Hints for working with text and images in a video

Videos can do certain things depending on how the information in a video is presented.

Font/text

• CAPS are used for headings, never body text unless you are shouting
• Make sure your text fits on the screen
• A heading is always larger than the body text
• Keep to one font throughout
• Never underline anything as it then looks like a hyperlink
• Every statement begins with a capital letter
• Do not use capital letters unexpectedly in the middle of a sentence
• Headings begin with capital letters
• Keep font size the same for the body text on each slide
• You need key words on the screen, so if the video is about videos do not use the word video on the screen - it fills the screen with a useless word.

Images

• Use images to complement text
• Images must match the content
• Statements can be elaborated with text and images
• If the image is of a face, it should face inwards or to the middle of the screen

Layout

• Numbering is useful for learning
• Balance the information on the screen – must be filled with text, images and white space
• Make sure your text fits on the screen
• Text on screen must be short and very clear, no extra wasted words

Timing

• Need time to read the screen, and then absorb the information
• The title slide must be visible for slightly longer than the other slides

Animations

• Never animate the title slide
• Never have a character or object move across the important text in an animation

Common errors

• Spelling errors are very visible on a screen
• Text and background colours must be a distinctive contrast so that the text can be seen and read
• Use of the board/label to provide elaboration is good
• Have keywords/concepts on the screen
• Do not use full stops or point in titles or headings
• Stay on the topic of your work
• Demonstrate what you are talking about
• Number your points
• Display the diversity of cultures in South Africa 
• Use text, images and animations to enhance learning

Creating animated cartoons/videos

Students have created animated cartoons on the benefit of using videos for educational purposes with Powtoon and Renderforest.

Note 

• The text in a cartoon video is short! 
• You can add sound - music or voice. 
• Images must match the content.

• If you are using the free Powtoon, when finished go to Export (top right-hand corner), and you export TO YouTube. It uploads to your YouTube channel. 
• If you are using RenderForest when finished go to Preview, and if it is alright, click on Download. Download it to your computer. Upload to YouTube when ready.

Create a video introducing yourself using Renderforest

Create a video saying who you are. This is such a nice video to have at the start of a course.

Make the video with the free version of Renderforest. Do not use anything which has Pro imprinted on it. Students have found Animation Videos the best for their needs, and Whiteboard Animation Toolkit.

Include the following in the video:

1. Your name and surname
2. Where are you originally from (e.g. home town)
3. Where do you work and what is your role there, and if you are teaching, tell us your subjects/grade as well.
4. Why did you choose to do this course
5. Something only your best friend would know

When finished go to Preview, and if it is alright, click on Download. Download it to your computer. Upload to YouTube when ready. Please make the video Unlisted. Copy the link and share it.

This was only graded in so much as creating the video, uploading it to YouTube and submitting a functioning link to a video.

Create a video introducing yourself using Powtoon

Create a video saying who you are. This is such a nice video to have at the start of a course.

Make the video with the free version of Powtoon. Do not use anything which has Pro imprinted on it

Include the following in the video:

1. Your name and surname
2. Where are you originally from (e.g. home town)
3. Where do you work and what is your role there, and if you are teaching, tell us your subjects/grade as well.
4. Why did you choose to do this course
5. Something only your best friend would know

When finished Export it and Upload the video to YouTube. Please make the video Unlisted. Copy the link and share it.

This was only graded in so much as creating the video, uploading it to YouTube and submitting a functioning link to a video.

Designing multiple choice questions

Design rules for multiple choice questions - http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/rules-for-multiple-choice-questions/ - the link is old but the information is timeless

Try the quiz about Multiple Choice Questions

Creating a quiz in Google Forms

You can create self-marking quizzes in Google Forms – most useful if your school has Internet access for all learners on tablets or PCs.

