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Showing posts from May, 2008

Dodgy computers

Yes ...I know.. and understand that there are few equalities in the world, that life is not on the whole fair.. but there are some good bits, that ICT is not all about computers... .... but why oh why do I regularly find that the foundation stage in a school has the oldest dodgiest computer in the school.... Answers on the proverbial postcard please

Hectors World

I had an e-mail last Thursday announcing the launch by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is dedicated to eradicating the sexual abuse of children Hectors World a series of animations aimed at 5-11 year olds has been launched on thinkuknow. From a successful New Zealand project they are to support teachers in internet safety work with those very young children. Jim Gamble Chief Executive of the CEOP: We know that children are now using the internet at an increasingly young age. Recent research, coupled with feedback from our own youth panel and our work with parents, show that children are exploring the online world from as young as five years old. Liz Butterfield, Managing Director of Hectors World Learning how to protect your personal information online is a fundamental skill for children today, especially cons

What's happening in the early years?

I've seen some really good practice using ICT in the early years in the last few years (more about this later) and I'm interested to know what is happening in the UK and globally. So ....What ICT happens in your foundation stage (Nursery/pre school/children’s centre/ Kindergarten ) What are the technology experiences? What do you see on the computers? What do the practitioners use when working with the children? What non computer ICT do children use? Celebrate here, any comments or observations would be welcome.

Be prepared...

Not only the motto of the scouts but also of the successful early years practitioner. Catalysts for early learning are often spontaneous, unexpected events which the practitioner is able to take advantage of. A spill of paint is not a problem but an opportunity to explore liquids flowing or the best thing to clean it up. ICT has added a new dimension ...but like everything else in the foundation setting you have to be ready for it.. I've been working with the Early Years group within the PGCE course at Leicester University looking at ICT in the foundation stage and the we touched on the Intel QX Microscope and the importance of being prepared. Every English Primary school was given one free during Science Year 2002. It was a bit of a surprise for some who either sent it back as an unwanted ‘gift’ or popped it in a cupboard somewhere unopened as yet another thing that had to be thought about. However many got to grips with it and used it well and continue to use i

Squirrel Nutkin is back

Yes, the school holiday is almost over in New Zealand and Squirrel Nutkin is back from his holiday with Tania and using his blog to tell everyone all about it including the children of Manaia Kindergarten New Zealand where he's based and their friends in Spring Trails Kindergarten in Illinois who actually sent him to New Zealand in the first place. (The children in America were talking about squirrels but there are no squirrels in New Zealand .) The idea of having a toy, often a teddy bear, which goes home with members of the class and reports back on his adventures via the child’s writing and photographs, is not of course new. The digital equivalent though has a wider audience, the world and your granny, a very real audience worth doing your best for Looking at the two blogs they are wonderful examples of early learning environments, all about the children, bright and colourful, with sound, pictures and video, lots of interaction and activity designed to celebr