Next week I facilitate a workshop designed to assist Year 11 students find some useful online tools to support their learning, especially research, collaboration, organisation, study and presentation. There will be a very, very brief presentation and overview of each tool and then students will be free to experiment, exploring the tools of use/interest to them. Do you mind […]
I have commenced experimenting with Startpage – the “world’s #1 privacy search engine” – which has launched in Australia. This search engine accesses “nine other search engines all at once” and does not collect your data. Increasingly, privacy and the regulations which govern the internet are being debated widely, as online life assumes more and more […]
Readability is a simple tool that ‘makes reading on the Web more enjoyable by removing the clutter around’ what you’re reading. Check out how it works: [vodpod id=Video.3214367&w=425&h=350&fv=] Great, definitely a useful tool but what interests me is the opportunity it offers English teachers to explore how ‘Readability’ (and similar technologies) change the nature of the meaning of the text. I […]
OneSocialWeb is a ‘free open decentralized social networking platform’ in development and will, undoubtedly, try and capitalise on the widespread dissatisfaction with Facebook’s privacy policies. [vodpod id=Video.3604307&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] more about “YouTube – Why OneSocialWeb?“, posted with vodpod
Augmented reality apps from the iTunes App store have not really excited me in the way I originally expected but the potential is fantastic. Here’s the Common Craft video explanation for those new to the concept.
I really enjoyed this post from Read Write Web, the ‘Internet of Things’, highlighting Tim O’Reilly’s recent keynote. Some viewing. The first video is 5 minutes long and the second is 36 minute but worth your time. After my viewing, I had the following in my mind: Q: What does it all mean for our students, communities and […]
At great risk of appearing unneccesarily sycophantic, I need to say that Mark Pesce‘s post, Whatever Happened to the Book, is clever, unusually clever, even for Mark. Everything that currently intellectually interests (read obsesses me) about literature and our hyperconnected age is explored. Please read it closely and tell your friends, especially if they are teachers still learning. […]
A post by James Bradley, at his City of Tongues blog, led me to buy and read Miscellaneous Voices: Australian Blog Writing, edited by Karen Andrews. I would not usually buy an anthology of ‘online’ writing as it just seems too silly, losing all the hyperlinks and hyperconnectivity, but felt happy to invest in this project when I read: “This […]
@achurches tweeted this great visual explanation of social media video today [vodpod id=Video.3353602&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] more about “Social Media Explained Visually“, posted with vodpod
[vodpod id=Video.3250505&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] more about “The Future of Publishing – created by…“, posted with vodpod Hat tip to John Connell who posted this at his blog this week.
[vodpod id=Video.3185845&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] more about “ Why Wikipedians are the Weirdest Pe…“, posted with vodpod
“Most experts agree that Google won’t make us stupid.” PREDICTIONS
Something unexpected happened recently that I want to share with you. It is pretty self-indulgent, excuse me for that, but having my daughters mentioned in parliament is very exciting to my extended family. Some of you would have seen this article in our local newspaper, via my Facebook or twitter. Our Federal Member contacted me as she intended to […]
Read Write Web recently posted a story that I thought would garner more comments. I suspect it only had three, as most people agree with Europe’s 17 Golden Rules for Keeping Safe on Social Networks but are breaking some of them out of neccessity. This is what I mean. The following three ‘European rules’ When joining a social […]
The PBS public affairs series Frontline recently aired, Distracted by Everything, the first episode in digital_nation – life on the virtual frontier about multitasking. Henry Jenkins has a word of warning about the program though, he suggests the documentary ‘panders to the biases’ of viewers. His analysis of how students multitask is important and comments about the dangers of […]
The NSW DET Code of Conduct was updated and took effect last week. The changes are sensible and staff at school have been briefed. page 16 of the NSW DET Code of Conduct The major additions relate to social media and are not draconian like those announced in Queensland last year that Kelli wrote about […]
Senator Conroy’s recent announcement about the censorship of the internet in Australia has disturbed and perturbed Australians who reflect intelligently on the nature of our civil society and the freedoms we enjoy. The benignly titled press release, ‘Measures to improve safety of the internet for families’ has been released in the week before christmas in […]
It really would be worth taking some time to explore the nominated blogs, wikis, tweeps, nings and educators nominated for Eddies this year. I intend to look at all of them during the holidays and reorganise my Google Reader to reflect my current interests. After reading Miguel Guhlin’s post it got me thinking about what is […]
The Edublog Awards are now in their 6th year. Bloggers provide me with so much inspiration and so many new ideas that reflecting on the year for these awards is very pleasant indeed. It is also very difficult to choose just one blogger or tweep (apologies to colleagues who have missed out from me this year and I […]
I’ve now read a book on my Kindle and feel the time has come for a brief review. Firstly, I’m glad I purchased the device and have no reservations about the outlay of approximately $300. I am happy with the leather cover and the weight of the Kindle. The fact that one can add documents , […]
I always enjoy listening to Mark Pesce and this talk was delivered to educators in Queensland. [vodpod id=Groupvideo.3806563&w=425&h=350&fv=] more about “The Era of Sharing“, posted with vodpod
Disruptive technologies You may remember that I almost bought an iLiad last year. I had been after an e-reader for quite a while but the available product was just not good enough to purchase. The release of the Kindle 2 re-awakened my digital lust earlier this year. Today, my Google Reader presented *drum roll* Amazon’s Reader Comes to Australia […]
[vodpod id=Groupvideo.3565217&w=425&h=350&fv=videoRefID%3DTAWSP_Int_20091001_779626_0_00] This really is a great overview of the issues that are commonly discussed re: literacy in the digital age. It is worth 40 minutes of your time to listen while working away on something else. Thanks to @etalbert who alerted me to this video of a panel discussion posted at Six Pixels of Separation.