Teaching Ideas and Resources

Safer Internet Day–Staying safe online, how much do Parents know?

Stu4rt — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:24:00 GMT

With technology continuing to grow and the fact that children and young adults use the internet everyday, whether it be in the classroom, at home getting their homework done before dinner or chatting to their mates whilst playing the latest game, the question has to be asked, do they know and understand their children’ online lives?

Today, CEOP will be releasing ‘’The Parents’ and Carers’ Guide to the Internet at Safer Internet Day (SID), an entertaining and light-hearted look at what it takes to be an online parent.

Think You Know have released a promotional pack which includes all the information you need to run an event for parents or activities for children ahead of SID. If you would like to download this, you can do so here, just click on the Key Stage area you are interested in.

And finally, Think You Know have launched a Keeping up with the Joneses' film, something to share with parents to get them thinking about how their children use the internet whilst ensuring they are kept safe online.

Jubilee Time Capsule–a project with the Royal Commonwealth Society

Stu4rt — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:11:00 GMT

Today commemorates the day Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne after the death of King George VI. Her coronation took place on the 2nd June 1953 and this year, on that date , there will be a weekend of celebrations to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

To mark this auspicious occasion the Royal Commonwealth Society have announced a fantastic project called the Jubilee Time Capsule . All you need to do is sign up, pick a day in the last 60 years and tell a story of why that day is important you. You can use photos, videos, words, songs, poems. The best story from each of the 22,000 days will be showcased in front of Her Majesty The Queen as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012. Could one of your students or your school be chosen?

If you are looking for some different approaches to telling a story digitally, then we have a number of free resources that can help. Have a look at this guide, Digital Storytelling in the Classroom , it has loads of tips and ideas.

Free applications such as AutoCollage, Songsmith, Moviemaker and Photostory 3 are great tools, you can download them individually from www.pil-network.com ,or if you have Windows 7 through the Learning Suite. For help and ideas in using these tools check out our YouTube Channel

So why not use these free tools with your class and students to create and tell a story for the Jubilee Time Capsule, you never know, you could be presenting it to Her Majesty The Queen.

Taking it Global–Shout Webinar–using the Kinect SDK to create applications for learning

Stu4rt — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:10:00 GMT

Want to give your students a voice? A voice of leadership? A voice that needs to be heard? Help them shout! Shout connects educators with rich content, tools and expertise that get students to take action on global issues.

New to the Shout programme this year are the Shout technical sessions. Join members of the K Team (a virtual team of teachers on the UK Partners in Learning Network and TakingitGlobal for the first session on Thursday, Feb 2 and learn how you can program and create interactive Shout games in the classroom.

The is your chance to discover and experience the work of the award winning Ray Chambers from Lodge Park Technology College. Ray has just won a Learning without Frontiers Award for Secondary School Innovation. He will share ideas and developments of using the Kinect SDK, to create applications for learning. Kinect is a webcam-style add-on peripheral for the Xbox 360 console.

This online webinar will also reveal how you can create your very own Kinect Shout Adventures game and provide educators and learners with a virtual platform to collaborate and share good practice.

Register for the free Shout technical sessions here https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Kinectintheclassroom

Participate in the wider Shout project and join the first of three interdisciplinary conferences, “Water Questions: When We Want to Learn More,” on Feb. 7-8. These sessions will be led by Smithsonian experts. Participants will gain not only a global view but also a broad perspective, from the art world to the zoo, from underwater to outer space, from current problems to future solutions. Register at www.shoutlearning.org to join the conferences.

The Learning Suite–Good things come in small packages

Stu4rt — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:20:00 GMT

We have talked about the Learning Suite in a blog post in December. But since then we have undertaken some great work around its development and it’s evolving in to great free software and resources package for schools, teachers and students.

Inspired by some brilliant thinking from our Partners Manager, Mark Stewart, we have been able to add an additional tab, that allows companies that partner with us to give away free content. We have 7 partners on board and will be looking to add more in the the future.

Here are those Partners and an outline of the resources they are offering free through the Learning Suite.

Britannica

Providing free access to popular articles, images, study guides and games from the Britannica Online Schools Edition . With articles on the Solar System, Pollution, Percentages, Ancient Greece and Weather. There are Study Guides onPercentages, Human Eye and Ancient Greece and a collection of images, videos, & games about the Human Eye, Photosynthesis, Fractions and Literacy

Oxford University Press

Providing free access to 2 hours of English Language practice exercises, written by www.oxfordenglishtesting.com . A fantastic offer of Year free subscription to the online Essential GCSE ICT Test and Assessment Tool and Free access to Oxford Owl, providing parents guidance on primary reading, math and more

Nelson Thornes

Providing Math essentials, that offer tips and advice to help secondary students prepare for their exams. .

Hodder Education

Practice every question, supporting students through exams. Walk through questions, self assessment tools and customized question resources for teachers to use with their classes.

Global Grid for Learning

Global Grid for Learning provides a safe and reliable way for teachers and students to search, stream and download high quality and copyright-cleared learning resources from trusted content providers. Our growing library of over one million digital multimedia resources makes it easier for teachers to engage, motivate and inspire media savvy students.

Global Grid for Learning ensures teachers and students have seamless access to the digital content they need, when they need it for anywhere, anytime teaching and learning.

Autology

A PC content search tool that provides relevant, contextual content based on the work you are doing at the time. You can boost your assignment results by using Autology to place appropriate educational resources from leading media companies and educators at your fingertips.

Science Photo Library

Science Photo Library's Free Educational Starter Pack is a selection of scientific images and video clips that will assist you in creating lesson plans, stimulating class discussion and building engaging presentations and handouts.

You can only get these free resources through the Learning Suite from the Partners in Learning Network – www.pil-network.com and more importantly they are only available through the UK version of Learning Suite

You will need a Windows Live ID, or Facebook ID or Gmail ID or Yahoo ID to create your profile. Next click on Learning Suite by Microsoft link. On the next page click the download for free button.

The next stage is important in getting the correct version. When Learning Suite begins it’s installation process, make sure the region selected is ‘United Kingdom(English). When the Learning Suite has installed you will have access to some of our great free applications, and to the free content from these partners, by clicking on the Microsoft Partners Tab.

