The mission of Code Club is to give every child in the UK the chance to learn to code. It is their aim to have Code Club in 25% of primary schools in the UK by the end of 2015.

Teachers or volunteers can  run Code Club after-school at their local  school or community centre. Children attend Code Club once a week, normally for 1 hour to learn the basics of coding.

The project uses  Scratch, free software available from MIT .

The Scratch website is well worth a visit as it contains a number of resource sheets, a user friendly guide to getting started and help cards for complete beginners. You can see more information on the YHGfL website HERE about scratch and  the links to the scratch site.

YHGfL also run on-line CPD session for teachers on scratch , click HERE for a list of  our workshops. (most are also available by request). We can also help schools get started with their own code club.

The code club website has all the information and resources about setting up a code club and once started you may  want to add your club to the national map.

Click HERE to visit the Code Club website

Get Scratching !

We believe in anytime, anywhere learning. We also believe your achievements should be recognised so that you can share your accomplishments and knowledge with your colleagues and communities. That’s why the Partners in Learning Network awards badges for the skills and knowledge that are learned and shared through our online professional learning community, in our in-person events, and in school communities around the world.

Check out the badges you can earn and add to your Partners in Learning online profile. Earn enough and you can establish yourself as a Microsoft Expert Educator

Sign up for FREE and get started today with www.pil-network.com

This new set of workshops is an exciting collaboration between Bradford Council’s Curriculum ICT team, with its excellent track record in delivering leadership courses, and YHGfL with its strong expertise in technical issues in an educational setting.

The three workshops  will focus on the key role that Network Managers and Technicians play in responding to the needs of school stakeholders, providing cutting-edge IT in a flexible and cost-effective way. The course will prepare participants for their role as strategic thinkers and leaders of change and is suitable for Network Managers and Technicians in all phases.

To be  held at the Chesneys Centre, Featherstone, Wakefield

The full programme covers the following areas:

• Overview of national and regional trends in education
• Whole-school strategic leadership of IT
• The relationship of technology-enhanced learning to school leadership and pedagogy
• Empowering teachers to ‘Risk IT’
• Digital literacy and the safe and responsible use of IT
• IT supporting learning and teaching, assessment, home learning and parental engagement
• Developing communities of practice to spread school innovation

The three-workshop programme is focused on understanding the needs of users, strategic leadership,andlow-cost,high-impact learning technologies. As well as being a considerable networking opportunity for Network Managers and Technicians, each session will also feature hands-on workshops with the very latest technologies, pedagogies and practices from leading vendors. A Course Completion Certificate will be awarded for attendance at all three courses.

For further information about the programme and joining instructions click HERE

Space still available – 21st March 2013, 4.00 pm

Blogging is a great way to motivate children to write, share ideas and improve their literacy, but most commercial blogging software is unsuitable for an educational environment.

ShareIT was developed by YHGfL specifically for member schools, teachers and pupils. With a ShareIT blog you can post photographs, videos, animations and podcasts, so it is the perfect way for your students to showcase their individual talents.

This FREE 45 minute on-line session will introduce you to the basics of blogging, from creating your first post through to adding an image customising the look and feel of your blog site. This session is aimed at users new to the YHGfL blog or anyone looking for refresher training. Experienced users may be interested in Blogging for experienced users.

Starting at 4:00 the session will last approximately 45 minutes and be conducted through Adobe Connect. All you will need is access to a PC and a set of headphones

For further and booking information click HERE

Why not get your students and colleagues creating Scratch based Red Nose Day games?

Scratch your nose is aiming to create an awesome day in support for Red Nose Day through a National Games Jam with students, teachers and industry  from everywhere creating and sharing games in Scratch.

Volunteer University Students and school students have started to add resources and links on www.scratchyournose.com please register to offer your support and get updates.

For further information on scratch you can visit the YHGfL website HERE

23rd April 2013 8.30 -3.30

This popular one-day annual event is being held again this year at the Mercure Hull West Hotel in Willerby and is expected to attract more than 30 exhibitors and a large number of delegates from schools in Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire and North and North East Lincolnshire.

