Friday, December 15, 2006

Articles on mobile phones from the economist

The remote control for life is great phrase from this article from the economist this really is a must read article.
amazing stuff like this
Researchers at Nokia, meanwhile, speculate that within a decade, the cost of storage will have fallen so far that it might be possible to store every piece of music ever recorded in a single chip that could be included in each phone.
http://economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=8312260
The phone of the future | Economist.com

My Leonardo

Today I was Lucky enough to meet Project Manager for Universal Leonardo, www.universalleonardo.org , who is based at Central Saint Martins College of Art ; Design, the University of the Arts London.

The team are researching an art-and- science web-based project for schools focusing on Leonardo da Vinci and interested in integrating some of the Web 2.0 technologies in it. Being an interdisciplinary project which takes its inspiration from Leonardo, key skills that we would like to develop through the project are creative thinking skills, They feel that the use of social networking tools would be beneficial to the project. The project, provisionally called MyLeonardo, will be part of the Universal Leonardo web site. UL is a programme aimed at deepening our understanding of Leonardo da Vinci through a series of European exhibitions (of which the current Leonardo V exhibition is part), scientific examinations and web resources.

So bloggers out there any ideas how best they might make use of web 2.0 tools within the site specifically in a schools context and how to involve schools who would be interested in bringing together art and science. .

A really nice project the current websites great have a look at the build a monster and the phorensic investigations.

so come on any idea??

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Everything 2.00 Bob Stompel

A huge heads up to Bob Stumpel for this its quite simply a great blog .

http://bobstumpel.blogspot.com
Two huge things of note

The most brilliant Web 2.0 things in 2006
web2.0 2006 most brilliant

Great stuff there note sure about chick adviser is that real !!!! Hitchhikr sounds interesting share knoweledge on conferences.

Then Telecoms 2.0
http://bobstumpel.blogspot.com/2006/12/telecom-20.htm
Without a doubt, "social phone apps & services" are amongst the most interesting areas within the 2.0 zone. And I expect this category to explode in 2007. Bobs words but he is right the telecoms area and social networking mobility is going to go mental in 2007

Remote access keeps you in touch

Well as I live the mobile life this story rings to worth a read. is it really a story or not .http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/6161813.stm

Monday, December 04, 2006

2014 Vision Excellent video

Possibly the best blog I have read in recent months. From the Fischbowl from Karl Fischer 2020 Vision

I wish I had could write so well !!!

"
This post - and resulting presentation - has been kicking around in my head for the last month or two. One of the difficulties I've encountered with our staff development efforts is being unable to define a specific vision for what the future is going to look like. While I have many ideas about the changes that are occurring - and are going to occur - and the general direction we should head, I can't nail down specifically what school - or the world - is going to look like 5 or 10 or 15 years out. The pace of change is so great that it's nearly impossible to predict what's going to happen. And, for teachers that are used to the seemingly endless pendulum swings in education, that makes them hesitant to commit."

watch the video shades of blade runner or hope for the future its great.


EPIC video

Friday, December 01, 2006

Manchester plans free city wi-fi

Following on the announcement of free Wi Fi in Norwich Manchester is joining the push for free City wide WIFi networks!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6199382.stm

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Government 2.0

After web 2.00, e-learning 2.0 comes government 2.0 are we and political circles ready for this I think not . this artciles sounds like establishment 2.00 rather than government 2.00
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=11228
The Technology Chronicles : Government 2.0


what do you think ?

Dion Hichcliffes web 2.0 blog

Dion writes so well this piece building on the web 3.0 debate and great links and background reading: Take a look at eight end-user mashup platforms available today link

The plea for tools to do the integration we currently do by cutting and pasting people in web 2.0 space dont want to do the coding themselves the tools are theyre but maybe not fully integrated but the there coming .

Great piece here on a better way to do things on the fly at here
Innovation Creators: A Better Way to Do Things on the Fly

Things are really gathering speed

Ban on MP3 transmitters is lifted

Specially for my friend Rob who has an I trip well now they are legal nearly. Interesting things is the link between car and MP3 player could also be link between apple Iphone or other phone mp3 players another step on the rise of the phone MP£ player device !!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6177820.stm

Monday, November 20, 2006

George Bush Sings Sunday Bloody Sunday

this actually was used at the recent web 2.00 conference http://www.web2con.com/ earlier the month in where else but San Fransico sadly they havent shared the presentations .
Those that know me well know I am a bit of U2 fan this google video clip is quite clever . A way from e-learning but clever video editing !

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6805063692754011230

Why CEOs should learn to love the blog

Interesting article in Guardian unlimited of a gap in blogging from carphone warehouses boss Charles Dunstone. Well the company have had some issues re its broadband service and he hasnt blogged at all for a couple of months.



Is this really bad form its portrayed as in the blogging world or has he just been busy ??





link



leave it up to you to make your mind up !!

Ilearning Paris forum 29th to 31st January

Ilearning Paris forum partnered with our friends from European Institute for eLearning – EifEL . this seems really interesting shame my French isn't good enough to participate in e portfolio strand though rest of conference is in English as well as French.

Main conference site
http://www.ilearnforum.eu

Contributions page
http://www.ilearnforum.eu/call-for-contributions





I am considering submitting a paper on mobility but will have to wait and see.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Mars Exploration Rover Mission:1000th martian Day

Well I know its not e-learning but aren't these two little craft doing well

Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Press Release Images: Spirit

November issue of Technews

If your interesting in emerging tech education and ICT and you dont subscribe to Becta TechNews WHY not !!!

registration link can be found in my side panel
latest editions has got stuff on


  • trusted networks
  • growth in GPS related service
  • wimax
  • 8011n
  • semantic web
  • quad core processors
so going register and get in the loop !!! Look in the archive to !!

