Web 2 app being used in eductaion??

I have recently come across a WEB 2 app called Wordnik. Wordnik is like an online dictionary/thesaurus. You are able to type a word in the search bar and the programme will search the word and give you a meaning of that word and ways in how you are able to use the word you searched for. For me Wordnik is a fabulous new app that I have grown to love and use quite regular. I used Wordnik for my first essay for university, it helped me gain more knowledge of certain words and allow me to be able to search for more appropriate word to use in my assignment. I think Wordnik is great and would be a very handy tool for children to use in education whether they use it to write stories or essay’s or to just finding out what a word means if they are not sure. There are so many ways in how Wordnik can be used in education today, especially as technology has become such a big part of ways of learning in today’s society. Children in schools could be reading, come across a word and want to find out what that word means they can just go off and do their own research. It is a way of children becoming more independent as they are learning to find things out for themselves rather than relying on a teacher. Homework could be set where the child is doing spellings, sometimes it is easier to spell words if you know what it means as it makes more sense to you. Therefore this app is a great app that should definitely be used in education today as children can become more independent. It’s a great app that would be of such use in schools. I love Wordnik and would really recommend it to schools.

http://www.wordnik.com/ To the left is the link to the app that I have used quite a lot and would really recommend for schools to use.

Ken Robinson Ted Talk

Whilst Studying Educational studies in Swansea Metropolitan, I have come across Ted Talks due to one of our lectures being based upon Ken Robinson. I really enjoyed the talk, and had to write a five hundred word reflection essay based on the talk about school killing creativity. Normally I don’t find talks like this that interesting but from the minute my tutor pressed play I was engaged in the clip, I wanted to find out more, what he had to say about education. My thoughts, when I actually looked back on the video clip in order to gain a little bit more sense in it, to look to see if I had missed an important comment or something, became more familiar to me. I actually felt more switched on as some would say. I actually managed to listen to something, really enjoy the clip and have quite big thoughts on it. I agreed with most that Ken Robinson had to say about education. I have recently watched more clips on education as Ken Robinson has helped inspire that little bit more in education despite my passion to become a teacher since a child. Ken Robinson talked about schools killing creativity and what education is working towards now. He believes that people are being educated to go to university, sit exams and work, there is far less focus on subjects such as art and drama and music now that people are being forced to learn things that they have no interest in what so ever. This proves that, yes, schools are killing creativity. I have recently left school and have gone straight to university and I fully understand what Ken Robinson is saying as I have experienced it. Schools are only focusing on the core subjects such as Maths, English and Science. Before long graduates are not going to be seen as important as what they are today and what they were a few years ago due to so many people going to university now, that holding a degree is not going to be seen as good anymore. I totally agree with these thoughts that Ken Robinson had. Here is a link to the Ken Robinson talk on Ted.

Happy New Year!!

Well Christmas has come and gone! all the stress people go through making sure they have got everything, haven't forgotten something, the huge build up before just for a few presents to be opened and then it's all over for another 365 days? Well it's only five more sleeps 'till New Years Eve. The time of year where all people are friendly wishing each other Happy New Year, giving kisses and shaking hands and wishing for a much happier new year. Well here is a little image to wish you all a very happy and successful New Year.

wikiuser0015

I now have my very on wiki account. The question is...how do i use it? well I am still trying to figure it out, but I am getting there slowly. For my first post on it I was put into a group with a given topic of education in third world countries. we went away studied different countries and decided to do about Afghanistan after many changes. However, we are still to this day undecided on a main country to focus on due to the lack of information there is on third world countries and their education. Well technology in education in third world countries. So I carried on with Afghanistan, there is not a lot I could say about this third world country with technology as basically there is very little technology, to the point that you can say they have none. However, I did hear that the country has sort of skipped a step, they have set up satelites without purchasing the main equiptment such as computers, therefore you can conclude that they are going to miss out on the big computers, with massive monitors and boxes and jump straight to laptops or even tablets. So, What will the future hold for Afghanistan in means of technology? We will just have to wait and see.

Here however is my link to my wiki...Education in Afghanistan

Evaluation for website

Evaluation!

How easy is it to navigate?

The website is very easy to navigate, set up in a clear format with links that help you go to different things on the website.

Are there any help guides/videos?

Yes. At the bottom of the sign in page to the right hand side there are video maker tips from their blogs that will guide you through to help you create your own animations.

Do you need to register?

Yes, however it is only your email address and a password.

Is it free? Aspects that are free?

Yes the website is free.

Is it easy to use?

Once you have registered you are able to use the website which is very easy to use as everything has its own side heading making it easier for learners as they know what they are doing. It is a game set up type website where you can gain points for your animations.

What multimedia aspects are there?

There are many multimedia aspects to the website such as sound, animations, videos and many maore. For example we made a birthday card where we wrote a message and a candle on the cake said that message.

Does it provide embed codes?

Yes there are codes that enable you to put your work on your blog.

My first animation!

Ahhhhhhh!

Stress! Apparently I'm too young to be stressed? I don't think so! Waking up dreaming of what I'm putting in my essay! Too much to do in such little time. I need to get a little diary to keep up with everything and ensure that I complete all set tasks! More and More readings being given an extra essay to do in a week and working overtime...

Spa Day Monday!

Monday's used to be so dreadfull, but now, I enjoy them! I look forward to them as they are rest day's. No work. No Uni. A day to myself. This monday I went for a spa day with My mam. Nice massage, sauna and a swim with a two course meal and bottle of wine to follow - mother and daughter bonding the way i like it! I already look forward to seeing Monday even though it's Friday, But some of us have to work all weekend, complete assignments for uni and sort things out. There is just not enough time in the day.

First Girls Holiday! No Parents! Party!

Reflection Mind Map

Rugby for me!

Rugby? Why is it such a big sport? What is so interesting in rugby? Well I can tell you that I am not a fan of rugby and I couldnt tell you why if I am honest! 
For me to be interested in rugby I personaly think they should make womens rugby more popular other than it being a mans sport, because there are womens teams out there so why not make them a big thing and have a womans six nations? They could even have fun days women against men for charity. Thats what would make rugby more appealing to me.

There are women's world cup as I researched it here is a link to a website showing it does happen... http://www.rwcwomens.com/. However it was only until i researched information on this topic that I realised how big womens rugby actually is, but I still think they should make it become a bigger sport!

Differences between Blogs and Websites!

On October the 24th in an I.C.T lesson we were given a topic that we didnt like, we then had to go on and find out the differences between a blog and a website on the chosen topic. The topic I was given was Rugby! I am not very interested on rugby so this topic was quite a challenge for me in finding a blog and not a website.

The blog I found is http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-blogs/. This site was a site where  people could add their own comments about games that have been played, predicted outcomes of games that are to be played etc.

The website I found was http://www.wru.co.uk/index.php. On this website your able to find out about any future matches and your then able to colect the dates of matches as well as purchase tickets to games as well as many more things such as the news of the team.

To me the difference between a blog and a website on rugby is that the website can be a main page where all the latest goss of the team/players/league can be put on for people to be able to know everything about their "dream team".  Where as a blog is where members of the public are able to post their views of whats going on.

A website is more formal, read only and where you can gain facts from. A blog is more informal has less images but many advertisments.

Educational Studies

On September 24th, I started my new course in Swansea Met which is Educational Studies. I am currently enjoying the course and have made many new friends. I chose this course as I have always wanted to become a primary school teacher; therefore I am going to do my best at this course in order to achieve my childhood dream. When I finally get my degree I am hoping to either become a teacher or an educational welfare officer as my mind is not made up just yet! :)