[Year 12 IT Apps] Totally Offtopic- Real Life Games

[murch at tpg.com.au]

Thank you Roland for introducing this. We had Heather Blakey at our school a couple of weeks 
ago to start us on bloggin and it has been the best thing for our kids. Students who are low in 
literacy, poor at reading and barely motivated are right into it. People from other countries have 
given them feedback on their blogs and they have gained so much in confidence. It has then 
become a living lesson in geography, history etc as they search the net to see where they come 
from.
Our attempt is at www.backyard.globalstudent.org.au. Since we started that, I have got onto 
some other teachers in NZ, Canada and the USA. We are working on separate wikis for each year 
level and each school. So in NZ we are going to learn podcasting together See 
www.roomtis18.wikispaces.com/NZAP. We are having fun with vokis as introductions as you can 
see but that site is now blocked in our school (I have to stay one step ahead of the blockers) so 
my grade 6 kids have not been able to create theirs.) I am also working with a keen US teacher 
in Las Vegas with my year 8 students but time differences means skyping is difficult but we are 
creating a wiki as we go and skyping each other outside class time to collabotate on putting it all 
together. It is in its early stages but as we go. it will grow. Their school is brand new and they are 
still waiting for their computers. See www.globallearningproject.wikispaces.com 
Talk about virtual teams from ITA. Instead of me being at the centre of small remote p12 school 
in a rural area, we can be part of the centre of cyberspace.
I have also joined a webkinz project with Canada and USA. You cant even buy webkinz in 
Australia yet but lucky I got one on ebay. This allows us to build a virtual world for our little toy. 
Grade 3 and 4 will work on that and enter blogs on a daily or weekly basis. (Like the teddy bear 
exchange.)
anyway enough rambling,
If anyone is interested email and I can send more details. But get into wikis and blogs. The world 
and the sky is your limit. I hope this all makes sense cos my brain is still in overdrive!!!
Anne Mirtschin
Hawkesdale p12 College

Quoting Roland Gesthuizen <rgesthuizen at gmail.com>:

> Hello movers and shakers ;-)
> 
> I reckon this would be a fun project if you run it as a wiki with
> Wikispaces
> and set yourself up with a blog using Edublogs . Both can be
> configured and
> locked down to your class group only. (we do it internally with
> Moodle)
> 
>    - http://www.edublogs.org/
>    - http://www.wikispaces.com/
> 
> 
> This is part of a cool set of videos that explains why they should
> consider
> using these web2.0 tools. It explains why a wiki is a ctool for
> planning a
> project for organising a camping ativitity, social networking etc.
> (TeacherTube has downloadable copies of these videos too)
> 
> http://youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY Wikis in Plain
> English<http://youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY>
>  http://youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc Social Networking in Plain
> English<http://youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc&mode=related&search=>
> As a starter, you could consider adapting this cool activity for
> planning a
> huge activity using a spreadsheet. I find that they relate to this
> better
> than using a speadsheets for balance a budget. My students dont
> relate all
> that well to money saving strategies .. they just want more of it.
> 
>    - instructables : How to Organize and Cook Holiday Dinner for a
> Crowd<http://www.instructables.com/id/E7YI0IFN8XEV2Z4ZPX/>
> 
> 
> Regards Roland
> 
> On 03/09/07, Clare, Ian J <Clare.Ian.J at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:
> >
> >  Sorry for the Off Topic posting but I know where the movers and
> shakers
> > are (you guys get things done).
> >
> > Apart from my ICT classes I teach a subject called Life Skills
> (Work Ed).
> > I us the Be Real Life Game in it. This is a simulation game where
> students
> > assume a role. One of the tasks in this game is to prepare a
> budget. This
> > budget is paper based and has some data costs in it like rent and
> car costs.
> > I want to turn this game into a Web Based project where up to date
> costs can
> > be incorporated as well as other features not possible in a paper
> based
> > model.
> >
> > If any on the lists would be interested in working on this with me
> please
> > drop me an e-mail. Also could you please pass this on to anyone in
> your
> > school that may use the game.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
> >
> > *Ian Clare*
> >
> > Information Technology Teacher
> >
> > *Casterton** Secondary College*
> >
> > Ph   03 5581 1588 Fax 03 5581 1518
> >
> > clare.ian.j at edumail.vic.gov.au
> >
> >
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> 
> -- 
> Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
> http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au
> 
> "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> change
> the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret
> Mead
>