If you have already installed the UK version of Learning Suite, then run it again and it will update itself and add the partner tab.

If you are looking for support resources for many of the applications in the Learning Suite then, you should check out our YouTube Channel. This Learning Suite playlist has over 20, 3-5 minute videos created by Teachers explaining how to use these applications in the classroom.

Download Learning Suite for free resources and applications from Microsoft – www.pil-network.com

The ‘new’ ICT Curriculum and Partners in Learning

Stu4rt — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:50:45 GMT

Last weeks huge announcement at BETT 2012 by Education Minster Michael Gove caused a lot of debate, interest and discussion. Especially on the Microsoft stand, where we had lots of questions about what this new curriculum might look like and what resources that are available to support it. Amongst our offerings are Dreamspark, our developer tools for students (www.dreamspark.com ) and the many offerings from Microsoft IT Academy , including the new resources to support gaming. So what role can Partners in Learning in supporting teachers in developing this ‘new’ vision of ICT.

We already have amazing teachers who are modelling and sharing best practice. Many of whom were on our stand at BETT, and if you

were watching BBC Breakfast Television or BBC News 24, Gareth Ritter from Willows High School , one of our award winning teachers was used as an example of what the new curriculum could look like and the impact it would have on students.

You can find more teachers like Gareth and expect to see more support on the Partners in Learning Network. www.pil-network.com

BBC Stargazing Week–Worldwide Telescope

Stu4rt — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:09:23 GMT

This week in the UK the BBC are running a week long series of events called Stargazing Live . If you were at the BETT show last week you will have seen us give a brief demo of WorldWide Telescope. This is an awesome free application from Microsoft that utilises images from space telescopes like Hubble and image libraries from NASA.

It makes an ideal companion to any activities involving Earth and Space, and can easily support astronomy events like Stargazing Live. Being free its ideal for your students to download and encourage them to get involved in astronomy. So, if you are out looking at the stars this week, avoid any disappointment as a result of cloudy skies and download this application from www.worldwidetelescope.org

WorldWide Telescope is also part of the Microsoft Learning Suite, which is a collection of Microsoft free software and is available on our Partners In Learning Network . Select Free Tools> Learning Suite and make sure you choose the UK English version.

Enjoy!

BETT 2012– Partners in Learning UK Live at Olympia

Stu4rt — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:00:00 GMT

I can’t believe it’s that time of year again when I pack my bags and head off to Olympia. This year for the first time without my trusty sidekick (Kristen) and as the new UK Partners in Learning Programme Manager.Luckily I will have Dan Roberts from saltash.net community school co-presenting with me. So I am sure our presentation will be slick and well rehearsed as ever.

This year we will be reflecting the stage of transition that we are currently in with the Partners in Learning programme. We will be highlighting and demoing the new Partners in Learning Network site, although still in Beta, we will be illustrating the new features and how it is a lot easier to add global collaboration to your professional/personal learning network.

At past BETT shows we have always demonstrated some of the free applications from Microsoft that teachers are using in this classroom. This year we will highlighting the Learning Suite, this is an application that has aggregated many of our favourites , such as AutoCollage, SongSmith and Kodu into a simple downloader, simplifying the installation process. We will also share lots of ideas how such applications can be used in the classroom with a ‘playful learning’ theme. There may even be prizes!

One of the unique features of the Partners in Learning Network, that sets it aside from other so called ‘Teacher Networks’, is that we give something back. So that schools and teachers can develop themselves professionally. Working with the SSAT we have developed a self review tool called, Partners in Learning Schools Research. This site allows School Leaders and teachers to identify the real ICT needs and areas of development of their school. This supports the 21st century transformation agenda, and allows schools to make informed decisions about the implementation of ICT to enhance and support learning.

One outstanding feature of the Partners in Learning Network is to bring teachers together to collaborate and share ideas, this is reflected in the teachers we have on the Microsoft stand. They include, amongst others, the brilliant Ollie Bray, who be presenting on Games based learning. Our stand has a dedicated Xbox and games area, you will find the Princess of Kodu herself, Nicki Maddams and the current genius that is the K-Team AKA Ray Chambers, Gareth Ritter and Jimmy Edwards.

It’s going to a great couple of days, so make sure you visit us, we can guarantee you will go away with a wealth of ideas, resources and contacts that will make your BETT visit worthwhile.

So what exactly are the Microsoft team showing off at BETT 2012?

Stu4rt — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:26:58 GMT

Ellie Jones is our BETT Princess and the mastermind behind organising this year’s BETT show for the Microsoft Education Team. She has coerced us all to writing a short synopsis of what we are presenting on our stand D30 and D40 next week.

Many of these demo’s are also going to be presented in much more detail from both Microsoft staff and teachers already using some of these products in their classroom that will be shown throughout the 4 days on our theatre stand. So, if you would like to come have play on the Kinect, experience a new innovative way of communication via Lync or just pop by and say hello, we look forward to seeing you next week.

Playful Learning – Ben Nunney, Academic Developer Evangelist

‘’Games aren’t just the thing you do once you’ve done your homework – they’re proven to enhance the classroom experience, drive home learning objectives, and can serve as an engaging and inspiring plenary. Microsoft had done amazing things over the past 12 months with Kinect which, using an array of sensors, makes you the controller. By connecting the Kinect up to your PC you can bring the Kinect Effect to your classroom. At BETT 2012 this year, we’ll have a whole bunch of demos for you to play with, and see what a touch of gaming can do for your school!’’

Private Cloud – Andrew Fryer, IT Pro Evangelist

‘’What on earth is a Private Cloud and why does it matter to schools at all? The idea is actually very simple; it’s the adoption of the techniques that are used to deliver the online services we all use like Hotmail, Amazon etc but inside your own school or network of schools. The key to this approach is extreme automation and standardisation to provide services as and when schools need them. You could be forgiven for thinking is all about saving money, but the real benefit is agility, allowing schools to innovate and adapt as they need to.’’

Public Cloud – James Marshall, Live@edu Specialist

“Come and see where it’s really happening, over on the public cloud pod! We’ll be showing off the latest and greatest technology Microsoft has to offer including Microsoft Office 365 for education, Live@edu, Windows Intune, and more!
Find out how you can harness the power of “the cloud” to provide the most awesome and up to date technology to your students and staff and save your institution money at the same time!

