Teacher Only Day - Te Awamutu Intermediate

Te Awamutu Intermediate TOD – Using Technology Better

Lara Kirk & Clement Lind - https://usingtechnologybetter.com/

lara@usingtechnologybetter.com

clement@usingtechnologybetter.com

Increased confidence and competence delivering the Digital Technologies curriculum in meaningful engaging ways.

Lara began by discussing what Google Suites is and what we will be doing today – I’m fairly confident of my ability with using a range of Google apps with students. We were then asked to go to utb.fyi/teawa2020 and this is the page that popped up:

e-learning: Using tools that have already been created. Learning with technology
Digital Technology: Being a creator in the digital world. Learning about technology

Our task is to create a game using Scratch and “maKey maKey” to encourage fitness

Decomposition: breaking it down                                                                                                            

Pattern recognition: the most important way to outline what is needed – we did this to create a word cloud and by inputting all the key words that we thought were important to creating a game.

Abstraction: leave things out that aren’t important

Algorithm: Figuring out the objectives of your game

Reflecting throughout this process will enable you and students to refine games that you create

We had a go using the Makey Makey tool by connecting to a laptop and putting the crocodile clips into playdough as our ‘buttons’. We took a little time to figure out exactly how to get it going – having an earth element to close the circuit was what we needed! We tried it to different ways firstly, by everyone playing and tapping/touching the person who was ‘earth’. Secondly, we took turns being ‘earth’ and playing the game solo. Turned into a competition to collect the most jewels 😊

After morning tea I chose to go to the more complex PD about Micro:bit

Encouraging children to “think like designers and engineers”

Ziplock bags are great to protect the micro:bit when using outside.

Programming platform is Makecode

Began by looking through tutorials and giving different things a try. Started by creating a heart that remained on the LEDs on the microbit. Then gave the paper, scissors, rock a go. This was a little more complicated, however the tutorial was an awesome guide. I can now play paper, scissors, rock with someone by shaking the microbit – a different symbol will show up.

Where to from here: create different images to represent paper, scissors, rock or add new ones! Refine the coding by adding a pause so that the symbol shows up after a slight pause, as it does show up very quickly.

There is a great tutorial book that has many ideas to lead teachers and students through the basics towards more complex

    

Complications arising are great teachable moments. Things to check are that the batteries are working, components are connected correctly and if that fails go back to the beginning - disconnect everything and start again!

Microbit or Makey Makey
We were directed to another utb.fyi/ link and made a copy of the Venn diagram below, to then fill and discuss our answers. i realised as we went over the answers that I had placed answers into the opposite of where they were supposed to be. My solution, rather than starting again, I changed the title and the swapped the pictures over!

                  

1:15 – 2:45 – G Suite intermediate/advanced
Why G Suite – these are the tools that are available for us to use with our school Gmail. This software is available no matter what device you use as long as there is internet access. This is cloud and desktop tools combined.

Chrome is a window to the internet.

Bookmarking; Drive; Shared with me; Settings; Google Forms – Google forms were new to me, although I have answered questions on Forms before I have never created one.

2:45 – 3:15 – Wrap up