Geo-Technology!!

I found this weeks lecture and seminar very interesting and again it made me find out new ways of using ICT. I have been aware of some of the things that were mentioned, like Google Earth for example, but I have never used it in the ways that were suggested. I am interested in learning more about how I could use such programmes within the primary classroom, so I will be trying them out to see what could be used for different topics.

I enjoyed this weeks task, but not as much as the animation or podcasting task. It was useful to see how I could use an interactive map within teaching and I learnt several new skills for powerpoint etc, which will be very handy for future work. I did not find the task as interesting as previous tasks, but I think if I had been more involved with making the links for the map instead of just finding links on the internet then it would have been more worthwhile, I shall remember this for future teaching and make sure that the children are as fully involved as possible within the making of the interactive map.

Podcasting!!

I had never used podcasting before this week, or even downloaded one to watch, so I was quite intrigued by it, but also a little apprehensive. I thought that the task was going to be quite difficult and I wouldn't really know what I was doing, but once the seminar had started I had a quick chat with my tutor and all was explained really quickly!! I really enjoyed creating a podcast and I could see how well they would work within the primary classroom. I think that they are more useful than a radio show, because they can be created and downloaded at any time to listen again. I also think that they could be a great way to cross-link the curriculum, they can tie in ICT, Literacy and any other subject you want to talk about. The podcasting programme was quite straightforward and most children would be able to use it without much input from the class teacher. I was really impressed with how clear the podcast turned out and as long as you make sure you have some decent microphones, not a lot else can go wrong! I will definately be wanting to use this is when I am next in schools.

The Internet!!

There are many ways to get new ideas for teaching, but one of the easiest and most varied way is by using the internet. It generally is very quick to give you all of the ideas that you could want. There are several websites that I use when I am on placement to further the quality of the lessons that I teach.

www.primaryresources.co.uk

www.sparklebox.co.uk (It was not until my last placement that I started to use this site, but it is so useful, especially for children who have learning difficulties).

www.teachernet.gov.uk (This website is brilliant, full of loads of ideas and they link to the national curriculum really well).

There is one last piece that I would use during the teaching of my lesson when children needed to complete there own research, instead of letting them use the internet, espresso is brilliant. Your school needs to subscibe to it, but a lot of schools do and it is complete with its own filters and it is directed to the children, so they enjoy using it too!

Hope that some of these come in useful to you!

Music and ICT

This week we looked at how ICT can enhance the learning of Music. I found the task quite interesting, but there are sides to it that I did not always agree with it. I like the idea of being able to present and record music using ICT, but I do not always think it is as effective to produce music using ICT. I still think that it is important to give the children actual instruments that they can use and experiment with. Most schools are fortunate enough to a variety of instruments, but if that is not the case, then the ICT programmes could be used. The title of 'radio show' that we were given was too vague for my liking and in future I think I would be more specific with how I presented the topic to the children to complete. I did like how the music programme recorded the music and how simple it was to add or take away instruments. I also think it was interesting to hear how some instruments sounded on the programme, because from personal memory I thought some of them were slightly strange. The music programme was useful, but to me, nothing will compare to using real instruments to compose music and then maybe use ICT to record the compositions and listen back to them! It was an interesting session, because it made me realise that ICT may not always be the best idea for a lesson, but it always offers an alternative way of teaching.

This is it!!

Hopefully I have uploaded this properly and you'll be able to see it, let me know what you think of it?!!

Animation - part 2!!

Our animation is almost complete, the only thing left to do with it, is to add the music to it, but that is proving more difficult than first expected! Once that is done, then I shall upload it to see what you all think of it!

I really enjoyed creating the animation and it was actually a lot easier than I had first expected! I am now starting to think whether this is the case for a lot more different types of ICT. I tend to shy aware from new (well new to me) software, because I am worried that I'll use it wrong and in turn teach children how to also use it wrong! I am now slowly starting to see how wrong I was and how effective even the most simple things can be within a classroom. I am looking forward to see what else I might learn in the rest of the module that I can take into schools with me!

Animation!

Our task over the next 2 sessions is to create an animation in a small group, I am quite looking forward to this task, as I can use ICT, but only on a simple level! I have been advised to learn to use a few pieces of ICT equipment really well and focus on these when I am in school. I am hoping that I will be able to actually work the animation software, because I am intrigued at how well children pick it up, so fingers crossed I'll pick it up just as easily. The use of the digital blue camera can be used in all areas of the curriculum and it can create really good cross-curricular links. We are doing our animation on the seasons, so we can link it with our specialism (science). I really hope it works out okay, because I am looking forward to using this form of ICT in schools. If it works well, I shall post it on here!