Kent ICT Blog

We have mentioned Ictopus (ICT online primary user support) several times before and we know many Kent teachers are using it.  However, just in case there are some teachers who have not discovered or have not used Ictopus for a while here is a gentle nudge:)

By subscribing to Ictopus (it's FREE!), you will receive the weekly Sharing Good Practice magazine, which is intended to be printed off and displayed in the staffroom.  There is also a regularly updated newsblog, a set of classroom activities and a copyright free picture gallery. These resources are all archived on the website. Ictopus builds on the Becta Direct2U service and also the legacy of MAPE (Micros and Primary Education).

Jo Rickards, teacher at Sellindge Primary School and author of Sebastian Swan, wrote the following in this weeks issue of the Sharing Good Practice magazine:

"Having been on a bit of a career break for the past four years, discovering that actually teaching is easier than having your own children, it was with great relief that I found out about the ictopus website.

Everything in education changes, but the rate of change in the use of ICT in the classroom over the past four years has been quite extraordinary. Just before I left for my first maternity leave, I was teaching ICT with the whole class round a single monitor and accessing the internet through an unreliable ISDN line. Now I am back in the classroom part-time and everyone is happily using interactive whiteboards, broadband internet and accessing the school network from home…incredible really.

The quantity and quality of teaching resources now available on the Internet has also astounded me. Luckily I found the ictopus website. It was simple enough not to feel overwhelming and very focussed, so I felt that the quality of resources was guaranteed! Then after reading my first Sharing Good Practice I felt that my dreams had been answered. Simon Haughton’s article on using spreadsheets in a Theme Park investigation (SGP53) was a complete inspiration."

To read more, please register on the Ictopus website and start receiving ICT ideas every week in your email inbox.
(Simon can be followed on Twitter @simonhaughton )

Are you looking for inspirational ways of using ICT in your classoom?
Visit  www.ictopus.org.uk  and register today to receive each week a six page printable magazine and a set of activity suggestions via your email.

Mandy :)