Well done to colleagues at Becta another hit !!!!!

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Apple iphone

Well I got it wrong the Apple people are going to add not only key pad pda style to the Apple IPod but also phone connectivity .

If I was any other manufacturer I would be very nervous indeed!! The march of the smart phone and the IPOD combine. Not here yet but coming

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=11032


no wonder the knowing smile !!

Firefox 2.00

Just got my update and seems really good updated look and feel better feed subscriptions phishing protection and even more improved tabbed browsing ( is that possible ;-)).



things I like :

  • spell check on web forms
  • close button on each new tab
  • opens web pages in new tabs rather than new windows by default
  • The feed subscription your chosen rss reader aggregator is great

  • session restore feature remebering last page your were looking at and where you were in say filling a form

basically well done all you mozilla developers its great !!!!!



Tuesday, November 14, 2006

web 2.00 summit



























Interesting stuff from web 2.00 summit. If you have a summit does it mean web 2.0 is no longer subversive?.

Fred pointed me to flikkr site of Dion Hinchcliffes with some lovely graphics on web 2.00 I wish I did such nice graphics but a bit of googling and I found Dions Hinchcliffes excellent blog on web 2.00 http://web2.wsj2.com/

duly added to my blog lines. One of excellent graphics from flikkr site loaded to wet your appetite

Top Ten Lies of Web 2.0

Thanks to Fred garnett for pouinting this out made me smile

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=10620


Interesting blog added to my bloglines !!!!

Friday, November 10, 2006

Kevin Hickeys Blogs Wikki & stuff


Kevin Hickey RSC Northwest ILT Inspire conference has done a great load of resources of blogs,wikki & stuff

http://del.icio.us/smilt

My bloglines

not social bookmarks in true sense  but I have shared my favourites with you http://www.bloglines.com/public/ajb1962

andy at the ILT inspire conference at South Trafford College

Currently at this event Kevin Hickey mentioned social bookmarks if you want to learn more look at the link from Educause from the states

7 Things You Should Know About Social Bookmarking

PDF handout on social book marking
7 Things You Should Know About Social Bookmarking

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

100 million websites on the internet



From the BBC
"There are now more than 100 million web sites on the Internet, which
gained 3.5 million sites last month to continue the dynamic growth seen
throughout 2006. In the November 2006 survey we received responses from 101,435,253 sites, up from 97.9 million sites last month."


 http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2006/11/01/november_2006_web_server_survey.html

But the question I pose how many do you and how many a redundant ???

Andy

Monday, October 30, 2006

ICT terms British Sign Language Glossary



 Site live 31st october mid day ish !!!



As some of
you know I put forward while seconded to DfES last year the idea of a glossary
of ICT terms in British Sign Language The site has involved the British
Computer Society Allowing there book of terms to be used as a basis for the
text and huge project involving consensus modeling of asking those tutors
working with learners how to sign complex and new terms. The company involved
with the work with the deaf community are our friends from Directlearn Judith
mole and Geoff Minshull (who have helped Becta run previous online conferences
and independently ran the VLE2 virtual conference last week.  The site goes live tomorrow Halloween Mid
morning an auspicious day because it’s also my wife’s fortieth Birthday. Url
for the site is http://www.slcresources4ict.net/



 



Please
circulate widely as it is a useful resource for those who want text based
definitions of ICT terms. A lovely example of appropriate use of technology!!



 



I will circulate
more formal press release type stuff later.



 



Andy



 



Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Mlearn2006 onto Mlearn2007

Well this link maybe useful if your saving your pennies to attend Mlearn2007 in Melbourn Australia.

Frist the dates 16th to 19th October . Met someone the organsing committee at Mlearn2006 in Banff and it going to be great !!! web link at http://www.mlearn2007.org/

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Uses of Mind Mapping in FE & HE Education! wikki

Got togive this a huge heads up if your a sceptic a convert or agnostic to MindMapping this site is really worth a look. http://mindmapping.pbwiki.com
It was started by Dave Foord E-Learning Staff Development Co-ordinator University of Derby who is a real expert on Mindmapping amongst lot of other things.

Personally I am using Mindmanger to present at Mlearn to and used it in conjuction with camtasia screen caputre software for my gadget gumption presentation at the recent and highly succesful vle2 online conference arranged by geoff Minshull and Judith Mole at Directlearn http://www.online-conference.net


Toreturn to Mindmapping Wikki resources added by JISC Regional Support centre Scotland have really got to be applauded Hugh and the crew have pioneered the use of MindManager in the UK see his recent posting on the wikki at Mind
Mapping and Learning Sequence Creation

great stuff.

Monday, October 23, 2006

M learning for work based apprentices in baking trades Selena Chan New Zealand

A real gem of a presentation on looking at using M-learning and mobile portfolios prsentation to follow but link to Selena blog at http://mportfolios.blogspot.com

Scybe

Scybe is this to good to be true not available yet but watch the video clip .

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2006/10/20/scrybe-the-online-productivity-suite-im-dying-to-try/
Scrybe - the online productivity suite I'm dying to try - Download Squad

The next Supporting Deaf People online conference will take place from 6th - 9th of November 2006.

Still at Mlearn 2006 but another interesting event in cyberspace .

A really interesting event that might be of interest to those working with Deaf people.
The Supporting Deaf People online conferences are aimed at Deaf people, interpreters, CSWs, teachers of the deaf, lecturers for deaf people, deaf studies or interpreting students, anyone who works with or has an interest in deaf people. This is the fourth in the series of highly successful conferences, and the 2006 conference promises the same level of cutting edge, high quality debate. For more information, see:

http://www.online-conference.net/sdp2006/introduction.htm

update from Mlearn 2006

after a unplanned but excellent day helping Jo Colley of Tribal CTAD on authoring mobile learning materials by tutors see a overview of the stuff they are doing !!http://www.m-learning.net/

The Mary Lou Jespen number two of the one child per laptop did a excellent key note Chief Technology Officer One Laptop per Child will link http://laptop.org
have a look designing a device from bottom up !

