This well written article describes the i Generation, children born between 1995 and 2012. They have grown up with smartphones, have an Instagram account before they start high school, and do not remember a time before the internet. The impact that smartphones have had on their lives is significant. Here is the link to the full article; in my opinion a worthwhile read.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/
Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Thursday, 2 November 2017
Friday, 13 October 2017
Screen Time for Kids - should we be concerned?
Watch this TED talk by Sara DeWitt where she dispels the myth that too much screen time is ruining our kids.
Wednesday, 27 September 2017
The Future of Work is uncertain, Schools should worry now!
Read this article published on the 26 September 2017 in Education Week and written by Benjamin Herold.
—Taylor Callery for Education Week
Automation and artificial intelligence are disrupting the labor market. What do K-12 educators and policymakers need to know?
Special Report: Schools and the Future of Work
- What Will Our Students Need to Know?
Technological change, globalization, and climate instability are happening at an accelerating pace all across the world.
Artificial intelligence and automation are the engines driving much of the transformation in the workplace. Some experts even predict that 47 percent of today’s jobs could be done by machines within a couple of decades.
Artificial intelligence and automation are the engines driving much of the transformation in the workplace. Some experts even predict that 47 percent of today’s jobs could be done by machines within a couple of decades.
So what skills do students need to succeed in the uncertain, intensely competitive workplace of the future? Education Week begins answering that question in this special report, “Schools and the Future of Work.”
http://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/schools-and-future-of-work/index.html
Thursday, 31 August 2017
Keeping your machine safe!
How does
ransomware get on your computer?
by Justin Richter
You can get ransomware if you click on malicious
internet links, download malicious files, open infected email attachments or
from a USB stick.
Precautions against ransomware attacks
Awareness is the
best way to avoid any ransomware attacks,
- Keep Windows Operating Systems up-to-date. – run windows updates!
- Always back-up your important data in an external hard-drive or cloud storage such as OneDrive or Drobox
- Enable system protection or File History (restore points)
- Thoroughly check your emails before opening any attachments! Why did I receive this, who is it from?
- Where possible, disable the loading of macros in your Office programs.
- Disable your Remote Desktop feature whenever possible.
- Use two-factor authentication for your Gmail and windows accounts.
- Avoid browsing websites that are often the breeding grounds for malware such as illegal download sites, porn sites and gambling sites.
- Use, and regularly update F-secure!
- Have a pop-up blocker installed in your browser
Common ways a PC or laptop get infected (virus/Malware/Spyware)
- User accepting installation
prompts without reading
an Internet advert or window
pops-up that says your computer is infected with a virus and needs to scan or
that software is required for you to install in order to download something.
You accept the prompt.
- When you’re installing ‘free
software’ that you obtained from the internet and it has check-boxes already
checked to install additional applications bundled with your download. You
accept the prompt.
- Visiting / Downloading
software/movies/music/pictures from unreliable or illegal sources
Many modern viruses can be
hard-coded into the website data which is downloaded into your temporary
internet files automatically just by loading the webpage.
- Opening email attachments
without knowing who they are from and why you have been sent them. Double check the sender’s email address and
confirm that the mail is relevant.
- Plugging infected USB sticks
and external hard drives into your laptop without scanning them first.
Malware - Malware
is the blanket term for all malicious software designed to disrupt, damage or
steal from a computer system (viruses, spyware and ransomware).
Spyware -
software that enables a user to obtain covert access to information and
functions.
Ransomware - a type
of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum
of money is paid.
Friday, 25 August 2017
Plagiarism and Turnitin
The internet has opened the door to a wealth of information and sources for our students to use in their studies. However, the consequence is that it also makes it too easy to simply copy content off the internet and paste it into one's research task as one's own work.
Plagiarism is an extremely common problem and is often the result of a lack of knowledge, skills and conscience.
The challenges teachers face is to educate our students about academic integrity and plagiarism and to give them the tools and skills necessary to avoid plagiarizing.
Plagiarism is a serious ethical offence and can have severe consequences. Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Acknowledging that your material has been borrowed and providing the audience with the information necessary to find that source is a positive step to preventing plagiarism.
