Learning - Thinking - Playing

Who - Light - Sparks & DJ's

If only this could be part of the curriculum at school. I loved science at school and was always keen on music - add a few sparks with a shot of man made lightning a great TV sound track and you have the following clip.

Scratch Day - May 16th 2009

I have talked about Scratch before in other posts and it was on the EdTechCrew podcast just this last week past; anyway I could not let this one slip - there is a Scratch day coming up to explore and celebrate the use of Scratch. What is Scratch - well put simply it is a freely available multimedia development tool from MIT that can be used to create games, presentations and a whole range other resources (it just depends on your thinking). The great thing about scratch is that it can be easily learnt and has lots of potential.

Any way check out the details on scratch day here and here and if you are going to run an activity in Australia make sure you get it listed on the site - currently we have nothing happening!

Toy Blocks - new learning objects?

Whilst trying to help out with domestic chores (namely the ironing) I was able to catch up on a few of the latest TED Talks videos from the recent 2009 event and other past events that I have missed. One that caught my eye right of the bat was the clip about "Siftables" by David Merrill an MIT graduate student.

The video shows a new way to look at how people can change current tools/toys and make them more than something you stack. I really like the thinking behind the idea and with the ability to simply program and add your own content, this concept could really help engage young learners or older learners for that fact.

What other objects that our children use that have a current simplistic application could be enhanced - would that enhancement make a major difference or would it just add a layer of technology. I like being challenged with these questions after watching these video's, it helps make my mind tick and makes the ironing go much quicker.

Project Siftables Link

Internet Safety Day 10th Feb 2009 - Did you notice this day?

2009 and it is Feb already - where has the year gone. I have always tried to make the commitment to get to my blog on a regular basis, well it has been a long time and I plan to make up for it. I thought I would start today as it is Internet Safety Day. Here in Australia the day has been overshadowed a little by the terrible fires that have occurred in my home state of Victoria, with such terrible loss of life. Too be honest the day has been overshadowed by a whole range of things least not the fact that parents and teachers have very little knowledge of what our children do online nor what experiences they have had.

The issue of internet safety is a very important one and one that needs constant review and discussion. I have talked about this topic a lot over a long period of time, running a large number of sessions with schools, students, parents and teachers - from it all I am always stunned by the lack of real interest or involvement in this area. So from me I ask that today if you are a parent please take the time to sit down with your child/ren and ask what they do online, talk about being safe online and what that might look like and if they come across something that makes them uncomfortable get them to talk to you. If you are a teacher of students - set aside some time to talk about the internet and what your students do, find out if they are being smart online and making smart decision and if there parents are involved with their online life.

Do these activites just once this week and again in a couple of weeks time - if we do not make talking about online safety a priority and a part of normal life then we will have some interesting issues in the years to come.

The following links provide a little more information about the day:

Safer Internet Day

Cyber Smart Kids information