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This BBC article tells of the improvements in maths made by primary school children in Dundee by regularly playing Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training on a Nintendo DS lite. (You may have heard this first at our ICT conference in March!).

ClickView has developed a unique digital media solution that allows schools to not only manage all their video, podcasts, still images and audio files in one central library, but deliver them to all users across their school network and also to student’s homes.

Evan Clark, developed the digital video delivery software specifically for schools: “Streaming is a great solution when you’re one user on a home computer, but in schools, where hundreds of users may want to access digital video at any time, the resulting pressure on the network is immense. ClickView’s patented predictive file transfer technology effectively lifts the pressure from the school network, and means that hundreds of students can access digital video at the same time.”  This has opened up the chance for pupils to watch and work independently in IT suites, and letting every teacher access the school’s digital media resources anywhere that there is a computer.

The technology also comes with over 800 educational programmes specifically made for schools, but with the use of a capture card, you can also quickly and easily import VHS and DVD recordings into the system - simplifying and upgrading the current use of video in the classroom. As part of the anytime, anywhere learning agenda, digital video can also be seamlessly linked to any VLE or web based application. And to ensure we embed the use of digital media in the classroom, regular professional development sessions are provided free for teachers, by teachers, with experience of creative and effective use of digital media.

“Childnet International is running a national conference with the DCSF on Cyberbullying in London on the 22nd November.  Childnet has specifically allocated 30 spaces at this event for teachers and there are still a few places left.  Kevin Brennan MP the Minister at the DCSF in charge of this issue is addressing the conference and the event will include a unique drama written and produced by young people, as well as practical case studies from schools who have tackled incidents of cyberbullying.   The conference is free but places are limited.  See livegroup.co.uk/childnet/  for full programme and how to register for this event.”

‘Eclips‘  is a video, audio and image resource bank for use by teachers. More specifically, it is aimed at teachers in Wales, and is provided by BBC Wales, but can be accessed by anyone. It is very easy to search - by keyword, by subject, by age group, by clip type. Resources are then streamed to your computer, so an internet connection is required (you cannot save the video/audio clips, though you can use the images with other applications). Lots of very valuable resources here - really worth a look