Going back to full-time work

The course has finished.. and I had to go back to my work..but full-time
the practical course will commence after Ramadan..but I wonder
how I am going to do it while working.. well when time comes
everything will be figured out as usual..no need to be
worried now

While I was browsing I came accross this funny article about blogs and blogging I want to share it with you..

http://www.kuro5hin.org:80/story/2005/2/7/161047/1869

Webquest designing diagram

What is a webquest ?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing. There are at least two levels of WebQuests that should be distinguished from one another.
WebQuests of either short or long duration are deliberately designed to make the best use of a learner's time. There is questionable educational benefit in having learners surfing the net without a clear task in mind, and most schools must ration student connect time severely. To achieve that efficiency and clarity of purpose, WebQuests should contain at least the following parts:
An introduction that sets the stage and provides some background information.
A task that is doable and interesting.
A set of information sources needed to complete the task. Many of the resources are embedded in the WebQuest document itself as anchors pointing to information on the World Wide Web. Information sources might include web documents, experts available via e-mail or realtime conferencing, searchable databases on the net, and books and other documents physically available in the learner's setting. Because pointers to resources are included, the learner is not left to wander through webspace completely adrift.
A description of the process the learners should go through in accomplishing the task. The process should be broken out into clearly described steps.
Some guidance on how to organize the information acquired. This can take the form of guiding questions, or directions to complete organizational frameworks such as timelines, concept maps, or cause-and-effect diagrams as described by Marzano (1988, 1992) and Clarke (1990).
A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned, and perhaps encourages them to extend the experience into other domains.
Some other non-critical attributes of a WebQuest include these:
WebQuests are most likely to be group activities, although one could imagine solo quests that might be applicable in distance education or library settings.
WebQuests might be enhanced by wrapping motivational elements around the basic structure by giving the learners a role to play (e.g., scientist, detective, reporter), simulated personae to interact with via e-mail, and a scenario to work within (e.g., you've been asked by the Secretary General of the UN to brief him on what's happening in sub-Saharan Africa this week.)
WebQuests can be designed within a single discipline or they can be interdisciplinary. Given that designing effective interdisciplinary instruction is more of a challenge than designing for a single content area, WebQuest creators should probably start with the latter until they are comfortable with the format.

Day Nine - survey - - Completing our webquests

...

Day Eight - Making a webquest

Today we began preparing for our webquest
The class was divided into groups
ane we called our gourp = Future's Eyes

Our webquest is going to be about health and beauty

Day Seven - Webquests

In this class we learned about webquests.

So what do you know about webquests?

A webquest is an assignment which asks students to use the World Wide Web to learn about and/or synthesize their knowledge a specific topic. A “true” webquest, as originally designed by Bernie Dodge and Tom March, requires synthesis of the new knowledge by accomplishing a “task,” often to solve a hypothetical problem or address a real-world issue. Simpler web activities designed for students to investigate and collect new knowledge from web-based sources can also be a more engaging and effective replacement for read-the-chapter-and-complete-the-review-questions. This tutorial will walk you through the basics to create a simple or more elaborate activity

To know more about this subject click here

in the class we were asked to evaluate four webquests. We worked in group and each member of the group had a role judging a number of areas such as efficiency, use of technology, using high levels of thinking and cooperative learning

Next class we will make a webquest using either a mword or powerpoint template

the instructor showed us this powerpoint about designing effective powerpoint presentations

Day seven - the role of ICT - webquest

So what do you know about webquests?
A webquest is an assignment which asks students to use the World Wide Web to learn about and/or synthesize their knowledge a specific topic. A “true” webquest, as originally designed by Bernie Dodge and Tom March, requires synthesis of the new knowledge by accomplishing a “task,” often to solve a hypothetical problem or address a real-world issue. Simpler web activities designed for students to investigate and collect new knowledge from web-based sources can also be a more engaging and effective replacement for read-the-chapter-and-complete-the-review-questions. This tutorial will walk you through the basics to create a simple or more elaborate activity
To know more about this subject click here
in the class we were asked to evaluate four webquests. We worked in group and each member of the group had a role judging a number of areas such as efficiency, use of technology, using high levels of thinking and cooperative learning
Next class we will make a webquest using either a mword or powerpoint template
the instructor showed us this powerpoint about designing effective powerpoint presentations

Day six - PMI strategy for evaluation

Today we learned how to use the PMI strategy (P= plus, M=minus, I=interesting)to evaluate tutorials, simulations, games and drills and practice.

