Sarah's Blog

Plexing those fingers with PowerPoint PPT Plex

digitalbookworms — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:53:00 GMT

The majority of today's learning and teaching eco-system has introduced PowerPoint into their classroom.

If you have tried Microsoft Mouse Mischeif, then you are going to love this. It is called PPT Plex. Another invention of making the teaching and learning more fun and exciting.

You would need to download the PPT Plex Plugin onto your computer: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=28558

In the PPTPlex tab, you can create the slides that you would need for your presentation.

There are ready made templates that you can select from the options or you can create create customized slides.

If you are familiar with Mouse Mischief, this would be another inteersting step on how to get your students engagement.

Here is a video for that you can watch:

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Let's start Plexing :)

Guy Kawasaki on Office Web Apps. What's your story?

digitalbookworms — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:29:00 GMT

Heard about Guy Kawasaki? The 'Maha-Guru' on Business and Entrepreneurship. He has created some documents that he has shared on how to run a business using Word, Excel and Power Point on Office Web App and have saved it onto Sky Drive to share with everyone.

http://blogs.office.com/b/officewebapps/archive/2012/01/20/guy-kawasaki-on-how-to-start-a-business.aspx

http://www.guykawasaki.com/

Wait a minute? That sounds cool right?

So the questions is: What is Sky Drive? If you are new to Sky Drive. The only thing that you need to remember about Sky Drive is:

1) Access to 25g of online storage. Its like having your very own pendrive online. Atleast you will never fear of ever losing your Pendrive or worried of having your documents infected with those viruses.

2) Accessibility from anywhere & everywhere. From your PCs to your Phone

3) Making sharing easier and convenient.

But that is not all. Guess what? It is FREE for anyone who has signed up for a live windows account (that includes Hotmail users)

All of these are great right? Another question. How do I use SkyDrive and adapt in to my everyday life?

Well, SkyDrive is for everyone no matter the age. And with SkyDrive's user friendly interfaces, SkyDrive is easy, acessible and also user-friendly for the user's convenient.

Let's take this for story for instance:

A) A Mother is on the way to work after sending her son to school. And then her son called and informed that he has accidentally left his homework in the car. Mother was about to make a U-turn and send the son's homework. But at that very moment the mother remembered that she the family has SkyDrive. Now with SkyDrive, the mother can use SkyDrive to send her son's homework.

B) Teacher's can send homework to their students online. Teachers can create online discussion using SkyDrive too.

It comes in Handy doesn't it? Wait.....there's more to come :)

With SkyDrive you can have access to these features:

1) FREE Office Web Apps that you can have access to anywhere & everywhere. Best of all, you can access to these office web apps even if you do not have these client application installed in your computer. Plus you can access to these office web apps on your phone too :)

2) You can share folders, calendars, photos, documents with the public and friend. With this feature you can set the permission settings from public to friends and family to 'Just Me' (only accessible to the owner)

3) With SkyDrive up to up to four different e-mail accounts via hotmail and live account

4) You can sync your contacts from Outlook to your account.

5) With each uploaded documentations that you have put on your SkyDrive, you can have a peace of mind to that your documents are virus free because your documents will be scanned by Microsoft before being proceeded to upload to your SkyDrive.

All the more reason to use office web apps. To know more: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/web-apps

And the million dollar answer is. All of these features that you have on SkyDrive is for FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

So if you have not sign-up yet. Get them fingers clicking away and sign-up.

For those who already have SkyDrive, the more reason to use SkyDrive even more :)

Never Fear! Ribbon Hero Is Here...........

digitalbookworms — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:24:00 GMT

Hey, got tried of learning about office the long waayyyyyyy? Wanna try something adds the FUN in the 'Funtastic'?

Why not take the interesting 'Shrt-Ct'? Try this

Image downloaded from: http://ribbonhero.com/news.html

Never Fear! Ribbon Hero is here to save the day.

