The PonderingDan Podcast - Episode 2 - What's So Good About EduTwitter? - with Mazz Ellery

For links mentioned in this episode, go to:

• www.lrtt.org
• www.westgaterefugees.org
• More information about getting started on Twitter

Mazz's Top 5 Educators to follow on Twitter:

• @rachaellehr
• @steven_kolber
• @ponderingdan
• @mrmatera
• @paulhamilton8

The PonderingDan Podcast - Episode 1 - Why Ponder? Thinking Deeply about Education with Bec Spink

I am really lucky to know some amazing educators from around the world. One of those that has had a huge impact on my teaching career is Bec Spink. Bec is an award winning teacher and leader and is Principal of Spensley Street Primary School in inner city Melbourne.

Bec has always been great at challenging my thinking about education and pedagogy and it's something that has stuck with me throughout my career which is why I wanted her to be my first guest on The PonderingDan Podcast. We talk all about why it's important to think deeply about education and to challenge yourself to always ask why.

You can follow Bec on Twitter @becspink.

If you enjoy this podcast, please help me to grow and create great conversations by rating, subscribing and sharing it with your peers. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter where I am always sharing the great learning that's happening in my school.

The PonderingDan Podcast - Episode Zero - Starting With Why

Where's the Math in Coding?

I was recently asked by @autismplusmath (go follow him if you don't already) through Twitter to contribute a discussion post about math education in my context. Go to https://www.cake.co/conversations/2dswhvg/where-s-the-math-in-coding to join in the discussions about this post. 

When I was first asked, I wasn't really sure what I would write about. I'm not exclusively a Maths teacher and to be honest, I don't really

iPad Basics for Teachers (part 2) - the Apps Straight Out of the Box - Keynote

iPads come with so much free stuff that there is barely a need to go and spend a small fortune on apps. Over the next few posts, I'll highlight the best of each of Apple's apps; Keynote, Notes, Garage Band, Numbers, Pages, Clips, iMovie and Classroom.

Keynote

Keynote is probably my favourite Apple app. Similar to Power Point for Windows users, Keynote is a powerful tool with features and capabilities that are far under utilised. I've used Keynote to create presentations, animations for videos, tutorials for 'flipped learning' and for modelling tasks. 
One great way to use Keynote is to

2019 DLTV Outstanding Educator of the Year Award

The last twelve months have been a brilliant time for me professionally. I got invited to present at EduTech Asia in Singapore at the end of last year;  I was selected as an Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) and got to spend four days with other ADEs on the Gold Coast; I was invited to present at the iOntheFuture6 conference in Sydney and the Gold Coast and I also got to judge this years EduTech Asia awards. This has all been on top of the work I've been doing at my school teaching STEAM and leading Innovations and our Specialists team, being active with my Professional Learning Network (PLN) on Twitter and studying my Masters of Education.

It would be fair to say that

iPad Basics for Teachers - iPad Tools to Use Straight Out of the Box

I have been lucky enough to be able to use iPads in my classroom since I began teaching five years ago. One thing that surprises me with a lot of teachers that I talk to is that they aren't really sure where to start with the iPad or how to use it with their students. Similarly, teachers can be unsure of what apps they need to install and can be confused by the variety in the App Store, especially when it comes to

How Can Current and Future Technologies Support our Student's Learning Outcomes in STEM Education

According to the Department of Education and Training, "The Australian Government regards high-quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education as critically important for our current and future productivity." (2019). As a STEAM teacher (the A standing for Arts) this stands as something close to my heart. I have worked quite hard to develop a STEAM curriculum from Foundation to Year 4 and enjoy my job thoroughly. I am lucky because I get to see, on a daily basis, the future 'job ready' skills our students so desperately need.

Getting Started on Twitter - Hashtags and Who to Follow

It's so great to see so many great educators beginning their Twitter journey. I remember back to my beginning and not really knowing where to start, how to interact or who to follow. I feel like I have finally come to a point in the development of my online Professional Learning Network (PLN) that I can impart some good advice on how to make things work for you. I wanted this post to not only be a list of the top educators to follow on Twitter but I wanted to share how I developed my following and some great hashtags to follow.

Digital Sandbox Time - 10 Reasons to Give it a Go

I will often have ideas in mind for the use of a new or different app. It's always exciting to see what students can do with something new because even more ideas for its use can pop up. What can be a struggle though is trying to explicitly teach 20+ children how to use an app at the same time. It's a nightmare, as some students naturally take their time, some rush ahead and then don't know what to do, others just would rather explore it on their own. When this happens, students get stressed and confused and the teacher does too. This is why I like to have Digital Sandbox time when introducing something new.