A big thank you to all colleagues, who attended the Subject Leader’s Development Meeting, for their contributions on the day, especially your work developing the integrated projects. Your evaluations were very positive.
We intend to ask you for further input on the integrated projects at the next SLDM in the summer term.
Below are links to two zip files, the first contains all the materials used during the day, the second to the integrated projects. SLDM 15 Materials
Have you also seen that OCR have made a response to that on their website.
We think it would be useful to have a discussion about KS4 qualifications, and the New GCSEs, at our next Subject Leaders Meeting on Wednesday 3 March. If you have any information that you can bring along to that meeting we’re sure that everyone would benefit from it.
With the CES in full flow in USA a number of products have been launched this week, the most recent I noticed was the plastic e-reader as demonstrated by the BBCs correspondent, I was disappointed though that he didn’t actually demonstrate the bending and dropping that is mentioned in the information beneath the video.
Earlier in the week whilst we were all in the grip of our frozen weather, sunny California was the launch of another smartphone, Google’s Nexus One, this BBC report is just one of several that you can easily find. Microsoft and HP showed their new tablet dubbed a ’slate PC’, speculation is set that this is an early competitor to the the much rumoured but still not acknowledged tablet from Apple (if rumours are to be believed that will be shown later this month)
For an overview of what has been on offer have a look here.
The challenge for us as educators is to keep up-to-date, have a vision for how they can be used, invest in those which will be more than a passing fad, provide value for money and enhance the learning of our students. Easy then!
I know some of you are making use of Google Docs, so you might be interested in exploring this tool which utilises a shared spreadsheet, plotting the results onto Google Earth or Google Maps. In the video tutorial the presenter uses favourite holiday destinations as the theme. And in this geographical way it has copious uses for humanities classes, with groups of students each doing specific research and sharing the results.
I decided to try it out with a computing bias (some of the content we want to cover can be dry). I took the theme of famous figures from computing, where (town) they were born (that’s the mapping bit), an image of them and some text about what aspect they were famous for. You can access my google docs spreadsheet here, use the tutorial to learn how to add it to your Google Earth or Google Maps. The add-in mentioned about halfway down to find co-ordinates is really useful; these are needed to have the spreadsheet work with Google Maps. Add-in can also be found here.
Feel free to add to it and amend it (that way if it doesn’t work I can blame it on someone else – just kidding, please do experiment with it)
Now here’s an interesting use for a Facebook account – just need to get yourself a prison sentence first! (That’s not a challenge by the way). A new meaning to e-safety.
Having watched this video it appears that I was ‘taught’ to be linear in my note-taking (personally I don’t ever remember be taught how to take notes at all), I know I do make notes in a linear fashion, try as I might I can’t get into mind-mapping; my spider diagrams are a mess, with each leg developing a list beneath it, still enough about me, what about you? Are you in need of a new gadget? Maybe you’d like a Z-Pen, maybe mind mapping software is for you. At 2 minutes you won’t use up much of your precious time watching this:
Has anyone had a look at this from C4? I tried it when I first saw the advert on Channel 4, and Naace have mentioned it in a recent Newsletter. It looks like it would be worth investigating and promoting to students in school. But I guess age gets the better of me when I have to say I don’t quite get what I’m supposed to be doing, I hope you can do better!
This is what they say it is about:
“You don’t know me, but I know you…”
Smokescreen is a cutting-edge game about life online. We all use Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and MSN to keep up with our mates – and we’ve all heard the stories about parties on Facebook being mobbed, or people getting stalked on MSN. The question is, what would you do if it happened to you?
Over 13 missions, Smokescreen follows the story of Max Winston and Cal Godfrey, two mates who’ve set up an exclusive social network called White Smoke. After Cal’s involved in a car accident and falls into a coma, White Smoke becomes huge – and starts attracting huge problems. Each mission sees you explore the world of White Smoke, and find out who you can trust – and who you can’t.
SID this year is Tuesday 9th February. The theme for this year is ‘Think Before You Post’. Information and resources (some will be posted nearer the time) are available on the ThnkUKnow site. They are also holding a video competition; we know that a few of you are keen on video so here’s your chance to shine! Okay so you’ve read their information and you are about to email us or post a comment about the use of YouTube mentioned and how it’s blocked to you at school, but wait, can I see those cogs working as you industriously find a work-round(?) – you know you want to get involved!
