Just when you thought the Final Fantasy series couldn’t possibly reach any higher (though it always has to be honest) the first and second games have been released on the iPhone and Touch.
It’s been many years since I was introduced to the Final Fantasy series with Final Fantasy VII on the PlayStation 1 – Quite possibly the most addictive and spell binding game I’ve ever played.
Character, plot, music, sound fx and of course, graphics were sewn together to make an absolute work of art.
Final Fantasy III is available on the Nintendo DS and can be sourced easily and at a relatively small expense now. Games VII and VIII are still exclusive to the Playstation 1 which is a shame but may change with time.
Now…where does Final Fantasy come into the classroom on iPhone/Touch, PlayStation or DS? I hear you ask…To me, the answer is in every element of the game. There’s the reading of text (both conversational and directing), problem solving (map reading, in game puzzles), memory skills, numeracy (based on character health during battle and the in game currency), character creation, story telling, creative writing, podcasting reviews, recording character voices (which are not available in the game – it’s text speech only), fan art, game creation and language learning (the game can be played in a number of different languages).
As with all games the key to effective learning is not in the act of playing but in the use of the game as a tool for engagement. In my experience the Final Fantasy games will have pupils glued to your whiteboard (if you can project your iPhone), or to their Touch’s (if you are lucky enough to have them in class) with fresh and exciting learning as a result (not to mention the enjoyment you will have playing an old favourite, or a new addiction)
My only reservation would be the cost of the game on the iPhone/Touch…currently this hasn’t been set but I imagine it will be at the higher end.
Meeting with John Low and his inspiring team this week at West Lothian was more like chatting with friends. There was a real and natural connection with what we were doing at Do Be and where West Lothian are aiming in the use of emerging technologies in their schools. The material in the Teach-It classroom resource seemed to tick all the boxes for them.
West Lothian have implemented the online version of the Teach-Itacross all of their schools to achieve maximum impact and to give their teachers and learners quick and easy access to the material.
John and his team firmly believe that the use of ICT in the classroom is central to the learning of the children in this day and age.
To Launch the Teach-It we organised a twilight session in West Lothian Education and Training Centre with over 80 schools attending. Stephen took the teachers through each section of the Teach-Itusing an interactive whiteboard to give the teachers an idea of how easily the resource could be used in the classroom with instant results.
Teachers commented on how the lesson ideas were so simple yet powerful in their design and could see uses across both Primary and Secondary schools in every example.
The partnership does not end there! We are returning at the start of the year with a session aimed to re-launch the Teach-It to any teachers that could not make it to the first or would like to revisit the the first launch. This, in turn will be followed by a session to support staff with any questions as their use of the pack becomes more in depth.
Early next year a full ‘Use-It‘ session will be conducted providing the complete hands-on approach as part of a CPD training day.
We’d like to thank John and his team for their dedication and hard work in getting this up and running in West Lothian. We look forward to working with you all again soon.
I recently had the pleasure of working with teachers in the Borough of Havering, London. The 7 schools that attended were given Teach-It packs and virtual access by their very kind LEA www.haveringict.edublogs.org.
HUGE thanks and many hugs to Dave Smith@haveringict who is leading the project and Naree Salee who organised practically everything to help the day run smoothly :0)
I was delighted at how enthusiastic and motivated staff were and I’m really excited about working with them to link Teach-It to the National Curriculum. Here is what I covered over the half day that we worked together: Teach IT Havering (PDF)
Dave Smith sent us an email afterwards simply saying ‘Great product, great delivery, great company’.
Some teachers have been in touch since with information on how they are using the Teach-It so far:
Ann Penn has used Wordle in class to create a simple but effective display using the children’s suggestions for connectives which they thought was ‘cool’ while Jenny has used PicNik – linking it to her literacy lessons with work on creative writing – landscapes. ‘It was very effective‘ she said ‘and very simple‘, ‘but most importantly the children loved it’.
Since our training some teachers have asked for advice on helping pupils to use the internet responsibly as some sites in Teach-It require teachers to lead lessons more than others. We have decided to produce this information and put it on the virtual version of the pack. So Havering staff please bear with us and we’ll have this to you asap.We look forward to working with Havering in the future and watching the legacy of the Teach-It unfold.
Here is some video footage of one of the teachers rockin’ with Guitar Hero!:
I had a great time down in London on Friday. My first presentation was at Redbridge Teacher Centre in Ilford. The teachers I met in Redbridge were doing some amazing stuff using technology to engage and enhance learning.
Anthony Evans(amazing guy) or follow him on Twitter@skinnyboyevansorganised the day so BIG thank you Anthony. You can check out Anthony’s blogpost on my presentation.
Feedback from teachers onTeach-Itwas really positive even though most of them were into ICT in a big way. Wordle, Picnikand of-course Google Earthwere some of the favourite applications.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Del Singhfrom Woodlands Primary in Redbridge. Del has introducedTeach-Itto all staff in his school to enrich the teaching of their ICT scheme. Del described how he gave the pupils a photocopy of the skills they were learning which included steps on how to meet the learning objective. He said that pupils worked at their own pace to complete the activity in the Digital Image Section (Idea 2). Pupils then applied their new skills of saving images from sites such asGoogle,Flickrand DeviantArtinto a PowerPoint presentations on their topic this term – Ancient Egypt.
