Tech Talk Tuesdays: Apps and Tools for the Global Educator (Global Education Conference)
When: Tuesday 17th November at 4-5pm Melbourne Victoria time (gmt+112)
Where: The Global Education Conference Blackboard Collaborate room. Click on this link to join
About this session: The amazing global education conference is on over 4 days this week, spreading over 24 hours a day to cater for the global audience. Participants in this webinar will help crowd source some apps and tools that can be used in the increasingly global world of ours, where global education takes on an essential nature.
Global education means that different languages, cultures, religions etc can use technology to connect and learn from each other. What are the essentials for success? What tools and apps can we use to ensure engaged learning and understanding? Please join us and build a list to share with the world.
If you cannot join us, what tools and apps do you use on a global scale? Please add as a comment below.
Tech Talk Tuesdays: What’s Trending in Technology
When: Tuesday October 27th from 4pm to 5pm
Where: Link to the recording
About this session: This will be a session where all participants will have a voice, can share experiences and knowledge or ask questions and set the direction of the webinar. Some of the topics that might be discussed include:
- trending search engines
- maker spaces
- interactive mobile apps
and
- sharing and exploring the latest tools used by participants.
- where to find the latest in technology use
As this is Connected Educator Month, the topic of conversation amongst participants at the recent online Tech Talk Tuesdays webinar was “Tools and Apps for the Connected Educator”. As bandwith, access to technology, confidence with technology etc differs across the world and with people we connect to, it is essential that we have a broad toolbox at our disposal and a willingness to try many options. Those people who are highly connected and techno savvy may have to go back in time to the simple basic tools where other cultures are comfortable. Link to the recording
The following questions were discussed and the responses from all those who attended is featured below.
Who do educators connect with?
- people they work with
- teachers, classes and students elsewhere and across the world
- celebrities, authors
- experts in topics they want to learn about
- parents, students, community members
- people who share information and encouragement
Some different ways of connecting?
- webinars, virtual conferences (K12 Online and Library 2.0 conferences are on now.), skype, google hangouts, blab
- google docs and apps
- backchannel tools eg todaysmeet, backchannel chat, titanpad
- mystery skype sessions
- padlet, voicethread, apps on phones eg wechat, whatsapp, viber, remind
Which tools or ways are all cultures and languages comfortable with using?
- paper and pen
- drawing
- possibly talking if there is a common language.
If connecting with persons from other cultures/languages, the lowest common denominator should always be used until all parties are confident with each other and then explore other digital tools for connecting. (my personal opinion and experience)
What should we consider with email?
- cannot see the other person’s face, body language, emotions
- sometimes it is hard to explain things in writing
- be very aware of the language used, that meaning is clear
- everyone should have an email account and sharing text is usually low risk and less confrontational to build confidence with each other
Tools and hardware for videoconferencing (preferably look for the free tools, those that are accessible in connecting schools and countries etc)
- Basic hardware – computer/laptop/mobile device; webcamera; microphone – inbuilt or external, a connected teacher
- access to internet and free online tools eg skype, google hangouts, zoom, viber, wechat, whatsapp, fuze etc Ones that enable recording may be preferable but check student permisions
- mobile devices, phones for sharing text, photos and audio, video
- access to any Education Department licensed tools eg MS Lync, Polycom equipment in Victoria, Australia
Backchannels (online chat tools are usually non-threatening and give everyone a voice) Some suggested tools are:-
- todaysmeet, backchannelchat
- padlet
- skype chat, google hangout chat
- mobile apps (some of which now have desktop apps) eg viber, wechat. whatsapp, remind
- twitter messaging or live feed
Interactive and collaborative media
- google apps eg document, sheet, presentation
- padlet
- sway
- voicethread
- wikis and moocs
- livebinders
- edmodo
- wevideo
- voxer
- titanpad, piratepads etc (online notepads)
Challenges – Multiple Time zones
- timeanddate
- worldtimebuddy
- world clock on smart phone
- timebridge – great for organising meetings
- doodle – simplifies things
- google calendar – make sure it is set for your time zone
Language barriers
- physical interpreter
- translator tools eg google translate, bing translate, babelfish etc
- skype has spoken word translator in BETA stage at the moment
Tech Talk Tuesdays: Tools and Apps for the Connected Educator
When: Tuesday October 20th 4-5pm Melbourne Australia time gmt or utc+11
Where: Click on this link to listen to the recording
About this session: Participants will discuss and share digital tools, especially the interactive and collaborative tools, that can help positive and successful connections on a local, national or global scale eg the role of email, tools for videoconferencing, chat, ensuring correct times, translators for different languages, mobile apps, creating a variety of media etc
Please join us and share in the conversations.
Tech Talk Tuesdays: The Connected Educator
Topic of conversation: The Connected Educator
When: Tuesday, 13 October, 4-5pm Melbourne Australia time. Please note that we are on daylight saving and are now utc+11 or gmt+11.
About this session: Discussions will take place around the theme for October “Connected Educator Month”
- Why is it essential to be connected?
- Participants will be encouraged to share how they became connected
- Sharing of successful stories and outcomes of being connected
- What are the positives of being an actively connected educator?
- What are the challenges of being connected?
- Sharing some tools and apps that help with being connected and overcoming the challenges that this involves.
- Special global days to be connected – Global Dignity Day, International Peace Day, World Read-aloud Day and others????
When: Tuesday 6th October, 4-5pm, Melbourne Australia time which is now gmt+11 or utc+11 due to daylight saving having commenced.