So, spare a few minutes and prepare to have your negative nephological notions nuked by our team of experts!”

Get Online @ Home - Clare Riley, Group Manager, Education Relations

‘’If you have students in your class, or your school, who don’t have access to a PC at home, then THIS is the pod for you. Prices start below £100 for a Windows 7 PC. Come and see the Get Online @ Home refurbished desktop and laptop computers which come with Windows 7; Security Essentials; and a starter version of Microsoft Office. This is a great offer to share with parents and with the management team in your school. You can help families access this offer themselves , or you can encourage your school to use Pupil Premium funding to provide computers for disadvantaged students.’’

Productivity - Andy Downs, Schools Internal Business Manager

‘’Seamlessly communicate more effectively and efficiently than ever before within your Institution (and beyond) from a single user interface.
Today’s world demands the ability to work real-time wherever and whenever with no boundaries…

An integrated Windows based platform (Exchange, Lync, SharePoint and Office) enables such abilities as: Instantly scaling from an email or an Instant Message to a complete Audio/Video Conference; Working collaboratively on shared documents in a central area and even driving towards a paperless environment.

Immediate savings in time and money are easily recognisable, but there are many other compelling benefits for your Institution - including positive impact on your Green Agenda!’’

Windows Phone – Simon Ibbitt, Further Education Business Manager

‘’Think you know about Smart Phones!?! Think again! This year at BETT Microsoft will be showcasing the latest Windows Mango Smart Phones, buy HTC Nokia and Samsung.

Microsoft really are ‘putting people first ‘. The Smart Phone is now part of the class room for both teachers and students alike. We can show you the power of Skydrive, the One Note and Lync integration and Office 365 for your phone. Or, perhaps you would like to see one of the hundreds of Apps, specially designed for education?’’

So come find us at BETT and see how Microsoft really gives you ‘'anytime, anywhere learning for all'.

Curriculum – Stuart Ball, Partners in Learning Manager

‘’The UK Partners in Learning Network connects teachers and educators across the globe, and unlike many other ‘teacher networks’, it actively contributes to teacher’s professional development through events and resources. At BETT 2012 this year @innovativeteach and @chickensaltash will present in their inimitable style and demonstrate some fantastic new resources such the Microsoft Learning Suite, Partners in Learning School Research and the new Partners in Learning Network site. This along with examples of how being part of the Partners in Learning Network has changed the way teachers think and have improved the learning opportunities for students, makes this session one of the most impactful you could attend.’’

MultiPoint Server – Steven Goddard, Senior Programme Manager

Windows MultiPoint Server is a simple, cost-effective way for more students and teachers to gain access to the latest technology, improving learning and helping students prepare to compete in a global economy. With Windows MultiPoint Server, a single computer supports multiple users at the same time, each working independently using their own monitor, keyboard and mouse and with a familiar Windows computing experience. Schools can provide more students with access to the latest technology, even with limited budgets.

Another year over and the new one is about to begin?

Stu4rt — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:20:00 GMT

Well what a year of change it has been for Microsoft UK Partners in Learning. The year began with Kristen (remember her!) starting her maternity leave, that left me as the only team member, it’s ok I am not looking for sympathy! I enjoyed the peace and quiet. Next, BETT 2011 , I teamed up with Dan Roberts (@chickensaltash) we did our best to make ‘Maths Sexy’ with Mathematics 4.0 , but it was Mouse Mischief the free plug-in for PowerPoint , that lets you connect up to 25 mice, that was the big hit. Jan Webb joined the team and accompanied myself and Teachers to the European Forum in Moscow, we came away not only with some interesting stories , but two award winners.

One of the surprises of the year was the emergence of a self developing network , dubbed the K-Team which is a growing network of UK teachers that utilise the Partners in Learning Network to develop and share ideas about Kinect in the Classroom and Kodu, look out for more ideas from them in the new year.

Our online resources in Partners in Learning continued to grow and develop with our YouTube channel getting over a 100,000 views worldwide. we will be adding more of our teacher videos from our free training events for teachers in Scotland , Wales and during the Easter and Summer breaks. We will announce those events on this blog. The network of teachers using Partners in Learning as part of their learning is still growing and was evident with all the new faces at this year’s UK Forum.

We began our Partners in Learning Institute programme for Elite teachers and Educators, with Dan Roberts attending the first Partners in Learning Institute training in Seattle. We will be launching our our programme in the New Year, in the meantime if you are at BETT, keep a look out for our top educators wearing these badges.

We end the year with yet more success at the Worldwide Forum in Washington D.C., award winner Gareth Ritter continues to have an impact globally, expect to see more of him next year.

So it seems things have come full circle, I am still the only member of the team, but the good news is , I have the pleasure and challenge of filling the very expensive shoes of Kristen as the new UK Partners in Learning Manager, thanks to everybody for your support this year. I am looking forward to supporting and growing the best educator network I know in Partners in Learning next year. It’s going to be very exciting. See you all at BETT 2012, and something's haven’t changed that much @chickensaltash will be joining me there too.

Microsoft Partners in Learning UK Forum 2011

Stu4rt — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:07:33 GMT

This year’s event was a of a change of direction for us. Firstly, we held the event at Microsoft UK HQ in Reading and we had a greater focus on Computer Science and Maths. Rather than our usual focus of ICT across the curriculum. You can read the various highlights of the day from these attendees on their blogs.

Dan Roberts – “ Having the opportunity to meet other innovative teachers and to look at the examples of their work in their classrooms was amazing”

Ray Chambers – “I was so over the moon about finally meeting people who I had talked to on twitter for months.”

Doug Woods – “it was refreshing to see that people still feel able to be innovative in schools despite the current economic and political climate.”

