Worcestershire e-learning WebLog

e-mission success

2009-05-12T06:43:00.002Z

The first video conference e-mission took place on Friday at the Worcester Warriors PfS centre. Pershore High School and Christopher Whitehead Schools were challenged with saving the tiny island of Montserrat from a hurricane and volcanic eruption!!

Thankfully they were pretty astute and rescued most of the inhabitants. Find out more on the blog of the event

Do you want to part of Video Conferencing at the Warriors? Go to their Blog to find out more

Handheld Learning 2008

2008-12-09T10:29:00.003Z

The Future of Online Learning

Keynote presentation at Handheld Learning 2008 by Lord David Puttnam

A good question given that such a large investment is being made in BSF and more recently Home Access. You might be interested in this
article:
http://www.handheldlearning.co.uk/content/view/57/60/

which looks at Home Access from the point of view of 20th vs 21st Century thinking and was recently referred to in a speech by Lord Puttnam

Compete. Share. Show off. Learn

2008-09-08T07:49:00.002Z

The Challenge Machine is coming...

Online television; now it's time for your news. It's your choice

2008-07-11T15:51:00.002Z

I was watching a naace transmission and they were using this application. It is really easy to use and set up and embed. It allows you to use video that you have created, Youtube material and go live. I'm to shy for the later option so i'll add to this over the coming months as we have a play around with this. What are your comments or ideas? What would you like to do with it? Comments please...

Goooooooooing Cheap

2008-07-04T11:36:00.004Z

Due to a major purchasing error (too many zero’s on the end of the order!) we have several thousand more QX5 Microscopes than we need for the immediate future. We have therefore decided to offer a fantastic saving on the list price to help us reduce stocks. Until the end of July 2008 we would like to offer you the QX5 microscope at the prices below:

1 to 24 £59 each ex vat 
25 and over £49 each ex vat

As you can see this represents a fantastic saving against list price and is ‘whilst stocks last’ please feel free to forward this offer to your schools. Should you wish to proceed please get in touch with me directly to I can ensure your discount. This is not an end of life offer.
Kind regards
Geraint Lewis Regional Manager | TAG Learning
www.taglearning.com/

2008-06-18T14:32:00.002Z

Worcestershire Learners are Mobile

21st Century solutions for learning
anywhere, anytime

Exhibition, Presentations, Workshop and Networking
Further details overleaf

The Finstall Centre,
Bromsgrove

Wednesday 9th July 2008
9.00 am – 5.00 pm

Cost: FREE
Please book by fax to the Finstall Centre
01527 570763
or email hos@worcestershire.gov.uk

For more information about the event
contact Pam Yates pyates@worcestershire.gov.uk

Presentations

Time Please circle the session number of the presentations you would like to attend if replying by fax or include the number in your email reply
1 10.00 - 10.30 Steljes
Centeo Pupil Response system
SynchronEyes Mobile learning devices, their classroom management and Learner Response Systems
2 10.40 – 11.10 Crick
Write OnLine Write Online – brand new writing tool with speech support, predictive text, word banks – can be run form your Learning Platform
3 11.20 – 11.50 Sums OnLine Access to maths content anywhere any time
4 12.40 – 1.10 TAG Equipping the learner for learning and assessment
5 1.20 – 1.50 RFL Explore the range of handheld devices on offer with the option of a managed service.
6 2.00 – 2.30 RM
Asus miniBook Equip all your children with the RM Asus miniBook computer for as little as £169 each.
7 2.40 – 3.10 Promethean ActivExpression Assessment for Learning made simple with a new Learner Response system.
8 3.20 – 3.50 LA Advisers 20 tools in 20 minutes
9 9.00 – 5.00 WildKey Practical, outdoor workshops – getting the most from your mobile device
10 11.20 – 12.40 Learning Platforms Presentations from our three Learning Platform providers – Synetrix, Studywiz and Uniservity.
Please note: Lunch is provided.
11 3.40 – 5.00 Learning Platforms Another chance to attend presentations from our three Learning Platform providers - Synetrix, Studywiz and Uniservity.
Delegates may visit the exhibition any time during the day and attend the presentations according to specific interests.

Please complete and return the reply slip below

MOBILE LEARNING EXHIBITION – Wednesday, 9th July 2008 at The Finstall Centre

SCHOOL NAME: ……………………………………………………………………………………

DELEGATE(S): ……………………………………………………………………………………
(please PRINT
name) ……………………………………………………………………………………

HEADTEACHER: ………………………………………… DATE: ………………………….

ANY DIETARY REQUIREMENTS: …………………………………………………………………

Please fax back to Sarah Wilks at The Finstall Centre (Fax No: 01527 570763) or email hos@worcestershire.gov.uk by FRIDAY, 27th JUNE.
Exhibitors include: (not all exhibitors are presenting)

Company Product(s)
Crick Write on Line
ibs broadband Global addresses
Promethean Class response systems
RFL PDAs
Rising stars e-books for PDAs
RM Asus notebook & Laptops
Sanako PDAs & classroom management system
Steljes Class response systems & Handheld Learning devices
StudyWiz Learning platform
SumsOnLine Access to maths content anywhere any time
Synetrix Learning platform
TAG Cr8txt, MAPS, cameras, microscopes etc
TTS Sound and vision for KS1 – KS3
UniServity Learning platform
WildKey Content/applications for handheld learning

E-safety Resources

2008-05-07T12:50:00.006Z

http://www.wmnet.org.uk/esafetypledge/index.cfm

WMnet have developed a number of resources to support the development of e-safety within schools. It is structured to develop a 'roadmap' for schools to challenge and support present understanding and development of e-safety across the school. This regional development is welcomed by Worcestershire and ties in with the work that the Local Safeguarding Children's Board have undertaken in developing the Worcestershire -esafety Pledge.
Schools will be receiving the packs next week with an accompanying letter detailing Worcestershire's continued commitment to e-safety and to help schools to develop challenging, safe spaces for teachers and learners to collaborate in.

e-safety Pledge Media update

2008-02-28T10:54:00.005Z

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ideas

2008-02-25T23:15:00.001Z

School Design: Be the Change...

