Happy New Year 2011

The future is robotic
Photograph: Blutgruppe/zefa/Corbis

http://static.guim.co.uk

"The robots are coming. The second decade of the 21st century will see the rise of a mechanised army that will revolutionise private and public life just as radically as the internet and social media have shaken up the past 10 years."


Marina Gorbis, futurologist and head of Californian thinktank The Institute for the Future.




The innovation is in our life everyday! And that is splendid! Innovation and creativity are in music too! Perhaps the most innovative art crossing the centuries. From classical, to pop-rock, jazz, alternative or electronic. There are wonderful composers, musicians, innovative projects. 


Now we have music using the latest Techonologies! Arcade Fire and Google maps, Gorillaz composing on iPad. So, we can say, dawn of the age of the Tech music! 


"Music is the poetry of the air", said Jean Paul Richter. Read some music quotes and choose the perfect one to begin the New Year!

Happy New Year with Music

View more presentations from G. Souto.

Did you find an inspirational music quote to add to the soundtrack of your life? 

"My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require." 

Edward Elgar

My idea? Just follow the music of your heart! Enjoy it!

Happy New Year 2011!! 

G-Souto

31.12.2010

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

References:

Gina Souto, slideshare

http://www.slideshare.net/GSouto

Dawn of the age of the robot

http://www.guardian.co.uk

Un petit flocon de neige...

Photo: Isabelle Caro

http://neigeisabelle.blog.mongenie.com

Paris-Match rend hommage à Isabelle Caro. Victime d’anorexie dès l’âge de 12 ans après une enfance que Isabelle Caro qualifiait elle-même de troublée, la jeune femme était devenue depuis 2007 une icône des troubles alimentaires depuis qu’elle avait posé nue devant l’objectif du célèbre photographe italien Oliviero Toscani, dans le cadre d’une campagne italienne de la marque "No-l-ita" contre l’anorexie.

Isabelle Caro
Enviado por vincentbigler. - Clipes, entrevista dos artistas, shows e muito mais.

Sur son blog personnel, Isabelle Caro, victime des folies de notre temps se présentait comme «un petit flocon de neige invisible, invisible en pleine canicule, qui se bat, se bat pour vivre enfin, malgré des années de souffrances, et crier au monde entier que l'anorexie est un enfer et qu'il faut s'en réchapper pendant qu'il en est encore temps!».

Editions Flammarion

Elle avait déjà écrit en 2008 un livre "La petite fille qui ne voulait pas grossir", Flammarion.

Sur la photo terrible qui a choqué le monde, Isabelle Caro avait dit:

"J'ai accepté de participer à cette campagne pour alerter les jeunes filles en leur montrant les dangers des régimes, des diktats de la mode et des ravages de l'anorexie. Le but c'est de choquer pour sensibiliser."

Je ne peux pas laisser passer cette mort dans le silence . Et je rends hommage à Isabelle Caro, jeune femme de 28 ans, décedée le 17 novembre dans un immense oubli...

G-Souto

30.12.10

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Crédits: Paris-Match

http://www.parismatch.com

It Can Wait!

AT&T is taking the lead on texting-and-driving prevention with this 11-minute documentary on the topic, intended to reach consumers before New Year’s Eve.

The document, called The Last Text, features stories about people whose lives were adversely affected by texting behind the wheel, including the parents of Mariah West, who died after texting “Where u at?” to a friend.

AT&T's Txtng & Drivng Campaign Urges Consumers That 'It Can Wait'. This video featuring families affected by texting while behind the wheel is being distributed to educators, government officials, safety organizations and public as part of a educational awareness campaign.

AT&T was distributing the film to schools, safety organizations and government agencies and on its YouTube channel. The doc is part of AT&T’s “It Can Wait” TV, print and online campaign, which the company introduced in March. Part of that campaign includes a Facebook app where friends can take a pledge not to text and drive. 


Go on Facebook and pledge not to text and drive. For your friend, your older sister, your older brother. Don't give up!

Texting behind the wheel appears to be a growing problem among young people.

Don't text while you're driving! Remember! It Can Wait!

This campaign is rolling in the United States, but it could rolling on my country ... or yours!

