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

SchoolNet's webinar and podcast programme now in full force

This is the time of the year where SchoolNet and Microsoft combine to prepare interested South African teachers for the upcoming Partners in Learning Forum. This competition used to be known as the Innovative Teacher's Forum. There are amazing prizes up for grabs for successful teachers, the most valued being a week long trip to participate in the Pan African and Middle East Finals in Morroco, and/or a week long trip to participate in the World Finals in Greece, for successful teachers. This year SchoolNet is running an online support course from  a wiki (http://partnersinlearningforum-sa) to prepare teachers. We are also running, alongside this, a webinar and podcast programme of past winners sharing their successes.

Past finalists and winners group 1

These three past finalists and winners shared their projects in the same webinar

Lyneth Crighton from Brescia House in Johannesburg
Lyneth Crighton is from Brescia College in Johannesburg. She ran a workshop in which Grade 10 learners explored the novel “Cry the beloved Country” using Web 2.0 collaborative tools. The girls collaborated on a wiki, participated in an online discussion forum, created a pod-cast and developed a word cloud. Colleagues across learning areas got involved in the workshop to show that the themes in the novel were applicable to a range of learning areas.Lyneth was a winner in the South African Finals, and they went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. She won again and were able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.

Louise Clark from St Cyprians in Cape Town
Louise Clarke and Kim Jackson are both Grade 4 teachers at St Cyprian's School in Cape Town. Their combined project for Grade four learners involved reading the first chapter of book called ‘The Phantom Tollbooth’ and predicting what adventures the main character would have in “The Lands Beyond”. Learners produced artwork and scripts describing what they thought would take place and they then narrated their predictions using Windows Movie Maker. This project only used free software – and its true success was in the way it promoted collaboration and creativity amongst young learners. Louse and Kim were winners in the South African Finals, and they went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. They won again and were able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.

Add caption

Natalie Meerholtz from Holy Rosary in Johannesburg
Natalie Meerholz is from Holy Rosary School in Johannesburg. Natalie and her Grade 6 learners aimed to encourage the school and surrounding community to address the issue of e-waste. Activities included creating e-posters and e-advertisements; reusing e-waste in the form of sculptures; and holding an e-waste launch. An e-waste bin has been set up to encourage responsible e-waste disposal and recycling. Natalie was a winner in the South African Finals, and she went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. She achieved a winning place and was able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.

Watch and listen to their presentations

Here is a Slideshare containing the webinar presentations of the first three past finalists who shared their stories recently. These webinars were converted into YouTube videos. Slideshare now has an amazing feature where you can insert a YouTube video after a slide! Take a look!

Past winners 1

View more PowerPoint from fionabeal

Listen to their podcasts

South African teachers - we encourage you to participate - this year could be the adventure of your life!

SchoolNet starts its webinar programme for 2012

Currently we are running a free online course preparing our South African teachers for the upcoming Partners in Learning forum. This can be viewed on the wiki: http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com. If you have not yet signed up for this course so we can keep in contact with you, please do so on the sign up page of the wiki. The course is supported by webinars. Please feel free to join us by clicking on the link provided. Recordings will be posted on the wiki after the session. .

ONLINE INNOVATION SUPPORT COURSE – WEBINAR PROGRAMME

Week one: one idea leads to another

*No webinars

Week two: the complete course via webinars and posts

*Webinar 1: Learn from previous winners part 1 (Tuesday 24^th Jan, 5-6pm)
Natalie, Kim and Louise, Lyneth,
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previous_winners_1/

*Webinar 2: Get started with a project (Thursday 26^th Jan, 5-6pm)
Fiona

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/getstarted1/

Week three: a repeat of the complete course via webinars and posts
*Webinar 3: Learn from previous winners part 2 (Tuesday 31^st January, 5-6pm)

Peter de Lisle, Linda Bradfield, Lisa Gair, Megan Rademeyer
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners2/

