[Year 12 IPM] OT: Girls in IT (was LAN gaming)
Laurie Savage
sav at pvgc.vic.edu.au
Thu Mar 16 22:35:42 EST 2006
I work in a girls' school. It is not a highly academic school (northern
suburbs, large NESB, mostly low socio-economic backround) but we do not
have problems with kids not using the computers at lunch-time. We
effectively have a computer club without calling it such.
What are we doing? Several things from several teachers.
I have set up a Moodle and that is creating several communities.
Examples - our integration aides have set up a social course as has our
librarian with her book club. I have maintained an open door policy with
our Moodle front page so we have ongoing conversations about football,
bears, the Moodle logo, global warming and anything else students suggest.
We run an animation competition - our students work with Flash MX and
have been exposed to it since about year 8 or 9.
We teach web design quite extensively (I'm afraid I am a stickler fro
standards and accessibilty) and students need to maintain their web
pages, and while this often consists of finding yet another animated
background, they are maintaining them with Notepad or Dreamweaver!
We have students using Illustrator, Fireworks and Photoshop. Completing
projects and extending existing projects.
They are having fun, learning industry standard software and quite a few
have moved into the industry. I have senior students running small
design boutiques for their friends' bands or Freeza committees.
I have never enjoyed computer games myself and as far as I know none of
my colleagues do either, but we are managing to interest our students in
computing.
LS
Charmaine Taylor wrote:
> These are useful sites too:
>
> http://www.mmv.vic.gov.au/Home
> http://www.mmv.vic.gov.au/WomeninICT
> http://www.vicictforwomen.com.au
>
> Charmaine Taylor
> Sunbury Downs College
>
>
>
> Donna Benjamin wrote:
>
>> Pia Waugh - Vice President of Linux Australia recently spoke at the
>> following event... she says a similar event is being organised in
>> Melbourne... so I thought this might be of interest...
>>
>> http://gogirlwa.org.au/index.php
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 2006-03-01 at 22:52 +1100, Diane Peat wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Hello everyone
>>> In answer to Margaret's query about Computer Clubs, I hate to say we
>>> tried
>>> but had no takers, even among the Year 7 students!
>>> They just don't see it as 'cool'.
>>>
>>> Diane Peat
>>> Firbank Grammar School
>>> BRIGHTON VIC 3186
>>> Tel (03) 9591 5188
>>> Email dpeat at firbank.vic.edu.au
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]On
>>> Behalf Of Lawson, Margaret
>>> Sent: Wednesday, 1 March 2006 11:42 AM
>>> To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management
>>> Teachers'MailingList
>>> Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] OT : LAN gaming
>>>
>>> Keep the suggestions coming!
>>>
>>> We are grappling with the impact of multiplayer networked games in the
>>> classroom ... and how to harness that power for good and not evil!
>>>
>>> Are there any Girls schools that run computer clubs?
>>>
>>> Margaret
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
>>> On Behalf Of Keith Richardson
>>> Sent: Tuesday, 28 February 2006 7:50 PM
>>> To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management
>>> Teachers'Mailing List
>>> Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] OT : LAN gaming
>>>
>>> Stephen - I totally disagree!
>>> If we carried your hypothesis to its logical conclusion, the only sports
>>> games we would allow on the sport field or in the playground would be
>>> <<"games" that deliver quality educational outcomes>>.
>>> Computing, reading, running, catching, argueing, debating are all
>>> legitimate human activities. Get a life, I say!
>>> To me passion is everything - if people are passionately motivated, you
>>> can climb mountains with them...
>>> Back to you, my friend!
>>> Keith
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 20:28:59 +1100, "Stephen Digby"
>>> <digby.stephen.p at edumail.vic.gov.au> said:
>>>
>>>> Suggest that only "games" that deliver quality educational outcomes be
>>>> allowed in schools - full stop.
>>>> We go out of our way to make the distinction between the legitimate
>>>>
>>> use
>>>
>>>> of computers in homes for a variety of purposes (from sexual
>>>> gratification, through entertainment, to business and often some small
>>>> education component) and the special use of computers in
>>>> school for exclusively education purposes.
>>>>
>>>> Children arrive at school with a sense that the "natural" use of
>>>> computers (and TV !) is entertainment. Every time we allow this
>>>> within school, we accept that this is true and that educational
>>>> activities are inherently second rate and can only be sustained with
>>>> extrinsic motivators or punishments.
>>>>
>>>> I have the same opposition to the short-sighted use of videos,
>>>> entertaining excursion and being "let off" early as rewards for good
>>>> work.
>>>> They all add to the same perception that education is drudgery. That
>>>>
>>> all
>>>
>>>> gain can be achieved without any pain. That perseverance
>>>> is sometimes regrettably necessary in some subjects (probably because
>>>>
>>> the
>>>
>>>> teacher is not much good, or the content is old fashioned)
>>>> etc etc.
>>>>
>>>> By all means involve students in game analysis and design which will
>>>> involve playing in a disciplined, and reflective manner. But
>>>> make sure that the games analysed, designed and played have deep
>>>> intellectual content and preferably significant cultural
>>>> significance.