Friday, October 20, 2006

Mlearn2006 update

Well if you coming its still chilly fleece gloves hat and Jackets weather bringing your bathing suit the hot natural pools are great !!



If your not here is a link to the final programme here

Off for breakfast

Thursday, October 19, 2006

In Banff and its cold

Well got here 12.30 Canadian yesterday and seetle in Y mountain lodge functional fun simple accomodation with wifi $12 for 24 hours ( under £6) 0r 300 minutes for $20 (under £10) over any period. Its a bit chilly Banff is typical north american town or new zealand but very stunning scenery around. Not quite northern exposures photos at
link
cuurently up running a online conference session for Direct learns VLE2 conference http://www.online-conference.net/vle2006/introduction.htm 2.34 am here in Banff

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Wi fi on way to Mlearn

well all I have to say calgary airport dinosaur models and free wifi next to the banff airporter desk http://www.banffairporter.com/

Blog going international Mlearn2006 Banff in Alberta Canada

Sitting here at at 3.50 am after overnighting on a very comfortable Gatwick airport bench. I am remnided from the line from the Blues Brother "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses" I seem to remember next line was hit it!!!

or is it we are on Mlearning "Mission from god".




Lucky enough to be going to Mlearn2006 in Banff In Alberta Canada about to embark on the 10 hour flight going to blog the experience so come along from the ride.

Next blog will be from Alberta airport which free WiFi so I am told.

Fellow Mlearners from the UK will be arriving Bob Harrison, Jo Colley (CTAD) Dave Whyley (learning to go) and John Cook (London Metropolitan University) its going to be great and I suspect challenging to blog !!

Monday, October 16, 2006

make your own playstation psp resources



Geoff stead at CTAD has got to have the bigs heads up for this stunning bit of work.

The ability to produce your own content for Portable Play Sation (PSP) is just so so cool .

Visit his his blog bookmark it , put it on your public bloglines  http://moblearn.blogspot.com/2006/10/make-your-own-playstation-psp-resources.html

PSP think

  • reasonably priced,
  • Long battery Life
  • Bright Screen
  • Relatively big screen
  • SO so Cooool !!!
Well done Geoff !!!


Sunday, October 15, 2006

test



Thursday, October 12, 2006

Handheld learning 2006 the legend continues

From its humble ecletic begining last year at goldsmiths university it has grown to an event at prestigious 2 day event at QE2 confrence centre in the heart of Westminster .

Really great programme going to be doing a lot of blogging on the topic of M learning .

I also have to tell you first bit of excitement Geoff (Mr Mobile) Stead of Cambridge Training and Development who make the successful build it yourself mobile learing resource authoring tool to produce resource for the awesome Sony PSP as well as pocket pc it does currently. Link to story on Geoff Blog below and link to Geoff Influential blog on mobile learing in my link bar on the left.

http://moblearn.blogspot.com/2006/10/make-your-own-playstation-psp-resources.html

see you at handheld !!

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Back to school with a class of Web 2 article

This is a really interesting collection of tolls relating loosely to web two and learners but actually is just a lovely college of stuff some of which is new . Be afraid be very afraid

two part article thanks to Rob and Digg for giving me the pinter here .

Article 1 http://www.solutionwatch.com/512/back-to-school-with-the-class-of-web-20-part-1/

Article 2 http://www.solutionwatch.com/512/back-to-school-with-the-class-of-web-20-part-2/

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Google launch Literacy

Google are busy another launch today.


A resource for teachers, literacy organisations and
anyone interested in reading and education, created in collaboration with
LitCam, Google, and UNESCO's Institute for Lifelong Learning.



 http://www.google.com/literacy

The partners are as interesting as the project


 

Monday, October 02, 2006

Online VLE conference

VLEs: Pedagogy and Implementation, the theory
and practice of learning platforms and virtual learning environments




Only two weeks to go this really is a complete bargain and guilt free carbon neutral. Anybody who is anybody around learning platforms is presenting Martin D ( Mr Moddle) to name just one . Only £68 with no travel !! Its going to be great going on sign up.

http://www.online-conference.net/vle2006/introduction.htm




Tuesday, September 26, 2006

The mobile web .mobi domains

The numbers of people surfing or even paddling from there mobiles is low.

Launch of the dotmobi domains that subscribe to good efficient design for mobile use may start pushing the numbers up. Read the story at


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5379170.stm

Learning & Teaching Scotland MFL Environment blogging

This is thanks to Becta research list and specifically thanks to Ewan McIntosh
New Technologies Research Practitioner. He posted about removing the next blog on blogger . Now removed from this blog and exposed me to some really nice resources on blogging and teaching.

 http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/creativeteaching/blogging/creatingablog.asp


Thanks Ewan.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Microsoft may offer web programs

I know in many of my presentations i have talked of google office and also the link between sun microsystems  ( who are behind  openoffice) as open source offline suite of basic tools.

Its seems Microsoft have been listening and is planning a free web based version of its word processing and spreadsheet programme
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5370144.stm

interesting is this paragraph from the BBC site

No date has been set for when the free programs will show up on the net but the software giant told the Reuters news agency that it was "considering" new distribution and payment models for its software.

flexible roll up screen step closer

Only blogging this becuase a conversation I had after my workshop with a learning technologist working with midwifery students who asked me about roll up screens one to watch

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5366534.stm

Web 2.0: open call for input to forthcoming TechWatch report

Help inform JISC's thinking on Web 2.00

Web 2.0: open call for input to forthcoming TechWatch report



As became apparent from the
recent ALT-C 2006 conference, Web 2.0 is hot. Everyone wants to know
more about it, and there are a lot of people who have very different,
and strongly held, opinions on what Web 2.0 is and where it's going.

