Kent ICT Blog

The Reading is Fundamental website has lots of great flash songs and stories for children to interact with.

One of my favourites is Jungle Eyes.

http://www.rif.org/readingplanet/content/read_aloud_stories.mspx

The 2008 Make IT Happen competition is for primary school students aged nine to eleven, across the UK.  Great fun and cash prizes to be had regionally and nationally.

Regional prizes of £1,000 and National prizes of up to £4,500!

‘Make IT Happen 2008’ calls on schools to use technology to describe how they would change an aspect of their local community for the better.'

Schools are encouraged to focus on an issue they really care about, such as:

• Helping your local environment
• Connecting people around the world
• Litter problems in your local area
• Saving animals
• Road safety
• Tackling car pollution
• Preventing bullying

Entries can be in any format and can be e-mailed.  Why not try:

• a Powerpoint presentation
• electronic versions of posters
• flyers or an animated poster
• a recording of a radio ad
• videos
• a website
• podcasts
• or a combination of any or all of the above

The more creative your entry the better!

For more information visit the site: Make IT Happen

http://www.cc4g.net/makeithappen/

You have until the 13th July!

Here is a fun online activity where you draw a path for a little man on a sledge to travel along.

http://fsk.deviantart.com/art/Line-Rider-beta-40255643

James Hollis over at Teachers Love Smartboards has posted a link to a fun site that will allow your pupils to create, share, and save pictures using a "Lite Brite" online simulator.

 http://notian.net/litebrite/

Move over Google Earth and Google Sky, Microsoft is releasing a new product called WorldWide Telescope (WWT)

It looks absolutely stunning. Watch the brief video at TED, then bookmark the new WorldWide Telescope website for more details.

WorldWide Telescope will be available for FREE download in later this month. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Below are a collection of the bolgs and podcasts I visit regularly to pick up new ideas on using interactive whiteboards.

Danny Nicholas'  Whiteboard Blog.
I particularly like the idea of his 'Countdown Clock' for quickfire questions.
http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/2008/02/quick-starter-idea-countdown-clock.html 

Effective use of the Interactive Whiteboard - Redbridge Blog
http://redbridgeprimaryit.blogspot.com/2008/01/inset-fullwood.html

Teacher Tube - Promethean
Ideas for using the Promethean Activclassroom effectively
ActivPrimary http://www.teachertube.com/gvideos.php?gid=460
ActivStudio http://www.teachertube.com/gvideos.php?gid=500

Teachers Love Smartboards
Ideas for Smartboard users
http://smartboards.typepad.com/smartboard/

Smartboard Lesson Podcasts
http://pdtogo.com/smart/

Interactive Whiteboard Resources - Australian website supporting Smartboards
http://www.interactivewhiteboard.net.au/

 Smartboard Sharing site
http://smartboardrevolution.ning.com/

SMART’s YouTube channel
Dedicated to providing you with everything from tips and tricks to real stories from classrooms around the world. To view the channel visit http://youtube.com/smarttechvideos.

Becta has announced a new initiative to improve teacher’s ability to share Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) content. Currently most IWB software use proprietary file formats, meaning that content developed using one whiteboard will not work on a different company’s product. Becta have commissioned work to develop a national standard whiteboard file format to allow files to be created and shared easily. Industry will be invited to become involved in this process.

National Science and Engineering Week 2008 (7-16 March)
 
National Science and Engineering Week (formerly National Science Week) is an opportunity for people of all ages to take part in science, engineering and technology activities. As part of the celebrations a team of scientists will be answering questions posed by members of the public.

Can your pupils rise to the challenge and come up with a 'Big Question'?

To submit your question
www1.the-ba.net/thebigquestion/  (note an email address is needed.)

To find out more information
www.the-ba.net/the-ba/Events/NSEW/WhatsOn/TheBigQuestions/ 

Kent Broadband will now be centrally funded

We are very pleased to announce that, with the help of the School Funding Forum, we have developed a new, three-year funding strategy for broadband in KCC schools.  The government specified bandwidth will be centrally funded and will therefore be free of charge to Kent schools. Full details are available on www.kenttrustweb.org.uk?broadband

Schools may purchase additional bandwidth at a subsidised rate.  An upgrade to 30 Mbps bandwidth will actually cost less than the current school contribution for 10 Mbps. 

Secondary Schools

KCN has recently invested £3000 in Secondary schools with a new router and filtering server.  This year, we will upgrade Secondary’s fibre-optic connection to 100 Mbps capacity, indeed the upgrade may already be in place if you host a cluster connection to a local primary school.  We have also been able to protect schools from the big price rises for telecommunications services.  

Primary and Special Schools

Primary and Special schools are offered 2 Mbps bandwidth without charge.  This bandwidth is symmetric and uncontended, i.e. robust enough to be used by 50 or more computers.  It is expected that the 30 or so schools currently using ADSL will apply immediately for full broadband.  Higher bandwidths will be available at a subsidised rate, indeed some schools can double their bandwidth for half their contribution to KCN this year!

Kent Learning Zone - Free accounts for all school staff

Headteachers will also be aware of the interest in Learning Platforms and that the Kent Learning Zone (KLZ) builds on the DCSF requirement to make communication and collaboration tools available to every school.  I am therefore also pleased to advise that as part of the KCN offer basic KLZ accounts will be available free for school staff as part of a KLZ roll-out starting in Term 05.    For more information on KLZ please contact Richard Packham (richard.packham@kent.gov.uk) or visit www.eiskent.co.uk?klz .

If you would like to discuss broadband policy or the KCN, please contact Peter Banbury (peter.banbury@kent.gov.uk) or for technical issues the KCN Helpdesk on 01622 206040.

Regards

The KCN Team

The number of applications/tools available for free online is increasing and each one is beginning to challenge / change  the way we teach and learn.  We are moving towards an age of online software where everyone can interact, share and/or publish  in a 3-D world!

Here are some of my discoveries over the last few weeks:

Fly Paper  bridges the gap between PowerPoint and Flash.  "It is the easiest way to create, edit and share Flash-quality content that can be used for live presentations or over the Web."  Here is a sample of an interactive page someone created on Animal Facts. using the Fly Paper software. You can download the free software (beta) from the website: http://flypaper.net/ 

PicLens instantly transforms your browser into a full-screen 3D experience for viewing images across the web. The interactive "3D Wall" lets you effortlessly drag, click, and zoom your way around a wall of pictures for an extraordinary viewing experience. http://www.piclens.com/  I see this as a teaching tool. I don't think it is suitable for students.

SlideRocket.com - Currently in private beta, SlideRocket is trying to fulfill all of the features of desktop apps and adding more online features. They are accepting emails to sign up for the beta at this time. Looks very promising.