The story begins as Clippy, the office assitant travels around the world. And you get the very chance to travel around your office applications right on your computer and learn super fast with the cool effects that Microsoft has created.

This really tickels your brain-cells in a learning environment?

So what is Ribbon Hero?

Ribbon Hero is a software that you can install on your computer. This is a learning software where both children and adults can learn about office in a more fun and bright environment just a finger click away.

Image downloaded from: http://ribbonhero.com/news.html

It has introduction just like any other games. Storylines and characters. But of course the heroin is 'Clippy, the office assistant'

Cool stages and levels to go through for your to explore to score points and gain access to the next level.

The game consists of questions and is more or less like a treasure hunt game, where there are clues and hints for your to solve each puzzle. Cool thing is you have POINTS to gather and collect. Awesome aye?

Sample image of the questions

Once completing with flying colours you can go to the next level

Guess what? Cool Facts:

1) Children today have the minds of sponges. Where children of today is able to learn faster with the ever-growing technology and this can help to mould the child minds.

2) With early exposure to digital literacy this can help children for their future to be more marketable and also prepare the students for the workforce.

3) This game is for the young at heart and not so fainted heart, no minimum age is required. :) Can be enjoined by all t ages.

So what are you waiting for? Take a tour with Ribbon Hero today and be prepared to get your brain-cells tickled.

The new era of digital story-telling

digitalbookworms — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 06:36:00 GMT

Back in the day when reading hour was first introduced to my class. Each student was required to read the book and then share with the class on what you have read. Hence, story-telling was evolved. When I was in the fourth grade selected students was required to share their favorite part of the book. And also adding introduction, body and conclusion to their story-telling. Remembering my first time having to speak in front of the class with a book in my hand and the other hand shifting nervously fiddling the change in my pockets.

That was the good ol' 1999's era. Now the classroom still has it's desks and chairs. But the methodology of teaching now has introduced technology into the classrooms. When I started high-school, my science teacher would used her projector to show her notes. And I found that method quite interesting. I was bedazzled by colors, arrows and signs that shown. It beats than having to go through black and white texts and images on the mid-evil textbooks. huhu.

Ever wondered why babies, kids and teens are so fascinated by a world full of colour? If you give babies a chance to choose between a) a book that only has black and white and b) a toy that all the seven colours of the rainbow? Which toy would you think the baby would choose?

In a library, what books do you think a child will choose? a) Newspaper that is printed in black and white b) a book filled with bright colours.

It has the same concept in school. Children wants to learn but they tire-out really easily. They need their minds to be enticed to maintain the level of attention. Have you heard of a mood ring? Where the mood ring identifies the colour of yo're mood? Did you know that certain colours play a role in the classroom too? It can be a source of motivation for students and can help them freshen up their moods. With Microsoft Photostory, all you need is a laptop, images, music and also yes of course the Photostory software itself.

Have you heard of Microsoft Digital story-telling through Photostory?

Now both teachers and students can share their stories with their classmates through Photostory that consists of images, music for the background and also audio for the story-telling (if you wish to add this)

You can download Microsoft Photostory here: http://www.microsoft.com/education/ww/teachers/Pages/free-products.aspx at the Microsoft Partners in Learning network.

Here is a video: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=microsoft+digital+story-telling&view=detail&mid=A32C7A6C82BFD0926973A32C7A6C82BFD0926973&first=0&FORM=LKVR1

Every Microsoft product has it's manual and guide. Never fear, digital-storytelling using Photostory is for everyone no matter the age nor background. It is not to techky. It's easy to manage and user-friendly.

You can save this as a finished project or if you're doing this on you're lunch break and you wish to continue this at home, you can save it on you're selected location on you're laptop and retrieve it later.

Cool right?? What are you waiting for. Get those fingers clicking and start your very own digital story-telling using Microsoft Photostory.

What do I get out from Photostory?

