Musings in Techland

Coming up in the next couple of weeks. Next Thursday Nov 6th

2008-10-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Both on Thursday Nov 6 4-6 pm.

Fabulous Firefox

This course is aimed at CEO personnel and School Staff who wish to improve their access to and interaction with the internet using the Firefox browser (a significantly improved alternative to IE7 and top of many people's "most useful Web tools list").

This course will cover:

tabbed browsing,
useful plugins
(e.g. the only RSS feed Reader which can read myinternet feeds)
toolbars

How do I even begin to keep up?

his course introduces people to RSS feeds and aggregators (we will use Google Reader and iTunes). These essential tools make it possible for you to keep in touch with a range of issues and people on the web without searching for them. They will come to YOU!!

This is an essential part of the Web 2.0 world and is aimed at Middle Managers and Teachers in schools as well as CEO personnel. (It is actually of use and interest to anyone living today!)

BYOL Bring Your Own Laptop (Preferable not essential)

Courses Available for Teachers

2008-10-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

I've been scratching around for some way to advertise courses that we offer for teachers in our system, We have a good online booking system that works quite well but we still rely on email to get the message out.

This is fine if we have all the necessary emails but all too often we are relying on people passing on information and emails (this is usually Principals and/or ICT contacts) with mixed results. We need something with a feed (we also have to teach people how to read feeds too!!) and that has me wondering about doing something in a space like this. I think I will just "put up" a few of my courses and invite some friends to comment on ways to improve on this.

Any comments??

2008-04-03T21:23:00.000-07:00

RSS feeds (or lack of) in myinternet:

How they work.

After mucking around I think I finally know how the RSS works in myinternet.

You have the option to receive an RSS feed from a noticeboard or file box on any myinternet class page. (Potentially a great way to keep in touch easily)
You can also create a property which reads RSS feeds and put it on any class page.

This can be used to read external feeds like the ABC or BBC and many, many others.

Now for the problems:

The RSS feed reader property CAN"T READ feeds from myinternet properties -the is a bug that they can't solve!
Many common RSS feed readers (Google Reader, IE& Feeds etc. ) CAN'T READ the myinternet property feeds - a bug!
Their workaround is to recommend Firefox plugin Feed Readers!!!! As the only working solution!!

I am currently using "Sage" - a Firefox plugin - and it works! It is actually very cool to be able to see file that have been added to a myinternet filebox without having to go to the page.

It is a pity Sage is pretty lightweight and that all my other feeds are in Google Reader

Go Go Editure!!!!!

2008-03-10T20:18:00.001-07:00

2008-02-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

Information for Secondary Reference Teachers:

Possible Agenda items:

ASI "break/fix" finished
Changes to myinternet/myclasses
Issues with myinternet.
Responding to curriculum pressures.

Roles Curriculum/ICT
Spread of technology around the school (e.g. IWBs, laptop trolleys) care, maintenance,TIME (bloody teachers!!??

Kevin Rudd's computers

What is likely to happen?
Issues for me!

Wireless model in schools.
Working towards a managable role.
Ongoing issues:

Bandwidth to schools
Training staff
Staff laptops/Salary sacrifice
Macs on my network??

What are your teachers asking to do that pushes the envelope??
What concerns do you have at the moment?

Map

2007-12-05T16:40:00.001-08:00

Trying to post maps

View Larger Map

Fwd:

2007-09-04T19:21:00.001-07:00

From gmail

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: 61431705197@optusmobile.com.au < 61431705197@optusmobile.com.au>
Date: Sep 5, 2007 12:10 PM
Subject:
To: mick.prest@gmail.com

Foreign Language Lesson Podcast Collection | Open Culture

2007-07-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

Foreign Language Lesson Podcast Collection Open Culture: "LearnItalianPod.com iTunes Feed Web Site "

Do you have enough bandwidth???

