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Author: Margaret Simkin
I am a Teacher of History working part time as I consider options for my future. For many years I have been a Teacher-Librarian at a small regional cooeducational college. While now working with three classes of History I continue to develop information literacy and digital skills as a Microsoft IEE and also a Fellow. It is critical ifor educators to keep tabs on new technology and its educational application. I am lucky to work in a school where technology is supported.
Bing Search Engine Introduction
So -do you want to try it out?
Search for Microsoft Bing –
I used the
search on my school device.
It then asked for one of my existing online options – I chose to use my Twitter handle.
This page came up next:
I did not add all the different links that I have accounts for. I did add this webpage which originally started as part of my MEd studies at CSU as an official site (which probably means I had better start using it again!).
The personalised page comes up once you join
The options displayed many similarities with areas we are exploiting at school.
The “home page” is an interesting concept. Once you add this data your home page “advertises” you!
You also have the option of setting up a voice hub:
Not sure where I will go from here, but we are certainly educating in an interesting time!
My Collection of Blogs
These all indicate my learning journey throughout the digital phase of my teaching.
It has been a wonderful phase of my career.
https://9hist2012.wordpress.com/
https://winifredberrylibrary.wordpress.com/
https://vcerevsms.wordpress.com/
https://alexandralibrary.wordpress.com/
https://handburylibrary.wordpress.com/
There may not be anymore sites to add – but who knows what the future holds! I am currently enjoying teaching Ancient History to Year 7 and Medieval History to Year 8.
Remote learning artifact from 2020
Remote learning taught me so much about clear instructions, the social and emotional needs of learning communities and how students rely on each other to decode activities that they need to complete for the subject I am teaching them.
This example comes from my Year 9 History OneNote Class Notebook from the end of Term 3 and a long spell of teaching and learning remotely.
The topic we had covered for most of the term was “Making a New Nation”. The students were weary, and we had completed the assessment for the topic but there were 3 lessons to go until the holidays.
Typically our Year 9 students have spent a week in Melbourne and three weeks in China by this time of the year. They were missing their friends and upset about what should have been. I decided that hosting an excursion would be something different even if we had to go virtually!
So, we “went” to the Canberra Art gallery!
The second lesson of the week asked them to share and discuss one of the images they chose. Choices were shared on 4 pages within the Collaboration space. A number of students offered to talk about their choice and then students were asked to pick 4 favourites from those submitted.
While this excursion was not really a better way to go than if we had been able to actually visit an art gallery, it did allow for most students to enjoy something a bit different that summed up or studies over the term.
The last lesson of the Term was VERY successful. Three groups took on creating a task for their classmates. I facilitated and the term ended with a lot of much need laughter. We had a Kahoot run by two boys; a quiz shared by a girl who had been a bit disengaged in the last few weeks and a challenge from another girl.
Long time no blog!
With all the drama of Covid-19 I have not been active on my blog. About to tidy up a few out of date elements! Hopefully there will be some more action here VERY soon!
Mixing up the classroom
Still on a high from E2 in Paris I am confidently trying new things. Any “Changemaker” activity is a risk and sometimes things don’t work out as planned. Never-the-less, the pleasure is in the experimentation and what doesn’t cause physical harm does them good (or does it?).
Today’s VCE History: Revolutions class was one of those “How might I unlock the brain block to constructing responses?” moments.
We have been working on essay writing throughout the year to date. very early in Term 1 we used plastic building blocks to plan an essay.
We are moving into Russia AOS (Area of Study) 1 – from the coronation of Tsar Nicholas ll to the October Revolution of 1917.
The skills have been forgotten and need to be revisited.
So I asked the Head of Physical Education if she had something we could punch! A set of red gloves and one of black punch mitts were placed in my pigeonhole – and off I went to teach the class about making your point.
Hopefully the message was received loud and clear – plan where you are going and ensure that you provide evidence to back up your opinion.
E2 and MIEE Inspiration
Today I took a leap of faith and worked with Grade 5 students on the International Space Station challenge in MinecraftEDU. It developed neatly from our conversation a fortnight ago, during which I “introduced” them to Commander Chris Hadfield.
They were fascinated by his clips on how to brush your teeth, how to sleep and even eat a tortilla.