G-Souto

30.12.2010
Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

References: AT&T Documentary Takes on Texting-While-Driving

http://mashable.com

Gorillaz on iPad

http://i2.cdn.turner.com

If you're a fan of the Gorillaz, led by the English musician Damon Albarn, don't forget to check online for an additional  present this Christmas.

The band has always been known for seeking out ways to set themselves apart– which leads us to the digital Christmas gift of the album The Fall, now available to listen to online on the band's site.

And by the way, it was composed using mostly an iPad, with just a few other instruments.

"I've made it on an iPad – I hope I'll be making the first record on aniPad," he said. "I fell in love with myiPad as soon as I got it, so I've made a completely different kind of record."

Damon Albarn

http://tvnet.pt

On Christmas Eve the Gorillaz gave the 15-song album away to members of its Sub-Division fan club.

For those who aren't paid club members, the record can be heard by-way-of streaming online and the band has promised to bring it to record stores early next year.

A few traditional instruments were used too, each of which were recorded solely by an iPad, incuding a guitar, Melodica, Microkorg, Moog Voyager, Korg Monotron, Korg Vocoder, Omnichord, piano and ukulele.

Albarn, who created the Gorillaz with comic book artist Jamie Hewlett, is the only member of the band to have appeared on each of the group's albums. Other band members change frequently depending on the album or live concert.

http://thefall.gorillaz.com

Le nouvel album du groupe britannique Gorillaz, codirigé par le chanteur Damon Albarn et le dessinateur Jamie Hewlett, réalisé quasiment entièrement à partir d'applications pour la tablette iPad d'Apple, a été mis en ligne gratuitement sur le site du groupe, Gorillaz.com, depuis samedi 25 décembre. 

The Fall contient quinze chansons composées et enregistrées cet automne, pendant la tournée mondiale du groupe, achevée le 21 décembre en Nouvelle-Zélande.

Proposé en téléchargement pour les membres du fan-club de Gorillaz et en streaming pour les autres, The Fall suit musicalement trente jours de tournée. 

Quelques musiciens dont Mick Jones et Paul Simonon, anciens des Clash, ou Bobby Womack ont participé à l'enregistrement, qui pourrait être commercialisé début 2011.

David Albarn/ Gorillaz

http://tvnet.pt

A la sortie de leur troisième album, en mars 2010, Albarn et Hewlett avaient envisagé mettre un terme à l'aventure Gorillaz (à la fois groupe et support à des aventures animées), fondé en 1998. The Fall pourrait ainsi être un cadeau de Noël final pour les amateurs du groupe.  Voici 'Phoner to Arizona'

Well, Damon Albarn felt in love with his iPad! Who does not?! People love iPad! Not only the musicians... educators and students too.

Enjoy your holiday time!

G-Souto

28.12.10

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

References:

TVnet

http://tvnet.sapo.pt/noticias/detalhes.php?id=63807

NME.com

http://www.nme.com/news/gorillaz/53816

Los Angeles Times

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com

LeMonde.fr/ Culture

http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2010/12/27/gorillaz-diffuse-gratuitement-un-album-enregistre-avec-des-applications-pour-tablette-ipad_1458097_3246.html

Merry Festive Season

Martti Kainulainen/ Rex Features

http://www.guardian.co.uk

“Let us live our daily lives in solidarity with those less fortunate than us – the poor, the sick and elderly, those enduring abuse, discrimination or violations of their rights – and thereby build a better world for all”.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Message for International Human Solidarity Day

20 December 2010

I wish you all a very merry festive season!

Merry Christmas!

G-Souto

23.12.10

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Kerity pour apprendre à lire?

Flammarion, Novembre 2009

http://ecx.images-amazon.com

Ce n'est pas parce que c'est inventé que ça n'existe pas!

Natanël a bientôt 7 ans mais il ne sait toujours pas lire... Quand Éléonore lègue à Natanaël le contenu de sa bibliothèque, le petit garçon est loin d'imaginer que tous ces livres renferment le plus incroyable des secrets... Bientôt Alice, Pinocchio, le capitaine Crochet et tous les héros de ses contes préférés prennent vie autour de lui. Ils sont menacés par une terrible malédiction, et seul Natanaël peut les sauver. Commence alors pour le garçon une folle course contre la montre pour délivrer ses nouveaux amis.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com

Kerity la maison des contes  de Dominique Monfery est sorti en décembre 2009! Un film d'animation tellement beau! Une excellente motivation pour les élèves plus petits, ceux qui fréquentent l'école primaire et qui souvent, tel Natanaël, ont des difficultés à lire.