Working out your skills on digital literacy. If you're a first-timer no worries, still will be you're stepping stone to building your digital literacy skills. If you are already an expert. You will find this software really easy to manage.
Sharpening your communication skills. Did you know that there are many ways of communicating to you're audience. This is one of the ways to attract the attention of you're classmates or peers. People react to music. And you can gather their focus on the message you are about to convey with the aid of background music. This can be a link to communicate with the audience followed by the audio (your voice that you have recorded).
Networking skills, exposing students at a young age to have them have a feel on what it feels like working as a group. The whole concept is to promote collaboration, where they are able to interact an communicate effectively.
Thinking outside the box, creativity. As we tend to get older out way of thinking as been limited to the things that are rational and what makes sense to us now. Did you ever hear about the 9 dot games. I have experience this myself when I went to a workshop. And to my surprise I could not answer the question. However, younger students are able to answer the question because their way of thinking and imagination is not limited. There are no boxes and boundaries in the their minds that limits them to getting the answer.
Thinking upon your feet, it also promotes time-management since there is a limited time only when using the photostory. And it gives the students the chance the chance to really think about what they want to include in their story.

Hey it sounds good right? I have told my story. Whats your story?

Feeding Curious Minds

digitalbookworms — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:16:00 GMT

Life after high-school? Whoa, when I was a student I though that working would be spectacular rather than studying. And once I started working, it is the other way round. Haha. Walking through the halls of my previous high-school it was like Deja-Vu all over again. Remembering the places where I used to sit down and eat with my friends. Walking pass my classrooms hit home to me. High-school life was like a long forgotten past life. Anyhoots, the purpose of my writing this blog was to show how the leaning system before and after technology has been introduced. I can tell that the internet has played a huge influence on the student's these days, Internet has become apart of their lives and also has of their everyday activity.Those activities can be beneficial to them as long the intentions are the decisions are honest and correct. Hey a good cause is an investment for the future.

Walking through the halls of SMJA. Deja-Vu all over again.

Tech One Global and AITI

It has begun Ready to be enticed.

Students of the Now listening to the Cyber-Security and Internet Etiquette Awareness Program

What have you noticed in this picture? hehe. Noticed how I wanted to take some pictures and the girls have tired to cover their faces by fixing their Tudongs? :)

Our speaker of the day, Illah from Tech One Global.

Discussion time

Watching videos on Phising. Do you know what Phising is?

Discussion on search engines.

Hey what was the program about again? Here It is Cyber Security and Internet Etiquette Awareness Program.

Hey this is the good part :) Question and answer. Students loveeeee chocolate.

One of the students who is answering the questions. Students these days are able to answer the questions with full confidence. That shows that students have very good knowledge in internet.

Should I get small chocolate or a bigger one? hehe

It was nice to hear the student's support and hearing them cheer through out the Q & A session.

The last lucky student to win one of the Cadbury Chocolates :) Enjoy kids :)

The day ended with the final student participating with the Q & A session. It was cool to see the enthusiastic students contribute and participate with the awareness program. Hope to see more students in the future. More schools to come.

Kids with Whiz

digitalbookworms — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 06:56:00 GMT

Today AITI with the collaboration with Tech One Global has manage to visit a school in Tutong district this morning to educate the youth today with the Cyber Security & Internet Etiquette Awareness Program. Knowledge can be the first line defense by equipping them with the knowledge of the importance of being a good net citizen and awareness of cyber security and safety in the digital world.

The majority of the students these days are not aware of the proper usage of IT. For more information the matter can go to: http://digitalbookworms.wordpress.com/

The presentation was conducted by Izzuddin with the support of all the students and teachers who benefited from the talk.

The intro of what the Cyber Security contains.

The students enticed with the question and answer. Free goodies. The girls were more willing to answer for the chocolates then the boys.

Teachers who attend to listen and also the hand out the goodies bags for the students. Nice to have such caring teachers.

Excitied students of SM Ripas Tutong.

One of the students who successfully answered 1 out of 10 questions. Enjoy the chocolate snack :)

Here are the boys coming out from the shell. 5 boys Vs 5 girls to win those yummy Cadbury chocolates.

