Thursday 26th February 2015 Google is continually rolling out minor updates and new features to Google Apps…. This most recent feature update has been eagerly awaited – adding different headers (and footers) on the first page of a document to subsequent pages in the document. No need to download or install anything – the update is available now in your Docs. http://youtu.be/GAh2sZLCg84
Bloom’s Taxonomy – according to Seinfeld
The video below may be a useful discussion starter for your next curriculum planning meeting, or some pre-class viewing in a flipped professional learning environment… http://youtu.be/NsBna5IVBYg
Google Science Fair – 2015
Thursday 19th February 2015 From now, through to May 18, students around the world ages 13-18 can participate in the Google Science Fair by submitting projects online across all scientific fields, from biology to computer science to anthropology and everything in between. Prizes include $100,000 in scholarships and classroom grants from Scientific American and Google, a National Geographic Expedition to the Galapagos, … Read More
Google Classroom Quickstart
Wednesday 17th February 2015 Have you begun exploring the possibilities offered by Google Classroom? Released in 2014, the Classroom platform continues to improve and regularly sees new features and updates. Classroom provides an ideal online classroom environment for schools using Google Apps for Education. Here is a getting-started guide for teachers new to Classroom (pdf) >>>
Helensburgh PS – Kinder Blog
Monday 16th February 2015 Parents and the school community can stay up to date with the happenings in the Kinder classroom at Helensburgh PS, thanks to their class blog! Dan the Flying Man paid them a visit last week! Check out other class activities at the KC Blog >>>
NAPLAN 2015 – change to writing test
Friday 13th February 2015 The writing component of this year’s NAPLAN test will be split for the first time between primary and high school students as a result of a controversial question last year. The old model of a single prompt across all age brackets will be replaced with one for year 3 and 5 students, and a separate one for … Read More
Where is your school on the ICT planning continuum?
Wednesday 11th February 2015 Rather than spending limited school funds on computers and software licenses, both of which need to be renewed every few years, clever schools are now transitioning their technology budgets to focus on the deployment of longer-lasting infrastructure that can support student- and teacher-owned devices, leaving the cost of device renewal and software licensing to the owners of the devices. … Read More
Is your school ready for BYOT?
Tuesday 10th February 2015 Deciding on technical specifications for student devices, developing policy documents and distributing student agreements aren’t the critical ingredients in implementing a successful BYOT / BYOD initiative at your school. Check out the BYOT/BYOD checklist >>>
iPads in schools: 5 critical mistakes
Monday 9th February 2015 While there are many effective approaches to incorporating iPads (and other mobile devices) successfully in the classroom, there are some common mistakes that are, in many cases, crippling the success of these initiatives. How can your school avoid these mistakes? Read more at Edudemic >>>
2014’s worst passwords revealed
Friday 6th February 2014 Despite all the warnings, people persist in choosing easy-to-break passwords to protect their precious online data. For all the high-tech security threats lurking in the shadows, weak passwords are the easiest to fix, yet apparently the most ignored. It’s not that difficult to come up with complicated yet easy-to-remember passwords, it’s just that some people still aren’t prepared … Read More
KidRex – Google for younger students
Thursday 5th February 2015 KidRex is a fun and safe search tool for younger students. KidRex searches emphasise kid-related webpages from across the entire web, and is powered by Google. Google’s filters check keywords, phrases, and URLs to eliminate most inappropriate material. Check out KidRex >>>
Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities
Wednesday 4th February 2015 Think3 offers professional learning courses focussing on the use of modern technologies in K-12 schools. Below is a list of upcoming courses… Managing iPadsIn this hands-on workshop, you will be guided step-by-step in how to use Apple Configurator to install the latest iOS, and a selection of free and paid apps. You will also learn how … Read More
Prowise Presenter for LCD Screens
Tuesday 3rd February 2015 Are you looking for replacement software for Smart Notebook, to use with your new LCD interactive touch screen? Or maybe your old IWB software is no longer compatible with your latest OS? Give the cloud-based Prowise a try with your interactive display. Prowise imports PDF, MS Office and Smart Notebook files. Check out the Free and Pro versions of Prowise >>>