Random Post

Just need to add a post so my blog is no deleted!

PRESENTING @ MINI CONFERENCE

I actually really enjoyed presenting at the Mini-conference. It wasn't nearly as scary as what I thought it would be and I got lots of positive feedback. Yay! Feeling the ICT buzz!!!

SCREENSHOTS

I have been using the Screenshot program MWSnap300 a lot lately. I recommend it if you are a PC user and can't live without using the shortcut keys of a Mac! I have added the link on the left side if you want to download it.

AMAZON WIDGETS

I have just been playing on the Amazon website and learning how to add a carousel widget to my Bookworm Wiki. I love it. So much fun. Check out the new page on my wiki:

http://bookwormwiki.wikispaces.com/James+and+the+Giant+Peach

PRESENTATION

Yay! I have just finished my PowerPoint to share at Staff Meeting and the Mini-Conference. I have made my PowerPoint into a quick 1 minute movie if you want to see it again.

STUDENT VOICE

This morning I conferenced with each of the students who were part of my Action Research to find out their opinion of our reading activities. Here are the results:

STAFF MEETING

I'm in the process of preparing to share my Action Research at Staff Meeting on Wednesday. It is a great way of reflecting by reading over what I have done and summarising it to share with others. It will also be a good practise before I present at the Mini Conference!

Podcasting Fun

I am having great fun this week teaching a group of children how to podcast. They are writing their own alternative fairytales then recording themselves using "Audacity". On Thursday, during our computer lab time, the children will create a picture using "Kidpix" to illustrate their story. I will then publish all their work onto the Bookworm Wiki. Jolly good ICT fun!!!

PS Just thinking that I need to purchase my own microphone. Will have to look into that in the holidays...

Presenting

I have agreed to present at the Mini-conference in November. I will get to share my Action Research with a group of 20 teachers. I think it will be great but I must admit I am a bit nervous - I have never presented before! Wish me luck!!!

Fun & Funky Fairytales

I started my "Fun & Funky Fairytales" reading theme this week. It took me 6 1/2 hours on Sunday afternoon to organise my resources so I am glad that the children are enthusiastic!!! I am introducing the children to podcasts through this topic. I found a great website called Storynory (see the links section to check it out). I also found another great website called Brit Lit (also in links) which has awesome reading activities related to fairytales. I have introduced many new graphic organizers through this topic as they are a useful tool to compare traditional fairytales with alternative versions. Now that that is all planned I can have a rest this weekend!

BEING A ICT LEARNER

This week I helped one of my colleagues to add interactive games to her wiki. It was nice to be able to share my skills and help someone who needed it. It was not so long ago that I was learning this skill myself. If I did not have such great helpers, mostly Jane, I would never be where I am now! I think with ICT you are continuously learning and developing your skills. I think the more we share ideas and support each other, the better we can all become!

PONDERING

After staff meeting today I am pondering how I am going to present my action research to the staff. I am thinking I will have a simple powerpoint outlining my research then show this blog, the reading wiki and some of the children's work. I also want to get some comments from the children about all the activities they have been doing, what they enjoyed most etc

HORRIBLE SCIENCE

After having a refreshing holiday I am back into it again and planning for a fun term of reading for my top group. I am starting the term with our first study "Horrible Science". I have discovered the "Horrible Science" series and absolutely love it. Just the right amount of useful facts but with a humorous element which I think will really appeal to the children. I have also found the official website http://www.horrible-science.co.uk/ which has fun information and activities as well. I have hunted down some bargains of the books, fact files and magazines on Trade Me and now I am ready to start the term with a bang!

Comic Life

At the moment the students in my top reading group are involved in a "Dragon Study". They are reading a range of chapter books and sophisticated picture books during class and for homework. Their activity is to design their own dragon comic using 'Comic Life'. The children have been highly motivated by this activity. They have been making props using cardboard and taking digital photos of a blown-up dragon. The pictures have then been downloaded onto the laptop and used in 'Comic Life'. The children have then added their own cartoon speech bubbles. I am hoping we will be finished by the end of the week and I am looking forward to seeing their final creations.