With bringing awareness to the students they can help spread the knowledge to their friends. Good news is there are now aware of the qualities of good net citizens after showing some good educated videos on Phisings, Cyber-security and Online Predators.

Teachers like to carry a lot of books. How can One Note help?

digitalbookworms — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:45:00 GMT

What is Microsoft One Note?

Microsoft One Note is one of the of the office application. With Microsoft One Note it can help you to store, organize and share.

I remember back in the day when we wanted to share and convey our thoughts and ideas from pen to paper.

Now, with the one note conveying thoughts and ideas now is just a finger click away. By the time the person next to you sharpens his pencil, you have already finished typing you're mind-map on One Note.

How One Note can help you?

Case Study

A secretary named Rebecca: "I stayed up around 2 in the morning last night"

The junior clerk named Dawn: "My golly, what were you up too?

Rebecca: "I had to tie some knots to some loose ends. And did not realize that my documentations where scattered everywhere on my laptop. And I had to find the latest versions to the many different versions. It was a mess. I was like doing spring cleaning my documents"

Dawn: "Boy, sounds like you need a lot of filing to go sort out again"

Rebecca: "Eureka, the same idea I had. And when my daughter came down for a cup of hot chocolate she saw me nearly in tears late night. And I told her that I had to finish up some loose ends and on top of that I have too sort out my filings and she said, Mum have you heard of Microsoft One Note. You can have a file with multiple tabs so you will never lose the file. You can enter pictures and images. And you can also share you're documentations. With this it saves you time and money on this. And plus you will not have to print out any documents. With this you can save the environment. Fascinating is'nt it. No more ransacking the drawers to find the correct file.I asked her how she came across this. She said that she managed her research notes using one note on her laptop."

Dawn: "Interesting, show me how it works. It would be smashing to have this on mine no more colour-coded tabs. huhu"

Case Study 2

English Teacher: "I have so many lesson plans that I cannot keep up with which version is the latest and the backdated one, it's giving me such a headache"

Science Teacher: "I manage to maintain and organize my lesson plans with Microsoft One Note, no matter where on what page you are, you can easily find you're notes or file with the multiple taps that you have all in one file. And just the other day when I forgot to charge my laptop, my laptop shut-down because it was lowbatt. And the good thing is it has an autosave. Even if you're laptop shutdowns you are able to retrieve notes or document that you did not manage to save. Awesome right"

English Teacher: "Is it? Sounds like lot of learning process. too much hassle. "

Science Teacher: "Never fear, each Microsoft products has their own manual. As for Microsoft One Note once you have that, there is a tab where called 'General' where you can find instructions and recommendations on how to can use One Note to your full capabilities. The functions are simple and easy as ABC and 123."

English Teacher: "Wow, tell me more about this Microsoft One Note"

Microsoft One Note can be used everywhere and anywhere. At Homes, Schools or even at work. You can now have a peace of mind of not having to carry any heavy organizers and files. Say bye-bye to bulk paperwork. And say Hello to One Note. Cause One Note is the new e-paper / e-journal now.

Bing is in the house

digitalbookworms — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:32:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered what Bing is?

You may heard of google, yahoo, MSN Search and many many others.

Bing is a web search engine created by Microsoft.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bin

How can Bing help it's users and the community. Apart from the free Ice-cream and the attractive Bing ice cream van. Here are some sweet info to sink your teeth in.

If I was a parent who had twelve children and shopping for school supplies will always be hectic during the 'Back To School' season. Especially in Brunei. Here and there will be packed and jammed with cars and parents taking their children to try on shoes, to get a good school bag that can carry heavy school books. And to stock up those pencils and sharpeners for those days when it's 'I borrowed by pencil to my friend because I kecian (pity) him'.

Check out:

http://www.bing.com/shopping?form=HPSFLT

It's cool how you can shop online. Plus you save TIME and save MONEY.