The following sentences were sent to me by email after the class:
I really enjoyed the Minecraft space station it was fun and creative. I was going to make a bedroom and a bathroom thank you. IM
Today’s lesson was great. SC
In my space station I am planning on making bigger spaces for life. For example, plants and animals. I think it would be amazing to see if animals and plants could be taken to Space, so that is what I am trying to succeed in Minecraft. Thank you for the lesson. SR
Thank you so very much for the lesson I enjoyed it very much there were a few glitches for me but I still enjoyed it though SS
I was going to make a new sleeping quarter and make it bigger. Today’s lesson was fun. MW
I was making a living space. CH
I enjoyed the lesson can we do it again also I was building a lava trap. HS
Today during our lesson with you I was planning to make a living quarters. I really enjoyed it. DW
I am making it look more liveable. HN
Thank you for the lesson. It was enjoyable and fun. I would like to do it again. IR
Thank you so much to Lynette Telfer and Troy Waller for pushing me on this! Ian Cook, Mitchell Clode and Stephen Mirtschin you are also spurring me on! The Microsoft Educator Community is such a supportive environment. Wonder what I’ll try next?
What is E2 and how did I get there?
The Microsoft E2 Educator Exchange Conference is an exclusive three-day event that brings together 350 of the most innovative educators from around the world for the opportunity to collaborate, create, and share their experiences on how to integrate technology and pedagogy to advance learning, achieve student outcomes, and transform education. This year the event was held in Paris.
To be selected, educators must be active participants in the Microsoft Expert Educator Program, have qualified as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and have lodged an application with the relevant person in their country. For Australians, this is Travis Smith, the K-12 Industry Lead at Microsoft Australia. The application had to be created using Sway; this is mine.
For 2019 Travis chose 4 Australians: Laura Bain, and Mark Savery from Queensland, Jodi Gordon from South Australia and me, Margaret Simkin, from Victoria. A fifth, Stephen Crapnell, also from Queensland, presented one of the whole conference sessions, as well as participated in the challenges.
In my case I was told that my selection was due to my engagement in programs, including presenting at TeachMeets in the school holidays, participating in online conferences outside school hours, and my social media involvement.
All attendees were required to participate in the following tasks:
- Educator Learning Marketplace – sharing a learning activity and learning from peers who are using Microsoft technologies in innovative and creative ways. The lessons shared were varied, targeted all age groups from 5 – 18 Years and were in languages other than English in many cases. Many focussed on Minecraft, Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality, for example Mark’s, which combined all three. Mine focussed on Collaboration, which is the nature of my role at The Hamilton and Alexandra College.
- Professional development and certification opportunities – we could all participate in workshops and training opportunities run by peer educators, and product development teams.
- Global Educator Challenge – Teams of 6 educators from a variety for countries, many of whom did not speak English, were tasked with completing the Class Hack educator group challenge. This involved a quick tour of the Eiffel Tower precinct and the forecourt of the Louvre, followed by the development of a learning activity using some of the designated Microsoft products to achieve a learning goal. The Translate tool was working overtime!
- Awards Ceremony: held at the Les Pavillions de Bercy. The Musée des Arts Forains – Collection Jean-Paul Favand a private museum of funfair objects located within the Pavillons de Bercy in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. This was an amazing venue with wooden games that could be played (a type of bowls which led to some mechanical horses racing across a space, a point scoring type of pool, fortune telling activities, and lots of life-size mannequins et cetera).
Attending Microsoft E2 Educator Exchange in Paris Part 1 – The Aussie Team
The first week of April 2019 was spent in Paris attending the amazing Microsoft E2 Educator Exchange. I was honoured to be one of 5 Australian teachers selected, and the only one from Victoria.
Most of the team met for the first time at Dubai airport, and by Monday afternoon we were all together at the Marriott Hotel, our home for the week and the conference venue.
The plane landed a little later than scheduled and we were met at the airport door by a driver holding a sign bearing our names. None of us thought to photograph this once in a lifetime event!
After a shower and a rest, and working on instructions NOT to sleep (yes Travis!) we headed out for a quick tour around the area and then tea.
The first full day that we were there was for acclimatising – so we got outside and wandered the streets. Unfortunately for Laura, Mark and I, our first choice for exploring, the catacombs, was closed on Mondays. We found our way to the Pantheon, taking taking photos along the way. Signs of the revolution were everywhere!
On our way to dinner, we stopped to take a photo outside Notre Dame.
We then took breath while three of us rode a carousel!
In the evening we had a team meal at Georges, in an interesting building called the Georges Pompidou Centre. Here we had a rooftop table with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
Having conquered the application process, developed the required materials for the exchange, and found our way via various routes to the beautiful city of Paris, were were ready to commence the exchange.
Margaret Simkin 