Mini Project Checklist - My Meerkat Voki March 2, 2008
Posted by Al Upton in miniLegends.Tags: blog, blogging, elearning, fun, learning, mini projects, miniLegends, student directed, student initiated, voki
1 comment so far
55 second checklist for our student initiated mini projects.
Please check our previous post -
Student Directed Learning - Family, Mentors and Buddies
Right click our mini’s blogs page above to open in a new tab or window.
If my Voki has been removed by your feedreader, you can check it out here.
For more on embedding vokis, check out Sue Water’s post in The Edublogger …
Adding A Voki Speaking Avatar To A Post or Page of Your Blog
Student Directed Learning - Family, Mentors and Buddies February 24, 2008
Posted by Al Upton in miniLegends.Tags: blog, blogging, elearning, fun, learning, mini projects, miniLegends, student directed, student initiated
1 comment so far
Hi this is a task I would like you to consider.
‘Consider’??? What do I mean? You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to!? 
No. I would like you to consider how this task can best help your learning - make it fun and interesting.
Firstly. I would like you to click the http://alupton.edublogs.org/springboards/ page above and choose some of the questions to answer.
They are above the dotted line ——————–
[NB as a class we negotiated these questions and felt we had covered them well enough and to concentrate our learning on our mini projects and posts.]
Then. I would like you to explore some of the springboards to choose a topic you could do a ‘mini project’ on. Give yourself a challenge. Choose something you don’t know much about but would like to know more. If you always do ‘dinosaurs’ or ‘ponies’ please avoid them here! In the comments of http://alupton.edublogs.org/springboards/ type in what you would like to research and what springboard you used to find it.
Next write a post about your topic on your own blog. You will have a few lessons to do this and use a few posts if you want.
- introduce your topic (consider your title carefully)
- share what you have found so far
- copy and paste any links you have used for information and pictures
(right-mouse-click ‘copy link location) - write what more you might want to find out about your topic
- ask your mentors, buddies and family if they would like to join in, share and help you with your topic.
- add and present the information you find with pride. Do this using your own words - don’t just copy other people’s. Remember if someone helps you or if you find something somewhere else, then you need to say that. Pictures need to come from sites that allow you to use them for free - be very careful of this.
Finally remember to ‘read and respond’ to the comments that you have received on your blog. Use your internet manners and keep ’safe and savvy’.
UPDATE: your learning does not have to be all online/internet/blogging etc … this is just a starting point, a springboard to how you would like to learn about your chosen topic and present it. Please don’t forget to involve your folks. 
Class blogs - permission and consent forms February 18, 2008
Posted by Al Upton in miniLegends.Tags: blog, blogging, consent form, elearning, learning, miniLegends, permission, student directed, student initiated
2 comments
This post has been generated by some mentors in our new ‘mentor a mini’ program.
“What do your consent forms look like?”, “How do you go about asking permission?” sort of thing. This is just a bit of a look at how it happens in our class. All comments and ideas more than welcome.
First and foremost get the student’s permission. This can be where the conversations really start. If you are looking at student initiated/centred/directed learning then it makes sense. If you’re dealing with human learners, well, it’s a good idea to include all parties with a vested interest. 
Include/inform parents, caregivers, line managers, site leaders … (and I also like to inform our departmental leaders of our progress and intentions … better still seek their interest and involvement)
Look to official site, district, department and government policies and supplied/required forms if they exist. I know most of our readers don’t live in South Australia but here are a few links and downloadable pdfs edubloggers might like to check out.
Goverment of South Australia - Department of Education and Children’s Services (DECS)
Policies, Acts and Regulations … ICT: internet access and use
DECS Strategic Plan for Learning and Business Technologies 2006 - 2010
DECS Standard Acceptable Use
and a downloadable form
(detective work finding this by Rob our ICT coordinator)
CONSENT FORM/ TALENT RELEASE FORM
FOR USE OF IMAGES FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES
If you are modifying or composing a form on your own … Try to cover all bases … but keep it educational … and make it clear you will ensure all due care is taken at your end.
Begin with an informative outline of the forms purpose - hey it can even be friendly. In essence it’s … “For our own class use, it would be excellent if all students are able to upload photos, videos and audio (sound) of themselves to share with each other, folks at home and the classes/educators we collaborate with.” … example minilLegends permission form 
(without school header … include this as well - with leadership knowledge of and permission for the form)
I don’t think it has to be all officious but the bottom bit (to be signed, cut off and returned) needs to be carefully worded.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I consent to my child’s involvement in the following learning and development of teaching resources:
(Please tick applicable statements)
The use of video/audio footage of my child for publication on educational websites, on video or in other electronic format (i.e. CD, DVD).
The use of photographs of my child for publication on educational websites, in printed matter and electronic formats (i.e. CD, DVD).
“Educational websites” includes http://www.alupton.edublogs.org/
The publication of my child’s first name and collaborative learning that is displayed on educational websites, in printed matter, on CD or on video/audio.
By signing below, I confirm that I am a legal guardian of the named student.
Signed: ____________________________________ Dated: ____________
Full Name of Child:_____________________________
Name of School: Glenelg School
Pleasant Street, Happy Suburb, Adelaide, SA, 5158
Add to Diigo
