TREASURE HUNT: JOURNALIST

Hello everybody!!!! I’m Ana and this week I have had the opportunity to be the Journalist of my awesome group Meerkats.

In this second task, named as: “Treasure hunt: cartographic projections”, we had to do a very hard work. First of all, as each week, we changed our roles using a simple method in a way that all the members of the group can have the chance of enjoying the experience of each role.

Being the journalist makes me feel cheerful because I think that is nice to recollect all the effort of my group and let you know how we have worked on the Treasure hunt!

In this task, we had to analyse three Map Projections (Robinson, Mercator and Azimuthal) in order to find the projection which is the most realistic, comparing them and synthesizing their properties. 
Then, we had to choose two countries and look for the differences of their representation in the three different Map projections. Finally, we had to resolve the Big question and choose some examples of media distortions and Treasure Hunt to answer the reflection proposed for the teacher consisting of the neutrality of media.

On Wednesday the whole group discussed about the organization of the activity and we agreed that all of us would search for information to better understand the general context of the Treasure Hunt and the cartographic projections. So, we all met through Skype and shared our perceptions of the activity.

On Friday, we met and completed the table with the content of the different cartographic projections as well as the other theoretical questions of the activity. Also, we did the sketch of our poster and the rest of the group, who could not come to Murcia, was the responsible of its construction. We decided to make a handcraft poster because in our first activity we received a lot of critics for doing the mind map by computer. So, we thought a lot of ideas and decided that it will be enormous, in that way; people would see it very good and wouldn’t complain about neither the size nor originality.

Finally, on Monday, the day of the exposition when we arrive to the class, we found a “surprise”. The exposition about Treasure Hunt would be carried out with other two groups. In our case, they were: Fran from Platypus and Marina from Power Teachers. Fortunately, the three groups worked very well and we could make a quite good improvised exposition. For the presentation we decided to use our poster and a mix of the power points done by our peers. As I have said, the result was good.

Here, you can see the three groups planning the exposition and then, our stars doing their best!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR6HIQiIfvw&feature=youtu.be

Simultaneously, the Journalists, Analysts and the Facilitators of each group had to share their reflections and perceptions about the work in their own groups, that is to say, the techniques they use, what is their methodology, problems, and so on.

We agreed that the main problem of the work in so big groups is that is very difficult to meet because each member of the groups has their personal occupations and when the majority of the team can, there are other ones that cannot. On the other hand, we used the same method, a previous look for information and one day, all together complete and finish the whole work. In short, the second experience has been good and we are working bit by bit for improving our strategies.

Now, I would like to recommend you some blogs. First of all, I have chosen the blog: http://www.generaciondigital.es/. Its author, a pedagogue and designer of educational interactive products, talks about infancy, entertainment and education in a digital world. I have chosen this blog because I find it really interesting and what is more, it is much related to our subject because links education, technology and school! You can find there, innovative strategies created to introduce children in new technologies and facilitate their learning offering such different alternatives. I really recommend you to visit it, you won’t

regret it!!!

Also I like the blog http://7upgroup.blogspot.com.es/ because until now they are doing a good work and I like the design of their blog since the posts are simple and their content is good. I expect they continue working in this way!

See you soon. :-*

TREASURE HUNT: FACILITATOR' POV

Hi my name is María, and this week I have been the facilitator (The boss of the group).

My main function this week was to divide, coordinate and organize the work of every member in the group. It was an interesting role and I didn’t have any problem with the other partners because they have been very responsible with their roles and we have not had differences between us.

The day of the exposition, we had to do it with other two groups (Platypus and Powerteachers) and I was talking to the other facilitators about the different strategies that we have used this week. We coincided in this because the three groups had used the same strategy, we arranged to meet one day for working together and we divided the rest of the work between the members of the group. I think that we did a great job and it was a good week.

TREASURE HUNT: FARMER'S POV

Hi everyone, it's Noelia!

This week my role is the Farmer.

For working this topic and helping the star to prepare her presentation, we used a lot of documents (videos from youtube, some articles from online newspapers, articles from the national geographic website and more).

This week, we have changed the programme for doing the mind map in order to improve it. The programme is called ExamTime. We found it thanks to the blog of Busy Bees' group as in there we saw their beautiful mind map.

Here is our first contact with this programme showed:

It is not the best, but it is a new step in our stairs of improvement. Let's see how the next week will be!

See you soon!

