Last week I had the pleasure of working with the Digital Leaders at Cadoxton Primary School in Barry, South Wales. We looked at and explored Kodu . They all had a copy to take home, to begin to investigate for themselves. Our options in school were limited at the present time, as the school is developing an innovative PC network, based on Windows Multipoint Server and powered by Solar Energy, which sounds amazing and will be fantastic and innovative resource when the installation is completed.

So we discussed Kodu, I did some demos and we thought about what skills they might employ to develop computer games.

Here are two initial reactions from Rhys and Tegan, two of this great and talented group of pupils.

Last Wednesday I worked with Microsoft using a programme called KODU . KODU is a programme were you create your own video games .I enjoyed using KODU because it was like I was a professional programmer. When we learnt how to work it we created our own game. I liked it when we found out how to score points because I want to challenge anyone who might play my games. Now we have KODU on our memory sticks we can access it at home it is amazing.

and

I attended a Kodu workshop with Microsoft, I enjoyed Kodu because it was an easy, interesting and engaging way for me to create games it used lots of colours and the design was cool. The character (Kodu) was adorable. It was amazing making him turn pink! I liked the fact that you had to use lots of computer keys in the game. It was interesting to program the Kodu, their simple sentences used some confusing language! I loved the fact that we could use it at home as well as school. It had a wide variety of characters suitable for boys and girls. Overall I was ecstatic that I could make create and design my own using the Kodu software.

Thanks to all the Digital Leaders at Cadoxton Primary School , I look forward to hearing a lot more from you in the future.

Following on from our last Power Up tip for PowerPoint ( which was a while ago now !) This is another great idea,so that you don’t have to exit your presentation to let students share their ideas during a lesson.

It’s really useful to collect feedback and ideas from students during a presentation and add that to the slide deck. Usually this means jumping out of a presentation, typing the text on a slide, then returning back to the presentation. But there is a really simple way of doing this without having to leave your presentation.

Firstly, You need to find the Developer Tab in PowerPoint. This does not appear by default in PowerPoint 2007 & 2010. You need to go to Options and add it to your Ribbon. Once you have done this you will have a number of new tools available to you.

Select the Text Box (ActiveX Control). Click and drag to create a text box on your slide. Now you need to change it’s properties. Do this by right clicking on the box you have just created and select properties. From the list that appears change the following properties.

Dragbehaviour – enable this, it will allow you to drag text to other boxes. In the slide show highlighting and dragging the text will allow you to move it to another box. Great for organising ideas.

EnterKeyBehaviour – Select True , to allow the use of the enter key to move down a line

Multiline – Select True, to allow separate lines of text

TabKeyBehaviour – Select True, to allow use of the Tab key, great for creating lists

You might also think about changing ScrollBars to Both, just in case the amount of text exceeds to the box size.

Once you have done this for one box, right clicking and copying and pasting it , creates more boxes with these properties very quickly. Combine this with additional text and graphics and you can create a motivating way of collecting ideas from students.

Any text added to the slide can be saved by simply saving the presentation. This means it can be used for  review, revision and reflection in other lessons.

After the great success of the previous Microsoft Partners in Learning Teacher Camps, we are taking the event on the road – this is an open invitation to all Teachers in Wales. So if you want to spend time with other great innovative educators, then this is an ideal event for you. This is possibly some of the best CPD you will ever get.

Camp Wales takes place at Willows High School, starting 4:30pm - 8:00pm Friday 29th and finishing 9:30pm - 3:00pm Saturday 30th June 2012.

This event is free to attend.

What will I be doing at Camp?

We will give you training in using free Microsoft apps to create teaching and learning resources for the classroom. You will have time to design, create and evaluate those resources and collaborate with others. You will also get the chance to speak to experts and award winning teachers about our technology. In addition you will also be learning how to deliver the same training to colleagues in your own schools.

These resources will take the form of screen capture videos, which we call Innovids. You can see examples of these on the Partners in Learning YouTube Channel – www.youtube.com/innovativeteach

How do I apply?