From: esltechnology, 10 months ago

| View | Upload your own

A presentation about school design that I made in hopes of sparking some discussion in the Milton-Freewater School District. The presentation usually has music and slide-timing.

The pictures are from DesignShare.com I posted about this video on my blog at esltechnology.com

SlideShare Link

Digital Awards

2008-02-22T14:08:00.003Z

Get involved.

Look out for details already in your school or call the Elgar Centre for more information 01905 333505

Digital Literacy

2008-02-22T13:11:00.005Z

Digital Literacy dovetails neatly into e-safety and is a right for all pupils to understand and use effectively. With the latest requirements made of e-safety and digital literacy in the new curriculum schools should be aware of some resources that can support this. Firstly, we did some work for Teacher's TV a couple of years ago around this.

Also Kent have recently done some work around this
http://clusterweb.org.uk/CS/community/kent_teachers/archive/2008/02/10/how-reliable-is-the-internet.aspx

Digital Citizenship

2008-02-22T13:00:00.003Z

We have now launched the e-safety pledge for all agencies in Worcestershire to sign up to.

Worcestershire’s E-Safety Pledge

The Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Board and its partner agencies are committed to ensuring that children and young people are safeguarded whilst using information and communication technology (ICT). To ensure this commitment all agencies pledge the following:

1. The advantages and positive aspects of using ICT will be continually promoted amongst children and young people.

2. Each agency will have its own Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), which will be kept up to date as technology, and its use, develops and which will be promoted amongst the agency’s staff.

3. Each agency will have a member of staff designated as an E-safety Officer, who is fully conversant with children and young people’s safe use of ICT and responsible for ensuring that all necessary policies and procedures and safeguarding measures are in place.

4. The AUP will be promoted and made available to children and young people using ICT and their parents/carers.

5 Electronic safeguards, appropriate to the setting, will be put in place, in line with guidance from The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA: www.becta.org.uk) and The Joint Information Systems Consortium (JISC) and will be updated regularly. Reports generated from these will be used to confirm adherence to AUPs.

6 Children and young people using ICT within agencies will be made aware of the potential risks and dangers

7 Children and young people will be equipped with the knowledge and encouraged to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe whilst using ICT, in line with the agency’s Acceptable Use Policy.

8 Relevant members of staff will be made aware of safeguarding issues for children and young people using ICT and key staff, including those who supervise the use of ICT, will be fully informed about its safe use.

10. Procedures will be in place to ensure that appropriate action will be taken when there are concerns that the ICT equipment has been used inappropriately by users, staff or members of the public.

11 Young people, parents/carers and members of the public will be made aware of how to report concerns/ whom to speak to if they feel worried about, or are aware of, the inappropriate use of ICT.

12 Young people will be consulted about, and involved in, the implementation of the pledge.

This was launched at an event at the Guildhall on February 14.

JANET

2008-01-18T15:10:00.000Z

The JANET Collaborate Prototype and Pilot

JANET Collaborate is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for teachers and lecturers looking for opportunities to work collaboratively, especially using videoconferencing.

The website is free to join and use. Members can search through the catalogue of Opportunities to collaborate:

with museums, galleries, archives and other content providers
with other teachers in schools in the UK and further afield
The site is arranged in three main sections: Find, Share and Organise.

Who is it for?
The JANET Collaborate prototype is available to all teachers, lecturers and support staff in Schools, Colleges, Universities and Research institutions. It is also available to educational content providers including museums.

How can it help me to videoconference?
With links through to the JANET Videoconferencing Service, an Opportunity in JANET Collaborate can simply and quickly be converted into a JVCS Booking and activate a live videoconference. The JANET Collaborate prototype is free to use.

Why is JANET Collaborate a prototype?
The JANET Collaborate prototype is designed to be a platform for discussion and to be the focus for the JANET Collaborate Pilot Project. The lessons learnt from the pilot will enable the development of a full production version of this service.

JANET
JANET (Joint Academic NETwork) is the network dedicated to the needs of education and research in the UK. It connects the UK’s education and research organisations to each other, as well as to the rest of the world through links to the global Internet. In addition, JANET includes a separate network that is available to the community for experimental activities in network development.

The JANET network connects UK universities, FE Colleges, Research Councils, Specialist Colleges and Adult and Community Learning providers. It also provides connections between the Regional Broadband Consortia to facilitate the DCMS initiative for a national schools’ network, the NEN. Over 18 million end-users are currently served by the JANET network.

JANET(UK)
JANET(UK) manages the operation and development of JANET on behalf of JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) for the UK Further and Higher Education Funding Councils. JANET(UK) is government funded, with the primary aim of providing and developing a network infrastructure that meets the needs of the education and research communities.

The concept of a community underpins everything JANET(UK) does and the network is based on the need for organisations to communicate, collaborate and co-operate in the shared interests of education and research.

JANET Services
Other JANET Services that may be relevant to users of JANET Collaborate are:

JANET Videoconferencing Service (JVCS)
JVCS supports and manages videoconferences between members of the educational community. JVCS is free at the point of use for all state funded schools, colleges and universities. Content provider and other educational institutions are also welcome to apply for membership and access to JVCS services.

The main services provided by JVCS are:

Online videoconference bookings system
Videoconference call bridging (ISDN to IP)
Multipoint videoconferencing
Technical support during a videoconference
In addition to the Booking Service videoconferences can also be managed using JVCS OnDemand. The JVCS OnDemand Service is an intuitive, easy-to-use facility for creating an instant videoconference between registered endpoints.

