This is a brilliant video called the Machine is Us.  It explains web2.0 by using web2.0.  Very inspirational.

To view it click here

This edition of Global Messenger coincides with two very important events, the G8 Summit and Father’s Day!

Contents

Communicty.org Update

British Council / Global Gateway Update

Global Dimension Update

Oxfam Cool Planet Update

Sustainable Schools Update

SSAT / iNet Update

Art for Life: Bridging the Digital Divide

Survival International

Global Dates 

Communicty.org Update

Global Dimension in ICT - We recently did a project to create leaflets about the right to education and learning to learn.  We used a blog to share ideas with some schools in the USA and used photos of school life from our link schools in Malawi.  We finished the project with a flashmeeting video conference to Summit High in Cincinnati.

Personalising Data - We’ve created a number of ICT resources using real data instead of imaginary scenarios.

British Council / Global Gateway Update

Etwinning Toolkits - A useful list of teaching ideas for a variety of subjects. There is also a comprehensive list of reccomended etwinning web tools to enable students and teachers to communicate with eachother.

Learning Together - A special free booklet on the European dimension.

Sports Zone - How sport brings countries together

Global Dimension Update

Hot Topic: Trade - A quick start guide to global trade with links to resources.

Case Studies - Find out how other schools have brought a global dimension into their

New Resouces - An update of all the new resources on Global Dimension.

Oxfam Cool Planet Update

G8 - A collection of resources on the key issues concerning the G8 meeting this year

Oxfam School Speakers - fully trained to help pupils aged 8 to 18 explore a range of

issues including poverty, health, education and the work of Oxfam.

Our Food, Our World - A free photopack of resources for 5 - 9 year olds

Oxfam Unwrapped - Lots of unusual gift ideas for Father’s Day!

Sustainable Schools Update

TeacherNet -  An area of their website is now devoted to promoting sustainability in schools.  Links to information, resources and events.

UNESCO - Guidelines on bringing sustainability into teacher training.

SSAT / iNet Update

iNet Primary Conference 3/7/7 - practical advice on developing or sustaining partnerships to enrich teaching and learning

iNet International Conference, Beijing, 18-20/9/7 - How educators can respond to the effects of globalisation?

Art for Life: Bridging the Digital Divide

ELearning 4 Africa has launched an Africa wide art competition for children between the age 5 - 11. Each child may submit a one page drawing or painting about the chosen topic.  Topic: Life in my country. Closing Date: 31 July.  For more information contact el4a@technowledgeable.com

Survival International

Survival International helps tribal peoples defend their lives, protect their lands and determine their own futures.  Their website has a digital storybook called There You Go  to explain how tribes are being wiped out by development.  

Global Dates

World Environment Day - 5.6.7

Father’s Day - 17.6.7

World Refugee Day - 20.6.7

World Population Day - 11.7.7

International Day of Peace , Notre Dame Peace Resources - 21.9.7 

Subscribe/Unsubscribe

Global Messenger is also available as a enewsletter that comes out once every 3 months.  To subscribe email global@notredamehigh.norfolk.sch.uk.  Global Messenger is made in association with Norfolk Education for Action and Developement (NEAD), Norfolk LA and Notre Dame High School, Norwich.

The NSPCC is encouraging young people using online social networking sites to speak out about child abuse as part of its new Don’t Hide It initiative which was launched on 14th May.

See: http://www.donthideit.com/

Earlier this year the NSPCC ran a self-selecting online survey on www.Habbo.co.uk . Here’s a quote from the NSPCC online press release:

“There were 2,053 responses from young people (1,187 boys and 866 girls). 1036 had an unwanted experience online. 1071 used social sites at least once a day.

When asked for their top reasons for using social networking sites the poll asked young people to choose as many options as they wished. Top reasons were:

• Making new friends (1824)


• Connecting to friends I already know (1630)


• Improving communication skills (1324)


• Finding people like me (1315)


• Getting advice from people my age (1288)


• Knowing I’m not alone (1194)


• Sharing problems with people my age (1098)

3. 1094 children said they had used social networking sites to support a friend having a rough time; 1061 said they had used social networking to find support when having a rough time.”

