Education
on the Internet
Number
66: 16th April, 2003
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 35,765
subscribers to the newsletter.
All
reviews are added to our web
directory. There are sections on Internet
Services,
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
spartacus@pavilion.co.uk
News
and Articles
Microsoft's
Windows Update: This week Mike Nash, vice president of the Security
Business Unit at Microsoft, outlined the next steps in the company's
high-profile Trustworthy Computing initiative. This will, hopefully,
prevent repetition of the numerous security risks (Nimda, Love Bug
etc,) which have taken advantage of weak default configuration. For
consumers and small businesses, Microsoft's Windows Update and Automatic
Update are the primary vehicles for delivering security patches for
the Windows platform. Microsoft wants to extend these services over
the coming year to a wider variety of Microsoft products. To simplify
security management and operations for all customers, Microsoft will
reduce the number of patch installer technologies used across the
company and offer new security configuration wizards.
Discovering
Democracy: Collaborative projects are suitable for both primary
and secondary schools and offer opportunities for involving the broader
school community in participation. One of the main purposes for including
collaborative projects on the Discovering Democracy website is to
allow students and teachers to identify topics of interest and concern
to them. By identifying projects specific to individual needs, some
of the objectives of the Discovering Democracy project can be realised
in a local setting using local concerns. Any school or class can participate
in a Discovering Democracy collaborative project. There are only two
requirements. The first is that the topic should relate to civics
and citizenship education. The second is that participants must have
the minimum necessary equipment for the project. Schools can contribute
to a project or host one themselves. Descriptions of projects related
to civics and citizenship is listed on the Discovering Democracy website.
Special
Needs: Children with special needs are increasingly being educated
in mainstream classes. This key issue is being tackled at the Special
Needs IT exhibition at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton on 19 and 20 May.
Teachers can also learn more about how technology can help their learners
in the free How-IT-Works seminars. These take place in conjunction
with Special Needs North, National Association for Special Educational
Needs (Nasen) and TES Special Needs Exhibitions.
History
Weimar
History 1918-1930: A
comprehensive website dedicated to the provision of AS/A2 Level notes,
essays, articles and reviews for students, parents and teachers. This
site contains hypertexted links to full annotated notes, exercises
and other website content. Sections include: Background, Incomplete
Revolutions, Constitution and Dilemmas, Consequences of Versailles,
Hyperinflation, The Ruhr Issues, Munich Putsch, The Golden Years (1924-28/9),
Foreign Policy and Women in Weimar Germany.
Ancient
History: This website from the British Museum explores the people,
culture, beliefs and history of ancient India using animations, 3D
models and objects from the British Museum's collection. It is designed
for primary school teachers and pupils, and includes online activities,
background information and worksheets.
Air
Mail Pioneers: This website is dedicated to the men and women
of the U.S. Air Mail Service, a little-remembered organization that
laid the foundation for commercial aviation worldwide. With the cooperation
of the US Air Service, the US Post Office flew the mail from 1918
until 1927. Air Mail Service pilots are the unsung heroes of early
aviation. In their frail Curtiss Jennies and postwar de Havillands,
they battled wind, snow, and sleet to pioneer round-the-clock airmail
service along the world's longest air route, the US transcontinental.
In the process, thirty-four pilots lost their lives.
Mathematics
Maths
Skills Trainer: This website has over a 1000 games to test and
improve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills.
These timed online tests are selected at random, and the ability level
can be set to suit the individual. Registration is required to use
the site, but sample activities are available.
ICT
and Mathematics: This free Inset pack has been specially devised
for use by teachers who may or may not be mathematics or ICT subject
specialists. The lesson plans and ideas are designed to give some
starter lessons showing how ICT can be integrated into the teaching
and learning of mathematics and some ideas for further developments.
There are five modules in the Inset pack. The first is an introductory
presentation looking at the rationale for using ICT in the teaching
and learning of mathematics. The other four modules cover: number,
handling data; shape, space & measures and problem solving. Each
module includes activities which are referenced to the National Numeracy
Strategy Framework for Teaching Mathematics, though they can be adapted
to use with other curriculum subjects.
ICT
Internet
Proficiency Scheme: Becta has launched the Internet Proficiency
Scheme for Key Stage 2 pupils on behalf of the Department for Education
and Skills (DfES). The scheme consists of a teaching pack containing
lesson ideas, pupil worksheets and pupil certificates. There is also
an interactive website hosted by GridClub. The site encourages children
to explore safety issues and develop safe and responsible behaviours.
The pack offers guidance on how to use the scheme in the classroom.
There is also information on technologies such as chat rooms, email,
instant messaging, Short Messaging Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging
Service (MMS).
