A short while ago I attended one of the RM Apple seminars. If RM organise further such seminars, should you attend if you can? Hopefully, you will be able to answer that question yourself after reading this.
Read MoreBlog Review: nhowie
I’ve been thinking for some time that I really ought to write an article every so often about blogs I like reading, or that have recently sprung up or come to my attention. I thought I’d get the ball rolling with “nhowie: Musing mainly about ICT in K-12 education”.As I was saying…
I have two blog posts already started, and another two waiting to be transferred from my head to the computer and thence to the web. I have had to interrupt myself so many times because of work commitments that I have become impatient – with myself! Hence the title of this post which should read, in full:
As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…
Anyway, while I am in the process of completing the aforementioned articles, I thought I would mention the Propaganda exhibition that is currently on at the British Library.
3D Printing
Over the past few years I've written several articles about 3D printing and its potential application in education. I first came across a 3D printer at a City Learning Centre in London. That was 15 years ago at the time of writing, ie 1998. What I had not realised back then was that 3D printing had already been around for ages -- since the mid-1980s in fact.
Read MoreBring Your Own Technology Book Review
Here’s an interesting review of Mal Lee’s Bring Your Own Technology.
It’s good because, in my opinion, it’s pretty spot on. I also think the format is interesting.
Lessons from Reviewing the new Computing Curriculum
This is not so much a review or even a summary of the recent Westminster Forum Conference called ‘Reviewing the new Computing Curriculum’ as a series of observations arising from it and related articles. The reason for that approach is that I’d like to make this article useful and interesting to as wide a range of people as possible, not only those concerned with the ICT or Computing Programme of Study in the National Curriculum in England and Wales.BETT 2013 Interviews: Prad Samtani
Review of Learn for Life News
I recently discovered a fairly new educational technology and ICT news service. Published daily by UK ICT veteran Leon Cych, Learn for Life News is a welcome – and different – addition to the plethora of information sources currently available.
Why “different”? Because it is not just another source of news but, as Leon himself describes it, filtered news. Leon is acting as a human filter of what is currently being discussed on the UK ICT grapevine.
Mini-review of the Motivating Educators, Inspiring Learners Conference
“Well”, said Elaine as I bounced in last Wednesday evening. “You’ve got your mojo back.” This was quite true. Having spent a few hours reading various articles about why things can’t be done, or how there could be dire consequences if they were, I wasn’t in much of a frame of mind to attend a conference, especially one which seemed to be ‘motivational’. Quite frankly, when I’m feeling miserable the last thing I want is someone trying to cheer me up.
Review of the Technology for Print Disabilities Training Day
When I was invited to attend the Technology for Print Disabilities training day, run by Dyslexia Action, I was filled with a sense of dread. True, it was free. But I’d have to leave the house at the crack of dawn, travel a couple of hundred miles, return well into the evening – and all for a topic which I assumed had only a tangential relevance to my day-to-day work. Nevertheless, applying the deep philosophical outlook I learnt listening to Fats Waller (“One never knows, do one?”), I said to myself, “OK, let’s give it a whirl.”Screen-sharing made easy
Have you ever been in a situation where you are trying to explain to someone over the phone what you are seeing on your computer? Or trying to explain to them what they should be seeing on theirs? I’ve come across a neat little application which enables you to share your screen with anyone you like – and without installing anything, downloading anything or even paying a penny!
Report of Learning without frontiers 2012
I had forgotten just how unforgiving pure BASIC was on the old BBC computer. Make a mistake, and you had to delete all of the characters until you arrived at the offending one. I had the opportunity to reacquaint myself with such pleasures at the Learning Without Frontiers conference.
A Teen's View of "Their Space" and Internet Safety
In 2007, the British think tank, Demos, published its report entitled “Their Space”. According to the authors,
This report is the result of nine months of work that focused specifically on understanding how children and young people use new technologies.
The review below was written soon after its publication, by Sarah Hillier, who was at that time a teenager. I’ve just re-read her article, and I think its observations and incisiveness – not to mention the beauty of her writing – have stood the test of time. The article which follows has only been modified slightly from the original. I hope you enjoy it.
iPad Apps and Bloom’s Taxonomy
Here’s a lovely idea from Kelly Tenkely: a whole load of iPad apps classified according to Bloom’s taxonomy. I’ve had a quick look, and my conclusions are as follows:
Developments in Eduucation Technology: Reflections on the first day of BETT
For me, the day can best be characterised as one of mixed feelings and divided loyalties. To be sure, there was all the excitement and adrelain-inducing "buzz" for which BETT is noted, and why it ought to be prescribed on the National Health Service as a cure for "the blues", but the experience was not one of unadulterated pleasure.
Read MoreFound on the web: 12/16/2011 (a.m.)
Hmm, this is interesting. I hadn't even realised that somehow I had "favorited" Desktop Organizer. — Micro Formatica in Diigo. Admittedly I was tired when I tried it out, but still: I don't usually completely miss such requests or options.
But seeing as this link has appeared, I don't want to delete it because that would cause a bit of inconvenience for people, so I'll summarise what I think of the program and others like it:
Review of 30 Day Blogging Challenge
If you're looking for a handy, no frills book of suggestions for blogging, this book should meet your requirements. Having been designed as an email course, 30 Day Blogging Challenge, written by Nikki Pilkington, consists mainly of 30 very short articles on different aspects of blogging. Being able to buy the whole lot in the form of a book is excellent for those of us for whom deferred gratification is an alien concept.
Review of Problogger’s Guide To Blogging For Your Business
Before looking at the book, written by Mark Hayward, in detail, it’s worth pointing out what the book is, and is not. It is, as the title implies, concerned with blogging in order to promote your business. It is not about blogging as a business in itself. It’s an important distinction, not least because once we take money out of the equation then “business” can be used as shorthand for any type of enterprise, including a charity, a cause – and a school.
If this, then that
Here’s a web application that’s potentially very useful. IFTTT lets you create your own automated actions using a range of social networking tools. I’ve been messing around with it only for about an hour, so I haven’t thoroughly explored all it has to offer, but already I can see it will prove to have been an excellent investment in time.
The logic of the way it works is as follows:
The expert ICT teacher and Something Borrowed
What can we learn from a band about the characteristics of the expert ICT teacher?