Here is just one of a huge number of positive quotes from Del’s students:
‘The only place I knew I could search for images was Google Images….now I know about flikr and deviantart’ – Yr 5 pupil
Here is an example of the staff feedback:
‘A good resource that also get pupils reading and following instructions’ – Caroline Jones
‘All in all I think this is an innovative resource that supports pupils learning of current technologies’ – Del Singh
Here is an example of the feedback sent so far on how the pilot is going:
It’s been a busy start for Stephen and I this week. We were invited by David Innes (Enterprise Officer Aberdeenshire Council) to exhibit at the Aberdeenshire Learning Festival #alf09. We had a great time and the food was gorgeous. I particularly liked the Aberdeen Angus beef stew.
Jamie Andrew was one of the main speakers at the conference. He survived for five days perched precariously on an icy ledge at the summit of an alpine mountain while winds raged to 130 km per hour, and temperatures plummeted to minus 30 degrees Celsius. Jamie survived the ordeal, but at great personal cost. Ten days later his hands and his feet, damaged by frostbite, were amputated. Amazingly, only three months later, Jamie emerged from hospital, walking on prosthetic legs.
Since then Jamie has defied all expectations by running the London Marathon, returning to climbing using his own design of prosthetic ice axe, climbing Ben Nevis, revisiting the Alps, reaching the roof of Africa, and learning to ski, snowboard, sail and paraglide, raising tens of thousands of pounds for charity in the process. His humble and unassuming manner, coupled with a positive attitude towards life and its challenges make Jamie an extraordinary example of bravery and determination. He now does lots of work in schools telling his inspirational story to others. Jamie has also written an award winning first book, “Life and Limb”, it tells the tale of his remarkable story. He is a truly amazing human being and it was fantastic to hear his story.
We work with many Aberdeenshire schools using our Do Be Learn-It MP4’s. It was great to meet teachers running their own unique projects and enhancing learning and teaching using our technology.
Not only did we meet fantastic teachers we also met some fantastic companies. Juliet from Creative Star caught my attention. She specialises in the delivery of creative workshops and resources to motivate people to get children learning outside. Check her website out www.creativestarlearning.co.uk
The teachers were blown away by Teach-It and the lesson ideas it offers. I found Aberdeenshire teachers to be very forward thinking. Some teachers explained they weren’t very confident using ICT in the classroom but what I loved was there was still a willingness to learn to engage their pupils in this way. Teachers are aware that education and the way pupils want to learn is changing and they need to be getting creative and innovative in their classrooms.
I am sure Teach-It will be landing in Aberdeenshire very soon.
Heading out to annual Scottish Leaders Conference tomorrow and Friday. Looking forward to sitting in on Dr Carol Craigs key note on confidence and wellbeing. I’ll keep you posted!
Since the launch of our Teach-It and due to it’s huge success throughout a vast number of UK schools so far, we’ve been busy working on the Teach-It 2.
Filling the pages of my, already packed ‘Technovation Journal’ with fresh experiences, experiments, tutorials, hints, tips and tricks from an unending stream of the latest web 2 applications, I stumbled upon Prezi.
This incredible little tool, used for the purposes of making presentations, easily outstrips both Powerpoint and Keynote as an impressive and easy-to-use presentation app.
Being web based there is no need to install anything on computers or servers giving you permanent access to your presentations for both editing and showcasing and (in it’s basic form) it’s also free meaning you can enjoy this highly adaptable tool in the classroom without impacting on your budget.
I’m now developing a series of Prezi Lesson Ideas focussing on literacy, numeracy, science and expressive arts so watch this space!
In the meantime, here is a ‘Prezi‘ I made for you to watch. Enjoy and let me know what you think?
You will require the latest version of Flash to play this…get it here!
Here’s a great opportunity for some 21st century learning and an idea for using your blank Teach-ItLesson Ideas…
With the moving image at the heart of what so many young people engage with today, from music videos, television and cinema to animation and the self made You Tube phenomenon we feel this years National Schools Film Weekhas to be an excellent basis for engagement in (or in this case) out of, the classroom.
This year’s dates are: England, Wales & Northern Ireland – 15-23 October 2009 Scotland: 2-6 November 2009
National Schools Film Week (NSFW)provides teachers and their students the opportunity to see a wide range of films at local cinemas entirely free-of-charge. From major urban centres to small towns, NSFW extends education into local cinemas, giving teachers the opportunity to use the power of film to cover many different subjects.
I checked and my own local cinema is taking part up here in Dunfermline Scotland!
The festival is available to any school and every pupil, with last years attendance numbering 410,000.
Bookings of all sizes are welcome as long as there is space in the cinema!
