Links
Primary News Secondary News
Do not delete cell

Autumn Term - September 2006

Welcome to the first of our new look ICT newsletters! We hope that you will find our termly pages informative and occasionally inspiring!!

In this Autumn’s newsletter, we again return to the topic of Learning Platforms. The development of Learning Platforms (LPs) is high on the agenda both nationally and locally. We hope the guidance here will help you to discuss with others in your school your response to this initiative.

In her article on Control ICT, Shelagh Mackenzie sets out to inspire you with a creative approach to this often neglected area of ICT.

We hope that you will find this newsletter helpful – please do contact me if you have any ideas about the kind of content that you would find helpful.

Have a great term!

Kind regards
Carole Bennett
eStrategy Manager
Email: carole.bennett@hertscc.gov.uk

Admissions Management Project new

Following a review of needs and market offers, Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) has elected to replace their in-house developed schools’ admissions management software with an external solution provided by Tribal Technology. Tribal Technology is the market leader in educational software and is currently working with over half of all local authorities in England and Wales. The Tribal Technology solution to be provided is a ready made solution capable of meeting core requirements supplemented with further enhancements to satisfy HCC specific business needs. Following a competitive tender and lengthy period of testing and system refinement, a contract has been awarded that will run from May 2006 to May 2010. More...

• top

Learning Platforms

Planning for the next stage of ICT supported learning in Hertfordshire Evidence clearly shows that ICT can have a positive impact upon standards, attainment and pupil motivation when used purposefully. Equally, it has been proven that ICT makes the most difference in schools where the appropriation of technologies forms part of a strategic plan, driven by senior leaders in school.

In a booklet entitled 'Learning Platforms: Planning for the next stage of ICT supported learning in Herfordshire', we outline the next phase of major ICT development in schools, Learning Platforms (LPs). We establish the nature of Learning Platforms, assess their value and identify how Hertfordshire schools will be supported as they move to embrace LPs. This booklet will be sent to schools in June 2006. More...

• top

Video Conferencing

Now is a good time to get into video-conferencing. For as little as £50 for a web-cam, you can make links within your school, around the county or across the world! If that isn’t tempting enough, then try this: the virtual links have often led to real visits - to Brussels, Madrid and Rome.

What can VC do for you?

A basic web-cam will allow you to have decent quality conferences with other users. However, it is also possible to set up high quality links with a cluster of schools in a multi-user conference, to share data and to record your conferences.

What can VC do for learning?

As with many new technologies, the first impact of video-conferencing is the wow factor: it will captivate children and help keep them focused on a task. However, it will also allow you to develop activities that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. You can:

• set up video links with overseas schools
• have special collaborative lessons (some of these are available for you to use off the shelf)
• put children in touch with experts in museums, industry or another school – possibly as part of a primary transfer project.
• run Sixth Form consortium lessons without having to transport the students.

Buying (or revitalising) equipment

If you are thinking of buying equipment or revitalising something you have in the cupboard, then it is worth contacting one of our preferred suppliers: Videonations and Internet Videocommunications. Both of them have framework contracts within the region. They can provide a full service that includes a site survey, advice (on equipment and rooms), installation and support. If you already have equipment, they can provide support on a daily basis or through an annual service contract. Find out more...

There are plenty of reasons to get into video-conferencing. So why not give it a go or find out more from Chris Carter at the Hertfordshire Development Centre
Tel: 01438 843918
Email: chris.carter@hertscc.gov.uk

• top

Secondary Strategy News

• Autumn Term 2006 Newsletter new

The Summer Term secondary strategy newsletter has been published and includes the following:

• Curriculum & Qualifications
• Resources
• Hertfordshire Expert Panel
• Computer Club 4 Girls
• Visits to Leading Teacher Departments
• ICT Conference
• Learning Through Games Creation

• top

Help
Links marked with will only work from a Hertfordshire school.
Do not delete cell

EasyMail FAQs

Following the change to the new school email system we've written some FAQs to help with the most common queries. Some new FAQs have just been published and are available on the intranet:

• Why can’t I see more than 10 entries in my Inbox at the same time?

• How can I email a whole group of people?

• Why can’t I send more than 4 attachments with my email?

• How do I change my login password?

• How can I make sure all my emails end with details such as my phone number etc?

• Why can I only see 10 addresses in my address book?

• When I use the Show Contacts option to choose people whose name begins with a certain letter, it never finds them, even though I know they are in my address book?

• Can I give my address book to anybody else?

The full list of FAQs are available on the intranet:

• Full list of FAQs

Find out more about EasyMail:

• www.thegrid.org.uk/about/email/

• top

Control & Monitoring

An essential tool for creative problem solving...

If you read about an ICT tool that could enthuse and engage pupils, could draw them into creative problem solving, motivating and including the less able, while simultaneously extending and challenging gifted and talented pupils, wouldn’t you want to find out more?

But if the article then made it clear that the technology being described was control ICT, you might well be among a significant proportion of teachers who would drop the paper in disgust.  More...

• top

Training & CPD

All our courses are on-line and now bookable on-line:

• ICT Primary courses
• ICT Secondary courses

• top