Monthly viewing figures

Note: A Learning provider will only appear as one viewer; in reality the identified IP Address may be one viewer or many!

The data below is cumulative, highlighting, from the initial tracking our viewers on 1st September 2007, their global distribution.

Links that have been included in previous eMagazines...

To visit the shared links go to http://www.only2clicks.com/pages/acljohn/ or use the live pages below...

Five free serious games offered as part of Blog Action Day, which this year is focused on the issue of poverty.

Games can be great learning tools and catalysts for change. Play the games, share the games, and spread the word about Blog Action Day.

1. Ayiti: The Cost of Life
2. 3rd World Farmer
3. Go Goat Go
4. Heifer Village: Nepal
5. Karma Tycoon

Read the blog, try the games at http://blog.missiontolearn.com/2008/10/serious-games-against-poverty/.

 

Email abuse. No body is immune.

Every one of us has committed or been victimized by some form of email crime, whether we’ve...

• forwarded chain letters that promise a digital camera if enough people respond,
• typing messages in ALL CAPS, or
• writing on eStationery with a dancing cow graphic.

Seth Godin wants each of us to do our part to stop these abuses by following his handy Email checklist.

Godin’s specialty is marketing, but his advice applies to anyone who uses email on a regular basis (which is pretty much all administrators, practitioners and learners).
Most of the reasons are common sense stuff...

• always include your contact information,
• write in a font that’s easy to read,
• don’t make it any longer than it has to be,
• don’t email when angry, and
• consider whether a phone call might be more appropriate instead.

Take a closer look at this blog entry at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/06/email-checklist.html.

Is it right for academics to tread carefully in this arena? 

What do you think?

Read the full article by visiting http://www.intute.ac.uk/blog/2008/10/09/times-higher-looks-at-academic-blogs/.

OR read The Times Higher article at http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=403827&c=1.

Esther Mercier left a brilliant comment on the Joe Dale's blog linking to her experiments in morphing her voice using Audacity and uploading the results to a Voki. Joe has embedded Esther's codes and has shared them, in all their glory, in this blog.

Have a listen at http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2008/10/morph-your-voki.html and see what you think.

In Tom's own words...

"What follows is a proposal I submitted to my headteacher regarding a trial of the use of Google Docs (as part of the Education Apps) to deliver online reporting to the parents in my class. I have spent considerable time working with Google Docs both on a personal level, organising planning files and within the classroom as a tool to support learning. The ease with which you can share a document is central to the idea that I could share a collaborative report throughout the whole year - updated at times when units of work are completed or at opportune moments of review."

Read the full blog at http://tbarrett.edublogs.org/2008/10/18/my-proposal-to-use-google-docs-for-online-reporting-to-parents/.

This has got to ring true to many of us who work for and/or with 'adult' learning providers; just use find and replace for the following...

• School(s) → Learning Provider(s)
• Teacher(s) → Practitioner(s) or Assessor(s) or Verifier(s) or Lecturer(s) or trainer(s) etc.

See what I mean at http://www.boxoftricks.net/?p=503.

Voicethread is one of the best technology resources for practitioners available on the Internet.

There is a place for Voicethread in just about any subject area. I've written about using Voicethread in past eMagazine articles and included samples in other resources.

Kevin Jarrett posted links to two excellent wikis about using Voicethread in the classroom. I encourage you to check out Kevin's blog, found at http://www.ncs-tech.org/?p=1881, to read what he has to say about Voicethread and the Voicethread wikis.

If you're not familiar with Voicethread, the demo below explains it far better than I ever could.

In the newest edition of the Free Technology for Teachers podcast Mr. Byrne shares the Web 2.0 resources that he is using with his students on a consistent basis. He also offers some brief explanations of how and why those resources are used by his students.

Either go to his blog at http://freetech4teachers.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-podcast-web-20-that-works.html or to the podcast at http://freetech4teachers.podbean.com/2008/10/02/web-20-at-work/.

E-Guides updates

NIACE have just announced that there is some availability on the E-Guides training programme and have confirmed that capital grants of £2,500 are now also available for attendance on these.

Note: Max of 3 delegates from each learning provider 

See below for dates in this region and details of how to book.

Take a look at the eGuide flyer about the Training Programme 2008-2009 844KB pdf.

More information and dates are available at http://www.niace.org.uk/Conferences/TrainingCourses/eguides.htm.

In the north west eGuide Training is being offered 3 times; the dates/schedule for each 3 days of training is...

1. 27th and 28th November 2008 with the 3rd day on 9th January 2009 (Liverpool)
2. 2nd and 3rd February 2009 and the 3rd day on 3rd March 2009 (Manchester)
3. 23rd and 24th April 2009 and the 3rd day on 22nd May 2009 (Liverpool)

FLOSSIE (Free, Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS)) is the annual conference held by Schoolforge-UK to look at issues relating to free and open source software in the school sector. 

The next FLOSSIE is on the theme of "Sustainable ICT in Schools - Beyond the PC".

Venue: Birmingham on 12-13 February 2009. 

More details at http://www.schoolforge.org.uk/index.php/FLOSSIE_2009.  

MySQL European conferences

MySQL is holding a series of European Conferences for customers to help you determine how you can get the most out of MySQL technology.

The conferences cover Northern, Central and Southern Europe and will take place on...

• 19 November 2008 in Paris.

More details at http://www.mysql.com/news-and-events/european-conferences/2008/.

or http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/events/.

Dates for Autumn network events have now being released, go to http://www.subjectlearningcoach.net/news/Calendar.aspx for details of events in your region.

For more information on subject coaching networks, visit the subject coaching networks page at http://www.subjectlearningcoach.net/programme/networks/.

Convert and download Online Youtube Video to more formats like wmv, mov, mp4, mp3, 3gp etc.

Try it out for yourself at http://www.catchyoutube.com/.

Chatzy is an online chat service that can provide Learning Providers with a quick and easy way to set up chat rooms.

Users can

• create Quick Chat rooms for quick conversations or
• create Virtual Chat rooms with more features such as Password protection, Admin controls etc…

The process is simple, just...

• click the type of the room you want to create,
• send out email invitations to as many people as you like, and
• start communicating.

Features:

• Create
  
  • chat rooms and communicate with others.
  • Quick Chat rooms for quick conversations.
  • Virtual Chat rooms with more features ( Password protection, Admin controls etc… ).
• Link to your Virtual Chat room and use as a free chat solution for your website, desktop, VLE etc.
• Create as many rooms as you like.

No registration necessary, however if you want to manage all your chats in one place registration is required.

Take a closer look at http://www.chatzy.com/.

Note: Chatzy is primarily used as a real-time chat system, but they have extended its features so that it can now perfectly well be used as a blog or message board. However make sure to create a Virtual Room for this purpose, though.

Want to send someone, colleagues or learners etc., a special message that will engage them?

Then why not be a little different and try FridgeMail - it lets you create a personal fridge magnet message.

Try it out at http://www.fridgemail.co.uk/.

As usual my attempt...

A useful website that lets you create your own printable calendars.

You can create...

• weekly,
• monthly and
• yearly ones .

In addition to calendar creation the website also offers you a range of useful printable templates  such as...

• Charts,
• Games,
• To-do lists,
• Planners and more.

Just choose templates you need,  save it to your computer as PDF or print out directly.

Find out more at http://www.eprintablecalendars.com/.

Kakomessenger is a simple fun tool which lets you send short text messages in the form of a song sung by one of the two singers- Gina and Humphrey at the kakomessenger site.

• Select one of the two singers and then type your message in the box. Once you are done...
• hit play and check out the resulting funny song.
• You can then replay it or modify it.
• Once you are sure it sounds good, email it to the person whom you’d like to listen to that song composed from your message.

Take a look yourself at http://www.kakomessenger.com/index.html.

"From the responses I got when I provided a shortened URL for links to the eMagazine it is apparent that a number of Learning Providers block these shortened web addresses!"

John Dalziel (eMagazine Author-Editor)

This may be a solution for those of you with this problem!

As you will already know there is a preponderance of URL shortening services out there, and these cater mainly for Twitter users that are bound by the 140 characters restriction inherent to the popular micro-blogging platform. As a result, there is also a wide number of shortened URL files available. When you get one of these, you have no way of knowing if it is really a safe address to use or not; that is why some learning providers block them. That is where this web-based service comes into play.

As its name implies, LongURL will allow you to expand short URLs that have been created using popular applications like TinyURL and TweetBurner. This process is as simple as one could hope for, too – it is a matter of typing in or pasting the address when prompted and the expanded result will be provided instantly.

Try it out at http://longurl.org/.

A Web application that lets you quickly convert PDF files into a Microsoft Word document.

• upload PDF file from your computer
• click “Convert to Word”.

PdfUndoOnline converts the file and provides you with a download link.

Try it out at http://www.pdfundo.net/convert/.

Note: Convert as many files as you like; No sign up needed; Password protected PDF and OCR Conversion  not supported.

A Project Management Tool

The goal behind Scrumy is to keep everything very simple, very intuitive, and is still very cheap for the upgraded Pro version, the basic version is free.

Scrumy is based on the concepts of scrum and agile project management.  It functions as a taskboard to keep individuals and groups organized as well as very simply tracking their progress. 

Ideal for individual and team use. 

Take a closer look at https://scrumy.com/.

Note: Upgrading will currently cost you $7/month, or $5/month if you prepay for a year.

How do I start a new project on Scrumy?

That's easy! Just go to http://scrumy.com/<anythingyouwant> and you have a new project. Or click one of the buttons on the front page and we'll generate a project name for you.

Easy to use Google Map mashup tool that lets you quickly get a map and directions to destination of your interest.

TheRoutePlanner provides you with clutter free and simple interface. Just type in the details of your journey and almost simultaneously TheRoutePlaner will give you directions with a map.

