After perusing through the forum threads in the Classroom2.0 ning I stumbled across this little application called Chinswing, recommended by Sharon Betts.  At first look, it’s very similar to voicethread but without the images. Chinswing uses channels.

“All discussions are categorised into various topical “channels”. For example, there is a Movies channel, and a Small Business channel. It is inside these channels that the multi-user discussions exist. Each discussion is made up of voice messages, recorded by Chinswing users.

There are two types of pages at the heart of Chinswing. Channel pages list all the discussions that exist in a particular channel, and offer ways to narrow your search and enhance browsing. Discussion pages show a visual representation of a particular audio discussion, and offer ways to navigate through the list of contributors and discussion history. This is where you listen to the discussion.”

What’s different about Chinswing is that you can RSS it.  This is how you can follow evolving conversations.

Now that’s clever.

_{image citations: http://www.chinswing.com/pages/firststeps.aspx?signedup=bc9bc43a-6d9e-43f5-bd95-daeb99c8dc9b}

The last few days have just been jam-packed with exciting, inspiring and motivational activity.

It started with my second attempt at webcasting by interviewing Kim Cofino (see this blog post) which graduated into an Amazing Day.

A day later I find myself in Kim Cofino’s Google Docs Presentation to Parents of the School - helping them to understand what it is that this technology is doing for their children and the possibilities of collaboration that are available for them and what the benefits are, what the safety issues are and what will be done to minimise those risks. Kim used the power of twitter to call on us to help with the presentation and it was really a who’s who of educators in there! From inside the Google Docs Presentation chat Kristin Hokanson asked for people to show up at her presentation to teachers on Social Bookmarking, again presenting with Google Docs. A few hours or so later this culminated in a really great discussion or two about how educators are using Del.icio.us for themselves and in classroom with students. I’ve been using Del.icio.us for a while now but I still learnt a few more cool things that it can do! Google Docs Presentations so needs audio!!

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Today I was lucky enough to be bought into the conference call of three of my fellow webcasting academy interns starting their monthly show TeacherTalk, as they chatted to their very first guest, Jennifer Wagner. Jen was sharing with everyone about her technopuds projects such as O.R.E.O project and Salute to Seuss. I am so grateful to Jen and all that she does for connecting teachers and technology, encouraging and motivating us to use technology in the classroom and share it with others at a level that we are comfortable at.

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Phew! What a whirlwind of past days. Can you guess that it’s the school holidays?

ULearn07 begins next week. Listed below are the breakouts that I’ve registered for. If you’re interested in “a virtual attendance” or a “backchannel” leave a comment and I’ll be in touch if it’s ok with the presenter(s).

Keynote: Ewan McIntosh – Wednesday 3 October 10.50am NZT (Global Fixed Times)

Breakout Round 1: Wednesday 3 October 1.30 pm (Global Fixed Times)

_{Title: UMAJIN – learn how to become an expert digital story teller in just one session.
Type of Session: Hands-on Interactive Workshop
Presenter(s): Russel Brebner & Michael Leon – Unlimited Realities Ltd
Question Alignment: Relevant and authentic contexts
Target Level: All
Target Audience: Teachers
Abstract: Passionate about self-directed, creative learning and personal publishing. UMAJIN is the unique, New Zealand built platform with exactly these goals in mind. This workshop will demonstrate UMAJIN’s capabilities and then step you through interactive tutorials designed to make you an expert UMAJIN user. We will demonstrate importing your own digital photos and ‘blue screening’. Time will then be available for you to create your own UMAJIN masterpieces.}

I’ve seen a very brief demo of this program and my students have had a play around in a demo version but we haven’t really been able (I feel) to use it to the best of its capabilities – so I’m really looking forward to this first session!

