How long should kids spend in online lessons?

July 27, 2020

How sensible — or effective — is it to have kids sitting at a computer all day long?

A contingency plan for an online course

July 22, 2020

Losing the connection doesn't mean losing the plot.

Should all learning take place in the cloud? — Should **all** learning take place in the cloud?

Covid-19: Is an online school the answer?

May 11, 2020

Would an online-only school be a feasible proposition for all pupils?

What I've learnt from online classes: mute that mic

April 27, 2020

Here are the incredibly annoying things that I’ve heard because people have kept their microphones on during online discussions.

What I've learnt from online classes: teach yourself the technology

April 15, 2020

The use of technology to put classes online makes it even more important for teachers and students in online classes to spend some time getting to know the technology they will be using — even if they think it won’t be a problem for them.

What I've learnt from online classes: chatting and messaging

April 14, 2020

Over the years I have taken part in, and hosted, a number of online talks, webinars and discussions. Until Covid-19 changed everything, I hadn’t given much thought to what I’ve actually learnt in terms of the process involved. But now I thought I’d share a few things I’ve learnt.

Recent book reviews

Review: How I review books on edtech

My views on what constitutes a book on edtech are fairly catholic. Indeed, it would me more accurate to denote the books I review as books for teachers of ICT, Computing, digital literacy etc etc,, rather than books on edtech. The latter tend to have titles like “How to teach Computing”, or “How to use Excel in the classroom”.

Review: Nuts and Bolts: How Tiny Inventions Make Our World Work

It's rather disconcerting when one considers that buildings like The Shard are essentially held together by nuts, bolts and washers.

Review: Love Triangle: The Life-changing Magic of Trigonometry

Like, I suspect, many people, I have never knowingly come across an isosceles triangle in my life, and wouldn’t know what to do with it if I did. However...

Review: Making Sense Of Chaos – A Better Economics for a Better World

Before you rush off on the grounds that this book has nothing to do with Computing, let me reassure you that it does.

Bjork & Bjork’s Desirable Difficulties in Action

The original work on which this volume is based has perhaps been honoured more in the breach than in the observance.

Review: Coderspeak – The language of computer programmers

This book won’t necessarily help a student pass a computing exam, but it will almost certainly make them a more aware, and thus better, programmer.

Review: Quiet Power, by Susan Cain

Introverts thrive by being allowed to be quiet, having time for reflection and not being required to 'perform' all the time.

Quick look: Desirable difficulties in action

The idea of desirable difficulties has always appealed to me. In my teaching I’m partticularly in favour of applying Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development.

Review: The Collaboration Book – 41 Ideas for Working Better

Most people would agree that collaboration is a good thing – so how can we collaborate more effectively in school settings?

Review: Listen: On Music, Sound and Us

This book might not directly address obvious aspects of the music curriculum, but it can certainly give teachers access to a rich seam of facts and anecdotes with which to embellish their lessons.