Try it out at http://www.the-routeplanner.com/.

Ideal for work-based learning Assessors and personal & community development learning providers.

Show Document is a free web service for sharing and editing documents collaboratively.

"The service is simple and, in my testing, is easy to use." _{John Dalziel}

To use Show Document simply...

• upload a document,
• click "launch a your live session," then
• enter the email addresses of the people you would like to collaborate with.

Note: While you cannot create an original document on Show Document it is a good tool that could be used for peer editing of documents. Show Document is also a useful tool for practitioners to use to give feedback to students who are not based in a classroom.

Go to http://www.showdocument.com/ to find out more. 

• Vocabulary Test 2 Is Live!

Daily Writing Tips thought it was about time for them to release another one of their tests! Back to the vocabulary test, with 20 new words. If you have been reading their blog for a while, you shouldn’t have a problem scoring a 100%! They have covered all the words in the past, inside the Word of the Day column.

Take the test at http://www.dailywritingtips.com/vocabulary-test-2/.

Have you ever wondered what is on opposite side of the earth? 

If so then head to http://www.antipodr.com/.

It is a web tool that lets you type in an address, city name or post code and find out exact opposite point on other side of the earth. You will see your location and opposite location displayed  on the map with latitude and longitude co-ordinates shown below.

Take a look at Nicolas Deveaux's animation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK27aknWVI4 or look at the embedded version below...

Do I need to say anything?  Spotted at http://www.makeuseof.com/tech-fun/ihaircut/.

In his, David Bullock's, own words...

"I find beauty in odd places. Chemical plants, factories, railroads, bridges and various forms of industrial structures have always fascinated me. In this project I have juxtaposed these man-made monuments to industry with the natural beauty of clouds, sky and water."

Well worth a visit at http://davebullock.com/albums/show/11//Industrial_Landscape.

An image I found at http://www.boingboing.net/2008/10/27/today-on-boing-boing-63.html.

It is, in fact, situated in London's Regent Park. 

A quick, fun,  online utility that lets you generate little face avatars.

• Type in any name
• Click the 'into a face' button and

...the avatar will be generated.

You can save it on to your computer and, if 'sad' enough use it on your online profiles.

Try it out at  http://turnyournameintoaface.com/.

I found this at  http://kingofgng.com/2008/09/19/link-segnalazioni-4-space-worm-isp-dal-braccino-corto-google-e-antica-persia/.

Free Learning has launched, as a new initiative of BCcampus to offer, “FREE TO USE learning resources that you can use to supplement your own course materials or learning.”

One of Free Learning’s main aims is to try to make more headway in highlighting local resources such as the Capilano University Open CourseWare project. The site also highlights global resources which will presumably provide a continual stream of updates.

Check it out at http://freelearning.bccampus.ca/.

If you have thought about using Google Earth or Google Maps in your teaching & learning, but have hesitated because you are not feeling comfortable with it or you think it will take too long to explain to your learners, these tutorials are just what you need.

On YouTube there are two channels offering how-to videos to help you get started using...

1. Google Maps: - go to http://www.youtube.com/user/GoogleMapsHelp and
2. Google Earth: - go to http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=GoogleEarthVideoHelp.

A FREE Visualisation Tool

Camstudio is a piece of screen capture software which will record (in AVI format) any activity that is occurring on a computer screen. Camstudio also synchronises the audio (either via a microphone or directly from the computer)

Instructify, at http://blogs.learnnc.org/instructify/2008/10/06/make-screencasts-with-free-camstudio-software/, provides a free tutorial plus links for downloads.

• Fantastic Contraption
• National Geographic: Geography Games
• Punctuation Game
• Spelloween
• TECHcult
• The Problem Site

What can I Say! An engaging, fun, game to enhance the teaching of mechanics, physics, engineering, design... do I need to go on?

Try it out at http://fantasticcontraption.com/.

A wide variety of games, puzzles, and activities for use within Family Learning and/or Initial Teacher Training. National Geographic Kids has nine games specifically for developing geography skills.

Find out more at http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Games/GeographyGames.

So you think you know your punctuation? Now you can put it to the test.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves, written by Lynne Truss, has a punctuation game online. There are questions on the placement of the apostrophe and comma, and at the end of the game you get a score showing how much of a stickler you are for correct punctuation use.

Play the game at http://eatsshootsandleaves.com/ESLquiz.html. 

Practice your spelling by identifying correctly and incorrectly spelled words.

Take a look at http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/games/spelloween/spelloween.html or play the embbeded version below...

Flash games are a favourite time waster for both staff and learners, TECHcult has compiled a list of their 150 Best Online Flash Games. Some of them have educational value as well as entertainment.

The games are sorted into the following categories:

• Action Games
• Aim and Shoot Games
• Arcade and Classic Games
• Tower Defense Games
• Escape the Room Games
• Graphical Adventures
• Guitar Hero Games
• Logic Games
• Multiplayer Games
• Physics Games
• Puzzle Games
• Reflex Games
• RPG Games

Take a closer look or play a game at http://www.techcult.com/the-150-best-online-flash-games/.

The Problem Site has lots of games for learners.

Some of the games are traditional "hang-man" style games, some of the games are traditional games with a twist, and some of the games are completely new.

Each game is designed to help learners develop problem solving skills.

The games are categorized as...

• word games,
• math games, or
• strategy games.

In addition to those categories there are two sections that offer non-game challenge problems.

A good place for practitioners to direct learners toward, to practice problem solving skills individually. Some of the games have different levels of difficulty that learners can choose from, making those games good resources for differentiation within the classroom.

Find out more at http://www.theproblemsite.com/default.asp.

• None this month

Participants on CEL’s 2008-09 leadership of elearning programmes will be able to take advantage of a capital grant scheme for buying information and learning technology (ILT) equipment. The scheme, funded by the Learning and Skills Council, entitles LSC-funded organisations to claim a £2,500 capital grant for each staff member who has completed one of CEL’s elearning leadership programmes, up to a maximum of £7,500 per organisation.

Read and find out more at http://www.centreforexcellence.org.uk/?Page=nomenuReadProgNews&id=597.

1) If you would like take part in ConnecT...

you should be able to attend one of the module 1 dates listed below:

• Tuesday 11 November 2008 - Manchester

Commitment - to participate in ConnecT, a member of the organisation’s leadership team who has a responsibility for ILT development will attend a one-day training event to fulfil the requirements of module 1. Details on how to complete modules 2 and 3 will be given during the training event. The time commitment to undertake this programme will be about three days.

More details at http://www.centreforexcellence.org.uk/default.aspx?Page=Programmes&id=277.

2) If you would like take part in Realise...

...you should be able to attend one of the module 1 days listed below:

• Wednesday 21 January 2009 - Newcastle
• Tuesday 24 February 2009 - London

Commitment to undertake this programme will be about two days.

To participate in Realise, a member of the organisation’s leadership team who has a strategic responsibility for ILT development will attend a one-off training event to fulfil the requirements of module 1. Details on how to complete module 2 will be given during the training event. The time commitment to undertake this programme will be about two days.

More details at http://www.centreforexcellence.org.uk/Default.aspx?Page=Programmes&id=4E9870B8-7257-49E2-8A57-AF1CC8E0CED6&status=Live.

These are organized guided tours of websites, with written comments by John Dalziel eLearning Adviser (ACL/PCDL), leading users through webpages to highlight useful resources and/or existing, new or emerging technology.

Jogs currently available are...

• Inclusive Visualisation Tools at http://www.jogtheweb.com/reader/index.php?trackId=762;
• RSC NW's Resources at http://www.jogtheweb.com/reader/index.php?trackId=195#1;
• uNET: Audio at http://www.jogtheweb.com/reader/index.php?trackId=464;
• uNET: Communication at http://www.jogtheweb.com/reader/index.php?trackId=483;
• uNET: Images at http://www.jogtheweb.com/reader/index.php?trackId=465;
• uNET: Video at http://www.jogtheweb.com/reader/index.php?trackId=480;
• uNET Written at http://www.jogtheweb.com/reader/index.php?trackId=517;
• uNET Hardware at http://www.jogtheweb.com/reader/index.php?trackId=463.

Note: Jogs will be updated and new ones produced.

• Music boosts prisoners' learning
• Oxbridge lectures play on iTunes
• Prison education scheme 'failed'
• The News in Many Languages
• Universities try new grading plan

Music projects for prisoners help to improve learning skills, says research from the University of Cambridge.

Researchers examined the impact of schemes in which inmates took part in learning and creating music.
About a quarter of these prisoners were illiterate - and the study found that music projects increased their readiness to learn to read and write.

Read the full article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7650466.stm.

Oxford and Cambridge University are to make lectures by leading academics available through iTunes.

Cambridge says it will bring the work of its Nobel prize-winning academics in reach of a much wider public.

Read the full article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7655266.stm. 

Schemes to improve prisoners' basic skills and qualifications in English jails have "failed in almost every respect", an MPs' committee has said.

They were of "little practical use" to those serving less than a year and those moving between prisons could find themselves unable to continue.

Only 20% of those who needed help the most had joined a course, MPs said.

Read the full article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7698457.stm. 

The BBC is, for many Learning Providers, a favorite news service because it offers coverage of a very wide variety of topics and interests.

At the beginning of October 2008 the BBC announced that they are planning to offer six new news channels on YouTube. By the end of the year the BBC will be offering news videos through YouTube in...

• Spanish,
• Russian,
• Persian,
• Arabic,
• Portuguese, and
• Urdu.

The addition of news video offerings in new languages should be of use to ESL/EFL/ESOL teachers who are trying to incorporate current news into their curriculum.

View the BBC's current offerings on their YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/bbcworldnews.

Universities are to try out a more detailed way of recording student achievement - which aims to supplement the current grading system.

A total of 18 UK universities are to test the new Higher Education Achievement Report.

