Weekend over week 4 begins!!
Mobile technology. What experiences do we have?, good, bad, informed or uninformed.
Mmmmmmm...........
I started out with using a laptop in my then job as a building examiner at British Rail nearly 21 years ago. Some of my fellow PCET students weren't born then!!! Those were the days of floppy discs and no internet. We posted reports to the office, on discs, in envelopes. Hard to believe in these days of broadband. My next move up was to a Nokia 5800 music smartphone during my Access to H.E. course 5 years ago. Great for music but at the time, not for much else.
Year 1 at uni saw me purchasing a Kindle reader. (carrying all those text books back and forth then became a thing of the past). Year 2 at uni was the year I bought a netbook. Light, handy but a small amount of memory, so slow. I had the memory upgraded and it did sterling work for the next 2 years.
Year 3 at uni was the year of the Google Nexus tablet. I took it around Vietnam and Cambodia in 2013 and sent blogs of my adventures back for my friends to read.
I embrace new technology, it has helped me in further education and made life, mostly easier.
Monday 29 September 2014
Thursday 25 September 2014
Week 3, day 4.
Another interesting day.
Finally got our power point delivered. Tom and Deb were fine, my bit was a bit lame though. Lesson learned there I think. (Could have jazzed it up a bit more).
We then had nearly an hour long presentation on digital learning from a man whose name escapes me (Simon?). Whatever his name he was brilliant. Sadly he no longer teaches in schools but judging by his enthusiasm and dynamism he must have been among the best in his field.
The use of technology he introduced to us for use in the classroom was a heads up on the direction things are taking. None of it was innovative software or hardware but the application of it was. Thinking outside the box as it were.
A warm welcome to Rachael who joined us today. I'm sure you will quickly find that we are a helpful and friendly bunch. Any problems, just ask.
Another interesting day.
Finally got our power point delivered. Tom and Deb were fine, my bit was a bit lame though. Lesson learned there I think. (Could have jazzed it up a bit more).
We then had nearly an hour long presentation on digital learning from a man whose name escapes me (Simon?). Whatever his name he was brilliant. Sadly he no longer teaches in schools but judging by his enthusiasm and dynamism he must have been among the best in his field.
The use of technology he introduced to us for use in the classroom was a heads up on the direction things are taking. None of it was innovative software or hardware but the application of it was. Thinking outside the box as it were.
A warm welcome to Rachael who joined us today. I'm sure you will quickly find that we are a helpful and friendly bunch. Any problems, just ask.
Tuesday 23 September 2014
Just got back from a marvellous production of 'The Merchant of Venice', staged at the Pontardawe Arts Centre.
(I know I should have been working on my lesson plan but it is subject related).
It will also be on at The Parc and Dare Treorchy, The Memo Barry, Chapter Cardiff, Y Ffwrness Llanelli and the Metropole Abertillery.
If you get a chance, go and see it. Student discounts apply.
A very talented actor who studied on the same degree course as me plays Bassanio. His stage name is Huw Novelli.
One to watch in the future!
www.pontardaweartscentre.com/
(I know I should have been working on my lesson plan but it is subject related).
It will also be on at The Parc and Dare Treorchy, The Memo Barry, Chapter Cardiff, Y Ffwrness Llanelli and the Metropole Abertillery.
If you get a chance, go and see it. Student discounts apply.
A very talented actor who studied on the same degree course as me plays Bassanio. His stage name is Huw Novelli.
One to watch in the future!
www.pontardaweartscentre.com/
Monday 22 September 2014
Some interesting websites associated with English Literature:
www.theguardian.com › Professional › Teacher Network
www.reading.ac.uk/english-literature/.../ell-ug-english-literature-teaching...
www.onlinecolleges.net/top-100-high-school-teachers-who-blog/
www.englishblog.com/literature/
Sunday 21 September 2014
George Orwell.
Bonjour Christelle. Ca va? How goes your weekend so far? I have found a blog on a fascinating site that gives a little insight into some areas of George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984. It begins by supplying the reasons for the naming of room 101 and how it has become part of everyday language. I suppose it may be said that this is the 'ripple effect' I mentioned yesterday. Would you agree? It then mentions links and coincidences between other authors and their novels. Have a look, see what you think and let me know your thoughts on it. interestingliterature.com/
Bonjour Christelle. Ca va? How goes your weekend so far? I have found a blog on a fascinating site that gives a little insight into some areas of George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984. It begins by supplying the reasons for the naming of room 101 and how it has become part of everyday language. I suppose it may be said that this is the 'ripple effect' I mentioned yesterday. Would you agree? It then mentions links and coincidences between other authors and their novels. Have a look, see what you think and let me know your thoughts on it. interestingliterature.com/
Saturday 20 September 2014
Good morning Christelle, I hope you are well.
Here is a blog I found written by a lecturer in Reading University.
He talks about the ripple effect that books can have on the lives of students and I think he also means the effect which he can have on them too.
I like to think that as educators we can point students towards good literature, authors they may not be familiar with and interpretations they may not have yet discovered.
I shall continue my search later and post you more.
