The document discusses using new technologies to enhance geography teaching and learning. It promotes using websites, virtual learning environments (VLEs), blogs, podcasts, and wikis to engage students in online learning. The St Ivo geography department created an online portal called GeoBytes that includes course materials, homework support, revision resources, and ways for students to interact online through discussion forums, blogs and interactive activities. The document provides examples of how teachers can use these online tools and virtual communities to support students and promote independent learning.

1. “ Join the Online Revolution” SAGT CONFERENCE 27 th October 2007 Rob Chambers - St Ivo School [email_address] Enhancing the teaching and learning of geography using new technologies www.igeog.wordpress.com www.geobytes.org.uk

2. Source: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aEFKfXiCbLw

3. Websites, VLEs, Blogs, Podcasts & Wikis “ Becoming part of the online revolution” “ Instead of making kids power down when they enter school, why don’t we let them use their mobile computer devices and ipods to continue their high powered learning”? Ewan MacIntosh Why not make use of the technology that more and more of our students have readily available and join the online revolution? “ When I go to school I have to power down” (unknown)

4. “ e-Learning delivers many enhancements to the teaching and learning experience; the biggest impact occurs when the technology enables social and collaborative interaction where all parties actively build their understanding” Steve Lee & Miles Berry (2006) – “Learning through collaboration” (Coming of Age – An introduction to the new world wide web)

5. GeoBytes – St Ivo School Geography Departments Online Portal

6. VLE Pages Online Courses and Communities E-mail – staff / students Blogs GCSE support KS4 Coursework support Individual class support Advanced Extension Support Podcasts Online Web Materials Interactive Games Departmental & Professional Development Resources Future Technologies? St Ivo School Geography Department www.geobytes.org.uk GEOBYTES – The department website – online portal An overview . . .

7. A department website Developing an online presence for your department….

8. Why have a Department Website? The aims of our department website…. To promote the subject within the school & to highlight the work of the department. To provide support to students for coursework / homework activities To celebrate student successes by showcasing work To promote independent learning To centralise and share teaching resources and good practice between staff www.geobytes.org.uk

9. What information may a Department Website include? Revision Materials Coursework Materials Promoting Geography Homework Case Studies Students Work Fieldwork Write ups Weblinks Quizzes Staff Resources Web Enquiries Podcasts Department News Prof Development Photographs SOW GeoNews Competitions

10. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – 1. Homework

11. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – 2. Revision

12. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – 3. Supporting Independent Learning

13. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – 4. INTERACTIVE LEARNING

14. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning PROMOTING THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT / SHOWCASING WORK

15. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning PROMOTING FIELDWORK OPPORTUNITIES

16. Effective use of the department website in Teaching and Learning SUPPORTING STAFF: Staff Resources Portal

17. What Next? Where can you go from here? For those of you who would like to explore the possibilities further…` Look at existing websites for ideas (see handout) Talk to the rest of your department and decide on what your aims of a website would be Speak to technicians and colleagues in school Speak to a department with a website already up and running Look at the advice and support available from professional organisations – (e.g. the GA and LT Scotland. Plan out your ideas – think about structure and content and plan for the future! See Handout “Tantalising Ten” – 10 things to consider in developing your own department website

18. Also known as Personalised Learning Environments Virtual Learning Environments Developing personalised learning experiences…

19. The DfES in their e-strategy document set the following target: A personalised learning space with the potential to support e-portfolios to be available to all schools by 2007-08. What is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)? “ A virtual learning environment is any electronic space where learning can take place or where interactions occur.” Source: http://www.ukcle.ac.uk “ It is an environment that is accessed via the Internet for teaching, learning and communicating.” Source: http://www.kirklees-ednet.org.uk The VLE used at St Ivo is called DigitalBrain . www.geobytes.org.uk

20. Examples of VLEs…

21. Possible Functions of Digital Brain as a Virtual Learning Environment 3. File Sharing Each user has an online storage area – files can therefore be stored and shared. – e.g. students handing in work or staff making available resources from lessons. 1. Electronic Communication All digitalbrain users have an e-mail account. Threaded discussions can also be set up – to encourage debate. A live discussion ‘chat room’ facility is available with or without moderator . 2. Personal Organisation Each user has a series of personal organisational tools – include online contacts, personal calendar etc.. (and when part of a course – assignment deadlines etc. are automatically added. 4. School Portal The overall school portal gives the school a web presence – all staff and students can interact with portal logging in at home and in school and a network can easily be set up to link staff / students through departments / year groups pages. 5. E-Learning Content Content can be uploaded to Digital Brain as powerpoints, word documents, existing web pages etc.. Or staff and students can easily create their own web pages by simply adapting on line templates and adding content 6. Learning Manager – it is possible to combine exisiting resources to create on-line communities. Assignments can be set online with links to useful resources, deadlines, supporting files etc.. Students can submit completed work online – marks can be stored in personal online mark books etc.. www.geobytes.org.uk

