History / Geography/ Socials

Digital Historical Atlas

One stand had a straightforward and practical Digital Historical Atlas with 50 maps and related images, animations, film-clips and text. It is not GoogleEarth-style 3D-rendered, but it would help in class if the information fits the syllabus and/or the interests of the students.


A sample map in pdf format is here.

Google street view as a teaching tool

Google street view is fantastic... but it doesn't always get:

• into a pedestrian area, 
• into a castle's grounds or 
• onto a prehistoric site. 

This provider, eye-to-eyesoft.co.uk, does just that, with sites organised into categories, with brief text descriptions and with the option for placing on the Learning Platform for use as an image and text bank. 





Before purchasing, it is probably a good idea to look at free alternatives, including www.worldmapper.org, which distorts world maps depending on the variable being studied: population, production, resources, etc.

Platforms

The team sent to BETT did not look specifically at platforms, becuase the school has already chosen one. That said, a couple of clean user-friendly layouts did catch our eye. In particular eschools, for which we have access to a demo, if anyone is interested.

Projects

Radio

There were a couple of stands that offered children the chance to manage their own school radio station (broadcasting on the internet or through an antenna). The friendliest were www.schoolradio.co.uk. Initially, they are far too expensive - but if the concept of a radio club is of interest, the website is full of ideas.

TV

Student TV software was also present at the show.

Kudlian's I Can Present software is easy enough to use with Primary, but perfectly suitable for Secondary too. It allows children to insert themselves against a backdrop of still or moving images in order to create professional-looking news reports, documentaries and weather reports, etc.The package comes with tele-prompter! Editing is done via movie-maker.

Finished videos can be posted on the school's website or intranet, or digital signage system (once installed). They can be shared via new emerging 'safe' sites such as www.eurocreator.com or Teachertube.com or even via Youtube.com (with parental permission and no data about who or where the children are).

Kudian also have a Best Young Presenter of the Year contest with three age-groups: 7-10s, 11-13s and 14-16s. (Although this has yet to take off.)

So, in conclusion, the software would allow:

• one-off activities
• revision activities
• presenation of group work or individual work
• a school TV channel via the web

Animation

Kudian also produce a very successful package, I can animate. Examples of childrens' work can be found here.

Science

General Science Videos

YouTube does provide a huge number of videos. But the quality, reliability and length of these varies. Another option for science could be:  www.twig-it.com

Definitely, have a look at the site right now for demo videos. Alternatively ask Julie for our access codes. Julie, Nikki and I were impressed and, as there was the option of using the films for free for the first 6 months, we signed up on the spot (you can back out at any time before the 6 months expire).

This source is visually stunning and extremely informative, but does lack a sense of humour; unlike some of the videos at howstuffworks.com/science. Try looking for the one, "Making Paper from Poo". Apparently, it's all about eating fibre...


Sunflower Science also provides flash animations, worksheets and quizzes - off-line or online (on the learning platform), for Biology, Chemistry and Physics.




Organic Chemistry Videos

A source of videos, animations and models is rogerfrost. The link is to a preview page. I have a code to look at a demo.


Data-gathering

There were a large number of stands selling data-gathering hardware and software. Most appeared to be USB plug-in units that would take your readings directly into EXCEL or similar. The best was probably the BETT Award Winner, www.data-harvest.co.uk  I have a catalogue...

Writing made EASIER

There were a number of improved Word Processors at the show. Some were on the Special Needs stands and some were on the mainstream stands.

One example is WriteOnline from Crick Software which can be fully integrated within the school's Moodle.

It incorporates word bars which can be imported or customised, as well as predictive text and text-to-voice features. In addition, it integrates brainstorming (the words or phrases brainstormed can automatically be turned into word bars) and writing frames. The best way to see what is possible is to watch the websites' video here.

The potential for this tool is that students can prepare in class, then access the same information via the school's Moodle, and complete the work online (which is therefore logged).

The text reader is available in English, Spanish and Catalan (for school use), although the file size of Spanish and Catalan is currently too big for internet use.

The pricing structure is currently too expensive, but is open to negotiation. And there are other alternatives on the market; for example:

WordQ - which is just a text predictor with topic list (and text-to-voice if you want to pay more) - there's a video here.