This will show more information about students' performance in individual modules and assessments.

Read the full article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7680852.stm. 

 

From: -

Peter Munday, Programme Director Leadership and elearning
The Centre for Excellence in Leadership
Fourth Floor
47 Mark Lane
London
EC3R 7QQ

Email: Peter.Munday@centreforexcellence.org.uk

Details of WBL specific programmes and FE college/ACL targeted programmes...

• ConnecT <download pdf document>
• Leading Change Dividends  <download pdf document>
• Realise <download pdf document>
• WBL eXplorer <download pdf document>

• Adult education campaigners lose 25% of assets
• Can video games encourage reading?
• Diplomas 'could lead to more dropouts'
• Education potential of older people 'untapped'
• Meddling in the modern apprenticeship
• Migrants are getting better English lessons
• More universities will have to merge, says Lammy
• Pensioners demand return of cheap evening classes
• Proposed reforms at a glance
• Train to Gain scheme revamped
• Writing on the wall for libraries

Niace had £1.9m invested with a failed Icelandic bank - article by Peter Kingston

The country's leading campaigning group for lifelong learning has lost a quarter of its assets with the banking collapse in Iceland.

Niace, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, had £1.9m invested on a six-month fixed-term deposit with the investment bank Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander, which went into administration last week.

The money was held as a medium-term reserve: it was available to be called on if needed but was not part of Niace's immediate working capital.

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/16/furthereducation-icesave.

Authors and publishers are using video games to hook young readers. It's a smart move, but the proof is in the programming - article by Mary Richert

The New York Times has reported how authors, teachers, librarians and publishers are embracing video games in order to attract young readers. The Rings of Orbis game, for example, is intricately tied to PJ Haarsma's series of science-fiction novels, which players have to read in order to navigate the game. Now the debate has begun about whether games are legitimate teaching tools or just gimmicks that cheapen literature.

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2008/oct/10/video.games.education.books.

Study shows practical qualifications and apprenticeships could lead to more youths turning their back on education
- article by Anthea Lipsett

Diplomas and apprenticeships will not help reduce the number of young people who drop out of formal education, a leading education charity warned today.

The number of Neets – young people not in education, employment or training – has fallen 1% in the last two years but the report from Rathbone and the Nuffield Review of 14-19 education and training found that the government's focus on qualifications risks disaffecting more young people.

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/15/1419education-furthereducation.

article by Peter Kingston

"The nation needs to invest much more in the ability of older people to make best use of their brains, according to a new report from a government thinktank. Read this report at http://www.foresight.gov.uk/OurWork/ActiveProjects/Mental%20Capital/Welcome.asp."

"Foresight, the government unit charged with thinking strategically for the future, said it was vital to exploit the "mental capital" of mature adults." 

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/22/mental-capital-older-people.

A new report says ministers' obsession with 'qualification outcomes' is damaging vocational learning
- Article by Ian Nash

Apprenticeships are no longer a model for vocational education and training, but have become just another scheme for meeting government targets for stay-on rates and qualifications, according to a study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Like the new diplomas, apprenticeships are viewed by the government as a high-quality vocational option for all 14- to 19-year-olds in school, college or the workplace.

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/14/1419education-furthereducation. 

Article by Mark Gould...

The quality of English-language teaching for migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers is improving, according to a new report by the education watchdog Ofsted.

But it warns that a lot more needs to be done to ensure standards are lifted beyond "satisfactory" levels, and makes a series of recommendations to protect and enhance services.

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/03/furthereducation.ofsted. 

David Lammy, the new higher education minister, tells UUK conference that more partnerships are needed to maintain diversity and quality - Article by Anthea Lipsett

The new higher education minister, David Lammy, said universities would have to consider merging or becoming federations in the future in his first address to university officials on 14th October 2008.

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/14/university-merge-lammy.

Do not gloss over adult education cuts, campaigners warn skills secretary - Article by Peter Kingston

Buoyed up by a huge response from angry pensioners to cuts in adult education, campaigners today warned ministers not try to gloss over the recent loss of 1.5 million publicly funded places.

It must restore those places by 2010 if it is serious about building an informal adult learning system for the 21st century, said the newly-formed Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (Call).

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/10/furthereducation-education. 

Article by Anthea Lipsett

These are the recommendations of the National Council for Education Excellence, a panel of business and educational experts

On the 3rd October 2008 the government accepted the recommendations of a panel of education and business experts, that include university trips for primary pupils and stronger links between schools and local businesses.

The National Council for Educational Excellence (NCEE) was set up by Gordon Brown last year to act as a sounding board and provide advice on measures to help create a world-class education system.

The council, which brings together influential business people, university chancellors and school, college and early-years leaders, made several recommendations.

To view them at a glance go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/03/accesstouniversity.science.

The town library, byword for mousy respectability and decent endeavour, is at last showing a capacity to fight to escape from a deathly decline. At a conference in Liverpool last week Roy Clare, boss of the formerly invisible Museums, Libraries and Archives Council argued for libraries' role in lifelong learning from school to senescence, now rebranded as "Find Your Talent". Earlier this month the culture secretary, Andy Burnham, announced a review to consider how best to modernise libraries, hinting not merely at rebranding but also at a radical rethink of their contemporary purpose.

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/20/leadersandreply-libraries-andy-burnham.

Intute have added two new headings to Intute Engineering.

Agricultural Engineering covers agricultural machinery and equipment including combines, gins, harvesters, hoes, ploughs, pumping planters, rakes, reapers, sowers, sprinklers, theshers, tractors, mowers, balers, threshing machines, agricultural implements in general, farm mechanisation (eg milking machines) and irrigation machinery
(Ei classification 821.1)

Agricultural Chemicals covers fertilisers, pesticides, plant growth regulators, storage of agricultural chemicals, disposal of agricultural chemicals, MSDS, sheep dip and food supplements for farm animals.
(Ei classification 821.2)

From: -

Rebecca O'Brien | Public Relations Officer | JISC

T 0117 331 0657 | M 07879 880 198 | E r.obrien@jisc.ac.uk

University of Bristol, 2nd Floor Beacon House, Queen's Road, Bristol, BS8 1QU

Government - Department for Innovation Universities and Skills (DIUS)

Consultations

• The HE debate consultation has completed and submissions from all parties will be posted on the DIUS website this month as well on the HE debate blog. John Denham secretary of state has made his initial comments on the emerging themes under each strand on the HE debate blog.

• Informal adult learning consultation findings were published this month - read the full report.

• The Science and Society consultation to get the views of scientists, media, businesses, teachers and the wider public about key issues on the relationship between science and society closes on October 17, 2008.

Speeches

• David Lammy's speech to the HEPI conference on applications and admissions this month saw him raise the need to:
  • Make the whole process of applying for university easier and less intimidating
  • Provide a one-stop shop for the sort of information on higher education that young people need in order to decide whether and where to apply
  • Develop excellent services for prospective applicants from overseas.

• John Denham's speech at the Technology Innovation Board emphasised:
  • "The £2.3 billion capital plan to develop new low-carbon buildings for further education colleges - when we build a great FE college, we don't want to just build a building, we'll be training the people who build it so that they can get valuable skills for the future"
  • "A new approach to innovation that's based around global challenges - climate change, ageing population, pressure on resources and the need to adopt more sustainable partners of living."
  • "The Annual Innovation Report will be the first comprehensive report on the innovation performance of the UK - across the public, private and voluntary sectors."

Cabinet reshuffle - England

This month saw Gordon Brown reshuffle his cabinet and create a new department for Energy and Climate Change, headed by Ed Miliband. The main changes affecting the education sector are:

• Ian Pearson MP moves from DIUS to become business minister
• Lord Paul Drayson replaces Ian Pearson as the new minister for science and innovation
• Baroness Morgan also moves from DIUS to take her new role as parliamentary under-secretary, Department for Children, Schools and Families
• David Lammy stays in DIUS and becomes minister for higher education and intellectual property rights
• Bill Rammell MP leaves DIUS to become a foreign office minister
• Sion Simon joins DIUS as the under secretary of state for further education
• Lord Young of Underwood Green joins DIUS as under secretary of state for skills and apprenticeships.

Scotland

• The cabinet secretary for education and lifelong learning Fiona Hyslop has welcomed a new appointment to the Scottish Science Advisory Council (SSAC). Ian Underwood, professor of electrical displays at the University of Edinburgh and co-founder of technology company MicroEmissive Displays, joins the SSAC to enhance the business credentials of the Council.

Welsh Assembly

• The Welsh Education Minister Jane Hutt has invited schools, colleges and learning providers across Wales to apply to join the third phase of roll-out of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification at post 16 Intermediate and Advanced level that begins from September 2009.

• Higher Education Funding Council Wales is running an event on October 21, 2008 to provide HE, FE and students with the opportunity to:

• influence the development of the new Institutional Review process
• inform its approach to the development of a quality enhancement framework.

Research

• UK Research Reserve and collaborative storage

The Research Information Network is taking responsibility for the Advisory Board for the UK Research Reserve (UKRR) which, following its successful introductory phase, has now been awarded funded by HEFCE of £9.7 million for the Phase 2 extension of the work to universities across the UK.

• New appointments to the Medical Research Council

The Minister of State for Science and Innovation, Lord Drayson, has announced the appointment of seven new members to the Medical Research Council.

Higher Education

• Universities encouraged to work with businesses

This month saw the launch of the Lambert Toolkit, a collaborative research tool for universities and companies that wish to undertake collaborative research projects with each other.

The toolkit consists of a set of five Model Research Collaboration (one to one) Agreements numbered 1-5 and four Consortium (multi-party) Agreements lettered A-D and documents that should help you to use and understand those agreements. The toolkit was prepared by the Lambert Working Group on Intellectual Property.