Nicki Maddams – “I felt totally inspired, listening to him (Ian Livingstone Keynote Speaker)”

Philip Anderson- “I met SO MANY people with great things to share and I had the time and opportunity to speak to so many of them too”

Jimmy Edwards – “I would definitely recommend that you join the Partners in Learning Network as you will be hard pressed to find a better CPD experience anywhere”

A highlight of the whole event for me, came at the Teacher Meeting, from two teachers, Becy Allen @trainieeteacher and Katie O’Reilly @kforeilly, they are trainee teachers at Plymouth University they talked about how they use blogging and networking. Both spoke incredibly well and it was clear that they are very passionate about what they do. You can find their blogs here and here. Expect great projects from these two in the future

The Award Winners

This Forum celebrates of our Partners in Learning Teacher Award winners. This year’s role of honour is :-

Kristian Still	Hamble College
Katie Boothman	saltash.net community school
Will Wright	Uxbridge High school
Emma Dawson	Trinty CE Lower School
Glyn Rogers	Ysgol Gyfn Gwyn Llyw
Sarah Coombes	Tynecastle High
Jimmy Edwards	saltash.net community school
Lindsay Purdon	Calderglen High School
Nicki Maddams	Hartsdown Technical College
Ray Chambers	Lodge Park Technology College

(Please note Kristian Still is missing from this photo. We have no idea where he went. We suspect he is working for MI5 !)

Choosing four projects to represent the UK at the European Forum in March was an almost impossible task, but with the help of judges, Walter Patterson and Ollie Bray, we managed to identify four projects that we feel best represent some of the current innovative thinking and use of technology in the classroom.

The four winning projects are from – Nicki Maddams- A Kodu Curriculum, Ray Chambers, – Kinect Olympics Katie Boothman – The HIT Squad and Lyndsay Purden - Learning Journeys with OneNote. Sarah Coombes’ project was highly commended and all received an Xbox 360 and Kinect for their school. Their projects can be downloaded from the UK Partners in Learning Network.This year’s outstanding contribution award went to Dan Roberts.

Thank you to all those that attended, we hope you went away inspired and full of ideas.

Camp Scotland - Microsoft UK Partners in Learning CPD for Teachers

Stu4rt — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:55:00 GMT

After the great success of the last three Microsoft Partners in Learning Teacher Camps, we are taking the concept on the road – this is an open invitation to all Teachers in Scotland. So if you want to spend time with other innovative educators, then this is an ideal event for you.

Camp Scotland takes place at Calderglen High School, starting 10:00am on Thursday 26th and finishing 4:00pm Friday 27th January 2012.

This event is free to attend.

What will I be doing at Summer Camp?

We will give you training in using free Microsoft software 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 at Microsoft 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 Odette Fraser – itnukteam@hotmail.co.uk before the closing date Friday 16th Dec. 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 with the most intriguing and innovative ideas, who will be notified on Friday 13th January 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 Scotland 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)
You need to have installed and have working , Community Clips -Freely available at http://www.officelabs.com/projects/communityclips/Pages/Default.aspx
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 would like to 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 and GLOW.

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 Teacher and more ideas about how to enhance pupil through the use of technology.

Can’t make this event?

Don’t worry we are planning a Teacher Meeting on the evening of the 26th January, open to anybody who wants attend, where you will be able to share great ideas and chat with like minded teachers. Details will be posted early in the New Year.

The Learning Suite–Our Free stuff for Education in one place

Stu4rt — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:11:38 GMT

We have always been big advocates of the free software from Microsoft that can support teaching and learning. It was Partners in Learning UK that first brought you AutoCollage and Songsmith for free.

The biggest piece of feedback we had about this, was that all the software was distributed across a myriad of websites, making it less than simple to install across school networks.

We are now pleased to announce the Learning Suite, a collection of our favourite free applications in a simple download application. The Learning Suite allows users to select the applications you wish install and tells you which ones you already have.

Another useful feature, is that as we add resources to the Learning Suite in the future, it will automatically update itself every time you run it. Enabling you, colleagues and your students to have access to the latest free resources from Microsoft as and when they appear.

You can download the Learning Suite from the UK Partners in Learning Network or click here to Download Learning Suite

You will need a Live ID to download the Learning Suite and is only available from the UK Partners in Learning site. This will give you access to all these awesome resources -------------------------->

Enjoy !

An Award Winner's view- Reflections from the Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum #5

Stu4rt — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:10:00 GMT

Gareth Ritter, from willows High School in Cardiff, reflects on his time at the Global Forum as a Teacher award winner.

What an amazing experience the Partner in Learning global Forum has been. I arrived late on Sunday 13th November, On the Monday all delegates were put into groups and we worked collaboratively using the latest technology available. I felt so very lucky to have visited Washington in the company so many of the world’s finest educators. The first keynote speaker was Will Richardson, this really was an eye opening presentation showing that you really need to educate our youngsters for the 21st century and we must get away from the current teaching methods that have been in place for the last 200 years. He shared his vision of classrooms changing becoming innovative classrooms. He commented on the use of mobile phones in the classroom, why shouldn’t pupils be allowed to use their mobile phones in the classroom? If the teacher asks a pupil a question surely it makes sense for the pupils to take out their mobile phone, search the question and then be able to answer it, that’s what happens in the real world. People use the technology around us to make our lives easier. All the key note speeches were well thought out and thought provoking. The event was a great opportunity to share good practice, ideas and resources. I, like many other teachers were so proud to be able to showcase our pupils work on a global stage. On the Tuesday afternoon we were given time to set up our booths. This really was a great experience watching the 130 finalists from across the globe setting up their projects.

The amount of food was unbelievable; you know you’re in America when the choice of breakfast drink is tea, coffee or Pepsi. It was like that famous Home Alone scene where Kevin orders a ridiculous amount of food on room service, it was great.

Every day was started off with a keynote speech. Anthony Salcito, the vice president of Microsoft education gave a great keynote. He spoke about the need to deliver 21st-century lessons that will prepare our pupils for the world they are going to. His keynote speech was really interesting, when I hear keynote speeches like this it really makes me think how would this change benefit my pupils. In answer to that question it would change their lives.

Anthony Salcito also demonstrated the use of the kinect in the classroom with the release of the SDK. I found this really interesting and I know that friends back in the UK who have also been working with the kinect will enjoy and look forward to the plans Microsoft have for it. I’m a firm believer that if we can bring into the classroom the passion our pupils have for their games at home we will raise standards and their achievement and attainment. Our pupils play games at home past 12:00 at night, if they fail a level they don’t give up until they pass the level they are playing even if it takes them into the early hours, they always want to succeed. I’ve always believed that we need to bring that passion into the classroom and the kinect does that for us. I have already seen the benefits in my school.

