EEEE's Adventures!

This is a short post to describe the work-around for updating a blogger 'classic' theme background and the surprise bonus outcome that might just make your school blogging life more exciting! The problem... When we update the background image on new blogger, the image remains really small.  The result... No more custom blog backgrounds when using classic themes!!! After investigating the issue, it seems that new background images uploaded to blogger (when using the classic theme) are not full size. This got me wondering... what if we could replace the background image to an image hosted in Drive. So... I started my inquiry looking at how an image file hosted in drive could provide a direct link to the image for use elsewhere...specifically however... how might I create a direct image file to replace the image file that blogger points to in the HTML code. Found this great site to help me modify the Drive url for an image to make it a direct link . Next I needed to create a backg...

Connecting with one another during this time of 'lockdown' has become the best way to ensure continuity and growth of the classroom environment...away from the physical space. You can have the flash-est looking site/blog.... but with no connection it stays just that. One area that increases connection in this new digital space is making the time to provide meaningful feedback for learners. Feedback/feedforward to show that you have connected with their mahi and effort, as well as being able to provide next steps. The hardest thing for teachers like me, who trive on verbal feedback/feedforward, is making time for conversations to happen. I am an advocate of learners being more connected with feedback/feedforward when they feel like they are actually talking to you. A written comment and tag doesn't seem to always make this connection..... So... how might we proved more feedback/feedforward in a way that makes things easier for the learner (and me!) on a more regular b...

Thank you Mangapapa School for allowing me to attend your staff Hui as you start to look at the future of learning at Mangapapa. Looks like it's going to be an exciting journey! Our session started with the famous quote of John Dewey...  “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.” Featured in the movie ' Most likely to succeed ' which looks at the shortcomings of traditional education in the world of today. The ideas and provocations shared in the movie around the history of 'school' and development of technology has certainly planted a seed around the nature of school and what we can do in a 'Learn, Create, Share' world to enable more of this thinking to become reality. We need to move away from a factory culture for education and need to think about developing our ākonga into citizens capable of creativity, innovation, collaboration, and confidence in a sea of change. Schools are thinking about how they might change...

I was lucky enough to have attended a staff Hui, at Makauri School, where we were introduced to the  Digital Technologies and Hangarau Matihiko (DT & HM) additions to the New Zealand Curriculum. This session was great to help guide discussion and thinking around what kids are like with technology. Thanks for letting me join in team! One of the provocations was around kids not being 'Digital Native' but instead 'Consumer Native' when it comes to technology. They are at times simply users that have been blessed with a device that is designed for ease of use: removing the need to really understand the inner workings of technology design and planning. This is something I see the DT & HM curriculum addressing when working alongside our 'Learn, Create, Share' pedagogy from Manaiakalani. We encourage kids to be creators that design DLO to share with the connected world. Just like LCS... this can be integrated into all areas to turbo charge learning and good p...

Do the mahi, get the treats! What an experience today was being able to experience (again) the idea of formalised testing. It's hard to imagine again how kids must feel in these 'high stakes' tests that at times seem so 'easy' from the outside perspective. "Why can't you kids just write for 45 min." ... "5 min left. Don't panic." Like kids from my class (I hope...) the results of my Google Exam won't be the only thing I leave this space with. I leave with... A deeper understanding of the Manaiakalani kaupapa of "Learn, Create, Share" and the guiding principals/goals of the programme. Newly formed and strengthened connections with peers who are equally excited about the future of education. We are not alone! New skills for my kete. Even learnt some new skills by completing the Level 1 exam. Learning is everywhere. Confidence in my abilities as a learner, educator and facilitator. Bring on the rest of 2019 a...

Empowered Empowered learners know that the device in front of them is a tool used to explore, learn, expand and engage them in everyday learning and life. The 'Learn, Create, Share' kaupapa creates opportunities for learners to be empowered to create and to be creative. Today was an excellent example of how creativity can get learners excited about learning - empowering them to make the most of learning opportunity! We explored well-designed learning experiences to help us develop a deeper understanding of computational thinking element of the Digital Technologies Curriculum and the powerful learning that our devices could offer us. The process for learning about computational thinking went from a physical problem solving challenges to basic animation using co-spaces to very cool logical problem solving using code and computational thinking. Very fun! This was our creation using the words "Snowman, heart and collaboration." More projects to come! Watch this ...

Visible learning through sites Today's session challenged the perception of what is truely visible in learning, teaching and the classroom. We explored existing sites and our own to really determine what we needed to work on to increase visibility of learning and teaching. This session really did get me pondering... just how connected are we as a school... and cluster? Part of the Manaiakalani Kaupapa is embedding a shared language of learning, common understanding of what is visible and access to learning for all through well designed learning opportunities. We have encouraged visibility by supporting teachers to have a site that leads their learning. Using blogs and twitter adds additional visibility and connected-ness for learners and teachers. Our cluster twitter stream  is a means of 'peeking' into what other classrooms are up to from a learner, whānau, teacher and leader perspective. This is great while our cluster develops better visibility of sites. ...