Using Flickr with the School Webpage

Recently, I was offered the option of taking over the school website. I accepted, (eventually), and started thinking about what I was going to do with it. The old one is still live and you can see it HERE.

One of the things I wanted to improve was how pictures were displayed on the site. The pictures on the old site were out of date, and difficult to change, so I signed up for Flickr and started uploading! By tagging my photos, I was able to incorporate them into my pages as a slideshow, (which will automatically update when new pictures are tagged). For example, have a look at the art page.

I then discovered a wonderful application which uses Flickr tags to generate a wall of pictures - like a gallery. Take a look at the year 7 art one HERE. Again, it will automatically update when new pictures are tagged.

The other thing I was concerned about was photos of the children being put on Flickr. I decided not to go do this route, and instead still host them on the school server. However, tiltviewer can be set up to use these pictures - for example look at the recent pictures from the boarders ice skating trip.

This is not automatically updated, but using Picasa I can rename any number of pictures, and then copy them into the appropriate folder on the server. Easy.

I hope that these two methods of sharing photos of work and school will enable viewers of the site to get a real picture of St Neot's school, while making my new job as website administrator a lot easier!

What's Up, Google Docs? Forms are!

I've been using Google Docs for quite a while now, but since I've been using Google Sites for my Maths website, I've found myself using them more and more for embedding documents and slide shows. My latest experiment is with forms - getting visitors to the website to input data, and then have it stored online in a spreadsheet.

Firstly, I tried it out with a newsletter sign up page, and I've had a few e-mail addresses. Now, I made a new form for this weeks puzzle:

Visitors to my site can now input their answers start into the web page - and I get a nice list of replies in a downloadable spreadsheet!
They are embeddable in other blogs and websites too:



For lots more ideas on how to use Google Forms, follow the link HERE.

Using Twitter in Facebook

Following the Twitter-craze at the IoW conference, I decided to do my bit and explain how I am using Twitter, Twitterfeed and Twhirl to automatically send updates to my Facebook status. This means that I can update my status from my desktop application, and my friends are automatically notified when I publish a new blog post. In fact, after writing this post now, people on Facebook will be able to see it within the hour. Hopefully!

First of all, you need to download and install Twhirl which will run from your desktop. As you can see here, I have added an update by typing into the input box:
Next, you need to install the Twitter Facebook application, which will give you an option to automatically update your status:


Now, from Twhirl, you can update two things at once! With the power of Twitterfeed, you can also automatically post new blog titles to your Facebook status!


A time saver, and also a great way to let friends know when you have blogged!

And here is the update appearing the the Facebook feed:

Creating a Movie in Picasa 3

Picasa, Google's photo organiser, has just launched version 3. Included is a much better, and still very simple, movie maker. Just import pictures from a digital camera or phone, add to your library, select them, and then click on "create movie". You then have the option to change slide transitions, the length of time each slide is shown for, and even to add movie from your music library.

You then have the option to upload your movie to Youtube, embed it straight into Blogger, or add it to your Picasa web space. Here is an example of some posters I did in Korea, which I took pictures of, and then made into a movie:



I have used this to make quick shows out of students' work, or after an event such as our puzzle challenge day. Other options would include Windows Movie Maker or iMovie.

All the drawings are my own - except Mickey who was drawn by a colleague!

Yaca Paca

I've just had lunch with a friend. Not that I needed it after all the food from the Island. However, we got talking about Virtual Learning Environments - I talked to him about the presentation on Edmodo, what little I knew about Moodle, and he told me about how he is using Yaca Paca.

I decided to try it out, being the curious chap that I am. But, I didn't want to take lots of screen shots, and then upload them to my blog. I now have an easier way to share such things - and it's called Simplybox.

Using this tool, I have captured some interesting parts of the website and then added them to one of my "boxes". I have added some comments to the captures, and have now shared that box. To see my initial thoughts on Yaca Papa, you can follow THIS link. To subscribe to changes to the page, HERE is the RSS link.

Indeed, if you join Yaca Papa, (for free) and you want to add more pictures or comments to this page, you can do so.

Compared to Edmodo, the interface does not immediately feel user friendly or familiar. Edmodo looks like Facebook, and indeed has more of a chat based feel. Where yacapaca seems to have more is in the assignments that you can set, and the results that they then generate. Indeed, there is a comprehensive list by topic of pre-written assignments, or you can write your own. By setting correct answers, the assignment will in effect "mark itself", giving you a list of the results, exportable to excel.

However, there I can't shake off the feeling that this is more a teacher's tool than something the students, (especially at the age I am teaching), will want to log onto and join in the discussion. A lot of bribes might be needed. When I am also trying to get them to comment on my maths blog, this may be a step too far.

So I'm going to leave yacapaca for a little while. Especially since the name reminds me of a place in New Zealand called Whakapapa, where the "wh" is pronounced "f"... Now that might be embarassing in a lesson!

But Simplybox seems pretty cool!!!

Finally Spurred into Action!

Well, it's about time I gave this a go! I want to share some of the things I have been doing and finding out about with the educational fraternity. Specifically, I use ICT a lot to support my teaching and also to enhance pupils learning. It would be good to get some feedback on my work, as well as some new ideas.

I can also use this as a reflective journal - obviously not everything will work. Which applications really work, and which ones are more gimmicky?

What caused this new desire to share? Well, I've just got back from the IoW Conference on using ICT, run by Joe Dale. I found out about lots of new innovations and ideas, as well as being inspired by the many great speakers. I will be producing a podcast, discussing some of the key ideas which myself and my colleague can bring back to school.

A little bit about myself and my use of blogs. I started blogging nearly 5 years ago from South Korea. This was a travel journal which I kept going for many years, interspersed with "Around the World in 80 Smegs". When I got back to the UK and started teacher training, I blogged on and off for a couple of years - but it was only when I met Joe that I started to consider the applications of a blog in education.

At my school now, I have set up a couple of blogs:

St Neot's Maths Blog - linked to my Maths website, place for students to comment and share thoughts.

St Neot's Podclub Blog - a vehicle for the podcasting club.

Now there is this one. I have lots of things I would like to share, so please subscribe to my feed, or bookmark this page! I will be working on it over half term to make it more "appealing"!