• Famous chancellors contribute to new publication

Beyond ceremony is a new publication by Universities UK into the unsung heros of higher education. Beyond Ceremony profiles well-known Chancellors, who give their own insights into the position. Contributors include best-selling American writer and satirist, Bill Bryson (Durham University); founder of Cobra Beer and business leader, Lord Bilimoria (Thames Valley University); former Governor of Hong Kong and EU Commissioner, Lord Patten (University of Oxford and Newcastle University); Jon Snow newsreader, journalist and presenter (Oxford Brookes University); film, television and stage actor, Patrick Stewart (University of Huddersfield) and Sir Robert Worcester, Founder, MORI (University of Kent).

• Universities are given a £400 million boost to work with businesses

The Guardian report on the three-year investment programme for universities to support economic and social development.

• Universities to create partnerships

The Guardian reports on David Lammy MP's first speech since taking on his new role for HE where is explains that more universities will have to merge to maintain diversity and quality.

Further Education

• Software deal for schools and educational institutions
  OGCbuying.solutions, an executive agency of the Office of Government Commerce in HM Treasury, and Becta have launched a new collaborative deal under which a wide range of software will be available to schools and other educational institutions.

• Institute for Learning promotes professional development

Wired-gov reports on the Institute for Learning (IfL) new workshop series which aims to help FE teachers and trainers manage their continuing professional development.

• Preparing to deliver the 14-19 education reforms in England report

The government has published its report into Preparing to deliver the 14-19 education reforms in England.

General education and information news

• Blogs might become part of the school curriculum

The Guardian reports that blogs and online diaries should be part of the school curriculum according to thinktank Demos' report Video Republic. The publication pulls on the role that schools, universities and businesses have to play in preparing ‘young people for an era where CVs may well be obsolete, enabling them to manage their online reputation'.

• Opening up public libraries for learning

Wired-gov reports on how public buildings could be opened up for free or at subsidised prices for use by adult learning groups. Skills Secretary John Denham made the announcement this month as he pledged to work with Culture Secretary Andy Burnham to secure better access to libraries, museums and colleges.

• Battle of the podcasts

Oxford and Cambridge Universities are used to battling on water, but they are now entering into a competition of words by incorporating more podcasts into their learning.

On 1 October 2008, the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) and the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) completed the transfer of their businesses and contracts to the...

Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), the new sector-led organisation dedicated to the development of the further education and skills sector.

Bringing these two organisations together is a key part of the government’s learning and skills strategy.

Find out more at http://www.lsis.org.uk/LSISHome.aspx.

See the press release at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/0/E2EBA6B24DB187C1802574D50058C5CB?OpenDocument. 

• Confidence, skills and knowledge
• Further education sector improving
• International Baccalaureate
  

According to a recent Ofsted report, young people who complete programme-led apprenticeships are well prepared to meet the challenges of the modern workplace.

The impact of programme-led apprenticeships found that learners were also buoyed by greater confidence, increased skills and knowledge, and had a general ability to complete the full apprenticeship framework in a shorter time.

Read the full article at http://ofstednews.ofsted.gov.uk/article/362.

Strong leadership and vision, challenging aspirations and targets, and a thorough process of progress monitoring and self-assessment: these are just a number of ways colleges can raise the bar and work towards achieving outstanding status.

The recently published Ofsted report, 'How colleges improve: a review of effective practice', finds that the further education sector is improving. Over 60% of colleges are now considered good or better, up from just under 50% in 2001-2005. 

Read the full article at http://ofstednews.ofsted.gov.uk/article/364. 

The International Baccalaureate,  recognised worldwide as a qualification for entry to higher education, has been offered by leading schools, and some further education colleges, for many years. Now the programme is available to a growing number of colleges in the further education sector.

This September an inaugural cohort of 20 students began their studies for the International Baccalaureate at Newcastle College. Over the next two years, as well as studying a wider range of subjects than would have been possible on an A-level course, the students will have opportunities to focus on non-academic areas and develop critical thinking, independent learning and other life skills.

Read the full article at http://ofstednews.ofsted.gov.uk/article/361. 

• Open Source Census

The Open Source Census is a project to collect and share quantitative data on the use of open source software.

The census has now been running for 6 months and has discovered more than 300,000 open source package/project installations.  The project hopes that this data pool will enable trends to be identified and will paint an accurate portrait of open source usage in the enterprise.

Find out more and/or contribute at https://www.osscensus.org/index.php.

Although we are encouraged by the number of viewers on our RSC TV Channel, it was felt that by making the content more supportive of 'staff development' these figures may improve. As a result, Colin Gallacher and John Dalziel have tried to build upon the success of their uNET workshops - using New & Emerging Technologies.

Their first offering can be seen on this month's TV offering or viewed on the new uNET Video Clips Website at http://www.rsc-northwest.ac.uk/acl/RSC_uNET/index.html.

Important Notice

A phased shutdown of this, the "old" SLC, community site is underway in preparation for the new systems which are being developed.

There are separate arrangements for those SLCs who need to have continued access to the system to complete accreditation or electives. Only those SLCs who are continuing to complete work with LSN, including formal accreditation and portfolio building for CSC, will have access to the SLC community site after 31st Oct 2008.

If you have completed your portfolio, or you are not continuing your accreditation with LSN, please ensure that you have downloaded any files of personal data that you may require by this date.

Support for the new Teaching and Learning Programme can be found at http://www.subjectlearningcoach.net, which will include the development of a personal portfolio area.

If you have any queries with regard to this notice please contact msianidis@lsneducation.org.uk

• SIR data collection system for 2007/2008 now open!
• Where to find the glue to bind us together

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) is responsible for the most significant collection of workforce data in the FE college sector in England. Known as the Staff Individualised Record (SIR) data collection, it provides a comprehensive overview of the profile of all staff working in FE colleges since 2001/02, and contains individualised data on demographics characteristics, qualifications, location, pay and other factors.

Read the full article at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/DNWA-7K9FAH.

An interactive dedicated website, developed by the Institute of Community Cohesion (ICoCo), giving help & guidance on creating strong, cohesive communities.

Aimed at practitioners, policy-makers and other organisations from a whole range of sectors, the website is intended to provide a continuously updated bank of cohesion resources, including toolkits, links & briefings on key issues.

It builds on the Government’s work following recommendations made by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion in their report - Our Shared Future <http://www.integrationandcohesion.org.uk/Our_final_report.aspx>- and will underpin the Cohesion Delivery Framework overview document launched in the summer. Future stages in the portal’s development will follow, including forums for users to have private & shared discussions and pages to share information

Find out more at http://www.cohesioninstitute.org.uk/Pages/default.aspx.

OR read the Wired-Gov press release at http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/0/5CEFEA1F7440D9B2802574E4003AE509?OpenDocument.

FiTES - I'm inviting you to Find, Try, Evaluate and Share.
You are the experts in your field of work, management, administration, practitioners etc., and you know what works for you! By sharing not only will you raise the awareness of your colleagues but you should also benefit from their submissions.

Share your resources by completing the form available at http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=p6ZzsRcFe4Rh71c9ArHs2OQ&email=true. or use the embedded form below...

 

• Feedback - Steve Wainwright
• Optical Illusions - Ben Dalziel
  

 

"...

After reading your online mag I attempted to develop my own blog. I used as you had advised in your mag becomeablogger.com. I was so impressed with becomeablogger.com that I feel I should put pen to paper as it were. The main things which impressed me.

1. Easy step by step video using visuals and audible steps

2. Your pace,as many re-runs as you need (I needed quite a few)

3. Not just jargon free but definitions of jargon used in simple to understand language

3. Superbly illustrated and excellent narrative

4. Does exactly what it says, you end up with a blog

5. Improved skills and knowledge as your blog develops

6. Advice and guidance via email from a guy called Gideon Shalwick (this guy took time out to explain steps which I was unsure of via email and feedback on site)

Just excellent I would advise this to anyone interested in developing a blog in the future and will certainly be directing my learners and tutors there in the future. 

Steve Wainwright

ICT Curriculum Manager"

Thank you Steve, for this feedback, it is nice to know you found the content useful.

John Dalziel (eMagazine Author/Editor)

A contribution from my family...

"Dad,

Not sure if I've sent you this before, but this guy does some cool work:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshsommers/sets/72157603848917545/

He's from Petaluma which is just south of Sonoma.

'The most popular on Cambridge iTunes is Codebreakers and the World War'

Donald MacLeod reports that the rival universities Oxford and Cambridge are now putting out competing podcasts...

Listen to Donald's podcast at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/audio/2008/oct/07/oxford.cambridge.podcast.

Oxford v Cambridge: battle of the podcasts
Venerable universities enlist big guns to help display their wares on iTunes.

Read the Polly Curtis, education editor, article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/07/elearning.students.

This flowgram introduce viewers to recording tools that can be used to enhance teaching, learning and administration;

Flowgram combines the advantages of slide presentations and screencasts with an interactive user experience that fully exploits the fact that almost all the information we might ever need is already on the web.

Using the zero download Flowgram Maker, creators can assemble and annotate...

• web pages,
• photographs,
• documents
• and more on any topic,

and add a voice narrative that provides context, emotion and consistency.

This uniquely personalized package can be shared as an embedable widget, email or as a link to either a private group or with the world. Flowgram recipients can interact with any of its pages by clicking on links, for example, or playing and pausing videos.

Visit my first Flowgram at http://www.flowgram.com/p/bqhfaymutpu8m7/.

InspirED: - a collection of news and stories to inspire anyone interested in innovative approaches to teaching and learning. This site is updated three times a year (next update: January 2009) - you can subscribe for e-mail reminders.

View this first issue at http://inspired.futurelab.org.uk/.

The October issue of the Spotlight science magazine is now available.

Written for Intute by science writer David Bradley, Spotlight contains topical science articles and news features.

This issue has articles on...