For more, visit: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/whatwedo/mediacentre/pressreleases/2007_14_may_nspcc_urges_children_to_stary_safe_

 

Click on image to view a pdf of the leaflet

It is clear that technology has a significant role to play to inspire and motivate our learners.  We all know that WWW stands for World Wide Web.  However, many schools have yet to realise its true potential for bringing the real world into the classroom.  Communication is literally at the heart of ICT.  Sadly, students are often given tasks involving made up situations rather than being given the opportunity to communicate with a real audience for a real purpose.

In the past students at Notre Dame High School, Norwich did a project to research and create leaflets about their school.  They included information about the history of the school and subjects they learn.  The ICT skills they demonstrated were fine, but their sense of audience and purpose was very limited.

This year we adapted our leaflet unit by making it more personal.  We asked the students to think about how they learn best and what makes a good teacher.  They shared their ideas by adding comments to a blog post set up for free on edublogs.org.  We also invited children at our link school in the USA to contribute their ideas.  We gave our students a digital camera and asked them to take images of the school from their perspective.  Students at our link school in Malawi took photos of their school using disposable cameras and we uploaded them into a digital gallery using bubbleshare.com.  Our classes then did some basic research about the universal right to education and why it is such a valuable part of our lives. 

With all of the ideas and information they had gathered themselves, the students created leaflets on the right to education and learning to learn (see examples learn1 | learn2 | learn3 | learn4 | learn5 | learn6).  The best examples have been sent to our link schools.  The students helped to make the selection, thus providing a real reason for peer assessment.  The project culminated in a flashmeeting video conference between children at both schools to discuss and compare school life.  A recording of the conference was put onto a blog post and the students contributed comments to give feedback on the experience.

We did a student voice online survey using SurveyAtSchool at the end of the project to research whether giving their work a real purpose and audience motivated them to produce better quality work.  According to the analysis 78% said that sharing their ideas on a blog helped them to write better ideas.  88% said that having a real audience gave their work a clearer sense of purpose.

Enabling students to research real issues, create real resources and communicate with a real audience gives their work a real purpose.  The improved quality of our students’ work proves that this motivated them to produce their best.  So, if you want to inspire your learners, remember to Keep IT Real!

 

Click on image to view a pdf of the leaflet

How much does it cost to feed a penguin?

Creating a budget for a zoo is how many schools teach students to create and use a spreadsheet.  It is an easy way to demonstrate how formulae can be used to calculate totals and work out how to make a profit.  However, why study a place that does not exist and data that is probably made up?

According to 2020 Vision Gilbert Review and research produced by EPPI Centre ‘pupils are more likely to be engaged with the curriculum they are offered if they believe it is relevant and if they are given opportunities to take ownership of their learning.’  To make the vision a reality, teachers need to shift their focus from what they teach, to learning more about who they teach it to.

Achieving the vision with ICT

In fact, many students are already personalising their learning.  ‘By the age of 21 the average person will have spent 15,000 hours in formal education, 20,000 hours in front of the TV and 50,000 hours in front of a computer screen’ (Futures of learning Seminars, Future Learning Practice; seminar report June 2005).  Young people are using technology informally to learn about real issues that interest them. The challenge for schools is whether they can catch up with their students!

Using real data

Instead of creating a model for an imaginary zoo, our students research all the ways they use water during an average day and calculate how much they actually use (see water unit).  We then tell them that the water budget for a child at our link school in Malawi is only 20 litres.  They then interrogate the model to find out ways to reduce their water budget.  This really engages the students, as they are keen to find out how much water they use and the importance of using less. 

We used to teach correlations by showing how to make scatter charts plotting height against shoe size of 100 children that did not actually exist.  Trying to make sense of the data also led to rather embarressing questions such as what else can relate to your shoe size?!  Instead, our students now use web sites such as the World Factbook to access a wide range of up to date national statistics.  They explore the data independently to look for possible correlations such as life expectancy and GDP, or literacy rates and GDP etc. (see national statistics worksheet).

