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April 2000
Before you start - I know this is late - yet again. Unfortunately I was away for the whole Easter break - no computing at all. Instead I revisited my favourite bits of Yorkshire and took some photos to update my web site (poser). I also drove the school minibus and shivered in a damp tent so not all fun....
Jane's Bit
Think.com
The main news is that while you are all enjoying the Bank Holiday Sunshine, Scoop is going to metamorphose into Think. I came up with the strapline 'I Think.com, therefore I Can', but the management team said, 'Eurgh' (or something of the sort). I thought it was intellectually playful.
When you next log in, go to http://www.think.com. The link on the MirandaNet front page has now changed.
Don't worry: all your articles, images, etc. will still be there, and the
log-in names and passwords will be the same as before. If you have forgotten
what your ID is (and I emailed the full list on 2 May) then you can look it
up on an unlinked page at:
www.mirandanet.org.uk/Scoop/login.htm
Your email address will now be your_name@think.com. It will look slightly different and you will have some choice about colour-scheme preferences.
The basic concept has changed - you now have your own Gallery where you store work-in-progress as well as finished work and you can choose to publish to the world at large or to invited members. The main new features and some tips on how to weather the change-over are at: www.mirandanet.org.uk/Scoop/thinktips.htm
Print them out before you log on.
The MirandaRose Awards have reached their first birthday - we have been looking at educational sites for a year now and giving the awards to those we have felt make a distinctive mark. Some people have asked what our judging criteria are. Sometimes it's a case of, 'We know it when we see it', but if any Mirandanetters want to offer suggestions for Awardees, look at the selection criteria on www.mirandanet.org.uk/links/criteria.htm
The April Educational-site-of-the-Month has been awarded to Orbital Mechanics Education Network - Educational opportunities for UK National Curriculum Keystages 2 to 5 in Science, Technology, Design, Mathematics, Geography, Art, English and History homepages.nildram.co.uk/~omen/
The Community-site-of-the-Month MirandaRose Award goes to Parents online - a very good, informative and imaginative site designed for parents, with hints on how to help with homework in many different disciplines www.parents.org.uk
And, as always, there are the new month's links atwww.mirandanet.org.uk/links/links.htm
The Summary and Forward only of Preston, C., Cox M. and Cox K. (April 2000) Teachers as Innovators in Learning: What motivates teachers to use ICT is now online at www.mirandanet.org.uk/publications/ and you can click from there to ordering information.
The book published by the Teacher Training Agency/MirandaNet/Oracle/Compaq
Also online are details of a seminar on Saturday 24th June:
- Seminar: Rethinking Literacy in an Age of New Media
- Venue: Froebel College, University of Surrey, Roehampton
- Time: 9.30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
- Organiser: See conference website: www.cyberangle.demon.co.uk
- Audience: Those concerned to map the future of literacy.
We live in a changing world but are our notions of what it means to be literate keeping up with these changes? What does literacy mean today and what will it mean as the century advances? This conference will critically examine the ways in which we define literacy and the role of literature, film, television and information technology in the development of children's imagination and creativity.
Speakers include several MirandaNet Fellows.
Contact: 'Rethinking Literacy' 49 Eastbourne Avenue, London, W3 6JS or 020 8932 2696 or 0779 029 9242; Email: wearle at dircon.co.uk
... and on a personal note
There was nothing from me last time because I was in Japan. There are some things they do better there. So I'm one of the converted. Lawrence and I are planning to bring you some live drama links to Japan. It won't be kabuki theatre ... but watch this space for further announcements.
BECTA does some good stuff! - English and maths specialists please note the following
Becta is looking for examples of good practice in the use of ICT with English. Becta will pay for one day's cover for each case study used. Publication is likely to be via the Virtual Teacher Centre on the National Grid for Learning. More information can be obtained from jane_spilsbury at becta.org.uk.
A national competition to help primary school children develop mathematics skills has been launched by Becta to support the Government's Maths Year 2000 initiative. For full details on the competition, please see: mathschallenge.ngfl.becta.org.uk
From Tina - an interesting site for the aid of stress reduction.....
It is a fascinating site for all gardeners and probably fits into the national curriculum somewhere
Tina strikes again - wha hae!
A bit of culture for you to enjoy from saucers close to the prime minister! Tony Blair is being shown around a hospital.Towards the end of his visit, he is shown into a ward with a number of people with no obvious signs of injury. He goes to greet the first and the chap replies:
"FAIR fa' your honest sonsie face,
Great chieftain e' the puddin'.race! Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang 's my arm."
Tony, being somewhat confused (easily done) goes to the next patient and greets him. He replies:
"Some hae meat, and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit."
The third starts rattling off as follows:
"Wee sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie, O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an chase thee, Wi murdering pattle!"
Tony turns to the doctor accompanying him and asks what sort of ward this is. A mental ward?
"No," replies the doctor, "It's the Burns unit."
High Tech Women (scary)
Our next event is on Wednesday 3 May in London and the topic will be "HighTech Jobs - What's it all about?" We'll be examining jobs in high tech from a 360º perspective. Those interested in breaking through the mystique: come armed with questions, as it is sure to be an informative and livelydiscussion! HR professionals, job seekers, those seeking people to fill jobs: Come along and share your own experiences and expertise.
Where:
The University Women's Club,2 Audley Square,
South Audley Street,
London W1
Closest tube stops: Marble Arch (Central Line) and Hyde Park Corner(Piccadilly Line).
When:
6:30-9:30 PM. Please To RSVP go to www.hightech-women.com/register.html
This is our second in the HighTech Women's "What's it all about" series. Topics requested for the future series included, "IPO - What's it all about?" and "Technology and Public Policy - What's it all about?" Let us know what other topics you'd like to view from a 360º perspective. We will start having workshops in a month or so -- requests have included business plan writing workshop, a CEO workshop, negotiation workshop, public speaking/presenting workshop, and the list goes on....let us know if you have specific areas of interest that you think would make a good workshop, or if you have expertise and experience that you'd like to share. We are planning a CEO roundtable, in the next month or so. If you are a CEO or know a women who is a CEO who would be interested in participating, watch this space.
Sponsors Announcement: BT Award Scheme
BT FutureTalk School Awards is a scheme offering £600,000 to schools over two years for communication projects involving the use of ICT. £50,000 of awards are available every half term - this half term's deadline is 19th May. Members may wish to alert schools to the scheme. Details on: www.btschoolsawards.co.uk
Schools applying also receive free website hosting for for a year.
Contact Kate Malecki, Project Manager, on katemalecki at hotmail.com
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