We will be accepting submissions until 29/09/06. send expression of interest  techwatch@intelligentcontent.co.uk
with 'open call' followed by the name of the topic, in the subject line.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Projector in mobile device

Not quite but this story suggests its not far off .

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5359724.stm

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Mlearn 2006 here I come !!

Well I am lucky enough to be going Mlearn in Banff in Alberta

in the heart of the Canadian Rockies the
conference is the 22nd till 25th October I am lucky
enough to be flying out on the 18th . The downside is there is one I
am running a gadgetgumption presentation online on the 19th as part
of http://www.online-conference.net/vle2006/introduction.htm
. I have worked out being online interacting with UK
participants involves me being up at 3am for those logging on a 9.00am UK time

Mlearn is going to be really exciting as I am presenting a proof
of concept for showing British Sign language glossaries on a mobile device .

Link to event can be found at

http://www.mlearn2006.org

Link to programme (a bit empty at the moment) can be found

at
http://www.mlearn2006.org/program

Its going to be really cool and I promise to blog about it and I may evenuse my flickr account for photos of the conference, devices and off course the scenery.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Learning Spaces Educause e book edited By Diana Oblinger and other learning space design references

Huge thanks for finding out about this from ALTC 2006 http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2006/

review programme at http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2006/timetable.html

plus from Seb Schmoller highly
noteworthy fortnightly mailing detail at
http://fm.schmoller.net/


This extensive work first available as an e-book one to read and use http://www.educause.edu/content.asp?page_id=10569&bhcp=1

Thiese other pieces of work might be off interest :-

The report from the UK based Space Management Group which looks at estates
issues in HE http://www.smg.ac.uk/

two extremely useful reports on future changes in HE http://www.smg.ac.uk/documents/FutureChangesInHE.pdf

and on promoting space efficiency in HE http://www.smg.ac.uk/documents/PromotingSpaceEfficiency.pdf

Finally JISC's recently published Designing space for
effective learning spaces well worth a read http://www.jisc.ac.uk/eli_learningspaces.html

Those involved with building schools for the future Reports/toolshttp://www.bsf.gov.uk

in the UK could well take note of these
pieces of work

Podcasting in Ireland

Found this lovely eclectic mix of academic and fun blog of the Becta research list (which by the way you can join at http://lists.becta.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/research ) iThe podcasting Ireland blog is by Bernard Goldbach and really is worth a look !! You can find it at http://www.podcasting.ie/
good one Bernard

Thursday, September 07, 2006

How to podcast tutorial

how good is this simple tutorials on podcasting

http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/


Thanks Jason Vanorden

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

ALT Gadgets and Gizmo' Session

Hi all

get my presentation from my edubloggers training blog at http://andyb.edublogs.org
blogger doesnt allow file downloads I want.

By the way audience was great !!!!

Google News archive

From Merv Stapleton at Sunderland College.

Google have released a news archive search which includes articles over the last 200 years from a variety of sources including the Guardian, New York Times and various aggregators.
http://news.google.com/archivesearch?hl=en&tab=wn&q



Tuesday, September 05, 2006

ALT C

Well only been here a while and Diane oblinger already coming up with challenging ideas,

  • Neuralplasticity
  • Multimodal communication
  • Do It Yourself culture (informal learning do it yourself)
  • Choice
    +MP3 players,
    +Timeshifiting

Amateurs as authorities
wikkipdedia ,blogging

  • Alternate reallity average of gamers in the state is 38 years old
  • Is it age or IT
    how many of you write long hand, take calls and not look at email at the sametime

Suggest the digital age is increasing the rate of change almost exponetional. Young people say its not technology its just the way it is.

Suggests the interface is shaping learning

  • world to desk top
    -distant experts
    -collaboration
    -mentors
    -communities of practice

Connecting

George Seamens connectivity link
Connecting in virtual worlds , collaborating by design
Hallways V Passageways these are important spaces for exchange collaboration

Active collaboration

Scale up program

Studio approach to learning
all work in progress is visible and shared.

Participatory
Integrative
Learning to be
National ecological observatory

Visual
Experiential
Reconstruction

shift between formal and informal environments role of space in promoting learning .

Debate of library or information commons
movable furniture
wireless access

e book learning space Diane Oblinger link

refreshing point of align technology with pedagogy don't mistake use for integration .

"The goal is organization that is making future rather than defending the past"

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Guide to Greener Electronics

Thinking of buying kit for home or college this is worth a read covers most manaufacturers

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/greener-electronics-guide

Thanks Fred for making me aware of this one !!

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Optimus mini three keyboard




Borrowing one of these for this session at ALT C in Edinburgh first week in September !!
http://alt.ac.uk/altc2006/timetable/abstract.php?abstract_id=764
a lot more excitng than title of this posting !!

http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-mini/overview/


Basicallly a add on allowing quick access to application button each button displays what you access when you hit it. ie video web feeds etc seems amazing !! Will post some reflections when i have used it !!!

15 websites that changed the world !!

Facinating article from the guardian !!!


http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1843263,00.html

does make me think which ones I would list . Have to think on that I can feel a poll coming on !!

Big rise in broadband connections

Interesting statistic that 75% of home connections to the internet are now broad band !!!


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5278856.stm

Broadband britain !!

test

test

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

DfES website now using RSS feeds

Want to keep up to date with what Ministers and DfES are talking about subscribe to the RSS that can be found http://www.dfes.gov.uk/feeds/

This is a postive step !

DfES website now using RSS feeds

Want to keep up to date with what Ministers and DfES are talking about subscribe to the RSS that can be found http://www.dfes.gov.uk/feeds

This is a postive step !

