Transglobal Edubloggers Meeting 3

Using the Open University's FlashMeeting Video Conferencing site, last night we held the 3rd informal discussion between Web 2.0 enthusiastic teachers. The discussion ranged across a variety of topics from why we blog and podcast, through possible pitfalls with the technology, to Mo-Blogging. I am grateful to all of the teachers who turned up -

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Joe Dale (UK), Lisa (Spanish teacher from Sutton Coldfield UK), Kristin Hokanson (US), Joe Thibault (US), Lisa Durff (US), Jo Rhys Jones (UK),Jane Nicholls (NZ), Vinnie Vrotny (US), Allanah King (NZ), Kristian Still (UK),Iain Cook Bonney (NZ)and myself here in Wales.

As you can see from the Skitch screenshot above there was a great geographical spread of teachers. Here you can see this using FlashMeeting's excellent meeting details.

Uploaded with Skitch!

Below is a screenshot taken by Jane Nicholls during the meeting.


Image Courtesy of Jane Nicholls ICTUCAN
The next Skitch image is what the public relay now viewable looks like -

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FlashMeeting also allows you to keep an eye on the pattern of viewers of the meeting-

Uploaded with Skitch!

The general feeling among those online last night was that there should be a further meeting, and everyone who wishes to attend is asked to bring along a friend - I will ensure that we are booked for 25 people.
If you need any information about FlashMeeting itself or on how to attend don't hesitate to contact myself, Jane or Joe Dale.

** Plug for Joe - on Saturday 13th October (and on Friday evening where there will be a Show and Tell in a local hostelry) at Nodehill Middle School Joe will be hosting The Isle of Wight ICT Conference. Joe has lined up an excellent group of presenters who will ensure that there is something for everyone - plus heaps of networking opportunities check it out here at Joe's Blog.**

What is Moodle ?

I came across this video description of Moodle at the Ning 'Coming of Age' pages, upoaded by Julien Ridden... Moodle Evangelist from Sydney Australia. I am trying to get my head around Moodle and this certainly helps.

Find more videos like this on Coming of Age

Podcast Stats

It is very heartening to find when logging on to our school Podomatic account that our stats are holding up so well, even though we haven't been podcasting for quite a while.

Uploaded with Skitch!

Uploaded with Skitch!

We can't wait to get podcasting again next week - new class very keen to seek their audience.... thank you to all of our loyal listeners :)

Embedded Podcast Audio

With thanks of course as always to the lady with her finger on the pulse of Web 2.0 - Allanah King and her 'Bling for your Blog' blog for her help with the code - the snippet needed to embed the podcast directly into your blog should be in the BOX.NET box in in the right side bar when you read this post - thanks AK you're a star:)
The UnPlug download is a Firefox plugin so beware all of you non-Firefox users it may not work for you.
One tip that I found is that you actually need to be on 'My Podcast Page' that is your actual podcast page before you engage the green frog (UnPlug) as this will then give you your mp3 or mp4/4a url for embedding then simply insert it into the code ( see BOX)

Wow what a long time Off-Line!!!

Isn't it strange the effect of returning to school after a long summer break. It has been so hectic getting used to working in a new team, with a new Year Group that it has taken this 'Old' Welsh Dragon over a week to get back to the life blood of blogging.
Not that I have been totally out of contact, I am taking part in a Skype based 'Speed Teaching' event on Thursday 13th September run in Dunedin by Jane Nicholls, I know that Allanah King from Nelson will also be taking part, I am really looking forward to talking to 'like minded' teachers again!
On Saturday 15th I have a Flashmeeting booked for any web 2.0 teachers to take part in, we hope to get Paul McMahon in on the conversation, Paul will be at the Web 2.0 Conference in Shanghai rather than his home in Hong Kong... the link is at FlashMeeting, the hope is that we extend the discussion to the use of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom.

In school we are about to re-enter the podcasting world, I have pairs of pupils trained and ready to roll, and I am about to introduce my Y6 pupils to Making the News the excellent on-line journalism/ newsreporting site run by E2BN

School !

This blog may be quiet for a day or two - no bad thing some may say :) As we are back in school and a certain Ddraig-Goch has a lot of setting up and planning to do.... so do bear with us until the first few days are over....... having spent the day throwing stuff out of my room and liberating space - I now have room for at least 2 pc's ( only 1 on the net) side by side in my room... I will post some pictures of the new working space ( with no teacher's desk in it - apparently they are not needed - just wonder where the rubbish will gather, we'll see.

If anyone is interested in coming in on the next FlashMeeting which will be on the 15th September at 10pm UK (16th for Aus and NZ). I am keen that we use the time to perhaps do a round up of new useful tools for Web 2.0 in schools or that we debate how to encourage more schools to join in... I am keen that we move forward from just discussing the merits of FlashMeeting itself again.

PodcampUK

A nearly live blog from PodcampUK Birmingham

The above shot was taken on the laptop iSight camera during the first session at PodcampUK when Trevor Dann ( search for podcampuk feeds - sorry no mac mouse!!!)from the Radio Academy gave a session on how Podcasting is just being recognised by 'institutional media outlets' and how liberating that is for Podcasters in the UK.
For the record in the foreground on the left is David Noble (Booruch) and Mark Pentleton(CoffeeBreak Spanish/French).... out of shot to my side was Joe Dale (TES Blog). David Noble deserves special mention as he had travelled down from Dalgetty Bay, Fife in Scotland ..... for the day!!!! ( by Coach).
The reason that it is almost live is that I had planned to live blog including iSight camera shots - unfortunately for me the organisers were streaming live to BlogTV ( and will be tomorrow if anyone wants to see us all in action!!) - this meant that there was such a strain on the network plus a firewall problem that apart from Twitter nothing else was accessible!!!
So live blogging failed unfortunately...... further short tale after a fine evening meal with the above mentioned gentleman - trying to blog from Hotel Room - airport failed to link to a network.... result laptop linked by old fashioned cable.... but hey link is now super fast :)

PodcampUk is an interesting mix of commercial podcasters, educational ( non profit making ) podcasters to newbies..... one great contact for me was Hugh Fraser from Storynory, we have loved listening to the Storynory output for a long while now and it was really good to be able to have an in depth discussion with Hugh.
Thoughts on the first day of PodcampUK - it was excellent to be able to chat with people who not only know what you are talking about with social networking and Web 2.0 tools, but actually know a great deal more than you do..... slight downside as an educator used to timetables is the true Un-Conference time keeping ( especially if you travel from home on the morning for an 8.30am start - and it doesn't actually begin until 10.10 am - one for the organisers next time ?)....
Hopefully more blogging/twitter from PodcampUK tomorrow and remember you can follow the live feeds from the presentation rooms at BlogTv.