Wednesday, 22 October 2014
Mapping my learning in Bubbles
This is a mind map that I created using bubbl.us. I think it's a really useful tool for creating mind maps. It is quite easy to use and manipulate. Once created you can play around with colour and size etc to maximise impact. It is also easy to update and change things around, although you do have to create a bubbl.us account. Once you have created your mind map, you can then share it, or as I have done embed it, such as in my blog. Embedding content allows it to be interacted with rather than it being just a picture or screenshot.
This mind map that I created is based on Reflective Learning.
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| My First Wordle; pretty cool!!! |
Had a fantastic ICT lesson this week looking at technologies that we can use in our teaching. The picture above is a word cloud, created in Wordle. This is the first time that I have ever been encouraged to search out new things on the internet and it is a lot of fun exploring.
The word cloud is made up of a group of words that you enter, such as a poem or piece of text etc. Wordle will then create a pictorial view of your words. You can then play about with the picture, altering the design and colour for maximum impact. When I created my first Wordle, I immediately saw the potential for it to be used in teaching. I believe that Wordle and other such websites could be used to create a high impact picture of associated words, possibly a mind map or the result of a brain storming session. The size and position of the words can be manipulated. So for instance if you want a certain word to be centre stage then it need to be entered more times than any of the others. I am going to have play around with some educationally inspired word clouds using Wordle and will post my results.
Microsoft and Me
Microsoft applications have become such an everyday part of our lives that we barely think about using them. Whether we're creating a word document, setting up a spreadsheet or creating a database. Most of us use at least one of these Microsoft packages everyday. I also use some of these on a daily basis and since beginning this course I am starting to use Word a lot more.
That said, I don't consider myself to be an expert in any of them. I can find my way around Word quite well, but really only stick to the basic functionality. I have used PowerPoint on a few occasions when I have needed to create presentations. I enjoy using PowerPoint and playing around with the different effects available. I find it quite an easy piece of software to get to grips with.
My nemesis though, has to be Excel. I must admit to not being able to really get to grips with it. Maybe this is because I have never really needed to create a spreadsheet and could get away with using other programs for my needs. I would like to improve my knowledge of working with Excel to see if the mists surrounding it clear for me. This will be a goal of mine, when I can find the time to fit it in that is. Which the way things are going at the moment maybe sometime away yet!!!
As an update to this post our recent ICT session explored Microsoft and some of the creative ways the applications can be used. One of the best discoveries for me, was being able to use Word for referencing and creating a blibliography. If like myself, academic writing is relatively new to you, then referencing your work properly can be a 'mine field'. However with Word the whole process becomes much easier. Using the 'Insert Citation' button, add a new source, then populate the required fields with information that you get from the publication that you want to reference. It really is that simple. I have included a link to a handy help page
That said, I don't consider myself to be an expert in any of them. I can find my way around Word quite well, but really only stick to the basic functionality. I have used PowerPoint on a few occasions when I have needed to create presentations. I enjoy using PowerPoint and playing around with the different effects available. I find it quite an easy piece of software to get to grips with.
My nemesis though, has to be Excel. I must admit to not being able to really get to grips with it. Maybe this is because I have never really needed to create a spreadsheet and could get away with using other programs for my needs. I would like to improve my knowledge of working with Excel to see if the mists surrounding it clear for me. This will be a goal of mine, when I can find the time to fit it in that is. Which the way things are going at the moment maybe sometime away yet!!!
As an update to this post our recent ICT session explored Microsoft and some of the creative ways the applications can be used. One of the best discoveries for me, was being able to use Word for referencing and creating a blibliography. If like myself, academic writing is relatively new to you, then referencing your work properly can be a 'mine field'. However with Word the whole process becomes much easier. Using the 'Insert Citation' button, add a new source, then populate the required fields with information that you get from the publication that you want to reference. It really is that simple. I have included a link to a handy help page
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Internet Safety
Today in our rather brief ICT module lesson (lack of power interrupted play), we briefly discussed Internet Safety.
CEOP
How to guide on embedding videos
Wednesday, 8 October 2014
The Virgin Blogger
My first experience at Blogging!
This blog, my first ever foray into the blogging world, forms part of my ICT module on the PCE (PCET). I am embarking on this course of study because of a forced change to my career path. I am shortly to be made redundant from my job as a Coastguard Officer, a position I have held for the past 18 years. I have been a fan of education and learning for many years now, but like a lot of people of my generation, I didn't fully understand the importance of education and learning when I was young.
