Love your whiteboard roadshows

May 14, 2008

FREE best practice events for users of all types of interactive whiteboards!

“How can the compass tool on your interactive whiteboard help your class to focus on adjectives?” intrigued? you will be!

Wait until you hear some of our other suggestions from our Teaching and Learning Advisors. All of our TLAs have themselves been teachers prior to joining Promethean, with subject experience ranging from Maths to Physical Education, primary and secondary level. Each of them are specialists in their own subject, but all of them can offer advice, training and knowledge to ensure you leave the event feeling more confident in your whiteboard abilities.

Regardless of what brand whiteboard you are using, and what subject areas you need support with, these free and local sessions will give you some inspiring ideas for the academic year ahead. What’s more, we’ll be giving away free trials of our award‐winning Activprimary software for you to try out.

To make sure that you’re really prepared for your new year, we’ll also be handing out free DVDs and magazine supplements with further ideas and suggestions for you to take away with you and share with your colleagues.

What are you waiting for? To find out when and where your nearest Love Your Whiteboard Roadshow is taking place and to reserve your place, simply visit www.prometheanplanet.com/loveyourwhiteboard

Shropshire

Radbrook Primary School, Bank Farm Rd, Radbrook Green, Shrewsbury SY3 6DU,
05-06-08 (4 - 5pm)

Britannica Encyclopedia for free

May 2, 2008

Another freebie, this time for bloggers or website developers.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Webshare is a special program for web publishers, including bloggers, webmasters, and anyone who writes for the Internet. You get complimentary access to the Encyclopaedia Britannica online and, if you like, an easy way to give your readers background of the topics you write about with links to complete Britannica articles.

Microsoft’s Digital Literacy curriculum

May 1, 2008

Microsoft’s Digital Literacy curriculum is now live – and available at no cost. The goal of the Digital Literacy curriculum is to teach basic computer concepts and skills so that people can use computer technology in everyday life to develop new social and economic opportunities for themselves, their families and their communities.

The Digital Literacy curriculum is available free-of-charge to everyone wanting to improve their digital literacy skills. It is easy to follow and if you have a PC at home you will be able to study on your own - or with support from your family - at any time. If you don’t have a PC at home - or you would like an experienced tutor to support you in your studies - then please phone the helpline on 0800 101 901. They can tell you about learning centres near your home - many learndirect centres, Microsoft IT Academies or local UK online centres will be offering the curriculum.

Successful completion of the Digital Literacy curriculum prepares you to take a recognised qualification - the Digital Literacy Certificate - with the awarding body, OCR. Use the links on the right to find an examining centre near you.

Whether you are entirely new to computing or have some experience, this curriculum will help you develop a fundamental understanding of computers. From using the Internet, to sending email, to creating a CV, the Digital Literacy curriculum helps you develop the essential skills you need to begin computing with confidence.

The Digital Literacy curriculum consists of five courses:

These courses are in elearning format with online assessments but are also available for download in Microsoft Word format.

Apple Teacher Institute 2008

March 3, 2008

Apple’s next Apple Teacher Institute courses runs from April 1 to April 4 2008 at Cheltenham. We still have some places on this fully residential learning experience, using ICT to deliver exciting learning outcomes in the classroom,

“In the age of digital literacy and creativity, educators need to seek out best practice in the use of the tools available. Apple Teacher Institute offers a unique opportunity to develop the ideas you have already had about digital creativity, to see how others are using these new tools with great benefits in learning gains, and to understand the pedagogy that underpins the excitement of digital media.”

On this four-day residential course, you will learn in an environment where you are given the opportunity, inspiration, space and support to be creative with like-minded colleagues. All learning on this unique course will give you a thorough background in digital media but is carried out in a relaxed and friendly manner so that newcomers to the disciplines covered will not feel intimidated.

At this event, you will investigate a range of activities that focus on different digital media:

Digital storytelling
Podcasting
Creating content using digital video cameras and editing software
Exploring the use of still images, music and animation in multimedia projects
Methods for sharing digital projects on iPods, portable devices, DVD and the Web
Sharing of experiences, action planning and portfolio development
Development of skills in subject/age group relevant projects”

For more information click on: http://www.apple.com/uk/education/ati/

or email Fiona McGlashan for registration information.

Film Education

January 14, 2008

On our way to Teachmeet, Andrea and I passed the Film Education stand. We were very impressed by the pimary literacy software that they were demonstrated, Picturacy. I am sure Andrea will post details about it when she is back at work.

Eager to find out more details I visited their website, but I was unable to find what I wanted. While searching around the site I did come across a number of useful resources for primary and secondary education. The free resources included study guides and worksheets for a variety of films and generic study guides aimed at the film industry, you can also purchase more resources aimed at the film industry.

