Sunday 27 June 2010

Evaluating Website Content and Services for Student Access (1)

I have already posted some tips on this topic. Read them here:

Evaluating online products

Students registering to use web2.0 tools at school

Teachers need to maintain the currency of their professional skills and knowledge to effectively evaluate websites in the context of online learning for students of various ages.

I am thinking of an expanded checklist of criteria beyond reliability, authenticity and so on.

Today, it is also about: service, product, free now, games, login, over 13, sharing functionailty, adult/mature content, violence, parent role and and many more too infrequently considered aspects of a website.

"Potentially objectionable" is a key concept to explore.

I am formulating further comments about the wide range of issues relevant for this post. 

A work in progress.

Professional Learning - Who is Responsible?

An interesting post by Doug Woods has stirred me to action again.

He has a post entitled:
“Do we really need to explain to teachers why they should be using technology in their lessons?”

Better, he writes: "What may be lacking in some teachers is the knowledge of ‘what’ technology to use or ‘how’ it can be used."

His post is actually about training, I mean "professional learning".

My view remains, it is the responsibility of each teacher to maintain quality, effective practice by engaging willingly and proactively in relevant professional learning.

Online Safety - More about the Key Concepts (7)

 ... and yet more. Getting hard to keep. Must confess, I have not yet read very word of the material at these websites.

The Cox Company's online safety tips-Take Charge! program and Teen Summit on Internet Safety

More online safety tips for parents

Risky Behaviours and Online Safety Literature Review by Danah Boyd.

... and some important tips to prevent people from falling for phishing scams.

Online Safety - More about the Key Concepts (6)

This is a topic that will just keep on going. New programs and ideas to manage ever-more challenging issues.

Schools put safety curbs on student web access - filtering rules and appropriate supervision.

Reporting on the McAfee Report and the online life of teens with a post by Larry Magid.

Yahoo gives views about how parents protect children online.

This website gives parents tips on how to protect children who play online games. I hope this site is available now, it was down when I last checked.

Now for some thoughts on employee safety and enterprise security:

Malware threats via social networking websites.

Putting policy to support business use of social media.


I hope these links are all new.  There is a fair amount of revisiting of effective programs.

Monday 14 June 2010

Professional Learning - How to make a difference [2]

Read this post on conjunction with my DER series.

Denise Loft's wiki that supports her mentoring and professional learning programs.

Melissa Giddens has worked extensively on OneNote in her school. Here, she is moving forward with a broader and more intensive program of professional learning.

Many NSW teachers are exploring creative ways to motivate colleagues and encourage thinking about quality teaching practice.

Breakfast and lunch sessions are a practical start.

Sunday 13 June 2010

Professional Learning - How to Make a Difference

This is the type of post that we all want to read.

Bianca Hewes at Davidson HS is doing some very thoughtful work, read professional learning with staff at the school. Her model, which is pushing the DE Revolution forward in an authentic way,  is worth replicating

All things DER - an update for principals in the Hunter by the prolific and passionate Phillippa Cleaves.

Models for Learning and Teaching - Is either or realistic? My question in relation to Darcy Moore's latest post. Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.

Ubiquitous devices, ubiquitous learning and ubiquitous education posted by Steven Wilson by Jorge Reyna

From Ollie Bray in Scotland a post on digital technology- children and young people.

Finally, another insight into a well-known thinking tool - the SOLO Taxonomy

Brain Waves: What's the Latest Thinking (3)

Interest continues in this topic:

Always interesting to read about early learning and brain development.

Developing Brains: Laying the Pathways to Learning

Brain images how learning strategies work.

Learning a language is good for the brain.
I think I can support this one via my own practical experiences.  This post is a set of short tips by a person whose next goal is to learn Arabic.


and finally, his topic has stirred some debate.

Mining your inner moron, why multitasking is such a waste.

Saturday 12 June 2010

Online Safety - More about the Key Concepts (5)

The report of the Online Safety and Technology Working Group has made an impact in the blog- and twitterspher.e.

... more on this topic

... still more on this topic

Something a little different, I like these videos, I may have mentioned them before ...

Just another short post, compiling others worthy thoughts.

Online Safety - More about the Key Concepts (4)

Julie Lindsay post on  personal information, privacy, digital citizenship and education.

Social networking and students: A bad mix? a short article from Inside the School

Some guidelines for employees using social networking sites.  A basic list, still covering most issues.

Guidance documents for school AUPs

Posts and articles on this topic are in increasing supply ... just as well, I say.

Such a complex issue.