Educating the Dragon

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!!”

I completed my first staff meeting on Edukite today. The whole school are very enthusiastic about the Eportfolio system and communicating with parents. I wish I could let you all have a look around but these things are all neatly tucked inside a portal.

Below is a screen shot of the staff notices page. Not really a huge amount to look at but we’re all just making a start.

By way of background:

EduKite gives students at your school or kindergarten their own portfolio website, or ‘kite’. This simple idea brings simplicity, usability and fun to e-learning. Kites combine online communication, activity management and e-portfolios together in a simple and easy to use way. Kites offer students the opportunity to display notices, activities, projects, wiki threads, events, and most importantly, e-portfolio items. EduKite is a complete e-learning framework.

Kites are the basis of a learning and communication framework that will engage your entire school community, and this is where EduKite shines. All three participant groups (children, parents and educators) are able to become involved through the simplicity the system offers.

EduKite uses the same simple process to create a notice, build activities and portfolios, and even to administer the system. Previously difficult e-learning functions are now as simple as posting a notice – you need only follow the same process. The result is a system that allows teachers to use the entire application with little training, allowing more time to be spent educating. Teachers who have no previous experience with e-learning are soon hosting wikis, assessing work and managing e-portfolios online. All this is made possible through the advanced simplicity of the EduKite system design.

Kites empower teachers to deliver quality e-learning in a process that is simple and uncomplicated. Parents can visit their child’s kite to see homework tasks, to check on the latest school news and to browse through the portfolio. Meanwhile, children respond to projects and collaborate via an activities-based wiki. EduKite is a fully functioning e-learning system that everyone can master and enjoy.

Edukite has an advanced e-portfolio process built into its DNA. The system encourages children to develop a history of their achievements, which they can look back upon. Children and parents can upload multimedia and artwork into their kites where they will be archived for safe keeping and reflection. Teachers can convert almost any content item into a portfolio item, allowing straightforward record keeping.

“We are loving edukite this year. Our K-2 Dept put weekly spelling results

on and the kindys have uploaded photos and short movies -

very positive parent response and 100% usage in my class!”

Amanda Drain – Loquat Valley Anglican School

EduKite LMS

For more  information click here

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If you have ever thought that a class blog was a good idea but were unsure of how to discuss it with management or perhaps you’ve never thought of blogging as a valuable teaching tool. Here are my five reasons to blog.

1. A teacher blog can be used in a reflective manner; enabling you to grow and mature in your teaching, whether in the area of ICT teaching or secondary French.
2. A teacher blog can be a place of community – where regular readers can comment and share their own perspective.
3. A class blog can be a portal for parents to access. Providing a more satisfying answer than ‘dunno’ to the; “So Johnny, what did you do today?” question.
4. A class blog can be a great equalizer for student voice. It is a place where all comments hold equal weight and the shy/quiet kid at the back the same opportunity to share and discuss.
5. A class blog can enable students to share their work, thoughts and insights with a larger audience than any refrigerator / class display can compete with.