Photo Albums on Timeline

2 websites were given to us and tried them.

Notice that http://www.dipity.com/ integrates a wider range of platforms as compared to http://www.kronomy.com/. Of course the former has "bigger" advertisements that crowd the top and right banners of the screen.

Also notice that it could capture albums that are set to "Public". The unlisted ones are not shown. Hm... just wonder how many timelines can we create using the same account...

Here's a quick one, using the sst.common account:

SST S. on Dipity.

Googling Around the Globe

On Thursday (13 August 2009), we had a PD-ICT session facilitated by Irfan that focused on the features in GoogleEarth and GoogleMap.

Here's a couple of things that, on revisiting, that I created...

(a) The map where I've marked both the Holding and Permanent sites on the map. Not too difficult, except having to recall how to get the blue marker out.


View School of Science and Technology, Singapore in a larger map
(b) The map with the Bus-stops and Walking Path marked. This is being marked manually.


View SST - from Clementi MRT Station in a larger map


(c) (i) This map shows the direction by car recommended by GoogleMap after inputing the Source (MRT Station) and Destination (SST):


View Larger Map

(c) (ii) Click HERE to see the step-by-step guide by GoogleMap

(d) Inserting Imagines at the respective locations in GoogleMap.
(i) Here's one for Beijing, China


(ii) Here's one for Paris, France





(e) Presenting it in GoogleEarth - we can click at the image to enlarge the image tagged to it.
However, have not found a way to embed this 'customised' part in the blog.

(i) Here's one for Beijing, China


(f) Here's a map that's created to record the landmarks of places I visited in England this January. Once located the place, insert a placemarker and there, we can insert text (to describe the location/happening then). We can also insert image(s) - however, it's a bit cumbersome as it requires us to copy the URL of the image. In other words, the image has to be uploaded first, then right click to get the URL.


View London in a larger map

National ICT Sharing Presentation - Using Blogs to Enable Independent Learning

Presented by Susan Soh, Rodger Spelmer & Joyce Lim of Hwa Chong Institution (High School Section)

In the 30 min presentation, what I gathered...

• This is the first year when Blogging is incorporated into the Sec 1 Lang-Arts programme (LAP) in a structured manner. It is compulsory for all and comes in the form of student-initiated Project (Part of their Project Work).
• Blogging helps in facilitating Differentiated Instruction (DI), taken into consideration students' learning styles.
• One important point: The role of teachers progresses from "Teachers" to "Facilitators" - this role is gradual and progressive to allow time for students' adaptation and eventually being able to take charge of the learning. The presenters shared about having Prompts to guide students on the writing (as scaffolds). In fact, students are told be teachers that those are prompts and are encouraged (on-going) to attempt the task without relying on the prompt. This transition is something that we often miss out during implementation - teachers would assign the task without providing scaffolds. Often, the switch from teacher to facilitator role is drastic and students are expected to be independent in no time.
• A new idea: Electronic Bookshelf where students list down the books they read. How we could implement: Start a Class Library blog where students could share their reading in the form of Book Review. The dept could structure it thematically in a monthly basis or based on genre, etc. In no time, our Electronic Bookshelf will be so much richer! We could easily set a target of 1 book per fortnight and they would also pick up a book reviewed by their peers to read so that they could comment in their classmate's post (possibly offering a different perspective).
• Role Modeling is another important aspect mentioned, where teachers' involvement (i.e. regular inputs) are necesary for the programme to take off. 3 stages (i) Write, Publish blog posts regularly (ii) Post comments regularly (iii) Blog prompts based on text discussed in LAP classes. Fully agree with this! If one asks the students to do it yet do not personally demonstrate the desired behaviour, then it's not convincing in the kind of habit one intends to cultivate! Moreover, it's important to respond to the students' inputs - at least they are aware that someone's reading and will make an effort to do it well! The prompts are really the scaffolding that keeps thing going on!
• I also like the systematic approach (which we could probably consider!): (i) Prior introducing Blogging to students, carry out a survey to prep the students. It also gives the teachers an idea where the students are. They term it as "Pre-test" (which I think "Survey" sounds more appropriate). (ii) This is followed by getting students to write/discuss "Journaling vs Blogging" to look at the similarities and differences (hence setting the tone and expectation, I guess). (iii) The class then moved on to analyse newspaper articles of racist bloggers, etc before they move on to (iv) Socratic Seminar on Dangers of Blogging. (v) Drawing from discussions and exposures through these engagement, students then create the blog policy which is then signed by parents as well as students to emphasize the latter's responsibility in blogging. (vi) Eventually, students create their first blog.
• This blogging activity is also noted as a major ACE activity (10CPs) which all students are expected to complete 20 blogs and provide 12 quality comments to their peers. Their blog must also comprise of multimedia elements (video & photo images). Of course, there's a rubric for teachers to grade the entire exercise!