The organisation also offers free screenings of films for schools, for example:

Thursday 7th February 2008
Certificate: 12A cert
Running time: 122 mins
Suitable for: KS 3/4, Citizenship, Media, English and AS/A2 Media Studies

Visit The Kite Runner educational online resource

Based on one of the most acclaimed novels in recent memory, The Kite Runner is a profoundly emotional tale of friendship, family, devastating mistakes and redeeming love. In a divided country on the verge of war, two childhood friends, Amir and Hassan, are about to be torn apart forever. It’s a glorious afternoon in Kabul and the skies are bursting with the exhilarating joy of a kite-fighting tournament. But in the aftermath of the day’s victory, one boy’s fearful act of betrayal will mark their lives forever and set in motion an epic quest for redemption. Now, after 20 years of living in America, Amir returns to a perilous Afghanistan under the Taliban’s iron-fisted rule to face the secrets that still haunt him and take one last daring chance to set things right. Screening in: Birmingham Cineworld and London-Empire Leicester Square.

The London Screening will be followed by a 45 minute discussion on the film by writer and journalist Ian Haydn Smith. Please ensure you can stay for the whole event before booking.

To keep up to date with new additions to the site and to receive free resources for teaching film education you can sign up to the mailing list.

What might be the purpose and nature of education in 2025 and beyond?

December 17, 2007

Futurelab events:

15 January 2008
Birmingham Science Centre

We’re working with the DCSF on a programme of consultation and research into this question, and are keen to involve schools and young people in the debate. We’re holding a one-day workshop in Birmingham on 15 January, with activities designed to help teachers and learners (aged 11-18) identify their hopes, fears and priorities for the future of education.

We would like to invite teachers and students (one teacher and two students from each school) to come along to this event and work in separate workshops, with activities designed to promote thinking and stimulate debate. Working in this way will allow teachers and students to have a voice in such an influential area. We anticipate that this will be a lively and interesting day, with no writing!

The event will start at 9:30am and finish at 3:30pm. Refreshments will be available for all throughout the day, including lunch, and we will reimburse costs of any cover that teachers will incur, plus transportation costs for all participants on the day. The participants will also have entry to the Science Centre after the workshop if wished.

If you would like to register for this event please e-mail beyondcurrenthorizons@futurelab.org.uk”> class=”OEAL”>beyondcurrenthorizons@futurelab.org.uk, or phone 0117 915 8203, with your name, your school’s name and contact details, plus the names and ages of the students who will attend the event with you. Note that if oversubscribed we will only allow one group per school.

Promethean Accreditation

September 3, 2007

Level 1 - Foundation Skills course - FREE
NEW V3 available now!
These courses have been developed to introduce the main features of our Activprimary and Activstudio software. To enrol on one of these courses you first need to create a new account. If you already have an account click here.

I have just completed the above training, it took me about 3omins to do and I knew nothing about the software beforehand. There are some nicely produced captivate tutorials to assist you along the way.

The Isle of Wight Conference - Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom

August 20, 2007

The Isle of Wight Conference - Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom is to be held on 13 October at Nodehill School on the Isle of Wight. It will feature leading practitioners from around the country running sessions and workshops on topics such as:

  • Blogging
  • podcasting
  • digital video
  • eTwinning
  • primary languages
  • whole class teaching with PowerPoint
  • whiteboards/classroom performance system
  • one stop animation
  • music,song, rhythm and movement
  • assessment for learning

Delegates will be able to choose four sessions each as well as attend the keynote and plenary.

The Isle of Wight Conference aims to:

  • To provide teachers from the local area and further a field with appropriate practical training by outstanding practitioners
  • To strengthen local networks
  • To raise awareness of the potential of ICT for enhancing language learning

There is also a free Show and Tell session the previous night.

You can find more information about the practitioners running sessions over at the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust website.

Date 13 October 2007
Cost £51 (including £1 environmental levy)
Venue Nodehill Middle School
Location Upper St James Street, Newport, Isle of Wight
Target Audience Teachers who want to raise awareness of the potential of ICT for enhancing language learning
How To Apply For further details or enquiries contact Melanie Buck on telephone 020 7802 0852.
Website http://www.schoolsnetwork.org.uk/Article.aspa?NodeId=0&PageId=238323

Self Review Framework for ICT and the ICT Mark

August 14, 2007

WMnet have put together a page with details about the Becta SRF and the ICT Mark.  There are details on the page about local training events for the SRF, the next two events are:

Improving your school with the Becta Self Review Framework

Who: School managers, ICT Co-ordinators, Heads of Department, All phases/types of school

When: Monday 15th October 2007, 9.00am - 3.45pm

Where: Sandwell Training and Development Centre, Popes Lane, Oldbury, B69 4PJ

Improving your school with the Becta Self Review Framework
Who: School managers, ICT Co-ordinators, Heads of Department, All phases/types of school
When: Thursday 1st November 2007, 9.00am - 3.45pm
Where: Sandwell Training and Development Centre, Popes Lane, Oldbury, B69 4PJ

You can register for both events on the website.

A Beginner’s Guide to Mind Mapping Meetings

Lifehacker have posted some information about creating mind maps here.