Monday, September 29, 2014

Adding links to images in Office365 for ePortfolios

PART 1: CREATING A SITE AND ADDING PICTURES
PART 2: (Below) ADDING A PAGE TO LINK TO
 
Step 1: Login to Office365. Select Sites on top right hand of screen

Step 2: Click 'new' as above

Step 3: You will be prompted to name your site

 
Step 4: On the right, click EDIT on the right hand side of the screen as above

 
Step 5: Click on INSERT on the ribbon and choose Picture - choose the picture you would like to use (e.g. photo of student, topic, avatars)
 

Step 6: Select the picture you want to add a link to by clicking on it




Step 7: Click on LINK on top left of ribbon - add the link you want to go to
 
 
Step 8: Click 'save' on top right to exit editing view
 
 
HANDY HINT: Click on 'Open in new tab' so it doesn't navigate away from the site
 
PART 2: ADDING A PAGE TO LINK TO



Step 1: Click on the settings cog on the top right of the page

Step 2: Select Add a page
 


Step 3: You will be prompted to name it
 
 
 Step 4: You can also copy and paste the link from there.

 

Step 5: Paste the link into the Insert Link when you click on the image
 
 
HANDY HINT: If you lose the page
- Click on the settings Cog
- Click on Site Contents
- Click on Site Pages
You will see a list of pages as above
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

My eLearning Personal Statement for Emerging eLeaders 2014 with Core Education


Arnika Brown eLearning Personal Statement

E-learning is extremely valuable to education. It is a broad term being used globally in education and refers to any kind of learning using ICT.

Schools need to ensure that the children have access to –

    • Up to date Information Communications Technology hardware and software to allow eLearning to happen successfully.
    • Qualified and trained staff to ensure learning is enhanced through the use of eLearning and ICT.

Using technology I have seen students succeed over and above what they would have without technology. E-learning gives students the chance to work beyond the classroom walls and construct knowledge they never had the opportunity to before. E-learning is not when paper is replaced with a tool. “Simply equipping students with their own devices and digitising existing curriculum is not the right approach.” (Dixon, B. et al, n.d.) It is when learning has no boundaries. When eLearning is empowering, students will be engaged in the following 21st century skills: Collaboration, Knowledge Construction, Self-Regulation, Real-world Problem-solving and Innovation, Use of ICT for Learning, Skilled Communication (ITL Research, n.d.)

It is not enough to provide the students and teachers with the concept of eLearning, there is a certain responsibility that comes with it. In order to implement eLearning successfully across the school, calculated steps need to be taken. Schools need to ensure they have a vision. Without vision it can be a long, windy, frustrating road to eLearning implementation. “Vision and goal setting is best done after first researching not only other 1:1 initiatives, but global and economic trends and the reality of the technology rich world in which today's students live.” (Dixon, B. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.aalf.org/cms/?page=AALF - 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning)

Schools may also use a change model to ensure effective uptake of eLearning. As there will always be a range of adopters and learners, schools must ensure that they provide adequate support and guidance for all staff members.  Many innovations require a lengthy period of many years from the time when they become available to the time when they are widely adopted. Therefore, a common problem for many individuals and organizations is how to speed up the rate of diffusion of an innovation.” (Scott, 2012)

The eLearning Planning Framework includes really positive examples of how eLearning should be used. In order to ensure all schools are in the empowering phase, there must be a whole school approach. eLearning is not about 1 Teacher being passionate about ICT and sharing their experiences. It is about embedding it into the pedagogy and school culture.

E-learning supports all members of the school community to communicate and opens up opportunities for collaboration we have not ever had access to before.

Reference list:

Dixon, B. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.aalf.org/cms/?page=AALF - 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning

Dixon, B. AALF. Teirney,S. Microsoft Corporation. (n.d) Bring Your Own Device to School. Microsoft Corporation. United States.

Innovative Teaching and Learning Research (n.d) 21st Century Learning Design Student Work Rubrics. Microsoft Corporation

Ministry of Education. (2013). eLearning Planning Framework. http://www.elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/e-Learning-Planning-Framework2

Scott. (2012) Diffusion of Innovation: The Difficulty of a New Idea. Retrieved from http://insidefinance.org/diffusion-of-innovation/

Monday, October 7, 2013

latest skill- full screen on app

My final edem630 post...our daughter on the Microsoft surface Rt. 19 months old. Who said windows 8 was hard? Enjoy

Sunday, October 6, 2013

EDEM630 Assignment 2.1 Final Reflections and Participation Requirements

Assignment 2.1 

Two learning reflections:
http://arnikabrown.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/reflection-3.html#comment-form
http://arnikabrown.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/some-reflecting-on-rogers-diffusion.html
Two E-activities: 
http://arnikabrown.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/elearning-planning-framework.html
http://arnikabrown.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/mindmap.html

