Commander Hadfield in My Classroom

Link to my recent post on my education blog Commander Hadfield in My Classroom

Sunset & Moon

When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Here's a beautiful set of thoughts for the day with special thanks to Steve McCurry.

Broadband versus Britannica

Here is the Department of Education & Skills (Ireland) press release announcing free Encyclopaedia Britannica access for students at school and at home.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has today announced free home access to the online edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica for all school-going children. For the past three years, primary and post-primary schools have had access to the resource, and today’s roll-out is an expansion of this service.
Britannica Online School Edition is a unique and comprehensive resource designed for all levels of learning. It has four age-specific learning areas which contain various engaging teaching and learning materials, all designed to build confidence and inspire continuous discovery.

Announcing the new development, Minister Quinn said, “I am committed to providing digital content to students that enhances their learning through the use of technology. Our children and young people will now have access to Britannica Online in their own homes and this means that whatever their ability, they can learn at their own pace. Access is available to Britannica remotely via the scoilnet.ie website and will encourage students to continue the process of learning at home.”
Britannica Online has more than 129,000 articles with over 46,000 graphics, 4,000 videos, plus audio clips, interactive games and quizzes. It is updated with new material daily. With an average of 160,000 visits per month, scoilnet.ie provides a central resource to teachers, pupils and parents, offering access to a growing repository of advice and information.
Today’s announcement comes as the roll-out of high-speed broadband to second level schools continues, with a further 200 schools expected to be connected by September of 2013. ENDS

So, there you have it. Free access to the famed Britannica, thank you very much Mr. Quinn. However, several points come to my mind.
Firstly, as I explained the details of this wonderful resource to my class of pupils this morning one very perceptive 9-year-old mentioned that it is great news…and then (out of the mouths of babes): “But, sure, isn’t google free?” Her point being, Mr. Quinn…what’s the big deal? As if to reinforce the point, as part of our Great Famine history lesson we had been googling for reliable information from several noted sources (here, I use my blogger’s licence to recommend Waterford County Museum), but when we searched Britannica for information about “coffin ships” we came up with NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. Isn’t that rather interesting? Try it for yourself. So, what’s the big deal Mr. Quinn?
Secondly, I have to bring to my readers’ attention the fact that in many Irish schools broadband provision is a joke. The last sentence of the press release above refers to increased provision for secondary schools. As a primary school teacher / principal let me tell you my story. My small rural Waterford school in Stradbally received grant assistance ten years ago to purchase equipment, a satellite dish was installed and the school was networked. I began my teaching in Stradbally in 2007, and quickly became aware that whereas the local infrastructure was in place, and a government contract was in place to provide (slow speed) broadband to my school, the system simply did not work. I spent hour after hour on the telephone to the help-desk in Limerick. Lovely people they all were; very pleasant, and very professional…but I suspect that they too were aware that they were attempting to support/fix a system that simply did not work on a regular basis. Here, I am adding a link written by a past-pupil reflecting several years later on our experiences and frustrations at that time.
Our situation worsened until 2010, in particular because we invested heavily in technology and attempted to integrate this technology into everyday school life, without a reliable broadband connection. We certainly were frustrated. Finally, we had to make the decision to abandon the ill-fated Department of Education & Skills broadband provision. I am informed that more than 700 rural schools were in the same terrible situation, and some still are. It seems also that the Department Gurus were aware that they had signed a ten-year contract (reliable information?) and had been sold a pig-in-a-poke. Maybe they were able to secure some refund? Maybe, but that does not solve our problem. We decided to source our broadband from a local supplier, Solar Broadband. Quite literally, we have not looked back since then. We can look forward, and we can plan with confidence. We can attempt to educate to 21st century requirements. We can google reliably; we can research; we can play; we can bring the outside world into our classroom.
This is entirely as a result of reliable broadband provision. Encyclopedia Britannica might be cool, but it’s only a tiny part of the bigger picture. Broadband versus Britannica? You can’t really have the cream without the cup!

Gibran

You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts.
Khalil Gibran

The author of The Prophet was born on this day in 1883.

Sunday Spin

Lovely mild morning and we had big numbers in the Square. Off to Lismore and Tallow where we turned left for Knockanore. Six of us headed on to Youghal Bridge and home, while others turned early to Camphire and Cappoquin. Riding time 3h26m Distance 88km

Garmin details here

Resolutions for My Class: There Is No Box

It's January, and it's resolutions-time.

I've been taking a little look every now and then at the Pedagoo Resolutions Document.  and I've added an idea myself hoping to bring together several heads around the notion of class blogging. I will be keen to follow those who are on that particular subsection, and I will be looking to explore ideas with a view to selecting software that will allow individual blogging. So roll on January 7th. I rarely have difficulty motivating myself to return in January, and this year I am more excited than ever. It's going to be busy! Perhaps that's the attraction.
I've had another little look back to that interesting document and my attention is caught by a really simple idea. This idea is for the teacher to focus in of a specific teaching tactic, that of providing the answer in order to spark interest and creativity of pupils in order to find the question! I am grateful to Iain @maximusparsons who submitted this idea. I've added myself to the list and will follow with interest. As a small means of continuing the process I've added my first answer. Take a little look, and feel free to comment or add your question. Better still, add yourself to the Find the Question list, and expand the collaboration, or you may prefer to take a little look through the bigger picture.
I will be implementing this in my class during January, and I will provide feedback here on Pedagoo. Watch this Irish space!

This is my first addition to Pedagoo, and I've published added it  also to my blog. My blog is not education-related, but I think it's an indication of me optimism in relation to the potential of Pedagoo that I decided to publish there also. That sounds like a mouthful! But I know what I mean. That's the answer. What is the question?

The Big Clean Up

Mild damp day, and after watching some TV on iPad on  a morning lie-in, I set to work just before midday.

Job 1: Back shed. Dumped loads, and cleaned & tidied. Made a big difference.

Job 2: Hang bikes on wall in garage. This took a bit longer. Could not find the chuck for the drill. However, RM (renting Madge's house) loaned me a cordless drill. POS arrived just to say a quick hello mid-job. Lovely chat about mostly my new mountain bike. Then, at about 5pm job done. Turf briquettes moved to other side; three bikes fitted on wall; several half-shelves replacing existing ones; all my bike stuff moved to bike side; Marion will use shelves on other side; big sweep and hoover. (Well, not hoover actually...) Needs to be hoovered. Lots of photos taken, as it likely will not stay as tidy as it is now.