Something I'm amazed over...

• In times of emergency, a cultivated habit comes in really very handy. I must take my hat off that the students responded so quickly to the teachers' message in the blog. So, it's really important and necessary to cultivate that kind of responsibility in the students to own their learning - learning goes on, whether it's in school or at home. https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1164590780106073855&postID=1974527080832677477

Some useful sites come across in the session:

• Rodger Spelmer's blog: http://deckhard.blogspot.com/
• Student, Wei Heng's blog: http://rubberbazooka.blogspot.com/
• Thoughts in 55 words: http://rubberbazooka.blogspot.com/2009/06/term-2-blogging-reflections.html

Other related sites that I chanced upon...

• A task set by the teacher "1P4 Poetry Discussion Forum" http://balanhci.blogspot.com/2009/06/emergency-online-lessons.html
• The Professor Board (a student's blog) http://professorboard.blogspot.com/
• A students' blog that shows the series Lang-Art lessons that take place during school closure http://wwwsilentscopesilence.blogspot.com/
• Readers for Life where Parents were informed of the programme and respond to how they could participate in it http://deckhard.blogspot.com/2009/02/readers-for-life-dear-sec-1-parents-as.html

National ICT Sharing Presentation - Ether-World Models: Co-Curricular WetPaint - Environment Simulation

Presented by Robert Puffer & Ms Hoe Tou Hwa of Bukit Panjang Government High School

Was attracted to the session because of its objective outlined in the synposis:

1. ... to provide a model for extending a student's opportunity for leadership and academic outside the school environment...
2. ... to demonstrate uses of wetpaint wikispaces which create social environments where students become engaged in self-disciplined learning of curricular goals
3. ... to demonstrate a peer evaluative tool
4. ... to propose an extensive of this model to a global project resulting from a national competition. Students will apply their comprehension of class activity to a national and international mdoel for addressing global issues. A Global Issues Network (GIN) will be joined by Singapore students.

In the 30 min presentation, what I gathered...

• There's this Earth Hope Global Issues Network Conference(http://www.earcos.org/gin2008/index.html) where students could participate in discussions pertaining to global issues like Global Warming, Digital Divide. 2008's held in Beijing while this year's in Bangkok. Well, this could be an event where our students could participate, interact with students from all over the world and be engage in rich discussion cross-culturally.
• Wiki is being used in the EL and History classroom (not sure if it's level wide). Currently, wiki activities seem to supplement who's in the main curriculum. The activities does not come with any assessment component as it aims to make interaction non-threatening. Moreover, not all students participated because not everyone has access to the internet.

Things I already know and I didn't expect to cover (based on the write-up)...

• Signing up of the WetPaint account. Well, I think such technicalities could be more easily carried out or more effective to participants (who are new to WetPaint) if it's a hands-on session.
• The new site (access via invitation) was created: http://knict.wetpaint.com/
• Features of WetPaint - something I already know.
• Benefits of networking via wiki - mainly collaboration. Yes, and agree it depends on the make-up of the community that makes the interaction more enriching!

Questions remain unanswered...