Breakout Round 2:  Wednesday 3 October 3.45pm (Global Fixed Times)

_{Title: Some Great Inquiry Learning Ideas from Waimea South
Type of Session: Interactive presentation
Presenter(s): Ian Lambie & Kathy Granger
Question Alignment: Relevant and authentic context
Target Level: Primary
Target Audience: Teachers
Abstract: Five of the most Authentic and relevant Inquiry Units from across Waimea South will be presented. Some Background Information on the “SAUCE” inquiry model and how we have utilised this in our schools. Along with detailing an innovative “Lead Kids” concept where children from across our cluster were selected and brought together to learn and then lead ICT strategies within their own schools}

Need to go to this session because that’s our PD focus for the rest of the year – Inquiry Learning (hope to walk away with some really great ideas from this one).

Breakout Round 3: Thursday 4 Oct0ber  10.45am   (Global Fixed Times)

_{Title: Skype TalkandWrite
Type of Session: Interactive Presentation
Presenter(s): Simon Evans (with his trusty sidekick – Me!)
Question Alignment: Quality teaching for diverse Learners
Target Level: Primary
Target Audience: Teachers
Abstract: Skype has produced an interactive writing feature entitled “TalkandWrite” which works well with an IWB. This session will demonstrate how you can get your hands on it and how it is being incorporated into the teaching and learning at Peterhead School. You will leave the session inspired. Sign up to www.skypetalkandwrite.wikispaces.com and share the journey of discovery together.}

I’m a bit biased when it comes to this Breakout. Simon and I have presented this workshop a couple of times now. The downside is that there is no mac version for TalkandWrite yet – but it is coming!

Breakout Round 4: Thursday 4 October 1.30pm (Global Fixed Times)

_{Title: Learning Portfolios
Type of Session: Interactive Presentation
Presenter(s): Rob Clarke – Fendalton Open Air School
Question Alignment: Assessing for Learning
Target Level: All Levels
Target Audience: General
Abstract: This hands-on workshop is aimed at anyone who is interested in using a range of tools to develop portfolios (including mindmaps, blogs, poscasts and other web2 tools). During this session I will share my journey to developing learning protfolios plus examples in the classroom. Ideas for breaking the job down and making it manageable will be addressed, as well as pedagogy behind the use of this type of assessment with these types of tools. Online and offline tools will be looked at along with their relative advantages and disadvantages. Issues in implementing these ideas across the school will be discussed. You must be a competent internet user. Limit of 20 participants per workshop.}

Wow – I’m looking forward to the possibilities of setting this up in my classroom. I think my head might be spinning after leaving this workshop!

Breakout Round 5: Thursday 4 October 3.45pm (Global Fixed Times)

_{Title: Making your podcast more pro.
Type of Session: Hands-on Interactive Workshop
Presenter(s): Ewan McIntosh – Dept Learning Teaching Scotland
Question Alignment: Developing infrastructure and technical capability
Target Level: All Levels
Target Audience: General
Abstract: Recording student work and publishing it is something many educators have done once or twice before handing in the gauntlet on a time-consuming, although fun, activity. Podcasting can be more manageable if you know how; we will talk about small but regular shows recorded, produced and published by the students, linking into their own formative assessment. Find out how you can make these much more manageable shows engaging for the students by learning some fun and varied approaches to recording. Also, pick up some tips on making them sound much more professional with out the most basic of tools (optional: bring along a clean sock).}

WOW!! What can I say? The fact that we need to bring along a clean sock has me excited already! If my head isn’t ready to explode yet, I’m sure after this session it will be!

Breakout Round 6: Friday 5 October 9.00am (Global Fixed Times)

_{Title: Digital Classroom: The critical success factors
Presenter(s) Malcom Roberts – Waikato Institute of Technology
Type of Breakout: Interactive Presentation
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the critical success factors for the implementation of a digital classroom. Relevant factors such as resources, class organization, pedagogy, funding and support were investigated. A collective case study approach was used. Six classrooms in four schools were investigated and compared. Interviews were carried out with six teachers and the pupils in all six classrooms were surveyed. A case study methodology was used from which a profile of each classroom was developed. The results of the research outline the success factors in the digital classroom and provide a definition of the digital classroom. In this session I will share the main results of my research and share a digital classroom model. I look forward to some discussion and dialogue around the digital classroom model, now and into the future.}

I’m hoping to come away with some new ideas for my classroom. I’m really interested in those success factors.