Peut-être se sentiront-ils motivés, en regardant ce monde féerique des livres? 

Une bilbliothèque! Un monde de magie qui peut s'ouvrir devant leurs yeux éblouis et les faire retrouver toutes les belles histoires, de Pinocchio à Alice, d'Aladin à Cendrillon. En même temps, c'est une alèrte contre la dispparition des livres en papier.

Comme Natanël,ils vont essayer de les découvrir par eux-mêmes, en apprennant à lire avec plasir.

Les professeurs, à l'aide de la vidéo et du site, pourront distribuer le livre en classe, en laissant que les tout petits aient juste la joie d'apprendre l'alphabet. Et pour les plus  espiègles, 5-7 ans, améliorer la lecture?

Ah! En plus de l'espace pédagique contenant un dossier d'accompagnement et des fiches pédagogiques, il y a aussi un espace presse très intéressant à faire décovrir. 

Je crois que Kerity et le monde merveilleux des livres est vraiment délicieux à la veille de Noël! Un projet de rêve à faire découvrir aux plus jeunes! Ils vont adorer. J'en suis sûre!

Et puis la bande-sonore de Christophe Héral, compositeur français qui a travaillé aux jeux vidéo, est magnifique!

Pour les parents, un beau cadeau à offrir à leurs petits enfants, en livre ou vidéo? Un cadeau de Noël qui motivera les plus petits à lire avec joie! 

Euh, pardon? C’est un must pour les 3-7 ans.

G-Souto

22.12.10

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Sensewall at Coimbra University campus

Sensewall University of Coimbra/ Portugal

http://www.sensebloom.com/img/sensewall.jpg

This is the latest multi-touch installation by SenseBloom. It’s located in the campus bar, free access, at the Computer Science Department of Coimbra University, Portugal.


SenseWall is unique in Portugal. It is a Laser Light Plane (LLP) multi-touch wall with a display area of 2.8m x 1.05m. 


Created with the intent of letting students and the research community explore new concepts in HCI by designing and creating applications for course projects or just for fun.

SenseWall from Tiago Serra on Vimeo.

"We called it SenseWall because we wanted to create a platform that would have more senses than solely touch. So we added 2 cameras above the display for computer vision applications, a microphone for sound input, speakers for sound output and an RFID reader."

Tiago Serra (student)

Miguel Antunes, Tiago Serra e Tony Gonçalves (students)

Mário Zenha (coordinator)

http://imagens.publico.pt

The project has been developed for three years by three students coordinated by Prof. Mario Zenha. 
Some results: TOUCHBLOOM – a “multi touch” transportable, created for Microsoft Portugal that used it on Windows 7 demonstration, and PUDDLE OF LIFE, an interactive game that it is at the Science Museum of Universidade de Coimbra.

Puddle of Life - Darwin Exhibit from Tiago Serra on Vimeo.

"Puddle of Life" is an educational multi-touch installation that was designed for Coimbra's Science Museum (Darwin exhibit), demonstrating the theory of natural selection, as part of Darwin's 200th anniversary.

The installation is composed of a round multi-touch table whose surface represents a virtual environment where 4 species of creatures live in. Each of these little creatures have different physical characteristics visually expressed by it's quantity and/or size: Vision, Locomotion and Fur. Read more

"We believe highly motivated people can produce better work and be happier at the same time. By making workflows simpler and technology easier to use we hope to increase productivity and enable everyone to achieve their goals in a more pleasant and fruitful way. This is the foundation that supports every new product idea we have."

“Ver a nossa sombra ganhar vida, de repente, num processo de interacção em tempo real impressionante, voar pelo globo terrestre, mergulhando no Google Earth, manipular conteúdos multimedia ou mesmo criar música e murais são alguns dos exemplos disponíveis nesta enorme parede tecnológica”


(students)

20.12.10

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

References:

Senseblom : Tiago Serra

http://www.sensebloom.com/

Google project hosted

http://code.google.com/p/sensewall/

Poudle of Life - Darwin exhibit
http://vimeo.com/5206660

Christmas Lights Coldplay

Coldplay released Christmas music "Christmas Lights" that is on the YouTop. And now the single.

