Please tune in to our guest webinar on Thursday from 6:00m- 6:30pm

Details

Three superb short presentations on 'Learn the news',  'Brainpop' and "Prezi' presented by Mary Lou Berndt, a teacher in East London on Thursday from 6pm till 6:30pm.

Background

Last week I had the privilege of attending the first TeachMeet in the Eastern Cape which was co-hosted by Stirling Primary School and Clarendon Primary School in East London, but held at Stirling Primary this time round. The two enthusiastic teacher organisers were Claire Dean from Stirling Primary and Sharon Cox from Clarendon Primary. A full blog report will appear soon.  It was marvelous to see how much the East London teachers had to share with one another.

One of the presenters, Mary Lou Berndt shared three lovely presentations on Learn the News, Brainpop, and Prezi. I have asked Mary Lou to present these at our next guest webinar this Thursday, so please do pop in and listen. You won’t be disappointed! Here are the details. (Just click on the URL, and sign in as guest with your name.) This webinar will be recorded. 

Join us on Thursday

Meeting Name: Learn about 'Learn the News','Prezi' and 'Brainpop'
Summary: These were three superb presentations given at the East London TeachMeet on Thurs 11th September by Mary Lou Berndt. Learn about 'Learn the news' (a great programme for your students to find out about the news), how to make a 'Prezi' and an amazing site called 'Brainpop'.
When: 09/20/2012 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Time Zone: (GMT+02:00) Harare, Pretoria
To join the webinar:
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/marylou/

Note
 
If you have never attended an Adobe Connect webinar before:
a) Test your connection: http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
b) Get a quick overview:
http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview

We really hope that we will meet you there on Thursday. 

Join SchoolNet's exciting webinar programme this week!

Please consider joining our SchoolNet webinar programme this week!  These are short (30 minutes) webinars and you can leave any time!  I will do the first one which is on creating a Scoop.it. In the second one I am please to announce that we have two guest speakers. Lisa Gair from The Rock Academy will tell us how she uses Edmodo at school, and Siobhan Lowe from Somerset House will tell us how she uses Obami at school. 

Scoop.it webinar details
Meeting Name:  Get curating with Scoop.it

Summary: This is a demonstration on how to get started with the amazing curation programme called Scoop.it presented by Fiona Beal

When:  Wednesday 08/15/2012 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM (probably only about 15-20 mins)

Time Zone:  (GMT+02:00) Harare, Pretoria

To join the meeting: http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/scoopit/

Edmodo and Obami Webinar details
Meeting Name:  Learn about Edmodo and Obami

Summary: We are thrilled to have a guest webinar featuring Lisa Gair speaking on how she uses Edmodo, and Siobhan Louwe speaking on how she uses Obami. Both these free applications are amazing Learning Management Systems designed to motivate your learners and hugely enhance your classroom experience with all their benefits. Join us. 

When: Thursday 08/16/2012 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM
To join the meeting: http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/edmodoandobami/

Test your system
All you really need to do for an Adobe webinar is test your connection before the time if you have never tuned in before, as you might need to add an add-in: http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
Then on the evening just click on the link, log in as a guest and write your name.

Think about joining us!

Join us in our May webinars relating to wikis

Here is our SchoolNet webinar programme for the month of May:


1.Create a wiki using Wikispaces

Tuesday 15th May: 6pm - 6:30pm 

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/create-a-wiki/

This is a short hands-on demonstration on how to create an educator's wiki using Wikispaces.

2. Make your wiki look like a website

Thursday 17th May: 6pm – 6:30pm 

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/wiki-like-a-website/

This webinar will gives some hands on tips on how to make your wiki look like a website even though you don't know any HTML
 
3. Add writing, photos, audio & video to your wiki (This webinar will not take place today. It will be replaced by Screencasts on the course wiki)
Wednesday 23 May: 6pm – 6:30pm
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/wiki-tips-and-tricks/
This presentation will look at the ways you can add to your wiki - writing, photos, audio and video etc

4. Use your wiki for online projects

NEW DATE - WEDNESDAY 6 JUNE and no longer Tues 5 June (WE ARE HERE)Wednesday 6 June: 6pm – 6:30pm

Tuesday 5 June: 6pm – 6:30pm
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/wiki-online-projects/
This presentation will look at ways of conducting a project using a wiki

How to listen to one of our webinars 

We are thrilled to have sponsorship of Adobe Connect sponsored by Adobe for our webinar programme. We have found in the past that some members simply cannot get into Adone Connect. If this happens to you please contact your service provider to find out what is blocking it. But generally to join one of our webinars

1. Test your connection:
If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before you will need to download an add-in.  All you do is click on this link and it will take you through the steps. http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

2. The following link is optional but it gives you a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview

3. Join the meeting on the night by clicking on the webinar link provided. We will then like you to sign in as guest with your name as the password option is only for the host.

4. Here is a slideshow to take you through the steps again:

Webinars for May - all about wikis

We are hoping to have four webinars centering around wikis this month. Please keep watching this page for the links and the times.

1. How to create a wiki using Wikispaces

2. Make your wiki look and work like a website

3. Add writing, photos, audio and video to your wiki

4.Use your wiki for online projects

Microsoft Free Tools webinars

Here is our webinar programme for the next three weeks. The webinars will all relate to Microsoft  Free Tools.


