I spent a good deal of time this year moving cupboards, shuffling desks and recabling computers in their new positions.  What a difference it makes having the computers away from the door.

Then this morning I noticed a tweet on Twitter from @techieicebreaker to @dwarlick.  It was a link to a wiki called Inspired Classrooms.  The wiki contains links to five short videos (7 – 19 mins) describing effective ways to set up your classroom, paying particular attention to the positioning of computers.  The videos were made in 2006, before netbooks were widely available, but the same layout could be used with netbooks or laptops.  For the cost of a desktop you could probably add 2 netbooks, possibly adapting the layout to suit.

A final note… if this cheap Indian “device” turns out to be a reality everything will change.

Whichever blogging platform you decide to use, Windows Live Writer can be used to publish to it.

Installing is easy enough, just go to Windows Live and download the latest version.  Make sure you only select Live Writer for download, unless you want the other Live programs offered.  When installing uncheck the boxes that ask if you want to install the Microsoft toolbar or reset your homepage (of course this is up to you).

Once installed Live Writer offers a familiar interface for users, this was important in my selection of it as the blogging tool for children in class. Menus and icons are mostly self-explanatory, but if you’re not sure- hover over the item and a tooltip will identify it for you.  A sidebar contains other functions you will need, like insert, plugins, draft posts and settings.

To set up your blog go to Tools>>Accounts… .>>Add…>>Other Blog Service…and enter your blog details, user name and password. Pick “remember my password” so you don’t have to enter it every time.

To use Live Writer at school you will need to add the proxy details here. Once you’ve done all this you’re ready to post!

New >> New Post >> . . . add a title and away you go

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I can’t embed this video so you’ll have to click the link below.  Imagine this in the classroom (sans gloves) with 10 of these tables or even these.  Imagine being able to drag/transfer content from a main board to childrens tabletops.  How can we know what the classroom of the future will be like?

I started of by publishing all children’s work myself.  Usually I would say, "When you’ve finished that piece of writing I’ll publish it on the blog".

For an item brought to share with the class I’d photograph it with my phone, bluetooth the photo to my laptop and upload it to the blog (about 2 minutes work).  I’d add "story coming…" under the photo and ask children to download/print out a blog template and write their story/information into it for adding to the photo.  Then I’d type it up.  Occasionally I’d log in to wordpress and guide children through blogging(publishing) their own writing. Finally I settled on using Windows Live Writer.

Coming soon-setting up & using Live Writer.

Ink Blog Plugin

Update – first classroom use here.