Inspire your students to write the right stuff - a TeachMeet presentation

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I am attending a TeachMeet in Somerset West at Somerset House Primary School. I thought I would talk on creative writing sites and end off by telling the attendees or should I say 'Keen Beans' and 'Enthusiastic Lurkers' about the upcoming African Storybook Project and the writing opportunity it presents for our learners. </span><br /><div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I decided to place my presentation on my blog just in case anything goes wrong - at least it will be safe and sound on the Internet!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="356" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/16505653" style="border-width: 1px 1px 0; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="427"> </iframe> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><strong> <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/inspire-your-students-to-write-the-right-stuff" target="_blank" title="Inspire your students to write the right stuff">Inspire your students to write the right stuff</a> </strong> from <strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">Fiona Beal</a></strong> </div></div></div>

African Storybook Project Slideshare teachmeets Writing Inspire your students to write the right stuff - a TeachMeet presentation

Submitted by Fiona Beal Today I am attending a TeachMeet in Somerset West at Somerset House Primary School. I thought I would talk on creati...

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30 Days of Google #4: Back up your Blogger blog

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7XjAZbjfDB8F2ADOMcUo_N5hKRTFStsw7MveEHNIxFp_aanwiiVrcE6IAdpANvf5ElaLAaAwNHXvCUUouJoL-P8uyUaFADrObqZgGUqg4HMt8xiuIdwld5Uz4XlnFSCZwshbxepVM04/s1600/blogger2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7XjAZbjfDB8F2ADOMcUo_N5hKRTFStsw7MveEHNIxFp_aanwiiVrcE6IAdpANvf5ElaLAaAwNHXvCUUouJoL-P8uyUaFADrObqZgGUqg4HMt8xiuIdwld5Uz4XlnFSCZwshbxepVM04/s320/blogger2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="font-size: small;">Submitted by Fiona Beal</span></span></i><br />Recently I was opening my Blogger blog when I was directed to a message from Google saying that people in two parts of the world (Austria and Sweden) were trying to access the blog. Google gave the IP address of the devices concerned  They had refused permission to these unknown people but wanted to know if I wanted to give them access – good old Google<span style="font-size: small;">!</span> They advised me to change my password in case it was someone trying to compromise my account…which of course I did. So I knew it was time for me to back up my blog!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Other reasons for backing up a blog</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I remember Richard Byrne on this blog <a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/" target="_blank"><i>Free technology 4 teachers</i></a> urging his read<span style="font-size: small;">ers</span> one time, as a weekend project,  to back up our blogs; so I crossed over to his post for guidance.  He gives some good reasons for backing up a blog, '<i>The fact of the matter is, if we rely on a free web-based service we should be aware of the possibility that it could shut-down or move to a fee model at some point. To that end, we should be in the habit of periodically creating offline back-ups of our data.’</i></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How to back up a blog?</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is a relief to know that nothing happens to the original blog when you backup!  I have put the steps I took into a Slideshare. It was rather nerve-wracking at first as I imagined how it would be if something went wrong and I lost the whole blog! To allay that fear I practised on a not-too-important previous blog and all went well.<span style="font-size: small;"> So here is what I did...</span></span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="356" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/15020172" style="border-bottom: #ccc 0px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; margin-bottom: 5px;" width="427"> </iframe> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><b><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/back-up-your-blogger-blog" target="_blank" title="Back up your Blogger blog">Back up your Blogger blog</a> </b>from <b><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">Fiona Beal</a></b> </div><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What else can be done with the exported file?</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you decide to change blogging platforms you can import the xml backup files to the new blog. Amazing! The other thing you can do with the xml file is convert it to a PDF and make it into a book using <a href="http://www.blogbooker.com/">BlogBooker</a> – a free service! It takes about 5 minutes. Imagine how nice it would be to do this for your students’ blogs at the end of a year!  BlogBooker points to some public examples on the web to look at<span style="font-size: small;"><b>.</b></span></span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cvfRBnOs7R-O_-tFcA4i0OJs6tBPMDI6FOyJtBnzYdusqlVCpFBcsPGDGtIxZ9uuBNsFNkDB6viUDp4ZWn4611_ystDqsZnXNufOE4iJsntciJBz1TnqqbtJ8IawtWEz__EWndZ90UQ/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefR7T0QsvXrqeBbh_Jc8ztZ_ctL-ktPSVUVYkRKY9Gp5lV7vziRaHU7-Qrcn8LL1RPVN83vJJZ-afyNYVdQ9kbw8dYNDWbha9RYJzYisf0yNDhJWDTkbkIXJ_jGMR9CpbVxBbRodEyqY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You can also get this done professionally on the web into a hard cover book using <a href="http://blog2print.sharedbook.com/blogworld/printmyblog/index.html">blog2print.</a> I have seen one of these <span style="font-size: small;">at a friend's house </span>and they are lovely.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSWGQJKdDcz4B0lvH-37IhrLZcoN416jlBUQABnuG_jyyjn0GRNFPQvQ2ZZjaONWSTPjXBYPoKrmkEj20vCSLmWN-8fJ8FKQuSZKL9mvtoml-wj7z81Dn7mALERnFAE0KWbHzbVLrJyY/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxWpCn0BeCuTCGot5izAb2LWhv1nEFEu4JYjCqdxp07S8pUQzXdhmNvC4TzLdno4MBwO7Z19EJ_uYlokKSo2v1s6zEDslxMeWaw6swp04-_uD78Ck_h55_cG5gB0a2yUXO0WTV4gez0M/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you are the proud own<span style="font-size: small;">er of a Blogger<span style="font-size: small;"> or</span> Edublogs/Wordpress blog please think about backing up your blog. It would be a terrible plight to lose all those hard-earned hours of work just like that!</span></span></span><b> </b></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Further reading</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1) <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-tips-for-turning-your-blog-into-a-book">7 tips for turning your blog into a book</a><br />2) <a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/12/how-to-back-up-your-blog-and-why-you.html#.UJaoscXjRuY">How to back up your blog and why you should</a></span></span></div>

30 Days of Google Slideshare Tutorials 30 Days of Google #4: Back up your Blogger blog

Submitted by Fiona Beal Recently I was opening my Blogger blog when I was directed to a message from Google saying that people in two parts ...

