January 2008 - Posts
PacWriter is a free educational arcade-style typing game similar to the classic Pacman game. It is fun and addictive. Your character, either Mr. Pacwri or Ms. Pacwri, is chased by dangerous ghosts. Whenever you meet an obstacle, you quickly type the letter(s) or numbers(s) on the obstacle to remove it thus allowing you to move on and escape!
The software can be downloaded from the following website (Windows 98, 2000, Me, Nt, Xp, Vista)
http://bertesh.com/english/games/pacwriter.php
(Also on the same website is a fun a free sudoku game, called Sudoku Toons. See http://bertesh.com/english/games/sudokutoon.php.)
With thanks to Helen Knight, from St George's CE Primary School in Wrotham, for kindly providing the following notes from the Malling Cluster's multimedia day.
Thumbnail Searchengine
http://www.pagebull.com/
Excellent site. Like a google search, but thumbnails not words.
Images, sounds and videos for schools
http://gallery.nen.gov.uk/gallery-segfl.html
From National Education Network
Free photos, sounds, videos all in folders
Films
http://www.britishpathe.com/
Video News clips. Advanced search will let you search under decades, years etc.
Free if you download at school (have to be on KCN broadband). When downloading, any email address is fine. So you can pick up link at home or school. Can’t preview clip, have to download first.
Music
http://audio.lgfl.org.uk/
Can only view or download at school on Kent broadband.
Free MP3 items.
Online News website for pupils
http://kmi4schools.e2bn.net/segfl_central/
A way for children to publish work. Could link from school website.
Click on the Regions menu
- SEGFL Schools
- Click on your school
How pupils submit their reports
Click on News/submit.
(children: http://mtn.e2bn.net/swgfl_central/b , click on our school, ‘guest entry’)
(2 teachers/admin addresses – can delete/publish/edit etc)
Pictures - EB2M gallery to add picture from site above or browse saved photo’s (e.g. the shared areas in suite)
Flash Blog (Webcam – video of you or cuddly toy or science experiment) Can just do voice (put the guard on webcam down – really good microphone. Or use a puppet?)
See http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/mtn/ for details
Video Conferencing (flashmeeting)
Any school can register from website. http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/flashmeeting
One person speaks at a time not like MSN where anyone can speak at same time
http://flashmeeting.e2bn.net/index.html
1 person logs in. Use no more than 10 PC’s/users.
Need to register email address to book a room. Safe site as only invitees can join session.
Can save this as a hyperlink anywhere/or in favourites
Playback sessions anytime as sessions are recorded
See examples on http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/flashmeeting
Podcasting (Podium Software)
Spoken words/sounds/radio or broadcast like.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/podcasting/ (online user guide)
* Use with microphones or webcam microphone.
Can make voice softer, but not louder
Good for reading out work too (stories/ideas)
* Great for playscripts. Use ‘Script’ function
Paste in text/ highlight section/assign by clicking on name. Will assign parts and colour code them. Can print script. Useful for creating script for classroom assembly
* Can record into chapters
* Can import a sound/play music into microphone or use sound effects (click on sound)
* If you save as MP3 file, can save into PowerPoint and play as part of presentation.
"Here, you'll find both 100% free content as well as premium-quality for-purchase products, courtesy of CrystalGraphics, all designed to make professional-looking websites, PowerPoint presentations and other office documents. Products include an impressive variety of world-class PowerPoint templates, video backgrounds, 3D transition effects and other cool enhancements for PowerPoint plus top-quality website templates, photos, Excel templates and Outlook add-ons."
http://www.brainybetty.com/
Dull Literacy and History lessons! Why not bring in some film clips to your lesson.
Screenonline provides short video clips of films. These can only be viewed in school through the regional broadband connection (KCN)- for Kent schools). Be aware to check content is suitable for your year group as the clips are also tailored for Key Stage 3 and 4.
www.screenonline.org.uk
Andy
There are some new additions to the Kent NGfL games page:
Bear Builder: If your topic is 'Toys' or 'Bears' you might like to try designing your own bear on screen. Then write some sentences using the word bank. You can play back your sentences to hear them. www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/bearBuilder_v7.html
This resource also has a Bear Bingo .pdf to use with your metal detectors.
Help Me I.D.: If your topic is 'People Who Help Us' you could try making your own identity card. Print it off, fold it in half, draw on your face and then you can go straight to your role-play area and show your classmates. www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/helpMeID_v4g.html
Handy Home: This activity lets you model creating your own home. You should be able to make any kind of home. www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/handyHome.html
If you think these resources need any changes then please do add a comment.