More information on JVCS can be found at the www.jvcs.ja.net. You can also directly access OnDemand and the Booking Service:
JVCS Bookings Service - www.jvcs.ja.net/booking/
JVCS OnDemand - www.jvcs.ja.net/ondemand/

JANET txt
JANET txt is available to all JANET connected organizations and will allow them to send and receive text messages, to and from, relevant groups & individuals.

For more information, visit www.ja.net/services/janet-txt.html or to apply online please visit www.pageone.co.uk/janettxt

Full details of all the JANET Services can be found at www.ja.net/services/index.html.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-19T14:11:00.001Z

Created by Year 3 pupils enjoy

Created by Year 3 pupils enjoy

Worcestershire Thinkquest2008 Launch

2007-12-18T12:42:00.000Z

The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is pleased to announce its support for the Worcestershire ThinkQuest Competition which will be launched by Worcestershire LA …

on: Tuesday 22nd January 2008 at 4.15pm
at: The Finstall Centre, Stoke Rd, Aston Fields , Bromsgrove.

Members of the ThinkQuestUK team from The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust will be there to support the launch and offering insight into how to create and manage a successful entry.

Thinkquest UK (www.thinkquestuk.org.uk) is a national online competition for students to develop and design the best educational websites. ThinkQuestUK enables young people to gain skills in project management, collaborating as a team and understanding global citizenship. Teams entering the UK competition are also automatically registered for the international ThinkQuest competition. Successful teams will have their website published for the world to see in the ThinkQuest Library.

Last year was a great year for five students from schools across Worcestershire as they were recognised as UK category winners for 19 and under with an informative and well presented website entitled H2O http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/02085/ - which is now available through the internationally-recognised ThinkQuest Library.

The Worcestershire ThinkQuest Competition is designed to support, encourage and reward more entries from the region and hopefully enable a group of students from your school to achieve the ultimate goal of winning the ThinkQuest International prize and an all expenses paid trip to San Francisco.

The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is pleased to support this initiative by Worcestershire Local Authority and we look forward to seeing you on the 22nd January 2008 at The Finstall Centre.
Please e-mail kjtaylor@worcestershire.gov.uk to confirm attendance for this event as soon as possible due to restrictions on numbers for the venue.

The Challenge of Thinkquest.

Developing Deep Thinking and Learning

“Throughout the course of the competition the team developed their individual skills whether that be site design, research, project management, communication and/or teamwork. The competition certainly sharpened these skills and gave the group a real life experience of deadlines, peer assessment and research which they will all be able to take with them into the future.
The dialogue, relationships and dynamic were completely different from the traditional group based activities that we had all been use to in the past.” –H2O Thinkquest Coach (Worcestershire)

Developing Student Voice and Apptitude

“ As a team we had to get on well enough so we could work on the project together, overcome any problems and not get in each other’s way. To make this even more interesting, few of us had met each other in real life. The only contact we’d had was through the Virtual-Workspace so being able to work well with each other and get along with each other, even when we met up in person, was even more impressive.
I learnt a lot about leadership. I spent a lot of time trying to direct the team and keep us on target.
From the experience as a whole I think everyone who took part learnt a lot about different skills and themselves as a person. We also got a completed a site which looks and works as intended and is an ideal thing to put in our portfolios, CVs and Personal Statements.” - Lee aged 17 Thinkquest Teamleader

Developing Learning Conversations

“As a coach it was a privilege to be part of such a dynamic group of young people. But the role of a coach is unique and I personally found myself deleting more than I posted due to the extraordinary nature of the Thinkquest process. It is a place where the students will learn together and develop their own understanding of their chosen subject without the need for direct intervention. “ Team Maiden Thinkquest Coach (Worcestershire)

Film making 101

2007-12-11T09:09:00.000Z

This weekend my daughter was given a project on Penguins. She had to continue the work that she had made in class and compile a brochure.

Instead i helped her make a film (we made the brochure in Comic Life which is a little like Publisher but turbo charged), purely for professional reasons obviously and also i thought it would be fun making models out of clay. I wanted to see how easy it was for 5 year olds to use a MacBook and work through the process. The results speak for themselves. She grasped the concept of stop frame animation at once and then created her film with little input from her parents.
She made the scenery and models and then we set the Macbook up using the built in camera. Simple reason we used this was that we couldn't find a tripod! It worked nicely as the results show. We made over 90 shots to produce this, yet the whole experience took no more than an hour and 2 hours in total. The editing was simple as the pictures simply import into imovie and with the simple effects anyone could sit down with children and support this task it's only drag and drop.

Worcestershire already have ten ibooks that schools can freely book out to support this type of project and i'm sure that moviemaker would be just as useful on the PC. With Worcestershire's Digital Awards being launched this week now is the best time to start using the digital medium to enhance and support learning.
Have you got any examples that you want to share?

This is a cross post from www.web2what.blogspot.com you can view the film here. This blog is hosted outside Blogger and the server has issues!

Cyberbullying: A whole-school community issue

2007-09-21T14:24:00.000Z

Childnet has worked with the DCSF and the Cyberbullying Task Force on drawing up
guidelines for schools to better prevent and respond to Cyberbullying.
As Ruth alerted you earlier today this guidance is now being launched by
Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF),
on Friday 21st September as part of the wider 'Safe to Learn: Embedding
Anti-bullying Work in Schools' guidance which the DCSF is publishing.

To coincide with this, Childnet is launching our www.digizen.org
website (at 10am) which looks at the wider
issues of digital citizenship, including cyberbullying. The site will
contain:

* A summary of the DCSF/Childnet cyberbullying guidance and the
full guidance in html and pdf formats (schools will be able to download
and/or order these documents through DCSF publications).
* A special film which Childnet has produced which we hope to be
able to distribute to schools later in the autumn (Note the full film
will be streamed from the site later, but in the meantime there are
some very powerful interviews with the characters from the film on the
site).
* A new competition which we are launching which we hope will
inspire students to create their own learning resources for their peers
on the topic of cyberbullying.
* News of our research project we are undertaking with Becta on
how distributed/web 2.0 networks can and are being used to support
personalised formal and informal learning by and for young people.
* An exciting new Widget will also be ready which YP can create on
the website, and upload to their own websites reflecting their views of
digital citizenship.

