Shieldhill Primary School are eggs-ploring the life cycle of chickens through their Living Eggs Project- and now they've become Internet stars with their own live show!
Tag: ICT
Using a Smart Board to Support Active Learning in Primary Mathematics
Anne Forrest from Steljes presented a continuing professional development course to staff from a wide range of primary schools in Falkirk on “Using a Smart Board to Support Active Learning in Primary Mathematics.” This was organised and supported by Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer in Falkirk Council Education Services Curriculum Support Team.
This provided hands-on guidance to making use of many of the interactive features of Smart Notebook software to support staff to make learning and teaching in mathematics more engaging for pupils.
Reference was made to resources available to download for free at Smart Exchange. Smart Notebook Express provides a means to access some of the tools in Smart Notebook online.
The presentation by Anne Forrest, along with a host of other resources colleated by Malcolm Wilson to support Falkirk teachers to be able to download the software for use at home, can be found by clicking on the Falkirk Glow Group for ICT in Learning and Teaching.
Comments from participants included:
“Lots of interactive ways to engage learners – opportunities to try these out were useful.”
“Excellent ideas to take away.”
“Very good tips on using the Smart Board in class.”
“Excellent mix of information and practical activity.”
“Extremely helpful course which has provided a vast amount of knowledge and resources to help deliver engaging lessons.”
ICT Resources to Support Physical Education in the Primary School
Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer in the Curriculum Support Team of Falkirk Council Education Services, presented a session with class teachers and visiting specialist teachers of physical education on ICT resources to support teaching physical education in the primary school.
Dance
The session started by everyone having go at the dance steps provided with the dance mat to all Falkirk primary schools (along with the free software installed on all PCs). More information about that can be found here: http://glo.li/L7znnN
Glow Groups for teachers of PE
The session included time to browse the planning and support materials for teachers of PE which can be found in various Glow groups which included the following:
Falkirk Glow group for teachers of PE http://glo.li/e2ZeBf
Curriculum for Excellence Expanded Experiences & Outcomes (Falkirk Planners) PE http://glo.li/WKnowe
Falkirk PE resources in Glow group for Health & Wellbeing http://glo.li/gov97Y
National Glow group for teaching PE http://glo.li/Y93cGJ
Online Resource Sites
Online resources which were highlighted included the following:
www.kidnetic.com ideas for classroom, hall, outdoors or in the home – includes on-screen dance robot simulator
http://cybraryman.com/physicaled.html Cybraryman resources by category
www.pescholar.com PE Scholar
www.physedsource.com PhysEdSource – categories include gymnastics, sport/games, individual, outdoor, dance, health, research
www.thephysicaleducator.com/resources/ includes games skills cards/infographics posters, apps, blog, podcast, pupil recognition cards
www.teachingideas.co.uk/pe/contents.htm crowd-sources ideas shared by teachers, warm-up and cool-down ideas, games, sports.
Smartboard Smart Notebook Resources
SMART Board SMART Notebook PE resources can be found in Notebook by clicking on “Gallery” – enter “sport” in search box http://glo.li/rQ3eRl
Blog about class PE
Creating a class PE blog can help raise profile of PE, promote positive pupil esteem, share learning of PE activities Resources to get staretd blogging can be found here: http://glo.li/qMeQl3
Activity Timers and Random Name Selectors
A host of online or downloadable countdown timers & stopwatches, and random name, group or activity selectors, can be found here: http://glo.li/jU9ja0
Teachers of PE on Twitter
Twitter provides access to a Professional Learning Network of colleagues sharing PE teaching ideas. Resources and a guide to setting up a Twitter account and how to use can be found here: http://glo.li/qpaM79. A short video guide “Twitter for PE Teachers” including how to get started, how to find others, use of Hashtags and more can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMjGcrBJK-c
QR codes and PE
QR codes provide quick access via smartphone QR code scanner to videos or explanatory onlien resources without any need to type in long website addresses. For examples of use of printed Step-by-step guides linked by QR codes to associated PE skills demonstration videos follow this link:
http://www.thephysicaleducator.com/resources/skill-posters/
This Video shows a report of one teachers use at a school fitness trail http://glo.li/YU4beZ
For resources to find out how to make you own QR codes follow this link here: http://glo.li/z1JVmB
Making Videos to show PE skills
Use digital video cameras for pupils to see their performance after they have finished and to compare it against their peers or against videos of professional athletes. Resources here for video cameras: http://glo.li/gTmdzS. Resources for editing video: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/ICTFalkirkPrimaries/2010/09/16/video-editing-with-windows-live-movie-maker/Resources here for making videos from still image photographs: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/ICTFalkirkPrimaries/2011/03/09/photostory-3/
Comments from participants included:
“I intend to use Photostory 3 especially for gymnastics.”
“Excellent course!”