22. An Example of an Online Learning Community: GOLC : Geography Online Learning Community Shared Calendar Work area / Stored Resources Discussions Access to Online Resources

23. Some ideas for using Online Learning communities for Teaching / Learning… Uploading / sharing resources used in lessons (e.g. worksheets / powerpoints etc.) for use by students as follow up Setting assignments online and providing the relevant links to online content To create own web based learning content that students can use Encourage students to create their own online content - for example within a group, students research different aspects and present their findings online – results can then be shared by all; Create / upload revision resources that students can access; Support students through discussion threads / e-mail (remember all members of digital brain (staff & students) have e-mail; Encourage student debate on subject specific issues through the online poll function / discussion threads Departmental Uses - Share ideas / resources / good practice within the department / Department Calendar / Store worksheets / resources online for access both in school and at home; These are just a few ideas – online communities have lots of potential!

24. Online portals and collaboration… “ e-Learning delivers many enhancements to the teaching and learning experience” “ many students find that their learning is most effective when they actively construct knowledge during group social interaction and collaboration” Steve Lee & Miles Berry (2006) – “Effective e-Learning through collaboration” (Coming of Age – An introduction to the new world wide web)

25. Collaborative Approaches to Learning using new technologies One to Many Static content web sites Dynamic Content websites RSS Blogs Podcasts Social Tags E-portfolio One to One E-mail and SMS texts Instant Messaging VoIP FOAF (Friend of a Friend) eg. Facebook / Orkut etc. Source: Steve Lee & Miles Berry (2006) – “Effective e-Learning through collaboration (Coming of Age: An Introduction to the NEW Worldwide Web) – Downloadable from http://terry-freedman.org.uk/artman/publish/cat_index_30.php Many to Many Content Management Systems News Servers Forums Discussion Games Wikis

26. Blogs Source: www.cartoonstock.com Flexibility and ease in providing online materials and support..

27. What is a blog? “ A blog (short for web log) is a website where entries are written in chronological order and displayed in reverse chronological order.” (Source: Wikipedia) http://teachable.org/images/blog_cartoon.gif Blogs are interactive websites (visitors can leave comments). You can set up a blog within seconds and updating them is quick and easy. Blogs do not require knowledge of html to write, in fact they are not dissimilar to the time and knowledge required to write an email! These websites and any changes made are viewed instantly and links and downloadable resources can easily be added. Blogs may consist of anything, from specific niche blogs about specific areas of interest to general thoughts and ideas that people which to share.

28. www.geobytesgcse.blogspot.com www.geobytesadvancedextension.blogspot.com www.geoblogbytes.wordpress.com www.igeog.wordpress.com Using Blogs as part of the GeoBytes Portal …

29. “ Unlike the formal use of email, the blog is easy to access through the schools website and allows you to view other peoples questions and answers that you wouldn’t get in another form. It is a great way for students to share their enthusiasm, learn from each other as well as receiving additional guidance they may need from the teacher.” Amy “ I think the blog has been really useful as well - I agree - it’s nice to be able to view everyone else's questions and if it is checked it often is more convenient and quicker than email. It’s also a good motivator!” Megan Getting Feedback… So what do the students think? “ the blog rocks its an easy way to find all the info you need and if everyone has the same question ony one person needs to answer it and everyone gets a response and its just different from reading other our notes over and over” Fi

30. Interested in finding out more about blogs? … Look at examples of Geography Department Blogs (see handout) See igeog.wordpress.com for links and to download guides on setting up wordpress and blogger blogs See Val’s presentation / resources on www.ablogsnotjustforchristmas.blogspot.com

31. VLE Pages Online Courses and Communities E-mail – staff / students Blogs GCSE support KS4 Coursework support Individual class support Advanced Extension Support Podcasts Online Web Materials Interactive Games Departmental & Professional Development Resources Future Technologies? St Ivo School Geography Department www.geobytes.org.uk GEOBYTES – The department website – online portal Looking to the future… Wikis student / staff/ parent / community collaboration Department VodBlog Virtual Fieldtrips / Revision Materials Student and Staff Blogs Discussion Forums

32. Wikis Developing a collaborative approach to teaching and learning …

33. What is a wiki? Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki Source: http://recap.ltd.uk/wiki/Main/Guide The main aim of a wiki is.. The collaboration and sharing of ideas A wiki allows ALL authors to read , edit and write web pages – links can be included to other pages in the wiki or extenal links on the web & incorporate other docs / audio / video etc. Changes can be tracked and who has made them.

