IMPACT - SWGfL Digital Literacy

We all know why 'we do what we do', however, it is always very powerful to recieve a letter like the one I received yesterday -

Dear Ms ---,  Mr Spracklen and Mr ----

We are writing to thank you for the Internet safety work that you've been doing with class 6 because it has been directly responsible for keeping our daughter safe in what could have been a nasty incident recently.

--- had an app on her kindle called "talking Tom" where you speak to a cartoon cat and it repeats your words back in a squeaky voice. We agreed to her getting some linked apps including "talking Angela" (Tom's friend) mistakenly thinking they were the same. In fact, the cat holds a conversation with your child and asks them questions.

Another parent alerted me on Facebook to rumours that the apps have been implicated in asking children sexual questions and asking them for personal details. We just explained to --- that people might be using the apps wrongly so we had decided to delete them. We asked her casually if the apps had said anything that made her uncomfortable. --- then told us that "Angela" had asked her repeatedly for her name and address and put her under considerable pressure to provide information. ---- said that because of the Internet safety work you've been doing at school she knew she shouldn't give this info so when the app pressurised her she gave a made up name and logged off.

We just wanted to thank you so much for giving --- the help she needed to stay safe. Needless to say we've deleted the apps and logged it with Kindle support. We try so hard to monitor what our children do online but this one slipped under our radar.

We're going to use the links you provided today at the briefing to have some more conversations at home about staying safe online.

Yours

----

Create project for #Year7MathsChampions

Before half-term, I set my Year 7 Maths Class (#Year7MathsChampions) the following challenge -

HOMEWORK - To create a maths video (it could even be a Maths music video) using one of the topics we have covered so far in Unit 4, 5 or 6 as your inspiration. Videos should be no longer than two minutes long and could be made using tools such as WeVideo, POWToon or YouTube Editor. You may work in groups to complete this challenge.

This homework is not due in until Wednesday (26/02/14), however, already the standard of work coming in is great! Just check out the below -

As you can see, the bar is set firmly high and I look forward to seeing the other entries from my #Year7MathsChampions.

Google for Education Presentation at #BETT2014

 

The below video shows my first of two presentations for Google at BETT 2014. In this video I talk about rolling out the UK's Largest Deployment of 1:1 Chromebooks here at the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy.

10 Things in School That Should Be Obsolete

Love this post available at http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/07/10-things-in-school-that-should-be-obsolete/ - it highlights ten things in school that should be obsolete.

The post highlights things we are working towards here at the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy, I recommend reading this to refresh the memory.

For reference, the ten points raised as things that should be obsolete are -

1. COMPUTER LABS.
2. LEARNING IN PRESCRIBED PLACES.
3. TEACHER-CENTERED CLASSROOM.
4. ISOLATED CLASSROOMS.
5. DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.
6. SCHOOL CORRIDORS.
7. TRADITIONAL SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
8. DARK, INDOOR GYMS.
9. INSTITUTIONAL FOOD SERVICE.
10. LARGE RESTROOMS. 

Thank-you @TimRylands - #GAFE #Chromebook

Big thank-you to the legend Tim Rylands (@TimRylands) for the below Tweet which highlighted the great 3D Tin to me.

As Tim's website (check it out at http://www.timrylands.com) says, '3D Tin is a 3D model maker that runs in Chrome or Firefox browsers, and does not require any installation. Design your object, using coloured blocks, use the smoothing tools to make things less chunky than your original collection of voxels, then save your creations online. All functionality is available for FREE (as long as the sketch is shared under Creative Commons)'.

This can use HTML5 so works across many platforms, and can even work offline.

Choose 3D shapes from a huge library of templates and add them to your sketch, through a fairly intuitive interface. It is also possible to save your model, in some common formats, so that you could even send it to a 3D printer.

For us at IPACA the site also support Google sign in (IPACA email) and for use with the MakerBot 3D Printers - STL file export.

Build - LEGO®

A half-term treat has to be checking out Build - the largest LEGO® set the world has ever seen. Build has been developed with the latest web technology in Chrome.

