Virtual Teacher Newsletter No. 114 September 3rd 2005 - IBW
THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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CONTENTS
1. Welcome
2. Mind Candy
3. WWWinfo MET MUSEUM
4. New Printables - HOW WRITER’S WRITE NOE
5. Technical Stuff - TIME
6. Web Site Focus – SIMPLE MACHINES
7. IBW
8. Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10 Next Issue
11. Code of 'Netizens'
12. Tips
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1. WELCOME EVERYONE. Thanks to everyone who wrote
in about Interactive White Boards. There are some fantastic
links – extremely comprehensive covering everything from
This week I attended the Sydney Region Drama Festival
at the Seymour Centre. Lots of great performances from
many different schools – how wonderful to give students
the opportunity to perform on a professional stage. And the
best part was, it wasn’t a competition, nobody won, everyone
performed in a professional theatre environment and that
was the prize. My daughter was exhilarated by the experience,
it’s a pity this young talent has no where to go after High School.
Regular attendance at the theatre in NSW has decreased
alarming. The Producers, a fantastic show is closing in October,
due to falling audiences. So get out and see more theatre,
so our young talent can use their talent. If as many people
attended sporting venues attended Arts Venues we’d have
a knock out industry for all our knock out young talent.
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2. MIND CANDY
There is nothing that is a more certain sign of insanity than
to do the same thing over and over and expect the
results to be different. Albert Einstein
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Anybody can direct, but there are only eleven good writers.
Mel Brooks
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Every human being has hundreds of separate people
living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability
to give them their separate names, identities, personalities
and have them relate to other characters living with him.
Mel Brooks
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Look, I don't want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if
you're alive you've got to flap your arms and legs, you've
got to jump around a lot, for life is the very opposite of death,
and therefore you must at very least think noisy and colorfully,
or you're not alive.
Mel Brooks
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3. WWWinfo http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/splash.htm
Hugely comprehensive art resource
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4. NEW PRINTABLES - How Writer’s Writer’s Now
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/writers.pdf
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5. TECHNICAL STUFF
Time, an Old Technology creating new problems.
Learning in America is a prisoner of time. For the past 150
years, American public schools have held time constant and
let learning vary. The rule, only rarely voiced, is simple:
Learn what you can in the time we make available.
It should surprise no one that some bright, hard-working
students do reasonably well. Everyone else -- from the
typical student to the dropout -- runs into trouble.
http://www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=art_1333&issue=sep_05
Download the pdf and read it to everyone in the staffroom.
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6. WEBSITE - FOCUS SIMPLE MACHINES
This website uses animation to demonstrate simple machines
and also introduces formulas. It deals with identify type of simple
machines and the type of work they do.
http://www.cosi.org/onlineExhibits/simpMach/sm1.html
Try a webquest on Rub Goldberg and describe 6 simple machines.
http://www.jsd.k12.ak.us/ab/el/simplemachines.html
This is a series of experiments about simple machines:
levers, wheels and inclined planes. This unit was designed
for use in the third grade.
http://www.galaxy.net/~k12/machines/index.shtml
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7. IBW Interactive White Boards
Hi Cathy
On my website http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/suel
I have links to some
information and resources for interactive whiteboards
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/suel/white/white.html
- and a link to
Time resources that may be useful for your next edition.
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/suel/time/time.html
Regards
Sue Lemmer
Deputy Principal
Mawson Lakes School
http://www.mawsonlakes.sa.edu.au
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Congratulations Sue, this is a truly amazing site – the resources
on Whiteboards are really comprehensive.
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Hi Cathy,
Here's a couple of links to peruse for your next VT issue
about interactive whiteboards. They are all links that I have
on my Simply Science FURL at http://www.furl.net/members/jpearce
IWBnet This is your one stop Australian based portal to
obtain direction and support on the implementation of
your IWB program.
http://www.iwb.net.au/index.aspx
INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS Has links to some of the
other main IWB suppliers. http://www.geographypages.co.uk/iwb.htm
http://www.furl.net/email.jsp?enc=UTF-8&id=jpearce&item=3790594&subject=INTERACTIVE+WHITEBOARDS>IWB
Links An interesting set of IWB links from Tony Poulter
in the UK. http://www.btinternet.com/~tony.poulter/links/iwblinks.htm
Cyberchase . Games Central | PBS Kids A number of flash
animated games from the American Public Broadcasting
Service. They range across a number of topics including
aspects of measurement and logic problems.
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games.html
Teachers' Domain: Multimedia Resources Teachers'
Domain is a multimedia digital library for K-12 teachers
and students. You'll find an extensive collection of
classroom-ready resources, as well as media-rich lesson
plans and professional development resources. Each
resource is catalogued by grade level and correlated to
national and state standards.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/tour/index.html
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives This site has
a whole host of interactives. All are java based. http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/vlibrary.html
eChalk: free interactive resources for whole-class teaching
The UK eChalk company was commissioned to undertake flash
and website development projects such as these for use with
interactive whiteboards. Topics include maths, english and science. http://www.echalk.co.uk/echalk/echalk.htm
National Whiteboard Network A UK site designed to help
teachers using interactive whiteboards. It includes lots of
resources if you can find them. It has been developed to
support all interactive whiteboard users with a wide range
of resources, guidance and the opportunity to share resources. http://www.nwnet.org.uk/pages/index.html
ICT Advice - Technology - Presentation technology –
The benefits of an interactive whiteboard Heaps of
information on Interactive whiteboards including: What
is the Interactive Whiteboards project? How to use your
interactive whiteboard effectively. Finding and using
appropriate digital resources with an interactive whiteboard.
