Quality Blog Posting: Word Cloud

Here is a word cloud I created using http://www.abcya.com/word_clouds, an easy app to use.

It was really easy to create by adding information and then to change the size, colour, layout, font. Then I saved it to my desktop and uploaded it to this blog.

Canva makes design simple

My first play with Canva was very easy. There is a range of templates, pictures, frames etc available, although some are at cost, to create graphic designs in no time. This tool could be used to graphically show the characteristics of something, eg survey responses, blog statistics, places in the world you've visited....the possibilities are endless.

Using voki to Record Learning

Voki is a great tool for students to share their learning by creating their own avatar, choosing a background and then recording their voice or using a range of provided voices to speak about what they have learnt. My short voki below explains one of the characteristics of a smart blogger.

Voki app

New Magisto Movie

SAMR with Dr Ruben Puentedura

Apple recently brought Dr Ruben Puentedura to NZ to work with educators around his model for technological integration into teaching and learning - SAMR. I was fortunate to attend this professional learning day. Yes, it was an opportunity for Apple to showcase their products; namely their software for ipad and their new Classroom app which has many of the same features as Hapara Teacher Dashboard. However, it was wonderful to listen to Dr Ruben in the morning and do an activity with him in the afternoon. Notes from the day

Sparkshop

I went to a Sparkshop recently which was a day of some great google learning organised by the Google experts of Auckland. The day began with a slam session of the potential workshops that would be held. All potential presenters had added a slide to a slideshow and were given two mins to give their pitch. There was a google form that everyone used to rate whether they'd like to attend each potential session. After this, the organisers took 15 mins to sort through the voting results and then presented a board of the sessions that had received the most interest, separated into sessions and locations. We were able to pick three sessions and then all joined together at the end to share a slam of one min each for new ideas. I was keen to show everyone my new Google Space.  I attended sessions on sites, forms and extensions/add-ons. It was a really worthwhile day.

The Sparkshop Participants

The Workshops Most Highly Sought

My Spaces

Using a Greenscreen

It is possible to put yourself or others on top of an image or a video if you take the pictures of the people in front of a greenscreen. You remove the background by dragging the photo into software - I used Background Burner. This programme gives you versions of the edit to choose from and you can even remove more of the background yourself. Then you insert the final image (minus the background) into the slide. I added callouts to complete the task.