Celebrate
User Group: Educational publishers increasingly see Learning Objects
as the way to develop, maintain and deliver digital, online educational
content that schools can afford. The launch of the Celebrate User
Group will provide a community for European organisations working
in this field and a bridge to international initiatives developing
Learning Objects for schools. This initiative supported by the European
Commission’s Information Society Technologies Programme (IST).
The project will
particularly investigate how different types of Learning Objects and
a new generation of Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) impact
upon the learning process and support new constructivist learning
models.
Science
Science,
Optics and You: This is a science curriculum package being developed
for teachers, students, and parents. These activities are designed
to promote the asking and answering of questions related to light,
color, and optics. The program begins with basic information about
lenses, shadows, prisms, and color, leading up to the use of sophisticated
instruments scientists use to help them understand the world. The
goal of Science, Optics and You is for students to acquire the skills
with which they can do microscopic analysis of a variety of samples
in multiple ways.
Bionet:
This website that lets you explore and debate the latest discoveries
in life sciences. Should we clone human embryos to cure disease? Would
you choose your child's genes? Would you eat genetically modified
food? Will new drugs keep you healthy and make you live forever? This
website has been created by eight European science centres and museums,
and is presented in nine different languages. You can explore the
science, look at the ethical issues, compare the laws in different
countries, play games and express your opinions.
Music
Music
Teacher Resource Exchange: This website is designed to help teachers
develop and share ideas for activities and resources. Contributions
take the form of simple ideas and questions, to complete lesson plans
or schemes of work, which will enable other teachers to use these
resources within their own lessons. You can browse and download resources
without registering. You will, however, need to register if you would
like to submit new resources and add comments or materials to existing
resources.
Vocalist:
This site for singers of all standards provides free online singing
lessons, vocal exercises and singing tips for beginners, whilst the
more advanced performer can find repertoire books, news, humour plus
articles on various aspects of the music industry including music
law, management, marketing, advertising and merchandising your act.
Even voice teachers have their own sections with a free online singing
teachers listing service, resources and links to free online lesson
plans.
Media
Studies
War
Propaganda Bureau: In September, 1914, the British government
established the War Propaganda Bureau. Over the next four years famous
writers were paid by the government to produce a series of articles,
pamphlets and books on the First World War. In May 1916 the War Propaganda
Bureau began sending artists to record events on the Western Front.
Overall, over ninety artists produced pictures for the government
during the war. Many of the artists found the work very difficult.
Paul Nash complained about the control over subject matter. Nash told
a friend: "I am not allowed to put dead men into my pictures
because apparently they don't exist". On another occasion he
said: "I am no longer an artist. I am a messenger who will bring
back word from the men who are fighting to those who want the war
to go on for ever. Feeble, inarticulate will be my message, but it
will have a bitter truth and may it burn their lousy souls."
International
Education Media: This website provides an a-z listing of countries
who are looking to recruit students from overseas as well as nationally.
Click on the 'courses' button to browse the different study topics
available worldwide. Click on the green button beside each topic to
read articles and features about studying a particular course that
is of interest to you. Alternatively use the site search to find all
relevant information. If you do not find what you are looking for
on the site you may contact International Education Media through
its contact button on the navigation bar across the top. A directory
listing is free of charge and can be done via the website.
Internet
Services
Mailwhiper:
It is estimated that
70 percent of all e-mail today can be classified as junk mail or "spam",
according to research firm eMarketer. The problem is that it's a huge
waste of your time, it's an invasion of your privacy, and worse, some
junk mail is plain disgusting and ugly. MailWiper carefully checks
your incoming mail before it reaches your email program. MailWiper
knows who your friends are and what mail you do want, by utilizing
a highly sophisticated matrix of intelligent stealth email id's that
cannot be processed by email servers or computers. All of this takes
place in the transparent MailWiper software engine, so you don't have
to lift a finger.
Web
Online Surveys is an all-in-one service which is especially designed
for people who aren't computer experts and have the need to conduct
web surveys or questionnaires by themselves. Its particular good because
you don't need any special downloads or products to install as it
all works via the web. You create your survey - enter the email addresses
of people you want to invite and then click send. Once your email
or web survey has finished you pick up your results from an easy to
use report section - it even has the ability to download results into
Excel for further analysis.
The system doesn't have to be used only for surveys - you could create
online web exams or even student checklist for the hockey team - the
possibilities are endless.
Book
Section
Japanese
Castles: This brand new series from Osprey takes a detailed look
at fortifications and defensive systems throughout history and examines
how they fared in war. The book by Stephen Turnbull covers the crucial
developmental period of Japanese defensive architecture, in the key
age of Samurai siege warfare. It details defensive works from early
stockades, through wooden castles, to the great stone fortifications.
(Stephen Turnbull, Osprey Publishing, 1 84176 429 9, £10.99)
Available
from Amazon Books (order below)