Anthony Salcito also announced a revamped version of the Partners in Learning website, I really can’t wait to start using the beta version. This will open up global collaboration for teachers and it was really nice to see Stuart Ball have some recognition from the stage for all his hard work.

Another great keynote speaker was Arne Duncan, the secretary of education for the USA. I really couldn’t believe that I was sat in the same hall as the Secretary of Education. I really did feel special being sat amongst some of the finest educators I ever met and being spoken to by such a distinguished person in education.

We made a brief visit to the Smithsonian environmental research Centre. Here we worked in teams to build an ROV. It was great working with these innovative teachers to solve a problem and look how this type of project could be used with pupils.

After our trip we returned to the hotel by 3:15 PM and I had to quickly get ready to meet my first judge and present my project. My first judge seemed impressed with the project and the work that the pupils had produced. My second judge visited at around 4:30 PM and again seemed very interested in what the pupils had achieved. I really enjoyed talking about the pupils at Willows high school and it was great to showcase their work to a global community.

It was a real spectacle. Everyone was celebrating after such an eventful week. After we had our meal (with NO salad) it was awards time. As far as we were concerned we were all winners by being there. For me the highlight of the week was meeting some amazing people. It was great to be a part of the UK team; they are a great bunch of people with so much enthusiasm for education.

The time had come for the awards presentation. I couldn’t believe my ears when my name was read out. I was so proud of my pupils, their work had world recognition. As I walked towards the stage it was a strange feeling. So many people were clapping and cheering, it took a while to sink in.

The whole event was a life changing experience and one that I will never forget.

Thank you Microsoft Partners in Learning

For more info on our Award Winning Project please visit www.askthemusicteacher.co.uk

A Judges view- Reflections from the Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum #4

Stu4rt — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:24:48 GMT

Ollie Bray from Education Scotland reflects on his time at the Global Forum as a judge.

I’ve been involved with and a member of the Microsoft Partners in Learning Community since 2006. I became more heavily involved in 2009 as UK, European and Worldwide award winner for my use of computer games to enhance learning activities and to develop social interaction.

Since 2009 I have continued to support the programme in a number of ways and this has included being a judge for the UK forum and also in Berlin for the 2010 European forum. I was honoured to be asked to be a judge for the 2011 Worldwide forum this year in Washington DC.

Being a judge is hard. Not only because of the accountability and responsibility that the role brings but also because of the cross sector and cross culture of projects that have to be evaluated. Being a judge is however a complete privilege and you get to meet and talk to some of the most innovative teachers in the world. Many of these teachers are working in very difficult circumstances to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

This year I judged projects from USA, Brazil, Nigeria, Germany, Ecuador, New Zealand, Canada and Chile. In there own way they were all outstanding often providing solutions to enhance learning where there were particular issues and local circumstances.

With over 180 projects to judge there were 40+ judges at the Worldwide Event and I am sure co-ordinating such a bunch of opinionated people is not an easy task. But Deirdre Butler (Ireland), Kirsten Panton (Denmark) and Jacques Denies (Belgium) did a great job of keeping us all in line as well as sharing valuable expertise from their own personal experiences as educators and past judges.

Before the judging started we had two days of training to make sure that everyone understood the process and that we shared a common language. I was also delighted that this year the judging criteria was more linked to the emerging Innovative Teaching and Learning Research that has been conducted by Maria Langworthy and her team and funded by Partners in Learning.

As a judge you work with two other judges from other parts of the world. For the Washington event I was teamed up with Philip Walker (Australia) and also Gabi Barna (Romania) both who have an amazing track record of transforming classrooms and contributing to system wide change.

The judging process is as follows. First of all you look at the submitted Virtual Classroom Tours (VCT) for each of the participants. This helps you get an overview of the project. Next you discuss the VCTs with your judging team, share your thoughts and your questions about the impact of the work and the teacher. Then individually to visit each of your projects and there is a chance for the teacher to give you a pitch and for you to ask questions on impact, assessment, collaboration, etc. You discuss your interviews with your judges team and then individually fill in your score cards. Each score card has a very robust rubric associated with it. The results are then cross checked and moderated by the senior judges is necessary.

Although all of the projects we judged were very good. I was lucky enough to judge two of the first place winners.

Chris Clay (New Zealand) received first place in the extending learning across the classroom category for his project “Linking Educational Accomplishments to Real-World Needs”. Chris created an online community that connects more than 140 teachers and students across New Zealand to tackle real-world biological challenges. Utilizing technology, students develop collaboration, critical-thinking, problem-solving, communication and digital literacy skills, as well as a love for learning.

A team from the United States made up of Doug Bergman, Johnny Kissko, Louis Zulli, Donna Thomas and Margaret Noble recived first place in the collaboration category for their project “When Fish Fly”. Their students worked together across time-zones and state boarders to integrate computer science, fine arts, business and economics. Student design teams developed a dynamic motion-based game simulation for Kinect for Xbox 360 that replicates the sights, sounds, history and “sense of place” of Pike Place Fish Co. in Seattle.

A complete list of all of the 2011 winners can be found on this Microsoft Press Release. Including our winner from the UK

(Wales) Gareth Ritter who is doing some amazing work with technology and music.

As well a judging I had the opportunity to attend the keynote presentations from Anthony Salcito (Vice President for Microsoft Education) and also David Christian. Davids work with Microsoft and the Gates Foundation on ‘Big History’ is defiantly going to be worth watching over the next 12 months.

Overall a stunning event and huge thank you to my traveling companions Ian Stuart (Islay High School), Tony McDaid (Calderglen High School), Ben Rowe (Saltash.net), Gareth Ritter and Jen Blum (our two UK European Award winners) and finally Stuart Ball and Steve Beswick (from Microsoft). Thank you!

A Headteacher’s view- Reflections from the Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum #3

Stu4rt — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:33:36 GMT

Tony McDaid Head Teacher from , Calderglen High School reflects on his time at the Global Forum as a Global Mentor School.

