Education on the Internet
Number 105: 28th January, 2004
Introduction
Introduction
Education on the Internet is published by Spartacus Educational every week. The newsletter includes news, reviews of websites and articles on using ICT in the classroom. Members of the mailing list are invited to submit information for inclusion in future newsletters. In this way we hope to create a community of people involved in using the Internet in education. Currently there are 44,220 subscribers to the newsletter.
All reviews are added to our web directory. There are sections on Internet Services, Online Seminars, Primary Education, English, Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, History, Geography, Design & Technology, Business Studies, Special Needs, Media Studies, ICT, Sociology, Music, Politics, Economics, Photography, Art & Design, Theatre Studies, Physical Education and Religious Studies.
John Simkin
News and Articles
MyDoom: An email worm known as MyDoom, which masquerades as an advisory message from a computer technician, is the worst internet virus since SoBig last year. It was first spotted on Monday in a file sent from Russia. Over the next few hours over 1.5m copies had been intercepted. Like other email worms, MyDoom requires a user to open the attachment before it can infect a machine. Many of these emails is labelled "Test" or "Status". Sean Richmond, technical support manager for Sophos, said yesterday that the MyDoom worm turned an infected computer into "a zombie", which could be programmed without the owner's knowledge to attack the website of SCO, which is in dispute with the Linux community.
14-19 Learning: The 14-19 phase is important for student choice and progression. The QCA's new 14-19 learning website aims to cover all aspects of planning, teaching and learning within the 14-19 phase. It includes guidance and case studies on the implementation of Curriculum 2000, as well as new material. One section deals with teaching the new advanced level subjects. This will soon be supplemented by specific guidance, including teaching and learning at A level. This website gives support and guidance in managing the phase successfully and helping students get the best from their experience.
Cancertalk: The Cancertalk programme, part of Macmillan’s programme for schools, began as a response to requests from educators and medical practitioners for materials that would open up debate among young people on the issues that may confront them if they are affected by cancer or any other serious illness. The programme has been developed by practising teachers, students, educationalists, cancer specialists, and psychologists. Children with a creative flair are being encouraged to take part in Macmillan Cancer Relief's Cancertalk Week from 9 to 13 February 2004. School children and young people will participate in various Cancertalk activities such as holding an assembly, designing a poster, writing a short play or thinking up a campaign to develop their understanding of cancer related issues.
History
ICT in History: QCA has collaborated with BECTA to produce a website containing practical guidance for primary and secondary teachers on implementing the statutory requirements relating to ICT and history. Effective use of ICT in history is exemplified through a series of case studies and brief cameos. Previous guidance from SCAA/NCET has been reviewed in the light of changes to the national curriculum and the impact of NGfL in schools. It takes into account new opportunities for teaching and learning as a result of increased access to the Internet and developments in hardware and software.
Advanced Extension Award: A new qualification for history is now available to all schools: the history advanced extension award (AEA). This supersedes the special paper and it aims to stretch the most able advanced level students by providing opportunities for them to demonstrate a greater depth of understanding than is required at A level. It is designed to be accessible to all able students, whatever their school, college and whichever specification they are studying, so that significantly more students have the opportunity to take it than the existing special papers.
Primary Education
SymbolWorld is a non-commercial website, providing safe, fun and easy to use on-line resources for symbol users. The ideas on the site have come from people with learning difficulties, their teachers and carers. The main section has a range of stories, both fiction and non-fiction, which are suitable for symbol users across the age range. There is a special section of stories which are designed especially for older readers with learning difficulties. The Learning section has a number of subject or topic categories with nonfiction material supporting formal and informal learning.
Nicky's Nursery Rhymes: Nicola Geier is a Nursery Nurse at a Nursery and Infants school. On her entertaining website you will find a collection of Nursery Rhymes, Poems and Songs, some modern and some traditional. You will also find a selection of drawings to download that children can colour in. Nicky's Nursery Rhymes is 'child safe' and free from banners, drop downs, or any other form of advertising. New items are being added on a daily basis. At the bottom of each page are common links to most of the sites areas. According to Nicola "within 15 minutes practice - most very young children are able to move around the site quite successfully on their own".