2007-07-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

An interesting statement from http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604540

Today the Internet bandwidth per student
is 2.90 Kbps (or kilobits per second per student) according to the survey.
Furthermore, schools say they will grow this to 9.57 Kbps per student by 2011—a
3.3-fold increase. But the ADS 2006 team believes that as much as 40 Kbps may be
needed in five years. As the number of computers in schools increases
and the ways in which students use computers change, more and more
bandwidth will be needed.

It is unlikely, however, that many schools
are budgeting for a 14-fold increase, although technology directors are
generally aware of the challenge. The hard costs of the bandwidth required
to support the growth in online learning, home connectivity, and ubiquitous
computing are unknown and likely to require additional research.

2007-07-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

Some issues trying to get MovieMaker to work with the Casimir Sony Handycam

Files (non finalized) exported from the handycam are MPEG2
Moviemaker has issues with MPEG2 files!! (see here )

the issue should be resolved if the correct Codecs are on the given computer.

While experimenting Mick Prest found that using two different computers with identical settings that Moviemaker could handle the same file on one computer and not the other!!!
This is documented and it seems as if Moviemaker can be hardware specific!! (Much more detail! See Importing Video Sources/Introduction)

Tho only solution offered is for you to convert the video from MPEG2 to something that MM2 (MovieMaker 2) likes better.
Mick used three different converters and converted to many different formats and found that only this one worked

Converting to WMV (Highest quality) using Replay Media Converter
The hassle is that this might only work for the hardware on Mick's laptop!!!

Mick is going to check if it will load straight onto a mac!!

Lots of help for MM2 here and don't forget Atomic Learning

2007-07-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

Converting Google videos all the way!!

Use Replay Media Catcher http://applian.com/replay-media-catcher/index.php
Use Replay Converter http://applian.com/replay-converter/

Of course, the framerate et al is not good for importing into the standard editors. I run the file through Canopus Procoder 2 and save them in a .avi format.

This will load into Premiere Pro (or even Microsoft Moviemaker) for editing and playing with.

I run this through Flash Video Studio which will put it into Flash if I want to put it back on the web. Blogger just takes the .avi's anyway.

2007-06-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

Reflections and learnings from Jamie McKenzie days:

The day on which we brought the Presenters together was CRUCIAL! So much happened on so many levels. I feel that it gave them a chance to be a focussed part of the time too.
we need on-line enrolment for the whole as well as for individual sessions. there was too much confusion on the first day. The amount of secretarial work, chasing up incorrect emails etc was HUGE!!.
The labelling of Group A and B was not clear enough.
The basic structure seemed to work OK.
We need a scheduled break for morning tea.
Three Hour workshops were great for those that could sustain them. They seem better than the 90 mins ones but 90 mins worked well too.

Mick at Gerroa (c.1968)

2007-06-27T00:04:00.001-07:00

PrestGerroa, originally uploaded by mickprest.

One of Steve Esler's collection.

Thinking for Navcon

2007-06-26T23:26:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about Navcon and using Mindmeister to collect my thoughts:

They have changed the levels in Mindmeister!!!

Go to http://www.mindmeister.com/maps/show_public/1289067

Great Review of ICT in Schools

2007-06-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

I was directed to the Becta research paper "The Impact of ICT in Schools - a landscape review"

http://publications.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?cfid=1005427&cftoken=106d998ca592b931-464E95DE-9633-75FB-264C7EE65F058D45

recently. My reflection was that it really does mirror where we are at here in Sydney (and pretty well everywhere else I have seen). Some of the conclusions from the executive summary:

Overall Summary:

The development of ICT in schools is progressing unevenly across and within schools and technologies. Some seem to be content with achieving the government’s targets in terms of numbers of computers and connectivity, while others are being highly innovative, attempting to capitalise on the benefits that ICT has been shown to bring.

