Hmmm, PebblePad blogs...bit basic, aren't they? I guess if you use PebblePad for lots of other things, you might also want to use the blog facility, perhaps for compatibility reasons?? I prefer Blogger! It just looks more professional, and also has the added excitement (!) of anyone from anywhere in the world visiting through clicking on the 'next blog' option; I think that is how Vicki was discovered by Geraldo from Brazil...
I may be in a minority here, but I really don't like the WebCV option; just personal opinion, but I think it looks too cheesy, just a small step away from enclosing a teabag, scented notepaper, colourful envelope etc. To my mind, the best CVs are simple, accurate and clearly laid out, with no need for gimmicks. When I was teaching, I was regularly involved in the process of shortlisting, and it was always content rather than design that I was looking for. What do other people think about this option?
Monday, 17 November 2008
More PP reflections - Webfolios and sharing
If I can find time, I would quite like to have a go at creating a webfolio; the help movie makes it sound fairly simple.
The whole concept of sharing assets and webfolios for student use seems a good one in theory; I am beginning to think about the paper PDP that our students engage with and make comparisons. I think that the difficulty of switching to an electronic version is that our particular students have to share their PDP with so many other people e.g. staff in school, link tutors (who supervise their placements) etc, often in situations/venues where access to a computer is not readily available. However, it would make it easier as a personal tutor to compile a reference as you would have access to a lot of information in one place.
Additionally, the ability to share assets would potentially link well to subject audits, and the shared responsibility between students and staff in developing students' subject knowledge; this could allow more personalised feedback on learning (although this in turn is likely to be time consuming).
My one concern is the amount of time that it could take for students (and considerably more for some than others) to get to grips with PebblePad; what would the course have to sacrifice in order to allow the time for students to familiarise themselves with PebblePad?
I think that perhaps I need to be more familiar with using it myself before I can truly see all the potential advantages and drawbacks of using this technology.
The whole concept of sharing assets and webfolios for student use seems a good one in theory; I am beginning to think about the paper PDP that our students engage with and make comparisons. I think that the difficulty of switching to an electronic version is that our particular students have to share their PDP with so many other people e.g. staff in school, link tutors (who supervise their placements) etc, often in situations/venues where access to a computer is not readily available. However, it would make it easier as a personal tutor to compile a reference as you would have access to a lot of information in one place.
Additionally, the ability to share assets would potentially link well to subject audits, and the shared responsibility between students and staff in developing students' subject knowledge; this could allow more personalised feedback on learning (although this in turn is likely to be time consuming).
My one concern is the amount of time that it could take for students (and considerably more for some than others) to get to grips with PebblePad; what would the course have to sacrifice in order to allow the time for students to familiarise themselves with PebblePad?
I think that perhaps I need to be more familiar with using it myself before I can truly see all the potential advantages and drawbacks of using this technology.
Reflections on using Pebblepad
Journal
Having already created some 'thought' assets as part of my e-portfolio for the PGCHE 413 assessment, I have found them relatively easy to do. I did not view any of the help movies, I just had a play and managed to do what I wanted, so it must be fairly user-friendly; I am not the most technologically-minded individual!
I like the simple menus on the main screen, and also like the 'hint' options that are frequently available; they really helped me through the process. As yet, I have not had a go at adding evidence or anything more complicated, but that will be my next task.
Start Date
17 November 2008
Having already created some 'thought' assets as part of my e-portfolio for the PGCHE 413 assessment, I have found them relatively easy to do. I did not view any of the help movies, I just had a play and managed to do what I wanted, so it must be fairly user-friendly; I am not the most technologically-minded individual!
I like the simple menus on the main screen, and also like the 'hint' options that are frequently available; they really helped me through the process. As yet, I have not had a go at adding evidence or anything more complicated, but that will be my next task.
Start Date
17 November 2008
So...Pebblepad...
OK, I know I should have been doing this last week, but got a bit behind!
Having just watched a couple of the Pebblepad help movies, I am now a little clearer about what it does, why you might use it, and what the basic buttons do. I'm not sure why I didn't watch these before beginning my own e-portfolio for our 413 assessment, it might have made the process a lot easier!!