Instructions

Create a self-marking quiz using Google forms

1. Go online and find out how to create such a self-marking quiz using Google forms but the videos below are very clear.
2. Make all the questions on ONE topic from a subject field.
3. Arrange the questions in the correct order, i.e. those collecting information about the student do not have a mark attached and are before the ‘questions’
4. Use at least 2 different types of questions, e.g. True/False, Multiple choice, choose from a list. Do not use ‘Other’ as the computer cannot mark an ‘Other’ question.
5. Make sure at least one question interprets a map, graph or image. Make sure the image is connected to the question. Do not give the image a label. Place the image below the question.
6. Check that the self-marking quiz works – test it yourself, then get friends to test it.
7. Quiz
1. Have a look at http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/rules-for-multiple-choice-questions/
2. Check the answer options – all should be possible, but only one is correct
3. Make sure that all words are spelt correctly
4. Make sure that each question begins with a capital letter and ends with a question mark. A question usually begins with Who, When, Where or How.
5. The questions must be grammatically correct
6. The answers must have capital letters where required.
8. When you have made the quiz make it available to a few and get them to do the quiz.
9. Get the results of the quiz analysed and presented in graph format.
10. Provide an analysis of the results in chart format in real-time, i.e. my results must be displayed.
11. The quiz must look good.

Outcomes and assessment criteria

1. Questions are meaningful and are on ONE topic from a subject field
2. Questions are in the correct order, i.e. those collecting information about the student do not have a mark attached and are before the ‘questions’
3. At least 2 different types of questions are used, e.g. True/False, Multiple choice, choose from a list, etc.
4. At least one question interprets a map, graph or image
5. The self-marking quiz works
6. Answer options – Should all be possible, but only one correct (Essence of good MCQ)
7. Each question begins with a capital letter and ends with a question mark or full stop.
8. Each question is grammatically correct
9. The answers have capital letters where required
10. Provides an analysis of the results in chart format in real time, i.e. my results must be displayed

Useful links

1. Make a quiz using Google Forms - https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Quiz-Using-Google-Forms
2. Design rules for multiple choice questions - http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/rules-for-multiple-choice-questions/ - the link is old but the information is timeless
3. Try the quiz about Multiple Choice Questions

Using PowerPoint to enhance education

Alduraby, H. & Liu, J. 2014. Using the branching story approach to motivate students’ interest in reading. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 6(3), 463-478. Link

Coleman, M. B. 2009. "PowerPoint" is not just for business presentations and college lectures: Using "PowerPoint" to enhance instruction for students with disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 6(1), 2-13. Link

Garrett, N. 2016. How Do Academic Disciplines Use PowerPoint? Innovative Higher Education, (41)5, 365-380. Link

Jordan, L. A., Papp, R. 2014. Powerpoint®: It's not "Yes" or "No"--It's "When" and "How" Research in Higher Education Journal, 22, 2-11. Link

Kangas, B. D. 2012. Not waving but drowning: A review of Tufte’s The cognitive style of PowerPoint. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(3), 421-423. Link

Smith, B. 2019. 43 Effective PowerPoint presentation tips (to improve your skills). [Online] Available at: https://business.tutsplus.com/articles/37-effective-powerpoint-presentation-tips--cms-25421. Link

Tips for making effective PowerPoint presentations. 2017. [Online] Available at: https://www.ncsl.org/legislators-staff/legislative-staff/legislative-staff-coordinating-committee/tips-for-making-effective-powerpoint-presentations.aspx. Link

Layout of information to enhance communication

Presenting information with text and images, and in various formats, is so important to enhance the message.

Please read the following carefully and then answer the questions that follow in this learning quiz. Please redo the quiz again and again until you obtain full marks.

• Reynolds, Garr Presentation tips. http://www.garrreynolds.com/preso-tips/ 
• Crash course in visual design. http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/159642/VISUAL-CRASH-COURSE-2015.pdf
• Pacini, Andrea Less is More: The Power of White Space http://echopresentations.blogspot.com/2013/09/less-is-more-use-lot-of-white-space-in.html

Quiz on Layout of information to enhance communication Please try it.

Creating a poster for a conference

How to Design an Award-Winning Scientific Conference Poster describes how to create a good conference poster. Keeping the hints in mind you can use Canva to create a poster, but it has limitations when using the free version.

There are a number of free templates available online for poster creation.

The biggest issue for displaying a poster at a conference is the size limits and your budget.

Note that printing companies normally accept pdf and jpg files for printing purposes. 