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Friday, July 21, 2006

Search 2 technologies



A really interesting article on the evolving world of search and so called searcg 2 technologies often described as next steps for google and yahoo !!

Its so called third genration search techonlogies Richard MC Manus definition is really neat ;

  • First-generation search ranked sites based on page content - examples are early
    yahoo.com and Alta Vista.
  • Second-generation relies on link analysis for ranking - so they take the structure of
    the Web into account. Examples are Google and Overture.
  • Third-generation search technologies are designed to combine the scalability of
    existing internet search engines with new and improved relevancy models; they bring into
    the equation user preferences, collaboration, collective intelligence, a rich user
    experience, and many other specialized capabilities that make information more productive.

Examples: Swicki, Rollyo, Clusty, Wink, Lexxe

article link here



Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Access to Learning Award

Serious cash

If your library or similar organisation provides access to

information using computers and the Internet free of charge to users,
we should like to hear your story.

We invite you to apply for the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation’s annual Access to Learning Award. This award
recognises excellence in providing access to information through
computers, at no cost to the user. The recipient will receive an award
of up to US $1 million.

The award is administered by the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).

Deadline for the 2007 award is 31 December 2006.http://www.inasp.info/ldp/awards/

English

English (244 kB)


Sunday, July 16, 2006

BlogSafety Forum


This stateside forum seems likely a healthy way to look at issues relating to young peoples use of social network tools like beebo and myspace rather than just banning them.

The BlogSafety.com forum, where parents, teens, educators, and experts discuss and learn about safe blogging and social networking. You might call this social networking about the social networks!  http://www.blogsafety.com/index.jspa   



Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Web Tools by Andrew Hill & Tim Rawe

Excellent glad to see the Eatern region e learning fair is still doing the business you must give it a look .

 http://ahi2000.com/studyzone/webtools/intro.htm This catalogue of interesting
web tools and free software is a development of a site used to entertain
and inspire visitors to an e-learning fair in early July 2006.


We welcome suggestions for additions and no
doubt some entries may turn out to be inappropriate or just not
very good - so regard this as a place to pop into from time to time
rather than a definitve guide.


We shall also be including examples of tools
in action and would be keen to have links to how you have found
any utilised to good effect.



It is an assortment
of tools and services from a wide range of sources, all of which
are accessible via the internet, and most of which do not require
a software installation on either your home machine or a college
PC.


We hope to encourage you to think
more about what the web can offer for a particular task or idea,
rather than thinking that everything must revolve around the PC
you're using.

testing rss feeds

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Copyright again . . .free beer

Stuck on a train and saved by a podcast of digital planet planet by the
BBC and there is a piece on copyright creative commons licensing and an
open source recipe for amongst a few other things a licence for a recipe
for free beer . So go on download the piece or listen again. At
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/worldservice/godigital/r
ss.xml


I also discovered juice downloads simple show notes at the same time as
the audio posted below.

"On Digital Planet this week, Gareth Mitchell hears from Rio de Janeiro
how Microsoft now include a Creative Commons license for documents and
how the same scheme can get you a free beer. Clark Boyd reports from a
conference in New York on ?persuasive gaming? - video games that teach
about global conflict"

Enjoy

Andy Black

Friday, June 30, 2006

BBC blast tour go on it will be great!!!!!

Those BBC `and Ultralab chaps have done it again

Blast is taking to the road this summer with a mobile creative studio
offering digital media and creative experiences to young people. It's
more than a truck - think dream workshop space crossed with media
production studio.


Basic detail at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/opportunities/blast_on_tour/about.shtml

Timetable at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/opportunities/blast_on_tour/diary_2006.shtml

Futuerlab do it again Social Software and learning report and potential of open source for education

Two right on reports on hot issues
Number one




Social software and learning

By Martin Owen, Lyndsay Grant, Steve Sayers and Keri Facer


This report explores the relationship between the emergence of social
software and the personalisation of education. It suggests that there
is a changing view of what education is for, with an emphasis on the
need for young people to develop the skills necessary for today's
evolving global knowledge economy. Alongside this development is the
rapid growth of social software, characterised as software that
supports group interaction, and by combining these two trends there is
significant potential to see a new approach to education.



The potential of open source approaches for education
By Seb Bacon and Teresa Dillon


Free, Libre, Open Source Software (FLOSS) refers to any software
distributed under a licence that allows users to change or share the
software source code. Futurelab’s interest in this area stems from the
belief that FLOSS provides an example of peer-production which is
driven by collaborative, social modes of interaction and knowledge
exchange. This paper discusses some of the potential ways in which the
approaches that characterise FLOSS might be applied in educational
contexts.

For both pieces of view online and PDF versions at http://www.futurelab.org.uk/research/opening_education.htm

great stuff another thing to read !!!







 




Technews survey

Well you know how good technews is if you picked it up please help the team at Becta and do there survey .

Survey can be found
Government & partners - Becta

If you havent seen technews get it from www.becta.org.uk/technews and subscribe to the regular postings .

Friday, June 23, 2006

Read Write Talk Web

Listening to Lee Bryant of Headshift www.headshift.com  and Terry Freedman talk at seminar on web 2 and blogger creating a system so one can phone in audio bloggs http://www.audioblogger.com the following thought hit me. The situation of 2.0 is not read write web but a read write talk listen web or maybe more  .

Please note service is to a US number

RSS to SMS

Hows about this for neat txttools www.txttools.co.uk who also produce excellent SMS messenger service Edutxt. Have produced a system that converts RSS feeds on websites,blogs and feeds into mobile phones using SMS various option are available. For example just subject header or actual content.

