iBooks Author

Apple announce their new iBooks2 apps today. Basically, media-rich text books, agreements with major publishers. Teachers are asking some key questions. I’ve answered a couple: Can anyone write an ibook? Yes. And no. Download the ibook author from the app store on to your mac. It’s free, and very cool. Nothing at all for PC. This […]

Blogging for teachers

Benefits of blogging Reflective practice – thinking about what you do, why you it, how you do it and whether it works. Ideas sharing – you’ve probably got some ideas that no one has ever heard of. It’s a shame to see those ideas go to waste. An end of professional isolation – if you’re […]

The BEST way to combine RSS feeds

I searched and searched for the answer to this questions. I found multiple services that were shut down and, to cut a long story short, it was a massive google fail. What RSS feeds are really useful. I’ll save an explanation for another post. This post is about combining them and republishing them. Why I […]

Personal update: My New Job and the way forward

I have a day job! Yus! I’m starting work on the 4th at a small(ish) IT company providing a help desk service to a variety of clients – many of who are in Education. The aim is to get some IT cred in this role and then to move the clients into the LMS/PD area where […]

Do I buy my child an iPad for school?

Lots of people ask me this question. This is what I tell them and why: No.  Pros: Great battery life – believe it or not, this is the most important thing when a student is taking a ‘device’ to school Form – people love using the iPad. There’s no point in buying something they’ll hate. […]

Calling for a bipartisan agreement for education

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3Z30CXVAjw&feature=youtu.be

This nifty video (featuring out-of-tune guitar) demonstrates the need for some equilibrium in education.
I suggest you watch the vid before you read on…

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My take: education has been too much of a political issue in New Zealand. I’m glad that the PPTA has made some bold statements in recent months indicating that are not aligning themselves with a particular party.
I think that what they’re suggesting is unlikely to come about, though. Politians love to blame everything on education and also suggest it as the cure for everything.
Also: the recent minister of education has probably been the worst we’ve had for at least 15 years. She’s been profoundly unpopular and I really hope she doesn’t come in again in the new parliament.

Countdown to change

13 lessons left to teach 1 iPad to return 1 laptop to return Goodbyes Change is in the air. No, I don’t have a new job yet, but I’m still very confident.  

Countdown to change

13 lessons left to teach 1 iPad to return 1 laptop to return Goodbyes Change is in the air. No, I don’t have a new job yet, but I still very confident.  

Expertise

I’m pretty good at the following: elearning (moodle) apple network and client administration -and i know that schools are struggling with managing the devices that their students are bringing. social networking (twitter, facebook, blogs) media (video, audio, images) writing music I’m seriously thinking of consulting in these areas. What do you think?

They Learn More When I Stop Teaching Them