At the beginning the instructor explained these concepts and after that he asked us to evaluate them in groups. He discussed all the groups' ideas on the WB then we were asked to use

inspiration to make a mind map listing all our points

Teachers can either rely on ready-made games or make up their own games using simple programs such as powerpoint and mword

Day Five- Adding a game to your blog

On this day we learned how to add a game to the blog
and how to register on webpaint and wiki

I was busy helping one of my classmates that I didn't quite understand it.. and when i was browsing my classmates' blogs I saw that Hanadi applied it and posted a game herself

I asked for her help and she kindly explained it in her blog.. Thanks Hanadi

==Here are the steps

.Find the game by browsing or searching.This site is a good choice.

.Click on the game you want.

. Click down the 'embed' image to pull down the code and copy.

On your blog page,click on 'Edit Html', paste the code and publish the post

Day Four - part 2

We talked about concept maps and the instructor asked two students one from the women’s group and the other from the men’s group to draw a concept map then played a game to draw a word. Then he taught us how to add graphic organizers in mword.

By using a concept map the teacher will know how students think. It can be used as a pre-test before a test or a certain topic. Even if students bring out ideas that are not related it is a good idea to write it down on wb but out side the concept map.

Benefits of concept maps:
Easy to change if used with portable papers or electronic chart.

Not all sts learn in the same way. Some learn by texts some by visuals.

Talking time (2 mints)
What mind maps you already use?
F5 + ctrl to refresh the blog

It is surprisingly how children enjoy mind maps . we have to present it in a creative way before presenting it to chidren.. we can break the routine by making them move to hang their mind maps.



We can make mind map at beginning, middle and end to make a record of any changes.

Eg. Inspiration in math (a chidren version kidspiration)

We opened the program inspiration trial version.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mind_mapping_software
look at mind map programs that you can use in your class.

We will download the program then make a curriculum based mindmap.

We can download the free trial version copy of the inspiration program from the site

http://www.inspiration.com/

My colleage mariam made a cute mindmap you can check it on her blog.
My clolleage shareefa made a mind map about parts of words.

Mind meister site

http://www.mindmeister.com/

What is interesting is that you can more than one computer to do one mindmap

Time for reflection and blogging

We opened some interesting sites concerning mindmaps.

How to post your mind map

There is a trick

Select all + copy
Paste in paint
Save it
Then upload it in the blog with the usual way

How to edit the picture

Click on top
Alt+print screen (on usual comp)
Alt+print screen + fn (in a laptop)

Note: I had to compromise between my work and the college I talked to Mrs. Annalessa. I found her to be very lovely and understanding of my situation and offered that I leave early at 12 pm but then I thought that I have no means of transportation which made me ask one of my colleagues to drop me on her way at ZU.

My final decision was to stay for the two sessions either way non of the faculty members and most of the staff would be in dubai for the convocation. But it was worth it to meet with Mrs. Analyessa and saw her point of view. So the issue've been resolved.

Day Four - Part 1 - Mind maps - concept maps - target maps = different words but same idea

Today we learnt about making mind maps using smart programs
such as Inspiration.. you can download your 30-days trial version here
I tried to use it.. it is so much fun if you have time of course ..this is what i came up with
although the quality of the screened image is not clear but if you click it..a new window with a clearer quality will appear

:)

This video offers a simple tutorial on how to use inspiration

I'm trying to list my classmates blogs using the list gadget..some of them are really useful and interesting..but i couldn't add all the blogs there seems to be system mistakes

any way i'll try to add them later

Day Three

At the beginning of class the instructor introduced the topic: student-centered learning and asked us to make a mind map about advantages and disadvantages and any other relative ideas.

This was our group's mind map:

After that we were taught how to make a link in our blog without having to paste the url address.

We have to go to edit, highlight the word or sentence, click on the add a link button and then paste the copied link. Look at illustration

1

Highlight the word you want to connect

a link to

2

Click on the add hyperlink button

it looks similar to this

3
we go back to the our link and copy it

4
Finally we paste the url address here then press ok

and vwalaaa mission accomplished :)

The instructor presented us with a site about the dangers of Dihydrogen Monoxide and later on we discovered that this long word Dihydrogen Monoxide simply means h2o which is water! How can water be a dangerous substance. The site was fake although it seemed to be so true. The point is that we shouldn't believe everything written simply because it is written we have to look for other opinions and sources to know the truth.

