Tag: innovation

Live session between classes

Michael ChalkLeave a commentace, community, innovation

Today was a roaring success, as we held a Live Session between two classes, one at Merrilands Community Centre and the other in Broadway in the heart of Reservoir. Both groups comprised English as a second language (ESL) learners. Tina and Jan and i came up with a way to use Skype to develop people’s language skills. Lately the students have been practising their descriptive skills, so we decided that each student would describe themselves over the skype phone, and the other group would guess who was speaking. Each group Read More …

make Designed > Zip Zip Usb Brick

Michael Chalk1 Commentinnovation

Yes i should be catching up on many weeks of the cck08 connectivism .. but this gadget from Pat’s shop is too much fun to pass by. The Lego usb stick. i especially love the one with a lego cap on it. make Designed Objects > Zip Zip Usb Memory Brick. Pat runs the make shop in Elgin St, Carlton (Melbourne) .. full of beautiful designer objects. The web site is fully flash, but still searchable with proper urls and page titles. Lovely work.

elluminated innovations (reporting season)

Michael ChalkLeave a commente-learning

Last Tuesday was the mid-year reporting session for Victorian e-learning innovations. Some terrific work going on, especially Coonara community learning centre, and AMES who are both using wiki for students and classrooms. Howard gave us all a three minute timer, and because PRACE was close to the end of the day, i finished 5 seconds inside my 3 minutes. Woot. i enjoy talking to a 3 minute timer .. means you just focus on the essential points. Elluminated? We met in the elluminate live conference room. Always fun to meet Read More …

Can You Hear Us? New project launch ..

Michael ChalkLeave a commentace, innovation, research

Thrills and spills !! What a lovely group of people we’ve got for the new PRACE research project into audio technologies: “Can You Hear Us?” We’re building on the successes of the 2007 “Can u hear me?” project, and last Thursday was the launch day. These sessions are always nerve-wracking and you never feel quite prepared enough, but we dived in and the water was warm! Plenty of ideas flowing around the table, and of course everyone is at different levels of knowledge and experience. First session was about creating Read More …

mmmm .. AutoText brings me typing bliss

Michael ChalkLeave a commentinnovation, technology

“language and literacy” Oh the joy of writing those words! i should say, the ease and simplicity of writing three words, with only three keystrokes. i write those words all the time, so i need a way to do it more easily. I have found the magic of “Auto Text” … 1) i key in double-L, and then 2) the full stop / dot / period key. My autotext program (AutoHotKey) does the rest. Three keys, to write 21 characters. mmmmmmmmm Surely you’ve used – or at least heard of Read More …

Issues for '08

Michael ChalkLeave a commentace, adult literacy, classroom, e-learning, innovation

Over in the AFLF Networks Forum, Coach Carole has suggested discussion around our “top Ten list of issues and technologies would you like to explore in 08 (and why)” Link to the Forum here (login req’d .. but i was too slow to respond.) These are the ideas that fascinate me at the moment: Issues: Digital literacies and participatory digital culture, Development of professional expertise within the ACE sector, Shared writing spaces for adult literacy learners, Audio books on the web, Sharing resources across adult community education (ACE), Professional development Read More …

Hopes and fears for flexible ACE

Michael ChalkLeave a commentace, e-learning, innovation, research

Looking back over 2007, it was an extraordinary year, but i rarely had the energy to write here at all. I’d intended to use this place for reflecting on my research readings. i ended up just writing the thesis instead. One of the best projects in years was “Access ACE“, an investigation into flexible learning in Adult Community Education (ACE). Josie Rose managed somehow to negotiate with all of the regional and central managers at ACFE (the Adult Community Further Education board), and win them over to see the potential Read More …

tried to make me go to Wiihab

Michael ChalkLeave a commentinnovation

A very funny take-off of Amy Winehouse, here we have Amy Brickhouse singing about the Wii. Why did they call it a Wii? (Oh, of course, it’s wireless and the (ii) represents two people standing, waving their arms in 3D space.) i wonder how long before we’ll get wii-based games in the classroom? They could suit some people better, because of the different physicality – you’re really bodily involved in the game (from what i gather .. never touched one. What a dullard.) Must confess i’m waiting for the day Read More …

Flex e-news (second life + interactive ochre)

Michael ChalkLeave a commente-learning, innovation

The latest flex e-news is out, from the AFLF (australian flexible learning framework), and this month one of the feature articles focusses on Second Life, the virtual world that’s been on TV and in the ordinary news. In 2006, Gipps Tafe used Second Life to explore work-based learning for VCAL students. Other articles cover the very inspiring “Interactive Ochre”, which is a CD-based resource on Indigenous Culture. Past articles include one study which shows Australia is leading the world. Links: Lead article on Second Life Article on Interactive Ochre Australia Read More …