First, a quick translation. What we Brits call an ICT Co-ordinator, our American cousins tend to refer to as a Technology Co-ordinator. It’s all very confusing, and would never have arisen had the USA not broken away from us a couple of hundred years ago. But I digress.
Rules of Engagement
Do we need gimmicks, new-fangled techniques to keep kids engaged in lessons?
10 Ways to Use Voting Systems
Electronic response systems. A good resource, or a waste of time?
In a recent post, Stephen Downes says
Computers in Classrooms September Issue Out Now!
Conference concessions, book bargains ... where will it end?
Read MoreIs The ICT Curriculum Too Masculine?
One of the apparently insoluble problems of the age is how do you encourage more girls to take up ICT or Computing? I think a lot can be done, and have done so myself, but I wonder how far a lot of the effort fails to get to the heart of the issue, which could be the curriculum itself, the way it is taught, or a combination of the two?
Shining Eyes
It’s said that the difference between secondary school and primary school is that in secondary school the teachers teach subjects and in primary schools they teach children. There’s probably some truth in that, but
Read MoreIs Net Neutrality a Good Thing?
In essence, the term “net neutrality” refers to the idea of everyone having equal and unfettered access to the services provided by internet service providers (ISPs), but in recent years it has often come to refer more specifically to tiered services and pricing. Basically, some people and companies advocate reserving fast internet traffic to those who are willing to pay, whilst everyone else enjoys a free, but slower, service.
Read MoreThe Danger of Stats-Watching
I don’t think statistics relating to the number of visitors to a website or blog are the be all and end all, but they’re important for at least three reasons.
In Praise of Entropy
Entropy, as I’m using it here, is a synonym for chaos or, at least, disorder. We strive against the onset of entropy in our lives, and nowhere is this more so than in our attempts to control the learning environment. That sounds eminently sensible. Is it?E-Moderation
It is a matter very much to be regretted that, over the years, management types have usurped perfectly innocuous phrases and converted them to euphemisms or, worse, their precise opposites.
Read MoreDo the Same Thing Differently
We’re always exhorted to do something different, but what if the basic principles of what you’re doing are pretty sound? Perhaps sometimes putting old wine into new bottles is better than producing new wine.
Automatic Writing?
The technology I crave has yet to be invented. A fairly frequent conversation in our household runs thus:
Me: I wrote an article on the way home today.
Mrs F: Ooh. Let’s read it.
Me: It’s all in my head at the moment.
Mrs F. It’s a pity we can’t print your head.
7 More Rules for ICT Teachers, Co-ordinators and Leaders
All over the country, indeed all over the world, ed tech evangelists are bending over backwards helping, training and cajoling their colleagues into adopting the use of technology in their own curriculum area. Let’s be honest, most of the time it’s a thankless task. The hapless ICT Co-ordinator
Conference Concessions and Other Goodies
As last year’s Handheld Learning Conference drew to a close, I wrote one word in the notebook I carry with me at all times: “Exhilarating”. I’m therefore delighted that Graham Brown-Martin has kindly offered subscribers to Computers in Classrooms a 10% discount on the booking fee –
Read MoreIs Freedom Always a Good Thing?
As you may know, there’s a bit of a revolution going on in the UK as far as education is concerned. Schools can apply to become
Yes, But What Do I Actually Have To Do?
I read an article about writing yesterday. It contained information about how to succeed in one particular genre. It included quotes and tips from some established experts
Making It To Christmas: Starting Well
Well, the new term -- indeed, school year -- has started or is about to start, so you may think it is somewhat premature to be thinking about Christmas already!
However, in my experience the autumn (Fall) term is the toughest of the lot, and the final few weeks can be purgatory.
Formalising meetings
Meetings should be run in a professional manner. I've written quite a bit about how to make meetings more effective and purposeful, but mainly from the perspective of the whole team. There are, however, more personal reasons to make meetings more formalised.
Friday Photo: Cycle Hire
In London we now have a cycle hire scheme. The idea is to get people going by bike rather than car, bus or train. Not a bad idea