I found this year’s Global Forum in Washington to be an inspiring event and I had the privilege of working with school leaders who were focussed on transforming learning within their schools. The Innovative Schools’ track managed to be both fast paced and reflective and there was a willingness from all participants to learn from each other. Our group included schools from Sweden, England, Spain, Germany, Finland, Switzerland, among others. There were opportunities for discussion, sharing ideas and to stretch our thinking. Over the week we were posed a series of ‘what if questions’. One memorable ‘what if’ was - ‘What if schools no longer existed’, which challenged all of us to think beyond our traditional school boundaries. The exercise saw us taken to the National Mall, site of the Washington Monument and Korean War Memorial where we were set a series of learning challenges. It reminded all of us that we should capitalise on our local environment to maximise learning opportunities, although we accepted that Washington DC presented a superb location for this task!

As a mentor school, it was also a wonderful opportunity to meet the school leaders that we will be working with during the course of this year. Together, and with the support of a great coach in Dan Buckley, we were able to identify our common goals for the year ahead and develop a workable plan that will bring about real change. We are fortunate that our school, Calderglen High, will be working in partnership with saltash.net community school, Cornwall and Sartre High School, Berlin. Spending the week in the company of Ben Rowe (and virtually via twitter and email with Dan Roberts) from saltash.net makes me feel that we will have an excellent year ahead. I have never met two more prodigious ‘tweeters’. I know we have forged a friendship that will last well beyond the programme.

Meeting some members of ‘Team UK’ for the first time proved to be one of the best parts of the week. Gareth Ritter and Jen Blum’s amazing work on the teacher track showed that the influence of inspiring teacher’s will change the lives of young people.

A word or two for my Scottish colleagues, Ian Stuart and Ollie Bray who were contributors to the teacher’s track as coach and judge respectively. "Slàinte mhòr agad!" (Great health to you). It was with pride that three kilted Scots participated in such an event. Ian and OIlie are both currently playing a significant role in transforming learning in Scotland and I know they will continue to do so.

There were so many other highlights beyond the Forum including newly formed friendships and life long memories. The conversation with a White House Secret Service agent who strangely didn’t want his picture taken with Ben Rowe will also be remembered!

My final reflections are for the Microsoft team. The work of the Microsoft Partners in Learning Programme under the outstanding leadership of Stuart Ball, and with oversight from Steve Beswick, has an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for our schools. Their desire to support transformational change will help schools on what can sometimes be a challenging journey.

I have no doubt that the work of this year’s Microsoft Global Forum will have an impact on the lives of young people in our school. It helped remind me of why it is essential that we continue to strive to be innovative and connect with young people’s learning, using all of the technology available – and the venue was amazing!

Microsoft UK Partners in Learning outstanding contribution award – Dan Roberts

Stu4rt — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:48:26 GMT

Yesterday we held our Microsoft Partners in Learning UK Forum, we will be blogging about the event shortly, due to circumstances beyond our control we missed something out yesterday.

Each year we present the Partners in Learning Teacher Awards, one of those awards recognises the outstanding contribution an educator has made to supporting others through the Partners in Learning Network. This year that accolade is presented to Dan Roberts, Deputy Headteacher at saltash.net community school.

Dan has tirelessly championed the Partners in Learning Network as something that teachers should access as part of the own professional learning network. Not only has he encouraged teachers in his own school. But, last year he spoke to over 1500 educators about how Partners in Learning can support them in the use of technology in the classroom. Dan does this not just in the UK , but has reputation amongst educators internationally as being as innovator in field of engaging young people with their learning. A great example of this is how he has helped his students create their own E-book on how Teachers can utilise Facebook and other social media as a tool for their own students learning. By selling this book for a small donation the students are raising money for charity, you can help them raise as much as they can by downloading the E-book at http://www.justgiving.com/SaltashEbook

This is just another example of the great work Dan creates and shares with the education community and clearly illustrates why he is the most deserving recipient of this year’s award.

Please join me in congratulating Dan, either by leaving a comment here on this blog , or contacting him through Twitter on @chickensaltash

Why was I there? - Reflections from the Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum #2

Stu4rt — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:51:54 GMT

Ben Rowe from saltash .net community school reflects on his time at the Global Forum as a Pathfinder School.
(that’s Ben in the grey jumper, looking like a Westlife reunion!)

Well, it’s been a two weeks since The Microsoft Partners In Learning Global Forum. I’m trying to get my head around the fact that this time two weeks ago I was on a Segway tour of Washington DC!!!

Why was I there?

I went to the forum to represent saltash.net community school. We went as a Pathfinder School. We are now part of the programme and are working towards becoming a Mentor School.

What does this mean?

We went along and shared our schools’ innovative practices in a meeting that involved over 70 schools! It was a wonderful opportunity to speak to a ballroom full of inspirational and innovative practitioners. I learnt so much and made some fantastic contacts with people from all corners of the world.

We also spent the whole week taking an active role in fascinating workshops that dealt with a huge variety of topics. These were all inclusive and interesting. I left with a head crammed full of new, exciting ideas.

I met my mentor school and my coach and a great deal of time was spent with these people, generating ideas and getting a feel for the education scene on a global scale.

Did it benefit me?

YES! I have come away from the course feeling enabled and excited. I have gained a much broader outlook on education and what innovation in the classroom actually looks like.

Will it benefit my school?

Of course! I am looking at collaboration, teamwork and the teaching environment. The findings I have and future projects that are in motion will, I hope, I have a positive impact on the school as a whole. It will also provide the support structure to keep improving and continue being an innovative school.

All said and done the experience I enjoyed has been career changing. I have never been involved in something so exciting and enjoyable. It has given me a whole new lease of life as an educator and will keep me inspired for a long time to come.