Look at Assessment criteria for posters, especially:

• Overall impression: Does my poster have a good structure?
• Blanks: Is my poster full of text passages and graphs, or is it well-balanced? Are there any blanks interrupting reading fluency?
• Relation between text and graphs: Do they complement one another as regards content and visualization?
• Text size: Is the text clearly legible or only partially?
• Structure and reading fluency: Is there a clear structure supporting reading fluency?
• Authors: Are the authors indicated on the poster? Are there any contact details?
• Content: Are the three principles «Look at me!», «Read me!», and «Ask me!» put into practice? Are the main statements of my poster clearly presented?

Plot multiple points on a map

In the URL https://mobisoftinfotech.com/tools/plot-multiple-points-on-map/ 

Add the geo points such as 

-28.6019,16.66441,red,square

-31.5249,19.36075,white,square

-31.7305,18.41992,white,square

-32.8463,18.10922,white,square

-34.6119,19.69245,white,square

-32.5568,20.69124,white,square

It will create a map.

Note how the number appears, the colour of the block and the shape. Play with and adapt this mapping tool.

Useful for showing routes, place, etc.

Animations in PowerPoint

 Animations are used to enhance the meaning of the information on a slide, use animations as a visual tool.

3 Ways to Present Your PowerPoint Maps Better

PowerPoint Animation Tutorial - Map Location

How to create a dynamic map chart

Infographics

Infographics consist of charts, images, icons, and some text that explains the topic and data in a straightforward way.

Canva is a popular app for making infographics. The video below explains how to use Canva to make an infographic based on data that has been collected from conducting an online survey.

The blog What is an Infographic? Examples, Templates & Design Tips is a good teaching source.

Intro Tutorial for Making a Canva Infographic below

How to create an infographic below

The International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2018 is a collection of infographics related to computer and information literacy achievement. The findings presented in graphic format are so understandable - one of the main findings is that young people do not develop sophisticated digital skills just by growing up using digital devices, and providing students or teachers with ICT equipment alone is not enough to improve their digital skills.

Sticky teaching Understanding what a brain can't ignore shows important information for teachers in graphic format in an infographic.

Have a look at the rubric, and on the page, at the bottom, is the rubric available in Word.

ePortfolios

There are many peer-reviewed articles on eric.ed.gov on eportfolios and their use in higher education. The presentation by Nicola Pallitt on The usefulness of eportfolios is good!

The article E-portfolios by Nicola Pallitt, Sonja Strydom and Eunice Ivala which originally appeared in the HESA series: Kilfoil, W.R. (Ed.). (2015). Moving beyond the hype: a contextualized view of learning with technology in higher education. Higher Education South Africa is worth a read.

Below is an infographic made by Nicola Pallitt on eportfolios.

Hiding or locking what is on the screen

Systems change so try the options below and if they do not work explore your device’s Help features.

Never leave a computer/device unattended and logged in. Even if you have to leave it for a short time, for example, to walk across the room, make sure the screen is locked. You never know what could happen, you may be waylaid!

To quickly hide or protect whatever is on your computer screen:

• Press Alt Control Delete, and then select Lock.
• The monitor will immediately display a login screen, and no one will be able to see what was on the screen. To see what was on the screen you will have to logon again.

• To hide what is your iPad screen briefly press the power button on the top right hind edge. To see what was on the screen you will have to logon again.

Passwords

Creating a strong password

• Use BOTH upper- and lower-case letters.
• Place numbers and punctuation marks randomly in your password.
• Make your password long and complex, so it is hard to crack. Between 8 to 20 characters long is recommended.
• Use one or more of these special characters: ! @ # $ % * ( ) - + = , < > : : “ ‘
• To help you easily remember your password, consider using a phrase or a song title as a password. For example, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” becomes “Sw0tR8nBO” or “Smells Like Teen Spirit” becomes “sMll10nspT.”
• Make your password easy to type quickly. This will make it harder for someone looking over your shoulder to steal it.