A good way of generating real data is by using an online survey tool such as SurveyMonkey or SurveyAtSchool.  Our students create their own surveys on energy use at home.  They analyse the data, then suggest ways to use less energy.  They also create a survey to compare the lives of young people in the UK and USA.  This year we had 1298 children in both countries complete the survey (see blog post).

Our KS3 students learn about confusion marketing in mobile phone contracts (see modelling unit).  They are able to create models and use online databases to work out the best deal for the number of minutes they use.  At KS4 we go on to teach students about personal finance using software called Adding Up To A Lifetime.  Activities such as how to understand interest rates and compare bank accounts have also proved useful, not only for students but their teachers too! 

Making the 2020 Vision a reality

It is clear that technology has a significant role to play to inspire and motivate our learners.  WWW stands for World Wide Web, however, many schools have yet to realise its true potential for bringing the real world into the classroom. 

We started using online surveys using surveyatschool as a teaching tool to generate real data for our students to analyse (see online surveys post).  We then realised that we could use the same tool for us to find out more about the ICT needs of our students and teachers.

Student Voice Surveys

We have created two surveys that all our KS3/4 complete each year.  The How am I teaching Survey gives our students the chance to suggest ways that we can improve the curriculum and how we teach it.  Looking at the trend from the last 3 years, it seems that the students are becoming more positive about ICT as a subject.  A strong opinion has been that what we teach them needs to be relevent to their lives today, not how they may use ICT in the future.  We have tried to address this by enabling students to create websites about what interest them and creating a survey about teenager lifestyles in the UK and USA.

We also run a survey to find out more about how our students use their computers at home.  It is startling to see how quickly and how many of our students have gained access to broadband.  It is also heartening to see them use their home computers increasingly for school work.  This will have a major impact on the sorts of new activities that we can expect students to do as homework, such as wider research on a specific issue.

Teacher ICT Audit Survey

I was asked to create a survey to audit trainee teachers to help them identify their ICT training needs.  I also created a paper based version.  It is interesting to note that most of the skills are what we expect our students to be able to do by the end of KS3.  It is scary to realise that most teachers have less ICT capability than the average Y9 student!

This edition of Global Messenger coincides with QCA’s Secondary Curriculum Review.  It is very exciting to note that the need to enhance teaching and learning with a global dimension has been put firmly on the agenda.  Read below for lots of ideas on how to make the vision a reality.

Contents:

The right to a real education, leaflet project for KS3 ICT

QCA Secondary Curriculum Review, Global Dimension

Global Dimension Website Update

SSAT iNET, Student Online Conferences

British Council Etwinning, Quality Label and Awards

Send My Friend, Education Campaign

New Writing Partnership, Poetry Competition

Oxfam, New Catalogue

Plan-ed.org Website Review

Global Dates

www.communicty.org The right to a REAL education

I recently wrote an article about how to motivate students by enhancing the curriculum with a global dimension.  It includes a KS3 ICT unit of work I’ve written to create leaflets about the right to education.  There is also a blog that students can contribute comments to on learning to learn and digital image gallery of school life in the UK and Malawi.

www.qca.org.uk Secondary Curriculum Review

QCA have launched their review of the KS3-KS4 curriculum.  Their goal is to “Develop a modern world-class curriculum that will inspire and challenge all learners and prepare them for the future”.

A key way to bring learning to life is by setting it within a global context.

View QCA’s ideas on adding a global dimension and cultural understanding and diversity.

To share your views on the review complete QCA’s online survey.

www.globaldimension.org.uk/ 

The 22nd March is World Water Day, so Global Dimension have put together a guide to water and recommended resources to help you get started in class. Teaching about the issues can help children to understand the importance of water, why people don’t have equal access to resources and what difficulties this presents. It also allows students to develop concern and understanding for the environment and make decisions on how their actions can influence these areas in the future.

The Global Dimension, along with seven other charities, have created a Global Village at the Education Show. Go and have a chat, check out resources and enter the prize-draw to win fair trade chocolate and teaching resources.

