Game Maker

This is the innovation that I'm presenting. When I first pick it from the list on the board, the only thing that I new about it was, that my son had just started a PEAC course using Game Maker. I thought that this would make learning it easier and to some degree it did. But like anything looking in from the outside only gives you so much information, it is not until you start digging deeper do you really know what you are getting into! And so began my journey into Game Maker....

GM is a application where you can make computer game of varying difficulty, with a drag n drop facility. They say that you don't need to use programing code and yes this is true for the very simple game, but as you progress you will have to learn code. Though I doubt that this would be an issue a primary levels.

Game Maker is like any other tool, it is the learning that you build in and around it, that makes it a good for teaching and learning. In my research, I have found a number of Australian and overseas schools using very successfully;so I'm confident it worthwhile using. I can see myself having a go with it, as a way to engage student in learning, while teaching a number of skills and knowledge, to meet a range of learning outcomes. The only thing that might hold me back would be access to computer and my own ability with the program. But I know now, where I can go for support and with some more time to play and learn this should not be an issue.

Studying Game Maker has been an eye opener for this digital migrant, I will be jumping in on the growing moment to include gaming in the classroom as a learning tool. And I hope that the information that I and Sarah have placed on our wiki page will convince you too.

Twitter

Hi all, I have added yet another technology to my ever growing list -Twitter

I use to think that people who twittered were just twits!! But after the Twitter presentation on Monday and a little further investigation of my own. Where I found a teacher who had been using it in the classroom, for a little while now (I have added a link below). He had some interesting uses for twitter in the classroom. Though I'm still concerned about being able to maintain a controlled environment for students. I now wouldn't rule out using it in a classroom.

I suppose like any tool it's how you use it, that makes it useful or not!

http://www.teachers.tv/ict/twitter

Bitstrips

Hi all, this is my avitar I made on Bitstrips.

So what do I think of Bitstrips? This application is FUN!! It is easy to use and free, which is great.It allow student another way of presenting a narrative and using their literacy skills.

See those character to your right, these are my children Lachie and Eilish. I showed the application to, so they could have a go.

They loved it, but in particular Lachie; who wouldn't be see dead writing a story. But this really engaged him, making several strips. It engaged him enough that he told his teacher about it, hoping the she would use it in class. He also spent a lot of time looking at other people strips as well; which I thought was good. That would be one of the Art outcomes(view works of other artists) taken care of. He in particular liked the political strips best, laughing at the Obama cartoons.

So would I use it in class? You bet I would! I can see me utilising this across a number of learning area, not only English,the possibilities are endless. Here's few of the top of my head:

• student could create a strip about bullying or other issues like this
• retell a stories or events
• design new characters
• practise utilising dialogue/ direct speech
• tell a joke
• review each other work
• even a life cycle could be done this way

I'm sure that more ideas will spring to mind, but these are a good start.

So my final thought is that, this application will certainly be added to my teaching tool box and is a keeper.

Scratch- Ingrid and Kendall's Presentation

Scratch wasn't the easiest application to use;but after a little more time playing about with it, I'm sure I could get it to work. I can see were you could were you could use it to create sprite, for game maker the technology; which I'm presenting later in the semester. Or just use the resources already provide i.e sound file, animated sprites etc

I can see how student would find it engaging and the colour coding of the action in the creation, would assist student with the animation sequnces. Scratch would have good cross learning area application also.

So I'm not ruling out its use,but I would have to be good at it before letting a class have a go!

Technologies Seen Out on Prac

I have completed my first practicum; it took a bit longer, as I got sick in the last week. I was lucky enough to be placed at Orange Grove PS, which was only ten mins for home. This school has a 1:1 ratio for Apple Mac laptops (year 4 and up). I believe this has only been introduce recently and that the school is part of a pilot, for the education dept.

I have included a link to Apple, in which you can see some of my students at work( this was taken last year) .The teacher you see talking in the video is not my prac teach. Paul was teaching next door, though my class and his, did work on some join projects while I was there. He is the teacher in charge of IT - http://www.apple.com/au/education/profiles/ and simply click on OGPS profile.

I was placed in the grade 5,6,7 class ,with Miss Anderton (Miss A to the student). A great teacher and class of students!!!

I found most of the student were very knowledgeable about the laptops, they thought nothing about whipping up a PowerPoint or searching the web or creating a movie( most of the work was just fabulous). This was great, because I could plan lesson that could utilise the laptop, not having to book a computer lab or mobile lab (COW- computers on wheels). The laptop treated as a treat, like at most schools, they had moved to a everyday tool equal to a pen or blackboard.

My class also had a electronic white board. It was a Polyvision board, which use the Webster operating system. This wasn't compatible with the smart board, so I could use it with the lessons we had done. This was a shame, but I did utilise it as a projector and a sound system. This was also how it was use in the class the majority of the time. When you did use it, as it was intended, the write function usability was no way as good as Smart Board and was very limited. It also had a tendency to move out of alignment, when the student slammed a door or even sat done to boisterously. I would recommend this type of board to a school looking a purchasing an electronic whiteboard.

The school also had a website, this was used to present news, student work, P&C news/info and much more- http://www.ogps.wa.edu.au/ .Each class has its own page, on which they can enter what they wish.

I had a great time and would like to thank both the students, teachers and other staff for making my time so enjoyable. Thanks OGPS

Jing - Caris and Gemma

Well what do I think of Jing? It's hard to say at the moment, as I like time to play with a software, so I can make an informed decision. I felt in our tute there wasn't sufficient time to play with it. Though I liked the screen capture facility; and can see where I could use it for mine and Sarah's Gamemaker presentation; to capture shots of the screen, for step by step instructions for our fellow students.

As for its use in school, I would have to feel really confident with all its applications, before I would use it in a class situation. I have concerns that the size of the files, would slow any up/down loads. So for now I remain undecided as to its value, as a tool in the classroom, until I have a proper opportunity to play with it.

I do plan to investigate it further by looking at the tutorials on youtube and on the jing website. Here are some links for you to investigate for yourself below:
http://www.youtube.com/ - type in Jing in search engine to find a range of videos

http://www.jingproject.com/

See my first attemp with Jing below->