Why Personalisation?

2007-09-21T10:18:00.000Z

The personalisation of learning seeks to prepare learners for the personal and economic challenges of life in the 21st century. A key priority within this broad aim is to narrow the persistent, unacceptable attainment gap between different groups of learners. This is to be achieved through the tailoring of educational provision to the needs of all learners and by engaging with factors such as socio-economic background, gender, disability and ethnicity which currently impact adversely on some learners’ attainment and achievement. This does not mean individualised programmes for every learner: it means improving the quality of universal provision so that it is genuinely inclusive and supplementing that provision for the small numbers of learners who have specific additional needs.

The personalisation of learning requires all schools and educational providers:

The personalisation of learning requires each school and educational provider:

to have a comprehensive understanding of the diverse abilities, aptitudes, interests and needs of all of the learners it serves;

to motivate all learners and maximise their achievement through the provision of challenging learning opportunities; through the creation of appropriate learning environments; and through programmes of additional support that are sufficiently flexible, varied and inclusive to accommodate the full diversity of needs;

to ensure that all learners leave compulsory education with the functional skills in literacy and numeracy, the independent learning skills and the attributes and dispositions to meet successfully the personal and economic challenges of life in the 21st century;

to engage with all learners as key partners in shaping provision, by supporting them to be active agents in determining their own learning priorities, by listening to what they think about the services they receive and by designing those services with them;

to work with their workforce, parents, carers and other partners to ensure that all learners are ready to learn and have the support to make the most of their learning opportunities.

Taken from Nigel Kent 2007 Worcestershire County Council

What are the implications for Learning technologies? How do we prepare for this and support e-safety?
Take a look at this presentation.

Blogging and Podcasting: drop in sessions

2007-09-18T14:20:00.000Z

Two drop in sessions have been organised for Blogging and Podcasting. These sessions are intended to be informal opportunities for any teachers or teaching assistants who are interested in setting up a blog or starting to Podcast could come along to find out more and get basic instruction on how to get started.

Podcasting: Finstall 16th October
We'll be looking at a variety of publishing sites, recording software and discussing the pros and cons of each before setting up our own and Podcasting for real.

Blogging: Finstall 18th October
We'll be looking at a variety of blogs and discussing the pros and cons of each before setting up our own and blogging for real. Investigate the use of rss and google analytics and any other issues as they arise.

to register simply add a comment to this blog or send me an e-mail at jmgreen@worcestershire.gov.uk

See you there!

CEOP Training in December

2007-09-14T16:06:00.001Z

CEOP in partnership with Worcestershire Local Authority and Worcestershire’s LSCB are pleased to invite you to a ‘Thinkuknow’ training session. The session is for all schools but the materials are aimed at key stage 3/4 pupils. We feel that the knowledge gained from this session will help inform all phases in educating pupils from around Worcestershire on their responsibilities when accessing the Internet.

The event will be held on Wednesday, 12th December 2007 at The Hallmark Suite, Worcester Rugby Club, Sixways Stadium, Pershore Lane, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8ZE. The session will run from 1.00pm and finish at 4.00pm. We would like attendees to arrive for registration and refreshments from 12.30pm.

Once trained, you will be able to deliver the presentation to young people and access the resource area on www.thinkuknow.co.uk where you can download and order materials and resources. Due to the nature of the work, we ask that you bring a copy of your CRB police check with you on the day.

If you are able to attend this training event, please reply to kjtaylor@worcestershire.gov.uk or fill out the online form http http://www.content.networcs.net/forms/ceop.htm . Spaces for this event are of a premium therefore attendance is limited to two delegates from your organisation.

If you have any queries regarding this event, please contact James Green, Teacher Adviser for e-learning, at The Finstall Centre on 01527 570566.

We look forward to working with you.

Podcast 7th September 2007

2007-09-08T09:22:00.001Z

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Podcast 28th August 2007

2007-08-28T14:01:00.001Z

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link to
http://web2what.blogspot.com

Introduction to...

2007-07-30T08:43:00.000Z

The booklet, 'Coming of Age - an Introduction to the new world wide web' is downloadable from this link.

This booklet compiled by Terry Freedman gives an insight into the possibilities of the new web and some possible educational uses. More examples would be useful from practising teachers. Has anyone got any? Is web2.0 capable of delivering learning opportunities or is it just too difficult to manage? What are the real issues when trying to use the new web? What about safety? Anecdotes very much welcomed.
Your tasks...
This booklet has been made available to you free of charge, but we would askyou to do the following four things in return:
• Pass it on to as many people as you can: friends, co-workers, your students,your teachers, via your website....
• Look at the websites and blogs of the contributors, who gave so freely oftheir time in writing chapters for this publication.
• Investigate the resources mentioned...
• ... and try them out in your classrooms – no need for wholesale revolution,just small-scale experimentation will be fine!

CEOP Training Booking Now

2007-05-25T08:57:00.000Z

CEOP in partnership with Worcestershire Local Authority and Worcestershire’s LSCB are pleased to invite you to a ‘Thinkuknow’ training session as advertised at the
E-Safety Conference held in March. The free session is for all schools but, the materials are aimed at key stage 3/4 pupils. We feel that the knowledge gained from this session will help inform all phases in educating pupils from around Worcestershire on their responsibilities when accessing the Internet.

The free event will be held on Thursday, 21st June at The Finstall Centre, Stoke Road, Aston Fields, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B60 3EN, (Tel.No: 01527 570566) where you have the opportunity of attending either a morning or afternoon session.

