Learning, Teaching and ICT

Well I did it! I finally graduated with a Master’s Degree

Evelyn W was there too. We’ve both worked very hard over the last five years and we finally we got there!

It was ‘touch and go’ a few times for both of us, but we supported each other through the times of self doubt.

After the ceremony I met up with my sisters …… they obviously know me well!

The bottle of Champagne and the ‘sparkly’ mouse and mousemat present just about sums me up

This entry is inspired by Kim who commented on my last post :

‘But just think how much you will be learning along the way ‘……….

(thanks also to Pam for her comment!)

One of the items on my long list was to:

• Introduce the use of vodcasts (audacity and windows movie-maker) to assist enterprising education

  I should have felt at ease with this item on my ‘to do’ list because it’s something I’ve done many times with classes.

Presenting to contemporaries, however, is most definitely not within my comfort zone so I was a bit on edge this week when I stepped up to do my bit – just one slot in the 4 hour CPD session on how the use of ICT can benefit enterprising education.

I’d brought with me an Mp3 file made by some children last year when we visited the local Bookbinders (by chance I still had it somewhere on my laptop at home). We listened to this and then I then showed the difference that was made when we added pictures to the voices.

I demonstrated how to export a recording as an Mp3 file using Audacity, and then import it to Window’s movie maker along with some pictures. The ‘audience’ then created their own mini vodcast.

Despite my lack of presentation skills, I was delighted that the feedback was extremely positive. Everyone (almost instantaneously) saw the potential for using this as a tool to improve story writing.

It was definitely the highlight of my week!!

Earlier in the day, I prepared a quick reminder guide for them (I know what they produced isn’t really a vodcast …. but the potential’s there?)

… And next week’s highlights?:
• Wednesday’s Leonard Cohen concert
• Friday’s graduation ceremony :-)!!