OllieBray.com

Environmental Week at The Compass School

One of the great things about my current job is that I get to pop in and out of quite a lot of schools. I was in a primary school the other day and all the children and staff were wearing different shades of green. Even the headteacher has an ‘interesting’ green tie on.

Then I found out that the school have been celebrating environmental (green) week. During my tour of the school, lots of the fantastic work that the children had been in engaged in over the course of the week was on display.

I loved these monsters made out of recycled materials. Every class had made a robot and then talked about it to the rest of the school at assembly.

Mobile phones: the future of classroom interactive voting?

I really like Interactive voting systems. I was lucky enough to get one in my classroom a number of years ago when the technology was still quite immature. There was even a write up on the project in the Times Educational Supplement (Scotland).

Over the past twelve months I’ve been using a Promethean ActiveExpression system, which I have always found to be a good solution both in the classroom and at conferences. I spoke about using ActiveExpression in the classroom at least years Scottish Learning Festival. I should add that I don’t have any real experience of other voting systems.

The problem with Interactive voting systems is that they are expensive and difficult for schools to justify in the current economic climate. One solution that I have always been interested by is the ability for students to use their own mobile phones to vote.

I was at a presentation by Microsoft a couple of weeks ago where I was learning about some of the features of Office 2010. As I understand it voting will be built into PowerPoint 2010 but not, unfortunately, from Windows Mobile devices. Again the voting capacity will rely on an additional peripheral hardware. To be honest I think this was a bit of a trick missed and I hope that the functionality will be there in future. The ultimate aim being to create a multi platform app that allows student to vote through a local wireless network or Bluetooth.

Moving on, I’ve noticed that conference based texting is becoming more and more common and I wonder how long it will be before we start to see more of this in the classroom. Systems like Audience Response System may be the start. It’s particularly interesting because although it allows people to vote by text message (cost of a message) it also allows user to vote in real time over the web (free).

Many mobile phones are now wifi enabled and some schools are moving down the route of open access zones, which will make this system a real reality for some teachers. Regardless of device phone, netbook, laptop, DSi, PSP etc… children will be able to vote in real time via the web.

What makes the Audience Response System particular appealing is that it’s free for small audiences (under 30 people) which means it would be useable with traditional class sizes.

Jaye Richards is currently doing some research on the use of Interactive voting in class using the Turning Point System. As will all of Jayes research I’m really looking forward to seeing what comes out of her project. More.

YouTube in Schools

I was in Kings Meadow Primary School in East Lothian the other day and I was really impressed to see some much ICT embedded into teaching, learning and very fabric of the school.

One of the things that I really liked was a group of three girls practicing a dance routine in front of a laptop. Where did they get their practice video from?.... YouTube!

Isn’t it a shame that so many other education authorities ban these rich and creative learning opportunities for children

Microsoft Featured Teachers

The Microsoft Innovative Teachers Network front page has been up-dated and Dan Roberts from Saltash.net and I are being featured in two short case studies. Dan’s case study refers to his fantastic Recharge the Battery project and my feature is on using the xBox and Guitar Hero in class.

You can view the case studies in the Microsoft UK Innovative Teacher Forum. You will need to join if your not a member (but its free).

As well as being a previous world wide Microsoft Innovative Teacher Finalist Dan also recently picked up an award by becoming the South West region’s Teaching Award winner in the Next Generation Learning Category.

Well done Dan – I look forward to seeing you at the end of August!

You can follow Dan’s new blog here

Scottish International Leadership Summer School

In 2007 I had the great privilege of being asked to facilitate at the first Scottish Leadership International Summer School. It was a great event and really kick started an exciting partnership journey between the National CPD and myself. I blogged about the event at the time and it still remains one of the best conferences I have ever attended.

Last summer I had to turn down my place as I was away with a group of young people in the Cascade Mountains but I was delighted when I heard that the Leadership School would be returning for its third year.

This year the theme of the school is Creativity and Innovation in School Leadership: realising the potential of the Curriculum for Excellence. The programme really is looking fantastic. With input form a number o world class speakers including:

• Jim Spillane Northwestern University, Illinois, USA;
• Steve Munby National College for School Leadership, England;
•  Bob Fryer Department for Health, England;
• Irwin Turbitt Warwick Business School; and
•  Scotland’s own Ewan McIntosh (now at Channel 4)

I’ve been asked to run one of the round table CfE discussion groups on the Tuesday. During this workshops I’ll be talking about Nomadic learning: building personal learning networks. I’ve been asked to cover this following successful input at the recent Building Windmills event.

More information on the Leadership school can be found at www.scotlandschoolleadershipevent.com. The website is also a great archive of the previous two events with some great footage that can be used for personal CPD.

Do you know how to Glog? Creativity in the classroom: Glogster Tutorial

I’ve recently been talking a lot about good tools for teachers and one of the ones that I keep seem to come back to is Glogster.

If you have not used Glogster before its defiantly worth checking out. I can’t remember when I first came across it but I was reminded about it not to long ago at Teachmeet NE London when 'The Digital Maverick' Drew Buddie showed us some of the work his students had been doing with Glogster.