RSS to SMS

Hows about this for neat txttools www.txttools.co.uk who also produce excellent SMS messenger service Edutxt. Have produced a system that converts RSS feeds on wesite,blogs and feeds into mobile phones using SMS various option are available. For example just subject header or actual content.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Ukerna survey on SMS

Those who have been demostrating the use of SMS messaging are interested to see Ukerna canvassing opinion of the sector . So please fill in the survey on

SMS in Education at http://webdev.ukerna.ac.uk/smssurvey/html/main.php

 

TechNews June edition is now available

I know I mention this every time but if you havent subscribed to TechNews (the links in my side bar on the left). Quite simply brilliant it’s one of the ways I stay up to date with whats happening and is coming over the horizon. Link here http://lists.becta.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/technews

 

 

“It’s not the things you predict, it’s the things you miss”

 

 

 

Monday, June 19, 2006

In Business tanlged Web



Caught up to this after release thanks to good old podcasting !! This programme sets out the challenges of Web 2.0 .  It has loads of good stuff and this great quote from BBC Director General  Mark Thompson

"The BBC aims to be not  on the web put part of the web"

Really worth a look link to download page here
 

Friday, June 16, 2006

Google purchase a presentation application


From InformationWeek | Google | Gartner: Google Likely To
Buy Another Online Office App | June 14, 2006


Scary thing is that on both of my
presentations this week  I have said google presentations is coming!!!! http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189401378&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News

looks like I might be right !!


 

VLEs: Pedagogy and Implementation, the theory and practice of learning platforms and virtual learning environments

This realy excellent Online conference looks like being a real hit get your registration in early a real bargain and excellent range of speakers. Plus no travel and accomodation costs BARGAIN!!!

http://www.online-conference.net/vle2006/introduction.htm

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Mobile web improvements must centre on users' needs

Interesting article in BCS e-bulletin suggests that future mobile services must focus on consulting users.
http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.4828

Interesting quote from Nokia

With this in mind Nokia is releasing its own platform to the open
source community to help service providers develop sites for mobile
users.

Blog Safety advice for parents carers

The organisation Childnet has produced a great publication on Blog Safety

Keeping up with Child's Online social life!
http://www.childnet-int.org/blogsafety/

Link to publication at http://www.childnet-int.org/downloads/blog_leaflet.pdf

worth a read

Monday, June 12, 2006

Panorama software

Ever wanted to create a panorama using digital images .Merv Stapleton of City of Sunderland College made made aware of this. Looks really good. Follow link below
http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~mbrown/autostitch/autostitch.html

Autostitch is the product of two years of research by Matthew Brown and
David Lowe at the University of British Columbia. For details and
research papers please their panorama research page.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Exchange 2007 the challenge

exchange 2007 the challenge how we can change the system and still get the good bits we want The challenge from Stuart Robinson

Xchange 2006

The quality of debate has been really high. the programme supported by interactive technologys such as

  • Qwizdom interactive voting kits
  • crystal wireless feedback tool
Plus of course a blog from Alan November http://www.novemberlearning.com/

really interesting use of blogging to support the conference . great stuff

Xchange 2006

what an expereince 4 countries of the UK all in one place for three days in gorgeous Belfast

Xchange website
http://becta.org.uk/xchange2006/index.cfm

but more use the blog with loads and loads of presentations and personal relfections by participants.

http://xchangeblogs.com/communities/xchange2006/

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Veotag add information to mediafiles

"Veotag is a new service, in beta, that lets you display clickable text, called "veotags" within an audio or video file.

"Veotagging" is designed to let you make tables of contents, chapter headings and menus; add tags, transcripts and comments to enhance the user's experience; and even to let you tag audio and video files you find on the web."

www.veotag.com

Gadgetgumption

A thoughtfrom xchange2006 from Mick Waters at QCA he says how we give learners gadget gumption to pick up and use technology. Do we have to teach them does our current teaching in some way put them off just picking up tools (gadgets).

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

3D modelling by google

Thanks to Geoff Stead at CTAD for this meaty morsel clever stuff. As somebody who spent years learning dark arts of AutoCad I feel vaguely depressed!! see link at :


http://sketchup.google.com/

Google Spreadsheet next building block in google Office ??

The March of Google continues with a spreadsheet offerring, We have :

  • Google Mail
  • Google Calendar
  • Google Spreadsheet
What next ??

See details on this new google product.

http://www.google.com/googlespreadsheets/tour1.html

Monday, June 05, 2006

Becta Review 2006 published

The annual state of the Union review of ICT by becta is now available.

The Becta Review is an annual publication that draws on a range of recent surveys and research studies to summarise trends in technology adoption and use, and to assess the progress and impact of technology in education. You can order or download the Becta Review 2006, which includes a section on personalised content and the use of digital resources in schools and the learning and skills sector, from Becta publications http://becta.org.uk/corporate/publications/index.cfm

BETT Awards 2007 now open for entries

Details of the categories for the BETT Awards 2007 and an online entry form are now available on the Becta website. The BETT  Awards - a partnership between Becta, BESA and EMAP - will focus this time on products that demonstrate innovation and  support the personalisation agenda. The twelve categories include two new ones: 'Creative and constructive tools' and  'Learning objects to support personalisation'. The closing date for entries is 19 July 2006, and you'll find full details on the BETT Awards [ http://www.bettawards.com ].

 

 

Personalised LearningPamphlet published by DfES

Want to know what the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) actually means by personalisation?