TREASURE HUNT: STAR' POV

Hi! I am Paloma and this week I have been the star of my group, the Meerkats.

The activity of this week was about the problem of the distortions of our real world. As teachers, we will have to show the reality to our students, so we should be conscious of the distortions that are constantly are in it.

We had to do a treasure hunt about cartographic projections: Robinson projection, Mercator projection and Azimuthal projection.

For the exposition, I had prepared some information of the map projections, which I had planned explain with a mural, in which we had put pictures of the three maps. To explaining an evidence of distortions in the maps, we had to choose two countries which we had to compare in the different projections. The countries that we chose were Italy, in Europe, and Madagascar in Africa.

In the Robinson projection; even if we notice that Madagascar is bigger than Italy, we cannot see its real size, almost twice bigger than Italy!

In the Mercator projection; we can see that even with the difference between their shapes, Italy is bigger! The place occupied by Italy, is higher than this of Madagascar.

And in the Azhimuthal projection, the centre is placed on the equator, this projection is focused in Africa: Italy and Madagascar are in the same position, with their almost accurate proportions.

In group  decided that the projection we would use as an educational resource was the AZIMUTHAL. This is the one that is nearer to reality. As teachers, we could show in the same course, different versions, focused in the continent we talk about. We think, moreover, that this will show more or less the real shape of the Earth: round. We are not used to use it, but there is always a time to begin and innovate!

Also I had thinked to talk about media distortions and some examples of them, such as distortions of graphical information which are represented in incorrect graphics.

But last monday in class, I had to do the presentation with two others stars, Marina from powerteachers group, and Fran from platypusoyer group.

Each group had their own presentation with the two countries to compare. So, we decided that we could explain all the comparisons, exposing the six countries, whose distortions were different in the three main maps projections.

We talked about the media distortions and how the owners of this media distort easily our vision of the reality making it look like their interests want.

Also in our exposition, we explained an example of another trasure hunt, which is an interesting way to do activities like identifying goals, defining terms and locating information or facts. It also encourages students using Internet to search of different questions.

Furthermore, in my group, we found an interesting resource for apply with the children in the class related with the practice of this week which apply for maps is that one:

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/program/nat-geo-mapmaker-kits/?ar_a=1

I also found some interesting articles about the distortions of reality in cartographic projections and videogames:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/the-truth-about-maps-how-cartographers-distort-reality-1922806.html

http://www.policymic.com/articles/438/call-of-duty-video-games-desensitize-and-trivialize-war

I hope you find them appealing.

Indeed, this kind of presentation, where we combined all the information that the three groups had found, is a good way to know the work and the work's strategies of others groups. So, I am happy of have worked with others stars, because we knew well how to put in common our information and I think that we could do a good exposition talking about the main information of each group.

Also I have to say that at first, I was a little bit afraid of the presentation, but when I knew that I would do it with my classmates, I was more relaxed because I had not to talk all the time and it is more comfortable.

TREASURE HUNT: TRANSLATOR' POV

Hello dears followers of meerkats, I am Javi, and this week I’m the translator of the group, my principal role in the group this week is to talk about five different words that have relation wih the treasure hunt . of course, we can’t made the poster with out the help of the:

Maps: A map is a symbolic depiction between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, and themes.

Many maps are static two-dimensional, geometrically accurate (or approximately accurate) representations of three-dimensional space, while others are dynamic or interactive, even three-dimensional. A good example of mix between maps and media are programs like “GoogleMaps”, or “GoogleEarth”.

Scavenger Hunt: A scavenger hunt is a game that consist on different tasks that people should pass in order to get a new clue and go to the next task, the people or the group that pass all the tasks first will win.

Extension of a Country: Is the surface on km² of a country that allow us to ensure how big is a country and we can compare this country with others, in my opinion this is the best option for seeing the countries with his real size, and no with some changes that usually happen with maps.

Distortion: A distortion is when you try to put the earth on a surface, and of course, try to establish to represent a sphere in a plane with two-dimensions, the main problem is that this surface will be a failed representation of the real size of the content included on it

Projection: projection is a way of representation of maps, there are lots of them, because is impossible to set in a two-dimension object something with three-dimension object like the earth, for this reason there are more than one proyection, because the first ones had some problems, we are talking about “Robinson” and “Mercator” projections, the Azimuthal projection is older and more realistic that the others.

TREASURE HUNT TASK: ANALYST'S POV

Hello, I am Pilar, and this week I have been the analyst.

