News and Items of Interest

Home Access launched Thursday 7th January 2010

Home Access is the new government programme designed to ensure that more children in state-maintained education in England have access to technology at home to support learning.


The programme will provide grant funding to 270,000 families whose children are eligible for Free School Meals and will initially target learners at Key Stage 2 or 3. The grant, in the form of a smartcard, will allow the family to purchase a computer package to support learning at home. The packages that the smartcard will buy are - a computer, internet connection (3G mobile broadband cards or cable / telephone), assistive technology (for children with statemented SEN needs) and service and support which includes warranty and insurance. The computer can be a netbook, laptop or desktop, but not a PDA. Packages will be marketed as Next generation learning @ home.


The programme was launched on January 7th at BETT (British Education and Training Technology) exhibition and conference. Call the Home Access Grant Helpline on 0333 200 1004 for an application form.

See the national e-Learing Foundation website www.e-learningfoundation.com/home-access-programme and Becta website www.becta.org.uk/homeaccess for more details

 

Berkshire e-Learning Foundation Trials Eee PC 

The Foundation Trustees have purchased an ASUS Eee PC and are loaning it to schools in order to produce an evaluation report in its strengths and weaknesses for use in schools instead of the standard laptop. The Eee PC weighs less than 1kg and has a 7" screen. A new version has recently been released with a 9" screen and running Windows XP.


Research on PDAs in Primary Education

http://eeepc.asus.com/uk/

Are you interested in research into the use of the Personal Digital Organiser in Primary education? The Feltham City Learning Centre and Hounslow eLearning asked SENJIT of the Institute of Education , University of London , to undertake an independent evaluation of an experimental project which provided hand-held Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to all pupils in Y6 classes in Victoria Junior School .  The experiment took place over the academic year 2005-2006. See the attached link for the results of the research http://www.handheldlearning.co.uk/content/view/33/2/

 

Mobile Learning in Wolverhampton

 

21st Century mobile learning becomes a reality for Wolverhampton . Have a browse through the learning2go website for lots of helpful advice and information on mobile learning and the use of Handheld devices. 

www.learning2go.org 

  

James Elliman School case study

 

More details about the school's technology project can be found in the document attached at the bottom of this page.

 

Gilbert Report on Personalised Learning

  

Teaching and Learning in 2020 - the Gilbert report on Personalised Learning is well worth a read. Click on the link to go to the report  www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/10783/6856_DfES_Teaching_and_Learning.pdf

 

The impact of ICT in schools - a landscape review

  

Becta have published a major review of the evidence on the impact of ICT in schools.  The review, carried out by researchers at the Quality in Education Centre, University of Strathclyde, looked at over 350 sources to build a 'big picture' of where and how ICT has had an impact across the schools sector, including:

·     Impact on teaching and learning  

      ·   Impact on attainment    

  • Personalisation of the learning experience  

     

  • Impact on home-school links

      ·   Impact on administration, management and workload.

  

The review found that evidence of impact is inconsistent across schools, subjects and technologies.  The greatest impact is found where the use of ICT is embedded in everyday classroom experience, has clear educational goals, and is seen as purposeful by pupils.  Other key findings include:

·          A whole-school strategy that addresses the development and sustainability of ICT is a critical factor in the effective use of technology.

·         Teachers' ICT skills have developed significantly over the years, as has the range of both hardware and software available in the classroom - there is evidence that these developments have led to a reduction in teachers' workloads.

·         Use of ICT is most effective where teachers integrate a number of technologies - for example, laptops, interactive whiteboards and the internet. 

·         ICT can contribute to personalising learning by putting greater control in the hands of the learner, but the challenge this presents to the traditional teacher-pupil relationship means this may not always be welcomed.  

 

 A copy of the review can be ordered (free of charge) or downloaded from http://publications.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=28221&page=1835

  

Final report of the Minister's taskforce on Home Access to Technology, July 2008

This report can be downloaded by clicking on the link at the foot of this page.

Newsletters 

The March 09 newsletter is available to download at the foot of the page.

 

 

James Elliman Project Report

Click on the link at the foot of the page to download the document.

 

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