Microsoft Excel makes it possible for the computer to audibly read back data entered on a worksheet.We learned this interesting trick. We couldn't verify if what we did was correct because there were no speakers or headphones but I guess it's correct. I tried it at home with my sister's laptop but it seems the a different version of windows was installed.


In order to do this we have to open excel, select excel options, customize, choose all commands, choose speak cells on enter, click add then O.K. Look at the pictures for illustration.

Another trick in powerpoint is to add comments when moving the cursor on a certain image.

APA reference style: this is a certain way in siting references and quotes in either your blog or essays

Some important sites:

(the teacher's blogs)

www.abudhabi-atq.blogspot.com
www.delicious.com/atq

Day Two

I woke up rather drowsy hurrying up to the class and carrying my heavy laptop to discover that I forgot to charge it. I decided that it would be more practical to use the available computers which are just fine and working well. The first thing I did is to pick up one of the handy newspapers which are located at the reception and on the first page this article caught my eye (our teacher, Dr. Anthony pointed out it as well):

the article talks about the recent reforms that are made in schools concerning curriculums and ways of teaching.. which concentrates more on analytical and problem solving skills.. as it stated there are some resistence .. well as they say nothing is easy to the unwilling.. but I hope that change is for the better..

In this lesson, and the next lesson also, we are covering these points:

1. ICT as mind tools
2. Student-centered learning
3. Blogs
4. What to do if you have only one computer in your class

As the instructor pointed out there are lots of information and facts popping up every day and today's information is possibly considered outdated tomorrow. So we have to equip both ourselves and our students with tools to sort out information, analyze, criticize and evaluate those information.

So why is it useful to use blogs (comes from the word web-log = blog) in the classroom? One of the reasons is to extend the wall of the classroom. It is also a fun and interesting way to motivate learners, especially if you involve parents by making children show them their work done in the class. It is far easier to invite parents to their children's blogs rather than inviting them to the classroom. In addition if you give your children a paper to give to their parents, chances for that paper to be delivered is limited but if you post it in the classroom's blog, parents will surely be notified.

Of course before using blogs some ettiquies have to be learned concerning appropriate content, language and behavior when making or commenting on blogs.

During the lesson, the instructor provided us with some tricks and innovative ways to use Microsoft word as a visual aid

When I got back to work I tried to search for blogs and I pumped into a site which lists top popular blogs around the web..they can be useful if you want some inspirations and good ideas to be added to your website.. you can check it here

My journey to ICT - Day One

Hello every one :)

Today was my first day in the ICT course, although before entering class I was privileged to have an unintended tour around Abu Dhabi streets, Al Moroor street to be specific, I didn’t enjoy it and it wasn’t planned believe me! I got out of my work (Zayed University) to stop a taxi. I told him to drop me at Emirates College for Educational Development but it seems that he misheard me. I leaned back sure of the good service (it was one of the grey taxis if you know what I mean) with my mind wondering not aware of the road. To my misfortune he stopped at the Higher Colleges of Technology! He stopped more than once to ask people and taxis about the place

.
I was ashamed of myself for not knowing the exact location and internally mad at that driver but eventually excused him; ECAE is a new place and so is the driver himself. Finally I arrived with a charge of 21.70 Dhs and if the driver or me knew the exact location it could’ve cost me only 5 or even 3 Dhs. Since Zayed University is so near the place; I did it the hard way.
I entered the administration building looking for the class but I couldn’t find my name on any of the lists and I went all the way to the other building to find out that there is no body there in the first place because of maintenance. I spent nearly 10 minutes on another class so that I won’t waste my time and in that class’s break I looked for my class and finally found it.

Surely, it wasn’t my day

I made it to the class at last. I met the instructor; he was understanding. I greeted my classmates. I arrived when the teacher was explaining about computers and how they are used as a tutor, tutee and as a mental and productive tool. We were supposed to create a gmail but the system went down so this step was decided to be postponed until tomorrow. We learned some interesting techniques in powerpoint like creating a hyperlink (to a slide or a web page) and choosing from the designs available. Next time we are going to learn more about blogging; I’m so excited about it.Later at the end of the class I asked my colleagues about whether I missed anything important and they informed me that in the first session, our teacher introduced himself and talked a little bit about his family and hobbies

To me this is a very important part, it's always good to know the human side of teachers

It seems that reversing roles, me being a student instead of a teacher, make us behave and think just like them. This is in itself is an opportunity to be in our students' shoes; struggling and facing difficulties if introduced with new skills and lessons. As a result we would be more understanding and tolerant to those small minds

....