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30 Days of Google #3: Create a Blogger blog

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithJMrGSW26zLMHCI5NGkepdilX7y6zTepyuWdNowi_p90VgVNuk6ygtmfOd_QTIyJ33LDoIUbQjXhhLKJ3gZ1CLOwj9n6_fspPjjRIcvhHPF-q3vhx6VYt9IcCTAVp-BSTniLg0ueS2o/s1600/blogger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithJMrGSW26zLMHCI5NGkepdilX7y6zTepyuWdNowi_p90VgVNuk6ygtmfOd_QTIyJ33LDoIUbQjXhhLKJ3gZ1CLOwj9n6_fspPjjRIcvhHPF-q3vhx6VYt9IcCTAVp-BSTniLg0ueS2o/s320/blogger.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal </i><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">One of the first things I think any teacher who is interested in technology-integration sh<span style="font-size: small;">ould do is create their own classroom blog. </span> A classroom blog can <i>transform</i> your class even if the only computer in the class is yours - your laptop! It will give the parents<span style="font-size: small;"> a peek into the classroom setup, and it will join you to a whole lot of new blogging teacher f<span style="font-size: small;">riends around the world. You can involve your students in your blog in so many exciting ways.  <span style="font-size: small;">Google's </span>Blogger is a great blogging platform that gives a<span style="font-size: small;">mple free space, and it is also very attractive to look at and user-friendly to use. </span></span></span></span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, take the challenge and see if my instructions will help you.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div id="__ss_13018451" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/create-a-blog-using-bloggers-updated-interface" target="_blank" title="Create a blog using Blogger’s updated interface">Create a blog using Blogger’s updated interface</a></b> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/13018451" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">Fiona Beal</a><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once you have created your blog there will be other <span style="font-size: small;"> </span>questions you will come up with. So the next Slideshare looks at the following questions and provides screenshots:</span></div><br /><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">1.How can people join my blog?</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">2.How </span><span style="color: black;">can I add a </span><span style="color: black;">blogroll</span><span style="color: black;"> to my blog?</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">3.How can I edit a post I have just written?</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">4.How </span><span style="color: black;">can I change my </span><span style="color: black;">background template? </span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">5.How </span><span style="color: black;">can I set up my </span><span style="color: black;">comment </span><span style="color: black;">box</span><span style="color: black;">?</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br /><div id="__ss_13025412" style="width: 425px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/blogging-questions" target="_blank" title="Blogging questions">Blogging questions</a></b> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/13025412" width="425"></iframe> </span></span><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/" target="_blank">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">Fiona Beal</a> </span></span></div></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> Well, that should keep you occupied for a while, but the end result will be something you can be proud of. Tomorrow w<span style="font-size: small;">e will take a look at how to backup your blog. </span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div>

30 Days of Google google Slideshare Tutorials 30 Days of Google #3: Create a Blogger blog

Submitted by Fiona Beal One of the first things I think any teacher who is interested in technology-integration sh ould do is create their o...

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Why not create a wiki for your classroom?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have you ever considered using a wiki in your class? It can be a fabulous classroom tool with a multitude of uses.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br />What is a wiki?</span></h3><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> A wiki is a space on the Web where you can share work and ideas, pictures and links, videos and media — and anything else you can think of. It is like a website but it doesn't require any special knowledge of HTML. Anyone who joins the wiki can write and edit on the wiki which makes it ideal for classroom use. What I like about using a wiki is that it is free and it makes sharing and collaborating on all kinds of content as easy for your students as it is for you. </span></div><h3 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"> <b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />A great example</span></b></h3><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Watch how this 2nd grade teacher uses a wiki in her classroom. This is an amazing video and gives a good idea of what a wiki is as well as how it can be used: This is not a YouTube video so click on the video link below the picture to be taken to the viewing site. </span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5tHnRsHHFdQ2hwW70bokChEyb9x45k_X8OiqyTdfP1ArHvcY4nVh5PvIL4OIBifwwN9jei-z_AXh2e0hMaqSc5XlwcTYxsfesJolXLFwH8M8wUtwAtRRhTJBxKeo3dpZ1xJ-Jxl03bw/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVM5yViP_MqbVdQJMhDOnCqFLFg6-xWD0frLLzBbZgOd65jnqXJvfTU8rDoJW4xcQFALzRAj2fgcvdl9peQHhOjVJbJyBWei1CADs7CqqXjFOkwUqekdWSYrWeH0pJEFEYLpUTdLrTNE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.mistreamnet.com/vidflv.php?who=milearn.connected.wikis.020712">http://www.mistreamnet.com/vidflv.php?who=milearn.connected.wikis.020712</a> <br />(13 minutes)<br /><br /><h3 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"> <b><span style="font-size: large;">Types of wikis</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />It is amazing to see all the ways that wikis are used by educators. I have gathered some of the ideas together and presented them in the Slideshare. </span></h3><br /><div id="__ss_12883071" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0px 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/types-of-wikis" target="_blank" title="Types of wikis">Types of wikis</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12883071" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">Fiona Beal</a> </div></div><h3 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br />Create your own wiki using Wikispaces</span></h3><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />If you think you would like to give a wiki a try, I have created some instruction for you. My favourite wiki platform is Wikispaces. They give educators so many free options and have designed their wikis to be really easy to operate. This Slideshare shows you how to create a wiki using Wikispaces.</span></div><div id="__ss_12882714" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0px 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/how-to-create-a-wiki-using-wikispaces" target="_blank" title="How to create a wiki using Wikispaces"><br />How to create a wiki using Wikispaces</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12882714" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">Fiona Beal</a> </div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: large;">A challenge </span></h3><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hopefully I have challenged you to give Wikispaces a go. Let me know if you do!</span></div></div>

Slideshare Tutorials Web tools Wikis Why not create a wiki for your classroom?