As schools grow in e-confidence, ICT becomes embedded in the everyday practices of the school, drawing on a range of technologies to support learning, teaching and attainment. The literature is very positive about some aspects of ICT use, rarely negative, but mainly incomplete or inconsistent. Further studies, particularly with a longitudinal element, should shed light on the processes that schools go through in becoming e-confident and e-capable, the impact on relationships within the school, between home and school and across networks, and on pedagogical practice. Using ICT effectively in schools is about more than changing resources; it is about changing practices and culture.

basic provision (computer-to-pupil ratios, broadband (sic!) access, quality of networks) is pretty good. However there is considerable variation within and across schools.
where ICT seems to be most effective in enhancing the learning experience teachers can integrate a number of technologies toedther - this leads to innovative approaches.
Critical factor! - school-level e-strategy, whole school committment.
Teachers' confidence and skills have improved significantly in recent years.
much of the evidence of impact on attainment and a range of intermediate outcomes such as motivation and engagement is derived from smallscale case studies which are often snapshots of impact early in the life of the implementation of a new technology
At present the evidence on attainment is somewhat inconsistent
evidence on the impact of ICT on intermediate outcomes, such as motivation, engagement with and independence in learning, is greater and more persuasive
impact is most clearly observed where tasks have clear educational aims, are designed to maximise the potential of the ICT in use and are perceived as purposeful by pupils.
Apart from initiatives to support literacy and numeracy, evidence of positive impact has been reported in mathematics, modern foreign languages, science, history, geography, physical education and the creative arts. Much of the evidence is the result of small-scale studies
learning of modern foreign languages has benefited greatly from the increased availability of online resources as well as technologies such as digital video and photography, while animations and simulations have enabled pupils to grasp more complex concepts in mathematics and the sciences
Digital video and photography have also been proven to improve performance in physical
education, sport and the dramatic arts where performances can be recorded, watched time and again, and improvements of skills targeted.
Interactive Whiteboards - The outcomes are almost universally positive
Laptops, which teachers have found particularly useful for management and administration, have been less enthusiastically received by pupils, who prefer the smaller technologies such as PDAs and multi-function mobile phones
Whole-school approaches to implementing ICTsupported education have often been more
successful in primaries than in secondary schools
Technologies with a visual dimension – digital video, photography, video conferencing – engage pupils and provide a stimulus for collaborative working and discussion and, where the pupils are in control of the technology, give them a sense of ownership and control of the learning process.
Learning platforms and virtual learning environments .. are .. becoming central to a whole range of activities
There is a growing body of evidence on the positive impact that ICT can have on the learning of pupils with special educational needs
growth has been limited by the need to provide fast connectivity and a virtual learning environment (VLE) or learning platform
good resources can have an impact on motivation and attainment
e-learning can offer flexible, personalised learning and bridge the gap between home and school learning
there is not yet a good understanding of how teachers can support pupils and make the most of e-learning packages
ICT can make the learning experience more personalised, more targeted at the needs of
the individual learner .... Such systems can give the pupil more autonomy and independence with regard to learning and a range of sources ..... This can be unsettling for
some teachers and may well change the dynamics of the pupil–teacher relationship
Improved communication within schools has led to centralised attendance, assessment and recording systems, while links with the external world can support communication with parents and others
Intranets are being used to support a range of administrative activities including attendance monitoring, assessment records, reporting to parents, financial
management and the sharing of information
amongst staff.... some are used as repositories for learning resources. .... schools are extending their use of ICT through the introduction of learning platforms to meet various learning and teaching and communication objectives.
Better management systems usually mean more data-gathering procedures.
improved home–school links are as yet unrealised in many instances
schools also have to consider how they ensure that all pupils have similar learning opportunities and the ‘digital divide’ does not develop into a system-wide disadvantage for those who have limited or no access to ICT out of the school.

Yet again!

2007-04-16T05:04:00.000-07:00

Here I am again!

2007-04-16T04:48:00.000-07:00

Have a look at

http://www.iwest.myinternet.syd.catholic.edu.au/home/michael_prest/First.M4V

First Off

2007-04-16T04:32:00.000-07:00

This is just to get me out there