If you are attending the morning session, we would like attendees to arrive for registration and refreshments at 8.30am, and the session itself will begin at 9.00am. The event is expected to finish at 11.45am, including a break half way through. If you are attending the afternoon session we would like attendees to arrive for registration at 12 noon and the session itself will begin at 12.30pm. The event is expected to finish at 3.00pm.

Once trained, you will be able to deliver the presentation to young people and access the resource area on www.thinkuknow.co.uk where you can download and order materials and resources. Due to the nature of the work, we ask that you bring a copy of your CRB police check with you on the day.

If you are able to attend this training event, please reply to kjtaylor@worcestershire.gov.uk or fill out the online form http://www.content.networcs.net/forms/ceop.htm stating which session you would like to attend. Spaces for this event are of a premium therefore attendance is limited to two delegates from your organisation.

Learnnewsdesk Competition

2007-04-27T10:02:00.000Z

Dear Colleague
Help your pupils win £50

Worcestershire County Council is working with learnpremium and learnnewsdesk to bring
all Worcestershire schools an exciting competition to find the best report writer.
Find out more
http://www.newsmaker.co.uk/videos/videos.html

learnnewsdesk is available through the evaluation channel in Content Stream www.col.networcs.net

Email your reports via the “be a reporter” section on learnnewsdesk, making sure you add "Worcester" in the message title box so we can give Worcestershire reporters members VIP treatment!

A selection of reports will be published on the learnnewsdesk site – so make sure you check each day to see which reports have been posted. The winners will be announced at the Worcester ICT exhibition on 26 June at Chateau Impney in Droitwich Spa.

James Green
Teacher Adviser:
E.Learning

Don’t forget

You also have access to learnpremium or learnnewsdesk until the end of April – a great
opportunity to explore the lessons, whiteboard activities, worksheets, tests, and news service
and consider joining in the next bulk subscription purchase for learnpremium or
learnnewsdesk. Look out for your Content Stream order forms or contact James Green on
01527 570566, email jmgreen@worcestershire.gov.uk.
Don’t forget you only have until 15 June 2007 to enter.
Good luck!

Learning Platform briefing

2007-04-20T11:03:00.000Z

EdulinkBrochurev6-1.0.pdf

Dear Colleague

Re: EduLink Portal and Learning Platforms

I have great pleasure in enclosing a briefing leaflet on the award of preferred bidder status to Teksys Ltd who will be providing Worcestershire’s replacement of the Worcestershire Grid for Learning.

The new Edulink Portal is an important component of the overall e-services strategy for the authority linking council services, school systems and learning platforms into a truly coherent service building on our broadband infrastructure and providing new and exciting services for schools.

The new service will be launched with its core services in September and the brochure sets out some of the service elements it is able to provide. Our new technical partner has extensive experience in developing and delivering services tailored to the needs of the client and I shall be seeking the views of individual schools, pyramids and other groupings of schools in order to shape the new service to meet a range of needs.

Securing the Edulink Portal also provides the keystone for our approach to providing schools with recommendations on Learning Platforms and I will be providing further information on this issue at an event we have booked at Worcester Rugby Club on May 10th from 4.30 – 6.30pm. This event will also provide an opportunity for colleagues to find out more about the Edulink system and some of the services that can be made available to schools.

Please take the time to read the brochure and share with colleagues within the school. I would also ask that you consider sending a delegate to the event in May when I will be in a position to share with you our recommendations regarding adopting a learning platform for your school.

In order to confirm your attendance please complete the online form at http://www.content.networcs.net/forms/lp.htm.

Email kjtaylor@worcestershire.gov.uk.

Yours Sincerely,

Dave Thomson
Educational Improvement Adviser – Learning Technologies

e-safety Conference 27 March @The Pear Tree Hotel

2007-02-23T10:58:00.000Z

TO ALL FIRST/PRIMARY/MIDDLE/HIGH/SPECIAL SCHOOLS AND PRU’S
Re: ECM – Staying Safe – Internet Safety and Information Literacy
Date: 21 February 2007

Dear Colleague

As you will know, Worcestershire is coming to the end of a four year project to connect all schools to a robust and versatile Broadband infrastructure.

The authority is currently reviewing its processes and procedures relating to internet safety and information literacy and as a part of that review there is a need to revisit the recommendations we make to schools.

In order to help schools address this issue and to promote effective practice in this area I have arranged a briefing on internet safety drawing on external expertise from the police, Becta and the local child safety board. The free briefing session is planned for 27th March 2007, 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm at The Pear Tree Hotel, Smite and I would ask that you confirm your intention to attend via the online form that you will find at http://www.content.networcs.net/forms/esafety.htm or by e-mailing kjtaylor@worcestershire.gov.uk

Schools have an obligation to create and maintain an Acceptable Use Policy and to ensure that it is understood by all concerned. You may recall a number of months ago I sent your school a copy of this document. A further copy can be obtained from the BECTa web site at the following address. http://tinyurl.com/37ax7d I am aware that as a result of the distribution of this document a number of schools have now revisited their Acceptable Use Policy and their e-safety curriculum.

The creation of this AUP requires input from a number of stakeholders within your school’s community as outlined in the e-safety document. I would recommend that all schools take the time to map out the best way to enable all stakeholders to have a voice in the creation of the AUP. The AUP can become a robust and transparent document that enables all users of your infrastructure to make effective use of a range of e-services and to promote this policy outside school into the local community and the home.

To help schools with this process I have arranged a number of Internet Safety training sessions (6IN7.3 001/04) available through the Inset office which look at the latest Becta documentation and guide schools through the creation of an effective AUP.
Yours Sincerely,

Dave Thomson Inspector School Improvement: ICT

Worcestershire’s Apple CLC mobile unit is now taking bookings.

