Day 2 of the summer school brought some new faces and a few die-hards from yesterday back to the Education Centre at Dingwall to look at blogs, podcasts, and wikis.

By the end of the day everyone had signed up for a blog, written a couple of posts, created a Voki, added Voki and Clocklinks to their widget sidebars, uploaded a photograph and an MP3 file generated through Audacity.

We had a quick look at Podium podcasting software and the troops gave a brief evaluation of the day in a 4 part podcast which can be heard, and subscribed to, here

I put the faces and some blog images into this Animoto video as a reminder of the day.

Monday 30th June, 2008 and most teachers are either jetting off to warmer climates or maybe still asleep in bed on, this, the first day of the school holidays. In Dingwall, however, it’s different - 20+ staff are gathering for the ATSS Summer School - a two day meeting looking at the notion of ‘The Digital Teacher’. The days will focus on digital ‘blackboarding’, using images and sounds, creating photostories for digital storytelling, communication through Skype, podcasting, blogging, and the use of wikis.

Some of the guys took photos of local architectural features and we turned it in to an Animoto video:

We also trialled a Voicethread and the sample’s here to have a wee look at:

Sample Voicethread

Great fun, great tools, great possibilities for using ICT creatively in the classroom.

Thanks to Gordon for this Photostory project:

Sir Ken Robinson received the Benjamin Franklin RSA Medal for his contribution to Human Progress. Described as a ‘big thinker’ Sir Ken was awarded the medal prior to his speech at RSA. I, and many of you, will have heard Sir Ken talk either at SETT or via the TED Talks on the web. His speeches are enduringly humorous, easily listened to twice or more, and profoundly moving. Do the scenarios he describes fit the system under which you work…???? How many of you will feel he’s talking about you as he describes ability thwarted, skills ignored, and creativity dampened - or extinguished???

His speech is here in mp3 audio - I believe the video is due to follow. It’s not short but it’s a worthwhile listen as ever.

Listen to Sir Ken’s talk here:

Details of this website focusing on literacy was circulated this week. It looks an excellent collection of resources and links with a very clear focus.

This site aims to help teachers by drawing together and categorising many of the free Literacy teaching and learning resources on the web.

Go to the website by clicking here or on the image below.

Many thanks to Ictopus and Mike Trodd of Cecil Road Primary School for posting this very helpful guide to getting round the You Tube block that most of us have in our schools.

It’s likely that you’ll still have to do the searching and downloading at home as it’s probable that you’ll not be able to download and install Real Player on school computers but at least you’ll be able to make use of good, appropriate resources.

Many schools and LA servers block access to You Tube because of the risk that children might be exposed to unsuitable materials. The best way round this is to download the videos at home. Mike Trodd, at Cecil Road Primary school, has written an easy to use guide on how to download YouTube videos using RealPlayer which can be found at the link below. Once downloaded, videos can be put onto pen drives and taken into school where they can either be re-imported into RealPlayer or inserted straight into SMART Notebook (version 9.5 or later) or ActivePrimary.
You Tube Download Guide

An alternative quick solution

Go to the Download You Tube Video website

1 Copy the url of the YouTube video
2 Paste it into the website box
3 Click download
4 Rename this video, right click on the file and type in a new name with .flv at the end.

This will play in Windows media player.

Exactly 20 years ago this month I was preparing to write the third or fourth TMA (Tutor Marked Assignment) of my Arts Foundation Course (A102) and preparing to attend my first Open University Summer School. My experiences over the following 6 years were great - 40+ TMAs, 3 Summer Schools (Stirling & York twice) loads of friends and 6 exams!!!

I remember being fastidious in my recording of the course videos and became adept at setting up the technology to record the programmes that were typically broadcast at 2.30 am!!!! It was the radio broadcasts, however, that really caused me the problems - it was much more difficult to set up tapes to automatically record in the early hours of the morning.

All of these difficulties - and memories of missed broadcasts - flooded back to me as I read about the Open University’s decision to make course materials available on iTunes U. No more piles of videos, no more missed broadcasts, no more writing up of sticky labels………oh joy.

My experiences with the OU led me into new career paths that I’d never have considered had I not undertaken the studies which effectively changed the course of my life.

I’m seriously thinking of going back to look at today’s updated versions of the courses I studied - perhaps I’ll even sign up formally for a course or two in this new era of anytime, anywhere access to audio and video resources for learning.

I’ve been known for my scepticism about the mass purchase and installation of interactive whiteboards - mostly because of the logistics and the associated costs but also due to the fact that much of what they do can be achieved, often to greater effect, without the need for an actual board. The boards themselves do very little and what do you know - here’s another impressive proof of the fact!!!!!! These static lumps of expensive plastic are fast becoming outmoded!!

Thanks to Lynn for posting this TED video on her blog.

Some fantastic news emerged from Holyrood last/this week. Recent calls by the RNIB for a National Transcription Service kick-started research into the needs of a wider range of pupils that might benefit from adapted curricular materials. Read the debate from the chamber here.

Visually impaired pupils have, for many years, been well provided for as a result of the efforts of the RNIB and local councils adapting materials in a variety of formats: braille, enlarged print, audio, etc…. but it has been obvious for those working in support for learning departments and special needs units that many other pupils could benefit from similar rights and provisions.

One of the main issues was that certain pupils in our schools were not exempt from certain copyright rules that allowed for materials to be adapted, without the need for special permission, into a variety of useful formats.

