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"Intuitive Media have got it spot on." The Guardian Evaluate |
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Evaluate has published three stunning Interim Evaluation reports for SuperClubs, SchoolNet Global and take2theweb. Evaluations are carried out by classroom teachers, based on a three week study of the resources. Teachers will now go on to use the projects in school for a further six weeks, after which the full evaluations will be published.
Evaluate is the Digital Evaluation Service appointed by the DfES to assess products registered on Curriculum Online. It is partnership between learnthings and The Guardian.
Here are some extracts:
GridClub SuperClubs
Intuitive Media have got it spot on. The site uses a good balance of colour and images to help direct the user to various areas.
This website aims to enable pupils to rapidly gain skills in website design and management, and to learn the protocols involved with safe chat.
Pupils accessing this site might be able to achieve as high as level 5 or even 6 in the ICT Exchanging and sharing ideas strand... a safe interaction with other schools to fulfil the need to practise email and...a deeper understanding of what it is to be a good citizen, along with learning much about our world in a PSHE context. The varied nature of the sub-pages and forums will engage just about all pupils in some way. With so much to do and choose from, it is unlikely that pupils will get bored at home or at school. This site offers what many schools would love to provide themselves.
SchoolNet Global
As a result of using SchoolNet Global, I would expect children to gain a greater understanding of the lives and culture of others around the world. I think SchoolNet Global will act as a motivating factor, encouraging children to produce their highest quality work, in the knowledge that it will be shared with many other people around the world.Pupils should also benefit from the process of organising, refining and presenting their work as well as developing ICT skills by learning how to upload their work onto the web. As a result of using this resource, I hope that children's self esteem will be boosted and that they will be inspired to produce some purposeful high quality writing and artwork.
take2theweb - Key Stage 3
With a little exploration of the screen, support links and online guide help, users can made rapid progress. Within a few minutes I was able to add a heading and graphics from files without any problems.
take2theweb is an online service for the creation, management and distribution of a school website. This is an effective way and well managed way to create web content. By using any web-enabled PC and the appropriate password, you can avoid organisational difficulties normally associated with website production by groups. Passwords control levels of access allowing students to take on roles as contributors and editors for subject or school-based contexts. This extends understanding of the web as a medium for expression and communication and meets a variety of subject aims. As confidence grows the opportunity to add video or multimedia files encourages students to use other equipment and software to prepare their input. An administrator has ultimate responsibility for what is finally published, but students will feel directly involved in the overall web presence of the school. As a number of people can easily contribute content, this helps keep the site you create dynamic and alive.
Read the full evaluations:
SuperClubs
SchoolNet Global
take2theweb
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Intuitive Media at SETT 05 - The Scottish Learning Festival |
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Children from Lainshaw Primary present SuperClubs
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SETT - the Scottish Learning Festival, provided the ideal platform for Intuitive Media to present their projects to teachers in Scotland.
At SETT 2005 in September, Intuitive Media showcased GoldStar Cafe, take2theweb and SuperClubs. Intuitive Media have been awarded with Preferred Supplier status for the Scottish Schools Online project. Many schools are busy building their community school websites using take2theweb and more are signing up.
John Smith, Director of Projects says, "Many schools across the UK are signing up to take2theweb - a uniquely EASY editable tool for building your school community website. Life in school is a busy one and changes day by day, Headteachers and teachers want a facility that enables them to reflect the business and ethos of the school - easily and effectively. take2theweb allows just this."
The SuperClubs online community for children aged 7-12, has a huge Scottish following. Catriona Dormand and the SuperClubbers from Lainshaw Primary School, East Ayrshire presented their enthusiasm and activity during a 50 minute presentation at SETT.
Carole Fletcher, Director, says, "This is one of the most professional presentations I have ever had the pleasure to witness. The children illustrated their sheer joy of being members of SuperClubs - enchanting over 100 teachers from Scotland. They were well prepared using two screens and flipping between a live presentation and powerpoint. Superbly confident and engaging at only 10 and 11 years old."
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Guardian Education Conference Success - Embedding ICT |
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Intuitive Media International Teacher Partner, Colette Cotton, was recently invited by Guardian Education Learn.co.uk to share her experiences of embedding ICT within the Primary Curriculum.
Addressing around 100 ICT Co-ordinators from across the country, Colette outlined how her school is using GridClub SuperClubs, SchoolNet Global and Global Schools to take children's education beyond their usual learning experience.
Colette says, "We use a wide range of tools to extend the children's learning experiences including email, video-conferencing, online collaborative projects and school exchanges. SchoolNet Global, GridClub and Global Schools focus on real-world activities, where children are keenly aware of the value of their work and are consequently highly motivated."
At the BETT Education and Technology Show, 2004, Charles Clarke, then Education Minister, stated that "All pupils should have a global link to their curriculum," and the EU Conference at Maastricht, 2004, stated that, "All pupils should have access to a Global Curriculum through e-learning by 2013."
