Just before the end of the last school year I published an article about memory, and a review of a book about memory.
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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.
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I should have booked in person. Liverpool Street Station, by Terry Freedman
A web-based labyrinth that would have made Borges or Kafka delighted
Can using a computer be injurious to one's health? If you're trying to book a particular rail journey via a particular website in the UK, the answer is a resounding "Yes".
Read MoreA Teen's View of "Their Space" and Internet Safety (Updated)
“I won’t say that [this paper] was an interesting read for me though: it is like asking a religious person to read a book about why they should believe in God.”
This report is the result of nine months of work that focused specifically on understanding how children and young people use new technologies.
The review below was written soon after its publication, by Sarah Hillier, who was at that time a teenager. I’ve just re-read her article, and I think its observations and incisiveness – not to mention the beauty of her writing – have stood the test of time. The article which follows has only been modified slightly from the original. I hope you enjoy it.
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.
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On this day: applying computational thinking in the "real world"
I don’t think I’ve come across any examples of how pupils might use computational thinking in a broader context, or how it applies beyond the relatively narrow confines of computer science.
Read MoreResources, copyright, useful tips for using education technology in the classroom
This issue of my Computers in Classrooms newsletter, dates from 2001. I am reproducing these newsletters partly in order to make sure that some of the history of using education technology is preserved, and partly because some of it is still relevant. That applies especially to the Tips section.
Read MoreOfsted, National Curriculum and other edtech stuff
This newsletter, from 2001, demonstrates four main things….
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Too protective by half?
Why I dread the thought of benign algorithms (Updated)
Science fiction writers would have us believe that intelligent machines will either enslave us or get rid of human beings altogether. But what if they were extremely benign and protective towards us? What could possibly go wrong?
Read More14 ideas for edtech company incentives
I was once offered discounts on buying a suite of computers for my school if I persuaded my colleagues to take out an insurance policy!
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.
Read MoreUsing badges
The attractive thing about badges is that a school can invent their own categories and achievement levels.
Read MoreWho is responsible for a company’s image?
The answer to the question “Who is responsible for a company’s image (or a school’s image)?” is, of course, everyone who works for it. But what does this mean in practice?
Read MoreWhat differentiates your product from the competition?
If you sell a similar product or service to that of another company, what is it that makes yours stand out?
Read MoreArticles published in the week beginning 1st November 2021
In case you missed them, here’s the list of articles I published here last week — in reverse chronological order.
Read MoreWhat should a newsletter contain?
What are the attributes of a good newsletter, and what should it contain? The list in this article will, hopefully, give you some ideas.
Read MoreBritish Gas and the Internet of Things (Updated)
Most talks I have heard on the subject of the internet of things, by which is meant the connecting up of objects with people and other objects through wireless technology, have been completely daft.
Read MoreWhat makes your product different from others?
If you sell a similar product or service to that of another company, what is it that makes yours stand out?
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 MoreObtaining customer feedback
In my experience, it’s quite nerve-racking to seek customer feedback. I mean, what if they say the product sucks, but that they have to use it because there’s not much of an alternative?
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