Download .avi file version here.

For a food loving person like myself a web tool called del.cio.us was too good an opportunity to miss!

Del.icio.us is a must have web tool called a social bookmarker. It radically changes the way you browse the web and share good links with other users.

Setting up a free account is very straight forward, but choose an username that you are happy to share with other people. Then download the del.icio.us software including buttons that will display on a google toolbar.

Everytime you find a useful website add it to your del.icio.us list. You need to give it one or more tag names. This will enable you to sort through all your links. If it is a popular site with other del.icio.us users you will be given a suggested list of how they have tagged it.

Why bother using Del.icio.us?
The main advantage of using del.icio.us over just using internet favourites or bookmarks, is that your del.icio.us list can be accessed as a web page wherever you are.
It is also possible to add your del.icio.us list to a personalised google homepage or onto a google desktop sidebar.
With a bit of fiddling around, you can add your list to a blog. You can see mine displayed as a cloud. The tags with the most links are in a larger font.
Lastly, you can share your list with other people. To view my list go to del.icio.us and type in the username communicty, or click here

Flashmeeting Video Conference 31/1
As a follow up from ICTnet East, I promised to organise a flashmeeting to demonstrate how it works and give ICT practitioners a chance to share some ideas. It will take place on Thursday 31st Jan from 20:00 – 21:00. Anyone is welcome to participate, but places are limited to 25. For more info click here.
Resources Update
7.1 MyTree – This SEAL project on creating a powerpoint presentation about describing your personality has proved really popular. We’ve now made a short video to explain the project in more detail.

8.3 Searching the Web – This project uses the contrasting themes of life and safaris in Malawi as its focus. There is an assessment task at the end in which students review two contrasting websites. I’ve also added some short films about Malawi.

9.4 Digital News – This project enables students to plan a storyboard in powerpoint and then save the slides as .jpgs and import them into movie maker. I’ve added some examples videos. I’ve also made simple life cycle and gantt diagram for them to do plan the whole project.

To visit our entire KS3 ICT SoW, some KS4 resources and lots more, visit www.communicty.wikispaces.com

Useful Sites
Online stopwatch – a flash based countdown timer that can be used online or downloaded.
Pagebull.com – a visual search engine that shows thumbnails of websites as search results.
Etwinning – Help on how to set up a virtual link with another school, or contact the eTwinning Ambassadors for some free advice
Exploratree – Futurelab’s new thinking guides website.
Bridgebuilder 2000 – Free download simulation software. An excellent cover lesson.
QCA, new KS3 ICT PoS – Explains the revised curriculum in terms of concepts, processes, content and attainment targets. Useful definitions of terms.
Digital Video CPD
The Machine is Us/ing Us – This video explains web2.0 is revolutionising the Internet
Shift Happens – How the evolution of computing is influencing our own evolution (or right click here to save).
Do schools kill creativity – Sir Ken Robinson makes a profound and entertaining case for an education system that promotes creativity.

In the Pipe Line
Assessment for Learning resources for KS3 ICT including pupil tracking using Excel markbooks.
Digital Film Review unit – Revising unit to enable students to create and analyse film review data in database, then create audio film reviews using audacity.
Internet Safety – resources being developed by Pip Cartwright to teach the issues including digital videos

Just for Fun
Zombies in Plain English – Watch your back, Zombies can appear where you least expect them!

On Friday I’m giving my first ever presentations at the BETT Show. I’m on the Policy in Practice stand and Stephen Heppell’s stand in the afternoon. This should make for a busy day!

Download Title

Presentation Handout | Presentation | MyTree Article | PageBull Visual Search Engine | bubbl.us mindmapping | Flashmeeting Basic Videoconferencing | My KS3 ICT SoW |

The Typical Teacher Network and The Networked Teacher are two diagrams created by Alec Couros from the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina as part of his doctoral thesis to signify the different ways in which teachers network in the 21st century.

The challenge is to train teachers to become active contributors to these new networks instead of simply passive observers!

In this deceptively casual talk, Charles Leadbeater weaves a tight argument that innovation isn’t just for professionals anymore. Passionate amateurs, using new tools, are creating products and paradigms that companies can’t. He describes the rising role of serious amateurs (”Pro-Ams,” as he calls them) through the story of the mountain bike.

The main idea I was trying to explain was that the way we accessed information when we were teenagers was very different to today. If you asked a class of students in the 1980’s who was at number 1, nearly everyone could tell you. If you ask the same question today, only a minority of children will be able to give you the answer. Instead of using push media such as TV and Radio for entertainment, they use the internet as a pull medium. In this way they reach out to things that interest them and personalise their learning.

I showed how the following tools can be used to pull information into the classroom:
Survey Monkey – for creating online surveys and generating real data
bubbl.us - for creating mindmaps and sharing ideas
Edublogs – for enabling students to share moderated comments
VoiceThread – for sharing images and discussing what they show
FlashMeeting – for basic video conferencing

The delegates to the conference responded really well to this more dynamic way to learn. Are you ready for the challenge to give PowerPoint the push? Visit www.ictnet.ning.com .

This awesome application allows you to upload a presentation and quickly add a commentary.
It also enables other users to add comments of their own. The possibilities with this tool are endless.

This video has useful statistics on how students use technology for learning in and out of school.