Where: Link to the recording
About this session: Virtual Drama – Teaching a practical class online will look at ways technology can be used to inspire collaboration, innovation, creativity and transform learning in any classroom. The aim of this session is to inspire and excite teachers about being innovative with their use of technology. It is based on a learning experience which saw students from four schools studying VCE Drama via video conferencing and utilising a variety of innovative online tools. This session will explore the triumphs and challenges arising from teaching a practical subject online, as well as showcasing a variety of teaching tools. The resources and strategies demonstrated within this workshop are very relevant and easily adapted across ALL learning areas within a secondary school environment. This session will cover many ways in which technology can be used and adapted to suit your own technical ability and resources within your school. A variety of teaching tools will be demonstrated allowing attendees to walk away armed with a variety of tools to try out for themselves.
This session would be of high interest to teachers who are interested in integrating technology into their classroom. Teachers with all levels of technical ability are invited to attend as the focus will be on demonstrating the tools from a pedagogy point of view rather than purely as a technical discussion. Some of the examples provided will be focused on senior classes however all the resources are easily adapted to suit middle years also.
About Deanne: Deanne Joosten has been teaching Drama with great passion and enthusiasm for 12 years. Deanne is a Leading Teacher – eLearning at P-12 Phoenix Community College in Ballarat, VIC. She has always been interested in technology and this has seen her bring together her innovative use of ICT and her experience as a Drama Teacher to create an exciting learning environment for her students. Deanne regularly presents at conferences on the topic of Technology in the classroom. Deanne is the first Drama teacher to be teaching VCE Drama and VCE Theatre Studies online to four schools simultaneously through the DEECD Victorian Virtual Learning – Digital Learning Branch. Currently, Deanne is currently recognised as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert for 2015. This role sees her working as part of a global network of 35 teachers in Australia and New Zealand teachers who use technology in innovative and engaging ways in their classroom. This network also extends into a global network of 800 Microsoft Innovative Educators. As a lifelong learner and thought leader, Deanne is very excited about the future as she continues to explore ways exciting ways technology can heighten a student’s experience in the classroom.
Tech Talk Tuesdays: Best Approaches to Global Collaboration
Tech Talk Tuesday will move to Tech Talk Thursday for next week, only, in order to celebrate Global Collaboration Day, Sept 17th, 4-5pm, Melbourne Australia time. It is hoped to capture a global audience, especially Asian participants as the time is friendly to them. Open discussions will take place re the Best Approaches to Global Collaboration
Where: The Australia eSeries Blackboard Collaborate Room. Click on this link to listen
About this session:
- Why should we collaborate globally?
- What do we need for true global collaboration?
- How do we get started?
- Where can we find others?
- What can we do together?
- Ideas for simple/complex projects/collaborations
- Share stories
- Questions that you have?
- Where to now?
If you can bring a picture that represents where you are from? Can you also bring in a photo of what you see outside your window for sharing?
This will be an interactive webinar driven by the participants, so please come along and support this global venture. If you have any questions please leave them as a comment below.
Tech Talk Tuesdays: Blogging 101
When: Tuesday September 8th, 4-5pm Melbourne, Victoria time (gmt+10 or utc+10)
Where: Adobe Connect Tech Talk Tuesday room. Click on this link to view the recording..
About this session: This session will continue on from a previous session, demonstrating the elements of blogging that teachers and community members should know to make their blogs secure, engaging and a rich resource. Depending on the nature and requirements of the participants, some of the topics to be covered will be:
- the importance of categories and tags
- comments – the importance of comments, quality comments, approving comments
- difference between posts and pages
- hyperlinks
- adding widgets and engagement to the sidebars eg flagcounters, clustrmaps, weather, translators etc
- themes – considerations for mobile devices
- hyperlinking
- adding images, videos, podcasts etc
- developing blogs into digital portfolios
Please join us, bring your questions, experiences and any resources.
Tech Talk Tuesdays: Blogging – an essential online space!
Date: Tuesday, August 18th, 4-5pm, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (gmt or utc+10)
Where: Free online webinar in Adobe Connect virtual meeting room
About the session: Blogging is an essential digital literacy in the 21st century. This session will be structured to suit the needs of the participants but the following may be covered:
- why is blogging an essential digital literacy for both teachers and students?
- posts and pages –
- what can you write about?
- the importance of categories and tags in blogging
- how to add those wonderful widgets to the sidebar eg clustrmaps, weather, google translate, countdown etc
- the importance of commenting, appropriate commenting
- establishing an audience
- how to expand a blog’s readership
- how to create digital portfolios through blogging
- tips and hints for successful blogging
- where to find out more
Anne Mirtschin will step through a blog and demonstrate much of the above. Please join us, share in the conversations and bring your experiences and questions. Why would you say that ‘blogging is an essential online space?” Please share as a comment below.
Know My World: Examining Discrimination using Collaborative Apps
When: Wednesday, August 12th, 9:00pm, Melbourne Australia time (gmt+10) See timeanddate for your time zone.
Where: The Australia Series Blackboard Collaborate room.
About this webinar: Examining Discrimination Using Collaborative Apps
This is part 4 of a webinar series from Know My World, which offers a cross-cultural collaboration project connecting two classrooms around the globe via collaborative apps.
Using the Padlet App, students will examine where discrimination is present in their lives and the world to explore ways they can work to eliminate it in their communities. Students will gain cultural awareness, critical thinking and research skills through small group collaboration, cross-cultural dialogue and community involvement.
Please join in the conversations.
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