LSN Q Projects and eCPD grants: update

Q Projects are back! Applications are invited by LSN for Staff Development Managers to outline a project or how they propose to use the eCPD framework to develop staff e-learning skills as part of their continuing professional development. Meetings are being arranged to explain the framework in late June and early July. However, the application form outlining your proposal and the framework units being utilised, is stated as being required to be received by LSN 10 days prior to the event you propose to attend. The Eastern Region event is on 23/6 so that's a tight deadline! To help, I'll try and publish some of the units that are most likely to be relevant and any clarification I can get on this. See the files section for a copy of the eCPD practitioners' application form.

Why am I doing this?

In case you hadn't read the intro above, this all started because I wanted 'normal' people to be able to add content to a web site without having to learn new tricks or buy expensive software. This web log itself is merely a vehicle I can use to join what someone types in Word or some pictures they've got in Picasa to a web page that they couldn't edit directly.

The software that joins things together is a combination of weird stuff we don't need to understand that links Blogger to Word or Picasa and an application that 'reads' my ramblings on the web log posts, translates them into something a web site can understand and then displays headings or headings + a few lines or even pictures, if I'm lucky, on the web site page. Because I haven't any money to spend I'm using free, open source, applications and trying them out. Some seem better than others. This may result in you getting blank bits or seeing a slightly different display from time to time. Sorry about that but hopefully I'll get the combination right soon and it'll settle down into something that will be really useful.

What's really nice is the way these posts can be picked up by netvibes.com and pageflakes.com too. Just thought I'd mention it, as I'm expecting a few visitors who might now know how I go on about them elsewhere! Don't mean to bore those of you that do.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Hmmm. Anyone who wants to join in, just let me know via design@ahi2000.com or maybe even comment on the web log itself.

Rain stops play at Peter's Pond

The live broadcast ended some time ago. I hadn't noticed because you can still see great highlights at the link I mentioned in the earlier post. So it's still worth visiting - and maybe the rain may have stopped now anyway!

Becta 2006 Review

Lots of data here and interesting commentary on the impact of ICT and ILT. Whilst the prime focus is on schools, there are many references to responses and data from the FE and ACL institutions. Full pdf document available here.

LSN: professional development opportunities being launched soon!

Somewhere in practically all reviews and reports being released are references to the need to incorporate ILT in professional development. LSDA started to address this with their ePD 'framework' (and Q projects) and it would appear that LSN will maintain development of the 'framework' with individuals creating examples of how they would propose either to promote or deliver good practice for us all to share and learn from. Invitations may be issued soon to those in the FE and ACL community who would like to suggest how they might contribute to this development with some grants being provided to assist with costs of releasing selected staff accordingly. Watch this space for more details!

Test from room A107

Test from room A107

Successfully downloaded and installed the Blogger toolbar in Word on a random machine in A107 using student access. Good

Agency links

Updated logos and list of the main ILT / e-learning agencies and departments, with some links for Scotland, Wales, NI and Eire now too, available on the Q2 links page.

Lesson Plan and Scheme of Work tool

I recently asked for help in making this task simpler for staff, with the emphasis on avoiding typing entries over and over and also creating a format that can be used effectively on-line. One or two very interesting offers from colleagues in the sector which I'm working on. In the meantime this simple Excel tool may be of interest.

Peter's Pond

Here's something completely different! A good quality camera sending a live video stream of activity at a pretty popular refreshment pool for wild animals in Namibia. Best time to view seems to be early morning but there's nearly always something to see. With live sound too, it's quite amazing and a timely reminder that not everything goes at the pace of our lives here. You don't need to teach Geography to use this in a lesson - I'll find a way to include it in all of mine at some point or another.

Link to National Geographic Live Feed

Write on-line

If you'd like to try a new way of collaborating on a document, or sharing one with colleagues, give writely.com a spin. Easier than a blog (but you can still publish to one as well) and faster loading on a decent connection than Word 2003. This could spell the end of the Word e-mail attachment!

An Inspirational Spiral

Several people have asked to borrow a presentation slide I use which illustrates how apathy about e-learning might transform into something more useful. So here it is - (and now it shouldn't run automatically!)

Google Desktop2

I wouldn't be surprised if several of you haven't yet managed to get as far as reading about Google Desktop Search amongst my ramblings. Well, never mind because they've now produced a new version which includes a Sidebar from which you can access all sorts of things as well as being regularly distracted from whetevr you're supposed to be doing.

See it at this link and wonder, like me, just how long such developments can remain free. Amazing.

Learning Landscape

Now, doesn't that sound so much more pleasant than Environment? That's part of the name for something that ELGG have created. It's a place where you can store files, share things and reflect in private, amongst friends on in public. A bit web log (sorry, I dislike the word blog for some reason) like but with rather more attraction, and even easier to set up, than the Blogger option. I haven't described it terribly well but you really should take a look. It's all free. This link will take you to the set-up page and this to my first feeble attempts at adding content (old articles so don't get too excited!). Nice simple link, though.

BBC On-line Archives

Here's a good test - if you can't think of a way to use any of these resources in a session then perhaps you're missing the point of all this ILT and e-learning stuff . . .

Forget all the complicated stuff - use a few of these to brighten up your next lesson (or get students to use some!) Surprise yourself. Well done Auntie.

Staff Skills assessment?! (updated)

Thought I'd ask a simple question recently. Has anyone got a way to assess staff ICT skills that is modern and with tasks that bear some relation to the jobs they're actually doing most of the time? I was almost embarrassed to ask as it was the sort of thing people would expect me to know about. Needn't have been. Very little response and nothing really new. Hmmm. So I've done my own! Bit clunky but access it here.