34. What can be done with a Wiki? Wikis have many possible uses including amongst others…. Lesson summaries (to include use of hyperlinks to related material) gathering and collaborating on ideas for policies or strategies (e.g. generating discussion on the new KS3 or A’level specifications) collaboration of notes – students working together to draw together notes on a particular topic area (can include and make hyperlinks to resources – including other sites on the world wide web). disseminating information to a wider audience For examples see handout e.g. Court Fields School (Somerset) – Noel Jenkins

35. “ Now, instead of making kids power down when they enter school .. why don't we let them use their mobile computing devices and iPods to continue their high-powered learning”. Source: Ewan Macintosh http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/2007/03/200_minutes_a_n.html

36. Podcasting Utilising student friendly technologies…

37. Possible uses of podcasts in school geography create revision resources / record lesson reminders – recording podcasts on topic areas create revision podcast quizzes students create their own podcasts (another form of outcome) support visually impaired students produce and swap podcasts with students from different countries (audio diaries for comparative country studies) providing feedback to students / assessment help make links with experts in the field (could skype / VoIP conference, record and make available to wider audience) For further ideas on using both podcasting and video blogging across the curriculum in schools – see Terry Freedman’s articles in Coming of Age: An introduction to the new world wide web. ALSO SEE the handout and www.igeog.wordpress.com for more information and links on podcasting

38. Integrating podcasts into online learning..

39. Making further use of new technologies The apple 5th generation ipod can play video as audio. With more and more students buying ipods, how can we be creative in making use of this technology in our teaching and learning of geography? Vodcasts (vidcasts) – what are they? These are similar to podcasts in that they can be delivered to a subscriber via an RSS feed but they contain video content rather than just an audio file. Other potential uses of ipods in education: Ipods are already in use by some other subjects – for example MFL (e.g. Ashcombe School – ipod project http://www.ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk/Curriculum/modlang/videos.htm ) How could we make use of them in geography? iquiz (free iquiz maker) – revision Virtual fieldtrips student presentations video blog fieldwork Video revision (Vodcasts) etc.

40. Child Safety and use of the Internet… Blogs: Common concerns from teachers (identifed by A November “Blogging: shift of control” in “Coming of Age – an introduction to the new world wide web) Blogs give too much freedom for students to express themselves teachers will never be able to control comments students and parents will have too much access to other student’s published work students will feel too much pressure to improve as they see the work and comments of others Issues for staff to consider.. copyright issues in the creation of online content rules needed (against cyber bulling) (with blogs / discussion forums) moderation evaluation of plausibility / accuracy of information school / county policies? See handout and www.igeog.wordpress to follow up these issues

41. Can be downloaded at http://terry-freedman.org.uk/artman/publish/cat_index_30.php Can be downloaded at www.geobytes.org.uk (visit the department section) 2. Geography Directory 2007 A directory of weblinks and resources to support the Teaching and Learning of Geography. 1. Coming of Age: Introduction to the new world wide web A fantastic free booklet packed with case studies and teachers / consultants thoughts on the use of new technologies, how pupils respond etc. FREE RESOURCES

42. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any further questions: Contact Details – [email_address] Website / Blogs: www.geobytes.org.uk (department website) www.geoblogbytes.wordpress.com (used with all classes – to follow up lessons, homework support etc.) www.geobytesgcse.blogspot.com (follows GCSE course through with a log of lessons and links to background material) www.geobytesadvancedextension.blogspot.com (used to support advanced extension class and encourage background reading) www.igeog.wordpress.com (my new blog which will hopefully grow over the next few months – with the aim of blogging about the new use of new technologies to support and enhance geography teaching – blogs, wikis, podcasts etc. etc.) Also: www.geobytestravelandtourism.wordpress.com and www.geobytescoursework.wordpress.com