Building Niche Virtual Communities

Net Book Project

Heather Blakey — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:12:57 +0000

Netbooks is a blog container that has been created to contain Global Projects that are being undertaken as a part of the Victorian Government Netbook Project. In a 1-to-1 learning program, each learner has a portable, networked, digital device such as a notebook, tablet PC, netbook or other networked hand-held device that can connect each learner with their teacher and other learners or experts, with real-world contexts for learning, multimedia resources, software for learning and online tools and applications.

The projects that are featured here include two pilot projects that are being undertaken with Great Western Primary and Camperdown College, schools who responded to the ePals/iEarn invitation to engage in Global Projects.

This container will not only provide a place to store shared curriculum ideas but will be a place where participants can publish work and communicate with others.

SARK interviews Heather Blakey

Heather Blakey — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:24:39 +0000

Creative Genius – Writing and Creating

SARK’s newest book features the work of Heather Blakey at Soul Food:

“SARK is a sparkler who jump-starts the creative process. Her ideas are user-friendly, innovative, and pragmatic.” -Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way

Write and share what’s in your heart! Let SARK show you how. Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper is your non-judgmental witness, resoundingly supportive friend, and practical guide to the craft of writing and storytelling. For anyone who knows that a writer lives within them but doesn’t know how or where to start; for writers who need new ways to work past their blocks and be reinspired; for anyone who loves SARK’s wise words and art, Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper will help start the ink flowing and keep it going.

Soul Food Feature
SARK’s new book features, amongst other things, the work of Heather Blakey at the Soul Food Cafe. If you are a fan of Soul Food or just want to learn more about writing, make sure to pre order a copy of your book today!

Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper: Gifting the World with Your Words and Stories, and Creating the Time and Energy to Actually Do It

by Sark

Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 08/27/2008)

Displays of Tree-mendous Growth

Heather Blakey — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:50:54 +0000

Heather introduced me to the metaphorical side of my “career life” and led me down a path of deep reflection towards realizing just how meaningful every single detail is.

VITTA Conference – Ivanhoe Grammar

Heather Blakey — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 02:31:58 +0000

A5 Blogging – New Literacies (R)
Heather Blakey

Using a storyteller, Heather will present a Blooms Taxonomy of Curriculum activities, and then show how the responses to this can be blogged by different users on one blog.

Audience: all levels and subject areas.

Heather Blakey is a milliner’s best friend having worn many hats throughout her varied career. She has over 37 years teaching experience at both the school and organisational level. Most recently she was Head of English at LaTrobe Secondary College and worked on the ‘writing for well-being program’ and ‘Melbourne Citymission Bereavement Program’. She is currently webmaster of The Soul Food Cafe, a “quirky, interactive” web café (http://www.dailywriting.net/).

Eden Seeds Take The Lead

Heather Blakey — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:12:46 +0000

Eden Seed’s aim is to distribute Old Traditional Open pollinated varieties of vegetable seed, preferably old Australian varieties and organically or bio-dynamically grown where possible.

Eden Seeds have led the way and has donated seeds to be planted in the first schools to participate in this project.

Presenting at Beaconshill Village College

Heather Blakey — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:27:20 +0000

The SLAV branch gather at Beaconshill Village College for an inservice about using blog as a publishing tool. Cora Zon tells the story of the Magic Garden and then Heather Blakey demonstrates how outcomes can be published on a constellation of exciting, target specific blogs. In this situation staff, students, administrators and parents can not only see outcomes published within a very short amount of time, but can comment directly on the work. We are witnessing a significant revolution in the delivery of engaging curriculum.

A Magic Technological Garden

Heather Blakey — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:54:23 +0000

“Cover Design: The Magic Garden“
a response to a visual activity in the Magic Garden Project

Working together! Grade 6 Hawkesdale
The Magic Garden

THE MAGIC GARDEN

The Magic Garden is a project designed to show educators and their students how good curriculum can be delivered and the outcomes published, using new technology such as blogs, writeboard, photo board and many other exciting applications.

Cora Zon, a professional storyteller and Heather Blakey, an experienced web publisher and webmaster of the Soul Food Cafe, work collaboratively and demonstrate how educators can marry the ancient craft of storytelling, apply current curriculum and publish using state of the art blogging software. Cora tells the enchanting Kazakha story of the ‘The Magic Garden’ while Heather Blakey delivers a curriculum package that climaxes with self publication on a constellation of Global Teacher, Global Student blogs. Watch, in wonder, at the way this virtual garden is growing as staff, students and the wider community contribute by responding to the activities within the Magic Garden Project.

Mentoring

Heather Blakey — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 22:11:54 +0000

Cora Zon has a ‘driving lesson’ with Heather Blakey. During this session Heather and Cora set up her Postcards blog.

from the Creativity Portal

Heather Blakey — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 01:02:58 +0000

FEBRUARY 2006 JOURNAL by Chris Dunmire

A Blogternative to Going it Alone
Are you among those who enjoy using a blog for creative, expressive purposes? If so, you’re in good company. Artists, writers, and creatives of all kinds are drawn to the interactive nature of blogging to express their creativity, share their work, and elicit feedback from the virtual world. Furthermore, one can blog it alone or (if they desire) team up with others on collaborative blogging projects with creative themes like illustration, photography, and creative writing.

Community blogs know no boundaries, for if a theme can be conceptualized, it can be created. You know this is true if you’ve wandered over to the Soul Food Cafe Web site (www.dailywriting.net) recently. My friend Heather Blakey, Soul Food’s driving force and teacher, started using team blogging in 2003 with her students. When she retired from secondary school teaching in 2005, she began planting a labyrinth of blogs throughout the corridors of Soul Food, which now number over 60.

What goes on in blogs with mythical names like the Lemurian Abbey, the Hermitage, Riversleigh and Gypsy Camp? Plenty. And the sense of creative community experienced in the supportive Soul Food environment has been transforming lives. Troops willingly inhabit these virtual places under Heather’s skillful facilitation to explore more than just their art and creativity.

Intrigued by Heather’s success, I inquired if she would report on the transforming opportunities and creative unleashing that lie within the realm of group blogging. No sooner did I send my e-mail down under that I received a response by Heather and her creative collaborators in a piece titled “Zen and the Art of Team Blogging.”

Take note of Heather’s personal invitation to join in with the Soul Food team bloggers if you dare. But beware — she’ll make you work hard to earn your keep.

Chris Dunmire
Publisher, Creativity Portal

Going where no one has gone before: IT in Action

Heather Blakey — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 08:11:54 +0000

The challenge for educators is to rethink curriculum and move to relevant technology based curriculum. The blogger revolution is changing not only personal and global communications but thinking, technical, personal and workplace skills. For all intents and purposes blogs are static pieces of publishing software. Heather Blakey will provide a practical presentation which will inspire participants to create a blog and begin networking immediately.

Conference Lecture: Monday 20 November