• cosmology,
• radioactive fallout from Chernobyl, and
• using fungi to reduce pollution from sulphur when burning petroleum products.

Find out more at http://www.intute.ac.uk/sciences/spotlight/.

Post-16 education and training is often accused of having a language all of its own, riddled with jargon, policy-speak and acronyms. This report explores how people working across our sector perceive the information they receive from government departments and agencies. It aims to stimulate debate about the way these bodies communicate with organisations across post-16 education and training.

Find out more and download your free copy at https://www.lsneducation.org.uk/user/order.aspx?code=080095&src=XOWEB.

Open textbooks are gaining momentum.

Textbook Revolution describes itself as “a student-run, volunteer-operated website started in response to the textbook industry’s constant drive to maximize profits instead of educational value.”

I quite like the fact that they are trying to drive support from the textbook user community to develop a repository of Web-based learning materials. Similar to Jorum, the repository for HE & FE; the difference being, in the Textbook Revolution there are at least a few resources at every level, from primary school to post-doctorate -inclusive not exclusive!

Some of the ways Textbook Revolution asks for contributions are:

• Practitioners: "You’re the most important link in the chain. Browse the books. Try out sample chapters in your learning environments. Tell your colleagues about free books. And bask in the glory your students will heap on you for bringing them free books."
• Students: "Find a free book on our site that would work for one of your classes. Show it to your teacher and let him or her know that there are top-quality alternatives to the overpriced bookstore editions. If you use a book, review it. And tell your friends!"
• Authors: "We want your stuff! Add your book to our site!"
• Visitors: Welcome! If you find something you like, please take the time to review it. And tell your friends!

So, check it out at http://www.textbookrevolution.org/index.php/Main_Page and contribute anything you can.

-- downloadable torrent of Wikipedia's curriculum-relevant articles

Wikipedia for Schools is a torrentable DVD version of Wikipedia that you can run on classroom PCs that aren't connected to the net. It's also a handy size for sticking on a memory card and plugging into your phone or netbook.

We are told that this 2008/9 Wikipedia DVD Selection is a free, hand-checked, non-commercial selection from Wikipedia, targeted around the UK National Curriculum. It has about 5500 articles (as much as can be fitted on a DVD with good size images) and is about the size of a twenty volume encyclopaedia (34,000 images and 20 million words).

Articles have been chosen from a list ranked by importance and quality generated by project members. The list of articles was then manually sorted for relevance to children, and adult topics have been removed. Compared to the 2007 version some six hundred articles were removed and two thousand more relevant articles have been added. SOS Children volunteers then checked and tidied up the contents, first by selecting historical versions of articles free from vandalism and then by removing unsuitable sections. External links and references are also not included since it was infeasible to check all of these.

Take a look yourself at http://schools-wikipedia.org/. 

Note; Links to subjects are found at http://schools-wikipedia.org/wp/index/subject.htm.

More details and download for DVD at http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/charity-news/2008-wikipedia-for-schools.htm. 

• Digital Magazine Rack
• Lumifi
• Middlespot
• Pixolu
• Teen Space
• TinEye: Image Search
• Wikipedia Roll

Alltop is a new web service (created by Guy Kawasaki) that aggregates RSS feeds about popular topics.

• Enter a key word and press enter or
• click on a category -work-living-culture-interests-tech-people-good-news-geos-sports
• click on a letter of the alphabet

- Alltop brings you stories from “the best websites and blogs” on the issue.

Find out more by going to http://alltop.com/.

lumifi is a online research tool for helping practitioners and/or learners search and organize information from the web.

Go to http://www.lumifi.com/lumifi/index.jsp# to find out more or... 

...in less than 2 minutes learn what Lumifi has to offer and see how easily users can start mananging their information and collaborate with others; watch the introductory video at http://www.lumifi.blip.tv/#1273421. or use the embedded clip below.

 

middlespot.com is a visual search interface. 

Its focus is on providing a user with the most information possible to evaluate their search results in an intuitive interface and then allow those results to be collected and shared with others. 

With Middlespot you can...

• see your results as screenshots that you can pan and zoom like a map
• save and annotate relevant individual results to collections in workpads
• share workpads with others who are looking to you for your expertise

Try it out for yourself at http://www.middlespot.com/.

Use Images To Find Better Images

An image search engine which lets you go deeper into the mechanism of image search and lets you find more relevant images using the image results it displays the first time you search. It uses Google, Flickr and Yahoo as the underlying image search engines.

Take a closer look yourself at http://www.pixolu.de/.

The Internet Public Library knows what every good public librarian knows:  Teens need their own space.

Teens need to be convinced that hanging out in the library is worth their time. The Internet Public Library (IPL) provides a virtual space for teens — IPL Teenspace that mirrors the atmosphere of the best teen rooms in brick-and-mortar libraries.

IPL Teenspace collects the best resources for teens and makes them easily accessible. Like in a real library, those resources consist a healthy mix of the things teens need in order to succeed academically and things that speak to who they are on a more personal level.

In the first category: 

Sites offering homework help, support for students writing research papers, and advice for F.E. preparation.

In the second category: 

A guide to graphic novels and a poetry wiki where teens can contribute their own work. A page called “Procrastinator,” offers links to all sorts of enticing, time-sucking websites that are really and truly engaging and fun.

Somewhere in between the two categories — what teens need and what teens want —  is a list of websites providing answers to “frequently asked embarrassing questions,” most of them about health, sexuality, relationships, and substance abuse.

Find out more at http://ipl.org/div/teen/.

What is TinEye?

It is the first image search engine on the web to use image identification technology.

You can submit an image to TinEye to find out where and how that image appears on the web, or to find modified or edited versions.

Search the web for images using an image. To find out more go to http://tineye.com/faq.

1. Upload an image from your computer, or...
2. Paste a page or image URL, or...
3. Use the TinEye Images bookmarklet to choose from several images on a web page, or best...
4. Install the TinEye browser plugin to right-click any web image from Firefox or IE.

Wikipedia-Roll is an online application that lets users view wikipedia articles in broad and interesting way. 

Wikipedia-Roll organizes article content by items and definitions, and presents them within a nice interactive, visual interface.

I would suggest that you, and/or your learners, take a look at the  overview and video available at http://api-exploration.net/mashups/wikipedia-roll/info_en.php before using wikipedia-roll at http://api-exploration.net/mashups/wikipedia-roll/index_en.php.

Overview of Resources, in this month's eMagazine, that could be use in Art...

• artition

If they don't know already, artists soon find out how hard it is to become recognized. How do they gain publicity? How to find a publishing house, a gallery, a producer, a model agency?

To become recognized as an artist they do not only need talent. They need connections and money to receive the publicity they deserve. Connections, for many, are in fact even more important for their career than money. The internet today can make a great step forward for everyone with an artistic talent.

Artition provides artists with the means to 'start cracking it' and leaving a mark.

Artists and art lovers all around the world now have a meeting place at Artition; a social network for every single person who has an artistic streak or inclination.

The site enables those who register to present their works online for all to see and comment upon, while being able to see the pieces that others have posted online and offer their insight.

As the webmaster explains, he knows how hard it is for a newcomer in the world of art to gain publicity. That is the reason why he created the site: to provide emerging artists with the outlet for not just exposing their works but also to start making connections.

The Artition website also acts as a marketplace where art lovers can buy and sell works conveniently and with ease. Moreover, invitations to art fairs and other art events can be sent using the site.

It is also interesting to point out that contests are held with frequency, so make sure your learners check the site often if they are looking for their chance to say out loud “Watch out, here I come!”.

Take a closer look at http://artition.com/.

Overview of Resources, in this month's eMagazine, that could be use in Engineering...

• CDEEP: Live Webcast Courses

Several months back, we mentioned how the Indian Institutes of Technology (otherwise called the IITs) had launched a series of free technology courses on YouTube. There are about 50 free courses in total.

As a follow up, I felt it was worth letting you know about a new series of courses being webcast live (and in English) from IIT Bombay (goto http://www.cdeep.iitb.ac.in/solo/ to view).

The head of their Centre for Distance Engineering Education Programme, informs us that you can watch the live transmission of 35 courses.

A schedule of Autumn courses can be found at http://www.cdeep.iitb.ac.in/Live_webc/index.html.

Note: times referenced on that webpage are in Indian Standard Time; you can use a time zone converter to make sure that you’re in sync (One suitable converter can be found at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc.

Overview of Resources, in this month's eMagazine, that could be use in English Language - Literature Teaching & Learning...

• Old Man & the Sea

Open Culture has posted an animated video of Hemingway's classic "The Old Man and the Sea."

View at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6079824527240248060&hl=en or watch the embedded version below...

Overview of Resources, in this month's eMagazine, that could be use in Family Learning...

• Bembo's Zoo
• Biology4Kids
• Free online Maps
• Pest World for Kids

Something tells me that the Bembo's Zoo Picture Book primer will be shown in alot of Family Learning Classes.  This should also be a big hit in the primary classroom.

Enjoy it at http://www.bemboszoo.com/Bembo.swf.

Biology4Kids is exactly what you think it is, and that’s a good thing.

• It gives an overview of basic biology that’s perfect for learners who want to pick up biology but don’t know where to begin.
• The site has information on...
  • cell structure,
  • plants,
  • creatures with and without backbones,
  • plus a lot more...

Instead of simply reading stuff in a textbook or on a website Biology4Kids focuses on questioning and reasoning that is central to scientific discovery.

Users will also find...

• several quizzes,
• slide shows and
• activities to keep learners engaged.

Biology4Kids has the right content combination to spark further curiosity among learners.

Take a look at http://www.biology4kids.com/.

Owl and Mouse Educational Software offers nine, free, interactive maps for learners.

The Free online maps cover Europe, US, Asia, South America and more.

Make large maps to learn geography, to learn "where in the world" etc. Free interactive maps for business, travel or study. Great for Initial Teacher Training and/or Family Learning use.