Breakout Round 7:   Friday 5 October 11.15am   (Global Fixed Times)

_{Title: So you’ve got a blog – now what?
Presenter: Rachel Boyd - Nelson Central School
Type of Breakout: Interactive Presentation
Abstract: So you’ve set up a class blog and it’s going really well… you’re sharing your learning, have lots of cool widgets and are enjoying the ‘warm fuzzies’ that are flowing in … Congratulations! But how can you take your blog “to the next level” and make your lessons really come alive? This practical workshop on blogging will help you make a significant difference to learning in your classroom and facilitate students to explore the power of connectivity and reflection. Suitable for all computer platforms and blogging software.}

What a way to end the Breakouts! I can’t wait to finally meet Rachel f2f! This amazing teacher has some awesome stuff going on in her class and I’m looking forward to the conversations we are definitely going to have!

Keynote: Tony Ryan (Thinkers Keys) Friday 5 October  2.00pm  (Global Fixed Times)

There’s also going to be our very own blogger’s cafe (thanks Jane) – no reason why I can’t skype you into that either!

So what are you waiting for?

Just found this little gem calle d Sketchcast shared by the people over at SimpleSparkApps. Here’s my five minute effort! And no cheeky comments about my drawing skills please!

From the Sketchcast Website ……..

_{What’s Sketchcasting?}

_{Sketchcasting is a new way to communicate something online by recording a sketch, optionally with your voice speaking. Any sketch can then be embedded on your blog/ homepage for people to play-back, and you can also point people to your sketchcast channel here (or let them subscribe to your sketchcast RSS feed).}

_{Sketchcasting is new but it’s based on an old principle: the whiteboard (or the napkin in a bar) on which you sketch something to get a concept across… or to just have some fun. Sketchasting was invented by Richard Ziade on July 23rd, 2007, Creative Commons licensed.}

_{What can I use sketchcasting for?}

_{You can just let your ideas flow. Here are some examples, but don’t let them restrict your creativity!}

• _{Create a tutorial explaining how boomerangs work (and why they don’t always return)}
• _{Explain a math formula}
• _{Create a cartoon (you can use the eraser tool to make place for several panels of the cartoon)}
• _{Get a partner and explain a concept together… voice recording doesn’t have to be used by only one person!}
• _{Create an online Chinese course and explain Pinyin writing}
• _{Create a masterpiece and show others how to draw}
• _{Explain baseball to Europeans… or explain soccer to Americans!}
• _{Create a riddle for kids: draw something and the kid has to guess while you’re drawing}
• _{Draw a manga action scene}
• _{and much more…}

Jeff The Thinking Stick Utecht’s latest posts, “I don’t want to integrate it, I want to embed it” and “Embedding the tool is only the first part” got me thinking – then I read all the comments (18 in total so far) and had to add the phrase “the way we do business here” from Will Richardson and the word “grafting” from Ric Murray to my thinking.

What’s going on in our classroom? Integrating? Embedding? Grafting? Or is it just the way we do business here? Honestly? I think most of the time is a bit of all four! Integrate means find a place where it fits – well that’s what I do when I discover a new web2.0 tool and I desperately want to share it with my students. Embed means to incorporate or contain as an essential part or characteristic. Our wikispace is an essential part of our learning, it’s the “go to place” for everyone – we wouldn’t be room18 without our wikispace. Grafting means to join or unite closely, or “seamless- invisible” from Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach. We use what ever tool, what ever technology helps us the most to learn, to teach others, to display our learning, to extend our learning or to share our learning. It’s intertwined, interlinked and intermingled and “it’s also the way we do business here.”

So what’s going on in your classroom?

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3 reasons why we need to spread the world about K12 Online Conference 07

1. Amazing Keynote Speakers: David Warlick, Clarence Fisher, Derek Wenmoth,(from our very own NZ) Brian Crosby, Alan Levine, Brian Lamb & D’Arcy Norman – for free!