Using your password safely

• Create different passwords for different accounts and applications. That way, if one account is breached, your other accounts won’t be put at risk too.
• Never use your ID number, initials, names and surname as a password for online shopping sitesor free e-mail accounts (Hotmail, Yahoo!, Gmail).
• Change your passwords regularly, about every 90 days (three months). Don’t share your password with anyone else. Once it’s out of your control, so is your security.
• Never enable the “Save Password” option, even if prompted to do so. Pre-saved passwords make it easy for anyone else using your computer to access your accounts.
• Never walk away from a shared computer without logging off. This will ensure no other users can access your accounts.
• Password management software tries to create nearly unhackable passwords, secures them and logins to your accounts automatically using their passwords. LastPass, mSecure, aWallet, Keeper and Password Genie are examples of password management software. Details such as credit card numbers, pin numbers and IMEI numbers can be also saved in such a system.
• Some computer operating systems ‘remember’ passwords. This is convenient but never use this on a shared computer. 

The article was based on the information and updated information from: http://www.utexas.edu/its/secure/articles/keep_safe_with_strong_passwords.php a long time ago and the website no longer exists.

Proposed policy for the office hours for academic support

How should academic support at an online university be given? A student may require a voice answer to an academic question. At an online university, most staff keep office hours which are 9am to 4pm, but academic support should be available when the student needs it. Most students at an online university are studying part-time and do their work after hours, so voice support should be available after hours if that is what is needed.

I propose that academic support at a fully online university should be available up until 9pm Monday to Friday. I propose that all students provide their mobile numbers when they ask for academic support, and the lecturer is then able to negotiate a time with them when the students can receive that support via a voice call.

Creating a blog - general information

Begin
Be sure to have a Gmail account
From email click on Google Apps

 

Blogger
In Google Apps scroll down to find Blogger

Select New blog

 Here is the PDF of the rest of the instructions

Curate content

Content curation is the process of gathering content — blog posts, images, videos, web pages, etc. — from a variety of sources

Useful tools to create shareable content

• Scoop.it - http://www.scoop.it/
• Wakelet - https://wakelet.com/
• Paperli - http://paper.li/

Explore the sites and look at Help
Go to YouTube for tutorials on the latest versions

As an assignment - Instructions

• Select a topic and curate content on the topic (if giving this as an assignment make sure that students do not all have the same topic)
• Needed are links to sources – journal articles, books in your elibrary, blog posts, images, videos, web pages, etc.

For teachers - Why this is important in the classroom

• Good idea to give your students a collection of suitable resources to use for an assignment, or else they spend a LONG time wandering the Internet looking for sites
• Is a way of making sure students do not use Wikipedia
• We would give the learners our curated link and encourage them to use the links we have provided

Assignment - Assessment

• Why do you expect to get full marks?
• Give your URL
• What have you done to curate suitable links on the topic?
• Why do you believe you have a representative spread of links on the topic?
• Variety of sources
• Local and international
• Answer in ½-1 page
• Submit the link and written rationale for your mark

Creating a crossword puzzle

Why

1. The Internet provides many resources for teachers including online facilities to create a crossword puzzle for printing and use in the classroom.
2. Crossword puzzles can be used in class to review terminology, definitions, and spelling resulting in greater retention of facts. A crossword is a good way to test knowledge of key concepts.
3. Using Bloom’s taxonomy, completing a crossword would require lower-order thinking skills. Have a look at the comments on the educational value of crossword puzzles on http://porsiemprevideomatch.blogspot.com/2011/07/educational-value-of-crossword-puzzles.html
4. There are many places online where you can create a crossword puzzle. We are going to use the website http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/CrissCrossSetupForm.asp At this URL they call a crossword puzzle a cross-cross puzzle.
5. This exercise uses many word processing, picture, and Internet skills.

Note

• Before you teach this lesson let the students do a number of crosswords; let them see how the words intersect, and that clues need to be carefully worded. I have had the experience that a number of learners/students and even teachers have never done a crossword, so the experience of completing one is essential before creating one. 
• For some persons the joy of creating a crossword is the magic that a list of clues can be manipulated by a computer program into a crossword format. The lesson is always a magical lesson/experience.