Colette Cotton's ground-breaking and passionate work demonstrates that these objectives can be met today though Intuitive Media's online, International and Collaborative projects.
Guardian Education Learn.co.uk conference organiser, Lucy Haire said Colette's presentation was "fascinating", and that it "inspired many of the delegates."
Visit Education Guardian Learn.co.uk
Download the PowerPoint presentation.
Read The Guardian's Report
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Intuitive Community Engine - Because Everyone is Different |
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Intuitive Media has launched a new website creation tool: the Intuitive Community Engine.
Showcased at the BETT Education and Technology Show, held in January 2005, the Intuitive Community Engine (ICE) is a website generation tool like no other. It enables users to cost-effectively generate online communities to fit their own specific requirements and the needs of their communities.
Customers can choose from a range of advanced online features including secure community email, interactive forums, member home pages, language filter etc. Intuitive Media then creates the website structure which is editable by the client using a series of flexible templates. Secure, password protected multi-editor and contributor facilities are also available.
As experienced practitioners in Community Management and User Safety, Intuitive Media provides face-to-face training for clients' mediators and ongoing online and telephone help.
This is an ideal tool for school communities, LEA's, councils - in fact any community - large or small who need to communicate effectively and creatively online.
Intuitive Media Director, Bob Hart says, "It's wonderful to witness the impact a safe online community can have on learning and how the community develops and matures through sharing knowledge and working collaboratively."
To find out more Contact Us
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Intuitive Media sponsors ChildNet Academy Award Winners |
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Intuitive Media continues to sponsor Childnet Academy. This year (2004) Intuitive Media awarded winners with a take2theweb site and provided training during the event. The winners, whose ages range from 10 to 18, found take2theweb very intuitive to use. This allowed those with limited English language to participate fully in the workshop - proving take2theweb is a great tool for all ages and all people.
This enabled award winners Zara Todd and Joanne Evans in reaching out to young disabled people in the UK. Their website, the Wheel Guide to Life is packed with information, guidance and advice for youngsters with disabilities, and unlike other websites for disabled people, it is written from a young person's perspective.
Zara and Joanne joined other youngsters for a week of workshops, visits and creativity at the Cable & Wireless Childnet Academy held in London. They met web experts from around the world and were able to explore new technologies at workshops by Stephen Heppell, Ultralab, Jon Gooday, AbilityNet, the BBC and Intuitive Media.
All the Childnet Academy winners received a take2theweb site. Following a workshop run by Intuitive Media, Joanne said, "For Zara and myself, one of the highlights had to be the take2theweb workshop (and I'm not just saying that!) We've both been looking to make our site more interactive and fun and the gift of software from Intuitive Media was just the kick we'd been needing. We are linking to our take2theweb site, which we have christened, WheelG2life-Interactive, from our own site and are planning to have a message board on there as well as a host of other things once we've thought of them!"
Other winners include:
Ukanda Schools project, Frank de Vries, 16, The Netherlands,
La mela di newton, Massimiliano Picon, 16, Italy
SARS - an open scar, Van Truong, 17, USA
Dialogue through Visual Arts & Multimedia, Bronna ni Mhurchu, 10, Ireland
Women's Winning Ways, by Leaders 4 Tomorrow, 15, Australia
Becoming a better global citizen, by Jake Lee, 10, England
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Charles Clarke praises Intuitive Media at BETT |
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The British Secretary of State for Education, Charles Clarke praised the work of Intuitive Media when he visited our stand at the BETT Education and Technology Show in January. During his Opening Keynote Speech, Mr Clarke stated the importance of every child in England having an International dimension to their personal curriculum and the need for a step change in the use of ICT. He identified pedagogy, distance learning and personalised learning as key features to achieving these goals.
Carole Fletcher and Bob Hart were delighted to have the opportunity to explain how Intuitive Media's goals and passions support Mr Clarke's objectives - in particular how Intuitive Media helps teachers to embed ICT into the curriculum through online projects that promote Global Education. The team was delighted when Mr Clarke stated that the work of Intuitive Media is very important to Education in the UK.
Intuitive Media also received visits from International Education Ministers who similarly value the contribution Intuitive Media is making to the Global Education agenda. Many were also keen to get involved in Intuitive Media's growing International Teacher Training programme which will help teachers use ICT to enrich their curricula through participation in online Global projects.
The BETT Education and Technology Show took place at Olympia, London from 7 - 10 January.
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Great Content for a Great Connection |
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Zophia Karol, GridClub Mediator, demonstrates GridClub at BETT
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With increasing numbers of schools moving to broadband Internet connection, it is becoming ever more crucial that they have access to quality curriculum-based content. GridClub and SchoolNet Global are two projects that provide a rich and exciting resource to enrich children's experience of ICT and enhance teaching across the curriculum.
These interactive projects lend themselves perfectly to both independent learning, and whole class activities, especially where the class has access to interactive whiteboard technology.
