Aligning ICT services in Hertfordshire - the strategic development of priorities, managed services and BSF

In this session we explored the long term direction of ICT services in Hertfordshire, as well as the initiatives and research which are driving the ICT / school improvement agenda .  We reviewed the current service provision in Hertfordshire and explored how this is expected to change in the light of Learning Platform targets, Building Schools of the Future, the Primary Capital Programme and other key ICT initiatives.  The session outlined how these changes are likely to affect schools in all phases and sectors, and provided the opportunity for schools to reflect upon how these could impact upon individual schools' ICT provision.

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools.

Carole Bennett
Senior ICT Adviser

Chris Seviour
ICT Technical Adviser

eSafety:
Offline to online perspectives

The eSafety seminar explored different up-to-the-minute web 2 technologies that our children and young people are using and the associated risks posed by offenders.  It demonstrated CEOP’S education programme and offered practical ideas and resources that can be used in the classroom.

• www.ceop.gov.uk

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools.

Helen Penn
Head of Education at Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)

Handheld Learning – PDA Pilot at Wilbury Junior School

This seminar focused on the use of mobile technologies, and particularly the Hertfordshire handheld learning pilot at Wilbury Junior School in Letchworth. Here every child in Year 6 has the personal use of a PDA (personal digital assistant) which they use across the curriculum and for homework activities. Staff and children from the school demonstrated how the devices are used, and discussed the planning of the pilot and the logistical and paedagogical challenges encountered in implementing technology such as this. The session offered first hand practical advice for anyone considering the use of mobile technologies.

Whilst the pilot featured is at primary level, the issues covered are relevant to Secondary and Special as well.

Chris Carter
Jim Kerr (Headteacher, Wilbury)
Amanda Burrett (ICT Subject Leader and Yr 6 Teacher, Wilbury) and  
Y6 children from Wilbury Junior School

Scratch:
A New Approach to Multimedia Animation

This workshop provided a hands-on opportunity to explore Scratch, free software developed by MIT, which creates screen-based animation and multimedia sequences using a series of icon-based commands.  Teachers and pupils find the software simple to use and the results exciting and engaging. The resource has many applications across the curriculum and, because it blends in the use of programming language in a simple, understandable way, supports the control and monitoring aspects of ICT.

• http://scratch.mit.edu

Suitable for primary/secondary (KS2 and 3) and special schools.

Shelagh Mackenzie
ICT Curriculum Adviser

Workshop in suite

Technology and the future of reading for children who need extra help

The headlines shout that technology is directly responsible for the decline of traditional reading, especially among pupils.

This workshop debated some of the issues and looked at:

• Accessibility and reading on screen – helping those with sight problems and dyslexia

• Using technologies i.e. iPods and MP3 players as reading aids

• Evaluating some on-line resources to encourage reading

• The advantages and disadvantages of technologies on attention deficits

• Using enabling technology with the web, to support anyplace any time learning.

• 21st century learners and what they want.

There was an opportunity for hands on exploration of resources.

• www.sallymckeown.co.uk

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools.

Sally McKeown
Freelance trainer and journalist on all matters concerning educational technology and special needs

Using and creating podcasts across the curriculum

This seminar was run by a teacher who uses podcasts with her pupils to support learning.  The session explored different possibilities for using and creating podcasts within the learning environment. Libby created and uploaded a podcast during the session to demonstrate how easily this approach can be used with pupils.  She considered the benefits for teaching and learning as part of the seminar and provided practical advice to delegates.

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools

Libby Drews
Y5/6 teacher
Dewhurst St Mary’s Primary School

Shelagh

The National ICT Mark – Moving towards accreditation using Becta’s Self-review Framework (SRF)

This workshop was aimed at head teachers, senior leaders, governors, and ICT Leaders/supporters who are actively engaged in developing ICT in their school and aiming for ICT accreditation in the near or longer term.  It also provided an opportunity for delegates to ask questions and clarify issues.

After an overview of the steps towards accreditation which form the basis of Becta’s, ‘Next Generation Learning Charter’, delegates can logon to their SRF* and work on it with support on hand from an experienced ICT Mark Lead assessor.  The session concluded with examples of best practice in the use of the SRF and an outline of what to expect from an ICT Mark assessment.

• Becta Self Review

*The SRF can be used for trial purposes, however delegates wishing to save data or continue working on their school’s SRF will need to have their school’s ID and password.

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools.

Pat Williams
ICT Mark Lead Assessor

Online reporting:
What does this mean for your school?

The seminar considered the government requirement for schools to offer parents online access to their children’s information, covering achievement, progress, attendance, behaviour and special needs, on a timely and frequent basis.  We identified what information can be made available now to parents and helped delegates with planning their next steps.

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools

Simon Thompson Becta
Karen Taylor Becta

Making the News (MTN)

Children and young people regularly use Web2.0 sites such as YouTube, blogs etc. for leisure, entertainment and as a way or communicating and expressing themselves. More and more teachers are becoming interested in how Web2.0 technology could be used in teaching and learning, in order to engage and motivate learners by using tools they are familiar with outside school. E2BN's MTN is an online multimedia creation and publication service for schools. It enables the user to combine images, video, sound and text to produce online articles, which are shared with the world. Visitors to the site can comment on published articles, much like a blog or video sharing site, but all comments must be approved by the content's owner (usually the teacher) before going live, therefore answering the eSafety issues associated with many web2.0 services.

• www.e2bn.org

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools

Kathy Olsson
e-Learning Strategy Manager
East of England Broadband Network 

Occupy the hand and free the mind

This seminar explored how we might: Break Free of Desks and Screens and share the learning recipe in new and dramatic ways.  The session will feature the Learning Event Generator and delegates were given their own copy to develop projects back at base. 

John also focused on how to enable staff to enjoy their own learning curves and manage innovation, whilst still having a social life!

• www.newtools.org

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools

John Davitt
Keynote speaker

Animated Puppeteering with CrazyTalk

CrazyTalk is a new piece of software which enables pupils to animate any 2D graphic.  In this workshop delegates had hands on opportunities to create powerful talking characters from photos, images or drawings. 

Suitable for primary, secondary and special schools

Sharon Cooper
ICT subject leader
Whitehill Junior School