Interface Magazine

I have just been doing my professional reading of the latest Interface Magazine. I love the "File Share" pages where it shows you lots of great websites which are suitable for kids. I have just been testing out a site called "Math Attack". It is a fun interactive game to practise basic facts with a mad scientist twist. I have added it to my maths wiki and I am sure it will become a favourite.

New Bookworm Wiki

This week, while my third year student has been on control I have started developing a wiki to electronically organise my reading activities. These activities are for my top reading group involved in my action research study. I think this will be a valuable resource as I will be able to add more to it and use it again next year and hopefully beyond! I have added the link to my new blog in Miss B's links.

Inspired By Disa

I had a great session with Disa yesterday who was not only a great help but very inspiring! We discussed my Action Research in depth and Disa showed me her awesome wiki which gave me lots of new ideas. I also found that I had completely forgotten about the program Comic Life. I have not used it since 2007, but since my recap session with Disa I am keen to use it again. I already have plans to integrate Comic Life into my next independent reading study on Dragons.

Two other aspects also came to light. I want to add some more reflective learning activities into my independent reading studies, especially Kath Murdoch formats as I find her material fantastic. I am also pondering exactly how I will measure the success of my action research. I know already that the children are more motivated and that I have tested them with Probe and their reading level has improved. This is great but I want to measure the depth of their understanding further. Disa and I discussed the idea of having a control group of students not involved in my study and compare the depth of their responses to that of my students. I will ponder this a bit longer and make a decision soon.

I loved how Disa had her reading activities on a wiki. I currently have my activities on a sheet which is working well but I can see the bonus of having everything on a wiki, especially adding links. This would be so much faster and easier than the children typing in web addresses from a sheet. Next week, when my third year student is on full control I am going to create a new wiki and try out this new approach. Thanks Disa!

Survey Results

I was pleased with the answers the children gave in relation to their attitude towards their current reading activities. In general it was quite positive. I was very interested though with the children's reponses of which activities make them learn the best. Have a look at the results and see what you think!

RESULTS FOR QUESTION ONE - How much do you like the reading activities we do in class?
* Writing answers to questions in your book
I love it = 1
I like it = 2
I dislike it = 0
I hate it = 1
* Filling out a book report form
I love it = 1
I like it = 1
I dislike it = 1
I hate it = 1
* Completing wordfinds, wordsearches or crosswords
I love it = 2
I like it = 1
I dislike it = 1
I hate it = 0
* Making something eg bookmark, life cycle
I love it = 2
I like it = 2
I dislike it = 0
I hate it = 0
* Using the computer to read or research information
I love it = 3
I like it = 0
I dislike it = 1
I hate it = 0
* Using the computer to see pictures or video clips
I love it = 4
I like it = 0
I dislike it = 0
I hate it = 0

RESULTS FOR QUESTION TWO - Which activities help you learn the best?
* Writing answers to questions in your book
I learn lots = 2
I learn quite a lot = 0
I don't learn much = 2
I don't learn anything = 0
* Filling out a book report form
I learn lots = 0
I learn quite a lot = 1
I don't learn much = 0
I don't learn anything = 3
* Completing wordfinds, wordsearches or crosswords
I learn lots = 2
I learn quite a lot = 0
I don't learn much = 1
I don't learn anything = 1
* Making something eg bookmark, life cycle
I learn lots = 1
I learn quite a lot = 1
I don't learn much = 1
I don't learn anything = 1
* Using the computer to read or research information
I learn lots = 2
I learn quite a lot = 1
I don't learn much = 1
I don't learn anything = 0
* Using the computer to see pictures or video clips
I learn lots = 2
I learn quite a lot = 0
I don't learn much = 2
I don't learn anything = 0

My conclusions:
* The children have varied opinions about their reading tasks and how much they learn from them
* Using the computer to see pictures or video clips was the most popular reading activity
* Making things was also popular
* Interestingly most of the children did not think that they learn very much from a traditional written book report
* In general, because my sample size was so small and the children's answers were so varied it is difficult to make any strong conclusions from the results of this survey. Oh well! It was an interesting learning exercise.

Wordle

Just added a wordle with all by favourite action research words (just look to the left!) If you want to make your own wordle see my list of links.

Wild Winter Weather

It is currently blowing a gale, hailing and possibly snowing! How perfect it would be to have a snow day tomorrow. I could spend the day doing my action research in front of the fire!