The semis in Paris

With a few hours to go until the game, we decided to sell our tickets. I'm sure that must cover a couple of shoes in Italy :-) (we didn't make profit)

We ended up watching the game in a small French pub where we are staying in Croissy, with our Kiwi friends. I had my French flag that I had traded at the last game so they knew we weren't English. The pub had set up the data projector so it was shining onto the side of a truck on the other side of the road - the only problem was when cars went past - and when they blew the fuse and the data projector had to warm up again!! We're off to the local market this morning to eat more food, and then out to lunch with some friends we knew in New York - who happen to live close by.

The bike trip on the Loire

What an amazing trip! The incredible scenery inspired you to take your time and explore. I survived the biking - I must admit it was a lot more challenging than expected and sometimes I was so busy trying to get up the hills I did miss some of the scenery - this could be my new sport :-)

In Tours, France

Hi there
Well a devastating game, but the French supporters were very gracious in their win. France is beautiful and we are enjoying the food. The keyboqrd is driving ,e crqzy, so better get on with the sightseeing!! Will post photos once we get to q friends computer in Paris . Still deciding if we will go to game;

View from the London Eye

London

Well here we are in London.


We've worked our way around the subway - my east/west/north/south is coming along.


We've been thoroughly spoiled by the people we are staying with, and have been eating out most nights - surely all my walking will make up for it :-)
On our first day we went to Madame Tussauds and saw Jonah there. Today we went on the London eye, and had a great view of the London skyline. Tomorrow we're meeting up with a crowd of friends from our School days, so should be good!! Some more 40th birthday celebrations.

HOLIDAY

With only two sleeps until my holiday to Europe, my blog will take a twist in direction - and I will be using ICT as the tool, rather than the topic. I hope to keep in touch with everyone, and keep you up to date with what we're up to. The computer is also taking a rest - the first time in a year :-)
To all of you attending ulearn - enjoy. I look forward to hearing how it all goes.
Go The All Blacks

free drawing software

Tux paint is an open source drawing programme for both Apple and PC. It is really simple to use, and I found it easier to use with children than PC 'paint' - with larger icons and simple buttons. I'd love to hear how it goes if you use it with under 5 year olds, and could be a simple alternative if you don't have Kid Pix.

Something to get you thinking

Top 10 computing energy savers

Well if you were looking for a great excuse to upgrade your desktop to a laptop, or replace your CRT screen with an LCD screen, or even change from a Dell to an Apple, these power saving tips might just give you the reason. Interesting reading, which has got me to go and reset my energy saving settings on the computer - and even turn my computer off each night. Check out the site at lifehacker.
There are more links from this site so it could keep you busy for a while.

useful for collage and 'junk' play?

I was just reading the latest 'Elements' magazine from the Wellington Regional Council, and found a link to 'The Waste Exchange' They are trialling one in Wellington (starting in February), which I can see being really useful to Kindergartens and Childcare Centres. A similar scheme in Palmerston North has been great. The homepage has a map of all the regions in New Zealand, so go and have a look - you never know what you might find!!

How much electricity?

I was just finally checking my netnewswire and found an interesting article in the NZ Herald about, how by 2020 all our techie gadgets will use half of our household electricity consumption (surely not more than heating I ask?? as I sit in front of the heater that has been on all day) - especially with many not even having an off button. Then as I consider all my new gadgets that I have got recently I can certainly understand this happening - I suppose the next question is about what to do about it. Wouldn't it be helpful to have an automatic remote that turned everything off (that you wanted of course) when you left the house or went to bed. No doubt someone will create something that helps us keep control of all these things. Perhaps one of those solar panels to power your computer or a crank handle on the $100 computers (see picture courtesy of engadget)would atleast make us appreciate the power we use.

A tough computer

As I returned from Christchurch last week a display at Wellington Airport caught my attention - there in a glass display case was a computer (Toughbook by Panasonic)with water being poured on top of it - while it was on! I thought this would be perfect for early childhood! No more worries about sand or water, or painted fingers on the keyboard - or biscuit crumbs or coffee spills!! Getting quite excited I asked the price - around $7,000 - oh well maybe not this time, but atleast the technology is possible and may get cheaper as time goes on. Check out the website - they have some videos of it in use (I think they need to add an early childhood video in there)

Being environmentally responsible

Earlier I blogged about recycling print cartridges. I have now been thinking about the computers. Have you thought about the metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and gold that are often thrown into landfills - with computers often being replaced after 3-5 years thats a lot of rubbish.
This blog site zerowaste makes an interesting read. It is NZ based and has links to other sites and information. If you're interested in reducing, reusing and recycling in general there is a lot more information.
If we look through Te Whaariki there are many references to respecting the environment: Implicit in the concept of the child as explorer is the importance of respect for the environment....The attitudes and expectations that are formed at an early age will continue to influence a child's learning through-out life...Procedures should be in place ... for conservation, recycling and waste disposal.
So what are you doing to support this - and how are you involving the children?