2007-02-02T09:37:00.000Z

There are 10 Apple ibooks, 2 Canon Dv Video cameras and 2 microphones available for schools to book for a two week period to support a specific Teaching and Learning activity with a class. Just e-mail kjtaylor@worcestershire.gov.uk with a brief outline of the activity and the dates that you would like to use the Apple CLC. At present there is no additional cost to take advantage of the Apple CLC for your class.

In addition, the Apple CLC not only comes with all the hardware you’ll need to animate, make movies or Podcast it also has the full range of Kudlian Software for you to use.

Training is also available through HoS and is easy to arrange just e-mail swilks1@worcestershire.gov.uk or just call the Finstall Centre on 01527 570 566 for booking and training.

THE ENGLISH CIVIL WARS: WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

2007-02-01T10:17:00.000Z

A VIDEOCONFERENCE HISTORY WORKSHOP FOR YEAR 8 PUPILS
26 February to 2 March 2007

The civil wars were an amazing time. England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales were all plunged into war and rebellion. Parliament fought against the King in two wars. A revolution followed, the King was executed and England became a republic but why did all this happen?
The education service at The National Archives has joined together with andrew ashmore and associates to bring you, a videoconference workshop led by historical interpreters, where the students are given the chance to debate the causes of the civil wars based on actual documents from that time.

CAUSES OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR: WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?
The role-play will take you and your pupils back in time to 1642. Actors play the roles of Puritan Adam Wright, and Bishop Richard Hyde. They will lead your pupils, who will be Royalists and Puritans alike, in an inspiring debate on the causes of the civil wars. Together they will argue the causes of the civil wars and the attitudes of people to them at the time.

In order to prepare for and research their part in the debate, a pack of preparation materials and teacher’s notes, will be made available. The pack includes copies of original documents and simplified transcripts, such as the very important ‘ Petition from the citizens of London, Sept 1640’ on which the pupils structure their arguments.

Pupils will gain an in depth knowledge and understanding of the significance of extraordinary sources as pieces of evidence for the causes of the civil wars. During the videoconference, they will also have the unrivalled chance to view the original petition and King Charles I trial!
Booking Details:

Availability: 26th February – 2 March 2007 and a further week in May (dates to be confirmed)
Cost: The workshops are free of charge, although we do ask you to meet the cost of the call if contacting us via ISDN. You can also contact us via I.P through the Janet Videoconferencing Service.
Suitability: KS3 Year 8
QCA Links: Unit 8 – How do historians disagree about the causes of the civil wars?
For further information please go to: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/educationservice/
For more information please contact: James Green jmgreen@worcestershire.gov.uk for support or Education Service, The National Archives, Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Surrey, TW9 4DU
Phone: 020 8392 5365 Fax: 020 8487 9202 education@nationalarchives.gov.uk

What would we wish education to be like?

2007-01-31T14:25:00.000Z

‘‘At the beginning of technology in learning
the tough question was, ‘what can we get
it to do, to be like education?’, but now
with ICT we really can do anything and the
much tougher question is, ‘what would we
wish education to be like?’’
Stephen Heppell

E-learning has the potential to revolutionise the way we teach and how we learn. Learning through ICT can enhance and enrich the curriculum and its assessment. It offers new and exciting opportunities for pupils and teachers alike. With such a wide range of materials, teaching practices and equipment available now, the opportunities for effective use of ICT in schools are endless. The definition of the Butterfly Effect is ‘the effect of a very small
change in the initial conditions of a system which makes a significant
difference to the outcome’. The aim is to seek high leverage
interventions which have a relatively low effort to formulate or
implement but yield extremely beneficial outcomes in terms of
teaching and learning and school ethos.
This particular collection of butterflies concentrates on ICT. Good
schools will have a strategic view on the place of ICT across the
curriculum, and improved access for all learners. When students
come to school many, though not of course the disadvantaged few,
leave the wired-up world of their homes where access to television,
video and computers is commonplace, to enter a building where
ICT learning resources are still not extensively employed in everyday
learning, although new technologies are making considerable
headway. Thankfully, in a society and economy where ICT is
transforming the way we live and earn our living, all schools are
radically re-examining how students should be learning, not least
because of all that we know about how students learn at different
rates and in different ways. Schools of this new millennium will
have a vision of how to use shared intelligence rather than relying
simply on teacher intelligence, although they will never forget
that good teaching inspires the best learning. Full use of the new
learning technologies helps teachers and support staff to create a
learning environment where students can build actions and create
knowledge, something that can be carried on within the home and
the community. Learning through ICT, including email addresses
for staff and students, will enhance and enrich the curriculum and
its assessment, offering new and exciting opportunities for individual
learners to access a wider range of quality learning programmes
and materials. A good school takes full advantage of the fact that
everybody in the learning community can create, receive, collect
and share text, images and sounds on a vast range of topics, in
ways more stimulating, richer and more time-efficient than ever
before. E-learning has the potential to revolutionise the way we
teach and how we learn. Further, in an education system where
all schools are linked together electronically, it is possible to share
knowledge and best practice much more effectively.

http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFES-04079-2006%20part1.pdf

http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DFES-04079-2006%20part2.pdf

Becta publish: Impact of ICT in schools: a landscape review

2007-01-15T11:55:00.000Z

A review of the research literature analysing the impact of ICT on the schools sector across the UK. Details of e-confident schools can be found on page 71.

Click on the image to access the document.

A critical factor in the effective use of ICT is the
existence of a school-level e-strategy that
addresses future development and sustainability
and includes some means of monitoring progress
against identified milestones. While innovations
often begin within a key stage or subject
department, they require a whole-school
commitment if they are to become embedded in
the daily experience of pupils, providing
continuity and coherence across the years. While
champions can, and often do, lead the way, new
developments need leadership and strategic
planning to ensure sustained changes in practice.

What is your view on this?

