
you start a PowerPoint presentation assemble all your
graphics
music, movies etc into one folder.
Start PowerPoint
and
save it as soon as you start into this folder. Make your
PowerPoint
presentation using the elements within this one folder.
All
the links will then be local links. When you burn a CD of the
PowerPoint
include the whole folder.
If
you are sending email you will need to send the PowerPoint as
well
as audio and video files with the document.
Microsoft
has a cool feature called variously - pack and go, pack
and
send, and most recently PowerPoint package. It is usually an
option
when you use the save as command. If you use it PowerPoint
will
package all the disparate elements of your presentation for
sending. I have found this can be unreliable,
and sometimes
requires
relinking, but it often works, especially for smaller PowerPoint.
Alternatively,
save as a movie which will also imbed the audio
this
is often a good solution for emailing.
Goodluck.
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Hi
Cathy
I
teach computer skills to seniors, and some individual clients
with
a range of ages and occupations.
I
would just like to say first, I do appreciate the very interesting
Virtual
Teachers newsletters. Also,
because I am interested in
examples
of well designed flyers to show students, I have
printed
out your Ji Do Kwan flyer as a good example of a flyer
that's different,
eye-catching and clearly gets the message
immediately
across with such a good use of graphics and text - thank-you!
Regards,
Kathy
Myrtle
The
Computer Coach
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Hi
Kathy,
Glad
you like it - the other flyer on advertising how to, is at:-
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/add.doc
might
be helpful too.
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Hi,
Cathy,
In
the latest issue of VT, you suggested a newspaper site,
and
it reminded me of the one attached below. This one offered
by
the New York Times and has wonderful activities. Each can
be
adjusted to fit any level and/or curriculum. I've often used
activities
from the site for my special needs student, and
they've
enjoyed them all. Perhaps it might be of interest
for
other teachers.
Best
to you,
Nancy
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/index.html
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Thanks
again Nancy
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10. NEXT ISSUE Some Knee replacement
surgery ,
gory
but great and also a look at some of my favourite numbers,
like
number 7. 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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