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Sunday, January 17, 2010 4:35 PM

Bless this computer!

Since watching Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy, I've often mused that gargantuan data-centres may be cathedrals where we get ever nearer to the meaning of (virtual) life (42 wasn't it?). The church of the blessed motherboard seems nearer with...
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Saturday, December 12, 2009 7:49 PM

Besa bash the BBC!

I find it hard to reconcile the recent press release from trade association the British Education Suppliers Association (BESA) with the BBC Trust Decision it refers to. Parking the fact that BESA members benefitted from £500m per year through Curriculum...
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Sunday, November 29, 2009 7:36 PM

Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) ... more information

My colleague Andy Morgan has put together a useful briefing on the new statutory duties contained in the Carbon Reduction Commitment and what it means for schools. I have blogged about this before , but recommend you view the document that went out with...
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Saturday, November 28, 2009 10:15 AM

Too many cooks ... salami-slice anyone?

Following weeks of colleagues trying to get a single Home Access for Targeted Groups ADSL Internet connection working in the home of a needy family, I decided to go to the house and see what could be done (if only to apologise in person to the family...
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Saturday, November 07, 2009 12:03 PM

Interactive games v real games ... Northfleet Tech' proves why it's got an ICT Mark!

Interesting way to get kids engaged with fitness ... see the BBC take on it by clicking HERE . When you work in schools and discover the number of kids sat out of games with notes or without games kit, you can only applaud this innovative approach. ....
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Sunday, November 01, 2009 8:54 PM

ICT Suites ... an update!

As an update to my recent post on ICT suites, I've been checking out figures (Feb 2009) for computer locations in Kent Primary schools: 36% of desktops located in classrooms / teaching areas (not suites). 35% of desktops located in suites. 26% laptops...
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Saturday, October 24, 2009 4:55 PM

Re: Don't let your mind die

This creased me up and I can't resist a comment! I hope the article is meant to be tongue-in-cheek as I have this horrible vision of elderly drivers swerving across motorway lanes as they do brain training on long journeys. I also love the thought...
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Saturday, October 24, 2009 4:30 PM

OFCOM report - young people's web access has doubled

An interesting read is the recent OFCOM UK Children's Media Literacy report . Here are a couple of the key findings: 16% of 11 year olds and 35% of 12 -15 year olds go online in their rooms. A fifth of 12 - 15 year oldsdon't know how search engine...
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Sunday, July 05, 2009 7:58 AM

Economic and efficient ICT in schools ...

The Audit Commission recently published a report highlighting ways schools can improve economy and efficiency. ICT, (a major cost for most schools) gets scant mention with a bland statement " ... regular reviews of high cost services, such as administration...
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Sunday, May 10, 2009 12:50 PM

The Right Staff! ... with the Right Stuff?

Recent articles have highlighted the importance of good quality teaching as a determinant of child success. Bill Gates (ex Microsoft) argues strongly in a video presentation on the TED website that not only are good teachers the main determinants of success...
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Friday, April 24, 2009 9:13 PM

Importance of ICT ... No comment!

I am one of those sad people who reads reports. I either agree, disagree or find out more. OFSTED reports tend to be quite short and pithy and 'The Importance of ICT' (OFTSTED 2009) is no exception as it looks at the quality of ICT in education...
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Monday, February 23, 2009 8:00 PM

Regional centres to improve ICT skills of teachers?

There was an intriguing procurement notice in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on 17th Feb 2009. (All major public sector buying must start with a notice published in the EU Journal under European Law). The DCSF notice states: "...
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Saturday, December 13, 2008 1:08 PM

School Together Now ... Kill or Cure?

School Together Now is a new site offering 'school centric' social networking, and it has not been received well in the press . Indeed, Cambridge University researchers have indicated that it's security is fundamentally flawed. The idea of...
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Friday, December 12, 2008 6:25 PM

Kent children and young people's survey results

I do think that the format used to summarise Kent 2008 survey findings for children and young people are exemplar. Clean and simple with the message designed for the audience. A perfect example of communication skills for teachers to use in ICT lessons...
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Sunday, November 23, 2008 1:48 PM

Assessment for Learning - critics vindicated?

