Thunder

iQuiz is a new ‘game’ available to download for your video ipod, it costs 79p in the UK. It allows the user to play multiple choice tests and records their statistics. If you download iQuiz Maker from Aspyr, currently only available for the Mac but Windows version is due out this month, you can also create your own tests that can be uploaded to the ipod. This would be another way of utilising the technologies have students have in their pockets in or beyond our classrooms.

I found several multiple choice ICT tests on Teach ICT and even though their resources are free to use they will not allow me to turn them into iQuiz files:

Hello
Thanks for getting in touch. We have also been considering other channels to pursue, such as ipods (video and audio), so in light of this, we must decline your request of using our content to do this.

If you develop something along those lines using your own material, then please drop us a line as we are always willing to host other contributors work on the teach-ict site.See http://www.teach-ict.com/contributors/index.htm

Regards
www.teach-ict.com

So if anyone knows of any ICT multiple choice questions that I could use, drop me a line and I will share all the iQuiz files I produce.

Does anyone know if this kind of software, both the quiz and quizmaker, is available for the Nintendo DS, Sony PSP or PDAs?

My ibook’s have gone mobile and have landed at Barrow CE Primary school, the pupils are busy playing around with Comic Life.  You can check out pupils progress on the school blog.

While at the Apple RTC event in Newcastle, more postings later, I have just had a brief demo of Clicker 5 and was impressed by its functionality, I was however slightly concerned by the part of the demonstration when he just dragged an image and text off another website and dropped it into Clicker, at this point breaking several copyright laws.  I suggested to him that it might be a good idea to integrate a Flickr advanced search into the application so that users could find creative commons images and use them, unfortunately he wasn’t impressed by the idea and simply said ‘No’.  I wonder why you wouldn’t want to allow this?

Today I have been working with a group of year 7, 8 & 9 students from Sundorne school. The group planned/scripted their podcast for the first hour of the day and then went off to interview staff and students, they used the internal mics on the apple laptops, irivers and a usb mic. After recording the necessary audio they edited the clips within Garageband and obtained appropriate images to enhance the podcast.

• What have you learnt today?
• Was it an enjoyable experience, would you do it again?
• How could a podcast be used by the school?
• What would you like to be on the schools monthly podcast?

Cheltenham College, 10 - 13 April 2007.

Now is your opportunity to develop the ideas you have already had about digital creativity, to see how others are using these new tools with great benefits in learning gains, and to understand the pedagogy that underpins the excitement of digital media. You will learn in an environment where you are given the opportunity, inspiration, space and support to be creative with like-minded colleagues. All learning on this unique course will give you a thorough background in digital media but is carried out in relaxed and friendly manner so that newcomers to the areas covered will not feel intimidated.

At this event, you will investigate a range of activities that focus on different digital media:

• Digital storytelling
• Podcasting
• Creating content using digital video cameras and editing software
• Exploring the use of still images, music podcasts and animation in multimedia projects
• Methods for sharing digital projects on DVD and the Web
• Sharing of experiences, action planning and portfolio development
• Development of skills in subject/age group relevant projects

Further details can be found on the ATI website.

This morning I was in Oldbury Wells School in Bridgnorth, Shropshire working with a group of MFL students in year 9.

8 of the students were studying Spanish and the rest of the group were French students. The students studying Spanish were new to the topic so they produced a Spanish Alphabet podcast and an interview with a famous person/celebrity. The students studying French had been working on health etc in their recent lessons so they produced podcasts based around healthy eating, lifestyles etc.

Prior to the session the students had produced their scripts, that they later copied into the lyrics tab (within itunes), this meant that we were able to get straight on with recording their vocals and adding in sounds, then later in the morning appropriate images. It was the first time the majority of the students had used an Apple Mac but had no problems using Garageband. Flickr was used to find copyright free images for use within their podcasts.

As with all these podcasting days I had a great time and the students all seemed to enjoy what they were doing. The deputy head teacher is now thinking about what next, producing podcasts with year 11 students for revision and purchasing a set of MacBook’s for the school. The MFL teachers that worked with me throughout the morning were really impressed by the language questions the students were asking and their motivation throughout, they didn’t stop and go for break

Here is one example (m4a, mp3) the rest can be downloaded and listened/viewed here.

While at BETT07 yesterday the photograph on the left hand side of their stage was pointed out to
me:

Is the laptop that the boy working on an Apple Mac with the apple airbrushed out?

So what do you think? It certainly looks like a Mac to me.

At last weeks Apple RTC event as I was chatting with several mac users saying that I missed my tablet pc and when are Apple going to bring out a tablet pc with Mac OS.  Looks like my wishes might be granted ‘Apple tablet PC rumour reappears‘.

My latest podcasting adventure was at Priory school in Shrewsbury.  Trina invited me in to work with a group of 20 Y10 students, prior to my visit she had worked with them to produce their scripts - this was done in Google Docs, and example of a script can be viewed here.  As the students were working in groups the use of google docs to produce their scripts was ideal, all of the group could participate in producing the final script.

The podcasts were produced in Garageband, the final podcasts can be viewed/listened to below:

Alex, Nick & Absar (mp3 or m4a)
cfrd (mp3 or m4a)
Condoms (mp3 or m4a)
Hott Pink! (mp3 or m4a)
Matts Music (mp3)
Mindless Chatter, Pointless Talk (mp3)

The deputy headteacher was really impressed by the work that the students produced and the learning environment within the class, several of the students have asked if the school can buy Apple computers.

Having successfully installed Bootcamp onto my mac, I have now installed GameMaker and MissionMaker and they are working well.  Now I can get rid of my laptop.  There appears to be no issues at present with this installation but I will keep you informed if anything untoward happens.