Microsoft have unveiled their new subscription system for schools, I should make subscribing to their software cheaper for schools. Further details can be found on the Microsoft Schools Blog: blogs.msdn.com/b/ukschools/archive/2011/03/04/enrolment-for-education-solutions-ees-now-available-for-schools-within-the-uk.aspx
Public Data Explorer from Google Labs
A tweet by Miles Berry (@mberry) alerted me to this fascinating tool.
www.google.com/publicdata/directory
It allows comparisons of data sets to be made, represented in various graphical forms. Great for all those geographers out there.
Posted in Enhancing the curriculum, Google
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Christmas Fonts
Looking for some new fonts for Christmas? If so, then the How-to-Geek website has got you covered, check out their blog post here.
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Festive Phrases
Looking for something to do during registration or form time this month, then maybe you could try and learn a festive phrase in 24 different languages….
Radio Lingua has launched a new initiative which features seasonal greetings in 24 languages in the run up to Christmas. Each day a video podcast will be made available on the Radio Lingua site, and teachers can learn with their students and pass on festive greetings around the world. The initiative aims to raise awareness about language learning and the each day the total number of speakers to whom learners can wish a happy Christmas will be calculated. The podcasts will feature 24 different languages, and presenter Mark will be joined by native speakers of each language to help learners perfect their pronunciation.
If you’re ready to start opening the Advent Calendar, please click here.
Posted in Learning, MFL, podcast
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Early Vision free downloads
The Early Years software company Early Vision produce great resources for the EYFS to enhance role play and knowledge and understanding of the world. They also offer a range of free downloads, the latest of which is a set of winter photographs. Go to www.earlyvision.co.uk/free_downloads to browse their collections of photographs, writing frames and activities.
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Education Eye
The interface for Futurelab’s library of innovation is stunning. The ‘education eye‘ maps developments from around the web and presents them in an easy-to-access format that is very intuitive to use. In their words:
The Eye provides a way to discover, explore and share new ideas. It maps hundreds of the top educational websites, forums and practitioner case studies. With additional features like saving your own favourite innovations, Futurelab’s favourites, customisable email digests and a widget version, it’s invaluable for exploring educational innovations.
For anyone looking for ideas that encourage innovation in the classroom and beyond, this is a great place to start.
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Child-friendly search engines
I was at Newtown Primary yesterday, working on the Learning Gateway and we decided to set up a pupil page which included a list of child-friendly search engines, to include alternatives to the Google safe search that most schools currently use. We included http://quinturakids.com/, http://www.askkids.com/ and http://primaryschoolict.com/hi.php . In addition, we included http://search.creativecommons.org/, which whilst not a specifically child-friendly search engine does find Creative Commons-licensed material which helps to raise the issue of copyright and provides some solutions!
Posted in e-safety
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Safeguarding children online: Are you managing online risks well?
The Becta leaflet/poster Safeguarding children online: Are you managing online risks well? is still available to download from here and is a simple and straightforward way of checking that your school has all the required safeguard in place to ensure children’s e-safety. You can access it here
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Maths resources from Coventry LA
There are a large number of really great maths activities and interactive teaching programs which have been developed by Coventry LA for the Primary age group, which can be accessed here:
Tip- have a look at the index first, which tells you what is there!
Posted in Maths, Resources
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Create It Logo competition launched
We are looking for a new logo for the Create It Awards, which celebrate and encourage digital creativity in Shropshire Schools. We would like the logo to reflect the use of ICT in creativity. (The categories for the Create It Awards are graphics, animation, video and game-making or multmedia texts). Entries need to be uploaded to the Learning Gateway, with the accompanying form filled in by a teacher, by December 23rd. The winner will receive £50 in Amazon vouchers which will be presented at the Create It Awards on March 24th 2011. The competition is open to any pupil in a Shropshire maintained school. For more information, click here.
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