We will announcing details of our next Partners in Learning Schools programme shortly on this blog. In the meantime you can follow how Ben and his school are getting on with the programme on his blog - http://frenchrowe.edublogs.org/

Am I a Loser? – Reflections from the Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum #1

Stu4rt — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:02:20 GMT

Jennifer Blum, reflects on her experience in this fantastic blog post:-

They say just participating makes you a winner. But I would have rather won. Hey! I am American after all. However, like any good educator, I have spent some time reflecting on the experience (8 hrs, in fact, as this is the flight time from Dulles to Heathrow) and this is what I have learned:

1. I am in good company with the other 182 ‘losers’ who did not win; a Hong Kong teacher who uses augmented reality to teach English, an Egyptian teacher whose students created a wiki to bring tourists back to Egypt after the revolution, and a Brazilian teacher who managed a television station across 5 schools to offer lessons to the wider community are just a few examples. I feel so honoured to be part of such a talented and inspirational bunch of losers!

2. Losers get to save space in their luggage for all the other goodies from the Global Forum as they don't have to fit in their framed award. So I was able to take home 65 business cards, six DVD's of data, two USB sticks full of resources and three bookmarks each with a list of useful websites & tips. All that and a snow globe of the White House.

3. Even losers can make friends and influence people (just not the judges). I met some amazing people and took away great contacts and ideas. It's all about the networking at the Partners in Learning Forum. As a result, I've secured a journalist to come and speak to my class, a possible lead into educational development consulting and I'm collaborating with four teachers from around the world on a project using Facebook, Twitter and Wiki Spaces.

So even though I did not win, I did not return empty handed. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. I came back full of new knowledge, renewed motivation and a sense of purpose to live up to the honour bestowed on me by the Microsoft Partners in Learning community. My first day back at work was spent emailing staff and administrators the useful resources, links and knowledge gained at the forum as well as setting up CPD training for my department and encouraging my school to enrol in the Innovative Schools Network and hopefully get on the path to becoming a Mentor school.

The experience Microsoft has given me has offered me the affirmation progressive teachers need and yet has spurred me on to go even further. I cannot thank Microsoft enough for the opportunity, as this journey has won me more than I ever could have imagined.

Meet Jen and other outstanding Teachers at our Microsoft UK Partners in Learning Forum. This one-day conference, free of charge to all teachers and educators who wish to attend. The workshops and keynotes this year have a STEM ‘flavour’ and address the theme of ‘Teach more, learn more, inspire more.’

This year the Forum is being held at the Microsoft Headquarters, Thames Valley Park in Reading on the 24^th Nov 2011 – Full Details can be found here

If you can’t make the day event in reading then why not sign up to attend the Teacher Meeting on the evening of 23rd Nov. Full details can be found here. https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=278570945508395

Welsh Teacher takes coveted award at Partners in Learning Global Forum

Stu4rt — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:18:41 GMT

The climax of the Global Forum was the gala dinner at Smithsonian Museum of Art in Washington D.C. , 18 teachers from 200 were recognised for their outstanding contribution to teaching and learning at our Forum awards.

I am pleased to announce that UK Teacher, Gareth Ritter from Willows High School in Cardiff won a Partners in Learning Global Forum award. He now joins an elite group of UK Teachers who have had their work recognised and praised by a global audience and can truly call themselves the best in the world.

His project focussed on interactive music projects made by students for students. This project was not just about teaching music, but used great pedagogy to develop students as independent and collaborative learners. The judges also praised Gareth and his fellow teachers for their passion and commitment to their students.

Gareth was not the only UK Teacher at this year’s Global Forum, Jennifer Blum from Strodes College, since she won her UK award has got married and is expecting a baby, (we are not taking credit for that !), faced stiff and almost impossible to beat competition in her category from the the U.S. delegates. You can find out about her project here.

You can meet both Jen and Gareth at our version of the Global Forum and at our Teacher Meet. You can still sign up to the Forum here and take part in the workshops and Keynotes. Or join us for a Beer and a Bhaji and No salad at the Teacher Meet – sign up here on our Facebook page.

Microsoft Partners in Learning UK Forum Award Winners 2011

Stu4rt — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:04:00 GMT

I am pleased to announce this year’s award winning teachers. They will be presenting their projects at our Partners in Learning Forum in November.

Congratulations to this year’s award winners

Kristian Still	Hamble College
Katie Boothman	saltash.net community school
Will Wright	Uxbridge High school
Emma Dawson	Trinty CE Lower School
Glyn Rogers	Ysgol Gymraeg Gwyn Llyw
Sarah Coombes	Tynecastle High
Jimmy Edwards	saltash.net community school
Lindsay Purdon	Calderglen High School
Nicki Maddams	Hartsdown Technical College
Ray Chambers	Lodge Park Technology College

We will posting full details of these projects soon.

Can I take the opportunity to thank all those teachers who entered this year’s awards. Again we had a record number of entries, the quality of which was extremely high. Thank you for taking the time to submit your project, please don’t let any possible disappointment of not winning anaward detract from the fantastic work and commitment you have to the learners in your schools and colleges. We look forward to continue working with and supporting you in the future.

Jennifer King - Partners in Learning Teacher Award Winner

Stu4rt — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:24:47 GMT

Meeting teachers and working with them is major part of what we do at Microsoft Partners in Learning, I first met Jennifer at one of our Fun Free, Friday events, after I demoed our usual free stuff , she came and asked me some questions and to tell me about a great project she was doing with her students. In that conversation I set her the challenge of documenting her project as a Virtual Classroom Tour and entering our 2010 awards. Subsequently, I heard nothing from her until, pleasingly, I saw her completed project in my inbox at the competition deadline. That led her on a CPD journey that was so important , that she even re-arranged her honeymoon so she could attend the European Forum in Moscow

Jen from Strodes College in Egham, is the other award winning teacher that will be attending next week’s Partners in Learning Global Forum in Washington D.C.

Her project, ‘Mobilising for London 2012’ shows the power of empowering pupils to take control of their own learning. Students took part in a real-life challenge, a real-life brief for a real-life customer. What the students achieved shows how learners can respond to high expectations with work that can stand its own in a commercial environment.

Jen’s Creative and Media Diploma students were given a brief by Ogilvy UK to prepare a mobile phone app that would promote one of 3 sponsors of the Olympics that will be held in London in 2012, whilst meeting the needs of the mobile phone app users wanting to make the most of their visit to the Games. Students had to show an understanding of the client’s brief and needs before investigating the information that would help them, generating, presenting and refining their own ideas. They had to consider how they would present in different contexts and supported each other in refining and improving what would be in their final presentation,. They used a range of multimedia tools to present their pitch to the client and had some great feedback. Video clips they made were shared and celebrated at the Oscar-equivalent award ceremony held at the college.