We have recently subscribed to an originality checking and plagiarism prevention service called Turnitin that checks a student's writing for citation mistakes and inappropriate copying.
When a student submits a paper into Turnitin, the software compares the submitted work against a massive repository or database of texts, student work, books, articles etc and generates a similarity report which helps to identify possible instances of plagiarism.
Based on the results of the similarity report, a student has the opportunity to edit his work in such a way that all the sources that have been used have been acknowledged and cited correctly.
We have spent time helping our Grade 12 boys in their Life Orientation Research Essays. Using the referencing and citation tools in MsWord they have been shown how to cite their sources correctly and to generate the bibiography for their assignment.
All their assignments have been submitted through Turnitin and the boys have been able to re-work their essays whenever the similarity report indicated a high similarity index. This has been an important developmental and learning process for the boys in preparation for what they are likely to experience at University.
Plagiarism is an extremely common problem and is often the result of a lack of knowledge, skills and conscience.
The challenges teachers face is to educate our students about academic integrity and plagiarism and to give them the tools and skills necessary to avoid plagiarizing.
Plagiarism is a serious ethical offence and can have severe consequences. Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Acknowledging that your material has been borrowed and providing the audience with the information necessary to find that source is a positive step to preventing plagiarism.
We have recently subscribed to an originality checking and plagiarism prevention service called Turnitin that checks a student's writing for citation mistakes and inappropriate copying.
When a student submits a paper into Turnitin, the software compares the submitted work against a massive repository or database of texts, student work, books, articles etc and generates a similarity report which helps to identify possible instances of plagiarism.
Based on the results of the similarity report, a student has the opportunity to edit his work in such a way that all the sources that have been used have been acknowledged and cited correctly.
We have spent time helping our Grade 12 boys in their Life Orientation Research Essays. Using the referencing and citation tools in MsWord they have been shown how to cite their sources correctly and to generate the bibiography for their assignment.
All their assignments have been submitted through Turnitin and the boys have been able to re-work their essays whenever the similarity report indicated a high similarity index. This has been an important developmental and learning process for the boys in preparation for what they are likely to experience at University.
Wednesday, 23 August 2017
Jobs of the future
I enjoyed listening to Michael Chavez, Chief Executive at Duke Corporate Education, who was interviewed on the Kieno Kammies show. He chatted about the skills and knowledge our boys will need to succeed in work, life and citizenship. We need to teach our boys to become curious, to develop the ability to empathise, collaborate and look out into the world to find creative and innovative solutions to traditional problems.
This interview is well worth listening to: https://omny.fm/shows/the-kieno-kammies-show/jobs-of-the-future
Monday, 31 July 2017
Free, multimedia Internet safety presentations
Thursday, 18 May 2017
17 Ways to Help Students With ADHD Concentrate
17 Ways to Help Students With ADHD Concentrate
What a great article!https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/17-ways-help-students-adhd-fidget
Thursday, 22 September 2016
Internet Security and Safety
At a recent staff PD session we discussed Internet security and safety. The below videos give some insight to the dangers we face should we not take the necessary electronic precautions.
Stay safe on public Wi-Fi
1) Only join trusted networks and then be sensible about what you do while away and online
2)
Make sure your Firewall is on3) Turn off file sharing
4) Avoid using specific websites on public Wi-Fi ( Banking and personal (Facebook, Twitter, webmail) sites are most at risk since these are the type of websites hackers want access to )
5) Turn off Wi-Fi when you are not using it.
Some other things to remember
- Have a proper password - at least 8 Characters long; includes numbers, capitals and symbols e.g. eX@mpl3! How safe is your password? https://howsecureismypassword.net/
- Keep your operating software and programmes up to date. These updates patch vulnerabilities within the operating system and guard your machine against exploits.
- Make sure your machine is adequately protected against viruses. We use FSecure at the school and can highly recommend it.
Be aware of...
