No More Boring Old IB Stuff... Cartooned Assessment Doc!

 

 

So I wasn't liking how this self-reflection doc as looking and decided to spruce it up. I have recently added some pretty cool comic-related fonts to my Mac and was looking for an excuse to use them. 

I had originally appropriated some Hobbes (from Calvin &) images, but decided to open up the Photoshop and create something a little more personal. 

If you've ever used the simple Threshold function you've probably struggled with the lack of control- i.e. a section of your image becomes too black or vice versa. 

Solution! 

- Play with the Threshold until you find "sections" of your image you like
- Copy the individual sections and paste them into a new doc
- Then shove them all together!

Easy- this way my eyes are still clear, my hair a different setting- took these two and pasted them on top of the modified body. 

Took 90 seconds maybe... 


 

Dewey Poster of the Week!

EDTech GZ 2014

So, yesterday the American International School of Guangzhou held the inaugural EdTech GZ conference. Turns out, there are a ton of other like-minded teachers in the Peal River/Guangzhou area working at international schools who are equally willing to come out, share and take in some ideas regarding tech integration. 

Creating a local discourse is inherently a great idea, as the theme naturally gravitates towards, "What works for you?" - with the old Great Firewall business. 

So, keeping on the subject, and knowing that a number of the other schools might be moving towards, or having recently adapted, a 1:1 programme, I focused on how to sell the tech:

"Streamlining Your Instruction - Tech can actually SAVE you time! How simple web 2.0 technologies can be implemented in your current learning management system to maximum your time, instruction and efficiency"

My group was very engaged and left with "a new-found vigor" :)

It was a very positive experience and everyone involved was able to make some solid contacts- all in all it was a great event that will hopefully become a regular affair.

Have to sum up an author's work in 25 words.

Tagxedo and a potentially smart background shape... voilà Angela Carter Word Cloud!

 

1:1 - Do our schools physically support 1:1 programmes?

 

Yes, I spelt (that's right I spelled spelled as spelt) program as programme - Anyways, I've recently visited some not-so-shabby international schools, and one of the things I was eyeballing, beyond the commissioned statues and zen gardens, was: 

How conducive are the learning spaces to 1:1 programs? 

Obviously, this something I've been working on with my current classroom. Yes, most our schools have the charging stations, etc. But.. 

- How may outlets available in your classroom and do students have to reconfigure their seating in order to charge their computer? It's easy to mandate, "Make sure your computer is charged when you arrive to class", but if we all say this... 

*** AUDIO!!! This kills me. Visuacy, as the Aussies call it, multimedia, Ted talks, so being able to hear Ted would seem to be of importance... 

- How accessible are is your audio input? 
- Does it force you to leave your laptop in a very confined are of the classroom? - Can students easily access the audio input? 
- Do you have to do the stupid untangling of ow wires and relocation of speakers for student presentations? 
- Do you have surround sound? 
- Do you find that certain videos when streamed are just not loud enough? 
- Do you have a wireless projector? 
- If not, do you have to leave your laptop in a very confined are of the classroom? 
- Do students have ready access to project? 
- Laptops are a misnomer- do students have space to work with the computer, ergonomically, in classrooms and common spaces? 

Everyday I'm hustlin... hustlin.. hustlin...

Screencasting - Lord of the Flies Mask & Monologue - Characterization and Rationale

Nice, multi-component summative dealing with characterization. 

- Analyze for characterization 

- Create a mask that is representative of a principal character 

- Write a rationale justifying artistic and symbolic elements and where in the narrative these characteristics and concepts are derived 

- Write a sixty-second monologue from your character's perspective, 1st person POV 

Pretty cool final products and some of the masks, both three-dimensional and digital were very well done. 

Ah... Good Times..The Case of the Phantom Essay

Love it when former students remind you that they you are not an oblivious lost thought- yeah people might like me..

I got en email from a former student today who, now as an adult, is appreciating quality email banter. 

Vocab Vines...

I like vocabulary... I don't like stuffy vocabulary resources... I've been creating a plethora of vocab activities and methods of delivery which makes me laugh and the kids a bit more interested. Here's one... Vocab Vines. They know vines, they love vines and it supports a ton of learning objectives.