25 March marks the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade within the British colonies

www.ssat-inet.net Student Online Conferences

The conference on how can we protect our planet? has now been archived including resources, articles and forums.  The next online conference is How can we bring peace to our planet? A number of useful resources have already been posted to the site.  The forums will take place from 14-20 May.  You and your students can register for FREE!  Email papers and/or presentations to Debra at: brydon@cybertext.net.au

www.Britishcouncil.org Etwinning

A new feature to eTwinning is the Quality Label. This label is granted to teachers of excellent eTwinning projects. It indicates that the project has reached a certain national and European standard. Therefore, there are two labels: the National Quality Label and the European Quality Label.  Apply by 4 May 2007.

The BC have also announced the launch of the second UK eTwinning Awards. The Awards recognise high quality eTwinning projects that haven taken place in the school year 2006-07. For inspiration you can read about last year’s winners.

To subscribe to the eTwinning Newsletter email etwinning-newsletter-en-request@listserv.eun.org with “subscribe” in the subject.

www.sendmyfriend.org/

There are 80 million children who miss out on school, because of poverty. Send My Friend invite your class to JOIN UP! and remind world leaders of these children. You can be part of the world’s longest chain by making a paper chain, and sending it to the German Leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, the most important leader in Europe in 2007.

You can also take part by adding your class to the online chain. By joining the chain you will be sending a message to world leaders, asking them to spend more on education.  The site also has a wealth of resources including key facts, digital videos, lesson plans, photos and real life stories.

http://www.newwritingpartnership.org.uk/

A Young Poets Competition was launched on the 27th of February and will be running until the 27th of April. Poets between the ages of 11-25 are invited to submit poetry on the theme of refuge. An anthology will be produced and the winners will also be invited to read their work during Refugee Week (18-24th of June).

For conditions and entry forms please visit: www.newwritingpartnership.org.uk/cityofrefuge

www.Oxfam.org

Oxfam’s Catalogue for Schools 2007 is packed with more than 400 teaching

materials, offering all the resources you need to help develop your pupils’ global awareness and  cultivate the skills needed to make positive changes within the world.T o request copies of the Oxfam Catalogue for Schools, teachers should contact Oxfam on 0870 333 2700 or email education@oxfam.org.uk. Browse and order securely online at www.oxfam.org.uk/publications

www.plan-ed.org

Plan International UK has launched a new Development Education website packed with FREE resources.  Explore video clips, photos, opinions and ideas from young people across the globe.  Download clearly targeted lesson plans and activity sheets to bring the world alive in your classroom.  Read files on countries and the development issues facing them - find the most complex situations understandable. Find out about the Anti-slavery competition, launched on 6th March.

Global Dates

Earth Day 20.3.7

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - 21.3.7

World Water Day , My Water Resources - 22.3.7

Bicentenary of the Abolition of Slavery in the British Colonies - 25.3.7

World Environment Day - 5.6.7

World Refugee Day - 20.6.7

World Population Day - 11.7.7

International Day of Peace , My Peace Resources - 21.9.7 

Subscribe/Unsubscribe

Global Messenger is also available as a enewsletter that comes out once every 3 months.  To subscribe email global@notredamehigh.norfolk.sch.uk.  Global Messenger is made in association with Norfolk Education for Action and Developement (NEAD), Norfolk LA and Notre Dame High School, Norwich.

Am I bovverd?!

Have you ever stopped to think why students lack the motivation to learn?  According to research produced by EPPI Centre ‘pupils are more likely to be engaged with the curriculum they are offered if they believe it is relevant and if they are given opportunities to take ownership of their learning.’  This requires a shift in focus from concentrating on what we teach, to learning more about who we teach it to.

The 2020 Vision Gilbert Review identifies the vital role of personalised learning to ‘transform education’.  This vision of tailoring the curriculum to the unique needs and interests of every child would certainly help to enagage learners more.  However, can this vision be made a reality?

Achieving the vision with ICT

In fact, many learners are already ahead of the game.  ‘By the age of 21 the average person will have spent 15,000 hours in formal education, 20,000 hours in front of the TV and 50,000 hours in front of a computer screen’ (Futurelab Report).  Young people are using technology informally to learn about issues that interest them and share their ideas with online communities.  The challenge for schools is whether they can catch up with their students!

