ITGS :: Blog

Dear Grade 11 ITGS students

I have tears in my eyes and want to tell you what a great class you have been this year. We have had our ups and downs like any class but through this I have seen your interest and motivation and your willingness to take on a variety of tasks. Some of you are leaving Bangladesh as well and may be feeling sad like I am.

I will not say goodbye as I know we will keep in touch via the blogosphere. Please let me know how you go next year in Grade 12, and work hard! Bangladesh will always have a special place in my heart.

Mrs Lindsay 

As suggested by Cannelle in her reflection, I have created a portal on the Horizon Project wiki for Reflections. Create a new page for YOU and hyperlink from your name. This is where you can post your reflection and add hyperlinks to your video, and your other pages and Delicious tags etc.

Make sure you also put the correct tags in the space provided on the wikispaces page. 

As we prepare for the end of year exam this is what I suggest you do:

1. READ all of the Horizon Project wikis and watch the videos
   
2. Revise your ITGS material: start with the ITGS Grade 11 wiki where I have hyperlinked to relevant material (more coming!)
3. Write practice exam questions and share in class
4. Complete practice exam questions given out in class
5. Blog your answers and comment on others blog posts
   

Exam question format:

1. Define [2 marks]: You must know your key terms and definitions e.g Define MP3.
2. Describe [4 marks]: Present the characteristics of a particular topic e.g. Describe how a mobile phone can be used to listen to and share MP3 files.
3. Explain [4 marks]: Describe, giving reasons e.g. Explain how a doctor could use virtual world software to learn how to be a heart surgeon.
4. Discuss [10 marks]: Offer a considered and balanced review of a particular topic. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by emperical evidence (based on practical experience) and sound argument e.g. Discuss how the introduction of mobile phones into the secondary school at ISD can enhance communication between teachers and students. Evaluate your answers. (Evaluate: make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations of different evidence and arguments)

Start with trying to write a set of exam questions to do with mobile phones. Think of a scenario that may be from one or more of the areas of impact (Business and Employment; Arts, Entertainment and Leisure; Education; Health; Science and Environment; Government and Politics)

We are in the last real week of the Horizon Project. Thank you once again for your hard work. We are looking now towards two main events:

1. Horizon Project Awards Ceremony: Wednesday May 23 (Time tba)
   
2. Grade 11 ITGS Exam: Monday June 4
   

I will have all of the marking done for your Horizon Project work by Wednesday. Your reflection essay is due today (Monday) and should be on your blog. I also think it would be an excellent idea to create your own page on the HP wiki and upload your reflection as well as any artefact you created for the Student Summit last week. By doing that you can also link to your video (wiki page and YouTube/TeacherTube URL) as well as to any resources. You can also use the wiki tagging system to gain full marks as per the rubric.

Now, about the exams. Your questions will be based on the material found on the Horizon Project wiki with an ITGS flavour of course. We will discuss all topics in class and I am developing ITGS wiki pages to support our discussions.

Here is the first on after our look at Virtual Worlds in class today. 

After you have finished your video, please put it in the Horizon Project folder on the file server in the folder called ISD_Videos_Final
Let me know if you want ME to upload it to TeacherTube and YouTube (putting in both places is best).
Congratulations!! I look forward to seeing your video!

Now you have TWO more tasks this week. Both of these are to be done BEFORE MONDAY's CLASS

1. If you have a laptop: Go into the Elluminate Horizon Project session at I sent you the URL for this in an email.
You will need to do this beforehand as a 2.7MB Javascript file has to be downloaded.

2. Prepare for YOUR PRESENTATION at the Student Summit: (this is compulsory for all students)
- Have a good picture of you ready to put up on the day (on laptop or USB)
- Have answers to these questions ready:

• What is the most significant trend for your topic?
• What is the best resource you found for this project?
• What is your prediction in this trend/area of impact that you think is most likely to happen?
• Share your artifact on the public screen and speak to it (e.g. a .jpg file, a short (2-3 slides) PPT)

I suggest you have a screen shot or an image or a PPT slide ready. You can then add text etc on the whiteboard as you speak such as a URL etc.

Just to let you know we will be using Elluminate at the following times this week (Join the airset calendar! you got your invitation!)
Monday Lesson 3 (with PLC)
Tuesday Lesson 3 (with PLC and SAS)
Tuesday 3:15-4:00 (please be available to stay after school on this day) (with VIS)
Wednesday: 2:30-3:15 (with international guests)

This is going to be a great week!  Have fun with it! Let's hope we do not get too many technical problems! 

Despite the fact that I grumble a lot in class I believe you are all working very well on your tasks for the Horizon Project. However, please note there is only ONE week to go!

Here is a great reasource just popped into my part of cyberspace this morning. It is full of juicy (USA I am afraid) statistics that may give you an edge and something to say when doing your video introductions or endings etc.

Check out what sort of a technology user you are: Omnivore? Connector? Productivity Enhancer? 

A Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users

GROUP 1 –RESEARCH & ANALYSIS

1. What is one new item of note that you have found on your topic and why is it important?
2. What is one major area concerning your topic that you are conducting more research on and why?
3. Give us an overview of the current trends in your topic.
4. What is the most important thing you have learned this week about your topic?
   

GROUP 2 – PREDICTION 

1. How do you predict your topic will impact education in the future? How will education need to change?
   
2. What is an area that education could benefit from new technology and what is it going to have to do to make those changes?
   
3. How do you envision that your trend is going to affect your tertiary education?
4. If you could select the most beneficial aspect of your technology to put into education today, what would it be and why?
5. How would you convince a techer or university professor that your technology could benefit your classroom?
6. What is the most fantastc-outlandish preduction that you have about how your technology could be used in the future? How far do you think this could be possible?
   

We are at the start of Week 2 of the Horizon Project and I wish to commend you ALL for doing a great job so far. I know you have been initiating discussions, communcating with your partners, researching and providing content to the wiki. I also know you are starting to get a better idea of what this project demands of you in terms of application and time.

I also understand that there continues to be frustration and confusion over certain issues such as not hearing from your partners or not knowing who is on your team. All I can say is Hang in there! By the end of this week you will be that much further down the road to understanding. Besides, it is good to feel uneasy about your work. That way it will make you explore further, think harder and try to find solutions! 

Essential Tasks:

• Add Current news to the wiki! Leave resource and discuss it!
• Start to think about your multimedia artefact!

 WWhat is tagging? Why is it important?

    Read the  Horizon Project page for Tagging standards

    Tagging can be used with RSS feeds including delicious and blogs. See also Technorati for how blog tags are identified and used. 

R    The Horizon Report states:

“Using tools for creating and tagging content, teachers can foster collaborative work not only among their own students, but with colleagues, students, and community members from around the world. Tools like delicious and flickr have no classroom boundaries. Examples, commentary, and feedback are all available from a wide audience all the time.” P 9

Respond to this blog post with your ideas about tagging. Do you understand it? When and where will you use it for the Horizon Project work?

As we move into the Horizon Project I ask you to explore intellectual property and copyright.

Investigate creative commons licensing for online content.

Also see my delicious tags for creative commons as well. 

What are the social and ethical issues to do with copyright and online user created content? What type of content are we talking about here?

How does a movie or podcast differ from a blog or slide show?

I look forward to your comments as usual.