• What are some of the specific activities that the students are engaged in (English & History) that illustrates their growth and how they have benefited from the participation in a wiki.
• Well, one example shared was, a student put up a question in the discussion focum (DF)of the class wiki where he invited replies from his peers. Well, this illustrates the clarification process - however, facilitated via a DF. It's not the key feature of wiki - which is suppose to be the collaborative platform.
• How do students arise from occasion to lead? Not clear. Perhaps illustrated from the discussion forum when one led in the discussion and helped peers who need support? Once again, how does wiki really support this process, apart from the DF that comes with it?
• Indeed, I was looking out for the kinds of activities/interaction that could leverage on the features uniquely wiki - which could be in the form of collaboration or something else!
• BTW, what's exactly this Ether-World Model? It was never answered... or was it forgotten? or it's so abstract that it's already answered or I already experienced it without knowing? Hm...

What Kind of Listener are You?

(source: The Straits Times Saturday, August 15 2009 - CATS Recruit R26)

Several types of Listeners are described in this article:

• Shallow or Superficial - Pretend to be listening. In other words, it's being physicall present while the mind has gone astray! This happens often during opening Address of events/ceremonies is so generic and nothing's new. Sometimes, I just wonder, are the VIPs being invited to give the Opening Address because it's a usual practice? (Doing it for the sake of doing it?) Sometimes, it's not meaningful at all! Of course, there are also those that we look out for announcements that impact us. So, it's the 'standard procedure' that kills its significance?
• Impatient - the tendenacy to interrupt and finish the sentence for the speaker. Oh! Come across so many such people in group conversation. Really, sometimes I would just wonder, "Where are your manners? You have so much good things (or even better things) to share? Let others finish first - it's respect and you might find jewels in what you hear". Of course, I must also take my hat off for such people who could discard other's reaction and 'cheong' the way in... er... ok, it's an art to know how to interrupt and stop others (which I doubt I would ever master such a skill!)
• Self-absorbed - being preoccupied with himself or his own thoughts, needs and problems. Well, come across this, and in fact, it's hard to carry on conversation with this kind of "listener" 'cos it seems like his/her point is always more important while others aren't. So, what's the point of talking? They just need an empty vessel to 'pour' their needs and concerns!
• Other-absorbed - subordinating & unassertive. Never dominates a conversation and barely participate at all.
• Literal - analytical and listens to the words carefully without realising that effective listening comes from the heart - missing out the emotional & non-verbal content of the message. Anyway, sometimes we have to practise literal understanding to downplay the emotion, especially if we are fully aware the strength of the speaker is to use tone and expressions to hype up one's emotion and sway one's thoughts!
• Critical - judges according to preconceived ideas and own point of view. Yes, yes... especially if one hears what's against his/her proposal! It could ended up being defensive... and often one does not listen. He hears.
• Adviser - give sincere but unsolicited advice, telling the speaker what to do or how to solve the problem. Oops! Sometimes tend to fall into this trap... with good intention. Think about it, perhaps the advice born out of the good intention might not be relevant at all times. Or sometimes it's not worth the effort?
• Interrogator - asks lots of questions to get additional information and to control the information. Hm... So, beware when we try to clarify during the conversation. Over-doing it and not informing the listener the intent/rationale behind may make us sound like interrogating.
• Empathetic - listens from the heart, builds rapport and is attentive and interested, does not judge or criticise and seeks to understand the speaker's point of view and feelings. Well, well... it comes with sincerity and experience!

Well, I think there's a lot to do with "Who's talking" and the "Background/Context of the Conversation".

One thing that I agree is, how we listen would greatly affect how others will respond to us. However, the reverse is true, too! How well the other party listens affects how we respond (listen) too! The effect/impact resonates!

Teaching that Learning is a Lifelong Pursuit

Seldom flip through the papers so early... flip flip flip and this article caught my eyes "Teaching that Learning is a Lifelong Pursuit" by Dr Su Guaning.
(Source: The Straits Times Saturday, August 15 2009 Review & Forum A34)

Ah... Some very relevant points... that we've been dwelling with in the past couple of weeks - What we hope our 'end-products' who walk out of the school gate look like? What should they possess and bring with them?