Why Live@Edu? Why 2035?

digitalbookworms — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 05:17:00 GMT

Live@Edu is now a global effort. Where Live@Edu offers this:

1) Communication

2) Digital Literacy

Click the link below for more:

http://www.microsoft.com/hk/education/Schools/liveatedu.mspx

How Live@Edu can help and contribute to Brunei's Vision 2035:

Image taken from: http://www.google.com.bn/imgres?q=students+going+for+interview&hl=ms&rlz=1C1RNAN_enBN440&tbm=isch&tbnid=oNUF2FoTj89x0M:&imgrefurl=http://resumes-for-teachers.com/blog/interview-questions/what-is-your-idea-of-the-perfect-lesson/&docid=gNUywv9z9ry62M&w=250&h=166&ei=K7VITrqVO8aJmQWSscDTBg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=335&page=12&tbnh=132&tbnw=198&start=178&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:178&tx=89&ty=25&biw=1166&bih=617

1) By early exposure to ICT skills. With Live@Edu used as a tool for the students to interact with their fellow school or class mates or their teachers. To broaden their communication skills.

2) If they are working in a team it can help them with their networking skills as well.

3) This can prepare the students for the future where they step out into the world where ICT skills and digital literacy is highly needed into's today work force. With knowledge such as ICT skills and the experience in the usage of Live@Edu, this can help the students to be marketable for any jobs that they wish to apply for.

Image taken from http://www.google.com.bn/imgres?q=interview+in+progress&hl=ms&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=GYe77LnwFLcOLM:&imgrefurl=http://betterhiringtoday.com/how-to-hire-salespeople-part-3-the-interview/interview-in-progress/&docid=CHa3iz3bEGGTRM&w=411&h=292&ei=drNITrXKHcmNmQXG2_3XBg&zoom=1&biw=1166&bih=617

The first school in Brunei to try-out and implement the Live@Edu.

http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Microsoft-Live-edu/Chung-Hwa-Middle-School/Brunei-School-Improves-Performance-with-Communication-and-Collaboration-Tool/4000008079

Live@Edu making it in the newspapers.

http://www.bt.com.bn/home_news/2009/04/11/chung_hwa_logs_onto_microsofts_live_edu

How Live@Edu can help and contribute to Brunei's Vision 2035.

http://www.bt.com.bn/home_news/2008/01/20/8_strategies_to_achieve_bruneis_national_vision

With Live@Edu implemented it can help both teachers and students to not just be more ICT Savy. But also this is a skill that the students can obtained to be more marketable for future employment. I can imagine my girls growing up and have the chance to experience this wonderful opportunity.

Cause look what Mr.Trainer says about it:

Indeed knowledge is power.

http://www.google.com.bn/imgres?q=education+image&hl=ms&sa=X&rlz=1C1RNAN_enBN440&tbm=isch&tbnid=lhPI2WXhw7f5nM:&imgrefurl=http://lvseth.wordpress.com/category/education/&docid=2WWvYXBj5OjjjM&w=400&h=415&ei=hbRITorhDaybmQWnr9TMBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=397&vpy=240&dur=875&hovh=229&hovw=220&tx=86&ty=96&page=12&tbnh=150&tbnw=156&start=167&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:167&biw=1166&bih=617

Cyber security team is here to save the day

digitalbookworms — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:26:00 GMT

There is no limitations when it comes to gaining knowledge. Today, Khaled, Illah and Rash, internes from ITB had their first unoffical presentation on cyber security. They were given about 30mis to 45 mins to prepare and conduct research on the stated topic.

Each has been given preparation slides and each one will deliver their presentation. People have their own unique talents and style of presenting. Khaled, Rash and Illah has the chance to step out from their comfort zone and do a presentation on a topic where they are given a chance to think upon their feet and think outside the box.

This is a good stepping stone for students to break the fear of stage fright and enhance their communication skills.