Internet Safety part 3

2007-01-04T13:30:00.000Z

We are in the process of putting together resources to support an Internet Safety module for schools to use. The module is the first stage of an overall development that will eventually support students' understanding of Information Literacy. Aspects of this are tackled in the Teacher's TV programme see Internet Safety part2 below.

We would certainly welcome feedback and suggestions from those of you who would like to trial the resources in your schools. Also, as always, we welcome students' reaction to the module and any comments that they may have on Internet Safety and the module would be appreciated. Simply click on comment below.

To trial the materials just click here.

Internet Safety part 2

2007-01-04T12:57:00.000Z

Web Literacy on Teacher's TV
This programme reveals the critical importance for teachers to provide guidance to their pupils when using the internet for research.
A group of Year 9 pupils at Wortley High School in Leeds are asked to look at three websites. The subject matters are Martin Luther King, the holocaust and Victorian robots.
None of the websites are what they seem. The first two are fronts for racists and holocaust deniers. The last is a good-natured spoof. None of the pupils spot any problems with the validity, reliability or authority of the sites and many say they would cut and paste information from the sites for use in homework or other projects.

Watch it online at http://www.teachers.tv/video/5425

Web Literacy is part of the course on Internet Safety offered through Worcestershire's Inset Programme. Book a place by phoning inset at Pitmaston House
Course number 6IN7.3 001/04
Next course date 14/03/07

Internet Safety

2007-01-04T12:49:00.000Z

How acceptable is your Acceptable Use Policy?

The internet is opening new opportunities for everyone, promoting creativity and effective learning. To use technology effectively requires an awareness of the benefits and risks, and an understanding of their effective use in the classroom.

Make sure that your AUP is following the guidance from Becta

http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=is

Strategies to help form an Acceptable Use Policy is part of the course on Internet Safety offered through Worcestershire's Inset Programme. Book a place by phoning inset at Pitmaston House

Course number 6IN7.3 001/04

Next course date 14/03/07

What is a Learning Platform?

2006-11-20T15:24:00.000Z

Documentation to read
What is a Learning platform? What aspects of a Learning Platform do we want to use? What do the pupils need to support and extend learning? Your thoughts and comments are welcome to help establish the needs of schools in Worcestershire.

What can we integrate TODAY?

Integrated into school website. Easy to select and work you want to make public
Beyond school day access for all resources anytime, anywhere
Email communications - pupils, staff, parents, governors, all stake holders, developing international links (Zambia)
Local resources
Lesson plans stored locally - Already shared across pyramid.
Integrated services
Content Stream - MAPS
Content Stream
Raise/PAT

What do we want to see in the FUTURE?

E-portfolios - within school, with first schools, with high schools.
Pushing of files
Integrated systems
Library/learning centre
Alice software for loans etc.
Access to stored work - ability to create and assign units of work, one password access to external resources
Assign different work to different groups
Parental access to some aspects of work through intranet, public/private
Ability to 'personalise' area and get them to use it
Front screen profile - ease of use
Gallery system
Automatic
PAT
Monitoring systems
MAPS
All teachers portfolio system
Email - text messaging parents?
Integration of current systems/work.
Intranet move system seamlessly in L.P.
High quality training for all staff
Training
Core LA training and support
Teachers to share/develop best practice that is being developed in schools in real time eg. ESL resources etc
Parents - access to homework tasks set for children, links to site to support work and ability to improve their own knowledge
Independent learning strategies
Developing/extending more able
Incorporation of RAISE online functionality when it works!
Suck and plug other information into the L.P.
Easy input of digital media
Overall need a direct line to developers/admin of the site to allow it to develop in an interactive way, listening to the changing and individual needs within the VLE
Pupils and limited parental access
One site to locate tasks, search for information and have it worked e-portfolio.
Give them opportunity to view marked work, understand what they can do to improve and choose if they want to display it.
Test/administration
Question level analysis - Target setting again
Building up whole picture of the pupil
Administrative staff access
Certain level
Swipe card/finger print, single login register.
Reporting
Data tracking/monitoring/target setting
Cross County authoring of units - pre populated!
Teachers/TA: use it to highlight daily, weekly, termly key dates
Set deadlines for individuals, reminders for planning
Allow co-ordinators overview of short/medium term planning
Networking between Teaching Assistants

What do we want PUPILS to be able to do?

10 things I've learned this week/term etc.
What I want to know now (Ask Jeeves type facility)
Help links
Extension tasks
Off-site visits/activity weeks
Children recording and sending blogs for others to read and respond
Peer communication - collaboration for mentoring/learning buddy
Personal website list that can be viewed/sent to others
Diaries/online notebook
Gifted pupils being paired up with similar ability children in other schools in the county eg.maths/problem solving
Web Quest type open activities
Building into the time table a free space for children to work on something that they choose
Focussed resources for specialist needs i.e. phonics development
Regular communication with children from international schools, talking about issues such as the Global Garden, Eco-schools etc.
Extension through collaborative working
Online tutor support 24 hours!
Q&A to teacher/friends
School/Class Bulletin Board - generates Q&A. Allows teacher to tap into areas of current interest
'Challenges' competitions etc with defined structures eg. working with other pupils from other schools
Regular online conversation with Behaviour Management 'tutor' from the LEA
recordings of how the week went and targets for the following week
Link to a child who you mentor/support within the school/class/outside school (Web buddy)
Peer support groups
Pod casting
Create your own web resources and challenges
A searchable bank of quality resources - not having to sift through garbage in google
Access to online discussions with experts in field/celebs/poets etc.
Some fun learning activities
Links to community sports clubs, local drama groups, dance etc.