Instructions

Create and format a crossword

Creating the crossword

1. Look at the videos before you start
2. Plan the words to use in the crossword. Type and lay out your text as in the image. Use at least 10 words for the crossword on a theme.
3. Creating the text for the crossword
1. There is a space between the word and the clue
2. When a word is two words, such as ‘electronic mail’ you must make it into one word
3. Clues begin with a capital letter
4. Clues do not end with full stops
5. The clues are statements, not questions
6. The spelling and grammar are correct
7. Clues do not begin with 'The' or 'A' or 'An'
4. Use the following link to make the crossword: http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/CrissCrossSetupForm.asp
5. Complete the boxes and then create your puzzle.
6. Look at the crossword puzzle that it creates. If it is too long or too wide go back and ‘Create my puzzle’ again.
7. Copy the contents of the web page, (using Control-A, then Control-C, and then Control-V), into Word. The crossword part is an image and the text can be edited in Word. Format the crossword text and remove the advertisements. Save the file.

Formatting the crossword

1. Give the crossword a heading. Make sure the wording of the heading matches the content of the crossword
2. Add instructions on how to complete the crossword - Possible instructions which you can change or improve or ignore: 
1. Work in pencil before you ink your work.
2. Fill in the answers you know first. This will make it easier to find the words you are having difficulty with.
3. Instructions are near the top of the page, before the work on the crossword
4. Make the heading text larger than the body text
5. Make all the font in the document the same type
6. Check that there are no spelling or language errors in the heading or instructions
7. If you change the size of the crossword check that the boxes remain square
8. If you change the size of the crossword the boxes must be large enough to write the answer in
9. Make it look attractive with a suitable page border
10. Remove any advertisements
11. Add meaningful images to enhance the page
12. Use images that will be clear when printed
13. Try to fit the crossword and clues into one page
14. Provide a solution/memo/answer in crossword shape - suggestions below:
1. Print your crossword. Answer the questions in pen. Scan the answer and save it as a PDF OR photograph the crossword and insert the image into Word and save it as a PDF
2. Do a screen grab of the crossword, and save it as an image. Open Paint found on all PCs and in Paint 'write' on the picture/image. When finished insert the image into Word and save as a PDF.

PDF files

 

You can split individual or multiple pages from a PDF into separate files at Online PDF Splitter

Presenting a picture of words in a word cloud image

Sometimes a change in the way in which we display things is a good idea. If you work in a particular ‘boring’ style, information displayed in a different way may make a larger impact.A word cloud:

• Presents a picture of words used most.
• Words used often are displayed larger.
• Highlights main themes and concepts.
• Words used are represented in graphical format.

Be aware that software is continually improving so the best tutorial is usually found on YouTube. Explore the software and look at the help files. Try wordclouds.com/, monkeylearn.com/word-cloud/, freewordcloudgenerator.com/

How

1. Go online
2. Look for a - word cloud generator free
3. Explore, experiment
4. Create a word cloud image
5. When you have the word cloud image download it
6. Save the image as a png or jpg
7. Crop the image as required
8. Use the word cloud to enhance your learner support material

Do a Google search for 'word clouds', for Images. Have a look at the lovely word clouds.

Suggestion

• Create a word cloud of the school rules, and use it to illustrate the document on school rules.

Benefits of own YouTube channel

 

Creating a YouTube channel

Create a video and upload it to your channel! Try!

Uploading a video to YouTube

 

Please do the first part of the video - create a video, have a YouTube channel, and then upload your video to YouTube. Note that YouTube changes often and you must explore.

Using comic images to enhance a document

Comic images are fun! This was a lesson used many years ago where comic images were used. It is suggested that you use and adapt the information provided.

Suggestions for a teacher - Create a comic on one of the following topics

• Encourage learners to hand in their work on time
• Encourage learners to use the recycling bins
• Encourage the learners to be positive in their communication with each other

A good comic and storyboard builder is Pixton or Make Beliefs Comix 

Creating a podcast

A podcast has two main steps, create the sound clips and create the podcast itself using Anchor.

1 Create a sound clip

1. The aim of this exercise is to learn how to create a sound file or voice recording, which you would do in a podcast
2. Create a sound file of the text below. Just read the text.
3. The sound file must have no background noise.
4. Pronounce the words clearly.
5. Use any application to record the sound - you could use vocaroo.com
6. You must be able to download the sound file.

