it4L

Advance notice of the Shropshire Create IT! Awards 2008. These awards are for digital creativity (following the theme of our conference) and will culminate in a red carpet awards ceremony at the Albrighton Hotel on 14th April, for winners and their guests.
There will be 4 categories, each open to 4 age groups - KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4 and above. The categories are Short Animation (no more than 1 minute), Short Video (no more than 1 minute), Interactive Story (KS1/2) or Computer Game Design (KS3/4) and Storyboard Design and Realisation.
The entries can be on any theme or subject and there will be some guidance available on the judging criteria, so schools will know what the judges will be looking for.
There will be prizes awarded - a certificate for the winning school in each category/age group and a £50 Amazon voucher for each winning entry (if it is group entry, the group will have to decide how to split the prize!)
This is a real opportunity for schools to be adventurous with their ICT, and to create something with a real sense of purpose and sense of audience. We hope there will be a lot of schools ready to take on this challenge. Even if you find that the curriculum is too squashed, you could work on the projects in computer clubs, or even at home.
More information will shortly be available by clicking on the Create It tab here, or you could contact steve@it4l.org, andrea@it4l.org or keith.havercroft@shropshire-cc.gov.uk

Steve showed me this useful little site which I guess he picked up at the Scottish Learning Festival (the picture on his blog posting gives me the clue!). It’s an interactive fruit machine, which enables you to put in all the options you want and then all you have to do is ‘pull the lever’ and it’ll spin and choose one for you. Useful for choosing a name - who’ll go next? who has to answer? who’ll be in the blue team? etc. Or you could put in a word, say an adjective, and pupils have to find a synonym or antonym, use it in a sentence or pair an object with it. Another possibility could be to input numbers and ask pupils to come up with 5 ways to get that number, or add 20 to the number etc etc. Very useful and good fun - any more suggestions?

The ‘One Laptop Per Child‘ scheme plans to give every child in the developing world a laptop, these laptops will cost in the region of $100 - $200 per unit.

Starting November 12, One Laptop Per Child will be offering a Give 1 Get 1 Program for a brief window of time. For $399, you will be purchasing two XO laptops—one that will be sent to empower a child to learn in a developing nation, and one that will be sent to your child at home.

The potential of this scheme is immense, I think we should encourage our schools to explore the potential of this scheme for their students, and at the same time supporting children all over the world.

Further details can be found on the wiki.

The ICT mark, already gained by two schools in Shropshire (Clunbury and Greenfields), gives recognition to the fact that a school is ‘good’ in all aspects of ICT. To achieve it, schools must complete the Becta Self-Review Framework . Throughout this, the ICT mark standard is indicated at every element. If a schools achieves this standard, they may register for ICT mark assessment.
Schools will need to have done the SRF online as the first part of the assessment is to send the SRF with the commentary to the external assessor.
The assessor will scrutinise the SRF and then visit the school for half a day, talking to a member of the SMT, at least one teacher and some children, asking questions and viewing evidence to support the application. At the end of the session, the school is told whether or not they have achieved the ICT mark, and feedback is given on future development. There is a cost of £400 for primary schools under 100, £500 for primaries over 100 and £600 for secondaries for this assessment. 
Many schools that have gone through the process have found that external bodies have accepted the ICT mark as evidence that ICT is good in the school. Some have used the ICT mark as a way of showing to governors and parents that the school is providing value for money, after spending heavily on ICT equipment. Others have found it a way of enhancing staff confidence and self-belief in themselves as e-mature professionals, and also as an aid to recruitment. More benefits here
The ICT mark is not designed for schools who are outstanding in one or two aspects of ICT, but those who are good across the board. We are sure there are many such schools in Shropshire, so it may be worth considering applying for your school.
For schools who feel they are already working at the standards, there is a streamlined approach to assessment that has just become available - schools still need to complete the SRF, but can do so in a diagnostic way, without filling in the commentary, and can provide a commentary and evidence per element rather than per strand. Contact andrea@it4l.org for further information. External assessment is still required.
For more information on the ICT mark, click here, or contact us

At the ICT at KS2 course the other day, we looked at Google docs and realised that the promised presentation tool has arrived. It is now possible for one or more people to create a presentation at the same time or at different times, online. The general feeling was that this could be enormously useful to use with children, though to save confusion it would be better if each person worked on a different section or even slide of the presentation. There are a number of themes available (I like ‘blackboard’), though no transition choices. You can run the presentation from Google docs or export to PowerPoint. (You can also import from PowerPoint).
If you want to use Google docs, users need to sign up for a username and password. (You could , as suggested by a course member, sign up for an account per computer in your suite).

