Integrating ICT into the MFL classroom:

Exploring the potential of Gabcast

Simon Brown, one of the mainstays of our weekly OZ/NZ Flashmeetings has been trying out Gabcast this week as a way of moblogging audio files from a phone call. Simon describes his experiments in detail including comprehensive instructions on how to add Gabcast recordings straight to your blog.

I personally still favour the Gabcast + Podcast Pickle option, but this is a great run through and thanks Simon for taking the time to write this all down in easy to digest bite-size chunks. Food for thought for sure.

Newbury Park are flavour of the month

Language of the Month, the award winning project from Newbury Park Primary School was mentioned yesterday in the Telegraph article Language lessons: When a new language is child's play. The report explains how each month children from the school create multimedia resources to teach their classmates basic phrases from their mother tongue. Forty three presentations are now available for download in languages from Afrikaans to Yoruba.

This is a great example of how children can promote language awareness and global citizenship in a way which makes perfect sense to anyone.

Laptops for personalised learning

In the video clips E-Learning - Benefits of combining ICT with Education, Action! Teacher Video - Laptops for Learning and Student Macbook Reflections, pupils and teachers discuss how laptops can facilitate personalised learning and creativity. Mmm ...

40 ICT Ideas In 40 Minutes

Andrew Field from Content Generator has uploaded his great presentation 40 ICT Ideas In 40 Minutes. Check it out now!

Why use technology in the classroom?

One of Alec Couros' students has made this cool video on why we as teachers should use technology in the classroom. Have a look.

VoiceThread for language teachers

Randy Thornton and Silvia Tolisano have published tutorials on using VoiceThread in the languages classroom. Click on the links below to check them out.

Download flintro.mov

Digital Storytelling- Part VI VoiceThread

Blog rules offer support for internet safety

Creative ICT consultant John Sutton has created some blog rules as a guide of how to ensure the safety of your pupils online. Check them out now.

Microphone setup for Windows XP

Have a look at this VoiceThread about configuring an external microphone for recording audio on your computer. Sounds good?

MFL blog club

MFL teacher and trainer Gail Haythorne has set up a blog club to help colleagues master the basics of blogging. Check out her Braincandy blog club posts now. I'm sure they'll get you thinking. 

A guide to recording audio on a budget

In this short audio guide for making good quality digital recordings, Chris Vallance and Paul Parkinson give some useful tips on what software and hardware you need to get great results without breaking the bank.

These include:

• record directly on to a computer using a USB microphone headset with Audacity
• use a mobile phone, mp3 player or mini-disc with a lapel or internal microphone 
• choose the place where you record carefully and think about the background noise you'll pick up and what atmosphere that will create
• turn your phone off while recording
• wear headphones so you can hear exactly what you are recording
• avoid 'clipping' or 'pops' by using a foam cover or sponge on your microphone with a pop filter and don't put the microphone too near your mouth
• wrap the microphone flex around your hand to reduce extraneous noise

Now there's no excuse for not making 'broadcast quality' recordings!

Download_Chrisandpaulsaudioguide.mp3

For further tips from Paul, have a look at his presentation from PodCampUK. It's great.