>>>>
>>>> Students ARE challenged by playing war games - everything from chess,
>>>> through RISK to historical battle simulations. They can learn
>>>> excellent thinking skills, interpersonal strategies and a great deal
>>>>
>>> of
>>>
>>>> history IF the experience is guided by a good teacher (or
>>>> parent).
>>>>
>>>> "Fun, amusement, entertainment" are often by products of a well
>>>>
>>> designed
>>>
>>>> educational activity - they should never be a core
>>>> objective - even at lunchtime.
>>>>
>>>> As teachers, we can always invent some jargon filled rationalisation
>>>>
>>> for
>>>
>>>> what we often know to be capitulation to a culture of
>>>> "little brain".
>>>> If they are to play LAN games, make it "serious", make it challenging,
>>>> make it - make it educational..... Can you do it ?
>>>> Honestly ? If not, don't.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> ========================================================================
>>> ==============
>>>
>>>> Stephen Digby, Learning Technology Manager
>>>> digby.stephen.p at edumail.vic.gov.au
>>>> Cheltenham Secondary College www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au Ph: 613 955 55
>>>>
>>> 955
>>>
>>>> Fx: 9555 8617
>>>>
>>>>
>>> ========================================================================
>>> ==============
>>>
>>>>
>>>> We Trained hard.....but it seemed that every time we were beginning to
>>>> form up into teams, we would be re-organised... I was to
>>>> learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by
>>>> re-organising....and a wonderful method it can be for creating the
>>>> illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and
>>>> demoralisation. Petronius 210 BC
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _____
>>>>
>>>> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
>>>>
>>> On
>>>
>>>> Behalf Of WEIR Andrew
>>>> Sent: Monday, 27 February 2006 7:15 PM
>>>> To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management
>>>> Teachers'Mailing List
>>>> Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] OT : LAN gaming
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Andrew
>>>> Thanks for that we have started to investigate games without a
>>>>
>>> violence
>>>
>>>> aspect straight after i sent the email the students involved
>>>> understand the issues with perception of violence.
>>>>
>>>> Andrew
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Andrew Shortell
>>>> Sent: Mon 2/27/2006 3:32 PM
>>>> To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management
>>>> Teachers'MailingList
>>>> Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] OT : LAN gaming
>>>>
>>>> Andrew,
>>>> Counter strike is a game that encourages a lot of noise from the
>>>> participants. (I really mean a lot.) The game server needs its
>>>>
>>> firewall
>>>
>>>> disabled. The game runs quicker on a dedicated machine.
>>>>
>>>> Questions I would ask include:
>>>> Parental permission ?
>>>> Encouraging violence?
>>>> Against the ethos of TC College - religious affiliation etc,
>>>>
>>> biblically
>>>
>>>> inclined parents etc
>>>> Bad reaction from RE teachers?
>>>>
>>>> The fact that it will be almost entirely boys .. this is not a girl
>>>> friendly environment ...
>>>>
>>>> I endured it on Wednesday afternoons last year --- some loved it, some
>>>>
>>>> grew bored
>>>>
>>>> LAN gaming is big, there must be better ones out there than CS
>>>> Good luck
>>>>
>>>> Andrew Shortell
>>>> Braemar College
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
>>>>
>>>> On Behalf Of WEIR Andrew
>>>> Sent: Monday, 27 February 2006 3:07 PM
>>>> To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management
>>>> Teachers'MailingList
>>>> Subject: [Year 12 IPM] OT : LAN gaming
>>>>
>>>> Apologies for the off topic question
>>>>
>>>> Some of my students have expressed interest in wanting to run a lunch
>>>> time LAN party using the schools network before we rule it out or go
>>>> ahead with it I wanted to see if any other schools had actually done
>>>>
>>> it
>>>
>>>> and what issues we might face.
>>>>
>>>> We have already begun to look at the following aspects;
>>>> Game Rating and audience.
>>>> Licenses
>>>> Installation
>>>>
>>>> The students wanted to use Counter strike. There idea is charge a
>>>>
>>> small
>>>
>>>> admission fee and donate the money to charity.
>>>>
>>>> Any help or advice would be great.
>>>> Andrew
>>>>
>>>> Andrew Weir
>>>> Head Of Information Technology
>>>> VK3HFT
>>>> Thomas Carr College
>>>> 35 Thomas Carr College Tarneit
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>> Keith Richardson
>>> Leibler Yavneh College
>>> Elsternwick Ph (03)9528 4911
>>> keithcr at fastmail.fm
>>>
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>>> IPM Mailing List kindly supported by
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>>> IPM Mailing List kindly supported by
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>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> IPM Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
> Authority and
> http://www.vitta.org.au - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
> Teachers Association Inc
>
>
--
Laurie Savage
=============================================
Student Assessment, Reporting and Tracking
Pascoe Vale Girls College, 03 9306 2544
Lake Ave, Pascoe Vale, Victoria, 3044
=============================================
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