It is said that the number one fear among humans are public speaking. The thought of speaking in front of a crowd will make you feel giddy. You're heart pumping, you're palms sweating, you're knees buckling. It's the scariest thing to be the one to speak in front of people. And there is an itcy, bitcy tiny voice that might be going around in your head that says that you may mess up, you may forget you're lines you will do this instead of that. There will be no doubt, you will fell that way. Don't worry, it is natural to feel that way. You may wipe the sweat off your forehead now. huhu.

Once you start speaking and have good rounds of practice of what you are going to present it will be easy as it comes along.

Here are a few tips that might help you when you giving presentations or speeches:

1) Be confident, no matter if you miss you're lines do not panic. No one will know what you're speech is and what it will contain. If you feel that you are lost. Do not panic. Take a moment of pause and then take a long breath. And then continue.

2) Tone of voice, use a different tone of voice on main points or key points that you want to emphasize on.

3) Style of speech, how you say it. No matter how incredible the content of the speech is. If there is no style of speech, the content of the speech will look dull. You do not want your audience to be wiped-out. Every speaker has their own unique style. Finding a style that suits you. Practice the style and it will become second-nature to you.

4) Speaking another level of communication. But to maintain the audience's attention is another. Study you're audience and then use material or tools to capture their attention such as questions and answers.

5) Silence is golden in times where you want to emphasize on important key points.

6) Eyes of Fury, eye contact is essential, it's a sign that you are showing to the audience that I am here and I want to share an important message with you. It will make the audience have a sense of confidence in you.

7) Interacting with the audience, allow two way communication with the audience.

Remember, speaking is a work of art. You have the control of how you will convey the message along. Pick a style that you are comfortable with. Practice makes perfect. Before you know it, you will no longer need to refer to your speech notes.

Facebook being one of the popular social-networks.

Rash and Illah listening to Khaled's presentation on cyber-security.

Welcome our new certified Master Teachers of Live@Edu

digitalbookworms — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The new interns of Tech One Global have taken the Live@Edu certified exam and now they are certified :)

This is Norfadilah Kamarul Ariffin with her Live@Edu Master Teacher Certification

This is Rashidah Hj Awg Isa with her certificate.

This is Muhd Khalid Ahmad Kamil and his Certification.

Congratulations to Khalid, Rash and Illah on completing the exam and is now certification.

What are you waiting for you. Get certified now at http://liveedu.proexams.com/

Live@Edu

digitalbookworms — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:43:00 GMT

There is a saying that students now are IT savvy. Students love to be online. After school hours, students go online and have a blast surfing the net or chating with their friends.. They can use the internet for entertainment. What best way for teachers to interact with their students then online? Welcome to the world of Live@edu.

What is Live@Edu?

Live@edu is a free online, hosted, co-branded service. With Live@Edu both teachers and students can stay connected, maintain communication and also promote collaboration. You have heard about e-mails such as Hotmail. The functions are the same. You can send e-mails, receive e-mails and also forward e-mails. With Live@Edu, teachers can help their students prepare for the future. Live@Edu is not just for Brunei. But has been introduced outside of Brunei as well. Click the link below for more information on the global efforts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live@edu

How can Live@Edu help teachers and other educational institution?

Since Live@Edu is free of charge, an online hosted service that can be accessed anywhere, anytime and any place. It can help save costs of expenses because there is no maintaining costs involved and also save time because no setting up of hardware is required. All you need a good internet connection, search engine and then you can access to you'rer outlook just a finger click away.

What are you waiting for? You can get yourself certified and become a master teacher of of Live@Edu.

The link shows at the bottom:

http://liveedu.proexams.com/

Why Live@Edu?

Live@Edu offers a package of instant messaging, creating online meetings, sending e-mails, receiving e-mails, forwarding e-mails, calendar to keep track of you're plans for the month, have a Microsoft online office such as: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note where you can view, edit and retrieve you're documentations, you can save and share you'e documents if you wish too, Skydrive offers you, you're very own online storage. Even if you don't have office installed on you're laptop. You can still have access to these office applications. More or less like a professional e-mail with Outlook. Cool right?

You may be wondering what are the advantages of having an online storage?