A Christmas song of these days! 




G-Souto
19.12.10
Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®
(sunday break)

Christmas at digital age?

How social networks,  web and mobile tell  the story of the Nativity. Christmas via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, Wikipedia,  Google Maps, GMail, Foursquare, Amazon...


Time change, feelings remain the same! 


It's a Portuguese video! The creativity is gorgeous! 


G-Souto
18.12.10
Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®


(it's Christmas time! Time for a break in a shiny but freezing saturday afternoon. Let's go out!)


Credits: http://www.excentric.pt/#/home/

Media & Learning Conference

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

"Developing, Recognising and Embedding Media in Education and Training: Towards the Era fo Digital Fluency"

The Media & Learning Brussels 2010 conference was organised by the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training and the media company ATiT with the support of the European Commission, DG Education and Culture in the context of the Belgian Presidency of the European Union. 

Media & Learning Conference

Flemish Ministry of Education

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

It took place on 25-26 November 2010 in the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training headquarters in Brussels and involved over 230 participants from 31 countries who discussed together the application of media in teaching and learning. 

The conference evolved around three main themes:  

• Digital and media skills and competences

• Fostering the creation of media-based resources at all levels of education and training

• Use and re-use of existing media resources in education and training

Pascal Smet/ Welcome Plenary sesssion
Flemish Minister for Education

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

Media literacy and digital fluency are amongst the most important skills young people can learn or improve in order to find, use and create accurate information to become good creative citizens of a future society. But how can we as educators be sure that our learners are learning better thanks to media? 

"Media literacy is the ability to access the media, to understand and to critically evaluate different aspects of the media and media contents and to create communications in a variety of contexts."

http://ec.europa.eu

Based on the shared goal of  digital fluency for all, the conference organisers set up the event to provide participants with an opportunity to  consider  digital media and media literacy in new and hopefully radically different ways. 

The idea behind this conference was to help  launch a real and ongoing community of practice of those interested in how best to harness the promise of traditional and new media in the service of learning.

Hans Laugesen

GL, National Union of Upper Secondary School Teachers/Denmark

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

The conference programme was  highly interactive and allowed for maximum networking and sharing of experience with a mix of plenary, discussion, demonstration and workshop sessions.

ICT and media literacy – the policy framework

Hadewych auditorium

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

During two days practitioners, experts and researchers have discussed how learners handle video and audio in a meaningful and thoughtful manner to support their learning, how media repositories complement existing teaching and learning materials effectively, how young people learn by creating their own media and how ICT can enhance the teaching and learning process.


"Media literacy relates to all media, including television and film, radio and recorded music, print media, the Internet and all other new digital communication technologies. It is a fundamental competence not only for the young generation but also for adults and elderly people, for parents, teachers and media professionals."


http://ec.europa.eu

Paul Ashter/ BBC Teachers TV

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

European policy as well as national policy came under discussion with presentations on the Digital Agenda, Digital Competencies and Media Literacy and Culture. Online and face-to-face discussions on topics such as the best way to teach media literacy and meeting the costs of multimedia-rich educational games attracted a lot of attention, as did the many and varied examples of media usage in schools and colleges. 

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

By mixing the conference with the annual MEDEA Awards which reward excellence in the application of media in learning, the conference programme  combined excellent practical examples of media usage.

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

The workshops given by previous MEDEA Award Winners and Finalists met different participants, most of all,  practitioners who were curious about the experiences.

This year’s Media & Learning Conference  focused on a changing view of media literacy and developing digital media skills in education, and two core themes emerged as being central. 

Keynote speaker Paul Bottelberghs

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

The first revolved around the fact that  society has evolved from a literacy culture to a media culture.


(...)


The second main theme that emerged was that the classroom, university lecture hall or training lab is the place where media needed to be contextualised and perfected

Participants were very enthusiastic about the richness and diversity of the examples of media usage from all over Europe that were shown, serving to highlight the ‘art of the possible’ to everyone who took part.