They are delighted to be welcoming David Mitchell, developer of Quadblogging, to the event as keynote speaker together with a variety of workshop providers.  The full Programme is currently being prepared and once finalised, will be available to download from the booking site.

All Head teachers, Assistant Heads, Deputies, Business Managers, Bursars, ICT and subject leaders are invited to attend all or any part of the day and should pre-register by using the link below.  Entry is free and includes refreshments and buffet lunch.  There will also be a raffle with prizes donated by the participating exhibitors.

For further information and booking details click HERE

13 March 2013 – On-line – 16:00 to 17:00

Microsoft Partners in Learning is a 10-year, almost 500 million dollar global initiative aimed at improving teaching and learning to help educators and school leaders connect, collaborate, create, and share so that students can realize their greatest potential.

This on-line session will introduce teachers to Partners in Learning and the software available from the Microsoft learning suite.

The learning suite includes FREE tools such as OneNote, Songsmith, DeepZoome, PhotoSynth, Mouse Mischief, Worldwide Telescope, Skydrive and Kodu to name but a few.

Starting at 16:00 this session will last approximately 45/60 minutes and be conducted via Adobe Connect. All the equipment you will need is access to a PC with a set of headphones and microphone. If you aren’t sure what to do we will happily run a quick test session with you first.

To register for this session click HERE

Details will be sent on how to register for your FREE Microsoft tools.

A couple of places still available: Act quickly

YHGfL are marking book week this year by giving schools the fantastic opportunity to take part in a video conference session with the author David Webb (see http://www.david-webb.info/). David will be running a range of sessions tailored to the group of children involved with plenty of opportunities to discuss his work, ask him questions about his books and what it’s like to be an author. Maybe your children  could read some of their work to him.  If you and your pupils would like the opportunity to meet David we now have a very limited number of slots available – book now to avoid disappointment!

To take part in this  video conference you will need as a minimum a web cam with microphone and a speaker set connected to a computer running windows on your broadband connection. With this we will be using the FREE video conferencing software Janet Desktop.  We can also connect to schools registered with JVCS on their usual video conferencing system or PVX software. YHGfL and some LAs also have systems that can be loaned out if necessary.

Click HERE for further and booking information.

Thursday 7 February 2013,  16.00 online

Video conferencing (VC) is a way of using technology to connect people whether between schools, between regions or between countries. Using a broadband connection, a web/video camera and a television you can see and hear each other.

Getting started with video conferencing doesn’t mean having to spending lots of money. As a minimum all you need is a web cam with microphone and speakers connected to a computer running windows on your broadband connection. With this you can use the FREE video conferencing software Janet Desktop.

This session will look at the use of Video conferencing in the classroom, what you need, setting up for a session and example projects. We will also look at the various content providers you can book for your sessions as well as using it as a collaboration tool between schools.

The session is designed for those wanting to get started with the technology or just investigating its potential.
Starting at 16:00, the session will last approximately 45 minutes and be conducted through Adobe Connect. All you will need is access to a PC and a set of headphones. If you aren’t sure what to do just let us know and one of the team will happily contact you to run a quick test session with you first.

email contact@yhgfl.net if you would like to take a late place for this session.

Appshed is a on-line publishing tool enabling students to create mobile web apps without having to learn large amounts of coding.

The system provides a number of free resources to help you get started, building an App all in the browser so no software needs to be downloaded.  Students can use drag and drop to create the App progressing on to HTML5 and JavaScript. Don’t worry if you don’t have any devices the system comes with its own onscreen emulator which can be switched to emulate the most common devices around. Apps can be accessed from any device using a simple QR code.

Comprehensive video tutorials cover the basics of creating apps. Step-by-step instructions show you how to create screens, add galleries and maps, and much more.

The AppShed Academy (Chargeable)  is perfect for teachers who want to introduce pupils to the world of app creation. Equip your students with the knowledge to harnass the digital world and help them develop new and  transferable skills. Through the Academy teachers are able to monitor the progress of their students.

The system is suitable from upper KS2 upwards.

To register for a FREE personal account and start creating web apps click  HERE