Proof in practice that my baby weight calculator works

Interesting... the software we are required to use in New Zealand for maternity documentation converted 3175g to 6lb 15oz. My site calculator converted it to 7lb. The precise conversion is 6lb 15.99oz so it is much more accurate to round up to the 7lb.

Blog Revival

I still had my old blog posts here on Blogger. I tracked down entries that were on blognessie.com and nzmidwife.net . I have moved them over and kept some of them locked to my personal account and imported my old entries here. Way back in the early 2000's there was so much link spamming with webrings and reciprocal mentions. It was fun but much of that seems redundant now. I am unsure if I should keep them for the novelty and reference to sites and services that no longer exist. These entries will feed through to pages on my main site at www.nessinnz.com . This will demonstrate the overlap between my areas of interest and it will be fascinating to see what grows the fastest... and, yes... I am writing this while on a night shift.

E-Portfolios for Learning: Using Blogger Pages to Create an ePortfolio

E-Portfolios for Learning: Using Blogger Pages to Create an ePortfolio

Using Blogger Pages to Create an ePortfolio Creating an ePortfolio with Blogger - Blog and Pages PLUS GoogleDocs

Getting started

1. Define the purpose of the portfolio (Learning? Showcase? Assessment?) What is this portfolio supposed to demonstrate?
2. Keep a Learning Journal in the Blogger blog
3. Collect digital documents [artifacts] (or convert documents into digital format through digital cameras or scanners or digital audio/video tools).
4. Use GoogleDocs to create artifacts for portfolio, including word processing documents, presentations, spreadsheets, or PDFs. Any type of document can be uploaded into GoogleDocs (up to a maximum of 1 GB, not counting Word/Excel/Powerpoint files converted to GoogleDocs).
5. Select specific documents to meet the goals identified in step 1 above. (Sometimes in reviewing the documents, the goals emerge!)
6. Use a simple table to list the artifacts, and assign (classify) each one to the outcome/goal/standard that the artifact will demonstrate. 
7. Set up pages for each component of the portfolio (outcome/goal/standard)

Keeping a Learning Journal

Blogger is a “blog” or learning journal (sometimes called a learning portfolio) that allows individual posts, organized in reverse chronological order. The learner can create a link to any GoogleDocs Document/Presentation/Spreadsheet, to a GoogleSites page, or any web page. 

Create a New Post for each entry, to reflect on learning that takes place over time. Add at least one label to each entry, to add a classification system.

Digitize/Store Digital Artifacts 

Most of the time developing an electronic portfolio will be spent in the development of the digital archive (mostly maintained in GoogleDocs), and in maintaining this learning journal, that may include links to the specific learning activities being discussed in the journal/blog.

Authoring a presentation portfolio with Blogger Pages

At a certain point in time (prior to a parent conference, end of the school year, etc.), a more formal presentation portfolio would be developed, which is discussed below. Below is detail on each step, using Blogger Pages and GoogleDocs.

Create a first page - Introduction and Table of Contents

Write an Introduction to the Reader (sometimes this is the last thing you write, although it is the first thing people will read). Identify the purpose of this portfolio, the audience, and the contents. Why did you create this portfolio?

Set up a structure using goals (or themes) as organizing framework 

Create individual pages for each goal/theme (maximum of 10 pages). These pages will appear on the navigation structure of the blog, either on the left side or across the top, as shown on this page.

Upload artifacts/create hyperlinks

Add the artifacts (through hyperlinks or EMBED codes) to the appropriate page in the portfolio. 1 GB total storage available in Google Docs (not counting converted documents… put your video in SchoolTube or another video storage site!)

Write reflections for each goal/skill and each artifact

Write a brief reflection on each artifact (what is the context in which this artifact was developed? Why was it included in the portfolio?). You might also write a reflection on each grouping of artifacts (by outcome/goal/standard).

Write future learning goals

Set up a page for Goals. The process of goal-setting turns portfolio development into powerful support for lifelong learning or professional development.

Publish Portfolio - Seek Feedback

This stage provides an opportunity for interaction and feedback on the work posted in the portfolio. This is where the power of Web 2.0 interactive tools becomes apparent. Feedback through comments in blog or allow comments on pages.

Evaluating Portfolios

Teachers often provide exemplars for different levels of achievement, and provides a rubric for evaluation. 

The portfolio developer should be given the option of updating the work, based on the feedback and the rubric.

via blog.helenbarrett.org

SugarSync - Zero excuses for dog eating my homework

I am liking how SugarSync will work with my Android phone and different workplaces. Sorry...but I think SugarSync beats Dropbox for me. With 5GB free storage, what a great way to sync! Get yours here: https://www.sugarsync.com/referral?rf=dxk3ypcymeqq2 and I get some bonus space too  =)

Just notified the National Testing Centre that their URL has been hijacked...oops

Becoming a midwifery educator in the age of technology

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I don’t believe I have mentioned anything yet about my…

I don’t believe I have mentioned anything yet about my Flickr account and how addictive Flickr is. del.icio.us doesn’t have me hooked to the same extent, but I can see that tagging and labels (Gmail) are the future wave and I am thrilled to be riding it.

Not the power supply

My computer is still misbehaving and it wasn’t the power supply or the PC clock battery. Other possibilities include the graphics card, RAM, and the motherboard

Here’s hoping comment spammers read the latest move in CMS…

Here’s hoping comment spammers read the latest move in CMS and Blog software to protect people like me: Google Blog

New Blogging Community

I don’t know much about it, but there is a new free blog provider in New Zealand - BlogIt, so go and sign up.

Skype - Free Internet telephony

Skype is my new favourite software because it is simple to use and it really works. I have a friend in the US who has a Mac and we couldn’t find a compatible software for voice chats. We found a shareware program but it wasn’t simple and easy and were at the point […]

WP Security Bug

Thanks to Big Pink Cookie for pointing out a WP security problem and Climb to the Stars for an easy to understand fix.

Technical Tips and Hints

I’ve visited here before, but revisiting Technical Tips and Hints, especially for my robots.txt file.

WordPress : Tackling Comment Spam

WordPress : Tackling Comment Spam for ways to battle the ever-increasing blog spam.

Blogthings - What kind of blogger …

Blogthings - What kind of blogger …

You Are a Life Blogger!

Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary.

If it happens, you blog it. And make it as entertaining as possible.

What kind of blogger are you?

New Layout

My sister said she missed my old layout, so I decided to make a new one. The image of the lily is from my own photo.

Gmail Invites

I have 3 2 1 21 Gmail invites to give away, so leave a comment if you want one.

Condensed to the Max

As my first experience of television journalism, I knew it would be abbreviated, but had no idea that 20 minutes of interview would end up shrinking so much to being part of a 4 minute segment. However, I will say that I was pleased with how it all came out and that I felt I didn’t end up looking and sounding like an idiot . I thought I would include a link to Deborah Hill Cone’s blog.

On TV

I have been advised the blogging segment will air on Breakfast on TV1 on Monday 9 August at 8:20am. Now I am nervous again about how the story will be presented and the angle being taken, but I am excited as well.

Not Invisible

Wow! I write this for me and my family and readership is kind of incidental. However, yesterday I was contacted for a television interview on Breakfast about blogging. It was important to me to get Drin’s consent considering the nature of my posts and he agreed. So I will keep everyone posted.