2.  The most amazing workshops from the most amazing educators available for YOU in your own time at your own pace….. Check on the teaser presentations if you don’t believe me – for free!

3. A chance to play with the boundaries and be exposed to Web2.0 tools and Professional Practises AND the opportunity to take part in some live events – did I mention it’s free!

Here’s part of the audio interview with my good friend Kim, recorded from yesterday’s stream on Sandbox B at WorldBridges.Net during the Equinox Webcastathon. Over the past few days I’ve learned how to use Nicecast, skype and chatroom chat all at the same time!
ProjectFeelGood Interview_Part
The entire interview audio file is over at the Webcast Academy

I also learnt that you need to make sure you double check your archive recording settings in Nicecast BEFORE you start streaming, otherwise you will spend half the night and most of the next day figuring out how to use audacity to change a stereo track into a mono track, and to change the bitrate, and sample rate to the right specifications! I still couldn’t figure out how to change the stereo track to mono therefore reducing the size of the audio file. Oh well, there’s always a next time!

Kim was a magnificent guest and an absolute delight to interview and I can’t wait to catch up with her in person early next year! Do check out the new wikispace GlobalCollaborations that Kim has created – especially if you are interested in connecting with classrooms keen on global connections. Please also consider signing up for Jen Wagner’s onlineprojects4teachers if you’d like the opportunity to collaborate with others around the world just like Kim and I do.

This has been the most amazing day so far in my ICT life! BTW it did not start in morning nor anytime in the afternoon. It began at 9pm when I streamed live on Worldbridges.net during the Equinox Webcastathon this weekend. My special guest was my good friend Kim Cofino and we were talking about ProjectFeelGood and other online collaborative projects that we’ve been involved in or getting involved in. We talked for an hour and had 5 listeners and up to 7 in the chat too. Twittering about it saw Ewan McIntosh enter the chatroom (which was sooooooo cool!) Unfortunately he couldn’t hear the stream to well and then someone knocked on his door so he had to go! I’m really looking forward to hearing him speak as the keynote speaker at ULearn07 in a weeks time and I’m going to one of his sessions on Podcasting too. But I digress.

Kim and I kept chatting, then she invited me into Jeff Utecht’s WiZiQ session. WiZiQ is similar to Elluminate and Jeff had twittered about it but I wasn’t sure about gatecrashing. When Kim said come on in I didn’t hesitate! Jeff had only announced the session via twitter and it was amazing who turned up. David Warlick was there, Allanah King was in there, as was Durff, Will Richardson, Graham Wegner, Kim of course and many others. Unfortunately I joined the session right at the end and after about 12 minutes the session abruptly ended. I was impressed with the clean interface of WiZiQ but I think they need a better system of notifying you that the time is up! Kim then added me to a chat she was having with Graham Wegner, then Susan Sedro joined us too. Twitter was going, and up popped Chris Betcher saying that he was adding people to his skype that he wanted to chat to. He then popped up on Kim’s request to share contact details so she bought him into the chat too. Next Chris suggested that we have a skypecast to see how many we could get in there before it broke! We got to 9!! It was truely a global conversation! As people appeared online Chris skyped them in. Represented was Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore, US, Canada. Wow, 3 continents and 8 different timezones and skype did not break! I took a screenshot using myskitch - it’s almost unreal!

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I met so many amazing people today, talked extensively with some “old” friends and “new” friends then Kim and I realised that we’d just been connected for over 5 hours! She’s in Bangkok and I’m in New Zealand. We talked about global connections, Kim’s awesome new wiki called Global Collaborations. If you’re interested in getting involved in connecting your classroom globally, no matter what level, go there and sign up! We talked about Ewan McIntosh coming to New Zealand (and he’d just twittered about travelling here – it will take 60hours as a round trip) and Sharon Peters suggested backchannelling some of the sessions that Ewan takes. (When I figure out what that actually means I might just do that!) Sharon also suggested skyping people in and I so plan to do that. If you’re interested in this, leave me a comment and I’ll add you to my skype contact list if you’re not already there.