Other subjects

PE / Educación Física

I didn't find exciting PE software. I could only find an on-line version of paper plans: PEplanning.org.uk

However, there were software/hardware combinations that used webcams or Playstation PSPs and similar to record at high speed and playback in slow-motion.


All subjects

If new legislation comes in restricting the use of online images from Google, etc, then a supplier like edupics.org could be interesting. They have a clear menu and all images are tagged using key words.

Robotics

Robotics were most noticeable at:

• Lego Mindstorms- a large stand with examples of their robot units and kits.
• Parallax.inc (USA) - present via a friendly small concern, Active-Robots.com
• Various simulation-software and data-gathering hardware stands.

Lego offer the FFL or 'First Lego League' for 10-16 year-olds; this:

• is launched every September
• has national finals at this time of year
• has a Green City Challenge (= renewable energy) for 2011/12
• provides 45 hours of lessons
• is holding a challenge in Cornellà on 29 January at the Citillab

LEGO

One of the great things about Lego is the community that it fosters. Also, if you enter the challenge, registration includes a kit including mat and hardware - but not the robot base unit which has to be bought separately.

All the 'experts' on the stands agree that Robotics is best started as an after-school club with fewer students and the possibility of showcasing their work on Parents' Day.

The representative for this part of Europe is mirella.mariani@LEGOeducation.eu

 Active-Robots.com and Parallax

The good thing about Active-Robots.com is that they can supply a wide range of robots from different companies (including LEGO) and are happy to break up kits to supply spare parts, or to meet specific needs. In addition, they run a course subsidised by Parallax to teach BASIC Stamp and to share ideas at the University of Bath in June.


Simulation Software and Data-gathering Hardware


I hadn't realised, but the LEGO robot units can also be used as data gatherers for scientific experiments and so, perhaps not surprisingly, stands with this hardware also had robots. 


One looked interesting: flowol.com as it had clear flow-chart planning and 2D and 3D simulations running from this. Apparently, this could then be transferred to 'real' models via Fisher-Price and other interfaces.

Mobile technology

There is clearly a lot that can be done with mobile devices, including PDAs, PSPs (yes - the portable PlayStations), netbooks, the iPad and iPhone or iTouch (with camera), as well as student-response handheld units sold by IWB hardware and/or software suppliers.

These devices were demonstrated being used by students:

• to record their performance in plays and in sport
• to record scientific experiments or simply notes on the board
• to send single key or text responses from their group to the teacher's IWB or computer
• to play pre-recorded videos or show photographs while a student browses through a text-book or works on an exam paper (using barcodes and a PSP with 'Second Sight' software)
• to create videos, music, interactive stories, etc, etc using Apps created for the iPad family

IWBs

Shadow

The problem with a shadow on the board is soon to disappear. There are now:

• new large plasma IWBs on the market. Samsung launched a 63" version at the show
• a lot of short-throw IWBs and ultra-short-throw IWBs, which hardly stick out from the wall you project on

Interestingly, apart from the well-known names in whiteboards, there were a number of  (I imagine) unknown Chinese companies present in the show with efficient whiteboards. Hopefully, this competition might help drive down prices.

3D

The future is probably going to be 3D, but:

• progress is slow - not least because software is lagging behind hardware
• the technology is currently using 'active' glasses which recieve information and use batteries and which are still relatively expensive; even if we wanted to purchase, it makes sense to wait for leasing plans to be developed

However, if the school invests in more projectors, if the price allows, they should purchase projectors with the DLP chip which allows 3D.

In one presentation a UK school and Texas Instruments detailed how they had introduced 3D technology into the classrooms to great success. They conducted a controlled experiment in which students were split into 2 groups: 3D and 2D. The teacher used the same lesson plan and a script for their explanations. The final task was to create models. Without prompting, the 3D group all produced detailed 3D models while the 2D group produced flat, less accurate models.

More interaction

Texas Instruments is working towards allowing the teacher and students to interact with the 3D object - pulling it apart and rearranging it.

BETT Award Winner

Promethean won the BETT 2011 ICT Company of the Year Award.

BETT 2011

The following posts are part of a report on BETT 2011.

Use the tags/labels to search by subject or resource.

Each post will (probably!) be added to as the days go past to make it more complete. Please add comments or questions too.