Google Earth, No Passport Required!

What is Google Earth? “Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, from galaxies in outer space to the canyons of the ocean. You can explore rich geographical content, save your toured places, and share with others” (Google, 2009). Google Earth 5 is a free download that offers users:
• Ocean floor exploration
• 3D buildings
• Moon and Mars exploration
• Educational exhibits
• Historical imagery
• Street level imagery
• Recorded tours

The latest version of Google Earth hosts an array of educational tools including partnerships with National Geographic, the BBC and Cousteau’s Ocean World. Teachers and students can explore the earth, ocean floor and solar system through extensive multimedia features.

The Google Earth User Guide gives detailed ‘how to’ instructions on using this exciting tool whether in the classroom visiting a location of instructional study or at home mapping out a vacation.

Google Lit Trips is a website that fuses Google Earth and literature together into amazing virtual roads trips using locations found within literature. Readers from grades K-12 can discover the world while traveling with books.

Google Earth in the classroom:
• Provides cross-curricular learning opportunities
• Engages learners visually and globally
• Builds mapping and navigational skills
• Connects students to their world using real-world perspectives

Ms. Tonhauser

Google Earth in 4L
Google Earth has become an important tool in the 4L classroom. I have used this tool in many of our classroom travels around Alberta. The grade 4 social studies curriculum provides opportunities for students to visit a variety of cities and town in our great province. This user-friendly program allows me to digitally mark each location visited by 4L so that we can compare how far we have travelled in relation to Camilla School. Google Earth allows teachers to record tours, so we recorded our trip to Drumheller and investigated the landscape up close and at a distance. Google Earth will continue to be an integral part of our learning landscape.

Ms. Langford

Reference
Google Earth, (2009). Google Earth. Retrieved from http://earth.google.com/

Literacy and Learning in the 21st Century

On November 4th Technology Learning Coaches in Sturgeon School Division attended an Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium session titled Literacy and Learning in the 21st Century presented by David Warlick. This was the first time many of us had the pleasure of listening to David speak in person and what a great learning day we had!

How do we define literacy today? Is literacy still simply defined by the 3R’s? David emphasized that literacy today is just not about reading and writing, but instead knowing how to find information, ask questions and find answers. What will the web look like in five years? What kinds of technology will emerge? For the first time ever, educators must prepare students for a future we know nothing about. We are preparing students for a future we cannot predict, or what David calls The Perfect Storm. Being literate today means questioning information, exposing information and becoming an informational ‘digital detective’.

David Warlick is an educator, author, public speaker, and blogger with over 30 years of experiences working with students and teachers.

Ms. Tonhauser

Digital Storytelling: Tell Me A Story

"Digital Storytelling refers to using digital tools so that ordinary people can tell their own real-life stories” (Wikipedia, 2009). This emerging form connects storytellers and technology through the power of imagery, voice and video resulting in short digital narratives. This digital format gives students the opportunity to enhance their communication skills by exploring storytelling through multimedia platforms.

The Educause Learning Initiative has published a great article titled 7 Things You Should Know About…Digital Storytelling.

The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling serves as a resource for students and teachers interested in integrating multimedia into technology-based projects.

Center for Digital Storytelling is an international organization committed to helping people tell meaningful digital stories.

The Elements of Digital Storytelling website explores five elements essential in each story: action, media, context, relationship and communication.

DigiTales provides resources for schools, families and organizations ready to use digital tools in the storytelling process.

Camilla School has great multimedia applications available for digital storytelling projects:
• PowerPoint
• Photo Story 3
• Windows Movie Maker

Tech 7 students were introduced to Photo Story 3 for Windows in October and asked to create a visual story of the four seasons. Photo Story 3 software was new to students as well as the concept of digital storytelling, so they were eager to explore the digital possibilities of this project. All of the images used in the four seasons presentations were collected from the Microsoft Office Online free gallery. Specific technical and communicative elements outlined in the development of this story included the use of:
• Title frames
• Customized motion
• Cropping, visual effects
• Transitions and timing
• Conclusion collage





Ms. Tonhauser

Reference
Wikipedia (2009) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_storytelling

Why I’m Happy To Be In Grade 4! Podcast

Grade 4 students have been working on the process of recording their first podcast the past couple weeks and we are finally done! Students were asked to think about why they were excited to be in grade 4. Their responses were creative and varied. Some thought about favourite subject areas, favourite school activities or what they were looking forward to throughout the year.

The recording application used for this podcast was Audacity. This 'easy-to-use' application is great for recording and editing audio files. Using a microphone and a laptop, small groups of students took turns recording their voice, listening to the quality of the recording and rerecording their audio file if necessary. After the recording process was completed, the audio file was uploaded into PodBeam. This free web tool converts the Audacity file into a podcast sharing format available for upload to the school blog.

Powered by Podbean.com

Introduction to Podcasting

If podcasting is a new technology term for you, I recommend watching Podcasting in Plain English created by Lee LeFever at Common Craft. This video gives a simple explanation of podcasting whether you want to create your first podcast or you simply want to listen to podcasts. LeFever lists three reasons in the rising popularity of podcasts:
• Podcasting is a digital medium accessible for all computer users
• Podcasts are available through subscriptions making following favourites an easy task
• Podcasts are just not limited to listening on computers, there are numerous mobile gadgets that serve as portable listening devices (ie. iPods)

What influence and implications do podcasts have on education for students…for teachers?
• An exciting Web 2.0 format for engaging learners
• Provide differentiated instruction by adapting content in response to student learning profiles
• Supports verbal-linguistic learners
• Allows students and teachers the ability to have access to professionals and educational experts worldwide
• Facilitates professional development and distance learning for educators
• Asynchronous learning that allows listeners to review, replay and revisit information

Ms. Tonhauser

Welcome Back!

It is the first day of school and we are excited to have the halls filled with enthusiastic students here for another year of outstanding learning!

On Tuesday, September 1st, Sturgeon School Division hosted Powered Up 2009 “21st Century Teaching for 21st Century Learners” professional development day at Guthrie School. All the teachers in the division came together for a day of learning, sharing, and collaborating through a wide variety of technology topics. Some of the sessions included technology infused instruction through:
• Web 2.0 Tools
• Digital Storytelling
• Promethean Boards
• Online Reference Centre
• Gaming

We are powered up and ready to move towards more digital learning!

Ms. Tonhauser

A Year In Review

The school year is quickly coming to an end. There has been a great deal of enthusiasm about technology-infused lessons and learning this year, and it is sure to continue in the fall. Before summer break begins, it is worth reflecting on just a few of our technology highlights from the 2008-2009 school year:
• New wireless mobile lab
• Introduction of document cameras and Promethean boards
• Videoconferencing projects throughout the year
• January 29th PD focused on technology in-servicing for all staff
• Creation of the Camilla School blog
• May 15th PD day included Promethean board demonstrations

Camilla’s technology learning for teachers and students is a work in progress. Teachers will continue to be dedicated to providing cutting-edge learning opportunities through current technologies and 21st century tools.

Have a wonderful summer vacation!

Ms. Tonhauser