Sunday, March 4, 2007

Star Wars in the school

George Lucas is mostly known for his Star Wars movies that engaged millions of people. But science fiction movies haven’t just worked as entertainment, it also results in many got an interest in science and the space.

George Lucas himself thought that public school was quite frustrating. He was often bored even if he had a teacher who engaged his curiosity and motivated him to learn. And as s a father, he felt it vital to transform schooling.

Therefore he started the George Lucas Educational Foundation. Their web page consists of articles, in-depth case studies, research summaries, instructional modules, short documentary segments, expert interviews, and links to other resources.

“Traditional education can be extremely isolating -- the curriculum is often abstract and not relevant to real life, teachers and students don't connect with resources and experts outside of the classroom, and schools operate as if they are separate from their communities.

Project-based learning, student teams working cooperatively, students connecting with passionate experts, and broader forms of assessment can dramatically improve student learning. New digital multimedia and telecommunications can support these practices and engage our students. And well-prepared educators are critical”

George Lucas, Edutopia.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Free online Photoshop in three to six months

The hosted Photoshop service is set to be free and marketed as an entry-level version of Adobe's more sophisticated image-editing tools, including Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

>> Read more

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Free online tutorials

Actden has some free online tutorials for Microsofts products on their website. By looking at the illustration this is perhaps most suitable for young persons. But for you who wants very basic skills this might be a good start.

http://www.actden.com/

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Want to instruct on the web?

After reciving computer skills on ICDL you might want to use them. Here is a free digital book on “successful online instruction” from a company could webex.

“834 Tips for Successful Online Instruction is an amazing collection of tips from 336 of your professional colleagues. Nowhere will you find a more comprehensive set of tips that you can use to improve your knowledge and skills in online instruction”.

http://www.elearningguild.com/pdf/4/guildtipsbook-final.pdf

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Computer tutor 2

There are many web based resourses on how to handle the computer for teachers and pupils on BBC:s online learning website. Their newest and perhaps most ambitious project is an interactive and game based toll, and it’s a fun way to receive basic computer skills. In addition the knowledge is being put in a context rather than just show the functions.

>>Visit BBC:s online learning website and Computer tutor 2

Monday, February 19, 2007

Internet Security Software

I promised you a list of software for protecting your computer against viruses and other threats. Of course I’m not the first to do this, so instead I give you the firewallguide.com “some of the best personal firewalls and Internet security products and services that are available free for personal use”. And really they are, my favourites:
  • ZoneAlarm (firewall) "The Best Freeware", PC World, January 31, 2007.
  • Ad Blocker -- WebWasher Classic for Windows, Macintosh and Linux includes filters for web bugs, referrers, cookies, and URLs.
  • AVG AntiVirus

The list also consists of software for Back Up Files Online, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Trojan, Parental 'Content' Filter, Popup Stopper and more.

Don’t spend unnecessary money on software that you are able to download for free, and it’s just as good.

Se the entire list >>

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Effective and interesting presentations

When it comes to giving a presentation, keep in mind the age old saying “be prepared”! Planning ahead is vital to the overall success of your presentation.

You need to consider presenting the right information, in the right layout, to the right audience in the right amount of time. Concentrate on the purpose of your presentation. Think about the audience, who they are, what they already know and what they want to know. Find out about the venue for your presentation or how people will view your presentation if you are emailing it to them. Think about ways of communicating your message, while keeping the flow steady and interesting. Spending the right amount of time in the planning phase for your presentation will help to ensure that your message is well-received.

Want to learn more?

Read the advanced ICDL module “presentation” with me as your teacher, working language is of course English. Read more at www.icdl.se.