Each time you upload you're documentations online, the skydrive shall scan the files before hand completely uploading the documents online to ensure that there is no viruses. Plus you get about 25gb of free online storage. You can also manage you're document's version where you can retrieve the previous versions too. You can create you photo slides without having to access to the PC. Take these for an example:

Scenario 1

Rashad, a secondary student, has a deadline today. And he woke-up late the following morning. As he rushed to get ready, Rashad had forgotten to put his assignment in his back pack. As the teacher mentioned before those who have submitted their assignment late will get grades deducted. As Rashad was about to tell his teacher that he forgot his assignment and did not have his pen drive as a back up. He just remembered one thing, he saved his assignment onto skydrive. He can print-out and submit his assignment.

Scenario 2

Rasyiqah is sick and is unable to attend class. And their teacher has an assignment to give to her and four of her classmates to wok on a project. Since Rasyiqah was unable to attend the assignment briefing on what are the requirements for the project. Her classmates can e-mail her and also create an online meeting do discuss about the project. Now Rasyiqah will not be behind in her grades.

In the working environment, we need e-mail to communicate with our colleges or perhaps keep in contact with a boss who is outstation. Or even communicate with our clients. With the early exposure to e-mail and IT students can use this as a stepping stone. They can learn the etiquette on sending an e-mail to the teacher and other classmates. And these skills can be adapted to the working environment example: sending a report to the boss. I personally think with the implementing of the Live@Edu in schools can give many benefits to both teachers and students. Where students will have early exposures to the working environment and they can have the general idea on the importance of etiquette while communicating online. This can benefits teachers by keeping in touch with their students online and making communication more easy and accessible. Interesting right? How about you? What do you think?

Here are some videos to show.

Note: Videos are from you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyaturUGHLo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxajAi17jSI

This particular video caught my attention. Wouldn't it be smashing if this vision could reach you in the palm of you're hands. Where the dream of collaboration for the future Live@Edu is something like this. Now this is what I call real communication, collaboration, creativity and also hard core critical thinking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gBMKEKxte0

Had another knowledge sharing on Live@Edu

Introduction to Live@Edu

More videos on how Live@Edu have helped some of educational Institution

The future of master teachers of Live@Edu

HOD +1

digitalbookworms — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 07:33:00 GMT

Had conducted a knowledge sharing in the office for the fresh batch of interns this year.

Microsoft Brunei is currently partnering with Ministry of Education of Brunei. To promote HOD +1 training that is given to all the selected teachers for the whole of Brunei. I have mentioned in my previous blog that Microsoft Mouse Mischief is used as a optional tool for teachers to use and implement in the classroom. Microsoft Mouse Mischief is apart of the HOD +1 package. What is HOD +1?

HOD +1 means Head of Department +1. It's a title that is given for this training. A training to train the educators of Brunei.

The teaching systems now is more advance with the SPN21. And teaching methods have also changed across the time. Technology is now an essential part of our lives. What Microsoft has offered is to make the teaching methods more adaptable with the usage of IT. Hence, the tools introduced in HOD +1 is an option for the teachers to try out and experiment.

In HOD +1 has introduced to softwares such as:

1) Photo Story 3, a new way of story telling with Digital story-telling

2) Microsoft Mouse Mischief

3) Maths Add-in

4) Bing Search

5) Bing Translator

6) World wide telescope

7) Bing Map

8) Auto Collage

9) One note

10) Live@Edu

11) Photosynth

Each software has their own specific functions for all different types of subjects that can be used for both primary and secondary students.

Microsoft is trying to promote the 21st Century skills so that students are more prepared for the working environment after they have left school. These 21st century skills are as follows:

1) Creativity, for students to be able to think outside of the box.

2) Critical Thinking, for students to be able to think upon their feet and do not rely on spoon-feeding information that they have gained.

3) Collaboration, to promote team-work and to put their communication skills to the test.

4) Assessments, introducing ICT skills into the assessments.

