GENERAL

Courses

A general reminder - increasingly our courses give you opportunities to create content that would be very easy for you to save onto a USB memory stick. If you have one, please remember to bring it along to your next course.

The following courses (taken from the 'pin-me-up' sheet circulated in the latest copy of Ox-On-Line) have places available. If you would like to attend please apply to the Inset section at Cricket Road or online at: http://intranet.oxfordshire.gov.uk/links/intranet/oqsaapply

Monday 8 October (morning of 1.5 days) Web Authoring with Digital Brain 21/782

Tuesday 9 October (first of three days) Teachers new to ICT (KS3/4) 21/783

Friday 12 October (one day) IWBs for TAs 21/785

Thursday 18 October (one day) Spreadsheet Modelling for the Terrified 21/788

If you are interested in ANY of these courses please book as above or telephone Christine Ruane for further details (01865 428034)

Competitions

There are a number of exciting competitions coming up. Look out for the fliers in your school:

· National Poetry Day Competition (theme DREAM) 17/09/07 - 12/10/07
· Foundation Stage Christmas Card Competition 29/10/07 - 23/11/07
· Maths Challenge - week beginning 12/11/07

First Class Client

Are you still accessing your OCN email and communities using the web interface? Don't forget that the First Class Client definitely improves your emailing experience! For instructions on how to download and set up the client visit: http://mail.theocn.net/clientdownloads. Download the software and follow the instructions! If you have any problems please contact the Service Desk on 0845 052 1000

Planning Ahead…

We are pleased to announce that the ICT Team have recently invested in a CD/DVD duplicator. This means that the ICT team can now produce our own resources for courses and booklets (so saving money and costs to you) but also that we can offer a duplicating service at a very competitive price to Oxfordshire schools. What might this mean to you? If you are planning a Christmas production you could record the music and sell it to parents (making a little profit whilst offering the opportunity for good priced Christmas Presents) or you could video your Christmas production, record it to DVD and have it duplicated by the ICT team. Prices include plastic sleeves and full-colour printing on the CD or DVD. Prices and further information can be obtained from Christine Ruane on 01865 428034.

PRIMARY

An Apology

An apology to Christine Hall and her school which was inadvertently named Estone and not Enstone in last week's newsletter due to lazy typing. We hope this mistake did not detract from her celebrations!

Lego Competition

Last chance - if you wish to take part in this year's Lego League competition initial entry submissions must be made by this Friday (5th October). See the attached flier for further details.

IWB Courses

If any of your colleagues are planning to attend an IWB course PLEASE suggest that they bring a USB drive or stick with them to save their work. If a colleague wishes to bring their own laptop to an IWB course they will need to ensure they have the latest version of Smart 9.7 (including the Essentials for educators resources) installed before they attend the course.

ICTopus

This week's offering from ICTOPUS includes a Year 1 ICT activity that involves a freely available adventure game. Children consider how we commemorate different events in a History lesson for Year 2. Using ICT to create posters based on familiar themes in a Year 4 MFL activity and investigating cams in moving models using an online resource in a D&T activity for Year 5.

For further details visit http://www.ictopus.org.uk/

Espresso Update

There is some new content available for Espresso subscribers:

Key Stage 1: RSPB Autumn survey

This year's RSPB's WildSquare autumn survey is called, 'Nuts, berries and fruit'. The survey asks children to look for seeds growing in playgrounds, local parks and gardens. Spoken text and pictures introduce the autumn survey.

Find this week's story: News 1

Key Stage 2: Writers' workshop

Created in collaboration with Leicester City LA Writers' workshop features exciting Espresso-made dramas and documentary pieces filmed around the city. Locations include Leicester City Football Club, The National Space Centre and Abbey Pumping Station, and the genres covered include mystery and suspense, ghosts and aliens. The videos are designed to spark creative and imaginative writing within narrative and non-narrative writing forms.

The video clips provide a key resource for motivating reluctant writers (especially boys) across Key Stage 2. Support with planning and writing is given, relevant to specific text types.

Find it: English 2 > Writers' workshop

SECONDARY

Dida Updates

Follow the links for the latest DiDA updates:

0907 Unit 2 SPBs and Support Notes for Teachers
http://alerts.edexcel.org.uk/go.axd/15901

0907 Unit 3 SPB and Teacher Support Notes
http://alerts.edexcel.org.uk/go.axd/15902

0907 Unit 1 SPBs and Support Notes for Teachers
http://alerts.edexcel.org.uk/go.axd/15904

Best wishes,

The ICT Advisory Team

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