Education on the Internet
Number 40: 16th October 2002
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 27,150 subscribers to the newsletter.
All reviews are added to our web directory. There are sections on Primary Education, English, Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, History, Geography, Design & Technology, Business Studies, Media Studies, ICT, Sociology, Music, Politics, Economics, Photography, Art & Design, Theatre Studies, Physical Education and Religious Studies.
John Simkin
Grid Club Scotland: This website is the result of a partnership between Learning and Teaching Scotland, 4Learning, Intuitive Media and Oracle. Funded by the Scottish Executive Education Committee, the website offers extensive information on the curriculum of particular interest to parents. It also provides contact details to get Scottish Executive Education Committee's documents such as Guide for Parents and Carers.
Teacher Express: This website is a testbed for advanced adaptive automation techniques developed by Cambridge Minds, part of Logotron Ltd, a Cambridge software company. This directory of educational resources is managed by software robots. One robot is responsible for checking all the links and mailing a status report each day. A second robot is responsible for taking new entries from email messages and inserting them into an appropriate category on the page. A third robot is responsible for removing entries from the page, based upon a number of criteria. A fourth robot is responsible for periodically re-ordering the links within categories, according to the level of use by users.
Teaching and Learning: The British Educational Technology Agency (Becta) is currently distributing a free multimedia CD-Rom, Teaching and Learning Using Digital Video. The CD contains the findings of pilot projects that Becta ran in UK schools along with advice on selecting and using equipment and software, and how to use it for curriculum activities. For more details send an email to dvcdrom@becta.org.uk.
Digital Divide: Access for all is thought to be necessary to tackle social exclusion and promote equality in the new knowledge economy, by ensuring that the gap between the 'haves' and 'have nots' does not widen as ICT becomes increasingly influential in relation to educational standards, economic competitiveness and citizenship. Becta has produced a discussion paper on what has become known as the digital divide.
History
French Revolution: 1789 is one of the most significant dates in history - famous for the Revolution in France. The French Revolution didn't just take place in 1789. It actually lasted for another six years, with far more violent and momentous events taking place in the years after 1789. However, this PRO snapshot examines the British reaction to the events in France during this famous year - were the British government extremely worried or did they see it as merely a few minor disturbances? Looking at primary source material from 1789, including a London newspaper report, together with both official and personal letters sent from Paris, students will be asked to assess and investigate the reaction.
Female Explorers: This website is dedicated to women who have explored the world around them. The home page approvingly quotes Amelia Earhart who once said: "Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be a challenge to others." Women featured include Harriet Chalmers Adams, Gudridur Thorbjarnardottir, Amelia Earhart and Margaret Bourke-White.
English Literature
World Wide Words: This website investigates international English from a British viewpoint. Created by Michael Quinion, the 1200 plus pages is divided into sections, each with its own theme and index. Sections include Articles, Reviews, Topical Words, Turns of Phrase and Weird Words. There is also a free World Wide Words newsletter that goes out every Saturday.
Dictionary of Slang: A large online dictionary on the rich colourful language we call slang. Produced by Ted Duckworth, the website adds new entries every month. If you are unable to immediately find the term you are looking for, try the slang search. A short essay giving an outline of the parameters of this site and brief information on slang can be accessed on the introduction page.
Ye Olde English Sayings: Explanations of English sayings and customs. Recent additions include clink, black market, son of a gun, patent leather, done to a turn, beat about the bush, cut through the red tape, getting tanked, pitcher, wet your whistle, saved by the bell, threshold, chew the fat, burning the candle at both ends, giving them the cold shoulder, getting a square meal, frog in the throat, upper crust, eating humble pie, turn the tables and clean your plate before you have dessert.
Origin of Phrases: Chuck Moreland's website explores the meaning of common phrases. The material is organized into two sections. One is a list of phrases with origins already identified. The other is a list of phrases whose origin the author is seeking. You can send an email to Chuck Moreland if you have something to add to a phrase already identified or if you have information about the origin of a phrase. If he likes your submission he will add it to the list and give you credit.
Mathematics
ATM: The Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM) supports the teaching and learning of mathematics by encouraging the joy of maths, developing the understanding of how people learn maths, sharing and evaluating teaching and learning strategies and promoting new ideas and possibilities. The ATM 2003 conference will be held at Bath University and speakers will include Simon Singh, the author of Fermat's Last Theorem and The Code Book.
Open Directory: This comprehensive directory contains over 10,025 websites on Mathematics: This includes Algebra (349), Analysis (133), Calculus (71), Chaos and Fractals (328), Combinatorics (378), Differential Equations (137), Geometry (448), Logic and Foundations (763), Number Theory (778), Numerical Analysis (261), Operations Research (213), Probability (114), Topology (188) and Trigonometry (8).
Internet Services
GLWebMail XT: Gordano LTD, an International Internet Messaging software developer, recently announced new features to its GLWebMail XT service. It now includes a program to eliminate spam at the user level and the addition of personal calendars and alarms. All message processing within GLWebMail XT remains active whether or not the user is logged on. When used as a consolidator, GLWebMail XT can collect mail from external POP/IMAP accounts. Thus, unwanted mail sent to those accounts can also be removed before reaching the user’s inbox.
Free eMail Guide: Free webbased pop3 readers are new online services, which allow Internet users with a pop3 or imap email account to read, reply, forward and create messages everywhere in the world. These free webbased pop3 readers give you the same functionality as your email program at home. One of the advantages of these services is that you don't have to create a 'new' email account to get access to your email on the web. This way your friends and business relations can reach you anywhere on the same email address.