5) Organization, for teachers to organizing their lesson plans by using onenote. This can also be used by students to proper manage their notes too.

With this introduced to the teachers, it will help them prepare their students not just in building their ICT skills but also to prepare them for the real world.

For example: With the usage of Live@Edu the students and teachers can stay connected online. Using their school e-mail address teacher can assign students homework by sending e-mails to their students. Or let's say that the student has forgotten to print-out the assignment to submit to the teacher tomorrow. No fear, if the student has saved her assisgnment in the Skydrive, then she or he can easily retrieve it from Skydrive. This also has an advantage to the students being exposure to IT. Students will learn more quicker and faster on the proper etiquette of sending e-mails. Very much like in the real world where using e-mails are part of the working world.

For more information you can go to this link:

http://www.microsoft.com

http://www.microsoft.com/education/

Feeling blue doing classwork? And feeling a little grey doing homework too? Add someshine in your classroom today.

digitalbookworms — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:39:00 GMT

One of the major challanges that the 21st century teachers encoutner in today's learning system is to maintain the attention of their students. Compare the students from my time when we had heaps and heaps of textbooks. All in black and white texts in very long and long paragraphs. Back in my day, seldom did my textbooks had colourfull and attractive pictures to make the studying processing less than grey. It was said that implementing bright and attractive colours can help make the studying and learning more absorbable and digestivable.

But now with the technolgy both students and teachers can make it more sunny and bright in the classroom. When it comes to teaching, there is always one teacher and twenty to thirty students. And when classroom and homework is given to ensure that students will have the proper coverage on each topic and this can help the teachers to identify which students need more improvement and what topics to focus more on. Would you like to have a process of teaching where you can give out assesments and have the evaluation results on the spot? Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Results on the spot. Imagine that you have given out a topic to the students. And the normal proceudre is to give out classwork and also homework for the weekeneds after the topic has been conveyed to the students.

Microsoft understand the challanges the teachers are facing in the classroom and have created a software that is free to download and is available and accessible for all teachers who wishes to use this software. This software is called Microsoft Mouse MIschief.

All you need to make this happen is:

1) Laptop

2) Powerpoint presentation

3) Mouse Mischeif software

4) One mouse for the teachers. And minimun mouse for students is 1 and maximum mouses for each student is twenty-five mouses.

5) Hub (an external USB hub for those who are planning to use more than 2 mouses.)

6) Projector (to project the powerpoint)

7) All you need now is active students and brainteasing questions to tickle their braincells and to make the assesment more creative.

For more information on how to download this and the system requirements, please click the following link you can see on the bottom.

http://www.microsoft.com/multipoint/mouse-mischief

images taken from www.edgalaxy.com

The above image shows how students can apply critical thinking, show their creativity and also interact with the studetns around them. Students gain more knowledge from the subject. But at the same time exposing the students to the world of IT. Introducing them to computing fundamentals.

As you can see, there are number of students who each has a mouse. This can also be done in a group. With this, students can benefit from team work. It will help them work out their communication and leadrship skills. Even the quietest and the most shy student will also be able to participate with confidence. With this intergrated into the classroom, it can help bright up the classroom and make it more lively.

Besides giving on the spot assesement, the Microsoft Mouse Mischeif works in many ways:

1) You can create slides with mulitiple questions.

2) Answers are given on the spot too after students have selected the answer, the correct answer will appear as a tick.

3) You can insert images.

4) With these tools, now teachers can identify which students are weak and need improvement.

5) There are drawing options too

6) This is suitable for all ages and suitable for both primary and secondary students.

A teacher from a private tution school, has tried implementing this into the classroom. And students have given feedback that they prefer exciting and creative new ways of learning such as this. Since there is postivie feedbacks given form students, the teacher recommends this to other teachers who are looking for inspiration for some new methods of teaching.

Sugar and spice and everything nice,

With mouse mischeif in the classroom

Say goodbye to classroom blues

And say hello to the bright sun

Cause the mices are here to play.