Submitted by Fiona Beal Have you ever considered using a wiki in your class? It can be a fabulous classroom tool with a multitude of uses. ...

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How to work with Dropbox

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dropbox is a fantastic programme that gives you 2GB free if you install it on your computer. If you invite others you can get masses more free space. It really is worth downloading and installing Dropbox on to your computer. Once installed it makes a folder in your Documents folder. Whatever you place in this new Dropbox folder is aautomatically backed up on the web and can be accessed from anywhere. </span><span style="font-size: small;">So just to have an online backup for your important documents is wonderful.</span><span style="font-size: small;">The other marvelous part of Dropbox is that once you have an account, you can install Dropbox on all the computers you use and it keeps them perfectly synced. No more flash drives needed!  I have compiled some ideas of how to use Dropbox in this Slideshare.</span></div><div id="__ss_12697293" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/the-ins-and-outs-of-using-dropbox" target="_blank" title="The ins and outs of using Dropbox">The ins and outs of using Dropbox</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12697293" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div></div>

Resources Slideshare Tutorials Web tools How to work with Dropbox

Dropbox is a fantastic programme that gives you 2GB free if you install it on your computer. If you invite others you can get masses more fr...

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Photostory 3 for Windows is a great free classroom tool

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">Photostories are digital stories shown in a sequence of photographs. You can write on the photographs, narrate what is happening, add music and effects and turn the whole digitial story into a movie.  It is a fantastic programme and can be used in a multitude of ways from Grade 1 – Adult! Microsoft has a marvelous programme called Photostory 3 for Windows that is very useful to use in a technology-integrated classroom. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">If Photostory 3 is not already part of your Windows package you can go to Google and ask for a download. It will probably take you to Microsoft.com/downloads. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Before you get started plan what you want to do. </span></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What will you call your photostory?</span></span></span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">What photos will you use and where will you find them?</span></span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Do you want to add narration?</span></span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Will you use music?</span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Put everything you want to use in a folder. </span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Step-by-step instruction on how to use Photostory 3</b> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br />Let's started with a step-by-step tutorial  </div><br /><div id="__ss_12579416" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/how-to-use-photostory-3-for-windows" target="_blank" title="How to use Photostory 3 for Windows">How to use Photostory 3 for Windows</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12579416" width="425"></iframe> <br /><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ideas for classroom uses of Photostory 3</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is a collection of ideas on how to use Photostory 3 in the classroom. Perhaps you can add to these ideas? </span></div></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div id="__ss_12579477" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/classroom-uses-for-photostory-3-for-windows" target="_blank" title="Classroom uses for Photostory 3 for Windows">Classroom uses for Photostory 3 for Windows</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/12579477" width="425"></iframe> <br /><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a><br /><br />One of the great things about using Photostory 3 is that it can easily be uploaded to a blog without going through YouTube or a similar hosting programme. This is a photostory of a blogging project I did with a combined Grade 4/5 class at school. This illustrates how you can write on photos,  add interleaves and add music...plus upload it to a blog. </div></div></div><br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-92775aad93222110-6607" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwAvjfktWextSdrHQLY4pnJYkUi2H-29wjv871ZbiYFbA-LaLCNAMbXMqrA_6tvKSWs5iXIPj3jxMrEqCEbwOXYbVkNOYFeXfi7BPieim6uVuyBv8bTCpppbZKgGLBoyZnVxzg" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><br /></div></div>

Microsoft tools Slideshare Tutorials Web tools Photostory 3 for Windows is a great free classroom tool

Photostories are digital stories shown in a sequence of photographs. You can write on the photographs, narrate what is happening, add music ...

