Norfolk Learning Platform.

Norfolk Learning Content Network.

Update on APP.

Functional Skills.

New GCSEs in ICT.

Subject Leader Network.

New A Level Network.

IT Diploma Network.

My Illness.

Norfolk Learning Platform.
The main component of this is Fronter, which has now been made available to 38 schools, in which its use is consistently increasing as staff develop their expertise. At least one more secondary school will start using Fronter this academic year, as will all five PRUs. Our leading schools are reporting significant benefits to teaching and learning, as well as to whole school organisation. Contact Pip if you have any questions about your VLE use.

Norfolk Learning Content Network.
Increasing numbers of networks (groups of schools) in each phase have gained significant funding from the NLCN being managed by Johannes. Even with the comprehensive publicity of the project via the web, Twitter, e-bulletins, Fronter news as well as actual meetings and networks, we still need more of you to think of innovative ideas for resources and courses to develop for Norfolk. If you cannot find the answer to your questions on the various support sites and materials contact Johannes for help

Update on APP.
Many schools are starting to make good use of the database and are getting to grips with building more opportunities for assessment into schemes of work.  We are looking to develop this during the next project meeting on Tues 2nd WNPDC and Fri 5th March 2010 Norwich PDC. Have you checked the APP Resources recently? Last change was to the ICT Database in December 09 but Wendy is still working on it

Functional Skills.
Sec Ed have released a Functional Skills supplement in their newsletter It is now in the general Functional Skills Room. The ICT FS folder will be closed off shortly and the materials will only be found in the FS Room from then on. This is because we view the collaborative aspects of FS make separate information points uneccessary. The FS material seen on the Strategy Managers’ Briefing day will be being placed in the FS Room. Don’t forget the final Draft specifications are out or just about to be released
5th Feb 2010 was the final submission date for FS specification accreditation by Ofqual for the examining bodies. The decision date is the 19th March so we will know by Easter.

New GCSEs in ICT.
Specifications for new ICT GCSE courses have now been approved for AQA, OCR and Edexel.  Edexel seems to be the exam board of choice in Norfolk, for those departments offering an academic qualification at KS4.  Most departments are offering a vocational qualification and some are increasing the breadth of the curriculum offer with additional units for from which the students choose.

Subject Leader Network.
Our termly subject leader network will take place at West Norfolk PDC on March 29th and at City Academy Norwich on March 30th.  We are looking forward to trying out some ideas of using the flexible learning space provided by the ‘Future Zone’ at CAN.  Please book with Anne Mitchell.

New A Level Network.
Kim Williams at Wymondham College is running the first A Level Network for us in Wymondham College at1:30 on the 15th March. A number of schools have already booked with Anne Mitchell. If you do A Levels you need to do the same. We think it could follow the same pattern as other succesful Networks with self-help groups starting up and discussion of current issues and their solutions supporting the further improvement of our A Level results.

IT Diploma Network.
We are holding our first IT Diploma network for all practitioners involved in delivering the IT Diploma in Norfolk.  The meeting will take place on March 23rd at the PDC in Norwich.  We will be joined by SSAT Diploma support experts, who will give advice on the extended project.  We will also join colleagues from Cisco virtually to discuss a diploma visit opportunity to their headquarters.

My Illness.
I would like to pass on my thanks to all of you for your kind comments when you heard of my illness especially those whose videos I will treasure.
For those of you who are unaware and think I’m losing it even more than normal and for those of you are know a little but are curious, I have an inoperable Cancer with secondaries which, thank goodness, is very slow growing. Physically I am as fit as ever, but no one is certain about the duration of this state of well-being. Because of this I am, as the old pop star says on leaving the Identity Parade round on ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’, considering my options. I’ll keep you all posted. Richard.

There are some useful new resources from the strategy available on the website:

Three new sets of materials covering Handling data, Problem solving and Evaluating have been added to the Removing barriers to progress in ICT series. Using video clips from classrooms, these materials illustrate a range of approaches to help strengthen this key area of ICT capability.

This is organised by NAGC and entrants must make a video clip of what it means to them to be gifted and talented in today’s society. The clip must contain our It’s Alright to be Bright! four line wording and should be original, humorous and have universal appeal.

Please find more details here:YouTube Competition.pdf

GCSE ICT 2010 | Draft Specifications Online

The E2BN Annual Conference is being held this year on the 23rd & 24th June.

For those of you who are not aware of it this is a mini BETT or NAACE with lots of focussed and interesting seminars for teachers, more time for sensible conversations and for seeing equipment and software. Its free because we are part of E2BN; they provide our broadband and all the resources we can access on it, which you can see here as well. There is a Dinner on the Tuesday night which the sponsors provide. Accomodation cost is £85 for the night.

I guarantee you will find something to interest you. Richard.

http://www.conference.e2bn.org/  is the main site and points to the booking page.

http://conference.e2bn.org/article.php?ID=52  to see what other teachers think about it.

Inspired Newsletter

The new ‘Inspired’ from Futurelab has interesting material in as always. Here’s just some of the ones for ICT:
·          X48 game camp Participants were asked to work to a brief that enabled them to showcase games that might move beyond traditional puzzle and shoot-em-up formats and open up new and interesting 'conversations'.
·          Postgraduate courses in Computer games technology research at The University of Abertay Dundee.
·          Using augmented reality technologies to help a latter-day Macbeth enabling him to negotiate the corridors of his castle while seeing and interacting with computer-generated images projected on top.
·          Alternative/Improved(?) web searching using Kosmix.
·          There's a succinct account of the recent BSF conference held in London on Futurelab's blog, Flux.

There’s loads of other stuff as well, for many different areas.

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...