*Webinar 4: Get started with a project (Thursday 2^nd Feb, 5-6pm)
Fiona

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/getstarted2/

Week four: let's plan and analyse
*Webinar 5: Learn from previous winners part 3 (Tuesday 7 Feb, 5-6pm)
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners3/

*Webinar 6: Learn from previous winners part 4 (Thursday 9 Feb, 5-6pm)
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/

Week five: How is it all going?
*Webinar 7: Learn from previous winners part 5 (Tuesday 14 Feb, 5-6pm)

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners5/

*Webinar 8: Learn from previous winners part 6 (Thursday 16 Feb, 5-6pm)

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners6/

Week six: Three weeks to go
*Webinar 9: Learn from previous winners part 7 (Tuesday 21 Feb, 5-6pm)

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/pastwinners7/

*Webinar 10: Learn from previous winners part 8 (Thursday 23 Feb, 5-6 pm)
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/pastwinners8/

Week seven: Two weeks to go
*Webinar 11: Question and answers session (Tuesday 28 Feb, 5-6pm)
Fiona

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/quentsionsandanswers/

*Webinar 12: Learn from previous winners part 9 (Thursday 1 March 5-6pm)
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners9/

Week eight: Wrapping up

*Webinar 13: Wrapping up session (Thursday 8 March 5-6pm)
Fiona

http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/wrappingup/

Our webinar programme is about to start!

We have been wanting to start our webinar programme for a while now, and Adobe Connect has promised us sponsorship which will happen soon we hope. In the meantime we are going ahead hopefully using Whizz IQ, another webinar platform.  If you are a SchoolNet Premium member you will be invited to join the free webinars (remember all SchoolNet offerings are free to educators and are solely for your professional development. 


Webinar Schedule: November 2011

1. Twitter: (with Maggie Verster)

Thursday 10th November: 6-7 pm Twitter 1:
Thursday 17th November: 6-7 pm Twitter 2

Thursday 24^th November: 6-7 pm Twitter 3
Thursday 1st December: 6-7 pm Twitter 4

This includes a low-key course that will get you tweeting. Tiwter is one of the best ways to build up your own Personal Learning Network and to get in touch with great educational content. SchoolNet Premium members will be getting all the details in an email on Wednesday evening (2nd November).

2. Blogging (with Fiona Beal) Dates are still tentative

Saturday 12^th November: 9am Blogging 1

Saturday 19^th November: 9am Blogging 2
Saturday 26^th November: 9am Blogging 3

Saturday 3rd December: 9am Blogging 4
This includes a low key course that aims to get you blogging. We also want you to connect with other educators who want to blog so that we can become friends and encourage each other along the way. 


 3. Wikis (with Karen Stadler, Caroline Bruton and Fiona Beal) Dates are tentative

Wednesday 7 December: 5-6 (Karen Stadler): Wiki 1
Wednesday 14 December: 5-6 (Carolyn Bruton): Wiki 2

Wednesday  11 January: 5 - 6 (Fiona Beal): Wiki 3
Wednesday  18 January: 5-6 (Fiona Beal): Wiki 4

This includes a low key course that aims to get you starting your own wiki as well as connect with others in the SchoolNet Premium family.

Tentative webinar plans for 2012

There is plenty that will happen in 2012. Many people have been approached and will still be approached to share their expertise. Currently the lists includes:

 Karen de Stadler(Skype projects)

Sarietjie Musgrave (One Note)

Brenda Hallowes (Edmodo in a primary school)

Warren Sparrow (Movie Maker)

Hlengiwe Mfeka (Premier)

Linda Bradfield (topic to be announced)

Deb Avery (Thinking tools)

Arthur Preston (to be announced)

Glen Williams (Using Scratch)

Peter de Lisle (Google Earth)

Clair Dean (Thinkquest)

Lisa Gair (Bing maps)
Pieter Schuurman (Edmodo in a High School)
Saul Pila (topic to be announced)
Natalie Meerholtz (QR codes)
Nomty Gaba (topic to be announced)

Nina Adams (topic to be announced)

Charli Wiggil (topic to be announced)