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Why not become a ‘curator’ with Scoop.it and create your own online magazine?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">You have probably heard the word ‘curator’ being bandied around? ‘Curating’ is one of the latest buzzwords and that is what Scoop.it does. (I haven’t yet investigated Paper.li but it could be similar). So, what happens is you join Scoop.it (<a href="http://www.scoopit.com/">http://www.scoopit.com</a>) and choose a topic you would like information about. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpd3YR5o1KcUutzS0KdO5KwaitdkwdETQXj2ywfhOdk0uf55AlUUMRiqURrkWukZnPeD8p5fNQdpErIm2-WL6DYYzwt8sX1v9SwRwEwtFjKDgEFlMuzh_tVSx2kifcf8Z7fY8MA6cudOA/s1600-h/what%252520is%252520scoopit%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="what is scoopit" border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEf663az7R1PKnB4fAI7UzGhe_f7m0vm_ZLH7OIfot9ZqUxjaLaU1uYr92XZimvwkfXdgv9xfLNAHQHPaXy4ME9EOZ5dhNH4AlmxErDYKO3frJq8rhNDDm4EulWry7qU9QnSlu4x1-LEY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="what is scoopit" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span> <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span>  <br /><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scoop.it then crawls the Internet searching for articles based on the keywords you have given to your search topic.  You then curate by choosing which articles you would like to use in your magazine, and Scoop.it forms it into an attractive easy-to-read online magazine. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What I LOVE about Scoop.it is that you can also follow topics that interest you. I follow 34 topics that interest me and Scoop.it keeps me informed in much the same way – a magazine type format for me to page through at leisure. Marvelous! When reading a Scoop.it all you do is click on a block and  it takes you to the original artecle. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">So for example… this is how Scoop.it keeps me informed about the latest on my topics of choice. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzOhWAFxY-KxPQiV28GHdvxqU8uMUrb7W4Ygd_EC_KexjMaukD2LqADixVSBrSmhNHGq-FrBCLgyjTg-Ju-D-5A_w18I-xy8n7uYELfz6oFYiRozOHs1u2jCLv5lnPIqok2170AxXNmI/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDWveT2pqVpF1KVMbO6VMGqHjWYh3cRgiLIuVbXW4_USqDXNS0Kx0iOFeaMcUrcwAG-UBzrw0bCdPAnF_BDkcmMkOlPDGzET04f7PIL-oeW8oE1ZY3AWecbKaN_KhuRSfCT2S9aJuC5g/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="271" /> </a></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In case you would like to know all the steps on how to work with Scoop.it please view my Slideshare. </span></div><div id="__ss_11835738" style="width: 425px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/come-scoop-with-me-fiona-beal" title="Come 'Scoop' with me - Fiona Beal">Come 'Scoop' with me - Fiona Beal</a></b><object height="355" id="__sse11835738" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=comescoopwithme-fionabeal-120302112437-phpapp01&stripped_title=come-scoop-with-me-fiona-beal&userName=fionabeal" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed name="__sse11835738" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=comescoopwithme-fionabeal-120302112437-phpapp01&stripped_title=come-scoop-with-me-fiona-beal&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></div><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">fionabeal</a>.</div></div></div>

Slideshare Technology integration Tutorials Web tools Why not become a ‘curator’ with Scoop.it and create your own online magazine?

You have probably heard the word ‘curator’ being bandied around? ‘Curating’ is one of the latest buzzwords and that is what Scoop.it does. (...

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Experimenting with forms - especially Google forms

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I just love all the different features of Slideshare. Last week I explored adding YouTube videos to Slideshare. Today was my day with experimenting with the Slideshare <i>playlist widget</i>.  I got the idea from <a href="http://web2teachingtools.wikispaces.com/SlideShare">http://web2teachingtools.wikispaces.com/SlideShare</a></span><span style="font-size: small;">. First of all I created my three PowerPoints about creating online forms. I uploaded those to Slideshare:</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">1) Google forms – so easy to create</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b> </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This form is definitely my favourite. I can’t believe that Google can give us so many superb programmes FREE. What I especially like about Google forms is that they automatically create their own collection site for you to review the results.</span> </div><div id="__ss_11738513" style="width: 425px;"><span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/google-forms-so-easy-to-use" target="_blank" title="Google forms - so easy to use">Google forms - so easy to use</a></span> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11738513" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2) Create an Email Me form</span></b></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div id="__ss_11738842" style="width: 425px;"><span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 12px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/email-me-form" target="_blank" title="Email Me Form">Email Me Form</a></span> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11738842" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3) Have you tried Survey Monkey for creating surveys?</span></b></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div id="__ss_11739316" style="width: 425px;"><span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 12px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/use-survey-monkey-to-create-surveys" target="_blank" title="Use Survey Monkey to create surveys">Use Survey Monkey to create surveys</a></span> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11739316" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next step was to upload these to Slideshare. Once that was done I had to make each one a ‘favourite’ by clicking on the presentation to view it and then clicking on ‘Favourites’.Now it was time to experiment with the playlist widget. <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/widgets/playlist">http://www.slideshare.net/widgets/playlist. </a>This took me to a page where I could arrange it all.</span></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRffOGk2xv0Z1hITuci1Hq5Y8FoD775Hwpmc1PfUhb98UIAgwJP0s2l6npPxrSze_OXrd02dA02y2RwWaSJgPI9Pa5OtnDt7cLoTxdkgNVzT2NKBUWolTYjj0Ruv5LUggICuZ_FA6kj2c/s1600-h/image%25255B15%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevHUR4P1JuKH1X0gyy6E1SmmZR38KK8KpsGPjT2gY6Y-zUCwanSJcrpac0NYUELhzXJGMdUIa5waRXyVcXvkquBYad1rmKbvWzwFixUPoqjFA32dwSbXJqG8xv1bhqQBIxSPfNIY4K2I/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a><br /><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The only problem is that if I try to make this playlist Slideshare less wide so that it fits in to the blog using Firefox or Internet Explorer as a browser, it doesn't work! So I have omitted putting it here apart from the screenshot.</span></div></div><br />This idea of a playlist originated from looking at Judi Barrett's playlist where she created a whole series of lessons this way:  <a href="http://web2teachingtools.wikispaces.com/SlideShare">http://web2teachingtools.wikispaces.com/SlideShare</a> </div>

google Slideshare Tutorials Experimenting with forms - especially Google forms

I just love all the different features of Slideshare. Last week I explored adding YouTube videos to Slideshare. Today was my day with experi...

