ICT Open Day

2 Weeks today we are going to have an ICT open day.

This is being aimed at parents, and local businesses, but anyone interested in what we are doing is more than welcome.

A rough guide to the day is:

Starting at 11 am (though anyone arriving earlier simply comes to the school earlier and gets a head start) to allow people to get to Islay via various methods. (More on this later)

an Introduction

An opportunity to be shown a device being used in a class by your own pupil.

An opportunity to take part in several classes using a device.

Lunch

Q&A Though I am certain that this will be happening naturally throughout the day.

Wrap up officially about 2-30.

This allows people to catch either the 3-30pm plane or ferry

For those who are who are coming to visit us from off Island I would ask that they fill in this form. This is so we know who to expect as well to pick up from Ferries or Planes at which times.

We could also arrange for some accommodation, with staff from the school. So long as the numbers don't get too big.

So, please come along and get a first hand feeling for what is happening.

Those of you who blog, could I ask you to pass this information on. Thanks.

Technorati Tags: islay, argyll, education scotland, education, handheldlearning, mobile learning, 1to1

Brain Rules - An Advert?

I picked up these resources from The Thinking Stick

I posted this slideshare very briefly the other day. I deleted it after some reflection as I thought it was too much of an Ad.

| View | Upload your own

Is it an ad?

This youtube video is 50 min presentation by John Medina which convinced me that it is an ad. But I think the product is worth it.

 

Technorati Tags: brianrules, education scotland

Windows 7 Multi-touch interface

It was announced today that the next version of Windows, being windows 7 at the moment, is to have multi touch built into it

Video: Multi-Touch in Windows 7

Technorati Tags: islay, tablet pc, windows 7

Desktop Eee PC

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/desktops/0,39029426,49297099,00.htm

A desktop version of the Eee PC. Even cheaper?

More on OneNote

Another video on using OneNote

 
OneNote: the Mega-Tool for Learning

Technorati Tags: Islay, education scotland, education, OneNote, Microsoft

InkSeine

I am big fan of MS OneNote. It is the application used most in IHS. It is used to replace Notebooks (known as Jotters in Scotland). I have just come across the the MS Research Roadshow site. This is giving info on lots of things like the worldwidetelescope, and Boku. Another new release from Microsoft Research is InkSeine.

I have been playing developing my skills with InkSeine. This is a research project for tablet PC's and UMPC's.

I have found the page control to be excellent and the search integration brilliant. but I don't think this will replace OneNote, even for quick notes but I think that the next version of OneNote will have lots of these features built into it.

If you want an intro to what OneNote can do then the video below is good.

 
OneNote for Office 2007

Technorati Tags: islay, education scotland, education, OneNote, InkSeine, microsoft, microsoft research, tablet, umpc, inking

Education 08

Today I am in London. I was speaking at a Seminar at the Education '08 Conference.

The theme of this conference is 'Pathways to Personalisation'.

In the seminar on using UMPC's within education I was speaking with Jo Verrier, New Line Learning and Ian Stephenson, Q-Talk.

We are each using the Samsung Q1 in very different circumstances and ways.

What this presentation is covering.

 

The Place and circumstances

 

 

The questions we started with.

Out Strands for changing the school.

UMPC's being used in English and in Science

What we have put in place so far

These devices are not an end in themselves. They simply allow the pupils to connect to the resources they need.

Why we choose the Samsung Q1

The next developments

The feedback we got was excellent from both the seminars.

Technorati Tags: islay, education scotland, Samsung, UMPC, Origami, education 08, Govnet, Q1

Islay Book Festival, Iain Banks and DIVA

Islay Book Festival will be running in early September. The among the Authors coming is Iain Banks.

The main reason I am blogging this though is that the site for the festival was produced by a pupil of IHS on the Fundamentals in Web Design Course. It is, in fact, his final exam piece.

This course was created using the Macromedia Adobe Course via the DIVA project.

Though it is under the banner of Computing and IT but it is a Design based course. With the pupils creating media and web sites for clients. They must interview them, produce a spec with them, give them a range of designs and then produce a final produce to that spec and to the satisfaction of the client.

I think more Design &Technology subject specialists and Art & Design subject specialists could be making much more use of this course. Another interesting characteristic of this course is that the pupils could sit the Adobe online exam and receive the SQA Qualification and the industry standard qualification at the same time.

Technorati Tags: islay, scottish education, education scotland, Adobe, DIVA, SQA, Iain Banks, Design

Death of Education, Birth of Learning?

I just picked this up from the Thinking Stick. Its from the Pearson Foundation.

Technorati Tags: education scotland, learning, pearson foundation

Worldwide Telescope

I have been playing about with the Worldwide Telescope. It having almost as much of a wow factor as Google Earth did when I first saw it.

With Interactive Guides to help you the ability to access information about what you are looking at directly on the screen I see this as being a wonderful tool for the classroom or for personal exploration.

I particularly loved the Panorama's from Mars. Such great detail.

Seeing Worldwide Telescope

Technorati Tags: worldwidetelescope, education scotland

PC World - Business Center: Microsoft to Limit Capabilities of Cheap Laptops

PC World - Business Center: Microsoft to Limit Capabilities of Cheap Laptops

The part which really interested me is the price point of $16 for emerging markets. Now if they would do do the same for education. Would we would be ready to roll out 1to1? Wouldn't we?

Though I am still very committed too touch screen devices for the replacement of Jotters (Notebooks) because it allows pupils to hand write. This is very much a skill and personally think is far more useful than keyboard skills.

Technorati Tags: Islay, education scotland, handheld learning, 1to1

I think I may have found my next phone

 

The HTC Diamond takes Windows Mobile to the next level | The Mobile Gadgeteer | ZDNet.com

 

Technorati Tags: HTC, Diamond, mobile

Islay Open Day

This is just a prompt for those who thinking of attending the Islay Open Day on Friday 13th of June.

Please complete the form and see the info at the top right hand side of this page