1.How to use Microsoft's Autocollage and its uses in the classroom:
Thursday 12th April: 6pm - 6:30pm
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/autocollage/


2. How to use Microsoft's Photostory 3 and its uses in the classroom
Tuesday 17th April 2012: 6pm – 6:30pm
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/photostory3/


3. How to use Microsoft's Windows Live Movie Maker and its benefits in the classroom
Thursday 19th April: 6pm – 6:30pm
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/windows_live_movie_maker/


4. How to use Microsoft's SongSmith and its uses in the classroom
Thursday 26th April: 6pm – 6:30pm (NOTE THE NEW TIME)
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/songsmith/

Webinar of past winners shows the creative ideas teachers come up with to enter Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Forum (13th Feb)

At the moment we are having a series of nine webinars featuring past finalists and winners in Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Forum (formerly called the Innovative Teacher competition)  I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting and listening to these twice a week as it shows me that we have some very creative teachers in our midst. I have also had the tasks of converting these webinars to YouTube videos and podcasts which makes for easier viewing 

Today I am going to feature the webinar presented by Helen Robertson, Wessel Theron, Ryan Galving and Sarietjie Musgrave . After the little write ups about the projects I will add the vdieos and podcasts. If you are a South African teacher please considering entering this great competition. Some of these presenters travelled up to Joburg for the South African Finals, then went off to Jordan for the African and Middle east finals. Some even got to the World Finals in Washington DC. What a year of travel in 2011!

Helen Robertson who was teaching at Cornwall Hill College in Pretoria at the time

Helen’s project was called Functions for Technologically Functioning Teens. In the webinar she renamed it ‘It all started with a cell phone’. Getting learners to plot and analyse functions is a tricky part of the grade 10 Mathematics curriculum. To address this, learners used a cell phone app to plot the functions whilst they focused on the more important skill of analysing the effects of changing the variables. Support structures, including contacting their teacher using Whatsapp and asking questions of the “Functions for Technologically Functioning Teens” Facebook group, encouraged independent learning. 

^{Wessel Theron from Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town}

Wessel called his project ‘School of Rock’. To create interest and excitement in additional language lessons, this project involved learners searching for their own Afrikaans song and then creating a music video for it that is shared on YouTube. Grade 8s had to work in pairs to match images to the lyrics of the song. They also had the option of translating a song and singing it themselves. This was a perfect opportunity to be creative using ICTs, improve Afrikaans comprehension and vocabulary, and be entertained while learning. 

Ryan Galvin from St Nicholas in Pietermaritzburg
 

Ryan called his project R and J in R and B which is short for Romeo and Juliet in Rhythm and Blues. In an attempt to persuade his grade ten class that the story of Romeo and Juliet is relevant to any time, this teacher offered learners the opportunity to re-tell the story and revise the play. Learners made use of MP3s on their cellphones, iPods, YouTube, Twitter, digital cameras and videos. The final task was creating a MovieMaker slideshow, using the music, tweets and photos they had gathered.

^{Sarietjie Musgrave who was teaching at Eunice High School in Bloemfontein at the time.}

 

She did a hugely successful project called ‘Spread the sunshine’ and did South Africa proud by achieving a second place in the world finals with this project! Her students each found students with disabilities in the community to link with and created ICT programmes to help them.

Here are their YouTube presentations neatly tucked into this Slideshare presentation. Their podcasts will appear below.

Past PIL winners in South Africa Part 3 - webinars

View more PowerPoint from fionabeal

Join our webinar session of past winners at 5pm today! (9 Feb 2012)

This afternoon we have another webinar of three past finalists or winners in the South African Partners in Learning forum. Please log in as a guest and join us if you can: http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/

Ngaka Ralekoala from Bloemfontein
We have Ngaka Ralekoala who worked in a team of four in a project about vulnerable children. In this project learners from participating schools received training in ethics and research methodology and then conducted research in their local community to determine the needs of vulnerable children.  Through this project, learners have been given the opportunity to collaborate with other schools, the University of the Free State as well as experts in the field of Social Action research from the De Montford University in the United Kingdom via the Internet. 

Charli Wiggil from Eden College in Durban

 We also have Charli Wiggil from Durban who did a project around the world cup in South Africa called ‘Tweenzites’. In this grade 10 Life Orientation project involved learners identifying a contemporary problem in their community and exploring it using various technological tools (Intel Thinking with Technology, GPRS, cell phones, Microsoft Office Applications etc). Learners were then challenged to devise strategies to address the problem that they identified and these were presented to local community and government leaders, community members, educators and learners from other schools. It is hoped that the municipality might implement some of the suggestions through their Department Planning Programme. One of the groups developed a DVD to be used in Life Skills by other schools.

Glen Williams from Sunridge Primary in Port Elizabeth

 The third teacher is Glen Williams who did a project which he calls ‘Silent Morals’ around a particular IT programme called Scratch.Glen says " Well , my grade 6 learners had to USE what they learnt in basic programming, EXPLORE, and CREATE an ANIMATED SILENT MOVIE which DEPICTS a MORAL VALUE or LESSON.You will see that I start AND end this presentation with the word FUN, because I believe that education must be ENGAGING in a FUN way. Projects allow learners the FREEDOM to EXPERIMENT with what they already learnt in a STRUCTURED way AND forces them to EXPLORE things which they haven’t learnt yet, without RELYING on a teacher."

This all makes for some interesting listening this evening. If you can’t make it the recording will be placed on the wiki tomorrow. (http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/View+webinar+recordings) But please join us if you can this evening at 5pm:
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/

Well, five 'o clock has now been and gone and the webinar is over. Here is a Slideshare with embedded YouTube videos showing the webinars of these three finalists. Take a watch and a listen if you have the time.

Part 4 - Past PIL winners' webinars in South Africa

View more PowerPoint from fionabeal

Otherwise, listen to their podcasts instead