Here, he pointed out the critical ones... {hey, a second thought, isn't it the 'model' that all institutes hope to 'create'} - ok some colleagues corrected me very quickly when I used the word 'create'. They suggested it should be 'nurture'. Well, well... it doesn't matter which is which... Really, I see the school as the black box that does whatever magic (be it success or not) to the 'raw materials/parts' that are thrown in... and sending a brand new item out at the other end of the box. In the process, the black box might even undo some of the original 'properties' of the raw materials!

The attributes he pointed out:

1. Strong qualities of ethical reasoning, integrity and moral character.
2. Leadership, teamwork, mutual respect and communication skills.
3. Creativity, innovation and interdisciplinary synthesis
4. Self discipline, disciplinary strength and life-long learning
5. Professionalism, public service, social engagement and global citizenship

Yes... I can't agree more than this...

• Moral values, moral character are the key to all - the thought, the intent to drive the action. It determines the direction and the implications, consequences of all.
• Leadership must come with mutual respect... else, the leader would only be the leader and follower himself! He can't lead in the team does not exist. Mutual respect connects one to others.
• Creativity and Innovation do not exist in silo. They are intertwined to generate more benefits. 1 + 1 > 2
• Attitudes, attitudes & attitudes . Complacency creates "permanence". One might stand still, but the time and tide wait for no one. The earth continues to evolve...
• Global citizenship - adaptability and ability to filter and leverage on, to build on... however, while one is deeply engaged and hold strong belief in the approach, one must not forget being rooted to values and homeland.

Another interesting thing highlighted in the article is the view of employability by the founder of Visa International, Dee Hock:

• Hire and promote first on the basis of integrity;
• second, motivation;
• third, capacity;
• fourth, understanding;
• fifth, knowledge; and
• last and least, experience.
• Without integrity, motivation is dangerous;
• without motivation, capacity is impotent;
• without capacity, understanding is limited;
• without understanding, knowledge is meaningless;
• without knowledge, experience is blind.
• Experience is easy to provide and quickly put to good use by people with all the other qualities.

Click HERE to see more.

Farmville - Closing the Farm Responsibly...

Declared to close the farms since beginning of the week, and the targeted date of completion is end of this week. Yes! Target achieved!

Well, the farming business sustained no longer than one month... I guess, the key realisation is the addiction to the game... when one tries to struggle between work (or more meaningful business) against play, there's where a decision has to be made... of course, one might talk about time management, if one manages the resources well, there isn't much time wasted. On the other hand, it's also one's notion of whether being engaged in a meaningful activity and what's the initial purpose of being involved in such activity.

I guess, for myself is pretty clear, it's really having a taste of what it is? and certainly, the primary objective of coming on board is because of work... in chinese there's this saying, 知己知彼，百战百胜。One would only be able to tackle the 'enemy' (i.e. problem, in this case) well if we know it well! So, it's the experience that many of us are lacking (or we might have long forgotten!).

So, that's it... experienced the climax where the urge to keep checking the farm was irresistible!

Of course, some would say, ok... since you are quitting, why bother to do a 'clean-up'... can just leave the stuff there... don't attend to it...

The undergirding value is really, RESPONSIBILITY. Be it real world or virtual - I believe that we should participate as a responsible being! It's observable to us, in real world, what's meant by behaving responsibly - many a time, it's also guarded by rules (or even law)! For instance, adopting an animal is no easy business in real world - no abuse! and they have to be well taken care of! We can't just discard it.

Then how about virtual world? Well, most will agree that it's a place where we could (and some of us do!) adopt a different persona! and do things that we could not do in real world (and sometimes, unacceptable behaviour!). Simple things like creating/ registering for free virtual accounts (for various kinds of applications) and left it forever dangling there (er... not making a 2nd time visit!). Hey, this is leaving trash all over the place! Oh! These are whom I call "Cyber Litterer"!

Similarly, for this little farm activity - we are given free plots of land and had the fun of it... though those are virtual plants, there are lives! The plants do withered if not attended to. So, to be responsible, and knowing that one won't come back as regular, one way is to remove all the 'living things' there... no more animals, no more trees and no more crops!

