All posts by John Johnston

I am a teacher, currently working in Banton Primary for North Lanarkshire Council. I also act as Product Owner/provide support for Glow Blogs.
BeeBots

Beebots – Chapelhall

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Background

Chapelhall Primary School are trying to use their school grounds as a place of learning. This is the priority area for their Gold Health and a day of outdoor learning and fun was planned as part of this. This coincided with the inspection for their Gold Health Award and the Beebots and Probots were one of the activities planned as part of this event.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

Beebots and Probots helped to meet this by being part of the learning planned for outdoors on the day of the above event. The children all learned how to program a computerised toy and were able to follow a route using their program. They were able to devise their own routes to given criteria and drew lines, shapes and patterns using the Probots.

Impact / conclusion

This day was a great success and having the Beebots and Probots to use helped to make it more fun for the children. They worked together in groups and co-operated with each other for the activities.
These will be added to the requests for school purchases at a later date.

Talktime

Talktime – Thornlie PS

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Background

Tina – Art and Display Co-ordinator was looking for a way in creating more interactive displays depicting the children’s work throughout the school. This was particularly effective in an Infant shape display where the children in P1 recorded the properties of 3-D shapes and mounted them beside the corresponding shape in the display. An interactive display of R.M.E was also created – here the children recorded not only the story ( displayed beside their self drawn pictures) but their thoughts and feelings about the morals of the story. It’s most impressive use was at our ‘UN Rights of The Child’ open day. The large numbered Talk- Time buttons were used to explain the 20 most important rights. These were recorded by children in their own words and corresponded to an individual drawn depiction of the right. The parents and visitors were very impressed at the interactiveness of the display and the quality information it allowed the children to share.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

The kit allowed the children to express their thoughts, views and information with a wider audience in a more personal way. It encouraged children, who don’t normally share/talk to the rest of the class/school a vehicle where they could safely express their thoughts and feelings. The children had to plan and prepare what they had to say and make sure that their audience would understand the information they were trying to give. A photograph of the child was placed on the card or on the corresponding picture so that the child also had visual recognition that it was their work.

Impact / conclusion

The children were enthused by the Talk- Time kit. It has subsequently been used to created ‘Big Topic Books’ where younger children can express their views and opinions on work and activities. We have since purchased small Talk-time boards and are actively trying to use them in displays to create a more interactive experience.

I Can Animate

I Can animate – Thornlie Primary

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Background

The school as a whole were investigating the UN Rights of the Child and we were looking for an interesting way in which the children could depict the rights in action to showcase at an open day focusing on the topic. An Out of School Hours Animation Club was formed to create a series of short animations on the topic.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

The software gave the children a focus. They were inspired by the opportunity to create something different and exciting. It concentrated their planning and co-operative/team skills and gave them instant results of quality animation – this made the process seem less laborious and more fun. The children involved in the after school animation decided to use the skills they had gained and pass them on by offering to lead a new Thornlie Animation Club with younger children – building self confidence, citizenship, leadership and ICT skills. The hardware and software gave the children new opportunities to express how and what they learned.

Impact / conclusion

The animations were shown at the open day as well as a few key children running an animation workshop where visitors were invited to try out their own skills in animation. This club lead to the software being used in a number of classes for a variety of topic based work, e.g. P5/4 created a series of short films and animations on ‘Easter Superstitions’ which was shown at an open assembly, P5 creating shape making animations which were used by P1 during their maths shape work, a Thornlie Animations club and website has been created. The school has since purchased I Can Animate and 2 plug in web cams to continue the animation work within the school. None of this would have happened if we had not had the opportunity to experience the equipment first hand.

Flip Camera

Flip Cameras – Thornlie Primary

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Background

The school knew that they would be embarking on a series of activities and open days which we would like to record for the future. We wanted to the children to be key in the videoing process and had heard that Flipcams were very ‘child friendly’ and wanted to try them out before we bought some.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

The children in P5/6 wanted to create a Georgian supra win the their class. The children recorded this to shre with the rest of the class and on the whole school open day. The pupils of p5/4 worked co-operatively to plan, resource and video a short film on the use of water. This film formed the basis for assessment for the group. The cameras were also used for the children to record the open day – getting interviews and recording the work of the children at the stalls and on the walls creating a permanent record of the day. The children’s confidence in recording has grown enormously and has given them another way to assess and record their success.

Impact / conclusion

The children enjoyed using the filp cams and showed real confidence when using them and downloading the video clips. We have therefore, bought 3 of our own which are in constant use through out the school recording children working, presenting etc.
Flip Camera

Flip Camera – p6 Netherton Primary

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Background

Children using flip cameras to record ‘Memories of Netherton’

How ICT supported learning and teaching

Developing use of flip cameras: switching on/off
Video, using the stand
Zooming in
Developing use of i-movie: putting videos into one movie from flip camera
Editing techniques-transitions, adding music etc
Using still pictures to incorporate into personal video.

Impact / conclusion

Children loved using the flip cameras and using i-movie.
The end result was impressive for P7 children.
ICT Development officer was an excellent tutor: explained well to the children and had an excellent manner.
I feel an extra visit would have greatly benefited the children and myself and would ask if this could be arranged next session.

Flip Camera

Flip Camera – p6 Netherton Primary

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Background

Use of flip cameras across curriculum.
Drama: recording of class/group performance of ‘Macbeth’.
Health and Wellbeing: induction film for new P1 intake
ES: presenting knowledge of topic facts

How ICT supported learning and teaching

The recording of the performances enabled children to develop self- assessment and evaluation skills in Drama as it allowed them to observe their own input, use of voice and facial expressions.
The group of pupils recording induction film were able to develop their filming skills, use of IT equipment and evaluated their interview skills.
Some groups worked towards co-operatively presenting a short piece on their topic
An ICT development officer twice visited P6 class and, on both occasions, developed skills in using i-movie.

Impact / conclusion

The children were extremely enthusiastic about using the cameras and i-movie and are eager to develop skills.
The pupils were more confident in their use of technology and felt they had achieved success when they saw their end product.
They successfully contributed in group activities and were able to evaluate their own and others’ performances.
As a staff, we greatly appreciated ICT development officer’s teaching and support throughout as it developed our own skills and has enhanced our own teaching.
We look forward to repeating the process next session!