Having endured some fairly dreadful ‘initiatives’ in my time, delivered from on high with the directive to ‘make it work’, I approached Iterate with some trepidation.
Read MoreClick the cover to see this on Amazon (affiliate link)
4 Ways to come up with innovative ideas for teaching Computing
To borrow from Dr Johnson, I find that most innovative ideas in Computing I read about are both new and exciting. Unfortunately, the ones that are new are not exciting, and the ones that are exciting are not new. It’s all very well “pushing the boundaries”, but all that does is give you more of the same.
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Innovation fund cover, by Terry Freedman
Constraints can be good for innovation - Updated!
UPDATED! Constraints may not always be a bad thing, and sometimes can even be positively advantageous.
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Bett 2020, by Terry Freedman
Bett2020 Neo Learning Management System
Reflections on the Neo Learning Management System, and on implementing a learning management system in general.
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Picture by Mohamed Hassan on Pixabay. Licence: CCO
Creating a culture of innovation, #6: Attend talks
Why attending talks can be a good way of fostering innovation, and six things to consider before you do so.
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Photo by Stevepb on pixabay.com. Licence: CCO
Creating a culture of innovation, part 5: Budgets
In part 5 of this series on creating a culture of innovation, we consider another aspect of delegation, and a special type of fund.
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Start a teachers' reading group. Picture from Pixabay.com Licence: CCO
Creating a culture of innovation, part 4: Spreading good practice
Where are you most likely to discover good practice? And how can it be spread more widely?
Read MoreCreating a culture of innovation, part 3: Delegate
How far are you able and willing to take a back seat, and let others take important decisions?
Read MoreCreating a culture of innovation, part 2: Make The Professional Development Interesting
In this, the second part of our new series on creating a culture of innovation, we look at why it's important to make professional development activities interesting, with some ideas on how to do so.
Read MoreCreating a culture of innovation, part 1: Conferences and exhibitions
How, as leader of Computing in your school, do you create a culture of innovation, ie of trying out new things? This is what we explore in this new ten-part series.
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Writer, by Waldryano. CC0 licence.
What I've been writing: articles around education technology: innovation, parental engagement, teaching programming and digital illiteracy
Here are links to a few articles I've written recently. They cover parental engagement, innovation, how to teach computer programming and, finally, "digitally illiterate and proud of it".
Read MoreThe future of the teaching profession
Why is it so hard to recruit teachers? I attended a Westminster Forum conference in the summer of 2016. This looked at the key issues of teacher shortages and professional development. This article contains my reflections on some aspects of the conference. It's not about ICT or Computing in particular, but given the acute shortage of Computing teachers it does, I think, provide some additional food for thought.
Read More5 minute innovation in education technology
What can you do in five minutes that is different? How can 5 minute innovation be useful in education technology?
Read More10 ideas for Computing or ICT lesson routines
Things may be going great, so why change them? You know the old saying: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
But there's another point of view too: who wants to become ossified? Read on for a few simple ideas to try now.
Read More9 Approaches to assessing Computing and ICT–#4: A Mastery Approach
The DfE recently announced the winners of its Assessment Innovation Fund.Over the next week or so I will report on the winners and the descriptions of their approach. These descriptions are more like thumbnail sketches at the moment. I have used them to suggest ways in which they might be adapted for use in assessing ICT and Computing. I hope you find these suggestions useful, or at least a good starting point for your own further work.
Read MoreIn each case I have kept the text of the DfE’s announcement, and then added my thoughts under the heading “Applying this to Computing and ICT”.
Today: A Mastery approach.
9 Approaches to assessing Computing and ICT–#3: A Scoring System
The DfE recently announced the winners of its Assessment Innovation Fund.Over the next week or so I will report on the winners and the descriptions of their approach. These descriptions are more like thumbnail sketches at the moment. I have used them to suggest ways in which they might be adapted for use in assessing ICT and Computing. I hope you find these suggestions useful, or at least a good starting point for your own further work.
Read MoreIn each case I have kept the text of the DfE’s announcement, and then added my thoughts under the heading “Applying this to Computing and ICT”.
Today: A scoring system.
9 Approaches to assessing Computing and ICT–#2: The ladder
The DfE recently announced the winners of its Assessment Innovation Fund: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/schools-win-funds-to-develop-and-share-new-ways-of-assessing-pupilsOver the next week or so I will report on the winners and the descriptions of their approach. These descriptions are more like thumbnail sketches at the moment. I have used them to suggest ways in which they might be adapted for use in assessing ICT and Computing. I hope you find these suggestions useful, or at least a good starting point for your own further work.
Read MoreIn each case I have kept the text of the DfE’s announcement, and then added my thoughts under the heading “Applying this to Computing and ICT”.
Today: The Ladder.9 Approaches to assessing Computing and ICT–#1: Skills Passport
The DfE recently announced the winners of its Assessment Innovation Fund. Over the next week or so I will report on the winners and the descriptions of their approach. These descriptions are more like thumbnail sketches at the moment. I have used them to suggest ways in which they might be adapted for use in assessing ICT and Computing. I hope you find these suggestions useful, or at least a good starting point for your own further work. First one: The Skills Passport
Read MoreT is for … Tablets
I think all sweeping generalisations are bad, including the one I am about to make. But you know what? I think I’ll make it anyway, and here it is:
A school that says they are implementing a tablet programme is doomed to failure.
You can substitute “ipad”, “Bring your own device” or some other similar kind of term for “tablet”, the result is the same.
N is for … New Technology: 5 Reasons You Should Buy It
I suffer from an unfortunate form of doublethink. In my personal life, I tend not to be an early early adopter. That’s because I rarely have an urgent need for whatever it is the new technology has to offer. However, when I was head of department in a school, and then when I ran a team of advisors and technical support staff in a local authority, I was very keen to spend money on brand new stuff.
Why?