 

The DfES has published a pamphlet summarising current thinking about personalised learning with the intention of stimulating  debate. You can download the pamphlet, A national conversation about personalised learning, from the DfES Standards Site [  http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/innovation-unit/personalisation/anationalconversation

Saturday, June 03, 2006

OLD news Gmail mobile

thanks to Rob for pointing this out a neat interface for PDA/smartphone for gmail looks really good . The google juggernaut continues. It renders to whatever size of device you have. http://www.google.com/gmm/gmail

Friday, June 02, 2006

Orange start the great convergenge


Orange are offerring the concept of one handset to cover

  • Mobile
  • fixed line
  • VOIP

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5032846.stm

Accessibility Colour Wheel

Italian site that has really interesting accessibility colour wheel that stimulates various conditions relating to vision really worth a look.

http://gmazzocato.altervista.org/index.php?lingua=en

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

New BBC staff blog guidelines

 The BBC have wriiten guidelines for staff personal blogs interestingly written as a Wikki



New BBC staff blog guidelines






Our
editorial policy team at the BBC have just issued, for the first time,
guidelines for employees who have blogs or personal websites.
http://commonusers.blogspot.com/2006/05/new-bbc-staff-blog-guidelines.html

Guidlines in a word format here

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

e-Citizen and Mousemailer game

Interesting site promoted by BCS

About e-Citizen




e-Citizen is a fun and simple way for people to use to learn how to use the internet and email.






Image of a computer keyboard under water with fish in the foreground
It features simulated
websites so that people can familiarize themselves with how a website
operates, whilst also learning how to use the internet safely and
securely.



It starts with how to switch on a computer and use a mouse and then
moves onto to write and send emails, how to open files, how to shop
online and how to find information online to name just a few elements.



It is taught in centres (colleges, schools, etc) all across the
country and people can buy books or computer based training and spend
time at home learning.



It is all done at an easy-pace, so people can learn as quickly or slowly as they wish.



Many people find it great fun to meet other people that are also new
to computers and are learning how to use the internet - it's always
reassuring to find there are lots of other people out there who are
just now starting to learn internet skills.

The mousemailer games a bit of fun to .

http://www.mousemailer.org

Monday, May 22, 2006

Invitation for 'silver surfers'

Older people across the UK are being given the chance
to try out the internet to show how technology can be beneficial to
their lifestyle.


More than 1,500 IT taster sessions have been set up as
part of Age Concern's Silver Surfer Week, organised in conjunction with
BT and Microsoft.

The official link is
http://www.silversurfer.org.uk

the BBC are carrying this great story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5004584.stm

b.TWEEN 06 Interactive Media Forum

Sadly I cant be there but b.Tween is running a really exciting blog so go on have a look links below

b.TWEEN 06 Interactive Media Forum will be webcast live at http://www.just-b.com/btween on Thursday and Friday this week (25-26 May)

If you can't make the forum, tune in via the web to hear presentations from Lord David Puttnam, John Sanborn (Creative Director of eBay), Robbie Stamp (Executive Producer of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and many more...
Find the full programme at http://www.just-b.com/btween

The forum blog is live and will be projected into the main arena http://www.just-b.com/btween_blog. We welcome your comments before, during or after.

A chat room will be live from Wednesday pm at http://www.just-b.com/btween (click b.CHAT) and will be projected during the presentations. Feel free to join the discussions and ask questions.

--
Come and play with the b.TWEEN commissions:

b.TWEEN 2 Cultures is a new project by Soda Creative and Chinese artist Yang Lei. Upload your own tagged images to become part of the work. Go to http://b.tween2cultures.net to find out more and get involved

Watch b.TWEEN's networks grow through b.TWEEN 2 Cities: Timelines by up and coming digital art collective Something. Go to http://www.just-b.com/btween and click galler

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Wireless boost for British cities

Good news but no mention if it is wi max or 8011g

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4993038.stm

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Jisc TechWatch report explains RFID

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies allow the
transmission of a unique serial number wirelessly, using radio waves.
Attaching an RFID tag to a physical object allows the object to be
'seen' and monitored by existing computer networks and back-office
administration systems.

They are invloved in equipment security staff/pupil name badges and can be employed in a variety of ways a technology to watch. The range of possibilities are huge

Link to report site click here

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

The Big Blog Company very web 2.0

This was sent to me by Mick James at Becta a really interesting idea. I believe it shows how the ease and pace of web 2.0 is challenging how we do things. Blogging in a crisis interesting
Link here

Sunday, May 14, 2006

East Meets West Bob's Blog

Bob Harrison fellow e-learning and m-learning evangelist has entered the blogosphere.


He is undertaking a study tour with headteachers and representatives from the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) and Toshiba to China on the 14-21 May 2006 . I have worked with him to develop a blog he can use to keep those of us interested in the tour upto date and posse question to those on the tour
the main blog page can be found at http://eastmeetswest.edublogs.org
Interesting one to watch .

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Mobile Computing on egov TV

Find out more about the mobile computing revolution that is changing working practices and service delivery within local authorities across the UK.

http://www.egovtv.tv/programmes/Mobile%20Computing%20Service%20on%20the%20Move

Programme synopsis:
This LocalGovTV programme looks at the opportunities and benefits mobile computing can bring to the public sector, and in particular local authorities.

Through a combination of expert panel discussions and interviews, this programme considers the business case for mobile computing and the key issues to consider for successful implementation, with advice on the different technological options available.

Practical case studies demonstrate the good practice and lessons learnt from local authorities already benefiting from mobile working.

Programme content:

Panel Discussion: Mobile Computing - The Business Case Mobile computing is now expected to drive the next revolution in public sector modernisation, bringing efficiency gains, improvements in customer service and releasing more resources for front line services. This LocalGovTV programme takes a strategic view of the opportunities mobile computing presents and the key issues to consider when introducing these new ways of working.

Taking part in the discussion:
Ian Laughton, Director, NOMAD
David Loyd-Hearn, Solutions Architect, Serco Dr Bob Crichton, Associate, Solace Enterprises John Feighan, Managing Director, Intel® Solution Services, EMEA Peter Clarke, Principal Analyst Government Team, Ovum
Chair: John Thornton, e-ssential Resources


Case study: Greenwich Council - Digital Pen and Paper Greenwich Council are transforming the delivery of front-line Social Care services using a new innovative Digital Pen and Paper (DPP) solution in partnership with Serco, Nokia and Ubiquitious Systems Limited as part of the ODPM-funded National Mobile Working Project NOMAD.
The digital pens and paper are enabling social care staff to spend more time on the front-line, and are also an integral part of the Council’s user-held documents pilot which is helping to join-up social services and health.