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Webinar of past winners shows the creative ideas teachers come up with to enter Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Forum

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the moment we are having a series of nine webinars featuring past finalists and winners in Microst’s Partners in Learning Forum (formerly called the Innovative Teacher competition)  I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting and listening to these twice a week as it shows me that we have some very creative teachers in our midst. I have also had the tasks of converting these webinars to YouTube videos and podcasts which makes for easier viewing </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today I am going to feature the webinar presented by Helen Robertson, Wessel Theron, Ryan Galving and Sarietjie Musgrave . After the little write ups about the projects I will add the vdieos and podcasts. If you are a South African teacher please considering entering this great competition. Some of these presenters travelled up to Joburg for the South African Finals, then went off to Jordan for the African and Middle east finals. Some even got to the World Finals in Washington DC. What a year of travel in 2011!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Helen Robertson who was teaching at Cornwall Hill College in Pretoria at the time</b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Helen’s project was called Functions for Technologically Functioning Teens. In the webinar she renamed it ‘It all started with a cell phone’. Getting learners to plot and analyse functions is a tricky part of the grade 10 Mathematics curriculum. To address this, learners used a cell phone app to plot the functions whilst they focused on the more important skill of analysing the effects of changing the variables. Support structures, including contacting their teacher using Whatsapp and asking questions of the “Functions for Technologically Functioning Teens” Facebook group, encouraged independent learning. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIg2m1EpdkQpBYkHWhQoWv1aruLv0lWH5g1NwdN22Tkuv_wEyW5OwUZqS2avPcw9BvP3-YkT6Xl68j15OVQjNAcZIKmHC9DIRay3usP-f_Go2gFBjLQjai-ZhswofwjwG5poa5OAOgRE/s1600-h/image%25255B16%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHoylpx06Q-XbVodjgDwSKFZrghZlRlmbOCPum279hcEQtMs05i1jqz62mrSjXDrF6Gi22YllcXO8u1iymJf1LPyhhDMwlQXXkzJ1l-ccROrVAWc5rotHS8ryL0JzNrBifMaktX48yxU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">^{<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wessel Theron from Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town</span></b>}</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">^{<b><br /></b>}</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Wessel called his project ‘School of Rock’. To create interest and excitement in additional language lessons, this project involved learners searching for their own Afrikaans song and then creating a music video for it that is shared on YouTube. Grade 8s had to work in pairs to match images to the lyrics of the song. They also had the option of translating a song and singing it themselves. This was a perfect opportunity to be creative using ICTs, improve Afrikaans comprehension and vocabulary, and be entertained while learning. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SGH1kvzxrVolEYAHDq6ZdPuBkflffa8htwHUbpVsvWsdbpPhk938oRGLj2S2O-UrkvYIB4Ad1XgRpFzXPu41YyoPPB5C2BkZxu8MwLZMPGuqp2NMqb0IC5G9Niy1jaXyIptgXCHRv3c/s1600-h/image%25255B12%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTvxrP6tKYaou4Rrju-0duDA8L4NuBoIiOBPZnRvkkOjCrIZJQkQowq82OttjKnqqeFAG8BxvMNkWuRlwoMv9P-JMPMdojiAuwUUFsH2zXa3DMXl7Fnh-T8_CO7DHmsZUlCfhbhEtkNc/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ryan Galvin from St Nicholas in Pietermaritzburg</b></span><br /> </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ryan called his project R and J in R and B which is short for Romeo and Juliet in Rhythm and Blues. In an attempt to persuade his grade ten class that the story of Romeo and Juliet is relevant to any time, this teacher offered learners the opportunity to re-tell the story and revise the play. Learners made use of MP3s on their cellphones, iPods, YouTube, Twitter, digital cameras and videos. The final task was creating a MovieMaker slideshow, using the music, tweets and photos they had gathered.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlf97MIIvjG4PgQxt4kr-VStC9mFOTEsudZ8MNqRdxS4Ep6FPSkrXDCREhroGPb1id1UgVTQpgMnPEu2azq1W_uXKmWbsxa2ucIRLtn-64SyigVWFjYMyhvpOFHgxLk25bVdmC2T5tHo/s1600-h/image%25255B18%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvY0ChNmE3OUZ5iu5bBWv4vdsdQ7EinmyidHEiHhyphenhyphen8zAEa6BPYktepWIMs5IO73TbigqobouPT4zH052iUKHzUVIkX5VlixYEBgTiV1IlRP8hIJr-2Y0hBYOt-ZZCuhu9GNC3y-4_Eeto/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">^{<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sarietjie Musgrave who was teaching at Eunice High School in Bloemfontein at the time.</span></b>}</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">^<b> </b></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">She did a hugely successful project called ‘Spread the sunshine’ and did South Africa proud by achieving a second place in the world finals with this project! Her students each found students with disabilities in the community to link with and created ICT programmes to help them.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">^{<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>}</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZRhuSxAA89X_1zfOGWDDgvLoS8LJmMVVqyS8rXc90mmkC7cVJdFGaeHgLiivV9_T2nStG627rlzpGY9WuJ6UEQB2uvg4aaO0M4rFyexrWBxSr7PVbwCXFSVt0acdNPgkjnxiLTh1XgY/s1600-h/image%25255B19%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLAZX9-so7Ln-oHM2Oh3aK7nnR7e93QWmCxJjX4W2lkEjGATzLwYIwdXS52gJ4dJj9vKmLW2wIV_rQiXoKf7Duwcoh5f6qxNEmExML7ptxxYK70NSyV0uElhDwDJxjWxpzGaBzo85_u8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are their YouTube presentations neatly tucked into this Slideshare presentation. Their podcasts will appear below.</span> </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div id="__ss_11546254" style="font-family: inherit; width: 425px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0pt 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/past-pil-winners-in-south-africa-part-3-webinars" target="_blank" title="Past PIL winners in South Africa Part 3 - webinars">Past PIL winners in South Africa Part 3 - webinars</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11546254" width="425"></iframe></span> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0pt 12px;"><span style="font-size: small;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a></span> </div></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665054" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665054-helen-robertson-it-all-started-with-a-cell-phone.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Helen+Robertson+-+It+all+started+with+a+cell+phone&mp3Time=08.41pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665054-helen-robertson-it-all-started-with-a-cell-phone&rootID=boo_embed_665054" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665054-helen-robertson-it-all-started-with-a-cell-phone.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Helen Robertson - It all started with a cell phone (mp3)</a></object></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665066" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665066-wessel-theron-school-of-rock.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Wessel+Theron+-+School+of+Rock&mp3Time=08.50pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665066-wessel-theron-school-of-rock&rootID=boo_embed_665066" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665066-wessel-theron-school-of-rock.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Wessel Theron - School of Rock (mp3)</a></object></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665063" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665063-ryan-galvin-r-j-in-r-b.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Ryan+Galvin+-+R%26J+in+R%26B&mp3Time=08.47pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665063-ryan-galvin-r-j-in-r-b&rootID=boo_embed_665063" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665063-ryan-galvin-r-j-in-r-b.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Ryan Galvin - R&J in R&B (mp3)</a></object></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665076" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665076-sarietjie-musgrave-spread-the-sunshine.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Sarietjie+Musgrave+-+Spread+the+Sunshine&mp3Time=08.59pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665076-sarietjie-musgrave-spread-the-sunshine&rootID=boo_embed_665076" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665076-sarietjie-musgrave-spread-the-sunshine.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Sarietjie Musgrave - Spread the Sunshine (mp3)</a></object></span></div></div>