Have fun, James.
"We keep having problems with our IWB projectors failing due to excessive dust. Either the bulbs fail or the whole thing just goes funny colours over time. The filters are cleaned weekly so it is not that. The first lot of projectors only lasted 2-3 years and now the next lot are beginning to play up too. The manufacturers (Sanyo and Philips) say that they have not had this problem in other schools. Our ICT technician is at the end of his tether and has asked me for advice (!!!!!)"
Is your school experiencing similiar problems or maybe you have found a solution?
Please leave a comment here or contact one of the ICT team.
Mandy
The Kent Learning Zone Roadshows are aimed at staff within Kent Schools who need to gain an insight into Kent's solution on how to meet the DCSF 2008 requirement, 'Every pupil to have a personal online learning space'.
A personal online learning space where pupils can store electronically everything related to their learning and achievements, lesson resources, assignments and research. Being online, it will be accessible from home, from school, and, transfer with the pupil to each new organisation as they progress through the system. This facility is available for every pupil in Kent through the Kent Learning Zone.
Why should my school consider KLZ?
Regardless of what learning platform each school or Cluster will eventually choose to meet the 2010 requirement, schools will have (among other things):
- safe encrypted storage of documents on servers in Kent
- the ability to communicate and share resources with all schools in Kent
- one login to all resources and a login which will remain the same throughout a child's schooling in Kent
- students accounts automatically created via SIMs and will move with the student when moving on to a different school.
Why should I attend the Roadshow?
You will gain a better understanding of all the above and see demonstrations on four different Learning platforms and how KLZ slots into them. You will also have the opportunity to ask loads of questions, if you have any.
Places are available on 4 February in Maidstone and 6 February in Westgate-on-Sea.
Click here to book a place
Safer Internet Day takes place this year on 12 February 2008.
http://www.saferinternet.org/
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/ict/safety.htm
Free Assembly Downloads
Available to download from 1st February 2008
To mark European Safer Internet Day, your school can run the FREE downloadable CEOP school assemblies, ideally during February. They are creative and innovative assemblies addressing internet and mobile safety that only take a maximum of 15 minutes!
There will be individual assemblies for Key Stage 2 (8-10) and Key Stages 3/4 (11-16), targeted and relevant for these age groups.
To get access to the Safer Internet Day Assemblies go to www.thinkuknow.co.uk/teachers/safeintday.aspx or click on the Assemblies Banner in the Teacher/Trainer area.
You will be asked to register (free) on the website to access and download the assemblies and all the other internet safety resources.
The WEEE site in Sittingbourne (Swale) is now operational. You can find more details here http://www.swale.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1025
Don't forget to erase or smash hard drives if sensitive data has been stored on the computer. For Office/admin computers, we suggest you engage EIS to clear the memory for you.
Carolyn
At our ICT meetings this term, we are highlighting E-safety education through using safe resources like SuperclubsPlus by Intuitive media. We have negotiated a discount deal for Kent schools who would like to join. This will last until the end of term 4. The best deal will be if a Cluster group orders membership for several schools at one time, but all schools can try it out for free first. Find out more at http://www.intuitivemedia.com/
Register a group in your school for free full membership which lasts for 6 weeks. If you then choose to not subscribe, it will be downgraded to the free Lite version - 1 web page, email only your school members. This will last for as long as you wish, and can be upgraded to the full price at any time. (£6-75+VAT after our discount date). Teachers are free.
Discounted Price on Full membership until the end of Term 4:
31-100 children £6.00 +VAT each
101-250 children £5.60 each
251 – 1000 children £5.20 each
(You may choose to sign up your whole school or just a group of children e.g. the members of the ICT Club.)
The British Council are willing to sponsor a class of 30 for membership if they link with a school overseas through SuperclubsPlus. See the Intuitive Media website for more detail.
Schools renewing membership should receive a discount price for this year. Please contact Superclubs directly about this.
Please Note:
Products highlighted on the Kent Teachers blog are those recommended to us by schools and/or where suppliers have offered significant discounts to our schools. It is not our intention to tell schools what to buy and we acknowledge there are many other equally good products available. Schools should conduct their own evaluation of hardware / software prior to making decisions about purchasing.
Message sent via blog using the email link above.
"I know we are loathed to throw things away, as teachers we are extremely good at hoarding. However we have a growing number of computers which no longer work or use that we need to dispose of.
