Working Collaboratively online

I've just finished an online workshop run by NIACE, called "Working Collaboratively Online". It was delivered using Instant Presenter and I really enjoyed it, even though my sound wasn't working properly. There were sixteen participants, one principal presenter and two further staff to offer tech support (I needed that!)

We learned about - and used - Twitter, XlearnSMS, Etherpad and the discussion forum facility of a Moodle just like ours. We were introduced to the new Google Wave which looks fantastic - can't wait for that to launch and can see there's going to be much fun to be had with it.

There was pre-course prep to do, the course itself ran from 9.30 till 12.30 this morning and now we have homework. But the whole workshop was really enjoyable and surprisingly easy to follow. In particular, Instant Presenter is a remarkably effective tool for teaching online, involving everyone in the process, wherever we happened to be.

The picture is of the new home of Adult Education in Gloucestershire; a wonderful old warehouse in the heart of the historic docks, Gloucester and a step away from the new shopping centre. Things are settling down nicely!

Completed Hanging at Joys Green Community Centre

My learners at Joys Green Community Centre completed their hanging at the end of last term and it's now on display in their centre, they are rightly quite proud of their achievements.
I've sent several photos to the AdEd Flickr site and they've provoked some very positive comments. I look forward to being able to show them the comments, I'll probably print them out, I imagine they'll be thrilled.
The hanging will also be on disply at Cinderford Artspace's 21st birthday celebration at the end of next month. We regularly hold exhibitions to celebrate our learners' achievements. Being able to photograph work being exhibited and store them on the laptop and web is something I feel pleased to be able to do.

Power Point

Over the last 18 months I have made several power point presentations of, for example, work from exhibitions I've visited and other learners' work. I've used them in class and they've made a very useful addition to resources I take in.
I've come across a problem which I'm wondering if anyone can advise me on and help me solve. When I copy the Power Point to a CD and try to watch it on another computer, I am told "Power Point can't read XXX (name of presentation)." This didn't happen when I used the AdEd lap top I used before last summer - it was replaced because it had no firewall in place.
I still feel new to using technology and there's oh so much to learn! I'd hoped to give some CDs to friends, but don't want to give them power point presentations that they can't read.
Any suggestions?

What would make a difference?

Is there a piece of kit you feel would make a real difference in your classroom? Have you seen something new that you would like to trial? We will shortly be able to put in a bid for further capital equipment so please let me know as soon as possible what would be on your wish list and why. Please a new post on the blog with your ideas.

RARPA

Last month I was observed by a member of the AdEd Observation & Support Team. The overall feedback I received was very positive and useful and both myself and my learners benefited from the experience - after he left some of them said how unobtrusive he'd been and they'd enjoyed "showing off" their achievements.

I was disappointed to be awarded a 3 for RARPA. I record initial assessment of learners. I use an A4 sheet of lined paper rather than the form from the AdEd CD, as this has nowhere for recording initial assessments. I have a sheet for each learner, where I record mid-term and end of term progress and achievement.

I take photos each session of my learners' work as they experiment and progress. I post some of these photos to the AdEd Flickr site. My learners know about Flickr - I tell them about it and give them a handout telling them how to acess Flickr. I encourage them to make comments on each others work. When I can I access the internet with them so they can see their work on the Flickr site. (I look forward to being able to use a "Dongle" to increase learners' access to the internet).

At the end of the term learners display their work, in this case we had asked for an area in the Community Centre entrance for just this, and learners were looking forward to the opportuninty. The observer knew of this plan as it was recorded in my scheme of work and I discussed it with him.

What more can a tutor do to record learners' progress and achievement, to achieve a "good" rather than "satisfactory" for RARPA when observed? I would appreciate some feedback from anyone but especialy members of AdEd Observation & Support Team. As tutors we have a limited amount of time into researching and preparing courses we deliver and recording progress and achievement. Most importantly, how much would learners benefit if I put more time into recording progress and achievement?

This question is on my mind as I work at Cinderford Artspace and this morning we have a tutors' meeting - RARPA is on the agenda. I would love to feel I had a positive contribution to make to the discussion but as my efforts are deemed satisfactory rather than good I'm not sure that I have.

What a difference a dongle makes!

This evening I went to my computer course at Forest Road Centre in Cinderford. I had told tutor Amanda about the 'dongle' for using where there is no internet connection. It is brilliant, but at the moment I can't get it working at the Littledean venue. I am told it is the weakness of the signal and others have experienced the same problem. However, never to give up, I took it to Amanda's course last week and it worked fine in Cinderford. Amanda's learners were very interested in this technology and we shared ideas on how it could be used. Although the learners' computers are connected to the internet, the computer Amanda uses (laptop) to project worksheet etc. onto the board is not connected to the internet, so teaching internet skills is quite tricky. This week Amanda borrowed the 'dongle' and the feedback form learners and Amanda was a 'passionate' - "this has made such a difference". It is a brilliant piece of kit. Learners had a good look at the flickr site and left a comment below one of my learner's pictures.

Pogo Printers

 

I think the most memorable feedback I've had from a workshop was the one where someone claimed to have fallen in love during the session.

He enjoyed using the Pogo printer we were using so much he went straight out and bought one for himself.

It still attracts interest and today, a friend who was looking to buy one for herself found it at a bargain price, so I thought I'd share.

Have a look here

Could be just what you need for your holidays!