Kent ICT Blog

There's a new metal detectors page on Kent NGfL. It includes instructions for how to use the metal detector and downloadable .pdf files for printing.

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/metalDetector

Ideas include shape bingo, bear bingo, phonemes on shells and ordering numbers to 20.

Watch out for metal in your tables and chairs. These ideas are best used on the floor.

Plea from a Kent teacher:

"I'm setting up a computer club for my school but was looking for ideas to include. If you have any projects or sessions that have been really successful in your school please can you leave a comment. Thank you."

Ideas submitted on a previous post about Computer clubs

Free Computer Clubs for schools
http://www.cc4g.net/

Practise Touch Typing using the BBC site or other software.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

The Teaching Ideas website has an article from a school who has created computer games during their ICT club.
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/ict/creatingcomputergames.htm 

Visit the homepage of the   Kent ICT Blog

Our website is  www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/

Hopping down in Kent

www.hoppingdowninkent.org.uk

We have chosen Hopping Down in Kent because hopping is mentioned in Nigel Hinton's story "Beavers Towers: Mission to Kent" which he wrote especially for Kent schools. On Thursday 23 October, this story will be read out in many schools in Kent to celebrate the National Year of Reading.

The Hopping Down in Kent website explains what hop farming was and about the life of thoses who came down to Kent to pick the hops. The site contains worksheets and videos for use in the classroom.

Attendance at ITN meetings this term has been especially healthy and ICT Consultants look forward to meeting attendees again in the Spring. 

Schools experiencing slow speeds i.e web pages taking a long time to load, should contact  KCN helpdesk   (01622 206040) or kcn.helpdesk@kent.gov.uk

Problems identified and being worked on

Slow surfing results
Schools in West Kent may recently have been experiencing slow surfing results, this is now believed to be resolved. 
Please let the KCN Help Desk know if you are still experiencing problems.

White error page
A white error page with the message ‘client error: url requested was filtered’ and is currently under investigation. 

Google Maps
Some schools have identified a problem accessing images on Google Maps. They see grey squares in parts of the map. This problem is being investigated. If you are experiencing technical problems using Google Maps please  contact KCN Help Desk(01622) 206040

Over 30,000 copies of the Childnet cyberbullying film 'Let's Fight it Together' have been ordered from the DCSF order line but there are approximately 3,000 left. These are free to order for schools.

If you have used this film and guidance in your work and can spend a few minutes to complete the online evaluation form, you can find this at http://www.digizen.org/cyberbullying/film/feedback.aspx

Over 85,000 users have viewed the film online and there are now subtitles included on the online version at http://www.digizen.org/cyberbullying/fullFilm.aspx.

With the support from BECTA and the DCSF a further half a million copies of 'KNOW IT ALL FOR PARENTS' CD Roms have been duplicated and are ready for schools to order free of charge from today. See news announcement at http://www.childnet.com/news/articles/091008.html

The new version includes updated sections on Cyberbullying, Social Networking and a short overview on 'Where to Report'. As with the earlier version, all the content is presented in video format with links to wider resources and pdf leaflets which parents and teachers can download from the disc.

All this content has also been updated on the Childnet.com website see http://www.childnet.com/kia/parents/cd/ If you have any questions about ordering please email the Childnet team at info@childnet.com

The K12 online conference starts this week and will continue until the end of the month (see the Conference programme for further details).

This free online conference provides educators with an engaging, ongoing learning experience without time constraints. It is a unique professional development opportunity for teachers to engage with ideas and technologies that are having a real impact on 21st century classrooms.

The entire conference is being delivered as downloadable digital media via the Internet with over 40 sessions presented in four strands:

• Getting Started,
• Leading the Change,
• Prove It, and
• Kicking It Up A Notch.

For more information, please visit http://www.k12onlineconference.org/

To subscribe to the K-12 Online Conference Web feeds visit
http://k12onlineconference.org/?page_id=147 

It Simply Isn’t the 20th Century Any More Is It?: So Why Would We Teach as Though It Was? by Stephen Heppell
Watch the video at http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=268

Elastoplast Stories

www.elastoplaststories.co.uk

Elastoplast, the sticking-plaster manufacturer, has designed a fun website for kids. The idea behind the interactive micro-site is that every injury tells a story. Pupils can let their imaginations run wild, by adding brears, crocodiles, dinosaurs and little snippets of text to create fantastic animated stories.

The site is easy to use with a simple click and drag of choice of background, creatures, people and of course plasters on to each of story panel. You can even personalise your panel with the editing tools.

See a cool example called 'The Escaped Giraffe' (he's made of plasters of course) for inspiration.

"Using ICT to inspire a creative approach to writing - Emerging from the Myst." 

For Key Stages 1, 2 and 3

This new and exciting Kent writing project has been inspired by the work of Tim Rylands, who has gained notable recognition for using the games in the Myst series to inspire children’s creative confidence in many areas of the curriculum e.g. creative writing, speaking and listening, music and art. Myst’s wow factor, engages children of all ages and gender with boys finding it particularly motivating. It immerses children in a world using sound and images of very high quality.

Click here to find out more about
the Kent Myst writing project.

Book today to avoid disappointment

Tim Rylands will be running a whole days workshop at the Hop Farm near Paddock Wood on 19 January. Due to the popularity of Tim's work we can only offer a maximum of one place per school. Places are going fast already.