With new EU laws now stating that we have to recycle rather than throw away, can anybody recommend a way og disposing of these computers? We are desperate for the space now."
Angela
Have a look at the page on the Kent NGfL website about the Disposal of old ICT equipment
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/ict/learningenvironments/leadership/disposal.htm
The following tip comes from Cecil Road Primary school:
"One of the problems with MSW logo is that it draws things too quickly and so in an instant what might be quite a complicated procedure seems to "appear" on the screen.
To control the speed of the turtle type slowdraw into the command line followed by a space and then a value (50 seems to be quite a good one). The turtle will now move much more slowly enabling you to see the whole procedure taking place much more clearly.
The command slowdraw can also be incorporated with other commands e.g. slowdraw 50 repeat 4 [fd 50 rt 90] "
Logo Resources
A good place to start is the LadyBug (Ladybird) maze.
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_141_g_1_t_3.html?open=activities&from=grade_g_1.html
Using Logo to construct simple shapes - Lesson plans
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/subjects/numeracy/logo/
NRich Logo challenges
http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=1533
Microsoft Windows Logo
Textease Logo
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/textease/resources/
Education City are offering every Kent School a free 8 week trial from 14th
Jan until the 10th March.
All Kent schools will be sent a login and password
by Education City via email and also through the post.
Existing customers are entitled to a 10% discount if they renew their subscription. New subscribers will receive a 25% discount, if orders are placed before the end of the trial period.
Any further questions please visit www.EducationCity.com, phone them on 0870 350 1860
Please Note:
Products highlighted on the Kent Teachers blog are those recommended to us by schools and/or where suppliers have offered significant discounts to our schools. It is not our intention to tell schools what to buy and we acknowledge there are many other equally good products available. Schools should conduct their own evaluation of hardware / software prior to making decisions about purchasing.
BETT 2008 has thousands of educational ICT products and services on display, live demonstrations and a range of exciting show features.
What impact will visiting the show have on your school?
Please share with us your favourite new products/software or any other information you found out when visiting this years show. Please leave a comment below.
Bett Awards anounced
Don't forget to also check out the Winners of the 2008 Bett Awards. If you're thinking about how you will spend your 2008 e-Learning Credits, it's a good place to start! http://www.bettawards.com/
An interesting preview for Teachers TV..
or worst still Eastenders (not!)
All is not lost - you can download programmess you have missed on the BBC providing you download them within 7 days.
Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/
You can store programmes in your library for up to 30 days.
To troubleshoot any problems downloading programmes or minimum specifications needed visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbiplayer/.
Andy
Mike Trodd, at Cecil Road Primary school, has written an easy to use guide on how to download YouTube videos using Realplayer.
Videos need to be downloaded at home because YouTube is blocked at school. They can then be put onto pen drives and either re-imported into RealPlayer back in school or, since the saved video stays as Flash video, can be inserted straight into SMART Notebook (version 9.5 or later) or ActivePrimary.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/ict/multimedia/RealPlayerDownloadInstructions.pdf
http://www.filmstreet.co.uk/
FilmStreet is a partnership between CBBC, British Film Institute and other publicly-funded organisations. It contains resources to support the use of media in the renewed Literacy Framework. The site aims to promote three strands of learning: film making, creativity and ‘cineliteracy’ – i.e. reading and responding to the moving image. Teachers will find plentiful advice on integrating into lessons, differentiation and the inevitable technical aspects.
Children can explore freely, for example to make simple animations, dress characters in appropriate costumes, and view films made by other children. This is an excellent site to use at home to support a media-based project at school.
You can even go into a cinema to watch movie trailers … I could go on! Note that you may see screen messages inviting you to download updates, such as QuickTime7. Depending on your installation, you may be able to cancel these and still see the trailers.
Helen Smith
Monday 7 January 2008, BBC One 8.30pm,
E-Safety is a key area of concern and something that Kent has been working hard on over the last year, to ensure the safer use of the Internet in schools.
For those of you who are unaware, Panorama is highlighting the problems our society faces with using the Internet and how it is being misused to groom children through social networking sites. Thus highlighting the need to ensure that children are taught how to use the Internet safely.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/7107918.stm
Don't forget you can find all the Kent resources (including policies, useful weblinks and parental leaflets) at:
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/ict/safety.htm
An ideal game for all those of you who get frustrated with your laptop or PC. Follow the link and see if you can top the leader board. How on earth can you get 900+ points?
www.laptopdrop.co.uk