I always did quite well in school but admit to not doing as well as I could have. I allowed myself to get sidetracked by friends and social activities, which is not unusual when you are 14/15. How many of you remember your parents preaching at you about how important school and education was? I certainly remember mine saying it... Infact I hear my mother's voice in my head when I find myself saying the exact same thing to my own daughter, the irony of it never fails to make me smile.
Why is it, that as adults we are much more open to learning and more motivated to improve, than we are as children? Could it be that we have learnt to appreciate that our destiny is in our hands, if we want something we have to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! Anyway, I now appreciate the benefits of learning for career progression and personal development. The labour market can be a tough place these days, with competition for jobs high. I want to ensure that I give myself the best opportunity to compete for jobs that I can, but more importantly I want a job that I really want.
I can hear you all thinking "What does she mean, a job she wants?" Well it's quite simple really, for the past 24 years, I have been lucky to have jobs that I have loved. Always challenging, always something different happening, now that I am in need of a new career path, I want to make sure that I find it equally as fulfilling. I always believe that it's easier to get up in the morning if you love what you do. For many years now I have pondered the possibility of a job in learning and development. Hence the decision to become a teacher. Still trying to work out if I am completely crazy, only time will tell....
So here I am, sitting in the ICT suite on my 3rd week on the PCE and I am reminded that my knowledge of ICT is limited. Sure, I can use a computer, surf the internet, read and update facebook status.
I can use the elements of technology that my job requires of me and I definitely know way more than both of my parents! But I am beginning to realise that my use of ICT is limited because I choose for it to be.
I am a busy, 40 something, Mum and after working a minimum of 48 hours a week, in a pretty stressful environment, the last thing I want to do in any spare time I may get, is use technology. That is aside from checking Facebook or my emails, which these days is as routine as turning on the television. I have never really explored IT for pleasure or entertainment.
However, after my first ICT lesson, it has become quite obvious to me that I am missing out! There is so much technology available that can not only enrich my teaching but also my life. During this blog I am going to explore some of the technology available and see if it can be beneficially applied to the teaching process. The PCE is a very steep learning curve for me and ICT a gentle slope in that curve, so far, I am liking my journey.
This blog, my first ever foray into the blogging world, forms part of my ICT module on the PCE (PCET). I am embarking on this course of study because of a forced change to my career path. I am shortly to be made redundant from my job as a Coastguard Officer, a position I have held for the past 18 years. I have been a fan of education and learning for many years now, but like a lot of people of my generation, I didn't fully understand the importance of education and learning when I was young.
I always did quite well in school but admit to not doing as well as I could have. I allowed myself to get sidetracked by friends and social activities, which is not unusual when you are 14/15. How many of you remember your parents preaching at you about how important school and education was? I certainly remember mine saying it... Infact I hear my mother's voice in my head when I find myself saying the exact same thing to my own daughter, the irony of it never fails to make me smile.
Why is it, that as adults we are much more open to learning and more motivated to improve, than we are as children? Could it be that we have learnt to appreciate that our destiny is in our hands, if we want something we have to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! Anyway, I now appreciate the benefits of learning for career progression and personal development. The labour market can be a tough place these days, with competition for jobs high. I want to ensure that I give myself the best opportunity to compete for jobs that I can, but more importantly I want a job that I really want.
I can hear you all thinking "What does she mean, a job she wants?" Well it's quite simple really, for the past 24 years, I have been lucky to have jobs that I have loved. Always challenging, always something different happening, now that I am in need of a new career path, I want to make sure that I find it equally as fulfilling. I always believe that it's easier to get up in the morning if you love what you do. For many years now I have pondered the possibility of a job in learning and development. Hence the decision to become a teacher. Still trying to work out if I am completely crazy, only time will tell....
So here I am, sitting in the ICT suite on my 3rd week on the PCE and I am reminded that my knowledge of ICT is limited. Sure, I can use a computer, surf the internet, read and update facebook status.
I can use the elements of technology that my job requires of me and I definitely know way more than both of my parents! But I am beginning to realise that my use of ICT is limited because I choose for it to be.
I am a busy, 40 something, Mum and after working a minimum of 48 hours a week, in a pretty stressful environment, the last thing I want to do in any spare time I may get, is use technology. That is aside from checking Facebook or my emails, which these days is as routine as turning on the television. I have never really explored IT for pleasure or entertainment.
However, after my first ICT lesson, it has become quite obvious to me that I am missing out! There is so much technology available that can not only enrich my teaching but also my life. During this blog I am going to explore some of the technology available and see if it can be beneficially applied to the teaching process. The PCE is a very steep learning curve for me and ICT a gentle slope in that curve, so far, I am liking my journey.
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