Safer Internet Day 2010 February 8, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in BECTA & NAACE, Esafety, School Business.Tags: becta, safeguarding, safer internet day, sid10
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SID10 (somehow, we can’t get past 3 letters!) is nearly upon us. I’ve received a whole stack of stuff from the Safetynet Digest, which I’ve further summarised in the eclosed pdf.
Further summarised – translation 20 pages now equals 4. In this document are links to materials, websites and advice on dodgy facebook sites. Hopefully the links will work in the pdf this time (I did test them!)
BBC Project Canvas .. take 2 February 8, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in BECTA & NAACE, School Business, Tech support.Tags: bbc, becta, canvas
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In an earlier blog I introduced Project Canvas.
In a technical document out from BECTA last week, they explain ..
If the plans for Canvas come to fruition, schools will be able to display streamed video and internet content on ordinary televisions, so long as an internet connection is available nearby. Educational providers should also be able to supply content via the internet using the Canvas platform.
watch this space
Nine Ways to Catch Kids Up February 8, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in School Business, maths.Tags: arnesby, maths, primary, strategies
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Thanks to Mark McDermott from Arnesby for this info.
It’s an American site and offers strategies to help the understanding of maths. The article contains a few very useful graphics which just don’t copy across well.
Here’s the link – Nine ways to catch kids up – please let me know what you think.
Which is best – Google Maps or BING February 7, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in Digital Imaging, Free Programmes, Leicestershire, PSHE, PSHE Links.Tags: bing, equinox, geography, Google, hospice, Leicestershire, maps, northamptonshire, rainbows, running
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Or sit on the fence and use both?
Here’s the scenario – You’ve persuaded your daughter that yes – she can run a half marathon, and yes she can run the Rainbows Hospice Equinox* run in 7 weeks from now. You’ve even gone out for a 10.5 mile local run with her on a Sunday morning.
So, how do you answer the question ‘How does that run compare with the actual run?’ That should be quite easy until you see the route notes supplied include descriptions like the following
We’ll turn left out of the farm drive ..up the dirt track and over Gravel Hill .. might spot a trig point.. turn left down a narrow lane..
So how much kit do we need? February 5, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in BECTA & NAACE, Hardware Tails, ICT Mark, School Business, Tech support.Tags: computer ratio, fog index, software
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And is the old stuff okay?
Image from flickr - yes, I did use one of these - A LOT
I’ve had a few related emails today from ICT specialist staff as they’re putting together development plans for the next few years.
Ratios
The newest information I can find confirms my initial thoughts.
The guidelines are 1 device per 8 pupils in primary and 1 per 5 in secondary.
Is this stuff any good? And what’s the recommended software?
As far as I can see, there are no specific equipment age / performance recommendations, but here’s some extracts from the ‘User Device’ section of the snappily titled 114 page Technical Specification Institutional Infrastructure (the full version can be accessed here).
All network-connected user devices shall have the ability to view office productivity documents.
Institutions shall ensure that user devices are subject to a maintenance policy that ensures sufficient availability for the needs of the institution’s users. This can be through the maintenance of a pool of replacement user device equipment or through service-level agreements that ensure that faulty devices are fixed in a timely manner.
Workstations shall exceed the recommended specifications for the operating system and applications that they are expected to use.
The rest of the document is equally snappy – according to this Gunning Fog Index the reading age is 11.5.
According to wikipedia – Texts that are designed for a wide audience generally require a fog index of less than 12 - easy made it.
Crystal Ball – regazed February 3, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in Leicestershire, School Business, Tech support.Tags: cloud computing, data visualisation, emerging technologies, horizon report, leicestershire libraries
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A few months ago I mentioned the NMC 2009 report.
Last week they launched the 2010 report, and it’s fascinating how quickly some of this is becoming ‘main stream’.
A few observations from the group ..
For the full report – 2010-Horizon-Report
Get The Bigger Picture Survey February 2, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in BECTA & NAACE, ICT Mark.Tags: becta, get the bigger picture, srf
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The BECTA ICT Mark can seem a very daunting task from ‘ground zero’. The Mark itself can seem like a distant dream and ‘oh, that’s another one of those good ideas from the SMT’.
BECTA have been providing tools and pathways to help take the journey in smaller steps.
http://www.nextgenerationlearning.org.uk/BigPicture/ lets you take a snapshot view of your school. You don’t need to register, the data doesn’t look it’s saved away for a future use, and it really can help to focus school groups.
Preparing for Changes .. February 1, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in BECTA & NAACE, Esafety, ICT Mark, PSHE Links, School Business.Tags: new national curriculum, qcda, strategies
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The building blocks for the new National Curriculum
The QCDA have placed a very useful video on their site which overviews the curriculum and gives feedback from schools and teachers who have been involved in pilots.
It builds this picture up very well and explains the interactions fairly clearly (well, I understand some of it now!).
Video of new National Curriculum (the video may require you to install Flash to view it properly).
New OfCOM Media Literacy Bulletin January 30, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in BECTA & NAACE, Esafety, ICT Mark, School Business.Tags: ofcom, ceops, inclusion
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The latest publication from OfCOM covers a huge range of stuff, and is (surprisingly?) readable! Can’t say that for ALL government departments.
Areas covered include
an online version of EastEnders (count me out of that one)
CEOPS resources
Online Basics Website (looks good for parental links)
Games Based Learning
The Bulletin can be found on their web site or here mlb_issue29
New Primary Curriculum January 29, 2010
Posted by mikemcsharry in BECTA & NAACE, ICT Mark, School Business.Tags: primary curriculum, qcda
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The new primary curriculum website is now live and it is here
I’ve just found a fabulous resource by Simon Houghton from Parkfield Primary School in Manchester – I’ve just sent him an email asking for permission to reproduce / link to it – I’ll update this blog as soon as I know.
