Saturday, September 26, 2015

Reading on the Data Protection Act

The Data Protection Law - What is it?
  • Law designed to protect stored personal data
  • Aims to control the handling of information and to give legal rights to people who have information stored about them
  • Sets up rules to prevent people for accessing personal data without permission

8 Principles of Data Protection 
Data controllers must make sure the information is:-
  •        used fairly and lawfully
  •        used for limited, specifically stated purposes
  •        used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive
  •        accurate
  •        kept for no longer than is absolutely necessary
  •        handled according to people’s data protection rights
  •        kept safe and secure
  •        not transferred outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection

References  
BBC. 2014. GCSE Bitesize - Data Protection Act. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ict/legal/0dataprotectionactrev1.shtml. 
[Accessed 26 September 15].

Gov.UK. 2015. Data Protection Act. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/the-data-protection-act
[Accessed 26 September 15].

Friday, September 25, 2015

Skype in lessons

After watching a year 3 science lesson via Skype, we considered other ways Skype can be used in the classroom. Skype would be a great tool in communicating with children from other schools around the world. In humanities lessons, students can learn about different lifestyles and family structures, and also what school is like in different countries, giving a real life view on our differences. However, we did experience technical difficulties during the Skype call and it would be crucial to ensure stable internet connection beforehand. 

Skype can also be used to connect with professionals in different fields, in which students can learn about different professions by hearing their story and asking questions. It saves the speaker from travelling all the way to the school and will open up opportunities to speak to professionals from all over the world. 

Teachers can also join a free global community at https://education.skype.com/ which offers various ways in which Skype can be used in the classroom. For example, in "Play Mastery Skype', students guess the location of the other classroom by asking questions, and can be used to complement geography lessons. 

I feel that it is important for teachers to use technology in a way that students can communicate and interact with people from different countries, enabling them to become more knowledgeable and respectful of different cultures. 

Thursday, September 24, 2015

September 2015 action plan

  • Complete e-safety module
    • Completed on 24/09/15
  • Complete Computing pick n mix #4: Computer science 
    • Completed on 08/10/15
  • Save any web links that I find useful in my independent learning, which can potentially be used in the lesson

E-safety discussion from books



In Sally Nicholls' 'An Island of Our Own', the main character needs to find a treasure that her aunt has hidden. To gather some information, she shares some personal information on her blog, including her full name, age and the name of her siblings so that people can get in touch with her if they know anything relevant to her search.

Students can be asked about the dangers of sharing such personal information, and the importance of e-safety can be discussed.
- Is it a good idea to put your full name and age on a website that anyone in the world can read?
- Why is this dangerous? What might happen?
- How else can she safely contact people and find information to aid her search?

HBSP - Technology everywhere

I completed by 5 day placement in a year 5 class and I noted some observations regarding the use of technology in the class. 

  • Students used iPads when researching about game consoles for their non chronological reports (ICT used in literacy).
    • Students had some difficulty in entering effective keywords that will help them find the answers to their questions. Perhaps it will be useful to give a session on searching skills. 
    • Official game websites were blocked by the school so it will be important to check whether websites that the student may want to use can be opened
  • Students went to the front of the classroom and used the interactive whiteboard to play multiple choice games which supplemented their lesson on non chronological reports. 
  • Student selector from Triptico was used when selecting students to answer questions, hand out equipment and etc. 
    • This method promoted fairness and prevents students from insisting that they are chosen

Primary Computing Pledge


  1. To adhere to national and school policies regarding child protection and online safety. 
  2. To adhere to the national CEOP guidelines see http://www.ceop.police.uk/ and thinkuknow.co.uk 
  3. Not to make images of learners, students, school or University staff without permission from the school in the case of pupils or the individual in the case of adults. 
  4. Not to publish, circulate or use for course or none course related purposes any image or information about a child or professional practitioner encountered as part of the PGCE programme without permission. 
  5. Not to expose pupils to inappropriate materials or details which would allow them access such materials. 
  6. To always anonymise material included in course related tasks and assignments. 
  7. Not to give learners any details of personal telephone numbers, Email accounts or access to social networking accounts. 
  8. Not to engage with learners encountered on the primary PGCE within any form of social networking. 
  9. To report to an appropriate authority any suspicious or suspected activity encountered which might be considered to be bullying, grooming of a young person or a threat to young person. 
  10. To act to discourage and if encountered report any form of cyberbullying. 
  11. To promote ESafety and responsible use of ICT and web based resources so as to enable young people to interact at an appropriate level. 
  12. If a school requires you to support homework by Email set up a separate ‘professional account’ for this purpose. 
  13. If you load sensitive pupil data onto your laptop please ensure that it is encrypted www.truecrypt.org 
  14. My showcase Blog Site will be my own work and will accurately reflect my personal capability in Computing. 
  15. To include on the first page of my website a disclaimer to say the author is not responsible for any content which may be encountered on internet sites linked from my site e.g. You Tube

ICT Audit - September 2015

I rated myself as B/C for my competence and confidence in computing. Although I use technology on a daily basis, the ways in which it is used is fairly limited. For example, most of my technology use centres on social networking, such as using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. I will need to develop my skills in using different programmes and equipments. As a training teacher, my main focus is in developing skills in harnessing technology and integrating computing in lessons in ways that will aid my teaching.

Specific areas which I feel need a lot of improvement are the following:

1. Level of knowledge and skill in using:
  • Coding/ programming
  • Mobile App Publishing

2. 
Ability to demonstrate and use the following computing hardware and equipment:
  • Voting / handheld devices
3. Ability to harness technology as a primary teacher:
  • Identify areas of the curriculum that could be enhanced by computing
  • Use computing for administration systems for recording progress

4. Ability to develop lesson plans that integrate the effective use of computing across the curriculum to:
  • Cover the programmes of study of the National Curriculum for computing 
  • Teach computing elements of the other core and foundation curriculum subjects

5. Ability to monitor and assess children's use of Computing
  • Identifying how computing influences objectives and outcomes

6. Awareness of issues and legislation relating to pupils' access to information
  • Copyright regulations
  • The Data Protection Act

Thursday, September 17, 2015

About me

I'm half Japanese and Indian and I was born and raised in Japan. I studied Psychology at the University of Durham where I focused on the application of psychology in education.  In 2016, I completed my PGCE course at the University of Manchester. 

School based experience:
  • 2017 - Present: English Instructor in Tokyo, Japan
  • 2016: Final Professional Placement in Manchester, UK
  • 2015: Guided Professional Placement in Manchester, UK 
  • 2015: STEM ambassador in Newcastle, UK 
  • 2013, 2014: IT office assistant at an international school in Yokohama, Japan 
  • 2011, 2012, 2013: Summer school teaching assistant for primary and secondary students in an International school in Yokohama, Japan
Education:
  • 2015 - 2016: University of Manchester
  • 2012 - 2015University of Durham
    • BSc in Psychology
  • 2004 - 2012: Yokohama International School 
    • International Baccalaureate 
    • IGCSE