Testing testing

I have absolutely no idea what will appear here, if anything at all. Bear with me and hope for something more exciting than a knitted scarf.

Update: really interested to see comments left on the Voicethread website appear here too. Why no have a go yourself here? If you don't feel like starting your own Voicethread, why not leave a comment on mine - see how easy it is.

I must say, it's great seeing and hearing comments like that, too. Wouldn't your learners like to receive feedback in that way?

Thank you Jane C-D for yet another nifty distraction!!

As easy as Eee PC!

Welcome to the latest AdEd toy that I have booked out !

The Eee PC is much smaller than a normal laptop = easy to use and light to travel with!

The battery is great - over 4 hours on a full charge!









So far I have used it with an adult-only class, when it was used by a mum working on own goals while the rest of the group worked on Level 1 and Level 2 activities, pre-school children who thought it was great to record 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star! a group of Year 1 children who recorded a starter activity for each other, and a group of adults and reception children!


ALL LOVED IT!





You can use a built in camera to take individual photos or record video - adults hate it Kids love it!!!! You can also set the camera to record chat while they complete an on-screen task or activity and play-back to see how they got on!


EXCELLENT kit with LOTS of potential for ANY group - and very easy to use!

Talking e-learning

At a New Tutor training session last week I talked to tutors about the use of e-learning and how some of the tools we have could be used for initial assessment. One of the attendees told me I had a wonderful job - and she was right. Two tutors were very taken with the potential of voice recorders and took them away to use in their Family Learning and ESOL groups. I look forward to hearing how they get on.

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is when people come back to tell me about their successes with the use of e-learning and yesterday I had a very excited Lesly Andrew who had just used an EEE PC with one of her learners. I won't say any more as Lesley has promised to post on this herself.

I look forward to introducing yet more tutors to the equipment as part of the CTLLS course on Saturday.

Please continue to post about your successes here - it's great to hear your stories.

Epson PictureMate - What a Hoot!

Gizmo - from The Barn Owl Centre, Hempsted

Friday 13th Feb was the last session of Owl Babies at Tuffley Primary School.

To celebrate we had a very special visitor - Gizmo!

As part of the activity we took photos using a digital camera, and were then able to use an Epson PictureMate to print off photos in class - every child then had a photo to take home!

The PictureMate was VERY easy to use, take the SD card out of the camera, put into the slot on the PictureMate, choose the photo and print! Very quick, very easy and excellent quality photos!

I have booked out the PictureMate 'till July - but more are available - so go and see Jane C-D and get yours!

Next big thing?

I'm not sure how we'd cope with the permissions etc but I wonder if this might add a little something to our classes?

In the Times yesterday:

"...websites such as YouTube and Flickr already allow you to upload videos from computers but now mobile phones and a new breed of video camera (such as the Flip Mino) are upping the ante - allowing gig-goers or flaneurs to upload direct to the web without a computer"

(I had to look flaneur up in case it was something rude!)

I think we could extend the group to include learners and tutors, don't you?

Oh my, we'll all be media stars before we know it!

eeePCs

You may remember I posted about these PC's last year. We still have 10 of them waiting patiently to be used. Today I have been inspried by the different ways that just one of these eeePCs was used in Nottinghamshire.

Read how Nottingham used their eeePC

so..... Gloucestershire tutors, your challenge is to let me know how one or more eeePCs could make a real difference to your learners. I look forward to hearing your ideas and to getting these laptops out of the cupboards, working for our learners.

Laptop and Projector Set up

Following Lizzie's post earlier in the week here is a short video showing you how to set up your laptop and projector. A more comprehensive written guide will be placed with all projectors in future. However, if you have a projector and no instructions please contact Jane.Carter-Dunn@gloucestershire.gov.uk or call 01452 425923.

Lizzie I hope this will inspire you to get your projector back in action. With this new laptop and the Epsom printer I was also able to play video - which I know has been a problem with some of the older laptops where the video plays only on the laptop and doesn't project.

Please post any successes, problems, pleas etc about laptops and projectors here as we are just delivering new projectors across the county and so other tutors may be having the same issues.