Find out more at http://www.yourchildlearns.com/online-interactive-maps.htm.

Look at the example below... 

A great resource for family learning practitioners. The educational games will draw learners into the website and pique their interest in bugs and rodents. The lesson plans and science projects provide practitioners with a means to capitalize on the learners' interest.

"Think of them as animals out of place. Out in nature, they're just doing their jobs. But when they move into our homes and yards, then we call them pests. So come explore the world of pests. Then use your new knowledge to outwit the pests in your world."

Find out more at http://www.pestworldforkids.org/index.html.

Overview of Resources, in this month's eMagazine, that could be use in Creative Writing...

• Imagination prompt generator
• On-tap Inspiration Online

The Imagination prompt generator gives users a random prompt every time they click.

Apparently, I'm no expert, it is good for non-fiction writers, especially personal essayists.

Just click on the ‘Next prompt’ button. If users find writing on one prompt too easy, pick two to combine in the same piece. 

Try it out for yourself at http://www.creativity-portal.com/prompts/imagination.prompt.html.

Do you you want a compelling idea for your learners' next short story, a topic for their blogs or a starting prompt for a poem? If only there were some way to get inspiration on-tap…

Thankfully there is! It’s called the Internet; for example take a look at…

Twistori

Twistori finds Twitter feeds which contain certain words:

• love,
• hate,
• think,
• believe,
• feel and
• wish.

To use it, just click on one of the words on the left-hand side, then watch text stream up your screen. If you click rapidly on several words, you can come up with some brilliant juxtapositions – often, putting together two very different thoughts can result in a great piece of writing.

Take a closer look at http://twistori.com/.

Overview of Resources, in this month's eMagazine, that could be used in a number of curriculum areas...

• Cartoons for the Classroom
• Communication Tools: Online
• Exploratorium
• hohli
• SlideSix
• SoundzAbound
• Timetoast

Cartoons for the Classroom is a service of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.

• Cartoons in the Classroom offers more than one hundred lesson plans based on editorial cartoons created by the members of the AAEC.
• Each lesson plan is available as free pdf download.
• As you might expect most of the lessons deal with current political and economic topics in the USA, but users will also find some lessons that are not time sensitive.

In addition to lesson plans Cartoons for the Classroom provides links to other cartoon resources. One of those resources is the Opper Project, that provides lesson plans for teaching history through editorial cartoons.

Note: Editorial cartoons can make some of the most complex topics accessible to all learners. e.g. some cartoons can be used in HE classes to discuss some of the deeper implications of the 'subject'. At the same time the same cartoon can expose struggling readers in a functional skills class (Key Skills) to an important current events story.

Find out more at http://nieonline.com/aaec/cftc.cfm.

I also think it worth looking at (or downloading) the Free Cartoon Evaluation Worksheet at http://nieonline.com/cftc/pdfs/eval.pdf.

Fodey.com is a website with a collection of image and animated gif generators that practitioners and/or learners can customise by adding their own communication texts.

There are a number of 'generators' including...

• ...a newspaper; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp.
  
• ...a clapper board; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/movie/clapper_board.asp.
  
• ...talking squirrels; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/animated/talking_squirrel.asp.
• ...a cigarette packet; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/cigarette_packet/generator.cig.
  
• ...talking cats; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/animated/talking_cat.asp.
• ...ninja text; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/animated/ninjatext.asp.
  
• ...wizard text; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/animated/wizard.asp.
  
• ...talking flowers; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/animated/talking_flower.asp.
• ...talking tomatoes; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/animated/talking_tomato.asp.
• ...talking owls; go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/animated/talking_owl.asp.

They are easy to use...

• add text to one or more fields and
• click the generate button.
• Users can then either...
  • download their image or
  • get an embed code to add it to a blog or website or VLE etc.

I particularly like, and could think of lots of uses for, the newspaper, clapper board and cigarette pack! They are fun and can provide motivation by adding a visual element to formative assessment and/or simple quick writing activities. I know they are being used for Modern Foreign Languages, ESOL, Key Skills (Functional Skills) and in place of 'pull quotes'

Note: with some of the generators be careful learners don't write too much; e.g. the ninja text and text need to be very short.

The Exploratorium's Web site is designed to extend the kinds of experiences our visitors have beyond the museum's floor.

Today, the medium of the Internet makes it possible for the museum to reach homes and learning providers all over the world. This has changed the way formal and informal learning takes place, both in the classroom and in the home. The Exploratorium online, and the resources it provides, are available 24 hours a day, worldwide, to anyone with an Internet connection.

Find out more at http://www.exploratorium.edu/.

An easy to use online tool that lets users quickly create charts online.

• Select the type of chart you want to create,
• set size,
• add chart data and
• then  preview your chart,

Once satisfied save it on to your computer or share by embedding  onto you website or forwarding a link via email.

Try it out at http://charts.hohli.com/.

Slide Six is a slide show sharing site with a couple of added bonus features.

Just as on other sites, users can upload and share slide show presentations privately or publicly.

What makes Slide Six better than and easier to use than others is that Slide Six users can add narration to their slide show directly on the Slide Six website.

Adding audio narration to a slide show increases the ability of a slide show to deliver a message. If you have learners creating slide shows that are going to end up in a wiki or on a blog or in an ePortfolio, consider having them add audio narration to their presentations before embedding them.

Find out more at http://slidesix.com/. 

Soundzabound is a source for royalty-free music that students can use in presentations, websites, and elsewhere. Most of the music requires the purchase of a licensing agreement from Soundzabound although there are some free 30 second loops that you can download.

Find out more and listen to and/or download at http://www.soundzabound.com/.

Time Toast is a web application that allows users to create interactive timelines, which they can share anywhere on the web. Time Toast doesn't involve a great deal of training.

Anyone can join and start creating and sharing their own timelines, all they need is a valid email address. It's also completely free.

For the more technical among our readers, Timetoast.com was built on top of powerful open-source frameworks and technologies such as Ruby on Rails, MySQL and Adobe Flex.

Find out more by visiting the new site at http://www.timetoast.com.

To add events to a timeline simply click on the inconspicuous "add an event" button and a simple event box pops up in which you can enter...

• text,
• place a link, or
• add a picture.

Time Toast does not have any more advanced editing options but what it offers instead, is ease of use. This makes it a suitable choice for learners.

Note: Users can enter events/mileposts that occur in the future, so timetoast may have the potential to be used as a ePDP Portfolio or Individual Learning Plan or Reflective Journal or ...

Overview of Geography Resources included in this eMagazine...

• 360 Cities - Panoramic Interactive Imagery
• Geograph British Isles
• Lizard Point
• Traveler IQ Challenge
  

360 Cities provides extremely clear panoramic imagery of places around the world. The bulk of the images are of places in Europe, but there is also some great imagery from North America, South America, Africa, and Asia.

The panoramic imagery of 360 Cities is very clear and transitions smooth.

Images on 360 Cities can be explored online using the Google Map provided on the 360 Cities website or you can view the imagery in Google Earth.

The user controls over the views are easy to use and very smooth. The images don't jump or blur as you change perspectives.

Just as with Google's Street View option, 360 Cities could be a great resource for learners to use on self-guided virtual tours.

Find out more or try it out at http://360cities.net/.

The Geograph British Isles project aims to collect geographically representative photographs and information for every square kilometre of Great Britain and Ireland.

All the images are Creative Commons licensed and they are building a useful educational and historical document which is be freely available.

Take a closer look at http://www.geograph.org.uk/.

Or take a look at the FAQ's at http://www.geograph.org.uk/faq.php.

Lizard Point gives learners 36 interactive maps to study.

The maps cover basic world geography as well as specific geography questions for various regions and countries around the world.

Find out more at http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/.

Traveler IQ Challenge has 14 interactive geography activities.

The activities can be embedded in a blog or website or VLE or...

If you have the option, I'd recommend embedding the activities and by doing so cut down on the number of advertisements that your learners are subjected to!

Find out more at http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq/game1.

or try a sample below...

Overview of Genealogy - History Resources included in this eMagazine...

•  200 PowerPoint presentations for History Courses
• Concharto
• Public Profiler World Names (could be used to provide data for statistical analysis)

...is a collection of more than 200 Power Point presentations for use in history courses. The presentations are nicely categorized as US History, European History, or Global Studies.

One of the best things about the Internet and eLearning is all of the resources that help practitioners save time.

Not quite what you want? Well use PowerPoint to change it but even if you do this, be sure to give proper attribution.

Take a closer look at http://pptpalooza.net/.

Concharto combines two easy-to-edit tools into one dynamic place to find geographic and historic information.

Just as Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, Concharto is an atlas that can be edited by anyone.

The basic layout of Concharto is...

• a Google Map on each page and
• in the left margin is information about each placemark on the Google Map.
• If you find a map that you want to edit or information that you want to edit you can do so.
• If there are maps that you think need to be added, you can do that too.

Note: The policies of Concharto require that entries be written in an encyclopedic style, in other words, gossip/ tabloid stories are removed.

Concharto is a good example of the type of collaborative projects that practitioners and learners can build together. To duplicate the same functions of Concharto simply create a wiki using your favorite wiki program and embed a Google Map.

If you have never tried to create a Google Map I recommend visiting the Google Maps User Guide at http://maps.google.com/support/bin/topic.cs/bin/answer.py?answer=68259&hl=en.  

Take a look for yourself at http://www.concharto.com/home.htm.

An online resource that will allow users to...

• Search for a Surname to view its Map and Statistics;
• Search for an Area to see its top forenames and surnames and
• When developed, carry out an Ethnicity Search

Try it out at http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames/. 

Overview of Geography Resources included in this eMagazine...