We don’t want videos or lengthy biographies from you, to apply for this free event, just email three tweet-esque type statements (140 characters or less) to Gareth Ritter – ritzertech@hotmail.com before the closing date Monday 18th June. These statements should be ideas of how you would, or are using Microsoft technologies to support learning across the curriculum. For example:-

· using conditional formatting in Excel to help visual learners in numeracy

· using PowerPoint to create animated flicker books

· using the Songsmith to create mobile ringtones

Also include details of your school, subject expertise and pupil age range in your application. We will select 25 applicants who will be notified by 22^nd June 2012.

I am not an ICT teacher is it worth me applying?

Yes, most definitely, we are looking for classroom innovators in learning, rather than techie whizz kids. This event is targeted at those Teachers in Wales interested in teaching and learning, and how technology can support that, rather than the technology itself. This event is for teachers in Primary, Secondary and Special school settings.

What will I need to bring?

We expect you to bring some of the tools you are using already:

a headset with a microphone or Headphones and a Microphone

a laptop running Windows Vista or Windows 7,

Office 2007 or 2010 (not essential)

We will send you a list of tools to download and install when we confirm your attendance.

What will I be expected to do?

We will help you create two innovid resources, including the one you will create on the course. We will collect those resources and post them to our YouTube Channel.

We will offer you support if you wish you recreate this course in your school and you will receive a certificate welcoming you as a Partners in Learning Innovative Teacher and more ideas about how to enhance pupil through the use of technology.

There are still 8.1 million adults in the UK who have never used the internet and, along with a lack of interest, the cost of getting a computer and internet access is a barrier for millions of people. Research has found that nearly half of the people do not use the internet are on low incomes.This could be having a profound affect on the students in your school and their ability to access and engage with their learning online.

Get Online @ Home the initiative led by Microsoft looks to provide affordable reconditioned PCs and laptops to people who may not have been online before, is now offering a reconditioned Windows 7 PC for just £99 [£49 to those on benefits] or a reconditioned Window 7 laptop for £149 [£119 to those on benefits], when taken with TalkTalk Essentials Broadband and Phone at an exclusive price of just £5 a month.

The scheme is backed by UK Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox’s new organisation Go ON UK which aims to bring the benefits of the internet to every individual and every organisation in every community across the UK. 

All Get Online @ Home PCs come ready to go ‘out of the box’ with Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft software for documents, emails, messaging and pictures, in addition to Microsoft’s free security software. Users will also benefit from TalkTalk’s free award winning HomeSafe™ security service, which is built into the broadband network itself.

This deal is only available by calling the specially trained Get Online @ Home team on 0800 090 1297 to have any questions answered and make it as easy as possible to get started.

UK Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox said:

“Of the 8.1 million people in Britain who have never been online there are 5.5 million adults over the age of 50. We know that the cost of buying and connecting a PC is a significant barrier and so being able to offer a PC with a year’s broadband for under £160 will be a lifeline for many. With more support like that of the Get Online @ Home team, we will build the digital skills of individuals and communities across the UK.”

Since its launch in March 2011, over 4,500 Get Online @ Home ‘Plug & Play’ PCs have been supplied to people across the UK with 90% of these going to low income families on benefits. Within this group, 24% have gone to single parents in the 18-30 age bracket with 15% for single pensioners over the age of 65. This programme is now genuinely achieving its aim of reaching those who need the extra support most.

Dido Harding, CEO of TalkTalk, said:

“The internet connects and entertains, educates and informs – it even saves money. Yet we know that for some people the upfront cost of getting online can be a barrier. We believe that every family has the right to access safe and affordable broadband and, as the UK’s leading value for money provider, this belief is at the very heart of our business. By teaming up with Microsoft to offer a best value computer and broadband package we hope that more people will be motivated to take their first steps online.”

For more information, please go to www.getonlineathome.org or call 0800 090 1297.

From today, Wednesday 25th April, Get Online @ Home will be teaming up with TalkTalk and SimplifyDigital to offer its best value PC, broadband and phone bundle ever.

So what is the offer?

