Creating animated gifs

I encouraged my students to take photographs of their creative process when they were building cameraless animation devices recently.  Searching for something creative to display the photos, to complete the animation cycle if you like, I came across Picasion.com.  You can upload a collection of still images and create an animated gif.  Here we can see an attempt at a shoulder stand.


here

Not exactly building a cameraless device here, but you can see a creative skill being demonstrated! Just some photos from my camera roll! Well there wasn't much on TV that night!

The power of mobile technology

For the last few years I have been promoting the possibilities of mobile technology. I could see great opportunities for collaboration, innovation and pupil autonomy. Now, in schools all other country, there is an iPad craze. I'm not so sure of the actual tech but some of the concepts are sound. I do however, feel that, nothing much has changed, except children are using APPS instead of applications...such a world of difference? For me it should be about autonomy, having a digital device that does it all is quite empowering. The tablet, iPad, iPod, smart phone, whatever device you have available empowers the user to select whatever tools they need for the job in hand. That's the power of mobile technology. Not the device. Not the name tag. Good pedagogy will ensure that the learning comes first, the technology is just a means to an end.

I spent the day in Casllwchwr Primary School on Monday, observing a dream realised, outstanding practice and children motivated.  In the junior classes, each child has their own mobile device, and in the infant classrooms there are plenty to share.  The children are no longer dazzled by the technology nor are they fazed by adults stopping to ask questions as they work. Will we be witnessing a radical change in pedagogical approaches now or will we be wondering where the money went?

Posted from my tablet whilst watching the football!

ipads in Education

Some kind person sent me this link so I though it only fair to share it again.  I have always thought long and hard when spending money on ICT gadgets, sometimes I have spent wisely and there times not so.  The ipad however is one the the former.  It is such a versatile tool and one that can be used individually, with a small group and now with the AV adapter on the ipad2 you can share apps with the whole class!

Slide to Learn - Educators Guide to the iPad, iPod and iPhone

Steve Jobs

As I am still smarting from buying an ipad just as the ipad 2 is announced, Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being.  The founder and innovative force behind apple died very recently and one begs to wonder what impact his death will have on Apples technological stampede.  In August this year Steve Jobs resigned from his role as CEO of Apple, although this was not the first time he had done so.  Incredibly in his early 20s Steve founded what is now the multibillion dollar company Apple. In 1985 Steve reigned from Apple to form a new company, neither company thrived as well as hoped leaving the market open for Microsoft’s Bill Gates to take a foothold in the Ed Tech market.  By 1996 Steve jobs is back at the helm of Apple and the company begins to flourish yet again, with such wonders as the iPod, iPod Touch, iPhone and the iPad.  What is next I wonder? See the timeline of the man that changed the face of technology.