Thursday, March 8, 2012

March 8, 2012


Hi everyone,

It’s been such a busy beginning of the Quint!  I am meeting with more of you individually and  have been thrilled to hear the amount of excitement that is growing around projects that will integrate technology more effectively… for inspiration and ideas, read on!


What’s working:

·         Lots of interest in blended learning (face-to-face instruction with online components) – and how to flip the classroom – after an inspiring session at the NAIS conference.   I think creating a working group on this topic would be very smart. Cecilia’s made her first video already! http://teachers.northwestschool.org/nws/ctung/index.php

o   You can create your own screencasts using Jing, a free and easy to use image and screen capturing tool…. http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html  they also have quite a few online tutorials: http://www.techsmith.com/tutorial-jing.html

o   Here’s an overview of blended learning: http://youtu.be/iRKMZuCNkfE

·         Many of us were totally inspired by John Hunter’s presentation at NAIS.  Here’s his TED Talk about The World Peace Game: http://www.ted.com/talks/john_hunter_on_the_world_peace_game.html

·         Harumi is planning a blog-based creative writing project where students post their writing to a communal blog and provide feedback to peers.  Marina, Ceclia and Thomas are planning a collaborative online space with students in Uruguay… more to come!


What’s wonky:

·         Errors when logging in with laptops – in the past few days this issue has been fixed, so sorry for the frustration earlier in the week.

·         A few more SMART boards are having problems with their touch sensitivity and the pen tray (Euclid and Pythagoras)… we have just signed a maintenance contract to help maintain the boards and prevent future issues.  Good news!

·         Confusing process for new faculty to get set up with an account/email/phone access.  We need a streamlined flow chart of steps that is easy for all to follow.


What you’re wishing for:

·         Remote access to files – this is still everyone’s top priority and is the IT team is actively working to find/implement the best solution.

·         The chance to do more with iPads and mobile devices – this is  big need with the Athletics department especially.

·         A more robust online space for discussions,  secure sharing of work and collaborating – what’s the next step from SWIFT Teacher Pages?  I am researching options currently.


Tips worth considering:

·         Discussions about Intellectual Property have come up a few times… check out the Creative Commons.  These licenses provide a flexible range of protections and freedoms for authors, artists, and educators – this is also a great place to think about how you share your own work, how students attribute and reuse content: http://creativecommons.org/

 

All the best,

Catherine

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