How to choose an interactive whiteboard. Interactive
whiteboards glossary
http://www.ictadvice.org.uk/index.php?section=te&rid=86&catcode=as-pres_02
EDCompass
This is an online community where resources and ideas can
be shared with educators worldwide. It has Lesson Activities,
Software Resources, Research Reports, Web Resources,
Professional Development, How To's.
http://edcompass.smarttech.com/
SMART Support home The home of SMART boards contains
all the latest information for teachers interested in using
SMART interactive whiteboards.
http://www.smarttech.com/support/product/sb/index.asp
http://www.furl.net/email.jsp?enc=UTF-8&id=jpearce&item=1754926&subject=SMART+Support+home
Intro to Smartboard Interactive Whiteboards The purpose
of this module is to introduce you to learning strategies for
engaging your learners using interactive whiteboards. The
module is designed to help you understand the importance
of actively engaging learners in their educational experiences,
and provide examples of how the interactive whiteboard can
be an effective learning tool that enhances understanding
and knowledge retention. The module also introduces you
to the basic operating features of interactive whiteboards
and assists you in developing quality, technology-enhanced
instruction in blended and online learning environments
that engages your learners by addressing varied learning
styles. http://edtech.tennessee.edu/~set16/set_intro.html
You might also like to check in at my Interactive Whiteboard
Blog where I am blogging my experiences with the board
in my room at http://mr-p-iwb.blogspot.com/
Cheers
John Pearce
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WOW John - amazing amount of info this is so informative –
covers everything.
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Hi Cathy
Love the newsletters! Interactive Whiteboards is going to
be a really hot topic in Victorian schools as it's the latest
government big technology spend. Our primary school has
just had them put into all of our units by the department
and we are all gazing at them both longingly and anxiously
not daring to touch them until we are fully trained.
I'd be interested in stuff, even just about the potential of these amazing machines!
Thanks
Fiona
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Fiona – there’s so much to read here should satisfy and excite.
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Mr P's SMART Board at http://mr-p-iwb.blogspot.com/
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8. GREAT SITES
Calculus Applets
http://www.ies.co.jp/math/products/calc/menu.html
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Simply Science at http://users.pipeline.com.au/jpearce/default.htm
Site updates at http://simply-science.blogspot.com/
New Links at http://www.furl.net/members/jpearce
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9. READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
HI Cathy,
Thanks so much for the information on the Gutenberg
E-Books and the Cern site. It really amazes me how
you keep one-step-ahead of everything: scientifically,
mathematically, creatively and educationally.
Seems just like yesterday I was reading about the first steps
in printing via the Gutenberg press. From Industrial revolution
to the cyber revolution ...
THANK YOU for being an inspiration!
Shanti
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Hi Cathy,
Victorian teachers have had some information about
registering for Commonwealth Games educational activities
but I don't know how widely it's been advertised interstate
and in commonwealth countries.
Some aspects of the program are just for Victorian schools but there is
an Art4Athletes collection to be given to games athletes which is open
to all Australian schools and a school2school program that the
organisers would like commonwealth schools to register for to be matched
with Australian schools.
There is a downloadable Ezine on the site for schools to find out what
others are doing and get ideas. It is around 1MB in pdf form, a little
less in Word form.
It would be great if more schools got involved.
Loved the stuff from CERN!
Regards,
Robin Vargo
Web page to register for the Commonwealth Games
education programs
http://education.melbourne2006.com.au/ssl/education/registration/schoolregister.asp
Robin Vargo
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Cathy
I'd be interested in whiteboard/ interactive things. I have a
Mimio system, (portable gismo on whiteboard) which, due
to my isolation , (despite being in Sydney ) has not been
well supported. There is a web site attached to this with
teacher programs from the states. The Kookaburra people
seem to have loads of relevant maths activities for touchpad,
but I don't have access to this, so I'd be interested in
what others have in relation to interactive whiteboard work.
Pene
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10. NEXT ISSUE What are the primary aims of education?
What are we actually trying to achieve??? Please send in your thoughts.
Have a good one. ciao Cathy
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11. Code of the 'Netizens'
This Newsletter is not free, despite the misleading advertising
above. The Fee is now due. Each week you must help one
colleague on the Internet who has less knowledge than you.
Help that person even if you have to visit their classroom or
do a little research and get back to them. Trust me, this will
help a lot of people get their computer classrooms running better.
OK I'm trusting you!!!
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12. TIPS
1. Double click on highlighted URLS to open in browser.
2. Send in your Questions, Questions will be published with
Answers, send in your Answers, if you have expertise to share.
3. Nominate a brilliant site for review and inclusion in this
newsletter.
4. Nominate a fantastic school site for review and inclusion in
this newsletter.
5. Make contact with other schools using fantastic programs.
6. Prepare and innovative article for this newsletter.
7. Tell 2 colleagues about this newsletter.
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The opinions expressed here are purely those of the editor,
Cathy Brown. All other small print clauses apply. Such as:
Use at your own risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed. If it doesn't
work for you send me an email.
Editor: cathy brown mailto:cathy@virtualteacher.com.au
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