Category: Digital Technologies
Edutech Masterclass STEM & Coding
Today was a day filled with #STEM and #coding at #EdutechAU Masterclass.
Participants explored how STEM can engage and challenge students while implementing the Australian Curriculum (Science, Mathematics and Technologies).
The days was a ‘hands on’ approach with participants applying a design thinking approach to robotics, programming and STEM, examining related concepts to adapt and implement in their context.
See some below some of the resources and sharing from the day.
Design Challenge with @Sphero @julia_boulton
#EduTechAU #masterclass pic.twitter.com/2928JTmGgw
— Michael (@brbcycling) June 1, 2016
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
#Sphero challenge winners #codeclubau #getkidscoding love the shirts.
— Julia Boulton (julia_boulton) June 1, 2016
THINGLINK
PADLET
https://padlet.com/embed/i8x91jtxj7cm
DESIGN THINKING AND CHALLENGES
https://embed-ssl.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_build_a_tower.html
PROGRAMMING RESOURCES
https://edshelf.com/widgets/shelf/?id=37487&height=550&format=grid&type=shelf
Global Day of Design
CREATE – CONNECT – COLLABORATE
In the JS Library Makerspace, we aim to develop students love of learning through hands-on learning by challenging the thinking 
process.
It is “a holistic approach that links the disciplines so that the learning becomes connected, focused, meaningful, and relevant to learners” (Smith & Karr-Kidwell, 2000, p. 22).
To celebrate our first week of our newly renovated library (which includes the Makerspace) the students were offered the opportunity to participate in the Global Day of Design (26th April #GDD16). Over three days, we offered three design challenges based on literature.
As a part of the Design Process, the students worked in groups to complete the challenge and then reflected on the learning (all in 30 minutes!).
The students were also exposed to the engineering design process which includes identifying a problem, developing ideas and solutions, and sharing these solutions with others.
The Challenges
|
Huff n Puff Designing a bridge for the Billy Goats Gruff |
Shake it Up
Designing an earthquake proof building |
The Sky is the Limit
Paper plane designs (Stealth: longest flight time in air) |
| Materials
toothpicks, masking tape and 3 marshmallows |
Materials
playing cards and ½ metre of masking tape |
Materials
paper |
| Contstraints
Billy Goats have to be attached to a marshmallow. Have to use all the toothpicks |
Contstraints
Have to use all the playing cards. |
Contstraints
1 A4 piece of paper |
Some of the students’ thoughts:
- Need to keep it stable and safe and so we used two cards per wall
- We thought of strategies to keep the building up
- All the parts have a function
- Triangles have more stability than other things
- Thought about the ways to stabilise and use all the cards
- To use the triangle method not the cube
The ICT Mentors for 2016 were introduced to the Design Thinking concept and were available as support for the groups. They exhibited a wonderful enthusiasm and attitude to their role. Well done.
Digital Learning Day 2016
Digital Learning Day is an excellent way to celebrate the ways that our students engage with the world. In education, technology has changed the world we interact with each other – from the classroom to the world.
“Education is evolving due to the impact of the Internet. We cannot teach our students in the same manner in which we were taught. Change is necessary to engage students not in the curriculum we are responsible for teaching, but in school. Period.” – April Chamberlain
“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.” – Bill Gates
https://www.haikudeck.com/e/65d91fd685/?isUrlHashEnabled=false&isPreviewEnabled=false&isHeaderVisible=false
Digital Learning Day – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires
ACTIVITIES
Take a Quiz Safer Internet Day 2016 Quiz
View a video
Post your thoughts on the Padlet (see below)
Classes are encouraged to think about their use of technology in the learning process and
“Share your favourite technological tool for learning and add the hashtag #DLD. Why is it your favourite?”
//padlet.com/embed/6xyfdduvq7zi
Read a blog post (or two)
Lunchtime Activities
- BeeBots, Cubelets and Spheros in the Utilities Room
How We Organise Ourselves: Mini Exhibition
Year Five Mini-Exhibition
The Year Five students have been preparing for their Mini- Exhibition this week. They have been inquiring into the impact of economic decision making.
Central Idea
The economic decisions within society have an impact on humankind and the environment.
Lines of Inquiry
- Economic activities and decisions within society.
- The effect of economic decisions on human kind.
- The effect of economic decisions on the environment.
See below some of the apps and websites that they created to share this information.
Select the image below and scan the QR code to view the Blippit apps. Alternatively, all the St Andrews apps can be viewed HERE .
WEBSITES
MORE WEEBLYs
POWERPOINTS
Sphero Maze Challenge: in Action
The students worked in groups to design a maze for navigating the Sphero.
This is what happened.
Cubelets in Action
Robotics Rule:Sphero
SPHERO MAZE CHALLENGE
TASK:
- Design a maze for the sphero to travel through.
- Consider the ways that the other teams can gain or lose points.
- Challenge another team to complete your maze.
- Use any of the sphero apps on the iPad to complete this challenge.
- Instructable: How to draw a maze
SPHERO YR 5 & 6 MAZE CHALLENGE
AIM: You and your team are challenged to complete the Sphero Maze.
As a team are trying to collect points along the way. You have a limited amount of time per group. The team with the most points wins. This is a game of challenge and strategy.
You will be given time as a team to consider the best approach to achieve the most points.
Consider the below:
1) Is it better to collect points or complete the challenge in the fastest time?
2) Collaboratively decide on the best course of action. Assign a driver and support team.
Mazes sourced: Big Activities
Time Allocation: 1 MINUTE PER GROUP
Will you take the challenge?
e-Learning trends to watch
Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics
YEAR 3 PROGRAMMING WITH APPS
Programming with Apps
On Monday 27th April, select students from Year 3, with the support of the Year 6 ICT Mentors participated in a PROGRAMMING WITH APPS session.
The students were introduced to the following concepts:
- What a program is
- How a computer ‘thinks’
- Computer languages and visual programming
They experimented with following instructions and thinking computationally through the use programmable Bee-Bots and the Bee-Bot app. These tools are excellent for reinforcing directional and procedural language.
Through the use of visual programming apps, the students also learnt to create simple programs. Apps like Daisy the Dinosaur and Kodable support students to learn to code by solving puzzles. The ability to problem solve is a critical and creative skill for students to develop.
The students were now ready to create their own program using Scratch Jnr. This app has a drag and drop interface designed specifically for programming with younger children.
The students were given the task to collaboratively design a simple story, selecting an appropriate setting and writing an interaction between characters. This task made connections between the story writing process and computer literacy through programming. The ICT Mentors supported and directed the younger students exceptionally well at this stage.
All these apps are available for free. More apps can be found at Programming for Primary Students.
If you would like to learn more, read some of our blog posts about programming on the JS Library blog or come and see the Bee-Bots in action during first break in the JS Library.
Innovation and eLearning 