Enjoy your weekend.
Mike.
blogs.reading.ac.uk/the-life-of-a-lecturer/
Friday 19 September 2014
Microsoft Apps
Week 2 over, a weekend of work and play in prospect!
Play, in that its my 60th birthday and I will have a glass of wine or 2.
Work, in the form of researching Blogs relevant to my subject (English Literature) and sharing/ commenting on them in partnership with Christelle.
I now know how to embed the code for the websites etc into my Blog or any other document. Revelation. What a marvellous app.
But, Microsoft apps are a curse and a blessing. The amount of time I have wasted over the years trying to get Mr Gates' little wonders to do what I want them to do not what they want me to do.
There you go, I've just personified them, such is their influence on our home, working and academic lives.
My latest discovery (well not really a discovery, more part of a lecture delivered by Mandy in her inimitable style) was the ability in Word documents to insert automatic Harvard referencing into essays. I have typed my fingers to the bone over the years oblivious to this little gem.
Thank you Mr Gates. Thank you Mandy. I can now face the future with one less chore to worry about.
I.T. really is moving at a exponential rate.
Week 2 over, a weekend of work and play in prospect!
Play, in that its my 60th birthday and I will have a glass of wine or 2.
Work, in the form of researching Blogs relevant to my subject (English Literature) and sharing/ commenting on them in partnership with Christelle.
I now know how to embed the code for the websites etc into my Blog or any other document. Revelation. What a marvellous app.
But, Microsoft apps are a curse and a blessing. The amount of time I have wasted over the years trying to get Mr Gates' little wonders to do what I want them to do not what they want me to do.
There you go, I've just personified them, such is their influence on our home, working and academic lives.
My latest discovery (well not really a discovery, more part of a lecture delivered by Mandy in her inimitable style) was the ability in Word documents to insert automatic Harvard referencing into essays. I have typed my fingers to the bone over the years oblivious to this little gem.
Thank you Mr Gates. Thank you Mandy. I can now face the future with one less chore to worry about.
I.T. really is moving at a exponential rate.
Thursday 18 September 2014
Well its the end of day 3 week 2.
Sorry if I wasn't my normal jovial self today, I had some sad news overnight.
My ex wife died yesterday after a short illness.
Although we were divorced we were still friends. And I spoke on the phone with her last week about my course and how it was going.
She was a mature student herself and graduated form Cardiff Uni in 2003 with a first in Theology. She understood what being a returning learner was all about and gave me great encouragement.
See you all in the morning.
Sorry if I wasn't my normal jovial self today, I had some sad news overnight.
My ex wife died yesterday after a short illness.
Although we were divorced we were still friends. And I spoke on the phone with her last week about my course and how it was going.
She was a mature student herself and graduated form Cardiff Uni in 2003 with a first in Theology. She understood what being a returning learner was all about and gave me great encouragement.
See you all in the morning.
Wednesday 17 September 2014
Tuesday 16 September 2014
INTRODUCTION TO MY BLOG
This is the introduction to what I'm sure will be the first of many blogs during my PCET training.
The first week, (induction) was a little easier than I had imagined it would be.
This week we are begining the nuts and bolts.
The rest of my fellow students are starting to gel and we all seem to know each others names now.
Our backgrounds are varied, from law graduates to artists and from psychology graduates to sound recordists.
What we do have in common though is the desire to learn how to spread our knowledge, to educate learners and to make a difference in their lives. (Sounds profound). There is an enthusiasm in the air, and not a little trepidation.
Lots of questions, important questions are being asked. Where do I find this? How did you do that?
How do I get to....?
All of the staff I have encountered so far have been helpful, I suppose they get used to people constantly asking questions. The technology in the classrooms is brilliant (when it works). Things have moved on beyond description since I was in school 45 years ago. Then it was chalk and black boards, now its interactive white boards (how does that actually work?)embedded links, You tube,....the list is endless. So many questions, so little time. But the over-riding question seems to be.... where are the maintenance grants?
Week 2 and I seem to be the only student who has had money paid into their accounts. Was it a mistake? Will they pay me again when the others get theirs?
Watch this space............
This week we are begining the nuts and bolts.
The rest of my fellow students are starting to gel and we all seem to know each others names now.
Our backgrounds are varied, from law graduates to artists and from psychology graduates to sound recordists.
What we do have in common though is the desire to learn how to spread our knowledge, to educate learners and to make a difference in their lives. (Sounds profound). There is an enthusiasm in the air, and not a little trepidation.
Lots of questions, important questions are being asked. Where do I find this? How did you do that?
How do I get to....?
All of the staff I have encountered so far have been helpful, I suppose they get used to people constantly asking questions. The technology in the classrooms is brilliant (when it works). Things have moved on beyond description since I was in school 45 years ago. Then it was chalk and black boards, now its interactive white boards (how does that actually work?)embedded links, You tube,....the list is endless. So many questions, so little time. But the over-riding question seems to be.... where are the maintenance grants?
Week 2 and I seem to be the only student who has had money paid into their accounts. Was it a mistake? Will they pay me again when the others get theirs?
Watch this space............
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