A few of us will be working together either in the "Personal Learning Space" elgg or in a high school version of a similar elgg, probably called "Youth Voices." This afternoon I set up a CommunityWalk map for an initial project that we will be developing curriculum for. (Stay tuned.)
For those of us who have been planning this already, I want to let you know that I can make any changes in title or description that you would like.
I just thought we should get started! Following Jared's suggestion (and it will make sense after you try the "explore" button a couple of times), I decided to use a "Prefix" name and the title of this initial map. So it ends up being:
Personal Learning Maps - Entry Points
I hope that works. Feedback and changes for the description, please!
Personal Learning Maps - Entry Points
I hope that works. Feedback and changes for the description, please!
Posted by Paul Allison @ Mapping |
Comments
If I "edit categories" it tells me - You do not have permission to edit these categories. Im logged in but maybe i need to use a dfferent login than my own to edit. I will try some other type of edits.
I'm not sure how much editing ability you will have. I asked Jared, and he said that we could only have one map administrator. I'll respond to your requests quickly. There is plenty that I think you can still edit, I think?
I formated the description and I added a link to a wiki page where we can gather together some lesson plans and notes. I just got this page started, barely: Lesson Plans
Hi Paul!
This is looking very good and I love the idea. Now
a) I signed up for the Personal Learning Maps. Will all the kids have to do the same or will this be automatically integrated in the Personal Learning Space Area?
b)I tried to edit the categories but was not allowed.
c) Will we, as teachers, have the possibility of editing (correcting) our students' posts?
d) Students are asked to signal on the map their country, state and city while their assignment is to write about/describe/film or photograph a place near school. Where should they place their pins? How much should they zoom into the map? Most of my students do not live near school and are either bused or taken home by car and many are not allowed to leave school without permission so some do not interact with this environment.
e)Brazil is not an option in the slidedown menu where countries are listed nor is New Zealand (where I will try to involve some students as well)
f)How do we add sound and photos? Should we send them all to the PLS on Elgg and they will be connected from there? Is there the possibility of a mashup with Flickr/Podomatic/OurMedia for instance so photos/sound/video that have been stored there can be directly transported as thumbnails or sound buttons to the map?
e)Jared mentions that "not all websites are designed to be viewed through an iframe and will
cause errors if you attempt to display it through the window function. Unless you are the owner of the website or have control over the content it is best not to use the window function.". It may be useful to test websites that store photos/podcasts like Flickr/OurMedia/Bubbleshare/Podomatic to see whether they open through the iframe and make a list on the wiki of the ones which do.
Well these are some of my questions :-)
a) Each student will have to register, and there is an e-mail confirmation process
b) Sorry about the category editing problem. I'll put up several temporary ones, which can be used. I guess people will have to contact me, and I'll add their school.
c) Unfortunately teachers will NOT have the possibility of editing (correcting) students' posts. I know this is a serious drawback, one which I'm sure the developers hadn't considered. I'll e-mail Jared about it. In the meantime, I think you'll have to send me any corrections you want - and/or get the student to make the corrections themesleves
d) I think students should zoom as close as the map allows, and we have to teach them to zoom in and out to see each others. All of this is facilitated quite easily if you use the Google Earth for viewing.
Since we will all have unique situtations, we will should encourage students to think of their "school community" as expansively as they desire-- including where they used to live, I suppose. We are trying to avoid putting contact information onto the map.
e)Brazil is not an option in the slidedown menu where countries are listed nor is New Zealand (where I will try to involve some students as well)
f) Adding photos is pretty clear on the site with ADD buttons, and the photos live on the map. Video and audio need to be added using a bit of code that is explained under a link on each marker... something like special featuers. I had difficulty with the <embed> way of doing it.
e)We need to find out why elgg doesn't seem to be accepting <iframe> or how to make it work there.
THANKS!
Thanks Paul and Lee
I have started a Google Calendar, which I have posted on my blog http://lycee.wordpress.com as this one is not closed in Personal Learning Space so other people can follow it as well. It is a public calendar so everyone can see it. I will be adding links there as to where to find podcasts and whatever else I produce there.
Lee, please send me the admin username and password. I do not remember it. I have added you and Paul to my Google calendar. Have you received the invites?
Yes, Bee, I have the invite. Thanks! I will work on combining the two calenders so all the events are on one calender for planning.
I have two 10th grade classes who would like to participate in the mapping project. However, one part of the class was working on Brazilian regions and not the community around school (they can post about this as well, though). Can they join the map even if they are not part of Personal Learning Space?
Barbara... and anybody else!
Yes, I've been thinking that anybody can post on this map whether or not they are in Personal Learning Space.
Also, Susan Ettenheim has been working with David Comier to set up an elgg for high school students, and we'd love for you to join us there too.
As far as suggestions? Only one: to see the "entry points" map as just that, one special place for each student so that that map doesn't get overrun. Then, students can create their own maps -- either individually or open to the public and/or collaboratively -- with more detailed stories. Students can then link to these maps within the markers on the "entry points" map. I've done this with my "Eyewitness" marker to serve as an example.