Read the text below to make the practice sound file

• Creating a podcast
• A podcast is made up of sound files.
• A podcast is hosted on a site for listening.
• You can make the sound files using the voice recorder on your computer, the voice recorder on your mobile device, or any other place.
• The sound files are imported into an app such as Anchor to create one sound file.
• In Anchor the sound files can be re-ordered.
• The sound files can have different file extensions / be different types when they are imported into Anchor.
• You can edit the sound files on your computer with Audacity or on a mobile device with Anchor.
• You create the podcast using an app such as Anchor (online).
• From Anchor, you distribute your podcast to one or many podcasting sites which you preselect to be heard/listened to.
• You have a podcast name and have different episodes.
• You have cover art for the podcast name.

2 Create your podcast using Anchor

1. Login to free Anchor.
2. Explore Anchor
3. Collect your sound, and maybe music files.
4. Decide where you want to share your podcast - Spotify is used by many people
5. Think about the image and name for the series
6. Think about the image and name for each episode
7. Consider an introduction to the podcast, an introduction to the speakers, and music or voice between the different episodes
8. Create and share 

Useful links

1. Good rubric
2. 10 Ways You Can Use Podcasts in a Course or Lesson
3. What makes a good podcast
4. Academic journal article Podcasts: A technology for all? by Daniela Gachago, Candice Livingston and Eunice Ivala in the British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 47 No 5 2016 859–872 doi:10.1111/bjet.12483

What makes a good podcast

• Time - Each episode should be short (15 minutes or less); Each topic should be less than 5 minutes; Episodes of your podcast should appear on a regular basis either daily, weekly or monthly.
• Subject - Offers an insight that hasn't been exposed in print; Provides users with information that they can't find elsewhere; Gives take-away tips, instructive; Informative and educational; Timely topic.
• Style - Conversational (features more than one person); Glitch-free (plays without interruption); Make sure speakers are animated; Give the podcast a personality. Listeners want to hear a person behind the microphone, not just a voice.
• Music - Keep theme music brief (about 10 seconds); Use good quality music; Comply with copyright issues.
• Labeling – in sound; Tell us who you are; Create a brief introduction for every episode that includes the name of the episode, the name of the series, the name of the producing entity, and the date of production.
• Labeling – for upload; Use all available ID3 tags (name of podcast, time/length, artist/producer, album/producer, and genre), subject and summary; Provide a short descriptive headline that explains what the podcast episode will be about; Provide written transcript / outline of the podcast; Include links to other resources.

Scheduling a meeting for a group

Trying to schedule a date when a group of teachers can meet is quite tricky. Doodle.com is a group meeting organiser using a poll-based scheduling system. It works to see what time works best for everyone and then locks the time in place. It can integrate with Outlook, Google Calendar, and other applications.

1. Register for a free account
2. Schedule and event – give a title, place, and a few other details.
3. Mark the times you are available on the calendar.
4. Send the Doodle link via e-mail to everyone you wish to invite.
5. When the people you want to attend receive the link they go online and tick when they are available. You can then see the time when ‘most’ people are available, and have the event at the time when most are available.
6. When all have responded you can see the best date for all the people and can close the event.

Posters

1. Create a long Word file in which to create all the posters.
2. In a footer or header insert the school badge OR classroom name/teacher name in a corner, as a form of identity, to appear on all poster pages.
3. Have one idea per poster page.
4. Space the text so that all posters present a uniform layout with clear writing.
5. Use a clear font such as Calibri for clear readable text.
6. Use WordArt with a clear design and no shadow, for readable text.
7. Use text, borders, tables, SmartArt, WordArt and images to help express / present the instructions.
8. If you use borders be sure to adjust the footer with the school badge so that it remains visible.

Take note of 

• Dos and Don’ts of Classroom Decorations
• 36 Clever DIY Ways To Decorate Your Classroom

Why podcasts are important in higher education

The simplicity and accessibility of podcasts promise a successful mainstream adoption of a low-threshold technology for African higher education.

Source

Academic journal article Podcasts: A technology for all?  by Daniela Gachago, Candice Livingston and Eunice Ivala in the British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 47 No 5 2016 859–872 doi:10.1111/bjet.12483

Using Quizizz

 

A great program for formative assessment which can be done online.Such a nice way of bringing a group together. Can use it on different online teaching platforms such as Zoom, BlueButton, Teams, etc.

