Educating the Dragon » Breathetechnology

Stopmotion workshop

Dragon09 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:03:07 +0000

There are just few pictures of the attendees of my stopmotion workshop. It’s amazing what can be created with simply a webcam, windows movie maker/ imovie and bit of imagination.

What I love about this workshop is that after the first 30 minutes of my introductions the remainder of the workshop is completely dependent on the delegates and the direction they wish to go as they spend either a long or short time trying out the different sorts of animation.

This particular workshop everyone focused on cutout rather than pen and ink.

Stopmotion learning

Dragon09 — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:22:20 +0000

I love it when I run a workshop and then get out of it as much as I put in…. I hope to blog further about the session later but I just wanted to share this video one of the attendees talked about.

How fast and important the conversation turns

Dragon09 — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:19:44 +0000

Met with some my good friends and colleagues today.

We had a long discussion about Web2.0. What it is. What it means. Who’s responsible. How do we as educators meet the challenge.

We can’t just lock our kids up, wrap them in cotton wool. And we certainly can’t UNDO the internet.

Education is the answer. Just as it is the answer to every single issue in society. Education, education, education.

But it is not just the kids who need to be educated. It’s the parents who need it too.

But what needs to happen to bring the dangers of the internet into the national psyche?

Dangerous driving has had a national ad campaign, smoking in public, smoking in your house/car, drink driving. Campaign after campaign after campaign.

But there are two issues here. Firstly, is a national ad campaign going to work? TV is often seen as the place ‘parents’ are found. So perhaps.

But secondly, are we all becoming a little inoculated from violent outcomes due to stupidity? Intersections kill, you know?

Perhaps we need we need it printed on our bread. “internet predator alert!!”

Training through Skype

Dragon09 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:08:02 +0000

I have just run my first training session on Podcasting through Skype.

It worked really well having two people at the other end of the call. My Skype connection came through one computer and they worked off the other. Therefore if we were jumping from website to website. It did not stuff up the Skype call.

It certainly is a powerful tool. If you would like to recieve PD through Skype just let me know.

Today’s workshop was about Podcasting. How do you? Why do you?

KPE is held up as a shining example of Students’ Podcasting.

I thought I’d share my list of Podcasts that I listen to:

Wesley Fryer

EdtechTalk.com

November Learning Podcast series

Technology Intergration

Virtual Staffroom

My Meeting

Dragon09 — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:27:52 +0000

This is my first ‘Sales Meeting’ for Sitech . I don’t know why I put it in inverted commas. It really was a sales meeting. I just can’t believe I’m AT a sales meeting.
Having been there we have been discussing several different products a few that I think are worth a mention. Obviously if you are wanting to find out more email me .
But they are as follows.
DVC – This is a place to store all the digital files central for the school. It can be accessed across the school wide network. Staff can record from Sky, connect via a DVD or VHS to support existing resources. The is the system which will assist school to safely meet copyright issues and still dilver for staff and students as there is only ever one copy of a resource. Not only does it support video and audio but allows staff to create a meta data supported resource file.
Edukite – May well be an answer to the E-Portfolio question. It is easy to use and the interface for staff, students and parents. I’ll be blogging about this a little more in the months ahead as I will be developing the comprehensive professional development package for it.
RM- Have a number of different software products available that Sitech may or may not be supplying. But the do supply the Easiteach software for the Interactive whiteboard. RM Easiteach has been developed purely as a software programme for any different iwbs. As they are specific to software development the range of tools available is very extensive and some cool animation creation options for the iwb.

The greatest form of flattery

Dragon09 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:33:13 +0000

I’ve just had my third conversation in as many weeks on this subject. Presentations, which all too often have been generously shared with numous folk around the glode via, qik, slideshare, youtube, teachertube have been magically appearing in other presentations, in other places presented by other people. Which, I guess, is fine and dandy if it has been shared under a creative commons license. However, it was my understanding that the old creative commons thing still had two restrictions. Firstly that the material is not reproduced or remixed for profit but shared once more under the same attribution. Secondly, that the material is attributed to the original creator somewhere vaguely close to, or better yet, on the same slide as that material being used.

