November 26, 2006

Google Earth: Educator Perspectives

Short video
Nice and short but
Better range shown of google earth search capacity.
Mention historical comparisions, plus sketch up

Google Earth: A Classroom Tool

This short tutorial has a fly by focus on Canada.
Plus discussion of advantages of Google earth:
- Students can upload and install at home. There is a free version that anyone can access so that they can practise and explore. Needs Windows 2000 or xp.
-There is a vibrant educational communnity already using google earth. You can view their files or upload your own. There is a collaborative aspect of the google earth community.
You can intergrate the data with other social networks and software for example sketch up - This is now downloaded on the main PC we use here.

November 25, 2006



Schools may end up being cyber
By LANE NICHOLS - The Dominion Post | Thursday, 12 October 2006

Classrooms of the future will have computers in place of books and children logging on from home PCs for interactive lessons with overseas pupils.


Teachers will no longer be the main information source, acting more as facilitators who guide pupils between electronic information "portals".

This is how New Zealand's education system could look in 20 years, according to the first major report by a multimillion-dollar Government think tank.

But teachers are warning against letting children study at home without supervision or social interaction with their peers.

The Secondary Futures project was set up in 2003 to investigate how secondary schooling could cater for society's rapidly changing needs.

Today it releases the first of five reports outlining scenarios in which computers have replaced books, pupils are enrolled at several schools at once and learn at different sites.

Secondary Futures sought feedback through hundreds of workshops and analysed nearly 4000 submissions. The Students First report criticises the old "production line" schooling model – which sorts people according to job prospects – saying it has resulted in serious underachievement, particularly for Maori and Pacific Islanders.

It champions personalised learning, whereby teachers and pupils work collaboratively to build individually tailored learning programmes around a pupil's interests.

It questions the traditional school-day structure, suggests aligning social and health services more closely with schools and predicts a changing role for teachers.

Pupils will be "bombarded with information" from multiple sources. Teachers will assist them to filter relevant data from cyber trash.

"Face-to-face teaching will be complemented or sometimes even replaced, by online learning, e-learning, television learning and hands-on learning," the report says.

Pupils will not only learn in classrooms, but from home through online learning programmes and independent education providers.

But the report warns the transformation would require major attitudinal shifts that could clash with traditional notions of competition between schools and zoning provisions.

Secondary Futures chief executive Nicola Meek said many ideas outlined in the report were already happening in pockets around the country.

The report was a "mark in the sand" to get people thinking about the future of education.

"This won't be a one size fits all. These are some possibilities that might demonstrate how learning might occur."

Post Primary Teachers Association deputy general secretary Bronwyn Cross warned that personalised learning took decisions on what should be taught away from society and gave it to teenagers.

She questioned the wisdom of leaving pupils alone at home to study, which raised "care issues" and meant young people would miss out on important social interaction.

Heli's comment: For more on the benefits of blogging for educators and a disscussion of the issues visit: http://www.weblogg-ed.com

Best,

October 31, 2006

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Apple orchard, Hawke's Bay

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Auckland - "sky tower" at centre

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New Zealand

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October 18, 2006

Pavlova Recipe

Pavlova Recipe
To make a pavlova you really need an electric beater and egg whites that are not too fresh. If they are the pavlova will weep.
To Prepare: 15 minutes To Cook: 1 hour and 5 minutes
6 egg whites, preferably free range, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups castor sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp vinegar
Topping
1 cup Berry Compote
3 punnets fresh mixed berries, eg raspberries, strawberries (hulled and halfed) and blueberries
Heat the oven to 180 C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and mark a circle about 16cm diameter with a plate. Place the egg whites into the clean bowl of an electric beater. Add the salt and beat until stiff. Slowly add the sugar with the beater running. Beat for about 10 minutes at high speed until the meringue is thick and glossy - it should be thick enough not to fall from the beater. Last of all, whisk in the cornflour and vinegar. Use a big spoon to drop dollops of meringue into the circled area of baking paper. Form into a circle of meringue, making swirls with a spoon on the top rather than flattening into a neat tidy disk. Bake at 180C (not fan bake) for 5 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 130C and cook a further hour. Turn off oven and leave pavlova to cool in the oven. Pavlova can be cooked ahead a couple of days and stored in an airtight container, or frozen. To serve, spoon Berry Compote over pavlova and scatter over mixed berries. Serves 8-10.
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This recipe is from the award winning cook book, 'The Best of Annabel Langbein; Great food for busy lives'. If you google her she also has a web page and provides daily menus!

This other website (below) is popular is New Zealand for recipes in combination with short television commercial daily before the evening news.
http://www.foodinaminute.co.nz

Hawkes Bay- special vintage car day

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Hastings near i-site, parade of vintage cars

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