I am currently sitting in Raglan looking out at the sea. This week I will be attending ULEarn in Hamilton where I feel a lot of the new knowledge and skills I have gained through this course will come into context.
It certainly has been a journey. Taking on this paper proved to be challenging and full on, but I am feeling confident as I am about to upload my final assignment.
I have appreciated the support from Wayne and Niki and all of our classmates throughout.
I have really enjoyed becoming a Tweeter, and the networking that has all happened before me has been priceless.
As I type my final reflections I think back to when it all started and I felt so incredibly overwhelmed by the work expectation and the information overload. I wondered what I was doing taking on motherhood, full time work and another University paper. Now, as a result I am feeling a real sense of achievement. All going well I have a paper to choose from the Masters section next year and I will have my Post Grad all done and dusted.
Scenario Planning has supported me to change the way I look at implementation of technology into schools. I have been lucky enough to be embarking on a new employment opportunity as Microsoft Education Specialist through Cyclone Computers as of October 21st. Part of my job is supporting schools to implement new technologies and changes. I feel as though the new knowledge I now have of changes in digital technologies will absolutely support me in my new role. I think Scenario Planning is a vital tool and I am so excited that I will get the chance to share my knowledge with a wealth of educators across New Zealand.
I have enjoyed reading others posts and contributions. Everytime I have felt a certain way it has been nice to know there are others feeling that way too, at the end of the day we all got through it.
I have enjoyed setting up and using the blog. The reflections have been meaningful and are a great tool to go back over to 'reflect' on how I felt earlier and see how far I have come.
The MOOC was full on. It was a great opportunity to be a part of it and get a real feeling of the remix of media first hand. I have since seen the word MOOCs used a lot on Twitter and it is refreshing to know what people are talking about. I definitely have a wider vocabulary and comprehension of digital technologies and issues surrounding them.
The change models I have referred to in my articles will definitely support me in my new role which is really fantastic. It is so great to be able to shift the knowledge I have fined into a new context for me and still be able to use it...maybe my own wee remix....
I have added my Self Assessment Rubric below.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Reflection 3



So far......wow, we have covered a lot in this course. I feel as though this is the most diverse paper I have taken. When I think back to my first blog post with a video, and how much I know now I really don't know where to start.
I have learned a lot through out the course. The academic essay on online tutorials created a meaningful research road for me to go down. That is 1 of the things I have really enjoyed about the course, everything has been meaningful learning.
As I have said in previous posts, the change models are realistic to my school setting and I enjoyed putting them into context. For me, at the beginning of this course I was someone who was passionate about technology in education. Now I am passionate about others seeing what the changes are and why things need to change. It's not just about the technology anymore for me, but thr process of change and supporting others to get there.
Scenario planning is a great way to think forward. We have ERO early next term so I will be interested to find out if they have seen examples of this in schools. This term I had the opportunity to create my entire planning folder in a OneNote notebook. This was a trial that I am going to show ERO, and hopefully create some change within my school. I have learned that scenario planning also has to look at sustainability as well as change and I feel that this type of planning involves both.
The annotated bibliography is a great way to find out information in a meaningful way. A friend of mine wished all her assignments had one to support them, she loved it and was thinking about doing one for her research personally.
I am still unsure about using the scenario matrix in context. I got enough of a handle on it to understand what I was doing, but feel as though I would still struggle to apply it to my school.
It is a relief not having such a full on course schedule this time around. The mooc had a lot of useful and insightful information, but I really felt like some of it was over my head. I appreciated that most members led conversations around most topics which clarified a lot for me. I learned a lot in a small amount of time, which sitting back, I can now appreciate.
I feel as though I have started to think about technology on such a deeper level now. I can take the ecological perspective of my society into consideration when scenario planning, and I actually know what that means. This course has made me think more about the bigger picture of the changes, it's not just about us in our classroom, but it's about our students community and everyone around us. It has made me more aware of keeping those around the school involved by informing them of changes and just keeping them up to date.
The ElPF has opened up my eyes to where the school I work in may be, and where I want it to be. I have discussed it with my Principal and he was very keen to integrate it into our review process. I am keen to discuss it with ERO and see what their thoughts are.
I have enjoyed becoming part of the class and this has been much easier with the use of twitter and blogs and forums. I have felt as though there has been a lot of support, and it has been easier to push on through when you know someone else is feeling the same.
I want to know more about e-mature schools. I would love to see one in action. I wonder if these schools have specific staff members running the focus or if everyone is on board. I also wonder how they get everyone on board.
At this stage I still have so much to learn. I feel I have only just touched the surface of changes in technology. I would like to learn more about implementing scenario planning into primary schools, and more about using the elpf to create change in a primary school setting.