As you may know thanks to other posts, we made a “treasure hunt” activity. The best part of the activity was to realise that sometimes we learn and we teach things not related to the reality, and the vision of the world of our students is distorted and can make them have prejudices about other countries, population, etc. We have learnt that we have to search for real information and be the window through which our students see the world. The worst part was the amount of work and the little information found on the Internet, making it hard to do an accurate information work.
The best moment of the week in the work of our group was the coordination and the speed we had while working: when we had our meeting. The worst part was the initial lack of coordination and I think we could have done better if everyone had come to our meeting.
As we said before we have learnt a lot and we are happy to have accomplished such an interesting task.

Next week I would like, as a group, to keep being coordinated, interested, and that all of us make an effort to help each other. And I would like as well, to be more organised.
I think this content is related to all the others, because we had to be always objective and impartial. We have to look for the truth and aim to teach and learn the true information of the world.

As we have learnt also in this task, the map projections could make the countries badly represented feel inferior, and those which are wider than in the reality superior. This has both social and political consequences.

Finally; I am going to share to you the talk I had with the analyst from the Platypusoyer analyst and the analyst from powerteachers.

We all agree about the bad organisation we had, each one, as a group. We all complain about the little time we had to complete the weekly task and also the problems we had with the content. We all think that we have to find other organisational systems and strategies. But, after all, this is our second task and we are learning step by step.

2nd WEEK!

Hello everyone!

This week we have worked in the Treasure Hunt activity, and it was very good fun!

For it, we changed our roles an they were these ones:

1. Pilar: Analyst
2. Ana Elena: Journalist
3. Fran: No role (but still working hard!)
4. Javi: Translator
5. María: Facilitator
6. Noelia: Farmer
7. Paloma: Star

Very soon, we'll post our work for you.

We hope that you enjoy the post and the topic worked on them and, also, we hope you're able to learn something from them.

As I said... see you VERY SOON!

Noelia

EVALUATIONS

In this first week, we have this marks for the presentations done during the speed learning leson in #Soyer1415 class:

Group 1 Meerkats

Poster: 3

Creativity: 3 (Done by computer)

Exposition: 5

Content: 5

Group 2 Powerpuffteachers

Poster: 4

Creativity: 4.5

Exposition: 3 (very slow presentation)

Content: 4

Group 3 umpalumpas 

Poster: 3

Creativity: 4

Exposition: 2.5 (the star tell us about TPACK directly reading the content that her group put in her poster)

Content: 3 (too much information in the poster)

Group 4 powerteachers

Poster: 4.5

Creativity: 5

Exposition: 4.5

Content: 4

Group 5 Keep calm

Poster: 3.5 (it's enormeous, but very ugly)

Creativity: 2.5

Exposition: 3.5

Content: 4

Group 6 platypus

Poster: 3.5

Creativity: 2.5 (not so much ,some parts are from foam, for the rest, it is very simple)

Exposition: 3.5 (little exposure dynamics)

Content: 3 (too information)

Group 7 7upgroup

Poster: 2,5

Creativity: 3

Exposition: 3'5 (she did it in general bad, but because she wasn't the one to be the star)

Content: 2 (there isn't any information on the poster)

Group 8 itsChOOL

Poster: 4

Creativity: 4

Exposition: 4

Content: 5 (we think this poster had the ideal content)

Group 9 busybees

Poster: 4.5 (it iss the most beautiful and graceful, but it is very stuffy for our taste)

Creativity: 5

Exposition: 3

Content: 4

TPACK PRESENTATION: FARMER'S POV

Hi, I'm María and I'm the farmer of this first task.

My role consisted on designing a mind map in which I organized all the theoretical references (articles, official websites and even some Youtube videos from experts) we used for doing this task.

For doing ours we decided to use "Mindmeister", a mind map tool which is very simple to learning doing this, because none of us had any experience of doing such things before.

So, finally here is our mind map:

Sorry for the size, we had a problem with it. We take into account as a homework for next week discovering how showing this in a better way! 

See you all very soon,

María

TPACK PRESENTATION: TRANSLATOR´S POV

The Translator

Hi! I am Francisco Álvarez and this week I´ll be the translator of my group. In the task of this week we have learn a lot of TPACK and about the related concepts with TPACK. The concepts of this task were unknown for me but now, I can understand better the function and the importance of TPACK in live in general and particularly in education. Like translator, I have to choise five terms and explain with my own words.