That's why I decided to transform all the 'investments' to non-living thing assets... accept that I couldn't donate or sell the land away! hahaha....

Well, with no crops/animals/trees to harvest... I shall not visit the farm so regularly... and thus... live should be back to normal! Cheers!

Finding my way home from school...

View Larger Map

The 80-20 Phenomenons

Bought this book "The 80-20 Principle, The Secret of Achieving More with Less" by Richard Koch.

Well, well... this 80-20 principle came about during the work review session... ok, that's probably one good "remedy" to address to the "no time" issue that I always face... hahaha... perhaps sometimes it's not no time, but things seems to be more energy-sapping than it should be.

Have only browsed through first few pages in chapter 1 - which started off by citing how some things outhere simply follow this simply mathematical principle 80-20, but without a logical explanation. It seems to me that this principle is derived through Induction! There are so many instances cited that follow this rule (of course, have to identify the pattern first)... Then it's generalised!

• Pareto's discovery: Systematic adn predictable lack of balance
• Zipf's Principle of Least Effort

Just wondering... will this principle applies to me reading this book - only reading 20% and shelving up the remaining 80%? Haha....

• In another note, just wondering if I have at least read 20% of the books I bought before shelving them? or perhaps, for each book, I have read 20% of them? Haha...

Revisiting Farmville... and Introducing Farm Town

In one of the posts in July, wrote about the potential of Farmville in teaching and learning.

Have started becoming more intensive in playing in the past couple of days... think the climax should be over by then... the desire to check the crops for harvesting, etc. Well, it's really time consuming... So, it's really a battle between the "urge (want)" and "need"... See the 'addiction' symptom in the description?


A few that I could draw from my personal experience:

• Despite the fact that the crops will only harvest the next day, still very tempting to visit the farm every hour, would hop in to check if any trees or animals are ready! {Despite the fact that I have more urgent matters to attend to...}
• Though it makes no difference to move the objects around, but there's joy to change the layout as and when. For a moment, the trees are packed, while in another moment, move the pond to the middle of the field. Yes, this is very time consuming and time wasting.
• Finding means to earn more coins - through farm visiting (yes, yes... it really takes time to visit my neighbour's farm)
• As and when (when the system permits), click to give free gifts to other farmers, hoping them will give in return
• Ah! Something that others might not do... U see, I've 2 farms (yes, under 2 accounts!) - that allows SHELOH and HELOH to give each other presents... and as a result, more time spent in generating more coins. Oh yes, whenever one of them receives an award, the other quickly gets to the HOME page to get the bonus!

Ha... so, aren't these some obvious symptoms of addiction?

Well, so much for Farmville. Definitely, it come with some simple mathematics, which means it's still quite worth exploring.

There's another similar game in Facebook - that's also the craze amongst may of the Facebook Friends (oh yes, some actually have accounts for both farms! (er... like me! hahaha)).

• The obvious difference is, Farm Town is much more complex... as it no longer just involve the key focus - attending to one's farm... It adds other dimensions like, working in other farms to earn money! It also allows the farmer to keep the goods in store before selling. This would help to add value to the goods!
• Well, Farm Town extends what Farmville does (with regards to values) - Responsibility. It's no longer to ensure no crops were wasted because of late harvesting; Farm Town also requires the farmer to regularly water the plants!
• The system also allows the avartars to chat! (online chat, I mean). Of course, the level of interaction amongst users is much higher! This leads to potential collaboration! One drawback that I see (so far)... we could not limit the "people" around (there are lots of other strangers hanging around in the market place or the inn!).
• One thing that puts me off is... the response - slower than Farmville (is it because of its complexity?). It also takes relatively longer time to load the game, when compared to Farmville. Oh yes, the look and feel also less appealing, compared to the Farmville.

Well, well... it's not just farming... the current craze also extends to "Restaurant" business as well as "Livelihood" in the city!

Oh! When will this craze be over!?