Celestia is a (free!) 3D space simulation, that enables you to virtually navigate around the solar system and beyond. You can travel at different speeds, zoom in and out and view information about the planets, stars and constellations. There is a ‘tour guide’ for easy navigation, a solar system browser and - a good place to start- an excellent demo (through ‘help’). You could use this in its most basic format to give children some idea of distances, speed and position  of planets in the solar system, or you could use some of the ‘add-ons’ for even more infomation. You can download Celestia from here (use the Kent mirror)

Hector Protector is a dolphin character from New Zealand, designed to teach children from 3-10 the basics of e-safety. The Hector safety button, which you can download from here enables a child who accesses something that makes them feel uncomfortanble to quickly cover the screen, while they go and tell someone about it. Could be a useful addition to a computer suite…

The seventh eLearning Awards competition is now open and schools are invited to submit entries for the eLearning Awards 2007 that exemplify the best use of ICT in education. Entries are welcome from schools or teachers in EU Member States, EEA Countries, EU Applicant Countries as well as Switzerland and Israel. Entries can be made from now until 31 October 2007 online at http://elearningawards.eun.org.

The aim of the competition is to promote the use of ICT in education and to encourage schools to collaborate. A gallery will showcase on the eLearning Portal contributions from all around Europe. This year’s sponsors include Young Digital Planet (Platinum sponsor), Intel, Promethean and InterWrite (Gold sponsors), Telefónica O2 and MICHAEL (Bronze sponsors).

Prizes (cash and equipment) will be awarded in categories highlighting best practice in the use of ICT in the areas of:

o       School of the future
o       The e-safe school
o       Promoting digital literacy
o       Creativity (arts)
o       Foreign languages
o       Sustainability (environment)
o       Maths, science and technology
o       Social networking for collaborative learning.

A detailed list is available on the eLearning Awards portal.

Entries will be judged by a panel of experts and the winners presented with their prizes at a prestigious event on 6th December at the annual EMINENT Conference in Brussels, to be opened by Jan Figel’, European Commissioner for Education, Training and Culture.

Mission:        To get your school involved! This is the perfect opportunity to introduce internet safety to students or to consolidate on teaching you have already implemented.

Method:         Get it in your school diary NOW!  11-22 February

Between the 11 and 22nd Feb run one or more of the FREE DOWNLOADABLE CEOP school assemblies.   Creative and innovative assemblies addressing internet and mobile safety that only take a maximum of 15 minutes!  How do I get access to the assemblies?  You will be able to download the assembly presentation and instructions from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre’s young people website: www.thinkuknow.co.uk.  The assemblies will be available for download from Mid January 2008.

Key Stage 1

The Key Stage 1 assembly is a snappy 10 minute introduction to internet safety.  Animated characters will come alive to teach students about cyber-respect, the risks involved with giving out personal information online, meeting up in the real world and the key message of telling a trusted adult if anything is worrying or bothering them.

Key Stage 2

The Key Stage 2 assembly will use the never seen before Virtual Global Taskforce TV- commercial, to illustrate that you never really know who someone online is. The 90 second commercial shows an offender pretending to be a child, a police man posing as a child to engage with the offender and eventually the offender being tricked; just as he was trying to trick a young person. The TV commercial is edgy, modern and engaging.

Key Stage 3/4

The Key Stage 3/4 assembly will be based on a film which illustrates that you never really know who someone online really is.  The film uses modern music and funky editing to give a real life perspective.  This film has been piloted to more than 2500 students across the UK and the positive response from young people has been outstanding!

CEOP EDUCATION TRAINING: 2007-2008

For more information about any of the training or to register, go to www.thinkuknow.co.uk and enter the training area from the homepage.