Microsoft podcasts Project-based learning Slideshare videos webinars Webinar of past winners shows the creative ideas teachers come up with to enter Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Forum

At the moment we are having a series of nine webinars featuring past finalists and winners in Microst’s Partners in Learning Forum (formerly...

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Join our webinar session of past winners at 5pm today!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />This afternoon we have another webinar of three past finalists or winners in the South African Partners in Learning forum. Please log in as a guest and join us if you can: <a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Ngaka Ralekoala from Bloemfontein</b></span><br />We have Ngaka Ralekoala who worked in a team of four in a project about vulnerable children. In this project l<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">earners from participating schools received training in ethics and research methodology and then conducted research in their local community to determine the needs of vulnerable children.  Through this project, learners have been given the opportunity to collaborate with other schools, the University of the Free State as well as experts in the field of Social Action research from the De </span><span style="color: black;">Montford</span><span style="color: black;"> University in the United Kingdom via the Internet. </span></span><br /><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlKke9SSq4IlK8q6yoeoikC9tpKxMiRaICwOtsUr7b8A1DtFhqaFzdMSBnfzd1fN2tPmiFV1epYVZxht6ECbPveDk00_Whr1JI8KYtXmMB1lGU_YWQP7HWFRiCtu3g4l6a26-xNUQgaM/s1600/Children+who+care-Ngaka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlKke9SSq4IlK8q6yoeoikC9tpKxMiRaICwOtsUr7b8A1DtFhqaFzdMSBnfzd1fN2tPmiFV1epYVZxht6ECbPveDk00_Whr1JI8KYtXmMB1lGU_YWQP7HWFRiCtu3g4l6a26-xNUQgaM/s400/Children+who+care-Ngaka.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Charli Wiggil from Eden College in Durban</b></span><br /><div style="direction: ltr; language: en-ZA; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; mso-line-break-override: none; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;"> We also have Charli Wiggil from Durban who did a project around the world cup in South Africa called ‘Tweenzites’. In t<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">his grade 10 Life Orientation project involved learners identifying a contemporary problem in their community and exploring it using various technological tools (Intel Thinking with Technology, GPRS, cell phones, Microsoft Office Applications etc). Learners were then challenged to devise strategies to address the problem that they identified and these were presented to local community and government leaders, community members, educators and learners from other schools. It is hoped that the municipality might implement some of the suggestions through their Department Planning Programme. One of the groups developed a DVD to be used in Life Skills by other schools.</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUg3_baFVkmUKm7dHmPjdaoMxKsMKaf2h_U6MLHibVtuvGlFImLT7x8n7JyAek3Jx4rld9ExSi6-YoTlqM9U86habdmtcr1p7ZoVrb7K_qx-Eh3PjiKR3uL0WS4TcuXopj0K_DLcoU9E/s1600/Charli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUg3_baFVkmUKm7dHmPjdaoMxKsMKaf2h_U6MLHibVtuvGlFImLT7x8n7JyAek3Jx4rld9ExSi6-YoTlqM9U86habdmtcr1p7ZoVrb7K_qx-Eh3PjiKR3uL0WS4TcuXopj0K_DLcoU9E/s400/Charli.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Glen Williams from Sunridge Primary in Port Elizabeth</b></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> The third teacher is Glen Williams who did a project which he calls ‘Silent Morals’ around a particular IT programme called Scratch.Glen says " <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal;">Well</span><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> , m</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">y grade 6 learners had to USE what they learnt in basic programming, EXPLORE, and CREATE an ANIMATED SILENT MOVIE which DEPICTS a MORAL VALUE or LESSON.You will see that I start AND end this presentation with the word FUN, because I believe that education must be ENGAGING in a FUN way. </span><span style="color: black;">Projects</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;"> allow learners the FREEDOM to EXPERIMENT with what they already learnt in a STRUCTURED way AND forces them to EXPLORE things which they haven’t learnt yet, without RELYING on a teacher."</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2Im1wqvWq6jEusiZsLyBhUl8Y7IEGP3T_SpRe63C-F4rr0uwajsio2KeCVKmEpBSBKTLCn_e5zQaC7semIKpjxaAnL-VdFt7UJkXUILceTvlYB_8d3DWi2pQ-REmFCfYVt-mwuPI8AM/s1600/Silent+Morals+-+Glen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2Im1wqvWq6jEusiZsLyBhUl8Y7IEGP3T_SpRe63C-F4rr0uwajsio2KeCVKmEpBSBKTLCn_e5zQaC7semIKpjxaAnL-VdFt7UJkXUILceTvlYB_8d3DWi2pQ-REmFCfYVt-mwuPI8AM/s400/Silent+Morals+-+Glen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><br />This all makes for some interesting listening this evening. If you can’t make it the recording will be placed on the wiki tomorrow. (<a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/View+webinar+recordings">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/View+webinar+recordings</a>) But please join us if you can this evening at 5pm:<br /><a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/</a><br /><br />Well, five 'o clock has now been and gone and the webinar is over. Here is a Slideshare with embedded YouTube videos showing the webinars of these three finalists. Take a watch and a listen if you have the time. <br /><br /><div id="__ss_11539587" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/past-pil-winners-webinars-in-south-africa-4" target="_blank" title="Part 4 - Past PIL winners' webinars in South Africa ">Part 4 - Past PIL winners' webinars in South Africa </a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11539587" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><br />Otherwise, listen to their podcasts instead<br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665090" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Ngaka+Ralekoala+-+Children+who+care&mp3Time=09.12pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care&rootID=boo_embed_665090" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Ngaka Ralekoala - Children who care (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665100" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Charli+Wiggil+-+Tweenzite&mp3Time=09.18pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite&rootID=boo_embed_665100" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Charli Wiggil - Tweenzite (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665112" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665112-glen-williams-silent-morals.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Glen+Williams+-+Silent+Morals&mp3Time=09.31pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665112-glen-williams-silent-morals&rootID=boo_embed_665112" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665112-glen-williams-silent-morals.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Glen Williams - Silent Morals (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><br /></div>