Jen will be presenting her project along fellow UK Teacher, Gareth Ritter, with 200 hundred teachers from over 100 countries, please join me in wish her good luck in the competition. You can follow her progress and that of Gareth’s in next weeks blog posts and on the twitter hash tag #PILGF. Please feel free to leave a comment wishing her luck. She would welcome your support.

Gareth Ritter - Partners in Learning Teacher Award Winner

Stu4rt — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:15:00 GMT

One of the best things about Partners in Learning is that we get to work with outstanding teachers here in the UK. Better still we get to celebrate the fantastic work of their students at our Partners in Learning Forums.

Gareth from Willows High School in Cardiff, is one of our award winning teachers that will be attending next week’s Partners in Learning Global Forum in Washington D.C. He describes his involvement with Partners in Learning as ‘the best CPD I have ever had , the impact on me, my school and my kids has been immense’.

Gareth will be presenting his project along with 200 hundred teachers from over 100 countries, please join me in wish him good luck in the competition. You can follow his progress and that of Jennifer King (whose project I will describe in my next post) on the twitter hash tag #PILGF. Please feel free to leave a comment wishing him luck. He would welcome your support.

His project, Capturing & Recording Sounds won awards at our 2010 UK Forum and the European Forum held in Moscow last March.

He uses technology to motivate, inspire and enthuse his students, with them amongst other things, preparing resources to help younger pupils with guitars, drums and keyboards. He has created a website www.askthemusicteacher.co.uk to share their success and support their learning.

www.askthemusicteacher.co.uk

Gareth’s motivation lies in the way the technology he uses enthuses learners who had previously had problems with school and are reluctant learners. Subsequently, the success rate in their GCSE music and music technology exams was 100% A*-C. The enjoyment of the pupils is evident in how they continued with the project at home and how they took responsibility for their own learning. He has capitalised on a wealth of free resources from Microsoft, such as Microsoft Songsmith, Autocollage, Moviemaker and Kinect SDK. These tools are now being used by other teachers in the school, they’ve been shared with other local schools and the videos that the students have made are available to the wider music teaching/learning community through www.askthemusicteacher.co.uk

Not only is Gareth a great teacher, but his many talents include Welsh Brass Band conductor of the year and a former winger for Cwm Rugby Club. He is also utilising his talents as a music producer for his students. They have just completed and released their first album, which they have shared throughout the school and community. You can listen to Belong, Believe, Achieve here.

Worldwide Telescope workshop added to the Microsoft Partners in Learning UK Forum 2011

Stu4rt — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:11:56 GMT

We have talked about Worldwide Telescope before, its one of our favourite free applications. But, to do the imagery real justice its needs a large display. So we have teamed up with a company called Science Dome, who will be presenting Worldwide Telescope in one of their inflatable planetariums as a workshop session at our free forum. This is a great space to show the outstanding and amazing features of Worldwide Telescope.

Don’t miss out, register today – Registration open

The 8th Microsoft UK Partners in Learning Forum is a one-day conference, free of charge to all teachers and educators who wish to attend. The workshops and keynotes this year have a STEM ‘flavour’ and address the theme of ‘Teach more, learn more, inspire more.’

This year the Forum is being held at the Microsoft Headquarters, Thames Valley Park in Reading on the 24^th Nov 2011 – Full Details can be found here

Innovative Teachers Meet @ Microsoft Partners in Learning UK Forum 23rd Nov.

Stu4rt — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:34:00 GMT

Venue – The Royal Tandoori in Reading

Time - 7:30pm-9:30pm

Date: 23rd Nov 2011

Last year’s informal, free event for Teachers and Educators was a resounding success and the overwhelming feedback was that we should do it again.

This year’s event will again follow a mix of the usual Unconference or Teachmeet structure. We will have our special guest host @chickensaltash co-hosting along with myself. So why not join us for some great indian street food and a drink.

We are looking for volunteers to speak in the following:-

Mini-Presentations for 10 mins
Nano- Presentations 3mins.

What to discuss and present

We are looking for cool things you are doing with Microsoft technology and/or examples of work, that illustrate and solve current issues or themes. or are just down right great learning activities. Some of the issues that you might also like to consider for example:-

How can you possibly learn through playing games?
Is the curriculum meeting the needs of 21st century learners?
Is Maths teaching as bad as we are told?

Through such topics we hope to spark debate, conversation and inspire some great ideas.

How do I sign up for a presentation?

That’s easy, just add your name and presentation topic/theme and presentation type (Mini or Nano) as a comment on this Facebook page. If you are looking to attend, click the ‘I am attending button’

Places at this event will be limited so sign up today!

Internet access can be intermittent at venues so be prepared with an alternative, this just adds to the fun. There is no guarantee you will present as presentations will be selected at random, but we will try and fit in as many in as we can.

If you are attending our Partners in Learning UK Forum and staying in Reading, then you are probably already attending, but it wouldn’t hurt to sign up here as well. This is a social event and its good to see who is attending and plan to meet up.

You can follow twitter hash tag for this event at #itmeet

See you there….

You can still register for the main Forum event – Registration now open

A climate of change and being brave – Dan Roberts - Festival of Education #3

Stu4rt — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:17:38 GMT

Being Brave

This is the 3rd Microsoft session from the Sunday Times Festival of Education at Wellington College that took place in June. This presentation is by Dan Roberts Deputy Head at saltash.net community school

In this presentation Dan discusses the school’s ethos and attitude to technology and how they have taken and managed risks.

He illustrates that by taking risks, controlling the risk of failure and accepting that there will be failures, has a greater impact on learning and learners.

One of the most productive risks the school took was around the use and adoption of social media by staff and students. Dan will be sharing his thoughts, examples and outcomes in his workshop ‘Who’s afraid of the big bad ‘network’?’ at our Partners in Learning Forum, So if you are interested in finding out to utilise the power of social media in your school and avoid and reduce the risk, then why not sign up for a free place today.

Don’t miss out, register today – Registration now open