USB rechargable batteries

I was finally checking my RSS feeds and came across these USB rechargable batteries from the Lifehacker blog. I must say they took my fancy - must have been because I went to take a photo with my camera at a centre the other day and couldn't cos my batteries were flat, so had to miss out. Of course I always have my computer with me rather than the charger - They take 5 hours to charge (though if my laptop isn't plugged in I suppose they'll drain the battery pretty quickly.) Great for the environment too.

Todays web 2.0 workshop

Welcome KIDSPACE, Lucknow Kindergarten and Education Managers from Heretaunga and Napier Kindergarten Associations. A big thank-you to Carl at DTSL for supporting us with the fantastic venue!!

converting files

This site -zamzar
is great for converting files. I am currently trying to convert my wav files from my Belkin tunetalk so I can use them in powerpoints - I'll let you know how it goes.

Ken Robinson and creativity

I don't know if you've seen this video yet, but it is well worth look. Ken talks about intelligence as diverse, dynamic and distinct, and how we educate people out of their creativity (it's about 20 minutes long). It just makes me appreciate (again) why I love being in early childhood education. If you have a look at the Education Gazette (23/4) there is an article in there from both Ken Robinson and Marc Prensky (digital natives) both worth a read.

Are iPod-banning schools cheating our kids?

I was just checking my RSS feeds as I multi tasked watching the rugby - and this particular link got my attention. Mike Elgan from Computer World writes in regard to the banning of iPods:

How much of your high school history, science or math do you still retain to this day? If you’re like me, the answer is practically zero.

In my case, the single most valuable thing I learned in high school was how to touch-type (thank you, Ms. Balish!). Skills, habits and experiences, more than temporarily memorized facts, are what turn us into adults who can learn.

By banning iPods, we’re preparing our kids for a world without the Internet, a world without iPods, a world without electronic gadgets that can store information. But is that the world they’re going to live in?

I suppose this struck a cord with me as I currently have a teenager attending College who is rather disengaged and unmotivated (who sees what some teachers trying to teach him as irrelevant to his world). I was also one of the first students allowed calculators into exams - could the iPod just be another step of integrating technology into the learning . I sometimes wonder how early childhood teachers would teach if we were in a Secondary School, where our focus is on empowerment, holistic development, relationships, family and community, and learning dispositions (and skills and knowledge to support these)

Delete cyber bullying video

I'm visiting a kindergarten in Havelock North today - having a great time - and Havelock has a GREAT shoe shop and bakery

water resistant camera

After seeing the ad on TV for the water and shock proof camera, I thought that could also work for the busy early childhood centre - I know my camera stopped working after about 6 months from a combination of sand and me dropping or banging it. Information is available on Consumer online. Though they seem quite expensive, at around $650 (not sure if this is the exact one advertised on television - you know the ad with the big slobbery dog)

Think before you post

keyboard covers

If you've been concerned about protecting the keyboard from water and sand when children are using them, prehaps one answer is a keyboard cover. They seem quite cheap and can be ordered over the internet. You can purchase them for Mac laptops too, or a disposable one for a key board.

Another tripod

Check out this nifty tripod!
It is even cheaper (and certainly more portable!) than the one I previously posted. My colleague Linda has been using it, and says it is stable and strong enough to hold a video camera - you can even bend the legs to make it stable on an uneven surface.

tripod

On my journey looking for printer cartridges earlier in the week, I did manage to find a reasonably priced tripod. It comes in a very handy carry bag (see photo - on the floor) and has lots of bells and whistles. The 'neck' the camera sits on has a crank handle tha lets you lower and raise the camera smoothly, you can also turn it left, right, and up and down. The leg design seems very stable. Now I'm all set to video, and would love to try a video conference using the camera. (It is a Vivitar VPT-3600).

Have you ever wanted to convert files on your computer but haven't had the software to do it?
This site might help. It looks pretty easy to use too:
www.zamzar.com

We would really like to convert the photostory files some of the centres in the project have made so we can show them on the online site - perhaps this will help! - I used this but only managed to get the video with no sound, so using the original file (which only played sound) I combined them both using iMovie - not perfect but useable.

My new printer

Today I went to replace the black toner cartridge in my new laser printer (HP 2600n) This lasted just over 3 reams of paper - quite low for a laser printer (but one of the cheaper options). I learnt that firstly I should have used the phone or internet to find out who actually stocked the cartridges, as Noel Leemings, Bond and Bond, Dick Smiths, and Magnum Mac will only order them in, rather than keep them in stock. Warehouse Stationery stock them, but not all branches have them in stock. I s'pose it was a great opportunity atleast to try out the new Wellington bypass and changed one way streets. I decided to walk to many of the shops which was quicker in the end (and better for me of course). Another thing to watch out for is that the toner leaks out of the cartridge once out of the printer.
By the way I hope you're recycling your printer cartridges. HP do it for free, here is the link
I still don't have a new printer cartridge so that will be tomorrows adventure!

Manda's ICT

I have had to start a new blog as I have some how cannot log into my old one (whoops what did I do wrong??) Learning as I go!