I chose to participate in the Hadewych auditorium sessions, most of the time, to be informed of the new discussions about ICT and Media Literacy across Europe. 

Really liked "Media literacy and culture" by Matteo Zachetti, DG EAC-D. He is responsible for the Media Literacy initiative and the Media Programme Pilot Projects. You can access to his speach here.

Ciarán McCormack, FÍS and IADT, Ireland

Fis bookclub project

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

A showcase project I enjoyed! The Fis BookClub from Ireland. Not a new idea but an interactive project to encourage young students to enjoy the benefits of reading. 

On the project, children create a video book review based on their independent  reading. The concept is simple but convincing. 

From the discussions, I took part in the panel "Is media literacy best taught as a unique subject in primary and secondary schools?" moderated by Paul Ashton. The panelists Hans Laugesen and Jim Devine spoke about some innovative practices in their own countries.  

Francesc Pedrò/ OECD

Senior policy analyst with OECD

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

The Closing plenary, Friday the 25th, had features keynote presentations "Connected Minds. Is technology changing students expectations?" by Francesc Pedró, (OECD) and BBC News School Report by Ros Smith, BBC, UK.


I really liked the analysis of Francesc Pedrò. Access to his speach here. As last year, in the New Millenium Learners Conference, Dr. Pedrò presented a very clear analysis concerning "growing importance of connectedness" in education.

Ros Smith/ BBC, UK

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

BBC News School Report has been the "MEDEA Overall Award Winner 2010" & "Professional Production Award Winner 2010". Part of the original team that set up BBC News School Report, Ros Smith is the Deputy Editor on the project.


"BBC News School Report" gives 11-14 year-old students in the UK the chance to make their own news reports for a real audience. Using lesson plans and materials from the BBC News School Report website, and with support from BBC staff, teachers help students develop their journalistic skills to become School Reporters."


Such an interesting project! As I often say, students like to take an active role in their learning as learners: creating, communicating, and collaborating, on  methodologic tutoring, of course - formal and informal.

MEDEA Awards

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

The MEDEA Awards Ceremony took place on Thursday 25th November alongside the "Media & Learning Conference" and the winners of this year’s awards has been announced.

MEDEA Award/ BBC schoolreporter

Ros Smith

http://www.media-and-learning.eu

As final comments:


Media literacy is not a new subject, but a new educational language. As Dr. Pedrò said, digital literacy must be revisited (in curriculum, in teacher standards and training). Young people cannot live unplugged.1)

Educators and learners are doing fantastic things in schools! They have wonderful projects, they are envolved in a innovative teaching and learning process.

TV Education is 'on the road' again! Twenty years later, TV supporting teaching and learning is a 'new' media tool (revisited) for educators and learners.

Twenty years ago, I was an educator on TV Education in Portugal (1975-1985). I'm proud to be a digital pioneer! Yes, I am!

I have my degree  focus on TV Education from CNDP and BELC, Paris. Those years teaching on TV Education gave me a new dimension and a different vision as an educator EAD and face-to-face. 

My students used media devices since very young in the classroom. And they handle with digital tools in formal and informal learning. 

So, I could practice teaching and learning in a innovative way some years ago, even when the educational world didn't talk so much about media literacy!


I belong to a group of educators who have pushing out the bounderies of creativity and innovation.

I can say that secondary schools have been pioneers and  more innovative  than universities using media devices. 

Oh! An interesting SMS messaging have been used during the conference to support networking.

Congratulations to the conference team! Specially to Nikki Cortoos that I finally met, after two years working together online,  and Sally Reynolds.

Thank you so much for your invitation, as a member of the jury, to participate in the conference and in the MEDEA Awards  ceremony!

G-Souto

15.12.10

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

References:


Media & Learning Conference

http://www.media-and-learning.eu/

Conference's Public Report
http://www.media-and-learning.eu


European Commission - Media
http://ec.europa.eu

MEDEA Awards 2010
http://www.medea-awards.com

BBC News Report

http://news.bbc.co.uk

1) Francesc Pedrò, Connected Minds. Is technology changing students expectations?, Media & Learning conference, Brussels, 26 November 2010