It is clear that technology has a significant role to play to inspire and motivate our learners.  We all know that WWW stands for World Wide Web.  However, many schools have yet to realise its true potential for bringing the real world into the classroom.  Communication is literally at the heart of ICT.  Sadly, students are often given tasks involving made up situations rather than being given the opportunity to communicate with a real audience for a real purpose.

A Right to Learn

In the past our students did a project to research and create leaflets about their school.  They included information about the history of the school and subjects they learn.  The ICT skills they demonstrated were fine, but the information they communicated was very basic and uninteresting.

This year we adapted our scheme of work by making it more personal.  We asked the students to think about how they learn best and what makes a good teacher.  They shared their ideas by adding comments to a blog post.  We also invited students at our link school in the USA to contribute too.  We gave the students a digital camera and asked them to take images of the school from their perspective.  Students at our link school in Malawi took photos of their school using disposable cameras and we uploaded them into a digital gallery.  The students then did some basic research about the universal right to education and why it is such a valuable part of our lives.

With all of the ideas and information they had gathered themselves, the students are currently creating leaflets on the right to education and learning to learn.  The best examples will be sent to our link schools.  It will be the students that make the selection, not the teachers.  This will provide a real reason for peer assessment and consolodate what they have learnt to produce a well designed leaflet with a clear sense of audience and purpose.

Keep IT Real!

Enabling students to research real issues, create real resources and communicate with a real audience gives their work a real purpose.  The improved quality of our students’ work proves that this motivates the students to produce their best.  So, if you want to inspire your learners, remember to Keep IT Real!

Links:

Alex Savage’s Blog www.communicty.org

A Right To Learn lesson plans http://www.ndhs-sites.org.uk/ICT/7.3/index.htm

Futures of Learning Seminars 2005 Report http://www.futurelab.org.uk/research/personalisation/report_01.htm

2020 Vision, Gilbert Review http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=10783

Eppi-Centre Review on Motivation and Assessment http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/Default.aspx?tabid=304

On Wednesday I am speaking at the iNET National Conference.  You can download my presentation here.

There are lots of basic, easy to use web tools to enable students to communicate safely with a real audience.  Here are some examples:

Online Survey - Our students wrote survey questions and we put them online using surveyatschool.  This year we got 1328 replies!

Blogging - We recently invited students at our school and our link school in the USA to post comments on the question ‘what is the most serious issue in the world today?’.  We did this using a free edublog.

Etwinning - With our link schools in Ariège, France we have created a virtual space to share resources.  We did this using Elanguages.

Global ICT - I have adapted some of the KS3 ICT units with a global dimension.  The lesson plans and activities are all accessable online.

Monk-e-mail - Speaks for itself!

How to

Create online surveys 

Use Flashmeeting video conferencing  

Use RSS  

Use Social Bookmarking with Deli.icio.us  

Multimedia Resources

conflict.ppt - statistics on conflict

Peace.ppt -  Quotes about peace

View from Space.ppt Quotes from astronauts after viewing the Earth from Space

Global Wombat flash video – How to get along on Earth for the next million years!

Peace One Day.wmv – One Man’s attempt for a global ceasefire day

Climate Challenge - How can we reduce global warming?

useful sites

Global Messenger - My website on elanguages.org with free downloadable resources

Global Gateway - Etwinning portal

British Council International School Award - A framework for global education in your school

Global Dimension - Links to the best global education resources

Oxfam Cool Planet - Excellent online resources based Oxfam’s work

UN Cyberschool bus - Great for UN MDGs and in lots of languages

Peace One Day – How to mark the International Day of Peace 21/9

Climate Challenge -  Pratical ways to reduce global warming

BBC Newsround - Best site for internation current affairs in child speak

My global del.ici.ous tags - To see all my favourite global links

Additional Reading

Developing a global dimension in the school curriculum, DfES

Futures – Meeting the challenge, QCA

Education for Global Citizenship: A Guide for Schools, Oxfam

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