Friday 21 December 2012

How can social media be used in the classroom?

How can social media be used in the classroom?Social media can be a daunting prospect but it doesn’t have to be. In this article we offer a good-practice guide to managing your school Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts.

The use of new communicative technologies remains a topic of wide debate with both arguments for and against.

Monday 17 December 2012

Festivities shouldn’t replace revision necessity

GCSE Revision Over the Festive Season
The countdown to Christmas has begun, advent calendars are half-open, online shoppers are in full swing and even the snow has made an early appearance.

Yet, with all the excitement, students can overlook the importance of revision.

December and January are always difficult periods with mock exams, resits and modular exams all falling within a short space of time. You don't need us reminding you but we know it can be difficult to keep learners focused over the festive season, especially once they're out of the classroom.

Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre is facing this challenge like schools up and down the country.

Thursday 13 December 2012

Are UK universities about to embark on a global online revolution?

UK universities under pressure from US Moocs
In the USA, a global phenomenon in online learning is taking place and many education technologists are anticipating a similar wave in the UK, albeit a much slower one.

Moocs – massive online open courses – have become a national success in the USA, yet over here distance learning remains a niche concern, often seen as a side project for UK universities to cash in on international and postgraduate course fees.

The contrast between nations is stark: while UK universities have only begun to dip their toes in, venture capitalists and leading higher-education institutes in the States are investing millions into the development of ground-breaking new moocs. On offer are free online courses to mass numbers of students across the states and internationally.

Monday 10 December 2012

Surface vs iPad – Can Microsoft offer schools more choice?



Microsoft Surface to rival the iPad in schools?
Apple had a big head start in the tablet market, but early this year Microsoft revealed its own strategy for taking on the iPad: the latest version of its Windows operating system, Windows 8, allows for a new breed of hybrid tablet PCs – part tablet computer, part laptop.

Inspired by Apple’s touch-based iOS system, Windows 8, which launched this autumn – is radically different from its predecessors. The system doesn’t even have Microsoft’s iconic ‘start’ menu. Instead, all applications are spread across a tiled dashboard, resembling road signs that can be navigated with a swipe of the finger on the display screen or with a keyboard and an in-built mouse pad. The tiles also provide a glimpse at the activity occurring in applications connected to the web, such as email.

Thursday 6 December 2012

Ensure digital technology meets the needs of students, today and tomorrow

‘Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time’
                                                                                                                      Hebrew Proverb


Digital technology - preparing for tomorrow
Innovation in technology – from smartphones and smart TVs to tablets and even Leap pads for primary school students – has propelled our children into a digital age. A time where the average teen sends 60 texts a day, where they check and update their social statuses daily and where the average student spends from 6.5 to 10 hours a day consuming media, most of which is in a multi-activity environment. Young learners are experiencing new advances, opportunities, pressures and challenges far different from that of their parents, teachers, head teachers and school board members.

Monday 26 November 2012

Changes in Education: Helping parents prepare


'Just weighing a pig doesn’t fatten it’ is one saying that can lead to a very heated discussion in educational circles. The suggestion is that frequent testing does not necessarily lead to improved performance. In recent years, schools have been required to test at certain times of a pupil’s school life and the purpose has been to inform on pupil progress and assess the quality of teaching given in each school. Those in favour of more assessment believe that this is an important tool in keeping schools on their toes and meeting the expectations of the service user (basically the parents). Those against it feel it just leads to more teaching directed to pass exams and less attention to activities that put the subject into a real-life context, or that allow students to investigate areas that are off the main core syllabus and stimulate original thought.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Understanding cloud computing in the education sector



Cloud computing in the education sector
In the last few years the term ‘cloud computing’ has become synonymous with new software releases and internet-based applications. Yet whether you’re an EdTech enthusiast or a teaching professional who is indifferent to the use of educational technologies, cloud computing will become an increasingly important part of the way you store, access and manage your teaching resources and data.

Friday 9 November 2012

Helping your child succeed at GCSE: A parents view

In any career path, good qualifications are becoming more and more important for successful entry and for progression. It is understandable, therefore, that most parents want the best possible education for their children, but they may perceive the education system now as a very different beast to what they experienced as students themselves.

Students study for longer and more efficiently with smartphones

Mobile learning infographic - Download or request a free copy
Motivate your learners: download for FREE
The mobile movement is a global phenomenon with smartphone and tablet adoption increasing worldwide. Smartphones are becoming indispensable to our daily lives and transforming the way we do things.

The adoption of smartphones has given rise to a massive shift in consumer behaviour – new data from StudyBlue® suggests that education is no exception.

Based on data of nearly one million students (conducted in 2011), those that use Android or iPhone learning apps spend an additional 40 minutes studying per week compared to those that use online-only platforms. Mobile learning apps such as LearnersCloud’s GCSE eLearning resources turn normally unproductive time into opportunities for study.

Top Tech Trends in 2013: Tablets in Education SPECIAL



Tech trends in 2013: Tablets in Education
Tech trends in 2013: Tablets in Education

We’d love to reveal new exclusives on revolutionary advances in educational technology but tech developments are evolutionary. Sustainability is essential and, although tame in their appearance, some exciting announcements head up next year’s trends: 

Friday 2 November 2012

Is it any wonder GCSE students have low motivation?

GCSE Students suffer low motivation
Is it any wonder GCSE students have low motivation?

While the argument over GCSEs vs O-Levels rages, the debate seems to have passed by the only ones who will be directly affected by the exams.

GCSEs in the UK are hugely important to a student’s future, having a solid set of A*–C grades can often make the difference in job applications and apprenticeship take-up as well as enrolling on further and higher education courses.

Yet, as the scrutiny over the credibility of GCSEs rolls on, is it any wonder why learners are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the education system?