• Look Say Cover Write Check
• Spelling City
• Spin & Spell
  

Look Say Cover Write Check

You can add your own 10 words, practice using the look, say, cover, write and check method and there is even facility to print paper based resource cards and review and assess progress. Simple and very effective.

Take a closer look at http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=looksay2.

A highly valuable resource. Practitioners are able to save spelling lists for learners to access beyond the learning environment. It comes into it’s own as each list is used in a variety of different games to help individuals learn them. Each word added to the list is automagically linked to a snippet of audio pronouncing the word and there is even audio of the word used in a sentence.

Lists can be...

• downloaded,
• printed

...and there is even a handwriting sheet that you can print off for your spelling list.

The only grumble is that some words are difficult to understand in the audio as the pronounciation is American.

Try it out at http://www.spellingcity.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1. 

A lovely interactive site for the simple practice of common key words. Learners can choose from a range of different word topics such as “In and around the home” and “Animal Kingdom”. The learners then are presented with a big wheel in the centre of the screen with all of the letters on it. They choose a little image from the many that populate the rest of the screen and they hear audio of that word and then have to spell it using the dial.

Try it out below or go to http://www.spinandspell.com/.

Overview of Language Resources included in this eMagazine...

• Cosmo Trainer
• Lingorilla
• World Languages Assessment
  

With the arrival of the Internet, learning a language has, we are told, never been easier.

The Cosmo Trainer personel are making their contribution towards the cause with their site.
Basically...

• visitors can specify
  
  • their native language and
  • the language they wish to work on.
• After that, the user can choose the vocabulary they wishes to train.
  
  • Featured vocabularies include
    
    • “Colors”,
    • “Food”,
    • “Human Body” and
    • “Numbers”
• Once this has been dealt with, it’s finally time to get down to some linguistic action and training.

In their own words... “Cosmo Trainer, the most effective way to learn languages!”

Take a closer look at http://www.cosmotrainer.com/.

A global community for learning languages.

Watch the Video, Sign-up and/or find out more at http://www.lingorilla.com/eng.

Note: - to access the videos etc., users will have to sign-up

Thanks to Nik Peachey for this...

I sure those delivering Initial Teacher Training to MFL learners and/or MFL ITT learners on these courses will find the video on demand section useful; it has links to seven 15 minute video clips about different areas of assessment, including technology in assessment and assessing cultural competence.

The video streams well and the quality of the low bandwidth version is more than adequate. Users will, as Nik suggests, want to get past the initial, slightly stuffy, introductions, when they will then see some clips of live classrooms and interviews with teachers which are really interesting.

The rest of the site is worth checking out too as it has...

• professional development guides,
• teacher resources and
• a link to a Ning based discussion forum.

Find out more at http://www.ecb.org/worldlanguageassessment/index.htm.

Overview of Mathematics Resources included in this eMagazine...

• AAA Math
• Animations from the New Zealand Math Numeracy Project
• Jim Reed's Mathematics Flash Resources
• Math Bits
• Mathway
• Shine + Write
  

AAA Math provides a comprehensive set of interactive arithmetic lessons.

• Unlimited practice is available on each topic.
• The wide range of lessons enables personalised learning or reviews to occur at each learner's current level.
• Immediate feedback prevents practicing and learning incorrect methods; a common fault of traditional homeworks and worksheets.
• Practice can continue as long as desired in a non-threatening format; this helps learners build their self-esteem and confidence.

Topics include addition, algebra, comparing, counting, decimals, division,equations, estimation, exponents, fractions, geometry, graphs, measurement, mental maths, money, multiplication, naming numbers, patterns, percent, place value, practical maths, properties, ratios, statistics and subtraction...

Follow the link for each math skill and users will be given a quick summary explanation of that skill, and then given multiple problems with which to practice that skill. Though clear and accessible, the explanations for each math skill are not particularly detailed. The practice sessions are timed and the site tallies your answers and explains and corrects problems answered incorrectly. This website would serve best as a supplement for learners to practice skills already covered in 'class'. 

Take a closer look at http://www.aaaknow.com/.

This is one site that could be used every day with an interactive White-Board to teach Math concepts using visualization.

Take a look for yourself at http://www.nzmaths.co.nz/numeracy/Animations/animations.aspx.

Stop what you're doing and go check out this collection. A comprehensive library of flash-based Maths applications covering many areas of Mathematics.

These applications are perfect for interactive whiteboards especially if you're planning on display material, have the learners interact with it, then have the application demonstrate how to solve problems.

Visit http://argyll.epsb.ca/jreed/Default.htm to find out more.

MathBits.com is devoted to offering fun, yet challenging, lessons and activities in high school (and college level) mathematics and computer programming for students and teachers.

Created by two teachers.

Find out more by visiting http://mathbits.com/.

Mathway is a resource for solving math problems. The Basic section, does a great job of solving problems you would find in Key Skills Classes (Functional Skills).

You have two options — you can

1: enter a problem...

• there is an input box, and plenty of math symbols (such as square roots, fractions, and exponents), and geometric shapes in two and three-dimensions. This section is great for homework support.

2: look up how to solve a problem by topic.

• On the right, there is a section with example problems that you can select by topic. So, if you need steps for long division, you select that topic, and are given a problem and the steps for solving it. Highlighting makes all the steps clear.

Take a closer look at http://www.mathway.com/.

A collection of Maths teaching resources designed to be projected on to a white board and then written on as part of a whole class exposition. They'll even work with an Interactive White Board!

Ideal for Key Skills. Take a look your self at http://www.transum.org/software/SW/.

Overview of Science Resources included in this eMagazine...

• Ask a Scientist
• Databases for the Environment
• Evidence: How Do We Know What We Know?
  
• GRIB: display meteograms and more...
• Protect Planet Ocean
• Solar System Visualizer
  

 

Environmental and Earth science questions

Ask a Scientist is a free service for practitioners and learners to get answers to difficult Environmental and Earth science questions.

Currently, there are more than 600 questions, submitted by practitioners and learners, that have been answered by scientists. The service is not designed to answer routine questions, rather it is for difficult questions for which answers cannot be found through the typical library, textbook, or Internet avenues.

Ask a Scientist could be a great resource for students in Advanced Earth science or Environmental Science courses. Searching the archives of answered questions could provide users with the answers they need, but if not, Ask a Scientist at http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/env98.htm.

The United Nations Environment Program  has teamed up with global conservation groups to create two new internet  databases of protected and ecologically important sites. 

The aim to help businesses make environmentally sound decisions when  entering new areas.

1. The World  Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) integrates the UN list of protected areas with Google mapping software.  This information was previously only available to scientists,  but now businesses, like oil and mining companies, can access the exact  boundaries of areas like nature reserves and national parks and analyze  their potential environmental impact before moving in.  In the  event that companies already have a presence in these areas, they can  make necessary changes to minimize their impact.
   Go to http://www.wdpa.org/Default.aspx to find out more.
    
2. The Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) adds information on Key Biodiversity Sites to the WDPA data. This information includes both protected and unprotected areas where animals or plants are endangered, or where populations are globally significant. Also included are articles outlining how businesses can make decisions based on the data.
   To find out more go to http://www.biodiversityinfo.org/ibat/.
   
   Major companies like BP, Chevron, Shell, ExxonMobil, Microsoft and Bank of America are helping to fund the projects.

Evidence: How Do We Know What We Know? deals with the role evidence plays in establishing scientific truth.

In the words of the site’s creators, “this project uses case studies to examine how scientists construct a functional understanding of the world by gathering, assessing, and making use of scientific evidence.”

The featured case study...

• ...explores questions about human origins through a series of interviews with anthropologists and other scientists.
• ...begins with a comparison between humans and their primate relatives and
• ...ends with a discussion of what we can learn from mankind’s fossil record.

If you are moved to look at this in more detail, take a look at the part of the site called Can You Believe It? It’s a list of seven questions to ask about any scientific claim which can be used to analyze and assess any science-based article. Users are given the option to view the current day’s science headlines, allowing learners and practitioners alike to scan for evidence to decide for themselves if the latest discovery is science fact or science fiction.

Take a closer look at http://www.exploratorium.edu/evidence/index.html. 

Grib is the format used by the meteorological institutes of the world to transport and manipulate weather data and is the foundation of the forecasts we see around us in our daily life. Until now, accessing and viewing GRIB weather data often required a tricky combination of technical knowledge and expensive software

Now there's GRIB.US.

• A company that empowers learning providers & their learners, the end-users, to interactively extract their own custom GRIB weather files tailored to their needs.

• GRIB.US also provide users with their - easy to use- Ugrib software to view this data so that practitioners & learners can look at weather data for anywhere in the world when they want to, where they want to.
• Best of all, this is all for FREE!

Find out more and/or download the software at http://www.grib.us/.

What do you get?

- Global GFS Data
- updated every 6 hours (runtime + 5 hours)
- 3 hour time-steps
- native resolution of 0.5° x 0.5°
- 7 day forecasts

Thanks to Keith Wilson, eLearning Adviser (Technical) for this link.

Protect Planet Ocean should be a good resource for anyone teaching marine biology.

Protect Planet Ocean provides some good information about marine preservation. The information, though based on scientific research, is presented in language that learners can comprehend.

Protect Planet Ocean, in conjunction with National Geographic and other sponsors, features links to a live ocean cam and a live aquarium cam.

According to Frank Taylor at the Google Earth Blog, Protect Planet Ocean is developing Google Earth files to represent protected marine areas and marine preservation efforts.

Find out more by visiting http://www.protectplanetocean.org/index.html. 

Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at the big picture to fully appreciate something. When that picture is as big as the solar system, visit the Solar System Visualizer and see everything on your monitor.

This web application lets you view the celestial movements of our solar system, including the orbits of the planets (and Pluto, too; yes it isn't a planet anymore!), plus all the moons and minor bodies floating around out there. Learners can zoom in for a closer look at each planet.