NEW- One day Conference - £195.00
Offline to Online perspectives; strategies to protect young people from online offenders

Concerned about internet safety? Feel out of your depth? Want to know exactly what young people are doing online? Curious as to how offenders use online and mobile technology to groom young people. CEOP are hosting a unique one day conference that will address all of these questions and concerns. This one-day conference will show case a myriad of both national and international speakers who are global leaders in their chosen fields. To register and to find out more go to www.thinkuknow.co.uk  and enter the training area.

THINKUKNOW DAY TRAINING - Free

This is CEOP’s old favourite! It is a day free training session that gives you a brief look at popular chat sites, IM, blogging and social networking areas. The second half of the session teaches you how to deliver CEOP’s Key stage 3 and 4 resource Thinkuknow. Thinkuknow is an interactive presentation that is broken down into three key sections

*    How to have fun online
*    How to stay in control
*    How to report a problem online

This training enables you to deliver the thinkuknow training directly to secondary school students.  This session does not enable you cascade this training to your fellow colleagues. To be able to cascade train you need to have attended the CEOP Ambassador Training.

CEOP AMBASSADOR FULL DAY TRAINING - £125.00

The CEOP Ambassador Training will give you an in depth look at not only young peoples use of the internet and mobile technology, but also examine how offenders use the online environment to groom young people. The training will give both a law enforcement and education perspective broadening your understanding of this emerging arena. The training will run through CEOP’s secondary school education programme Thinkuknow and other stand alone resources.

Once you have completed the training you will be able to cascade this knowledge to your colleagues. You will also receive a certificate. The training will dedicate time for general discuss and allow you to ask any questions that may effect your individual profession.

WHAT CAN CEOP OFFER YOU and YOUR STUDENTS?

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre has a great range of FREE DOWNLOABLE Education Resources for 11 to 16 years olds.

To access the resources you need to have been Thinkuknow trained. Find out more and register for FREE day training or full day Ambassador training for a fee at www.thinkuknow.co.uk

Once you are trained you can get your hands on the following resources!

Thinkuknow- Secondary School Online Safety Programme

Thinkuknow is interactive presentation for secondary aged children between 11-16 years old.
The programme is broken down into three key sections:

*    How to have fun online
*    How to stay in control online
*    How to report online

This is part of a package which includes films, leaflets, posters, and a training pack for all Child Protection and Education Professionals in the UK.

Social Networking Film (stand alone resource)

The Social Networking film is a stand alone resource suitable for Key stage 3 and 4. It follows the story of a teenage boy who gets tricked online by a paedophile through a social networking site.  The film is edgy and modern, bringing real life situations to the screen. The film is accompanied by a lesson plan including activities and answer sheets for education staff. It is available from mid-October on the Thinkuknow.co.uk site.

Internet Safety Game- Your Call (stand alone resource)

Your-Call is a stand alone internet safety game. It gives students a variety of scenarios about a young person’s online use. The students can give advice to the young person. There is no set right or wrong, it’s simply about assessing the risk and empowering the students to make informed choices .It is a perfect follow up to the Thinkuknow programme to see how much students have remembered!

CEOP Youth Advisory Panel
Do you know any students who would like to join CEOP’s Youth Advisory Panel?  The Youth Advisory Panel is a group of 60 young people aged between 11 and 16 years old from across the UK. All the members have a keen interest in the online environment and creatively work with CEOP and other industry members like MSN, Bebo and Lunarstorm to make being online safer for other young people. Members don’t have to be a computer whiz-they just need to have an opinion!  The panel meet five to six times a year at CEOP’s London Head Quarters. CEOP will pay for all members of the Youth Advisory Panel and a parent or guardian to travel to and from the centre. To find out more about how students can apply to become members check out the home page at www.thinkuknow.co.uk and click the bright yellow link!

Helen Penn
Education Team Coordinator
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre

Congratulations to all at Clunbury Primary School! They have won the enormously prestigous ‘Best Whole School (Primary)’ award at the BECTA Excellence in ICT awards 2007, after a rigorous judging process. Well done to all.