The “Long Tail" has been lauded and quoted at length. But what does the book actually say, and how does it stand up to scrutiny. In this lengthy review I give it a cautious "thumbs up".
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TfL data by Terry Freedman
An article about data
Elaine keeps telling me to remember to clock in and out at stations, even if the barriers are open. She’s right.
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Just a section of the Freedman archive collection (artist’s impression)
Computers in Classrooms #10: The end of the line
Here’s a rum thing. While trawling through the Freedman archives looking for something exciting to read (actually, an excuse for not getting on with the work I’m meant to be doing), I came across this old newsletter.
Read MoreEducation jargon: a natural consequence of government edtech initiatives?
When it comes to jargon, the Building Schools for the Future programme in England takes a lot of beating. I’ve railed against the Department for Education for its awful predilection for driving agendas forward and delivering targets or whatever, but really they’re just amateurs at this stuff.
Read MoreDid you know Google was a search engine, preparing for Bett 2001, plus guidance that has stood the test of time
Back in the year 2001 Google was still very much the new-ish kid on the block.
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The Homework Excuse Management System, by Terry Freedman
Blast from the past: the homework excuse management system revisited
You can use a spreadsheet to solve even relatively trivial problems — but why should you do so?
Read MoreThe problems with rubrics
Rubrics look like an easy way to tackle assessment. But they can be deceptive in that respect, and can cause the unwary to slip up.
Read MoreReports of the death of the textbook have been exaggerated
Is the demise of the traditional textbook really something to be welcomed?
Read MoreThe blog is dead. Long live the blog
From an educational point of view, we should encourage students to work out which form of writing is most appropriate for the job in hand, not encouraging them to drop one type of writing all together.
Read MoreThe dysfunctional departments for education
Sometimes, it's easy to start to wonder if, as those in high places seem to be losing their grip on sanity, or at least reality, whether the fault really lies with yourself.
Read MoreResearch, teacher training, teachers' email addresses -- in the year 2000
“It seems to me that the folks at the Teacher Training Agency have not so much *lost* the plot as are still looking for it.” Another delve into the edtech issues of the day in the year 2000!
Read MoreBroadband in schools -- circa 2003
If you look up broadband in schools, the story these days is that the provision is deemed “inadequate”. I think that’s a lot to do with how aspirations have risen over the past couple of decades, and is therefore a good thing.
Read MoreOn this day #5: The importance of not being nice
It’s important to be nice — but even more important to be honest. I wrote this article on 10 November 2011, and still think it holds true today.
Read MoreOn this day #3: How to make IT real
How can Computing be made relevant and interesting?
Read MoreOn this day #2: Freedom from constraints
When Academies and Free Schools were announced, the prospect of freedom was alluring — to an extent.
Read MoreOn this day #1: Assessment
Why bother with theories of assessment? Surely all that matters is whether or not it works?
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blank screen, by Terry Freedman
Problems in the edtech classroom #5: Where's my website?!
In 2006 my website went down right in the middle of a lesson. Here’s what I wrote about it at the time.
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Terry reflecting, by E Freedman
Reflections from a teacher training course 2
I believe in simple instructions. Here are the instructions I gave to a new cohort of teacher trainees, plus a short commentary on what went right — and what didn’t.
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Reflections
Reflections from a teacher training course 1
My reflections on a first session I taught on a teacher training course are still apposite today.
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Concerned, by Terry Freedman
Should teaching be a Masters profession?
I for one am heartily sick of people thinking that anyone can teach just because it involves, as they see it, standing in front of a class of kids and spouting forth.
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