The 5 most important terms that we have been learnt on the week are the following:

• Technology: Technology is a class of knowledge about a specfic area. Technology require diferent technical skills to use a product. Technology implies a lot of knowledge, techniches and tools. Technology is very important in the concept of TPACK and it´s necessary to know this concept to understand better the concept of TPACK.

• Pedagogy: Pedagogy is a discipline that deal with the theory and practice of education. One of the most important goals of the pedagogy is a better practice of education. This term it´s important in the concept of TPACK, it´s the second letter of this word. To understand this term, we need to know what is pedagogy? and we need a good pedagogy to aply the TPACK.

• Content: Are the subjects or topics covered in a book or document. The contents are the things must included in a document, a book, a programming, etc.The content must be referred of the subject or topic that we want to teach. Content change in the different stages of education, in the different subjects of the education and with different teacher of the same subject. The content i the TPACK are content with a technological relatioship. 

• Knowledge: Knowledge is the whole a person know.  The knowledge is everything we learn and everything we remember due to the education, the life experience, etc. We need knowledge to understand the life, to understan the world. There are many forms to acquire knowledge. In the concept of TPACK, the knowledge is an important term to understand it. 

• Context: The context is the situation where something happen. The context situate something in a place and in atime. To talk about TPACK we need to situate this term in a context (educational, pedagogical, technological, etc). When we talk about TPACK we must situate us in a concrete situation. 

CONCLUSION

The first four terms build the concept of TPACK. This concept is the key to undertand the task due to that word is the set of the other four words.

TPACK is a framework taht identifies the knowledge teachers need to teach effectively with technology (Koehler and Mishra, 2009)

I hope that you have learnt very much with this post. See you soon!

TPACK PRESENTATION: FACILITATOR POV

The Facilitator

Hi my name is Javier, and in this week I have been the facilitator.

My main function was to organize the roles at working time. Also, I was the person in charge of the poster design, I really enjoyed to make it, because I like the computers designs programs, and my partners also like the idea, the only problem we had, was the print time, I mean, we go to a library, but they only printed papers for A3, so we couldn’t have a big poster like the other ones. But in general, I’m very proud of my team, I think we did a great job, but I also think we can do better next time.

TPACK PRESENTATION: JOURNALIST'S POV

THE JOURNALIST

I am Pilar Acosta, the journalist of this first task:

This week our task consisted in making a poster explaining the T-PACK (a framework that identifies the knowledge teachers need to teach effectively with technology). It was our first task, so we took our time to organise it and to make each role clear. To distribute each role, we drew lots. Once everybody was given a role, we started organising the work.

First of all, we chose our mind-map tool: Edraw mind map, “a free mind map software with rich examples and templates which make it easy to create mind maps, brain-storming diagrams, project timeline, life planner, SWOT analysis and sketch maps.” We chose it because it is free and also due to its simplicity. This is the first time we use a tool like this one and we thought it would help to introduce ourselves in this way to organise ideas.

To start working in our weekly task, we made all an Internet research to learn what T-Pack is, and then we divided in different parts the composing terms of T-PACK: first of all, the three primary forms of knowledge: Content (CK), Pedagogy (PK), and Technology (TK), and then the intersections between them, representing four more knowledge bases teachers applicable to teaching with technology: Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK).

The next step was an individual research of each part, and the distribution of the subjects of our degree, to work deeply in how TPACK is used and developed for each teacher.

When we had our brainstorming session: we shared our researches, and we decided how we were going to do the poster:

Finally, we decided our poster format and the analysed information we were going to put on it. Our facilitator designed and printed it.

Today, we did our presentations in the “speed learning”, a very original and dynamic way to learn from others and to learn by ourselves new resources of teaching.

Noelia (our star this week)

As the journalist, I would like to recommend you a blog I found, it is called Education world. It is “a complete online resource that teachers, administrators and school staff can visit each day to find high-quality and in-depth original content. “ The site is updated daily and it offers news on education topics; lessons plans, printables, worksheets and classroom-ready resources; and tips on how use technology as an educational resource; there is a library of professional development articles and columns as well.

- See more at:

http://www.educationworld.com/help/about.shtml#sthash.7gxg0Seb.dpuf

 As I said above, there is a specific section related to new technologies as educational resources, they recommend you and explain videogames, instruments and tools you can use in the classroom. I think this is very useful for us as future teachers (English teachers) and we can already use it to learn. Furthermore, this section is related to our task about T-PACK.