For a limited time only, anyone can buy

-a reconditioned Windows 7 PC with 12 months of fast, reliable broadband for just £99 [£49 to those on benefits] when taken with TalkTalk Essentials Broadband and Phone at an exclusive price of just £5/month

-or a reconditioned Window 7 laptop with 12 months fast, reliable broadband for £149 [£119 to those on benefits], when taken with TalkTalk Essentials Broadband and Phone at an exclusive price of just £5/month.

This will be available to both those on benefits and those who are not. In other words anybody here in the UK can take advantage of this great offer.

This makes it an ideal option for Parents looking to support their children with an extra PC for their homework and is something your school could support them with. Firstly by letting Parents know about these offers, so why not put the links on your school website or portal. Or mention it in the next Newsletter. Let your student councils and your Digital Leader groups know. Also, if you know of any charities, let them know, as they can take advantage of this offer too.

To date, over 4,000 PCs have been supplied to people across the UK through Get Online @ Home and research tells us that around 90% of these computers go to low income families on benefits. This programme is genuinely achieving its aim of reaching those who need extra support most.

For more details go to the Get Online @Home site -

There are many things I don’t understand, but that doesn’t stop me admiring the brilliance of those that can solve problems using advanced logic and mathematics.

I have already mentioned that 2012 is ‘Alan Turing Year’ and to celebrate this centenary, a group from Nottingham University have developed a collection of one-person games played on a Turing tape. ( What is a “Turing tape” ?)

The games have infinitely many instances; the team will be posing a large number of them for you to solve in the coming weeks and months. The website shows an example and has the details of the competition.

So if you are looking for a real challenge for your Maths and computer science students then why not register for this competition. The competition has three categories for pre-university, undergraduate and postgraduate students and the first prize in each category is £150.

….. and if anybody can tell me how these things are solved in a simple sentence then I would be most grateful. Enjoy!

Today marks the end of an era. For those that have followed this blog over the past few years you  will know of the active involvement and support of Dan Roberts from saltash.net community school in Cornwall for Partners in Learning. Dan aka @chickensaltash is moving on to bigger things and today is his last day at his school.

Dan has been an avid supporter of Partners in Learning and Microsoft education and has illustrated time and time again how the work we do adds value for teachers and learners.

We have shared many adventures of the past 5 years, many we have shared on this blog and others, well the least said about those the better . On behalf of myself, Microsoft UK Education team and your Partners in Learning friends and colleagues around the world. Thank you Dan, it’s been a joy and a pleasure. Keep in touch.

Please join me in wishing Dan all the best in his future endeavours, either leave a comment on this blog or tweet him @chickensaltash with the hash tag #msftpil

Have you heard of TALIS?, if not, I bet you have heard of PISA, the worldwide evaluation in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries of 15-year-old students scholastic performance, performed first in 2000 and repeated every three years. It is coordinated by the OECD with a view to improving educational policies and outcomes.

So what is TALIS? another PISA?, we were lucky to have an explanation at our recent Partners in Learning European Forum in Lisbon. One of the Keynote presentations was from Senior Analyst at OECD, Kristen Weatherby. ( Yes, that is the very same Kristen that used to hang around with the Partners in Learning UK Team.)

In her presentation, Kristen was clear that the OECD believe that effective teaching and teachers are key to producing high performing students. TALIS is the Teaching and Learning International Survey and is the first international survey to focus on the learning environment and the working conditions of teachers in schools. She also made the point that this survey is not about ranking teachers and their performance. The OECD plan to use the data to :-

•Analyse data based on research questions that correspond to country priorities.

•Provide international data comparisons for countries.

•Examine implications of data for education policy.

•Look at the conditions that promote effective teaching.

During her Keynote, Kristen presented some of the types of questions that could appear in future surveys. The audience was asked for their response and the outcomes discussed.

Why not try the sample survey for yourself at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QJSPBJC – I will publish the results on this blog in a few weeks.

