Learners are the stars !!

Great stuff of the vodcasting sort . I introduced those talented types at Radio waves to the hard working team at Parklands CLC in South Liverpool at the end of last year where we giiged together .

Well Radio waves got invited back for the Enhancing Learning and Teaching with ICT conference for Liverpool City Council, Children Services alongside Sir Ken Robinson and Professor Stephen Heppell.

The learners interviewed these stars . I dont know Sir Ken Robinson but Stephen and Tim I know well and really suspect their view on things really great stuff see all interviews at http://www.radiowaves.co.uk/station.aspx?lngSiteID=1335

see Stephen Heppells below



and read what Tim said about the event on his blog http://www.timrylands.com/blog/2008/01/23/ict-conference-liverpool-letter-heading/

Innovative design

This stunning bit of design from Singapore is worth a look. The building is Nanyang Technological University http://www.ntu.edu.sg/OFPM/About+Us/Development+Division/adm.htm in Singapore Those involved in sustainable building or issues relating to Building Schools or Colleges of the future should look at this visionary bit of design .

http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/01/23/amazing-green-roof-art-school-in-singapore

update on Primary Capitalisation Programme

Update on the government initiatives for building in primary sector

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2007_0185

Sustainable Schools:Are we building schools for the future?

No view expressed but regular readers may like to read digest and form your own view.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmeduski/140/140.pdf

Architect Steven Holls Combines Geeky Aesthetic, Environmental Elements

Architect Steven Holls Combines Geeky Aesthetic, Environmental Elements: "Architect Steven Holls Combines Geeky Aesthetic, Environmental Elements"

This is really interesting design rather than just functional building really interesting. Can we have a few schools colleges like this please.

Interoperability of ICT in Education event promoted by European Education Partnership

One for your diary

Wednesday 13th June, 2007,10.00am-4.00pm.

Interoperability of ICT in Education -

- Will it serve the needs of National Initiatives?

Never before has there been such a strong need for ICT systems in education to inter-operate. A number of very significant national initiatives in the UK depend critically on interoperability. The conference will discuss whether development of interoperability is on track to make these initiatives a success or whether further action is needed. The initiatives potentially at risk include:

- Implementation of learning platforms.

- The Building Schools for the Future programme.

- Personalisation of learning.

- The 14-19 Diplomas.

To reserve a place at the meeting and for full details, please go to www.eep-edu.org or email Sarah Ewing, E.E.P. Administrator, Sarah@eep-edu.org.

The E.E.P. is assembling a range of speakers drawn from industry, education and national/regional agencies, to provide a view of the current state of play with regard to development of interoperability. This will be followed by open discussion to identify where action is satisfactory and where it needs to speed up or be started.

The topics to be covered are:

- Work on UK SIF (Schools Interoperability Framework) and MIAP (Moving Information Across Partners) and how these will impact on interoperability of school/college MIS and VLE (learning platform) systems, and the MLE systems envisaged for BSF.

- Interoperability of content with school/college learning platforms and end-user devices, including issues relating to the use of handheld devices, interactive whiteboards, social networking sites and new devices that are being developed.

- Developments to enable single-sign-on to federated systems and diverse sources of content, such as Shibboleth, and inter-operation of the networks that will be required to enable the 14-19 Diplomas to be offered nationwide with equality of provision.

- Best practice standards for management of school/college networks to achieve a balance between child safety and network security, while permitting access to the range of content, software and social networking sites that educators need in order to be able to help young people learn effectively and develop safe online practices.

Booking linkand detail can be found at http://www.eep-edu.org/about_start4.htm

Resource to help inform new builds in HE and FE

If your interested in new builds in colleges or University or even cross fertilzation with Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Well done JISC Infonet a great resource to support news builds and refurbishment in the FE and HE sector

http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/learning-space-design

Learning space design and development is becoming a hot topic as our colleges and universities seek to provide 21st century learning facilities, and technology has a vital role to play in this. Significant amounts of funding are being invested both by the funding bodies and by institutions investing hard-earned surpluses in their estates.

what's also great is they are using Flickr to host photos images of new build ideas and tagging them and using notes and hot spots well done !!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jiscinfonet

I also discovered a resource from Scottish funding council through Jisc Infonets website.

"The Scottish Funding Council has also published Spaces for Learning. These reports have provided a sound basis for the continuing exploration by FE and HE institutions of new possibilities for learning space provision."