Build is a place for everyone to imagine, create and explore building with LEGO bricks online!

Safer Internet Day 2014

We had a very successful Safer Internet Day 2014 here at the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy. As an Academy, we joined hundreds of other organisations across the UK in promoting the safe and responsible use of technology. To celebrate the day, students of all ages took part in a range of activities including website design, computer science and social media exploration. Year 9 students, Kellcie, Katie, Jude and Callum even popped up on the BBC sharing their work -

Safer Internet Day helped us build on the continuous programme of e-safety which is embedded in our all-through PSHE, Citizenship and Computing curriculum.

Love this idea

Another great story from one of my favourite website - http://www.springwise.com/ - Cisse Trading Co. includes QR codes on its baked goods and hot drinks that enable customers to send a message to the farmers that harvested the ingredients.

Consumers don't often have an intimate knowledge of where the food they buy at the supermarket or consume in restaurants comes from, but we have seen efforts to greater inform customers, most recently with the Harney Sushi restaurant, which details its sustainable fishing practices through edible QR codes on the meals themselves. Going slightly further, however, Cisse Trading Co. is now including QR codes on its baked goods and hot drinks that enable customers to send a message to the farmers that harvested the ingredients.

The company focuses on Fairtrade chocolate-based desserts and cocoa beverages, whose ingredients are sourced from the Organic Growers Dominican Foundation (FUNDOPO) in the Dominican Republic. On each box or packet, a QR code can be scanned to take customers through to the company’s Facebook page, where they can leave a message to the farmers. Cisse then sends the messages along to members of FUNDOPO.

The idea is a fairly simple one that helps create a greater connection between its customers and the people that make their food. Could companies even go so far as to set up direct contact with farmers themselves, initiating a two-way dialogue between creators and consumers?

Website: www.cissetrading.com

Contact: www.cissetrading.com/get-in-touch/contact-information

#DLChat - Mixed Age Learning

Tonight saw the long overdue coming together of two exciting groups here at the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy. It was a pleasure to take Digital Leaders from Royal Manor Campus down to Osprey Quay Campus to take part in 'Community Computer Fun'.

Community Computer Fun is already a very successful club which has been running since October 2013 in West Base at Osprey Quay Campus. The concept of the club is simple, young learners (many of whom are also Digital Leaders) showcase the technology they are using to their parents/wider family. It's wonderful to see young children leading the learning of their parents on things such as iPad Apps, Chromebooks and even a little Computer Science work here and there.

To read more about the club, check out this West Base Blog post.

In particular, tonight I was really impressed to see lots of mixed aged learning taking place. You can see some of this learning in the below photograph -

 There were a range of activities going on in the base tonight, including but not limited to young learners showing to their parents and in one case their grandparent how to use an iPad Mini and young learners and a Secondary Digital Leader making a stop-motion animation using iMotion HD. I also saw learners of all ages playing the Banana Piano (Makey Makey) and a young learner showing a Secondary Digital Leader how to make a game using 2DIY (Purple Mash). In addition to this, lots of other fun web-based activities were on display on the Chromebooks.

We are looking forward to making this a regular trip every Thursday for the foreseeable future.

Seren - Presentation

 
On Monday 3rd February, I joined colleagues from the Chesil Education Partnership and Dorchester Education Schools Partnership at Wey Valley School for a presentation on 'Seren'

Martin Baker, Foundation Governor for the Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester welcomed us and talked about 'collecting information and organising it' and how technology can be used to support this. Martin shared his four 'C's' -

Questions -

- Compliance
- Connectivity
- Cost effective
- Collaboration 

Mike Foley, Headteacher, Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester shared the challenges he believes school's face in this current climate -

- Standards Agenda - continued push from Government.
- Teaching and Learning - ICT hasn't changed teaching and learning!?!
- Partnership working - importance of schools networking together.
- Money - crisis in Post-16 funding.

The day was full of product demonstration, much of which I believe could be delivered for free. I won't use this platform to go into detail though.

What was nice was hearing from colleagues where ICT is making a real difference to teaching and learning - like we all know it can!