‘Glogster is a revolutionary way of expressing your mood, feelings and ideas, and it goes miles beyond text or video! Creating a Glog lets you express all those things you haven’t been able to describe by words. It opens the door to a whole new world of communication – just choose a background, throw in some shapes and characters from our galleries, add text, your own videos or photos and perhaps a pinch of music and there it is! In just a few minutes, you can make a digital poster, a colorful medley of ideas, reflecting your own special style.’

Glogster also has its own education version called glogster/edu. Glogster/edu registration is fast, simple and user-friendly. Teachers can register at the following address: www.glogster.com/edu/register. Upon registration you will receive an email with student user names and passwords. Distribute them to your students and they will be able to log in. The list with student log in data will also be waiting for you in your Glogster profile. Teachers can register up to 200 students – for free!

I recently came across this great little YouTube video that talks more about Glogster/edu:

 

Ollie's Summer Adventure: The Great Divide Canada to Mexico by Bike

I’ve never cycled 100 miles a day once before. So what made me think I could cycle 100 miles a day for 28 days in a row I just don’t know. The likely hood is I won’t be able to – but it’s going to be great fun trying.

Mark Beaumont who is the Scottish man with the current world record for cycling around the word in the shortest amount of time managed to cycle an average of 100 miles a day during his world record attempt. I’ve met Mark and can confirm that he’s as fit as most Olympic Athletes and has a whole team of people working with him. You can find out more about mark on his website.

In contrast, there is me – I’ve done most of my training by cycling from my house to the pub in North Berwick, having a pint and cycling back again. To simulate the hardship of sitting on a saddle for 100 miles, I’ve occasionally done journey with normal (rather than padded) shorts on!

A change of job, being really busy with other project has meant that I’m not quite as fit and prepared for this journey as I was originally planned for. To make matter worse I wasn’t planning to be that fit!

So the likelihood of actually achieving my next adventure is pretty slim. But the flights are booked and as your reading this I’m currently on a plane to Canada about to get started.

You can follow my progress and possible demise over on the expedition web site: www.bikingthegreatdivide.com

I’ll see you in four weeks. I will occasionally be posting over on the expedition site and this site will throw up the odd automated pre-written post to keep you interested over the next few weeks.

iPhone and mobile devices in education

I was asked to speak yesterday at the UK Apple Regional Training Centre Conference in Glasgow. I’ve been an Apple distinguished educator for a while now and it was nice to be asked to contribute to the conference on my home turf! I presented on using mobile devices (particularly phones) in education.

Unfortunately it was bit of a flying visit and I didn’t get an opportunity to catch up with anyone due to other commitments.

I did promise to post my slides below – here they are!

iPhone and mobile devices in education

View more OpenOffice presentations from olliebray.

If you’re looking for links from the presentation or a write up on any of the iPhone Apps that I mentioned then click on the iPhone/iPod Touch Category in the left hand tag cloud to see any apps that I have reviewed (most were mentioned in the presentation).

A huge thank you to all the positive ‘tweets’ that I received as a result of the presentation. It really is appreciated.

Great video of ideas for using Google Earth in the classroom

Well OK, I’m a little bit bias here as the video is of me! But if you’re interested in the use of Google Earth hopefully this mininote from Teachmeet North East London will get you inspired to get you using the fabulous tool more with your students.

The video (blip.tv) will also give you an insight into the sort of input that you get a Teachmeet and other similar events.

Thanks to Leon Cych of Learn4Life and Futurelab for supporting the production of the Teachmeet Talk videos.

Any feedback is very welcome.

Nintendo Unveils Nintendo DS Classroom

It was only a matter of time – and I honestly thought it would be Sony who would be first off the mark. According to a recent press release (you will need to run it through a translator!) Nintendo and Sharp System Products have announced the Nintendo DS Classroom, a new educational system targeting elementary, junior high and high school students.

‘Nintendo and Sharp System Products announced today Nintendo DS Classroom, a new educational system targeting elementary, junior high and high school students.

Known as "Nintendo DS Kyoushitsu" in its native Japanese, the new system pairs up the DS with a PC. Teachers make use of software on the PC to interact via Wi-Fi with students through their individual DS, DS Lite or DSi units that have been equipped with a Nintendo DS Classroom cartridge. The system allows a single PC to interact with up to 50 DS units. Everything is handled locally, so no internet connection is required.

Nintendo detailed a few sample uses. The system can be used for interactive tests, where student responses are reflected in real time on the teacher's computer. Teachers can also send students multiple sample problem sets, with the software automatically checking answers. Teachers can conduct surveys of students, with responses tabulated and charted in real time on the teacher's computer.

Outside of multiple choice, the stylus can be put to use for free response questions. Images of student responses are sent back to the teacher's computer.

Nintendo says that it developed the Nintendo DS Classroom program as part of its continued efforts to expand the DS beyond just a game device. The company notes that the pairing of PC and DS differentiates the new system from previous school-oriented educational software.

Sharp System Products is developing educational content using the Nintendo-developed system, and will handle sales, set-up and support. A press release from the two firms noted that Sharp has experience in student educational systems,

Outside of the pre-made content, teachers will be able to create their own educational materials using a simple spreadsheet interface.’

Thanks to Doug Dickinson for flagging this up.