Mark Merrywest writes:

Cant find anything to announce it on the ICT front page, but there are two new SOW on Fronter for year 7 and 8 this term is anyone wants to use them

 

Year 7 is Internet Safety – based on a questionnaire and learning excel skills as well

Year 8 is a healthy eating advert – developing planning, picture editing and animation skills

 

Anyone is free to use, adapt or suggest changes.

 

 

Podcasts: Ben Williamson on computer games and education; Keri Facer on 'reimagining teaching for the 21st century'
Two new podcasts in our series intended to disseminate some of the ideas and research presented by Futurelab at external events. Ben focuses on competing arguments about the role of computer games in supporting educational goals, while Keri discusses the current orthodox views of the future of teaching, and argues that these are inadequate.
Further details...

We've been reading the new 'Inspired' Newsletter from Futurelab. It's very interesting and we thought you might like to know about it if you didn't already.

Issue 1 October 2008

It can be subscribed to here: http://inspired.futurelab.org.uk/

Richard

KS3 Tests scrapped for 14-year-olds

Massive change for schools but what are the implications for us in ICT?http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7669254.stm

Will it affect our target setting? Some schools use FFTand the English, Maths and Science KS3 tests to set their targets at KS4. What will it mean to you in your school. Do email or add an comment and tells us. 

CPD for you

The last Strategy Advisers Network meeting focussed on staff CPD. All of you have an entitlement to, and a responsibility to undertake CPD.  Look at the Professional Standards for Teachers on page 3, paragraph 8 which states, “All teachers should have a professional responsibility to be engaged in effective, sustained and relevant professional development throughout their careers and all teachers should have a contractual entitlement to effective, sustained and relevant professional development throughout their careers.”   What do you want this to look like? How do you want it structured? Where do you want to do it? You need to start thinking about the answers to these questions. Please add your comments or emails us your feelings.   

Networks 

Wendy Styles, our new ICT Adviser is meeting OCR representative Matthew Neivens on the 6^th November as a precursor to setting up an official OCR Network with the Nationals as the main focus. This will start early in the Spring term 2009. We will keep you posted. The DiDA Network has got quieter over the last few sessions. What do the teachers of DiDA want to do about this? Teachers of other exams could respond here as well. Do you want meetings and contact details between the relevant schools involved in your exam? Please email or add your comments on these subjects. 

e-Safety 

Cyberbullying – Notre Dame has created a Cyberbullying lesson you can all access at:
http://www.ndhs.org.uk/article.asp?reference=48501016071027

while the video for your own lesson is on:
http://www.digizen.org/cyberbullying/fullfilm.aspx 

Ceops- Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre - official support site:
http://www.ceop.gov.uk/ 

Thinkuknow official pupil support site:
http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/11_16/default.aspx 

Hope to see you at the SLDM on:13^th November in the PDC or 14^th November in the West Norfolk PDC (WNPDC)

http://elearningstuff.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/can-i-legally-download-a-movie-trailer/

This came through on the OCR Nationals mailing list.  It covers the legal aspects of downloading material (also part of Unit 1).

The downloading and use of material had been part of a recent discussion.

The information about school target setting has just been sent to your head teachers and you will be pleased to know, that KS3 ICT L5+ and L6+ are part of the list of targets that schools have to discuss with their SIP.  The information sent to head teachers can be found here.

We had some cracking presentations when subject leaders shared their approach to teaching sequencing in our Summer meeting.  We know that some of you are working on games as part of the ICT curriculum in KS3 and some of you might also do this as part of KS4 Vocational Course.  Could we encourage you to take a look at this Futurelab project and perhaps contribute?

 Games and Learning
Forming part of our work programme on 'Harnessing Technology: Next Generation Learning' (in partnership with Becta), the Games and Learning project aims to stimulate discussion and develop new intelligence on the use of computer and video games for learning. Please help with this project by sending us your case studies, and/or completing an online survey (carried out by European Schoolnet).
Further details...

 

You can find the first Norfolk ICT Subject Leader Podcast here.  Introducing Joe Plachcinski - Regional Adviser for ICT (National Strategies) and some questions about functional skills.

 

RSS

Two further documents have now been made available for download:

 1 - Functional Skills Amplification (QCA)

 2 - IT Diploma Specification from EdExel

Hope this helps. 

Gamemaker was mentioned at the last subject leader meeting at a price of £50. Could you please post a comment to this if you are using it or a suitable alternative.  Please include URL.