How can I use cinema in my teaching? Learning which takes place beyond the classroom walls plays an important role in students’ social and cultural education. By providing free film screenings, along with a rich programme of educational events and a wealth of high quality, curriculum-based online resources to support learning, National Schools Film Week ensures these opportunities are available to students of all backgrounds. Learners at any level can gain immensely from the cinema experience whether they are at Higher level Film Studies or a Year 1 child seeing their first-ever big screen film.
Think CfE - The experience of film goes far beyond the cinema. Before a screening, teachers can involve their whole class in preparing for the event, for example, by researching the history of the local cinema, investigating current films’ releases or exploring the issues that feature in their chosen film. Back in the classroom, Film Educa’ion’s curriculum–focused teaching materials make it easy to incorporate film across a sequence of lessons or even a whole term, whether exploring issues presented onscreen or developing an understanding of the language of film. Whatever your focus, film can provide a valuable, accessible and engaging mode of delivery to learners.
So, aside form the enjoyment of this event itself – if you are using ourTeach-Itwhy not take your blank Lesson Ideas and create lessons based on this event. Mail them to us and we can help to refine them for use throughout the rest of the year.
Glasgow saw it’s first glimpse of the newTeach-Itthis week as Stephen launched to classroom resource in John Paul Academy.
JPA are leading the way inTechnovation, 21st Century TeachingandCPDas staff have been given the resource as part of their personal and professional development as well as their active classroom resources this year.
The project, led by Technical teacher and ICT enthusiastFrank Bannon(Twitter – MrBTec) is designed to help staff develop their knowledge and practical application of the technologies pupils are using every day. The Teach-It will help all staff to learn how to use 5 key technologies for use in the classroom as part of the new curriculum throughout the year.
The launch, carried out as a twilight session was a huge success with a full turnout of staff including P.E teacher Charlie (who I met a few days later at a mutual friends wedding!). Staff were shown the Teach-It in both paper and online format and given time to discuss it’s use in each of their subjects.
As always we look forward to next years CPD training day – TheDo Be Use-Itin which the Teach-It will be used to it’s full potential by the staff at JPA, creating rich content for use in the classroom as well as for whole school projects, blogs and even GLOW.
Thanks to Head Teacher Vincent Docherty for his belief in the Teach-It and toFrank Bannon (Twitter – MrBTec) for his tireless efforts in setting this whole project up. The eyes of Glasgows education network are on you!
Lately I’ve been playing Touch Physics again…I blogged a while back about this great app and only recently rediscovered it’s childish yet scientific fascination.
A great little game for the scientist in you!
Touch Physics is a fantastic little game that allows the player to manipulate a given environment using the basic laws of Physics:
Motion Gravity Mass Force Energy
Combining Science with the most basic Art skills the aim of the game is to get your Ball to the Star and complete the level.
Throughout the full fifty levels your ball starts in any and every kind of scenario. It may be static, at the top or bottom of a hill, trapped in a box, on top of a triangle, inside another shape, on a see-saw and so many more. From here your job is to create shapes and actions that will allow your ball to travel around the screen and reach the star.
Solutions include building walls to protect the ball from falling off screen, constructing a see-saw on which a larger shape can be dropped sending your ball towards the star (if you’re lucky!), creating shapes that will push your ball out of a hole or off a ledge and creating slides and /or hills to navigate varying heights.
Using very attractive artwork that emulates crude chalk marks on backgrounds of crumpled paper, polystyrene and wood this will appeal immediately to your pupil’s as well as your own inner child while challenging the natural scientist in all of us.
You can download a Lite version of TouchPhysics for free in the App store for the first 5 levels. The full version has 50 levels with the promise of more to come.
Ideas for use:
• (Individual) Pupils tackle levels, working their way through the levels to the end.
• (Group) Pupils work in groups to tackle each level, taking shots in turn.
• (Group) Pupils complete each level then discuss each element of Physics involved.
• (Group) Pupils recreate levels using physical objects in class/school.
• (Class) Pupils tackle levels on paper first, planning their solution then attempting each in turn.
• (Class) Teacher tackles each level following Pupils instructions.
Ideas for application:
• Try projecting your iPhone to the White board using Honlai’s QingBar MP101 iPhone projector. • Use multiple iPhones for individual/group learning • Collatescreenshots from your iPhonethen project them to the White Board and invite pupils to solve the levels using the pens.
We hope you enjoy this iPhone app and find many ways to enrich the learning in the Physics classroom. To finish we’ve included a neat video of the game in action:
We are delighted to continue our work with John Paul Academy. They are the first school in Glasgow to use Teach-It and one of the first schools in Scotland to be trained on the resource.
Frank Bannon (teacher and ICT whizz) was excited when the Teach-It arrived this week and commented:
“I’m so impressed with the Teach-Its. They are all glossy and cool looking“…Thanks Frank!
John Paul are going to be using the Teach-Its to engage their ‘digital natives‘ in learning across the curriculum at all levels. Their training session is taking place on Monday so we will keep you updated with their progress.
Special thanks to Vincent Docherty (HT) and Frank Bannon for their continued support and brilliant minds.
Just when you thought the Final Fantasy series couldn’t possibly reach any higher (though it always has to be honest) the first and second games have been released on the iPhone and Touch.
and let me know what you think?