For me, the most surprising findings for these questions that Kristen elaborated on, were the responses to the questions ‘

For the professional development in which you participated in the last 18 months, on average, how much did you personally have to pay for? ‘   and

‘What impact did the professional development activities have on your teaching?’

The pilot survey found that most effective professional development teachers said they had experienced was that they paid for themselves. Which is very interested in a world where Twitter is often quoted by Teachers as ‘the best professional development I have ever had’

So what do you think? Is TALIS going to help Governments form and devise policy to support teachers to implement effective teaching, or like some sceptics have suggested, will it be another stick to beat the profession with. Your thoughts and comments would be most welcome.

This year is the Turing centenary,  So, to commemorate this BCS has launched a BCS Education Bursary www.bcs.org/bcsbursary

The idea of the British Computer Science Education Bursary is to promote the importance of computer science as an academic discipline. Schools, further education colleges and universities in the UK can apply for funds of either £500 or £1000 that will help them deliver training or support projects that will encourage learners to benefit from computer or computing related studies.

Examples of the sort of thing they might fund: Set up an after-school club; Fund a teacher day out with an IT professional; Run an entrepreneur group for undergraduates; Book a teacher on a training event.

To apply, complete the online application form and tell the BCS about your proposed project and how you plan to measure its success.

There will be something like thirty to fifty of these, so if your interested make sure you get the application in on time. The closing date for applications is 1st June 2012.

How many have heard of the organisation Apps for Good? 

Their goal is to

• Ignite a passion for technology and social enterprise in young people in the UK
• Encourage young people to use technology to tackle problems for social good
• Increase the entrepreneurial skills and confidence of young people
• Bridge the gap between young people and the business networks and knowledge that can help them
• Build a connected world of young people, business volunteers and educators, inspiring each other to solve problems and succeed through the wonders of mobile technology

You may not have associated Microsoft applications and programmes as having a role to play in this programme,  but at Shireland Collegiate Academy in Sandwell, West Midlands,in September 2011, Year 9 students began an innovative approach to learning in the ICT and Design Curriculum by adopting the Apps for Good programme.

The Apps for Good course allows students to use a unique 5 step approach, to think about solving a local problem, with the help of mobile technology. It allows students to investigate and experience the Marketing, Audience Business and Enterprise aspects of the wider world. 

Apps for Good helps teachers approach ICT and DT teaching differently, as it helps bridge the gap between young people and  business networks. Students have access to technology professionals who give advice and feedback to student ideas.

Apps for Good has helped Shireland Collegiate Academy look differently at their provision of Design and Technology and its relationship with ICT and DT,making them rethink their whole curriculum delivery model. They are looking at various pathways to shape a new model and naturally develop and extend the changes that Apps for Good has brought with it. One possible way forward that is being considered from September 2012, is to run Apps for Good alongside Microsoft .Net Gadgeteer, as they see the connections between the two technology solutions in their school.

Microsoft .Net Gadgeteer allows students to use an open-source toolkit for building small electronic devices using the .NET  Framework and Visual Studio/Visual C# Express. This allows students to learn about the Mechanics and Science behind the technology they use.

Through this innovative approach students gain an appreciation of the collegiate nature of project work and the need to reach consensus. They benefit greatly from the ability to concentrate on a single project for a period of time and to iterate improvements. And as Shireland is also a Microsoft IT Academy, Microsoft Technology Accreditation will be used on the programme and students will be able to boost their technology skills as well as career opportunities.

They are also seriously considering the new Microsoft AQA Computer science GCSE qualification as a different avenue that students can gain a useful qualification through. It builds on the work the students in Year 9 have already undertaken in Apps for Good such as learning how to design, create and develop their own mobile apps to solve real-world problems and run these on mobile devices.

Along with resources that Shireland are utilising, you may want explore the potential of all Microsoft’s development tools, which are free to students through the Dreamspark programme . It includes free programming environments, that would be ideal for students to create their own Apps

So if you are interested in offering Apps for Good, applications for school partners for 2012/3 are currently being accepted, with a deadline of 30th of April 2012.  To find out more about the course and how to become a partner, visit  http://appsforgood.org/course/apply/.