The information gathered during recent research threw up a level of inequity that could not be maintained. There are many pupils who are considered to be print disabled who did not benefit from the copyright exclusions and the new changes to the CLA Licence reflect a more equitable and inclusive approach. Read the full report here.

Our friends and colleagues at CALL Scotland (formerly known as………The CALL Centre) carried out the research, took the issues up the line, and persuaded those within the Scottish Government to facilitate the necessary changes to bring accessible resources within the reach of all pupils with disabilities. So the announcement of the planned way ahead was a very pleasant reward for the time and effort that has gone into the Books for All campaign.

Young people with visual impairments, or other print disabilities (my emphasis), in Scotland will have access to the best educational material available from next term.

From August, they will be able to use the Scottish Books for All database powered by SCRAN, one of the largest educational online services, to access learning materials.

The database will contain a list of adapted materials which teachers can access to ensure that all pupils with additional support needs receive curriculum materials at the same time as their classmates in a format that meets their needs.

Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years, announced the move during a debate around a call by RNIB Scotland for a national transcription service for young people.

He said:

“RNIB have been very helpful in drawing this issue to our attention but we believe that with the steps we have taken there is no need for the type of national transcription service they propose. We are totally committed to ensuring that all our pupils can access the curriculum. The Books for All report has enabled us to identify gaps in provision and take positive steps to ensure that we can achieve this aim.”

While the RNIB might be disappointed at not achieving their goal of a dedicated National Transcription Service, I say well done to them for ‘blazing the trail’, showing us what is needed, and effectively laying the foundations that will help many, many pupils with reading disabilities.

There’s much work to be done. Staff will need to be trained in adapting materials and understanding the new copyright arrangements. Pupils will need to be supported in making best use of these newly available resources, and everyone will need to learn how to appropriately share the accessible format materials that will help our pupils access the curriculum on that, almost, level playing field.

Well done to the staff at CALL Scotland!!!!

Wednesday 30th April was Margaret’s last day as QIO/ASN and, previously, Manager of Support for Learners, and she has now headed off into the blissful state that is retirement. For Margaret, this is certainly an early retirement - there is more to come from this woman’s depth of knowledge of additional support needs for pupils, and of dyslexia in particular.

Margaret’s leaving was marked with a well-attended gathering at Dingwall Education Centre on Tuesday 29th April where speeches were made but, more importantly, where fond farewells and best wishes flowed freely from a broad representation of Highland’s ASN community.

I know that Margaret hosted a memorable evening at Lochardil on Wednesday evening to which she had invited many of her working colleagues - even those ‘challenging’ ladies from the Area Support for Learning Teams!!!!!! I was unable to attend but have seen the pictures and heard the tales so know enough to say that the occasion was a fitting one to mark Margaret’s stepping forwards into the bright blue yonder. I can guess how much everyone must have enjoyed themselves - judging by how much I had to straighten the photos.!!!

I wasn’t the only person unable to be at Margaret’s do on Wednesday. Margaret received a warm speech of appreciation for her work from a VIP!!!

So, even although the money’s no better in retirement at least the hours are, Margaret!! Enjoy your time and we’ll be expecting to hear from, and about, you soon.

As a Dundee lad, weaned on the Beano and Dandy, who later worked as a teacher in the school next door to the D C Thomson offices I’ve always had a fascination for stories told in pictures as well as words.

It was, therefore, with great interest (but no great surprise) that I read Emma Seith’s report in this week’s TESS on the potential use of comics and graphic novels to encourage reluctant readers.

Ever considered using Viz’s Fat Slags to spark a class debate about gender representation? What about using Jackie to teach history? Or juxtaposing Japanese manga and Shakespeare? No?

In all likelihood, neither had teachers gathered at the National Library of Scotland, in Edinburgh, until they attended a recent continuing professional development session on using comics in the classroom by Dr Mel Gibson – or Dr Mel Comics, “because there’s no point in doing a Google search for Mel Gibson”.

Nat Edwards, head of education at the library, introduces Dr Gibson as a leading scholar on comics and graphic novels. Her job, she says, is to “enthuse” the assembled teachers, but she also wants to dispel any idea that such literature is “mostly violent and full of awfulness”.

Comics are, she argues, a means of developing literacy. There is, for example, the Classical Comics range which includes Shakespeare’s Henry V and Macbeth; there’s Persepolis, an autobiographical novel by Marjane Satrapi depicting her childhood in Iran after the revolution; and The Tale of One Bad Rat by Bryan Talbot about a girl who has suffered sexual abuse. “It’s a book about the power of literature and art to make life worth living again,” Dr Gibson says.

She begins, however, by talking about manga, the Japanese graphic novel or comic. In schools it can be used as a means of exploring a different culture, Dr Gibson suggests, but it is also a “powerful vehicle for literacy and creativity”.

She continues: “Graphic novels are good at drawing in new and developing readers, but they also engage passionate readers, who will keep coming back wanting the next volume.”

The Secondary English Network based in West Lothian have been detailing their use of such materials on their exciting blog. These folks are fortunate to have events and exhibitions such as Local Heroes: The Art of the Graphic Novel on their doorsteps with the associated lecture opportunities that go with them and I’m very jealous!! However, thanks to them for sharing their work so generously - it’s really great to follow what they’re doing.

Remember ComicLife software is available for our schools.