Asus Minibooks at the British Museum

Yesterday I worked with a Year 5 class on a Trip to the British Museum. The difference with this to normal trips was that we didn't take clipboards and worksheets, we took 10 Asus Minibooks.

This was a first for me and the school I was working with. Within Redbridge a few other schools has taken these laptops on trips so I was keen to see the advantages that they offered.

Their task was to throughout the Greek galleries they where asked to choose artifacts and then record information about it. The children used the web cam on the laptop to take pictures, then inserted the picture into a prepared Openoffice presentation file and added text.

The children had used these laptops before the trip and had recapped the main skills a few days before the trip.

There where 2/3 children working with each laptop, it was interesting to see the children at work. It was obvious that the fact they where using laptops excited the children, but they where all working on the tasks. They had to look carefully at the objects they where taking photos of and then had to find, read and take notes about the artifact.


These mini laptops were well used and provided children an alternative focus to the traditional worksheet. I would definitely think about using them again, you just need to make sure you have an appropriate task in mind to use the laptops. One of the other ideas we had was to use googleforms to do a survey or questionnaire, unfortunately the British Museum doesn't have wireless but I could be an idea in other places.

The children are now going to review there work and prepare to show their presentations to other classes their school. When they are finished I will update with their presentations.

Has anyone else used these laptops on trips? Please leave a comment.

2diy Take 2

I couldn't resist myself - this is my effort using 2diy.

2diy - Hands on testing

This week I managed to use 2simples newest program 2diy with my class. It didn't disapoint. I saw this programmed at a consultants day at 2simple HQ a few weeks ago and was blown away by the simple and rapid results.

I simpley showed my class the basic functions and then allowed them time to create a game. This was bit of an experiment to see the potential of the software. Below are just two examples of games my class made over the course of about an hour. Most of this was done with very little teacher input - this was a piece of software where the children led the way. I offered evauation when I had a go of the game and said that it was too easy or too hard, the children did this to each other.

There is a vast amount of potential for this piece of software as a teacher tool - creating games for the IWB and as a creative tool for children. To make an effective game children need to be taught and to think about the 'story' of the game, and to consider audience in terms of difficulty.

Click on this link to check out more of the games my class made.

Check it out and Bett this week.

What is Interactive IWB use?

This was a question I asked the staff at my school.
We brainstormed what was Good, Poor and Interactive use of a IWB.

Effective is a combination of Good and Interactive.

Comments?

Leave them on the blog or on this Voice Thread

Video Conferencing.... first steps.

Today marked my first major foray into the VC world.




I have done one event before with my class last year when we met up with the National Space Centre.



This time it was organised by me - click the link to find out more

http://npsyear6.blogspot.com/2008/12/video-conferencing-with-year-6.html

Watch this space for more....

2simple Advisors Day - 2DIY

Just a very quick note about last Fridays Primary Advisors Day at 2simple.


This was the first time I attended such an event, and we where shown some great stuff in advance of BETT. This is a bit of a teaser and Anthony will soon have a more in depth look at the software shown.

We where shown:
2Collaborate (with ActiveExpression)
2Simple French
2Simple Online Tools
2Do It Yourself

The last one quite simply blew me away. It basically allows you to make flash based activities. Check out the one I made in 2 minutes below!

2DIY is a truly a amazing bit of kit which teachers are gonna find invaluable. I want it now!!!! I can't wait to unleash my children on it to create their own games.

Grab it at BETT.

J2e

I've been looking at j2e.com for a couple of weeks now and had the opportunity to meet with one of its creators Danny.

As some of you might be aware this online desktop publishing tool is now available to anyone with an LGFL account.

I have only been exploring this my self and with other teachers, but in the new year I plan to use this with my class much more extensively.

Why do I like it? Well it is a very easy to use online word processor, so ideal for KS1 and even KS2 children. It is also something that children can access at home and create interesting pieces of work through it.

The real power of it though is with its collaboration possibilities. I or any child can create a document and then share with others and you can all interact on the same piece of work.

Some of you are thinking what about google docs, and yes there are many similarities but this is a well designed, secure children friendly environment.

If you have LGFL in your school go a check it out at http://j2e.lgfl.org.uk/

Let me know if you use it in any interesting ways.