The move to improve Internet access in schools across the country offers a fantastic opportunity, enabling web-based projects like GridClub and SchoolNet Global to flourish and grow. With Government targets set to have all primary schools connected at 2Mbps by 2006, GridClub and SchoolNet Global look set to remain key providers of educational content.
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Ultralab Announces Ultraversity |
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Ultraversity
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Intuitive Media's research partners, Ultralab have announced a completely new concept in e-learning. Ultraversity will provide a route to tailor-made degrees for people who have not had access to the conventional university system.
Ultralab, Europe's leading online learning research unit, based at Anglia Polytechnic University, are key to the development of the UK's education system. On 14th April 2003, Professor Stephen Heppell invited Intuitive Media and 200 key education specialists to "Learning Spaces, Virtual Places," a seminar to explore new learning environments - virtual and physical. There he launched the ground-breaking Ultraversity.
Ultralab has consistently pioneered new approaches to learning and the development of online communities. Projects include Notschool.com, which is helping disaffected young people gain qualifications and employment, and SchoolNet Global, the biggest contributory children's website in the world.
Find out more from Ultralab.
Read more in the Guardian.
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Childnet International Awards |
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Children flew to London from across the globe to receive their honours at this year's Cable and Wireless Childnet Awards for their outstanding contributions to the web. The Awards, now in their sixth year, were held at the Science Museum on 25 April and hosted by Carole Vorderman.
Winners included Great Ormond Street Hospital for its Kids and Teens site, where children can share their hospital experience and learn about medical issues. Other winning sites included Childsoldier.org, a website where former child soldiers in Sierra Leone talk about their experiences, and the Daily Prophet, a Harry Potter news site created by 17 year old Heather Lawver and aimed at improving literacy.
Childnet International is a registered charity, which aims to help make the Internet a great and safe place for children. Intuitive Media supports the work of Childnet to promote safe practice to children through several websites including GridClub and SchoolNet Global.
Childnet Development Director, Stephen Carrick-Davies says, "It is always a challenge for teachers to find good, safe international online resources through which pupils can connect with other children and publish their work online. SchoolNet Global's environment gives teachers good safety advice, curriculum content and tools by which they can produce their pupils work for others to see. Childnet welcomes initiatives such as SchoolNet Global to help children get the most out of the Net and international collaboration."
Visit Childnet
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Intuitive Media Supports British Council in Russia |
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Bob Hart and Carole Fletcher, Intuitive Media Directors, are working with the British Council to support their Wired Communities strategy. Bob and Carole participated in two seminars on Wired Communities in Russia, held in December 2002 in Moscow, and March 2003 in St Petersburg. Delegates included educational leaders from schools, universities and education authorities.
Bob and Carole, along with Russian delegates, presented case studies of best practice in ICT education. Discussions focused on translating the shared experiences to local education environments. The Wired Communities seminars promote shared exploration of the impact of ICT in education and the implications for leadership within education communities. The seminars marked the start of some exciting collaborative partnerships between the two countries.
David Weidner, Senior Development Consultant with the British Council said, "Working with the 'Best of British' like Intuitive Media will ensure this project is a success. We are really pleased to have Intuitive Media's fantastic resources; they are invaluable. Lessons can be learned from their knowledge as well-established creators of online communities, and this will ensure policy makers and practitioners can exchange information in a practical way."
The British Council is supporting the Russian process of education reform by introducing UK experience, expertise and resources in a way that creates mutually beneficial partnerships in education and training.
Visit the British Council
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Action Research for ICT in the Classroom |
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Teachers around the country have some great ideas for teaching with ICT, and through their classroom experience - they know what works and what doesn't. Professor Stephen Heppell is convinced that the time is right to capture this wisdom and publish it on the web for all to benefit.
The Intuitive Media team is supporting Ultralab with the new Teacher for Teacher website, where teachers who have completed their NOF ICT training can contribute when the collection goes live.
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A Third of a Million Students Face Up to their Finances!
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The latest figures show that over 335,087 students in over 2,600 schools have taken part in the award-winning Face 2 Face With Finance programme. Since the project was launched by Nat West in 1994 the number of schools participating has increased steadily.
Face 2 Face operates through a website designed and built by Intuitive Media. It is a programme of practical, active learning experiences designed to help students in secondary schools and colleges to learn personal money management and enterprise skills within the curriculum.
The project is free to schools and colleges and is packaged into ten modules which help teachers link the theory of financial management with practical activities.
Year 10 students from Bays Grove Comprehensive School take part every year in the Face 2 Face enterprise activity as part of their City & Guilds Diploma of Vocational Education. Students set up their own businesses and invite parents, staff and friends to trading days. 15 year old Cally Strank says, "I think I understand more about business and teamwork. We all had to put our heads together and work hard. I really enjoyed it." Her classmate Kate Scotchbrook says, "We were taught how to get a bank loan and how to pay it back!"
NatWest Education Manager, Anne-Marie Blake, said, "We are delighted that so many students have had the opportunity to improve their money management and enterprise skills. Now that the website is available I hope that more schools will take the opportunity to get involved."
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