Author: Michael Chalk

Jane Hart’s Top 100 Tools for Learning, 2013

Michael ChalkLeave a commentUncategorized

She’s done it again. For the fifth year running, Jane Hart has compiled a list of the top 100 tools for learning, as ranked by educators around the world. Over 500 educators listed their own top 10, and Jane’s put them all together somehow to come up with this massive list. What I like most about the original list was that each tool would link back to its category, where you could see for example all the “video learning platforms” on one page and compare them. But that feature seems to Read More …

Michael Chalk appears on television: A House around the Corner

Michael ChalkLeave a commentace, e-learning

So, recently I was on television, in my role as an ‘e-learning specialist’! (channel 31) Being interviewed was a bit scary, but the wonderful team at “A House around the Corner” have edited the whole thing very well. Definitely worth following their youtube feed, as there’s plenty of other great stories about LearnLocal in Victoria. (Edit: the site seems to be down in 2017.)

Around the region… new adventures

Michael ChalkLeave a commentUncategorized

It’s been wonderful to meet people who are relatively new to e-learning, as well as to catch up again with those of you who are continuing your journeys. So far this project, we’ve discovered: => At Glenroy NLC, teachers are looking to connect students from different locations, using web conferencing software known as Lync (microsoft). => People at Richmond CLC are starting to explore mobile learning and introduction to tablet apps (the iPad). => Out at Community West, they’ve been investigating how to make powerpoint more interactive for students engaged Read More …

It’s Roadshow Season! Please join us. Friday 28 June.

Michael ChalkLeave a commentUncategorized

If you haven’t noticed already, there’s an e-learning Roadshow coming to you very soon. In Melbourne’s metropolitan region, we’re setting up the show on Friday 28 June, the last day of term 2.. at the CAE in the heart of the city’s coffee-scented Degraves street haven. Don’t miss out.. book now for this terrific opportunity to network with your colleagues, share your stories and find out what e-learning educators have been up to all around the state of Victoria. There will also be regional roadshow days, for example Mooroopna on Read More …

Context is everything: e-learning face-to

Michael Chalk1 Commentace, e-learning

“We’re so far off online learning,” said one manager to me, implying that it was so difficult we shouldn’t even bother. My first response was to bring it all back to the classroom. “Online learning is only one part of e-learning,” I replied. I think people still see the two terms as identical, which is a problem. E-learning, step 1: some kind of technology in your face-to-face situation. For example, taking photographs on an excursion, or recording audio from student presentations. Having access to a local network drive folder for Read More …

An interview with Carmen Harris

Michael ChalkLeave a commentace, adult literacy, e-learning

Recently I spoke with Carmen Harris from Yooralla adult education. Carmen was involved in the North-West e-learning mentor projects back in 2011. She told me all about the amazing work they’ve been doing with literacy and technology over there, including blogs, facebook, email lists and zines. You can listen to the interview right here. I was aiming to edit down to 5-8 minutes, but Carmen just kept on saying interesting things. Highly recommended for an insight into creative classroom practices. [Tech notes:] We spoke over Skype and I recorded the call using Read More …

Investigative Teachers at Community West

Michael Chalk1 Commentresearch, Uncategorized

A wonderful project at Community West in St Albans, where Dinna Tayao has invited teachers to join a weekly session of exploration and sharing. I went out to visit Dinna and her team of investigating educators. They have been running a fantastic in-house exploration of all kinds of e-learning. Each week one teacher explores a new strategy, software or other resource, evaluates its usefulness in class with students, and then reports back to the other teachers. 2 hours a week. They’ve had visiting expert speakers as well. Brilliant work from Read More …

Collaborate and create documents together – with google drive, desktop edition.

Michael Chalk2 CommentsUncategorized

3 Questions: Are you using google docs? (aka google drive) Have you noticed that you can now access your google drive files and folders via your desktop? Have you noticed that you can share any kind of file via this cloud system now, not just google documents? Google drive is now a lot like dropbox – a place to share files and folders with people in different locations. You get 5gb of storage space, and you can access and manage the filing system via your local file manager*.  [*eg: Windows Read More …

Looking back: the last 12 months at PRACE

Michael ChalkLeave a commentcommunity

People often ask, “Why e-learning?”  For me, it’s about providing a strong balance of flexibility and access. Ideally learners (and teachers) can connect with their peers and explore the learning materials outside of set class times and independently of location, in ways that are simple and straightforward. Wherever you are, at a time that suits you.  At PRACE, people continue to explore these themes of flexibility and access in more and more practical ways. Here’s the quick overview of what’s happened at PRACE in the last year. Please tell us Read More …