Pros
- Remembering login credentials for you is convenient
- Absolutely safe to do for non-critical sites e.g. No banking sites
Cons
- Credit card numbers, email addresses, passwords and usernames can become vulnerable to attacks
- You're likely to forget your passwords if you never have to type them in If you leave your laptop unattended and unlocked, then anyone can retrieve your saved passwords
- Fake websites can fool your browser into providing stored login and form data
Ad blocking to prevent click-bait
Install Ad Block Plus plugin for your browsers – Ad block Plus blocks those annoying and maliciously deceptive advertisements found on many of the most popular websites today making browsing faster and safer.
- Adblockplus is available on Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari.
Common ways a PC or laptop get infected (virus/Malware/Spyware)
- Accepting installation prompts without reading (An Internet advert or window pops-up that says your computer is infected with a virus and needs to scan or that software is required for you to install in order to download something. Or you agree to ‘free software’ that has check-boxes already checked to install additional applications bundled with your download. DON'T accept such prompts. )
- Visiting / Downloading software/movies/music/pictures from unreliable or illegal sources (Many modern viruses can be hard-coded into the website data which is downloaded into your temporary internet files automatically just by loading the webpage.)
- Opening email attachments without knowing who they are from and why you have been sent them. Always double check the sender’s email address and confirm that the mail is relevant.
- Plugging infected USB sticks and external hard drives into your laptop without scanning them first.
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Homework is wrecking our kids
Read this interesting the thought provoking article on the merits of not giving homework to primary school children written by Heather Shumaker.
http://www.salon.com/2016/03/05/homework_is_wrecking_our_kids_the_research_is_clear_lets_ban_elementary_homework/
SUNDAY, MAR 6, 2016 01:00 AM SAST
(Credit: KatarinaGondova via iStock)
http://www.salon.com/2016/03/05/homework_is_wrecking_our_kids_the_research_is_clear_lets_ban_elementary_homework/
SUNDAY, MAR 6, 2016 01:00 AM SAST
Homework is wrecking our kids: The research is clear, let’s ban elementary homework
Homework does have an impact on young students — but it’s not a good one
(Credit: KatarinaGondova via iStock)
“There is no evidence that any amount of homework improves the academic performance of elementary students.”
This statement, by homework research guru Harris Cooper, of Duke University, is startling to hear, no matter which side of the homework debate you’re on. Can it be true that the hours of lost playtime, power struggles and tears are all for naught? That millions of families go through a nightly ritual that doesn’t help? Homework is such an accepted practice, it’s hard for most adults to even question its value.
When you look at the facts, however, here’s what you find: Homework has benefits, but its benefits are age dependent.
For elementary-aged children, research suggests that studying in class gets superior learning results, while extra schoolwork at home is just . . . extra work. Even in middle school, the relationship between homework and academic success is minimal at best. By the time kids reach high school, homework provides academic benefit, but only in moderation. More than two hours per night is the limit. After that amount, the benefits taper off. “The research is very clear,” agrees Etta Kralovec, education professor at the University of Arizona. “There’s no benefit at the elementary school level.”
Before going further, let’s dispel the myth that these research results are due to a handful of poorly constructed studies. In fact, it’s the opposite. Cooper compiled 120 studies in 1989 and another 60 studies in 2006. This comprehensive analysis of multiple research studies found no evidence of academic benefit at the elementary level. It did, however, find a negative impact on children’s attitudes toward school.
This is what’s worrying. Homework does have an impact on young students, but it’s not a good one. A child just beginning school deserves the chance to develop a love of learning. Instead, homework at a young age causes many kids to turn against school, future homework and academic learning. And it’s a long road. A child in kindergarten is facing 13 years of homework ahead of her.
Then there’s the damage to personal relationships. In thousands of homes across the country, families battle over homework nightly. Parents nag and cajole. Overtired children protest and cry. Instead of connecting and supporting each other at the end of the day, too many families find themselves locked in the “did you do your homework?” cycle.
When homework comes prematurely, it’s hard for children to cope with assignments independently—they need adult help to remember assignments and figure out how to do the work. Kids slide into the habit of relying on adults to help with homework or, in many cases, do their homework. Parents often assume the role of Homework Patrol Cop. Being chief nag is a nasty, unwanted job, but this role frequently lingers through the high school years. Besides the constant conflict, having a Homework Patrol Cop in the house undermines one of the purported purposes of homework: responsibility.