Elearning planning framework

I have selected a small rural Primary school in the South Island of New Zealand. The school had a role of 90 students and has 5 Teachers. The schools current e-learning approach is characterised by 1:1 learning in one classroom, a couple of passionate staff and a Board of trustees who in the past has been supportive of e-learning. 
  • Summary of the 5 areas
Leadership and strategic direction
This school is at an engaging level. There is a strong management team in place. The skills from management are constantly being shared with staff, and there is professional development apparent within the school around e-learning. There is also an expectation that Teachers are aware of the e-learning going on in the school and have input as to where to next.

Professional Learning
I would say the school is at an extending level. This is supported by the networking available for Teachers in the wider community associated with the school. There is also quite a bit of professional development available through funding from the MOE which has supported the professional development of the staff. The school has just started using the Teacher as Inquiry model as part of their Appraisal process. Their next step is to use this as part of their professional development and needs around ICT.

Beyond the Classroom
The school is at the engaging level. They have constant communication with the BOT about their successes and hopeful next steps in technology. The parent community are fully aware of the integration of ICT into the classrooms, but their are no reports as such as to how it is going.

Technologies and Infrastructure
The school is at the emergent level. The school has quite a few resources but there isn't a collaborative feel through out classrooms. The support within the school is focused around professional development, not so much the technologies. Some of the technology is outraged and running into problems, and the infrastructure is not totally capable of running all the wireless devices available at the same time.

Teaching and Learning
The school again would be at an emergent level. Although some of the classes may be technology rich and practising integration into other curriculum areas and assessment, it is not school wide.

The evidence comes from observations of classroom practice.  I also had numerous conversations with staff and the principal of the school.

Disclaimer: This assessment was conducted as a personal learning exercise to gain understanding of the eLPF and the assessments are restricted to public documentation without detailed insights into all organisational processes.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Reflection 2


I have learned to much in my journey through EDEM630 so far. One of the most interesting things has been applying change to the models. The learning/Adoption trajectory has been the most meaningful so far, and I found it easy to apply to my research in Assigment 1.1.
The MOOC was really interesting and full on. At 1 point I was totally overwhelmed and emailed Niki and Wayne about the prospect of withdrawing. I thank them for their support and encouragement. I have now submitted assignment 1.1 and will submit 1.2 by the end of this week.
I have completed my scenario matrix but I still have a lot of work to do around this before I really understand the whole concept. I am hoping this will come through my work on Ass 1.2.
Scenario planning seems like a plausible and sensible way to go about running life in general. I think it is so vital to look through to the present, not live in the past. We have started to use this in our planning, instead of going historically with how we have been teaching, we have been looking at how to move forward and what we actually need to teach the students. It will be interesting to see what ERO think in Term 4 Week 1.
I am very pleased we were given an extension on our assignments. This is one of the most supportive courses I have been enrolled in by distance learning. I have enjoyed getting to know people through Twitter and their blogs. It has definitely given me a sense of belonging within our group. The sp4Ed feed is very cool, although everytime I log in it makes me feel as though I am not contributing enough. I do have to remind myself to check in all places for feedback and support. I have saved all my webpages to visit into my EDEM630 folder on my bookmarks bar (something I learned this year and sooo helpful).
I feel that there has been so much knowledge for me to get my head around and not enough time for me to do it. I am really enjoying the learning, and I am just managing to sneak enough time in for the basics but feel as tough there is so much more to it.
Every week I have had to prioritize something whether it has been work, motherhood, or study.  This weekend has been interesting...I finally felt like I had everything under control and then on Fri morning we had the scare of our life with Tyler waking up with croup and not being able to breathe in properly....So we had the ambulance and our Dr here at 4am. They put oxygen on her with adrenline in it (who knew) and gave her steroids. She perked up and we kept her on steroids for the next night and she is much better, phew...... had Friday off with her which was actually very refreshing and just so nice to have a day with my girl. We then set up for our open home on Sat, Tyler woke up coughing and then vomited all over the freshly mopped tiles on our way out...had to laugh!! Finally got out the door and over to Nanas so dave and I could go out for my cousins 30th last night....then back onto the computer today for some more study.....I don't think I could have scenario planned for that one.

Some questions I still have...How can we motivate teachers who are still unsure of technology?
Will ict become part of a BTchLn qualification? It would be interesting to see with the likes of Wayne and Niki being on staff at UC if scenario planning was used for our qualifications if things changed, or they may have since I graduated.

Looking forward to finishing Ass 1.2