Note: the planets aren’t drawn to scale, and the model doesn’t account for bodies’ individual gravitational pulls - however if users want put our eight-plus-one planets into perspective visit http://janus.astro.umd.edu/SolarSystems/.

Bitstrips is a fun tool which would work great for learners who love to read comics, because this tool will give them a chance to star themselves in a self-created online comics. This website lets you create original comic strips from a collection of pre-made characters which can be easily added to the comics. Users can then add text in talk bubbles or balloons and create their own story line thus making an entertaining comic strip.

Features

• Do-it-yourself comic strip creator.
• Easily create comic strip from pre-made characters.
• Read and comment on other comics
• Also you can create your own unique characters
• Free sign up !

Check out Bitstrips by visiting http://www.bitstrips.com.

A web service that lets you upload video using a URL, and then allows you to perform some basic video editing task online.

You can...

• mix videos,
• add and change audio tracks,
• add watermarks,
• paint,
• add text, and
• when finished upload them directly on to YouTube for sharing.

No registration necessary, however if registred you can keep track of all your videos in one place.

Find out more at http://www.brushvideo.com/.

Easy Photo Editing Online

If practitioners or their learners need to edit photographs or pictures quickly, easily and for free, then DrPic.com could be the place for them.

Users can...

• crop,
  
• resize
  
• add text
  
• change colours and
  
• create a number of effects
  

...easily.

Simply upload a picture, from your computer, at http://www.drpic.com/ and start to play experiment.

Note: download the images to your hard drive or upload them to the web and all without any registration or passwords. DrPic can be used for creating flash cards, adding text to images or just giving learners some hands on practice at doing their own photo editing.

FotoViewr is an online application that enables users, practitioners and/or learners, to display their image collections in a variety of 3D galleries.

FotoViewr takes the images you select from your...

• Flickr account or
• SmugMug account

...and displays them in a 3D gallery.

It's a simple one step process that produces a nice gallery display.

Note: - Galleries created on FotoViewr can be embedded in a blog or website or VLE or ePortfolio etc.

Find out more at http://www.fotoviewr.com/.

OR visit http://www.fotoviewr.com/FotoViewr_PhotoGallery.v2.php?FTYPE=5&CALL=PHOTOSET&USER_ID=34943341@N00&PHOTOSET_ID=72157600006823866&TOUR=1 to view some of my images.

This authoring tool can be used to create and adapt generative learning objects (GLOs).

GLOs provide a more flexible format for developing learning objects which supports both increased productivity in initial development and flexible repurposing by local practitioners.

GLO-Maker aims to...

• provide a powerful and user friendly tool to create new generative learning objects, or
• adapt and repurpose existing generative learning objects.

Visit http://glomaker.co.uk/index.htm where you can download the latest, free version of the tool.

You can also download the User Guide and resources for the interactive tutorials provided.

iCharts allows practitioners & Learners to upload Excel sheets or manually add data from which they can easily create, share and embed interactive charts (= iCharts) within minutes.

iCharts can be published on the iCharts Portal at icharts.net and they can be embedded anywhere on the Internet in blogs, forums or corporate websites.

Premium account holders can also download iCharts and embed them offline in PDF documents and PowerPoint presentations, retaining their full interactivity.

Find out more at http://www.icharts.net/portal/.

A web tool that lets users apply mirror effects to their images.  

To start...

• ...select an image from your computer,
• ...choose reflection type (Bottom, Right, Left,,Top), 
• ...set size and transparency and
• ...finally click “Upload”.

MirrorEffect will then upload and generate a mirror image that you can save back to your computer, using ’save as option’.

Try it out for yourself at http://www.mirroreffect.net/.

Today, the world can begin to explore a new web application that will undoubtedly hold appeal for "book lovers" on the web. The application is called Reframe It, and it lets you write in the margins of any web page, much as you’d write in the margins of a book. And, even better, it lets you share the comments with others, turning marginalia into something of a public conversation. (Watch the video below to see what I mean.)

or watch it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKVKR-KB_UQ.

Reframe It was released on the 8th October 2008 in beta.

Reframe It could be a good tool for learners that are working on a collaborative research project.

• By using the Reframe It extension learners can discuss the merits of the things they find.
• Learners can also use Reframe It to discuss how they are going to use the resources they find on the Internet.

Reframe It could also be useful for practitioners conducting online courses.

• With the browser extension installed conversations about an article or other digital resource can be conducted while everyone is looking at the same resource.

To give it a try, you can download the free Firefox or Internet Explorer Reframe It browser extension at http://reframeit.com/.

ScreenToaster allows you to record your screen activity in one click, publish the video on the web, and stream the recorded video in Flash.

Find out more at http://www.screentoaster.com/.

Ever wanted to share an educational YouTube clip with colleagues and/or learners, but it’s location is 1:32 into the video? TubeChop allows you to skip straight to the required part and then share it.

Feature List:

• Chop segments from YouTube videos and share.
• Embed chopped videos on your blog or website or VLE (or ePortfolio perhaps)

Try it out for yourself http://www.tubechop.com/.

Create Slideshows With Voice Narrations

VoxPix is a website where you can quickly build a slideshow using your images and voice narrations.

The way it works

1. pull the images from your favorite photo hosting site or upload them from computer

2. join them together

3. add voice narrations using your phone and then share with anyone you want.

Features:

• Create sideshows with voice narrations.
• Create as many sideshows as you like.
• Add images from your hard drive or photo sharing sites (Bebo, Facebook, Flickr, etc.)
• Add voice narrations using your mobile phone.
• Share ready slideshows by embedding or sending a link via email.
• No signup or registration needed.

Go to http://voxpix.myvox.com/ to find out more.

A New web service that lets you easily create 3D video clips without any professional video editing knowledge.

All users do is...

• select figures, 
• type the script and
• click “ACTION”. 

Xtranormal then will put everything together and present users with an animated 3D movie.

Once the movie has been created users can share it with others by publishing on Xtranormal or embedding it in a blog or website or VLE etc. Users can create as many videos as they like.

Try it out and/or find out more at http://www.xtranormal.com/. 

In their own words...

“We've got lots of great montage effects for your photos. It's really easy & completely free. No registration required.”

I recall the hours of fun I've had making photo montages featuring friends, colleagues and family. Something I managed to end up teaching as part of 'Digital Imaging' courses. What I recall the most, though, was how difficult it turned out for some learners to come up with an actual montage – it actually took them a considerable amount of time. Fortunately, now there are web applications like Your Magic Photo that will let you come up with montages in a couple of seconds.

In essence, this web-based service enables you to take a photograph and apply a specific montage backdrop from the ones on offer. Once this has been done, you can save the picture for posterity.

Try it out at http://www.yourmagicphoto.com/main/index.

"Is there a quick way I can calculate the value of my inventory in one step? I'm using Excel Office 2007."

Why use two formulas when one will do the trick? By using Excel's SUMPRODUCT function, you can multiply and add values in one fell swoop.

The image below shows a record of an inventory in an Excel worksheet...

Let 's say you need to calculate the total value of the current inventory from this worksheet.

First instincts are to...

• create a new column that multiplies the cost of each item by its quantity and display this value
• then sum the values obtained.

The alternative (Quicker) way is to...

• use Excels SUMPRODUCT function which adds and multiplies in one step

Using the example above...

• Click in the cell in which you wish to display the total value of your inventory (in this example F1)
  
• Enter the following formula
  =SUMPRODUCT(B2:B11,C2:C11)
  
  
  Note: B2:B11 is the values and C2:C11 are the corresponding values
• Type the enter key (or Tab) and the value of your inventory will be displayed, as shown below...
  

PaperCase is online tool where you can create and print your own paper CD sleeves using images from any AOL Music album page (for music CDs) or Netflix DVD page (for movies).

Here is how it works:

• 1. Drag provided bookmarklet link to either your Firefox toolbar or add it to your favorites in IE.
• 2. Visit the page of the album or movie you want to get paper CD case for.
• 3. Click on the bookmarklet and go to File -> Print preview. When satisfied click on “Print”.

Features:

• Print out CD sleeves using content from AOL Music and Netflix DVD pages.
• Create and print as many paper CD cases as you like. No sign up needed.

To find out more go to http://liquidmongoose.com/paperCase.php.

You might also want to check out tutorial video showing how to fold sleeves for your CDs.

Or watch it on the embedded video below... 

 

Paper CD Case - video powered by Metacafe

Most browsers provide you with a way to easily email a link to the page you are currently viewing. 

When clicked, your default email application will produce a new message with the link in the body and the page title in the Subject line and the To field left blank for you to address. 

This functionality is missing from Chrome, but can easily added by creating a button on the Bookmarks bar.

Find out more at http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/3285/google-chrome-use-bookmarklets-to-download-youtube-videos/.

"I find myself continually pressing the Caps Lock key and/or Shift to change from uppercase to lowercase, and vice versa, as I type?"

"While the Caps Lock key is better than having to search for the Change Case commands with the mouse, I can’t use it to change the case of text that has already been typed."

"Any Ideas?"

Indeed! Microsoft do provide a couple of toggle key combinations you can use, in Word, to change the case of selected text without retyping.

For example...

1: say you typed the following text and want to change it to all uppercase:

Caution! To avoid injury, please read all instructions first.

• Just select the text and press Ctrl + Shift + A (Go on try it out)

2: You can use this very same keyboard combination Ctrl + Shift + A to change case while you type

• Press Ctrl + Shift + A and type (note all caps)
• Press Ctrl + Shift + A again and continue typing (note, returned to lower case)

Another helpful key combination is Shift + F3, which lets you toggle case...

• Select the text and then
• press and hold the Shift key while you press F3 (if repeated you can observe the cyclic change of text brought about by this shortcut)

Monthly viewing figures

The data below is cumulative, highlighting, from the initial tracking our TV viewers on 1st September 2007, their global distribution.