Panel Discussion: Mobile Computing - Successful Implementation Within the public sector, we're seeing a massive increase in mobile-enabled services and correspondingly an increase in the range of mobile technology options available. This LocalGovTV panel discussion aims to provide clarity on the range of different technological tools available and guidance on selecting the right tools to fit your service area and business needs, hopefully helping to ensure that organisations are investing in a long-term solution rather than a possible technology cul-de-sac.

Taking part in the discussion:
Ian Laughton, Director, NOMAD
Peter Ryder, E-Innovations Manager, Preston City Council Nigel Dutton, Head of Tactical Marketing, O2 John Grice, Executive Head of Customer Services, London Borough of Sutton Peter Gray, Assistant Head of Building & Maintenance, Peterborough City Council
Chair: John Thornton, e-ssential Resources


Interview: Serco - Working with the Public Sector
Peter Holden, Business Development Director at Serco Solutions discusses how they are working in partnership with the public sector to deliver services ranging from construction and facilities management to education, children’s services and ICT.


Find out more at:
http://www.egovtv.tv/programmes/Mobile%20Computing%20Service%20on%20the%20Move

These and similar programmes are available to view at http://www.localgov.tv

Do please contact us with any ideas you have for future programmes.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Skypecasting

Now this is an interesting development from Skype broadcast to up to a hundred users in real time http://www.skype.com/help/guides/skypecasts.html . Another use for voip over IP and Peer to Peer technology.

Web 2 report from Educause review .


Really interesting and of note the PDF version as in the paper based review is now out of date so look at the web version

http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm06/erm0621.asp?bhcp=1

Friday, April 28, 2006

The New World Wide Web A great free publication on Web 2

"Coming of Age: an introduction to the NEW worldwide web", it's available directly from the ICT in Education website: this applies only to subscribers to Computers in Classrooms -- everyone else has to complete a short form and have it emailed to them!

There's an article on the front page of the website, http://www.ictineducation.org describing the product in some detail.

This covers podcasting blogging rss etc etc great stuff.

Andy

Friday, April 21, 2006

DISC 2006 Sheffield

DISC 2006: "merging from laboratories across the world and will seek to identify early synergies and opportunities for entrepreneurs in industrial and scientific disciplines.

Intersting range of speakers from IBM,Microsoft , Intel Labs and Professor Malcolm Atkinson, UK e-Science Envoy

Thursday, April 20, 2006

We media conference

Not one one can afford to go to but interesting topics and powerful range of speakershttp://www.mediacenterblog.org/events/06/wemedialondon/home
http://www.mediacenterblog.org/we_media_global_forum

interestingly http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldhaveyoursay/2006/04/we_media_2006.html are inviting people to email in skype or similar VOIP user names so people can do a live phone in to the programme during the conf all very web 2

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Emerging technologies in Education

Emerging technologies in Education

Great work by authors below

Mobile technologies:

transforming the future of learning
Geoff Stead

The ambient web
Bill Sharpe


The future of human-computer interaction

Paul Anderson

Social networks
Leon Cych
Introduction Web 2.0

The broadband home
Michael Philpott

PDF can be downloaded at
http://www.becta.org.uk/corporate/publications/publications_detail.cfm?show=latest&orderby=title_asc&letter=ALL&pubid=321

Ultra Mobile PC or is it A5 tablet

Kevin 2.00 Blog has loads of stuff on the origami projects .Lots of manufacturers ready to launch in there. Now is XP the correct operating system I leave you to choose

Lots of links Daewoo get in on the act

http://kevintwodotoh.com/2006/03/27/hardware/daewoo-translates-origami-into-korean.html

Kevin seems to think Toshiba are well placed having pioneered tablets along with HP

http://kevintwodotoh.com/2006/03/24/hardware/toshiba-will-lead-the-umpc-pack-wait-and-see.html

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Friday, March 03, 2006

The orgami project unfolds

The much hinted at and marketed by viral whispers the ultra Mobile PC the a5 sized tablet . It must be true the BBC are on to it worth a look.

link here

the whacky advert teasing us over launch is at this link
more wacky teasing here

Technews another winner in the genre

I know I have mentioned it before but worth a look.
3 g cards in laptop the microsoft oragami project and lots of other stuff


TechNews is a technology news and analysis service aimed at anyone in the education sector keen to stay informed about technology developments, trends and issues. TechNews focuses on emerging technologies and other technology news.

Each issue contains news related to the following main subject areas:

1. Networking and wireless
2. Hardware
3. Multimedia
4. Software and internet

Each subject area has a news section and a more detailed analysis piece which highlights the potential impact and likely future direction of a particular technology.



got to here to download it

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

NaaceBlogs

Blogging comes to NAACE really worth following this up if your going to NAACE in Torquay next week or if your not as well.; A sign yet again of web 2 and blogging in particular becoming masinstream . If your allowed to do it at school it cant be that subversive. Check out the links below.

Welcome to Naace Blogs!" This site has been set up as part of Peter Ford’s ‘Blogging in Schools’ session at the 2006 NAACE Strategic Conference and Exhibition in Torquay.NaaceBlogs

Sunday, February 12, 2006

BBC NEWS | World | Bloggers: an army of irregulars

BBC NEWS | World | Bloggers: an army of irregulars
Interesting article on the BBC is blogging and its influence maturing as part of the emergence of web 2 when the Main Stream Media (MSM) take notice of what bloggs can and cant do.