The book is available as an iBook or a PDF

What I've been reading: Thinking Critically with Digital Media

March 5, 2017

This book by Nik Peachey is an excellent resource book for teachers of media and digital literacy.

But does she understand what she's doing? Photo by Gerd Altmann.

Collating resources for my Assessment in Computing course

March 3, 2017

I'll be running a course in Assessing Computing soon. What are the challenges in compiling a list of recommended resources for course particpants?

So what makes you think I love reading? Photo by Glen Noble.

What I'm reading: books on digital literacy and Raspberry Pi

March 2, 2017

Three more books coming up for review -- on the subjects of the Raspberri Pi and digital literacy.

What I'm reading: Understanding the Digital World: What You Need to Know about Computers, the Internet, Privacy, and Security

March 2, 2017

My first impressions of a new book about computers, networks and data.

Sexism in computer stores

February 28, 2017

In 1994 I set out with my wife to discover the best place to buy a computer system -- and discovered a lot of sexism along the way.

What's in "Education Conferences: Teachers' Guide to Getting the Most out of Education Conferences"?

February 26, 2017

Why did I write this book, and what does it contain? Here's a list of the table of contents, and a short extract. I must have got something right, because so far it's received seventeen 5 star reviews on Amazon. I'm holding the price at £0.99/$0.99 for a short while longer.

Maybe you should have checked the tech first! Photo from pixabay.com CC0

A useful rule of technology

February 17, 2017

What do trainee teachers or colleagues who are new to education technology need to know?

What did you see at Bett 2017?

February 16, 2017

If you went to Bett this year, what struck you as good, useless, interesting, quirky etc etc? I'm going to compile a round-up of impressions, so please complete a really brief survey to share your views. Thanks!

Sir Bob Geldof at Bett 2017. Photo (c) 2017 Terry Freedman.

An interview with Sir Bob Geldof, and other articles

February 10, 2017

Here's some information about what's in the latest edition of our newsletter, Digital Education.

The Heavy Mob: Terry Freedman, Steve Wheeler, Simon Finch. Photo taken by Simon, and modified by Amy Burvall.

Bett 2017 Photos

February 9, 2017

Bett 2017 photos. Happy memories!

Bett 2017: Themes, Strategy and Economics

February 8, 2017

What were the main themes of this year's Bett show? And if you attended, how can you think about strategic decisions based on what you saw?

What I've been reading: So you've been publicly shamed

February 7, 2017

A harrowing, but very readable, account of how public shaming affects the victims.

The state of teaching in the UK

February 7, 2017

Why do teachers leave teaching? Read on for an infographic, and for details of a Department for Education survey, plus a couple of surveys regarding computing teachers in particular.

Some interesting e-safety resources

February 6, 2017

It's Safer Internet Day on 7th February this year. Here are some reading and some resources to do with e-safety. I hope you find them useful.

12 ways to make an event successful

February 2, 2017

Planning a technology co-ordinators' day, a conference or a briefing evening? Here are 12 suggestions to help make the event a success.

Online safety with Romeo and Juliet

February 1, 2017

The technology may have changed, but children don't.

Bett Radio 2017, with Russell Prue

January 31, 2017

Relive the Bett 2017 experience with Russell Prue's Bett Radio. Four days'-worth of chat, interviews and observations. And it's free!

Thoughts on Bett 2017

January 30, 2017

Updated. Some reflections on Bett, plus links to other articles about Bett.

Photo from Ian Stannard CC BY-SA 2.0 — Photo from Ian Stannard CC BY-SA 2.0

3 e-safety pins

January 29, 2017

Here are three useful pins from Pinterest on the subject of e-safety for kids.

Bett Bulletin #7: two stands to visit at Bett

January 27, 2017

Two pretty good products to see at Bett 2017.

Recent book reviews

Review: The Shortest History of AI

How is it that ChatGPT, Claude and other Al models appear to perform so well at certain complex tasks that some people become convinced that they're sentient — only for them to then promptly fail at simple tasks that even a child could handle?

Review: Teacher Geek

Every so often I like to take a look, or another look, at a book published a while ago, and today I’ve been looking at Teacher Geek, by Rachel Jones.

Review: Teach Fast

The book contains some interesting ideas.

A question of leadership

I have somewhat dichotomous views of this question of whether leaders make a difference, or much of a difference. I think my views can be classified as macro and micro.

Review: Making Good Progress?

Daisy Christodoulou carefully picks apart the pitfalls of various kinds of assessment, drawing on different subject areas to do so.

principles and practice of assessment.jpg

Review: Principles and Practices of Assessment

There is plenty in this book to like.

Review: Effective Teaching: Evidence and Practice

Although this is a few years old now (2018), it has stood the test of time.

Review: One for maths teachers

This wide-ranging book takes in probability, fractals, astronomy, Babbage, Lovelace and a host of other areas and people.

Reviews: Two for History teachers

Two books on the Nazi era.

Review: One for English teachers

No book about the craft of writing seems complete without a stern chapter on the importance of eschewing adverbs and adjectives - but what to put in their place?