Competitions Microsoft podcasts Project-based learning Slideshare Teaching videos webinars Join our webinar session of past winners at 5pm today!

This afternoon we have another webinar of three past finalists or winners in the South African Partners in Learning forum. Please log in as ...

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What are YOU doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Can you feel the excitement in the air? it's time to be preparing for Microsoft's Partners in Learning Forum. This is an exciting competition that used to be called the Innovative Teacher competition. There are some superb prizes available, and it is <b>really</b> worth giving it your best shot. The competition involves taking something you are doing in class and adding technology to it. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmaoAQXTViMjTSSa8H-OdtR21pMIEOA9Tia97c3oh20eWbJlzz3BbpzEEwmhdJYx2eu7OBOy6iczWkV8yx7KLWOIyJxC6ljP8V9g7vZ0RoSgqVVbPpNzqXf4Hb4QvhXkPzMcgxpT8fh0/s1600/Victor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmaoAQXTViMjTSSa8H-OdtR21pMIEOA9Tia97c3oh20eWbJlzz3BbpzEEwmhdJYx2eu7OBOy6iczWkV8yx7KLWOIyJxC6ljP8V9g7vZ0RoSgqVVbPpNzqXf4Hb4QvhXkPzMcgxpT8fh0/s400/Victor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />If you are successful you could be in for a year that involves travel and adventure! If you haven't started a project yet and you are still floundering for ideas, well, I have prepared a Slideshare to help you. Just remember that entries have to be uploaded by 12 March 2102. For more information please look at the wiki we have created to guide you through the days until closing date - <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces</a>. You can still sign up so that we can take a special interest in you. <br /><br />Here is the Slideshare:<br /><div style="width:425px" id="__ss_11488569"><strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum" title="Get started on a project for the Partners in Learning Forum">Get started on a project for the Partners in Learning Forum</a></strong><object height="355" id="__sse11488569" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=getstartedonaprojectforthepartnersinlearningforum-120208160417-phpapp02&stripped_title=get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum&userName=fionabeal" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><embed name="__sse11488569" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=getstartedonaprojectforthepartnersinlearningforum-120208160417-phpapp02&stripped_title=get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div style="padding:5px 0 12px">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">fionabeal</a>.</div></div><br />So, what are <b>YOU</b> doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Microsoft Project-based learning Slideshare What are YOU doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Can you feel the excitement in the air? it's time to be preparing for Microsoft's Partners in Learning Forum. This is an exciting co...

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SchoolNet's webinar and podcast programme now in full force

