Introduction to Computers to Chinese Elderly in Gloucester

Wednesday 29th April 2009
I had my first teaching experience yesterday teaching Introduction to Computers to the Chinese elderly at the Gloucestershire Chinese Community Group in Gloucester using ADeD laptop, projector, digital camera, and Epson PictureMate. This was in partnership with the Chinese Children and Parents Association, Hesters Way, Cheltenham.

Luckily I had 4 enthusiastic helpers with me to help with preparation of the room, Cantonese translation and hands on workshop. I found that preparation was so vital to the success of any project.

We had 2 sessions of one and a half hours each with 8 in the first and 6 in the second session.
All went very well and the elderly were very appreciative that we took the course to them and showed them what computers could do like playing card games, watching films on DVDs, taking photos of each other with a digital camera, getting their photos printed instantly and actually touching a mouse.

We then had lunch together prepared by their resident chef. It had a great party atmosphere with a total of about 25 people and all of us enjoyed the day together. The Chinese elderly have asked if we can come back again and teach them more!

What a resounding success!

Voting System

We have just taken delivery of our new voting system. It's a 32 handset Turning Point set and when the 2 additional receivers arrive we will be able to split it into 3 sets. Questions are created in PowerPoint. It is fairly straightforward to use - particularly for those who are familiar with PowerPoint. Lesley Andrew and Josie Brown got to grips with it in about 20 minutes last night so if you want to know more you could ask them.

If you would like to borrow a voting set please contact Kerry Jones or Jane Carter-Dunn (either by email Kerry.Jones@gloucestershire.gov.uk/ Jane.Carter-Dunn@gloucestershire.gov.uk or call 01452 425426). Brief training session available on request.

CTLLS session 23 March

Had a great evening with a group of e-learning enthusiasts sharing ideas on how technology can enhance teaching. I used our new voting system for initial assessment for the session and was delighted to discover that all of the tutors were using e-learning either sometimes, regularly or always.

They have all promised to share what they are doing on the blog so look at for their posts, and give them our usual welcome.

Useful IT Resources

Am really pleased I have discovered the DigitalUnite site today. Their Learning Zone has a lot of resources which are well written and simple. Take your pick from topics such as Games and Hobbies, Music and TV online, Social Networks and blogs - as well as the more traditional Email etc. This is also where I spotted SagaZone.

The resources would be suitable for those under 50 too and don't dismiss the site if you are not teaching IT - there are some useful resources on photos and videos and I know that some of our arts and crafts tutors are encouraging learners to display their work online.

I'm off to follow the instructions for using Skype now.

SagaZone

Are you teaching IT to older learners. Have you looked at SagaZone - it's a sort of Facebook plus for the over 50's. I have registered today (naughtily as I'm not quite old enough to qualify yet but did it in the interests of our learners!).

Seriously do take a look and let me know what you think.

Are we teaching what our learners need to know?

Came across this blog post on digitalunite. Some of you will have heard me "going on" about purposeful learning - and this is such a good example of why this is important.

Are you asking why learners have come to your class? and what they want to be able to do when the leave? They probably won't say they've come to learn how to turn text upside down!

Help needed....!

At the beginning of the holiday I made two short video clips of my Spanish friend Cristina and I chatting, the conversations were designed for my Spanish Continuation course at RFDC. I copied the clips from my camera onto both my own laptop and the AdEd laptop. I was hoping to use the very useful software Movie Maker, which I used a year ago quite successfully. I now have a different laptop from the one I used last year.

Unfortunately the video clips on the AdEd laptop aren't usable - when I try to open them I am told "The drive or network is unavailable". I'm perplexed - I copied them the same way as I always have done. I'd been hoping to edit them and use them in class next Monday - now I need to find out whether I can use the projector with my own laptop, which unfortunately doesn't have the editing soft ware, but shows the video clips very well.

Has anyone else come across similar problems and able to advise?

Welcome to visitors from Cambridge!

Thank you for making me so welcome and it was great to hear all your ideas about the use of technology in teaching. I hope you will find some things of interest here on our blog. Please feel free to leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you.

Using Video for RARPA

This short video clip of a very flushed me (well I had just cycled 4 miles!) shows how video could be used to record learners' own goals for a course, encourage them to think about how they might achieve those goals, and how they will know when they have been achieved.