Make Create Educate

This post considers how to improve performance in NAPLAN ( National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) by ensuring your students have the digital literacy skills to sit an online test. This post considers the year 3 reading test.  In year 3 the writing test is still paper based and the rest are online. From year 5 all tests are online including the writing test that is now typed. This introduces a standardised test that is inadvertently testing digital literacy and the question is...is your school teaching the skills your students need to answer the questions and have a fair go? For the year 3 reading test students need the following skills: navigate numbers to enter their 8 digit ID number enter numbers or text into an answer box click and drag pictures, objects and lines use a trackpad (if you don't have touch screen computers) or mouse turn the timer on and off identify radio buttons for a single choice identify check boxes for multiple choices be able to deselect an in...

A Makey Makey is a board that can be connected to a computer as a replacement keyboard. It can also be used with Scratch.mit.edu to add voices, gaming controls and interaction with the computer. MineTap created by Shalise (yr 4) in a gifted makers program. Strap the velcro to your hands and allows her friend with cerebral palsy to play Minecraft The Makey Makey requires a completed circuit to operate. It can use any conductive material to complete a circuit including: Wires People - skin to skin contact Playdough - high in salt Foil Copper tape Tap water Living things eg: live plants/flowers Trouble shooting When troubleshooting it is important to only change one thing at a time and check the circuit after each change. This will ensure you don't introduce new problems. Create by Katie (year 2) in a gifted makers program. Audio Tour of Paris each part has an interactive point. The circuit isn’t working Check the light turns on when you...

Creating paper circuits is an introductory activity to teach about the concepts of circuits and switches. It can also be used for prototyping etextiles. Paper circuits can be used at all levels by students and adults. To work with copper tape students will need to be able to manage copper tape which is like working with sticky tape.  Paper circuits can be used to add bling to dioramas, poster and models in subjects that don't usually incorporate digital systems, such as Art, History, Geography, Science. Paper circuits can be used to prototype more complex systems. There are now a range of resources that allow you to create more complex circuits that also include digital technologies such as stick on stickers and sensors. ChibiTronics  were created by Jie Qi and she show cased a range of projects that incorporate copper tape and micro-controllers. This is an example of Jie Qi's integration of paper circuits and micro controllers with Art. Original link This...

What is Binary? Binary is a base 2 numbering system. It uses 2 numbers 0 and 1 to count and is used by computers to transmit information. 1 digit is a bit. 8 digits is a byte. More information about Binary How does binary work? This video shows how Binary works. Need another explanation? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD6lcIIOeic Curriculum links There is a requirement for all Australian schools to teach Binary from year 5-8. States not using the Australian Curriculum will have modified versions of what is required but binary is mentioned in both year 5-6 and year 7-8. If you are using a document that is based on the Australian Curriculum try searching your document for the AC codes below. In primary years primary often makes sense when taught following a base 10 lesson. Discuss the structure of the base 10 system and then introduce the binary system. Below there are resources both online and offline that can be used to teach this concept. Year...

What is social media and how can it be useful for teachers? Published in Education Matters with corrections to the organisers of @EduTweetOz Biography Meridith Ebbs is teacher St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie. She has a blended role, teaching classes from years 2-10 and working as an eLearning integrator to support the eLearning programs and teacher professional development within the school. Meridith is a key staff member of the Professional Excellence and Innovation Centre, Port Macquarie. She develops and facilitates conferences and workshops. Meridith acts as a consultant in digital citizenship, the use of technology to enhance 21century pedagogies and social media. Meridith is a moderator of a MOOC for Adelaide University and speaks at conferences on coding, technology and pedagogy. Meridith is interested in computational thinking, coding and the maker movement. She is working on increasing the participation of girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and ...