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />This is the time of the year where SchoolNet and Microsoft combine to prepare interested South African teachers for the upcoming Partners in Learning Forum. This competition used to be known as the Innovative Teacher's Forum. There are amazing prizes up for grabs for successful teachers, the most valued being a week long trip to participate in the Pan African and Middle East Finals in Morroco, and/or a week long trip to participate in the World Finals in Greece, for successful teachers. This year SchoolNet is running an online support course from  a wiki (<a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa/">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa</a>) to prepare teachers. We are also running, alongside this, a webinar and podcast programme of past winners sharing their successes.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Past finalists and winners group 1 </span></b><br /><br />These three past finalists and winners shared their projects in the same webinar<br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Lyneth Crighton from Brescia House in Johannesburg</b><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lyneth Crighton is from Brescia College in Johannesburg. She ran a workshop in which Grade 10 learners explored the novel “Cry the beloved Country” using Web 2.0 collaborative tools. The girls collaborated on a wiki, participated in an online discussion forum, created a pod-cast and developed a word cloud. Colleagues across learning areas got involved in the workshop to show that the themes in the novel were applicable to a range of learning areas.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Lyneth was a winner in the South African Finals, and they went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. She won again and were able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.</span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_7-uGw96ZaMEpTfpUCj8DR8P_1YxDERdFOxutSTtosE8an4ainQnrtWQlzul5tyUOFyRAre9nMVcJfFCVsFDF_p7YFC3cn2XQEItjtUirH7GcfpCgTGHvdCYNZYYYmC_PQS2_vtww8A/s1600/Lyneth+%28336%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_7-uGw96ZaMEpTfpUCj8DR8P_1YxDERdFOxutSTtosE8an4ainQnrtWQlzul5tyUOFyRAre9nMVcJfFCVsFDF_p7YFC3cn2XQEItjtUirH7GcfpCgTGHvdCYNZYYYmC_PQS2_vtww8A/s320/Lyneth+%28336%29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Louise Clark from St Cyprians in Cape Town</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><br />Louise Clarke and Kim Jackson are both Grade 4 teachers at St Cyprian's School in Cape Town. Their combined project for Grade four learners involved reading the first chapter of book called ‘The Phantom Tollbooth’ and predicting what adventures the main character would have in “The Lands Beyond”. Learners produced artwork and scripts describing what they thought would take place and they then narrated their predictions using Windows Movie Maker. This project only used free software – and its true success was in the way it promoted collaboration and creativity amongst young learners. Louse and Kim were winners in the South African Finals, and they went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. They won again and were able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.</span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_Bb6Q6zMhdb30sdvun6lJrauvrR_3hOwbbvzU62_HA_HGVDJ7WoJbvayAWUU9_WFc2iTeR-86I1rEAa-XOd2gFrdkkEDhLGgWqm3Ag4GpS1spiqeOiTZli8wrJR4hyLN47YVFEZaphQ/s1600/Louise3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_Bb6Q6zMhdb30sdvun6lJrauvrR_3hOwbbvzU62_HA_HGVDJ7WoJbvayAWUU9_WFc2iTeR-86I1rEAa-XOd2gFrdkkEDhLGgWqm3Ag4GpS1spiqeOiTZli8wrJR4hyLN47YVFEZaphQ/s320/Louise3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Natalie Meerholtz from Holy Rosary in Johannesburg</b><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><br />Natalie Meerholz is from Holy Rosary School in Johannesburg. Natalie and her Grade 6 learners aimed to encourage the school and surrounding community to address the issue of e-waste. Activities included creating e-posters and e-advertisements; reusing e-waste in the form of sculptures; and holding an e-waste launch. An e-waste bin has been set up to encourage responsible e-waste disposal and recycling. Natalie<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">was a winner in the South African Finals, and she went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. She achieved a winning place and was able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwoqHOl4I6uBut1Hv_iCdRH7g_aVjxGJSe03CUvWrTauhJULell095gMRlfmyKyX9sMst830INeb5NMFBRyN2NeFbAFjHLMP7Vq-4AlgndE4j_5y_vjF_dS5PoW1AUOMQCci9x3KSLXM/s1600/Natalie336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwoqHOl4I6uBut1Hv_iCdRH7g_aVjxGJSe03CUvWrTauhJULell095gMRlfmyKyX9sMst830INeb5NMFBRyN2NeFbAFjHLMP7Vq-4AlgndE4j_5y_vjF_dS5PoW1AUOMQCci9x3KSLXM/s320/Natalie336.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Watch and listen to their presentations</span></b><br /><br />Here is a Slideshare containing the webinar presentations of the first three past finalists who shared their stories recently. These webinars were converted into YouTube videos. Slideshare now has an amazing feature where you can insert a YouTube video after a slide! Take a look!<br /><br /><div id="__ss_11452848" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/past-winners-1" target="_blank" title="Past winners 1">Past winners 1</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11452848" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Listen to their podcasts</span></b></div><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_656455" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F656455-natalie-merholtz.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Natalie+Merholtz&mp3Time=12.05am+07+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F656455-natalie-merholtz&mp3Author=fibeal&rootID=boo_embed_656455" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/656455-natalie-merholtz.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Natalie Merholtz (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_662272" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F662272-louise-clarke.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Louise+Clarke&mp3Time=03.54pm+10+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F662272-louise-clarke&mp3Author=fibeal&rootID=boo_embed_662272" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/662272-louise-clarke.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Louise Clarke (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /></div><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_662317" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F662317-lyneth-crighton.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Lyneth+Crighton&mp3Time=04.18pm+10+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F662317-lyneth-crighton&rootID=boo_embed_662317" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/662317-lyneth-crighton.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Lyneth Crighton (mp3)</a></object><br />South African teachers - we encourage you to participate - this year could be the adventure of your life!</div>

Microsoft podcasts Slideshare videos webinars SchoolNet's webinar and podcast programme now in full force

This is the time of the year where SchoolNet and Microsoft combine to prepare interested South African teachers for the upcoming Partners in...

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How to send emails using Microsoft Word and Mail Merge

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">There are times when I need to send out the same emails to a whole lot of people, and after trying one method after another I decided it was time to teach myself Mail Merge.  I took screenshots of my journey which I will now share with you in case you want to do something similar. What a timesaver it has proved to be! Now why didn't I think of this a whole lot earlier!<br /><div id="__ss_11339815" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/create-emails-using-mail-merge" title="Create emails using mail merge">Create emails using mail merge</a></b><object height="355" id="__sse11339815" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=createemailsusingmailmerge-120130143733-phpapp02&stripped_title=create-emails-using-mail-merge&userName=fionabeal" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><embed name="__sse11339815" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=createemailsusingmailmerge-120130143733-phpapp02&stripped_title=create-emails-using-mail-merge&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">fionabeal</a>.</div></div><br /><br /><br /></div>

Microsoft Slideshare Tutorials How to send emails using Microsoft Word and Mail Merge

There are times when I need to send out the same emails to a whole lot of people, and after trying one method after another I decided it was...

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