Sharing the learning in a blog for primary 1 classes at Denny Primary School
Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer in the Curriculum Support Team of Falkirk Council Education Services, supported staff at Denny Primary School to set up a joint blog for pupils in the primay 1 classes to share their learning journey.
This was set up at the request of staff so they can post about what’s happening in their classes so that the posts can easily be seen by the school, parents and wider community.
Posts have included photographs, videos, slideshows and descriptions of the activities in which the pupils are involved. The blog is set up so that staff create and publish the posts while others are also able to add comments.
Click here to see what’s happening at the primary 1 classes at Denny Primary School
Class Blogging in Avonbridge Primary School P5, 6, 7
Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer in the Curriculum Support Team of Falkirk Council Education Services, supported staff at Avonbridge Primary School to set up a class blog for pupils in the Primaries 5, 6, 7 class to share their learning journey.
This was set up at the request of staff so they can post about what’s happening in their class so that the posts can easily be seen by the school, parents and wider community.
Posts have included photographs, videos, slideshows and stories. And other pupils are also commenting on the posts, showing they are engaged in the blog.
Well done staff and pupils in the primary 5,6,7 class at Avonbridge Primary School for sharing their learning journeys. Click here to see what’s happening at the primary 5,6,7 class blog at Avonbridge Primary School
Kinneil Primary School whole-school blog
Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer in the Curriculum Support Team of Falkirk Council Education Services, supported staff at Kinneil Primary School in setting up a whole-school blog to share the learning journey of pupils.
This was set up at the request of staff at the school so that individual classes can contribute to one blog in one place, rather than separate class blogs, so they can post about what’s happening in their class and by tagging and choosing from their class on a list of categories, the posts can easily be seen by the school, parents and wider community.
Although all staff in the school are set up as full administrators of the blog, Kinneil Primary School also has a team of pupils called the K.P.S Blogging Team who are publishing blogposts describing the work going on in classes. They upload photographs, videos, slideshows and write the stories. And other pupils are also commenting on the posts, showing they are engaged in the blog.
Links are provided to the school website and the school’s page on the Falkirk Council website. Safety features are set up on the blog. Well done staff and pupils at Kinneil Primary School for sharing their learning journeys – click here to visit the whole-school blog for Kinneil Primary School.
Whole-school blog for sharing the learning at California Primary School
Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer in the Curriculum Support Team of Falkirk Council Education Services, supported staff at California Primary School in setting up a whole-school blog to share the learning journey of pupils.
This was set up at the request of staff at the school so that individual classes can contribute to one blog in one place, rather than separate class blogs, so they can post about what’s happening in their class and by tagging and choosing from their class on a list of categories, the posts can easily be seen by the school, parents and wider community.
Links are provided to the school website and the school’s page on the Falkirk Council website. Safety features are set up on the blog. Sharing of the learning journey in California Primary School can now take place in one more avenue – click here to visit the whole-school blog for California Primary School.
Technologies in the Classroom Group
Falkirk Council Education Services is about to embark on a significant year of change with regards ICT in the Classroom, so in order to involve staff in in educational establishments in this process a Technologies in the Classroom group has been formed, facilitated by Stuart Lennie and Malcolm Wilson of the Curriculum Support team, along with Roy Robotham, ICT Programme Manager.
January 2013 will see the start of several major technology improvement projects. These are:
- a review of Internet Filtering policies (with specific reference to YouTube for possible pupil use)
- the rollout of wireless infrastructure in education, allowing support for Council and personal devices
- data protection guidance for staff
- the implementation of the next iteration of Glow
- methods for sharing and supporting technology use in education
In order to involve staff in this process a Technologies in the Classroom group has been formed. The group is made up of keen teachers and support staff from all stages of education, who have agreed to give some time towards ensuring that ICT in Falkirk Council Education establishments is meeting the needs of pupils.
The group will meet regularly, mainly online, and will work with pupils, parents, and colleagues to produce guidance documentation and materials to support and implement change.
Sharing the learning with an online class discussion tool
Continuing Professional Development Session
A Continuing Professional Development session presented by Malcolm Wilson of the Curriculum Support Team with staff at Bowhouse Primary School in Grangemouth provided the opportunity for staff to further explore the use of a class discussion tool within their own class Glow page.
Class Example
An example was shared of the use by P7C where pupils had been set the task by the teacher to create their own versions of a poem inspired by The Selkirk Grace by Robert Burns. Pupils responded with their own creative and humorous verses updating the words of the bard for today.
Discussion Space for Class Sharing the Learning
Well done P7C, and a nice example of where the Glow discussion tool provided a facility for sharing work within the confines of that class so that peers and teacher could share in confidence with peers in their learning journey prior to sharing it more widely in public elsewhere.
Feedback from Participants
Comments from participants included:
“I’m going to use the ‘news’ and discussion’ tools with a class”
“I intend to continue to use Glow discussions as a way of gathering pupil work””