Alongside my previous post on personalised learning , the same committee also questioned the Assessment for Learning (AfL) strand. Reported in the TES this week, concerns were raised that the DCSF version of AfL differs substantially from the research...
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Sunday, November 23, 2008 12:34 PM

Is 'Personalised Learning' just waffle? ... the Emperors New Clothes?

The term 'personalised learning' has just taken a colossal bashing. David Milliband extolled its virtues and Christine Gilbert promoted it as key to education policy in the 2020 vision . Education is awash with acronyms and 'buzz words'...
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Sunday, November 16, 2008 8:25 AM

Innovation is risky ... what happens if it doesn't work?

Reading last weeks TES, I came across an article in which OFSTED is reported to have given a 'thumbs down' to themed lessons. Two Essex schools highlighted by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) as innovative and "putting together...
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008 5:36 PM

Should we be afraid ... very afraid?

If you have a spare couple of hours, I recommend you read the ' Enquiring Minds ' [PDF] report from Futurelab. Enquiring Minds is a joint project between Microsoft and Futurelab , and is to be commended for pushing back boundaries with a radical...
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Thursday, November 06, 2008 9:48 PM

Home Access for teachers ... ?

There are increasing expectations that teachers and pupls will access virtual learning environments from home. Good for pupils, but is it fair to teachers' work life balance? I can find no guidance or policies articulating an expectation that teachers...
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Thursday, November 06, 2008 9:17 PM

Cramster - a viable concept for 'out of school' teaching and learning?

I'm always on the look out for interesting ideas in the Web 2.0 world, and am intrigued by the concept behind Cramster , a free online study community (portal) that claims to bring together those who want to learn and those who want to teach. It appears...
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Sunday, November 02, 2008 6:38 PM

BT - time to step up to the plate?

I have just read a fascinating research paper from Becta, ‘Meeting their potential: the role of education and technology in overcoming disadvantage and disaffection in young people’ [ PDF 844Kb ]. The report offers a valuable insight into the digital...
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008 8:26 PM

Data Handling in schools - epiphany or apocalypse!

I recently posted on the huge shake-up that will result from Becta guidance on data management in schools. This week has seen the publication of detailed guidance in the shape of four guides: Impact levels and labelling available in Word (727KB) PDF ...
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Sunday, September 14, 2008 3:44 PM

Extended Schools and ICT - paradigm lost?

DCSF recently published extended schools funding guidance . One expectation of Extended Schools funding is a ' core offer ' that includes community access to ICT. Extended Schools covers a wide range of activities, and for obvious reasons I am...
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Sunday, September 07, 2008 9:41 AM

Huge shake-up in school data management?

It's no surprise that an on-going shake-up in the management of personal data at all levels of administration and government was going to affect schools sooner or later. As the main source of national pupil data through the school census, its where...
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Monday, August 04, 2008 4:59 PM

Codename Midori: Microsoft's ascension from physical to virtual?

It's no secret ... Microsoft software was born in an era where getting connected wasn't much of a concern as few had connections! Microsoft has moved with the times with constantly updated products, but they still largely install on hardware....
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Friday, July 18, 2008 1:34 PM

Government Computers go green!

With Gershon efficiency savings being imposed on Local Government, and cascaded down to schools, I picked up an interesting Cabinet Office news item from a colleague. A bold plan has been announced to reduce carbon emission caused by ICT in central government...
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Thursday, July 17, 2008 9:31 PM

Harnessing Technology:Next Generation Learning - New Strategy in a nutshell!

I thought that I would try to summarise the key features of the revised and updated e-strategy Harnessing Technology: Next Generation Learning ; a sort of ' Reduced Shakespeare Company ' version for those who don't have time to read the document...
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008 6:35 AM

Learning in class?

The chart above is taken from the recently published revision of the e-strategy, Harnessing Technology: Next Generation Learning . It shows the learning experiences of children taken from MORI survey evidence. Its quite an indictment that the most common...
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 6:03 AM

Scrapping subject lessons? replaced by themes ...

I picked up this interesting report of a school in Totnes that has created a foundation year aimed at helping children to become good learners. Whilst the report claims they are scrapping subjects, the story affirms that children still cover the subjects...
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 5:45 AM

Byron Recommendations? ... Online Information Card? ... Response?

Following this weeks publication of the Byron Review Action Plan , which aims to protect the safety of children online, Times Online reports that the worlds most influential firms have launced their online 'Information Card'. Note that its'...
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