EXTRAS
E-portfolios including reports
Sufficient training for all staff
Teacher - links with schools outside the county and overseas - how does that work? Conferencing etc.
Teachers/SMT - E-portfolio that goes across the LA means a greater bank of knowledge, innovation and problem solving to draw on
Too many people doing same thing slightly differently
Teacher - use it to look at developing MFL schemes of work and a means of delivering it in Primary schools (association with Secondary?)
Parents - place for dialogue, updates on progress/concerns on individual childrens learning
Teachers/Pupils - access to specific areas for extra-curricular clubs eg.sustainable schools, Eco- schools
Presentation software
Online content
Access to portfolio
Time efficient management of resources
Set up at LA level
Easy access for young children
LA core platform
Adequate funding
Integration with schools MIS

Thinkquest Uk

2006-11-08T13:01:00.000Z

Find out more from the ThinkquestUK site
Are you interested in participating?

Post a comment to find out more.

WATCH the Team Leader from Worcestershire's Maiden Team explain what the experience was like for him.

New user details released through AVCO.

2006-11-08T09:27:00.000Z

New user details for Content Stream have now been updated so that all new pupils and staff to your school at the start of the academic year 2006-07 have been issued with unique user details to access the content management system Content Stream http://www.col.networcs.net/ .

This has been a complicated and strategically important undertaking by the Local Authority creating and validating 80,000 individual staff and students that make up Worcestershire’s learning community. It will also inform the work we need to undertake to meet the national requirements regarding a single sign-on for educational service being developed by BECTa.

The data will be refreshed and validated every night so that we can update user details as soon as we are informed of any changes resulting from you providing updated staff and student information to the authority for entry into the central records. As you are probably aware this data needs to be kept up-to-date centrally from school systems and over the coming years this will of growing importance for the teachers, schools and parents ability to support and personalise learning.

The Content Stream user details have been sent to your school via the secure AVCO system to access the file simply run Anycomms using script file 8 and retrieve it from your \SIMS\LEA\INBOX.
The User details file will be a CSV file with the filename of
DfESnumber_Name_of_School

All county installed broadband schools have the added advantage of maintaining their own usernames and passwords through the broadband system. This is only one of the many additional services that are available through your County Broadband connection. To find out more information regarding this and other available Broadband services please e-mail jmgreen@worcestershire.gov.uk

The use of Leaning Technologies such as ContentStream to support teaching and learning requires proper preparation and investment in resources and training. As part of the Local Authorities commitment to schools a Self Review Framework brochure has been produced which outlines some of the services that the Local Authority can deliver to support your school in the use and development of Learning Technologies.
The brochure will be arriving in schools in the next few weeks and will clearly identify the next steps that schools can take as part of their self review process.

Use of Curriculum Online e-learning Credits and Content Stream Update to get the very latest information on content, pricing and developments.

2006-11-08T09:20:00.000Z

ContentStream
www.col.networcs.net.

This procurement process will support schools that have packages up for renewal and support the purchase of new on-line resources made with e-learning credits.
The deadline for this round of procurement is December 1st, 2006.

The LEA provides the procurement process as a means of securing best value for online resources. In the past 3 years this has enabled schools to secure approximately £100,000 worth of savings. This strategic use of your elc (e-learning credits) funding should enhance and extend your pupils’ learning within and beyond the classroom and offer your teachers the added benefit of resources anytime, anywhere. You can, of course use a component of your e-learning credits for purchasing CD or software based materials which have been approved through Curriculum Online (COL) and can be found on the COL portal at http://www.curriculumonline.gov.uk/.

ContentStream is a free resource for all schools in Worcestershire to benefit from. ContentStream is now regularly used by over 100 schools and the usage is increasing by 20% year on year. For further information regarding the impact that ContentStream is making throughout the County, visit the Worcestershire Grid for Learning in the Teaching and Learning e-learning section http://www.wgfl.networcs.net/ and read for yourself how other schools are embedding ContentStream.

Some of the added benefits of the ContentStream service are on the attached sheet. Please remember that your current elc provision must be spent by 31 August 2007. Please feel free to contact James Green Teacher Adviser for e-learning if you have any queries at jmgreen@worcestershire.gov.uk or telephone 01527 570 566 concerning your elc (e-learning credits) provision.

Training events in November

2006-11-08T09:18:00.000Z

During November, the following twilight training sessions are taking place at The Finstall Centre from 4.15-5.30pm

Right2Learn - 8th November
RM Living Library - 9th November
Spark Island - 16th November
Channel 4 - 20th November
Scran - 21st November
Education City - 22nd November
Grid Club - 27th November
There will be a Radiowaves twilight training session on 21st November at Chaddesley Corbett First Endowed school, 4.00-5.00pm.

To book a place at one of the above sessions, please contact the suppliers direct.

Learning Communities - Revolution in Learning?

2005-11-27T20:27:00.000Z

There is growing interest across education of the potential of Online Learning Communities to support learning. Certainly there is evidence in the research fraternity that collaboration via online communities is a powerful tool to advance knowledge but what is the potential for developing collaborative learning for children. Does the ability to collaborate effectively depend on the age of the learner? Are there new skills we need to develop in our teachers?

e-learning - good ideas to share and try

2005-11-27T20:07:00.000Z

e-learning, like ICT, is still in its infancy but we have come a long way since the late 1990's. Some would say that we are only using the technology to replace what teachers always did with chalk and talk. Others say that ICT is the revolution in learning we have been striving for.

Question is, which of these views is right? Does it matter anyway?
What ideas for either approach make ICT valuable or are we wasting loads of money on doing things we could do more cheaply anyway?

The Locus of Control - Developing New Pedagogies

2005-11-27T04:45:00.000Z

Many schools block access to email, some internet sites and tools such as Skype etc. In blocking things are we restricting the learning experience or is it simply that we are protecting young people from the less savoury aspects of the internet.

Where is the correct locus of control - it is the teacher who should always determine what should be accessible or the school technician or do we need to develop new pedagogies that will allow these tools to be freely available to students and then harness them in the learning process?

Not easy issues but one we need to address.