To book a place:
Please email /fax the booking form to joanne.harber@kent.gov.uk or Fax to Jo Harber 01622 759648

Download Flyer for the whole day workshop

Download the Booking form

Major new research into the use of Web 2.0 technologies, such as wikis, blogs and social networking, shows that young learners are prolific users of these technologies in their leisure time, but the use of Web 2.0 in the classroom is still limited.

Click here for more details

Definitions

Web 1.0 - In the beginning, the internet was a place where books, newspapers and music all moved into a digital format. The internet was read only place.

Now we have ....

Web 2.0 - Sharing of ideas and resources between people and websites. People communicating and interacting with websites and websites communicating and interacting with other websites. The internet has become a read and write place.

Just around the corner is ....

 Web 3.0 - The internet is becoming a more personalised place as computers become more intelligent and are able to talk and think in a similar way to humans. It is known as the Sematic Web.
David Cearley, vice president of emerging trends at the technology-research firm Gartner, sums up Web 3.0 well when he described it  "as something that will allow the Web to understand itself". This is the future, our future and it is just round the corner.

The Prime Minister has announced top line details of the Home Access project which will see some £300 million spent on providing computers and broadband internet access to families so that children can enhance their learning at home.

Click here to find out more

The Primary ICT and Hands on Support Team are looking for examples of projects / activities which have had a positive impact on pupils outcomes.  Do you have a case study you would like to share with us?  If so please contact Heidi Barton by email at heidi.barton@kent.gov.uk or telephone 01622 203800 ext 292.

Becta are conducting some research into the views of Headteachers, ICT Subject Leaders and Teachers on ICT CPD.  If you would like to share your views and so inform future strategy in this respect you can go to www.e-ictaudit.org/survey

Embedding ICT across the curriculum

Kent Weather Watch 2008-9

A project for primary and secondary pupils around the UK and the World

Following the success of Kent Weather Watch we are pleased to announce that the project will be continued to July 2009. Managed by a Team of county Leading ICT Teachers and Geography AST’s schools participating in the project will have the opportunity over the coming months to:

• Use ICT to creatively share information about the weather in their local area with schools in and outside the United Kingdom
• Compare and contrast the climate in different locations around the world
• Investigate how changes in the weather can affect the everyday lives of all living things

Weather Watch Launch flier

Click here to find out more about the Weather Watch Project

World Wide Collaboration

The Weather Watch 2008-9 Digital Photograph competition

Weather Watch 2009 – How to Register

Schools planning to take part in the project should complete and return the registration form or visit the Weather Watch 2009 website to register online.

Registration Form

Click here to register online

All details about the project will be posted on the project microsite.

Once schools have registered they will receive a microsite login and password. Teachers will also note that each school in the project will be given a web page where they can publish information and pupils work for other schools to view.

Weather Watch Special Events Day

The Project Team plan again to organise Special Events days throughout 2009 to show how ICT can be embedded across the curriculum. The first of these days will be a repeat of the very successful “Operation Storm Warning” in February 2008.

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/weatherwatch/

Free Entry! ------- WIN A PRIZE -------- Free Entry!

Click here to download the flier

Introduction | How to participate | How to submit photos | Curriculum links

The Weather Watch 2008-9 Digital Photograph competition is open to all pupils aged between 5 and 16 who attend a school in the county of Kent. Between now and Friday 7th November 2008 pupils are encouraged to upload add digital images to the National Education Network Weather Watch Gallery.

Copies of the digital images taken by the winners and runners-up in each category will be published on the Weather Watch website after Monday 10th November 2008. An email and letter with details about how to collect prizes will be sent to each pupil later that week.

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/weatherwatch/photocompetition.html

Spelling City

www.spellingcity.com

Spellingcity.com is a free spelling tool that can help make the teaching of spelling more exciting. With online spelling games, spelling reviews, and spelling quizzes, pupils can memorise their weekly spelling words while having fun.

In the practice test, students click to hear the word and a sentence containing the word. They type in the word and check for correctness. Pupils login with the class information to access that weeks spelling list. They also have the option of creating their own lists.

You could use your interactive whiteboard to play games with a whole-class weekly spelling list. You could also use the website in various other subject areas to teach keywords e.g. science terms.

To get the most out of Spelling city, you should register. It is a free service. Once registered pupils will be able to log on at home, and involve their parents in the learning process.

N.B This is an American site so remember their Grades are different to our Year Groups. Also if you decide to use any of the many pre-made lists you will need to check for American spellings.

By now Leading Teachers, ASTs and Hands on Support Providers will have received invitations to our Leading ICT Teacher Conference on  20th November 2008.  We are delighted that Russell Prue will be delivering a keynote presentation entitled:

Russell is an award winning ICT evangelist, author, inventor and entrepreneur. He has been working in learning technology for over 23 years and is one of the most engaging speakers in education today, described by the Times Educational Supplement as ‘the best known ICT evangelist in the UK’.

Russell’s presentation “Transformational Learning – looking at free technology that improves learning” will appeal to both primary and secondary colleagues.  He will be taking a refreshing look at how we could use new social networking technologies in our learning and teaching spaces.  Russell will propose new learning strategies and then demonstrate live how colleagues may like to use them.  It is all about making ICT more learner centric, engaging learners on their terms using their technology, which is often available FREE.