AutoDraw - create your own icons

Thanks, Cheryl Torrie for taking this online workshop.  Was a cool tool to play around with.  

Auto Draw 

Today's workshop was all about Auto Draw and turning scribbles into interesting and engaging icons.  There are lots of ways that this could be used in the classroom both by teachers and students.  

One way is for a visual timetable for students, as well as making icons for sites and slide presentations.

I found that you could also use it on the iPad just as easily.  You could also download the drawings to the camera roll and then by opening another chrome tab you could also remove the background.

It will be interesting to see if this can be incorporated into 'explain everything' and other apps that we use in class. - But that will be another day's task.

 Link to Slide deck

Link to Remove Background

Incredibox - Workshop by Phil Margetts

Thanks, Phil for taking this workshop to share with us all another tool to fill our Kete.  

Today's workshop was on a tool called Incredibox.  This is a quick and easy way to mix music to create and record a sound that can then be used as part of a video (as a backing track).  The examples that were shared of this in use were screencastify's that had this pre-setup incredibox sound playing in the background (e.g. in another tab).  This then became part of the screencastify recording.  This is a fantastic idea and so easy to just add a little extra pizazz to a recording.  Loved the workshop.

Link to first trial of this tool

Link to presentation

This was a great tool for Chromebook users as a free "web version", however was not so great for iPad users.  I couldn't find a way to use the web version on the iPad and it kept prompting me to download and use the paid version.  

Still think Garage Band is a fantastic tool for creating music on the iPad - and the kids like to create using it.  Key point to take away ... CREATE MORE!

GarageBand workshop

Last night was our our Kaikohekohe Clusters Term 3 Tool-kits.  This continues to be a great opportunity to connect with other professionals from within our cluster and across a wide range of year levels and experiences.  Last nights tool-kits included;

Although there weren't a huge amount of tool-kits the tool-kits on offer reflected our clusters current needs and also offered opportunities for professional growth for everyone.  Kaikohekohe Cluster ROCKS!  

On Friday afternoon I got the call from the amazing Raewyn, asking me to run a tool-kit on GarageBand.  So in between having 3 sick kids, doing GST returns, and trying to catch up on MIT bits I also created a presentation to use for this Garage band workshop.

Below is a link to an 'answergarden' brainstorm that anyone who is reading this blog can add their ideas to (for the next week).  It asks the question "How could we use GarageBand in our classroom?"

At the end we had a bit of fun together recording us having a conversation about who we were, what we were doing and why we were in the GarageBand workshop.  Will upload this over the next few days.  

Thanks to all the attendee's

Please make sure you share them to me - I would love to hear your personal & classroom creations!

Whangarei EDTech 2018 Summit

As a School group we attended this event last week.  I have to say one thing about these events is that you ALWAYS come away feeling inspired.  Inspired not only by what is said but by the sharing of resources and ideas from others as well as through the connections that you make with each other.

So as a result there are some things I have taken away to hold onto (you can't do everything!!!).  So this years take away ideas are... (and why)



Idea to hold onto No1:  GROWTH MINDSET.

While in our class we have already been focusing on changing mindsets from "I can't do something" to ... "I can try".

Change to implement (or add).  :  Instead of  "I can't do ...", to "I can't do ...YET".



Idea to hold onto No2:  BREAKOUT edu

In our class/school/cluster we already know and use Breakout EDU's and we have already been experimenting with ideas on how to make these more digital.

Change to impelement  :  Use Sites/Google Forms to help make Digital elements to BREAKOUT EDU's. - So watch this space.



Idea to hold onto No3:  Sharing

This is probably the biggest and hardest one for me.  Often we do things in our class, school and even cluster that are worthy of sharing. - and within this context I do share.  Often I am presenting at toolkits, PLG's ... but I am always reluctant to share outside of this circle.  SO ...

Change to implement : Make sure I am keeping this blog up to date, Share at Edtech Sydney, Submit at least 1 Breakout I create with the Breakout EDU site before the end of the year, and share 1 thing to Twitter at least every month.



Idea to hold onto No4: - DESIGN THINKING

I kept the best for last!  Michael Davidson ran us through a Design thinking presentation.  This was like CONNECTING THE DOTs for me.  This is the approach we are using with MIT this year, but at a classroom, student level.  It will build on what we have already been implementing but it should take our kids to the next level.

LOVING OUR LEARNING CONTEXT THIS YEAR! 

LEARN FROM YESTERDAY, CHANGE TOMORROW.

Ki akoranga i mua, kia whakahuri apopo