It is a little early to recommend any blog from our class, due to the little information uploaded, but after having seen some of them I can say I like the design and the appearance of the blog of POWERTEACHERS. I think their information will be clearly shown, and it seems they would take care of it. Its members are: Maria Garcia Zamora, Rebeca Cascales Ribera, Silvia García Martínez, Marina Crevillén Fernández, Alba García Subiela, Anthea Clemente.

That's all for now, I hope you enjoy this post!

Pilar.

TPACK PRESENTATION: ANALYST'S POV

This week we have worked in a poster which represented what is TPACK. The best part of the activity has been that all people in the group has participated and provided ideas. Maybe the worse part of the activity has been that our poster has not been too much creative, because it was the typical representation of TPACK with the three circles of colours. Even so, it was made with the computer (technology), so we have put in practice the TPACK model.

The best moment of the week has been the first moment that we got together to decide how to we were going to work, because all of us were motivated and anxious for doing a good work. The worse moment of the week was when we had to print the poster, because we had some problems to print it with the size that we wanted. We expected to create a bigger poster but we could not do it.

Basically, we have learnt about what is TPACK and how this model help teachers to teach using the technology. We have learnt that we, as future teachers, need to know to use technology, to explain to our pupils the contents that they need to acquire in a pedagogical way, (“how to teach the contents”).

The TPACK is described as complex interaction among three bodies of knowledge: Content, pedagogy, and technology. The interaction of these bodies of knowledge, both theoretically and in practice, produces the types of flexible knowledge needed to successfully integrate technology use into teaching. (Mishra, 2007)

As a group, we need to conserve for the next activities the good organization that we have had, because all of us have done its part of the work, so also we should conserve the excitement and the motivation of the first week because always the enthusiasm of doing a good work is a big aid.

TPACK PRESENTATION: STAR'S POV

Hi, my name is Noelia and I'm from Meerkats.

This first week I've represented the role of "star". Specifically, I've had to present our investigation about what TPACK is and how we can developed it through all the subject our degree contains.

The whole group worked to look for information that, once it was in my hands, I needed to read and re-read for preparing my exposition of exactly 5 minutes.

The part of the organizing the exposition was the easiest one as all the information given to me was very clear and it exactly contained what I required.

The structure I followed for such exposition was very easy as well. I must say that my objective was to transmit my message in the best and clearest way so, because of that, I organized in this way:

1. What is TPACK?
2. Three main types of knowledge (CK, TK and PK).
3. The interaction of these three types of knowledge (TPACK) and the intersections, result of the interaction in pairs of two of such knowledges (TCK, TPK, PCK).
4. How we can develop TPACK through our degree.
• Presentations, Projects.
• Transversal Competence 3.
• Some specific subject such as School Organization and Educational Resources, Maths and its Didactics I, Experimental Sciences in Education, Extracurricular Practices, etc.

The day of the exposition, being focused on my presentation I got surprised by the reason that I was going to present not one or two times but TEN  times in an hour and a half, more or less.

I must admit that the first thing I thought of was just the typical "Oh God, what did I just do to you for such a horrible gift like these?". I was really scared.

However, when I finished my presentations I understood the reason for such gift and, also, that it actually was a gift because, thanks to those ten presentations, I had the chance to avoid the mistakes, to develop my self-confident and be more comfortable while presenting. Also, I was capable for creating different styles of presenting depending the audience (doing a more active and funny exposition or, on the other hand, doing a more serious and "professional" exposition).

I had mistakes, lots of mistakes, especially in the first two expositions (in which the teacher was in the audicence) as I didn't trust me as a communicator, The next ones were so much better as I realized that it was in me being a good communicator and the only thing I had to put on practice was the same thing I am going to do being a teacher, ACT.

And I acted. I acted showing me trusting in myself in the best way I could. I also did it in different ways as I said (depending on the audiences) and it was really good fun.

The last ones weren't very bad but I got overconfident as everything was nearly over and I failed because of that. This helped me to know that being overconfident is not able presenting. I must always have everything under control, being comfortable presenting but never considering things done when they're definetely not.

Finally, as a summary of all of this, I want to say that this has been a really good activity, from my poing of view. It has taught a lot for me, and such "a lot" is going to be useful for my life in a future (not very far away).

Thank you for reading.

Meerkat star