:Lynne’s blog

Not sure if I’m behind the times with this one but I discoverd the Learning Zone on the BBC pages recently. Its suitable for both primary and secondary levels. It enables you to search for visual audio resources under many different subject areas. For instance you can search literacy and then narrow your search to stories. While it’s library is limited at present I’m hoping the BBC will continue to add resources to this library. Its a great starter resource for IWB users out there and also allows you to view clips tv programmes which previously your school would need to purchase!

The site can viewed by clicking on the following link

BBC Learning Zone

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  With mentor training in East Lothian now coming to a close next week for this session it seems an appropriate time to reflect upon first impressions. 

Glow still seems a bit like Dr Who’s tardis, compact and fairly ordinary on the outside but open it up and you’ll find many surprises and unexpected facilities. For those of you who still know very little about Glow it might be worth taking a look at the Glow website.

Glow like all new advances in Scottish education is something that cannot be implemented overnight. It requires time and  good staff development programs whereby staff can foster new skills and develop ideas.

It will eventually become part of all our lives in Scottish Schools whether we are staff or children. It will provide us with a safe environment where we chat, share, inform and inspire each other. I think we will each use Glow for different purposes and this will be where the Glow Mentors role will come in. I hope we will be able to guide and advise staff regarding their ideas.

Being a Glow Mentor is just one piece of the giant Glow jigsaw puzzle. The key pieces now needed are enthusiastic teachers looking for a fresh approach to teaching and learning. I hope early next session staff will be given time to reflect on ideas and devleop initial projects.

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     Picture from Ollie (hope you don’t mind)

I attended the Glow ‘Making Connections and Sharing success’ conference at Stirling this week. As with all such CPD events it was the invaluable connections made with people that mattered. Meeting people and discovering common goals. Thanks to Adam and his group for his great Animoto version of Glow and thanks to the numerous websites and resouces recommended to me for my current classroom practice.  We now well and truley have a network of Glow mentors inspired by the potential tools we can use in schools in the future.

While the day was mostly about chatting and ideas we did explore one of Glow’s functions. We used Glow Meet to take part in the Worlds Biggest Lesson. With mentors sitting in about 4 different rooms we communicated through a shared area. It was exciting to think of how this  tool within Glow could be utilised by teachers in the future. The potential is massive however like all things involving ‘tools’ lets not miss out on the ideas. I keep on hearing the phrase its not the ‘what you’re teaching’ but the ‘how you’re teaching’. I disagree, its still about the what that needs innovation in the classroom.

Our next step is to look at how we can use Glow within the primary sector? Who are the people to take this forward? Should they be teachers with an interest in ICT? My initial thoughts are not necessarily. 

As Glow Mentors we will be able to support staff in setting up projects within Glow. What we now need are enthusiastic innovative teachers to try something new.

For instance if I wanted the children of Athlestaneford (rural village school) to link up with children in a Glasgow inner city school it can be done via Glow. If I want my children to link up with a school in Australia via video conferencing it can be done. However these two ideas are based around the technology not the teaching.

I think we need to stimulate conversations, questions, get teachers thinking about what they’d really like to do in their classroom and lets go ahead and give it a try. Sometimes Glow just might be the answer but I cannot help coming back to Ewan’s quote. Its not about the tech but the teach, lets make sure we remember that.

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Thanks to Ewan for pointing out the clip questioning the reliability of Brain Gym taken from Newsnight. I remember having to go through the training in a Glasgow school wondering how on earth the ’science’ had been proven. I think many teachers recognise the benefits for having a ‘brain break’ within the school day but maybe not specifically ‘brain gym’.

Talking of pseudo science I’m wondering the same about my current ‘brain training’ on the DS. Who says it’ll improve my thinking? Has it been proven? How? Who is Dr Kawashima? (Dr Who for those of you without a DS).

I’ve certainly noticed differences in scores depending on doing tests after school/weekend but I’m still curious to find out more about how they work in the classroom.

Derek is about to start an interesting Kawashima DS project up at Stornway for LTS. I’m looking forward to the results. While I am not advocating for one minute that the DS becomes a replacement for teaching I can still see lots of scope for using games as part of children’s learning.  

Maths Training for instance is a great ‘brain wake up’ for primary age children. While the game does not ‘teach’ maths it provides great practice for quick mental recall. The one hundred grid game certainly proved a challenge for my brain.  I guess in the not too distant future we’ll be designing games ourselves for children. Maybe?

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We had our first ‘Glow Meet’ on Friday.  Following on from our two day training session in February it was important to get together and discuss ‘next steps’.

Dave led the discussions as to how as an authority we can take Glow forward.

Our first step before the children and staff of East Lothian start glowing is for the mentors to become confident with the portal.  We have each been given a Glow manual and login to work through its functions at home although clearly working together is preferable to bounce ideas/problems/solutions off each other.

We have decided that through creating ‘Glow Projects’ not only will we learn about Glow’s capabilities but will also be able to provide examplars/walkthroughs for staff & children.

It will be interesting to see how everyone’s projects develop.  I suddenly feel like a Glow Apprentice - thankfully I wont have to face Alan Sugar at the end of the week.

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I attended a North Berwick Cluster meeting this evening to be given further details of our forthcoming animation project. The project is the result of a partnership between the Scottish Seabird Centre, East Lothian and the appropriately named Redkite animation company.

The Seabird Centre is about to welcome the return of the Tern sculpture and it is hoped the project will help celebrate this event through an animation about the journey of the Arctic Tern.  A week ago I knew nothing about this fascinating bird but am already amazed by its migratory journey.

From a teaching perspective it will be interesting to see how the project works not only from the perspective of co-ordinating film clips from each primary & North Berwick High but also importantly using the input and advice of professional animators. 

I’m hoping this project not only provides an excellent example of how we can use ICT across the curriculum but also provides a springboard for CPD for staff in using animation.

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