Happy New Year
A happy New Year to all of you! I hope that you had an enjoyable and restful Christmas vacation and are settled back into work…
Learning and Technology World Forum 2009
“The future growth and stability of our global economy depend on the ability of education systems around the world to engage all students in learning and prepare them for 21st century careers in a rapidly evolving digital context.” Michael Stevenson – Vice-President, Cisco Global Education
I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to attend the first ever Learning and Technology World Forum delivered by Becta (the UK government’s lead agency on supporting technology in education) on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The forum incorporated and built upon the success of Moving Young Minds, an international ministerial seminar that has grown in influence over the last five years. In 2008 Moving Young Minds drew participation from over 60 countries – with those present representing over two thirds of the world’s population.
The Learning and Technology World Forum 2009 involved closed sessions for ministers and open sessions for leading practitioners and policy makers in schools, colleges and universities.
The forum’s overarching theme was ‘Next Generation Learning’ which encompassed the streams of “Leadership for the 21st Century, Skills for the 21st Century and An Education Workforce for the 21st Century”.
The Learning and Technology World Forum 2009’s website is at www.latwf.org/ and if you’d like to take part in the dialogue that began at this forum consider opting-in to http://latfw.getideas.org/. This is a growing online community where educators from around the globe come together to discuss the next steps toward global education transformation. You can learn and share your views on 21st century curriculum, assessment, leadership, pedagogy, technology, and more.
Over the next few blogs I’ll summarise some of the sessions I participated in as my mind rationalises all that I heard and what it means for learning in Suffolk.
In the news…
Special education – Lend an ear to this idea
Parkside are in the news again! As the TES says, “Technology is keeping children at a pupil referral unit connected, no matter whether they are in a classroom or a corridor.” Read more here.
Rose Review
I realise that this was published on the 8th December so apologies for the delay in bringing it to your attention. Kat at St. Louis says, “Read the bit after subheading “Primary Podcasts”….” in this BBC report.
You can download Sir Jim Rose’s interim report of the Primary Curriculum Review from here.
New Study Shows Time Spent Online Important for Teen Development
Thanks to Pat from BT for bringing this to my attention. A report published by the MacArthur Foundation concerning Teens and Digital Media and Learning states that, “Results from the most extensive U.S. study on teens and their use of digital media show that America’s youth are developing important social and technical skills online — often in ways adults do not understand or value.” Find more details here.
Jobs…
Teacher of ICT at Farlingaye High School, Woodbridge
MPS – Full time – Permanent
Closing date: 23 January 2009
Conferences and Courses and Competitions…
Subject Leader Network Meeting #12
BT have kindly offered to host our next Subject Leader Network Meeting on Monday 23rd March in the Hubble Rooms at Adastral Park. We’ll begin at 09:30 (coffee from 09:00) and aim to finish for 16:00. Book online here – course code SIT002S.
Schools Computer Animation Competition 2009
Check out this website for details of The University of Manchester’s UK Schools Computer Animation Competition in 2009. The competition is run in association with Electronic Arts and the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. You can create your 1 minute animations using Alice, Scratch or Flash. The competition will be launched on 19th January 2009 with the deadline for submitting entries the 1st May 2009. The Film Show and Prize-Giving day will be held at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry on 26th June 2009.
Resources…
BETT 2009 Wiki
I’m guessing that at least some of you will have had the chance to visit BETT this year. What did you find? What would you recommend? I’ve set up a resources wiki for you to share your thoughts with your fellow teachers – start collaborating at http://suffolkict.wikispaces.com/BETT+2009+Recommended+Resources.
Information, Advice and Guidance
Are you looking for sector specific information, advice and guidance (IAG) for Communications and IT? Pat at BT has pointed me towards Big Ambition at www.bigambition.co.uk. If you’d like some background on the site check out this BT press release.
And finally…
Trying to find something new and exciting to do with Excel? How about making a timeline for various historical periods or documenting events in a person’s life (for historical timelines, genealogy projects, school reports, etc.)? Go to J.W. Wittwer’s “How to Create a Timeline in Excel” from Vertex42.com, Sep 2, 2005, http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelArticles/create-a-timeline.html.
Have fun!
Kathryn