I SO get twitter now.

Last week I learned a valuable lesson.

You should never assume you know what your students know!

As Teachers, we’ve been immersed in our Inquiry Learning Professional Development. Our students have been towed along behind us as we learn how to got about the next step of our Inquiry journey and how to take our students with us.

I really thought we were bouncing along quite nicely on our little journey (well I was certain I was) but then we hit a pothole that was just tooooo big to get out of. It’s a pothole called Searching. Do your students really know how to search for information? Have you ever, just like me, assumed that at Year 7 (US Grade 6) they know how to search for information?

As I investigated this ‘pothole’ a little further, I discovered, to my dismay, that after spending a substantial amount of time on what we wanted to find out and what we needed to find out, many of the class knew what to do next but didn’t actually know how to go about it. By that I mean they knew to search for information in the Library, and they knew to search for information using the internet – but they didn’t actually know how to search for the key information that was needed to help answer those initial questions. A bit more digging and the real problem emerged! My students didn’t really understand how a search engine worked or what the difference was between a search engine, a directory and a meta-search engine. Panic set in fast as I contemplated how to deal with this ‘pothole’ without just telling them the answers. I wondered if I could somehow make this necessary learning part of the inquiry process and start my students off on their own inquiry journey.

Enter Cybersmart.org. (This site contains teaching resources for Safety, Manners, Advertising, Research and Technology at a variety of age levels).

I found three very simple yet effective lessons.

1. Investigating Search Engines and Directories
2. Smart Keyword Searching
3. Making Search Decisions

When there was the “sound of pennies dropping” as the class did their own investigations, I knew I’d done something right. They showed themselves the answers – all I did was point them in the right direction. Yes, it was great to teach today and not tell!

image: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1220/801488455_23505900bc.jpg

“Classrooms as Global Communication Centres with it’s key asset being that we are places of connectiveness – a place where students can pick up information, skills and learning to enable them to function in global worlds.”

Thanks to a twitter from AllanahK about Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach’s Archived Elluminate Session from the Learning2.0 Conference in Shanghai, I got to hear that message.

Sheryl’s very inspiring guest panel included Clarence Fisher,(Canada); Chris Betcher,(Australia); David Jakes (US); and Allanah King, (New Zealand)

Clarence Fisher spoke about his interest in Networks and asks the question,

“How do we place kids at the cross-section of information so that they can reap the most from that?”

He mentioned having a global classroom connection all year long rather than for just one project. Now that’s an interesting idea and I found myself nodding my head in agreement. He called it team teaching without walls – and opportunity to open the windows between classrooms no matter where they are. That really “floats my boat” and already some ideas and possibilities are “rowing” around in my head.

David Jakes advocates jumping in, participating, and asks how does the network impact your learning?

“It fuels your own professional growth as a large network of tools that connects people, ideas, and resources in a global conversation, it’s the web realized.”

The nodding of my head happened again when David mentioned creating content not just handing in projects and the Four C’s of Learning.

Be able to connect
Be able to contribute
Be able to collaborate
Be able to create.

I especially enjoyed the photo of bored kids – sometimes I’m sure that’s how my students feel when we have “stuff” that “has to be done.” I just need to find a Web2.0 way to turn the “stuff” into the Four C’s.
Enter Chris Betcher who shared a David Warlick quote;

“Learning is a Conversation.”

He believes, in relation to meeting certain standards, or criteria of student learning, if we are integrating technology in a constructivist way that allow students to find pathways through content rather than spoon feeding them and we believe this way is valid or works better then do it.

Again I found myself nodding my head.

Thanks Sheryl, for sharing such a powerful session with those of us not in a position to attend your session. Thank you to your guest panel for sharing their amazing stories and use of Web2.0 tools in their teaching. I now follow a few more people on twitter and I now have a couple more blogs to read in my aggregator and I now have an idea for next year’s class!