Science
Mammal Species of the World: This Department of Systematic Biology at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History website contains details of the 4,629 currently recognized species of mammals, in a taxonomic hierarchy that includes Order, Family, Subfamily, and Genus. The list was compiled by an international team of contributors. It can be used as an online reference, or adapted as an authority file for collections management activities of mammal collections. The database may be searched using a number of different fields, including scientific and common names, original publication citation, type species or locality, distribution, etc.
Sigmund Freud Museum: Based in the former living quarters and office of Sigmund Freud in in Vienna, the Sigmund Freud Museum presents an exhibition documenting the life and work of the founder of psychoanalysis. Freud lived and worked in this house from 1891 until 1938, when on 4th June he was forced by the National Socialists to flee with his family into exile in England. The interior decoration of the museum was carried out in 1971 with the help of Anna Freud, Sigmund Freud's youngest daughter. The website is thematically divided into a number of sections - a timeline of Mr. Freud's life, prevalent themes throughout his work, information about the museum, and a collection of video and audio clips.
Politics
The Big Picture: This website provides an online experience for netizens interested in understanding why people in around the world can't seem to learn to value, respect, and love one another regardless of skin colour, religion, or ethnic group. The goal of the founders of this website is to discuss that monumental problem, and to enlighten and promote a more accurate depiction of the African and African American ethnic groups contribution to world history. If you are angered that President Bush went to Dr. Martin Luther King's grave, laid a wreath, pretended to have respect for this former civil rights campaigner, then the next day appointing a white supremacist judge, then this is the website for you.
Smorgon Society of Human Rights: Vladimir Kalinin is the man behind the Smorgon Society of Human Rights organization. This non-governmental, non for profit organisation which was founded in 1996, encourages the promotion and protection of human rights within 33 primary and secondary schools. The organization supports an international dimension and global perspective in education in all its forms. It runs seminars for teachers, social workers and youth leaders about human rights issues in co-operation with OSCE mission in Belarus.
European Studies
Values through Proverbs: Noemi Lusi teaches English and Civilization to 14-19 year old boys and girls at Carlo Urbani High School in Rome. She is currently collecting European proverbs for her website. These proverbs will be organized under the headings Democracy, Tolerance, Solidarity, Peace, Freedom, Equality and will be presented in English and the contributors own language. There is also an opportunity for teachers and students to send images to go with their proverbs.
Spring Day in Poland: This event enables European pupils to learn about their neighbours in an enlarged Europe and make their voices heard in the debate on key European issues. The event is organised by European Schoolnet in collaboration with the European Commission. This year Spring Day in Europe will have a special focus on enlargement, as ten new countries will become full EU members on 1st May 2004. Poland is expected to be one of the most active countries involved in Spring Europe. So far over 550 schools in Poland have registered with the project.
Internet Services
IP Tools Course Journal: This course will enable students to create eLearning contents for their own students and after the course they will be able to use this material and contents in their own classes and courses. Participants can create their eLearning modules on any learning platform they have access to. For those who do not have any platform available will get access to eJournal and they also get training and guidance for implementing their eLearning contents. One of the objectives of the course is the introduction to ICT and international projectwork.
Yahoo Companion Toolbar: This latest edition of the Companion Toolbar provides some new features and resolves some previous performance issues. The Toolbar functions with Internet Explorer and allows users to check their Yahoo mail account, access a variety of news sources, and store additional bookmarks. The Toolbar is compatible with all versions of Windows 95 and above.
Book Section
History, ICT and Learning in the Secondary School: Despite the high profile of ICT in education, finding practical and meaningful ways to integrate ICT with lessons can be a difficult and overwhelming task. This book explores the current use and the potential of ICT in the secondary history curriculum, and offers sound theory and practical advice to help secondary history teachers use ICT effectively. With contributions from leading academics and practitioners in history education, this book will be important reading for all secondary history teachers and trainee teachers, and will also be of interest to upper primary school teachers. Terry Haydn is a senior lecturer in education at the University of East Anglia. Christine Counsell is a lecturer in education at the University of Cambridge.(Edited by Terry Haydn and Christine Counsell, Routledge Falmer, ISBN 0 415 26349 2, £15.99)