On a separate note, the man speaking on the first movie looks exactly like a colleague of my husband; so much so, that I think it might be him but speaking with a different accent...I guess that's quite unlikely isn't it?
Anyway, back to exploring Pebblepad...
Having just watched a couple of the Pebblepad help movies, I am now a little clearer about what it does, why you might use it, and what the basic buttons do. I'm not sure why I didn't watch these before beginning my own e-portfolio for our 413 assessment, it might have made the process a lot easier!!
On a separate note, the man speaking on the first movie looks exactly like a colleague of my husband; so much so, that I think it might be him but speaking with a different accent...I guess that's quite unlikely isn't it?
Anyway, back to exploring Pebblepad...
Thursday, 13 November 2008
What was I thinking?
Just a quick update, because I am supposedly working from home today, marking assignments; to be fair, I have marked some this morning, but I am now taking a break to pop to Tesco to purchase ingredients for making cakes and cookies later this evening...
The reason for this burst of baking is that I somehow volunteered to produce 50 cakes and cookies for the staff at my daughter's nursery to sell in aid of Children In Need tomorrow...I don't even like baking! I am not, and never will be, a domestic goddess, but hey, it's for a very good cause.
Phil, I promise I will actually get on with this week's task at some point before next Monday!
The reason for this burst of baking is that I somehow volunteered to produce 50 cakes and cookies for the staff at my daughter's nursery to sell in aid of Children In Need tomorrow...I don't even like baking! I am not, and never will be, a domestic goddess, but hey, it's for a very good cause.
Phil, I promise I will actually get on with this week's task at some point before next Monday!
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
What shall I write now????
Having looked at other blogs, I am now totally in awe of all the additional links, gadgets etc, but I know that I just don't have time to make mine 'more fancy' at the moment.
I am also at a loss for what to write now...nothing interesting happens to me! I could continue my rant that I began in Room 101 regarding cold calling... we had no less than 10 calls on Monday evening, and it drives me bananas when they don't speak for the first 10 seconds because they have tried several different numbers and speak to whoever answers first - it's so rude! The worst thing of all is that we are registered with TPS so should not receive cold calls, but it apparently only regulates those calls that originate in the UK. So UK companies are not only moving their call centres abroad because it's cheaper, but also so they can get round the TPS regulations...infuriating!
Anyway, rant over, and I actually feel a little better. Will try to post something more interesting later... Oh, and I just came across this lovely picture of my daughter from Fireworks last year, and it made me smile so had to include it!
Monday, 10 November 2008
I've done it!
I can't quite believe it, but I have created my own blog! And it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Blogger really is simple to use and so step by step (ideal for my 'logical to the point of obsessive' brain - my husband's words not mine!).
I have never had the faintest clue what a blog was, what it was for or why I might want to use one. The only blog I have ever read before now is one created by a lovely friend of mine, who began hers when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 26; she wanted somewhere that she could express her feelings and could share her journey with others. I have always been in awe of the amazing amount of emotion that she is able to convey through her posts, which I think can be hard to achieve in an on-line environment. It is always an emotional read for me, because she battles through hard times so bravely; even if I didn't know her, I think it would be emotional to read.
I don't think mine will engage people on an emotional level, nor do I think it will be particularly interesting for others at this stage, but it's mine and I'm proud to have achieved it! (Given that I have said how easy it was to do, perhaps I should not be proud at all...!)
I have never had the faintest clue what a blog was, what it was for or why I might want to use one. The only blog I have ever read before now is one created by a lovely friend of mine, who began hers when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 26; she wanted somewhere that she could express her feelings and could share her journey with others. I have always been in awe of the amazing amount of emotion that she is able to convey through her posts, which I think can be hard to achieve in an on-line environment. It is always an emotional read for me, because she battles through hard times so bravely; even if I didn't know her, I think it would be emotional to read.
I don't think mine will engage people on an emotional level, nor do I think it will be particularly interesting for others at this stage, but it's mine and I'm proud to have achieved it! (Given that I have said how easy it was to do, perhaps I should not be proud at all...!)
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