Creating an eportfolio

Creating a Google site is one way of creating an eportfolio - How To Make an Electronic Profile for Students Using Google Sites

How to quieten a noisy class

So many good ideas on quietening a noisy class - 30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class

Using Padlet

-------30+ creative ways to use Padlet for teachers and students

Annotating videos

 Try annotating videos with apps discussed here - 4 BEST FREE VIDEO ANNOTATION SOFTWARE FOR WINDOWS

Store images online

 You can store images online at postimage.org

Evaluating websites

Using credible websites is crucial. Look at these links for hints on safe web sites - Security - How Can I Tell if a Website is Credible? and Evaluating Information Sources: Should I Trust Internet Sources?

Formative assessment tools

Digital formative assessment tools and 75 digital tools and apps teachers can use to support formative assessment in the classroom discussed and explained - can also be used for surveys.

Thirty-six things a 21st century teacher should be able to do

Here is the list of Thirty-six things a 21st century teacher should be able to do

Bloom’s digital taxonomy verbs

Using the correct verbs helps to focus the assessment at the correct level - Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Verbs

This table shows action verbs for the different levels of the Revised Bloom's taxonomy.

Here is a PowerPoint file where animations must be created for the items in the second list. The action verbs in the second column must be moved to the correct area in Bloom's taxonomy when clicked, when the slide is presented in PowerPoint.

Source

Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. David McKay Company: New York.

Creating a blog lesson

Many people think that making and having their own place on the Internet is difficult. It is not. I am going to create a series of videos and postings showing how it is easy to create your own online space. First we are going to create a blog.

One of the aims of this blog is to share my knowledge of ICT. Hoping that we do this together.

Lesson instructions below

A blog is a place where you can put your diary, lessons, your learners’ homework, get comments from parents and learners, etc. It is a place to express yourself to the world.

It is a quick and easy way to get your own place on the Internet.

Instructions

1. Create a blog with Google Blogger with postings, images, links to other places, and gadgets/widgets.
2. Must be about communicating information on your vision and or yourself, a digital CV.
3. Encourage fellow students, friends, or family to add comments anonymously or under their own names so that the blog is a tool for presenting information and collaborating.
4. Have a look at a blog I have worked on - studyopp.blogspot.com
5. Go to YouTube for information on creating/using the features mentioned.
6. Add gadgets/widgets in the layout such as a calendar, the weather, a clock, etc.
7. Add advanced educational JavaScript features - add the link in the posting area of the blog, not the gadget area as there is not enough space.
8. Impress! Have fun!

Tips

• Save all images on your computer and then insert them into a posting - do not do copy/paste from a website.
• Do not leave open empty lines before or after an image.
• Check that hyperlinks used actually work! Links must be to a special place, not to a Google search! If you want me to view the hyperlink, tell me to do so / make it obvious that it is a hyperlink
• Write your posting in Word, check the spelling and grammar, and then copy/paste to the blog, or write it on the blog but use a grammar check such as Grammarly.
• Any weather gadget must display the weather in Cape Town and in Celsius.
• Any poll/survey gadget must work.
• If you show Your Profile in Google+ fill it in / complete it.
• Any feature which requires an image and a large amount of space, should be on the main part of the blog and not as a gadget.

Assessment

• Has at least 5 postings - 2
• Has at least 3 images that contribute to the content/meaning of the posting where it is found - 2
• Has at least 3 working hyperlinks in postings, to pages that contribute to the content/meaning of the posting where it is found - 2
• Has at least 3 working gadgets - 2
• Have at least 3 comments from anonymous or individual persons - 2
• All material is free from spelling and grammar errors - 3
• All content is uplifting, i.e. would be suitable for your CV (nothing on religion, sex or politics) - 3
• Blog looks good. (Pictures are a suitable size. Font is readable and all postings use same font. Layout is ‘right’.) - 3
• Extra features, with worth - 3 marks each - 6

Total  25

Reasons for having a blog

•  A blog gives one an online presence 
• A blog is a place where one can share information, ideas, and expertise
• A blog can develop into an online community for individuals and institutions, via Comments
• A blog is a place where one can receive comments on your information
• A blog can easily be updated

• In comparison to Facebook, a blog has more easily accessible information over which one has control
• In comparison to Facebook, it is easier to access older posts on a blog as they are permanent

When one has a blog with Blogger one has control of one's work and it is not likely to be deleted or modified.