Thursday, 25 February 2016
Digital Addiction
Digital Addiction
Digital addiction can loosely be described as the need to spend time in front of a screen - TV, Computer, Laptop, Tablet, Cell Phone – so that the allow can play computer games (online or not), watch TV, surf the internet or use Social Media.
Digital addiction can loosely be described as the need to spend time in front of a screen - TV, Computer, Laptop, Tablet, Cell Phone – so that the allow can play computer games (online or not), watch TV, surf the internet or use Social Media.
Technology is a
poor substitute for personal interaction. Personal interaction develops social
and emotional intelligence, necessary life skills.
Parents / teachers concerned
about possible digital addiction in their charges should consider the following
symptoms:
- An inability to be without their
phone due to fear of missing out (FOMO)
- Excessive engaging in digital
behaviours i.e. over a longer
period than originally agreed
- Unsuccessful efforts to stop, curb
or control those behaviours
- Irrational behaviour when access
to or engagement with technology is denied
- Uncontrolled depression
- Frequently engaging in digital activities
at the expense of academic, domestic or social obligations
- Impact on social or recreational
activities because of the digital behaviour
Are you
suffering from cell phone addiction?
- Are
you on your phone during social situations?
- Do
you carry your smartphone everywhere, even to the bathroom?
- Do you go to sleep and wake up looking at your phone?
Try these simple steps to break the habit!
1.
Create Boundaries
a. Put your phone on
silent
b. Stop alert
notifications
2.
Designate a time to
check in
a. Stick to that time
b. During social time
put your cell phone someplace where you won't hear or see it
3. DON'T sleep with
your phone
4. Try a full detox
for a few days and then implement the above
How do you, as a parent guide your
children on internet access, especially with younger children?
How
you choose to handle internet access will depend on your personal
circumstances. Our recommendation is that young children are not given access
without parental supervision / permission.
Some
suggestions include:
- have an
open door policy i.e. no internet behind closed doors
- install
a ‘Kid Safe’ browser and only allow internet access via this browser
- password
protect your home WiFi
- lock
access to the App store with a pin code
Tuesday, 25 August 2015
Kahoot - a game-based platform for learning
Kahoot is one of the fastest growing learning brands and we are using this tool to great effect in our classrooms. "It engages the heart, hand and mind for deeper pedagogical impact and supports connected learning and stimulates social learning and collaboration."
(Kahoot: https://getkahoot.com/)
The learners just love being able to answer quiz-based questions in an engaging and fun way where they are challenged by their peers and within limited time frames. The results are immediate and real-time. Kahoot is therefore a great tool for testing learning.
It works on any device with an internet connection and for teachers there is no setup time and involves simple one-click game play.
(Kahoot: https://getkahoot.com/)
The learners just love being able to answer quiz-based questions in an engaging and fun way where they are challenged by their peers and within limited time frames. The results are immediate and real-time. Kahoot is therefore a great tool for testing learning.
It works on any device with an internet connection and for teachers there is no setup time and involves simple one-click game play.
Saturday, 22 August 2015
Thursday, 23 October 2014
Writeable surfaces
I love our new desks! And Idea Paint walls!
Our boys are enjoying write-able surfaces in Biology laboratories and our resource centre. They find it much easier and more productive being able to make quick and easy changes and then use their phones / tablets to photograph the final product. They also enjoy making notes while the teacher is talking, or using the surfaces in collaborative work. Another class used the desks to jot down answers during a discussion.
Our boys are enjoying write-able surfaces in Biology laboratories and our resource centre. They find it much easier and more productive being able to make quick and easy changes and then use their phones / tablets to photograph the final product. They also enjoy making notes while the teacher is talking, or using the surfaces in collaborative work. Another class used the desks to jot down answers during a discussion.
I asked the boys what they enjoyed about working this way and why it was 'way cooler' and 'free-er' than writing on good old fashioned paper. They loved that it wasn't permanent and that mistakes could be easily corrected.
Friday, 17 October 2014
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