Perhaps there is more to this than my limited perspective. Please Edudcate the Dragon.

I only mention this now as a friends material appeared in a presentation some time ago with no reference or thanks to my friend as the author and creator of the material. I think that is just good manners to nod toward such people. Most of those who share on the web are doing sdo out of the goodness of their hearts, no monetary reward required. Just a nod and a bit of appreciation never cost anyone anything.

I heard of another presentation being delivered that appeared to, in the very least, be based on a Breathe Technology Workshop (whose material is not even being made available as open source).

I suppose that imitation is the highest form of flattery. – or however the saying goes.

On the Road: Taupo

Dragon09 — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:32:47 +0000

The day in Taupo was great. What a wonderful bunch of enthusiastic teachers. I wish they were at my school. Some of them had to put up with me all day and some of them are coming again tomorrow. IWB +Literacy was the session as well as IWB1. What a great couple of sessions. Beautiful lake too.

Flaxmere iwb project – Interview

Dragon09 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:02:16 +0000

Click here for the podcast.

Neila Thompson (with a p) has been working with five and six year olds at Flaxmere Primary. She has had an iwb for 2 years and remains excited about using her board in the classroom.
"It’s amazing what you can do with five year olds and an iwb" she says.
The presence of an iwb in a classroom changes your perspective on teaching, challenges your pedagogy, motivates students and is a powerful tool in the school where formative practise and personalised learning are key.
A few helpful links:
Video converter
Sound converter

On the Road: first of many for 2009

Dragon09 — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:13:28 +0000

It has been a whole year since I began with Breathe Technology and I’ve not starved to death. In fact as we reviewed the year just gone and I think it has been a productive year. Some of our highlights have been the development of the regional training sessions (some areas are going better than others) and the promoting at conferences. I can’t believe the effort required to take a business from zero to being known throughout NZ as a quality provider of professional development.
A personal highlight of mine was the opportunity to deliver my first ‘In-House’ training ; a challenge and a joy at the same time.
My area this year has been extended to include Wellington and Taupo which I’m excited about… a few more nights away but greater opportunity to visit schools throughout New Zealand. Leave a comment if you think I might be in your area, I’d love to call in on my way through.
We have talked about the development and flexibility of the EHSAS contracts, that schools cluster together and identify their own PD focus. I’d love to hear from you if your school has been involved in this project.
How similar to ICTPD clusters are they?

School v Business; does it have to be this way?

Dragon09 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:58:09 +0000

I’m hoping that Dr Scott McLeod is not becoming immune to the potential of school reform through business. I’ve decided to publish my response to his post

Subscription via e-mail; Trying to reduce corporate PR pitches

by way of my post as, due to my excessive use of helpful links the comment was trapped by the anti-spam, which is a good thing really- I guess.

I think it such a shame when there is friction between business and schools. They both seem to loose out. I have been involved in a wonderful collaboration between business and schools for some years now here in New Zealand. Sitech Systems, now supported by BreatheTechnology set up a Champion School programme to

support the role out of IWBs across the country. This meant that 50 schools got reduced price technology and free ongoing professional development in return for being showcase schools. Through the ongoing professional development provided by the company I have had many encouraging encounters both in the education system as well as in business. Every year there is a conference where everyone come together to share ideas. Both the schools and the businesses involved have learnt heaps. Even the manufacturers in the USA, Interwrite have benefited. These schools have also gone on to pilot heaps of other technologies…

It is also a point of note that I have my blog and am reading yours as a direct result of this initiative.

No motive is pure in business, however I do feel that Sitech’s ethos does place the student’s (and teacher’s) development as a 21^st century learner front and centre.

Useful Links:

http://www.sitechsystems.co.nz/

http://www.breathetechnology.co.nz/

http://breathe.elearning.ac.nz/

http://educatingthedragon.edublogs.org/tag/championschools/