Terry Freedman's ICT & Computing in Education blog — ICT & Computing in Education

Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash — Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash

10 questions new headteachers should ask about the education technology in their school

July 30, 2018

If you’ve just started in a new school, how can you quickly evaluate how well the education technology is being used?

Digital Education: Prize Draw Extended

July 23, 2018

Good news for subscribers to Digital Education: the deadline for entering the current prize draw has been extended, for reasons explained in this article.

Illustration from pixabay.com Licence: CC0

20 Characteristics of Excellent Computing Or ICT Teachers

July 20, 2018

The people who say we can deal with the lack of Computing teachers by using ‘facilitators’, or getting the kids to learn from each other, don’t know what they’re talking about. A good ICT or Computing teacher, by which I mean one that understands what real teaching is, will do everything a so-called ‘facilitator’ would do, and more.

Arduino: The ultimate guide to Arduino, including projects, programming tips & tricks, and much more!

July 17, 2018

Here’s a quick look at a book which takes you through the Arduino.

Machine Learning and Human Intelligence, by Rosemary Luckin

July 10, 2018

Some notes about this new book, plus information about a special discount to subscribers of the Digital Education newsletter, and a great prize draw coming up.

Computing and Qualifications in the UK

July 10, 2018

The recently-published Roehampton University report on the take-up of Computing qualifications by school pupils makes for depressing reading.

Important email alert: I've moved!

July 6, 2018

Here’s a heads-up about a few changes I’ve made that temporarily caused my email address (terry@terry-freedman.org.uk) to be unavailable.

Nesta's FutureFest 2018

July 5, 2018

Here are a few highlights from this year’s FutureFest, which takes place on 6th and 7th July. Lots of AI and ruminating about the future. Looks good.

Happy 4th July!

July 4, 2018

Here’s hoping the folks in the USA have a great day.

Who are you REALLY meeting?

July 3, 2018

Is the person you’re talking to online who they say they are? Here’s a short video that ou could use to discuss this topic with your classes.

Recent book reviews

When AI can write as well as this, I'll worry! Plus a prize competition.

To paraphrase what Arthur C Clarke said about teachers, any writer that can be replaced by a computer probably should be.

Review: The Shortest History of Music -- two reviews in one!

The music programme of study requires students to possess an understanding of the music they perform and that which they listen to, as well as a grasp of music history, and an appreciation of different musical styles.

Review: The Art of Uncertainty (two reviews in one)

The Computing department would find the section on facial recognition interesting, because apart from possible ethical concerns, the fact is that even if the system has high accuracy, most of its identifications will be wrong.

Review: The Newsmongers: A History of Tabloid Journalism (two reviews in one!)

I was intrigued to discover that a popular news magazine of the sixties had been anticipated by Defoe.

Quick look: AI For Educators

There are some good ideas here, especially for prompts.

Hitler's People: The Faces of the Third Reich -- Extended review

Nearly a hundred years after the Nazi phenomenon people are still asking the question: how could apparently ordinary or, in some cases, highly cultured, people commit such terrible crimes.

Education book reviews of 2024

This pdf contains the reviews of mine that were published in Teach Secondary magazine in 2024.

Review: How I review books on edtech

My views on what constitutes a book on edtech are fairly catholic. Indeed, it would me more accurate to denote the books I review as books for teachers of ICT, Computing, digital literacy etc etc,, rather than books on edtech. The latter tend to have titles like “How to teach Computing”, or “How to use Excel in the classroom”.

Review: Nuts and Bolts: How Tiny Inventions Make Our World Work

It's rather disconcerting when one considers that buildings like The Shard are essentially held together by nuts, bolts and washers.

Review: Love Triangle: The Life-changing Magic of Trigonometry

Like, I suspect, many people, I have never knowingly come across an isosceles triangle in my life, and wouldn’t know what to do with it if I did. However...

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