Ian's Space

 We have been developing the use of Google Sketchup.

I think this is a good way of introducing the concept 3D drawing.

We have been using Pro/Desktop for a few years. This a great application but has a sever learning curve to get you going. Even with the help of the CADinSchool site.

The pro/desktop application from PTC is a full CAD package. In schools this can be bought for £90 for 300 licence's. As you can see this alone makes it an interesting package but you can only get it at this price if you complete the training.

Do you think this a model for the future? Educational use at a reasonable price but only if you have invested the time in learning how to use the app properly.

Google Sketchup I saw as the way of introducing this professional level CAD work in S1/2 but the senior courses are using it too. Do I stop them? Do I direct them to use a much more complex application? So long as the results are what they design and not simplify their designs to make them easier to draw.

The framework to introduce Sketchup in S1 is to take a woodwork model they have already made and redraw it on the computer.

In S2 after drawing the school we are investigating old villages on Islay and starting to draw the buildings in Sketchup. The next part is to place these old villages on Google Earth. The pupils have responded extemely well. They are starting to realise how large the population of Islay was (15000 compared to 3500 now). 

A little while ago I tutored a course for my Local Education Authority, Argyll & Bute. The course was held in Inverary Computer and Conference Centre.

The Course was called 'An introduction to Flash MX'.

I had a great day working with the 6 teachers who attended the course.

The basic curriculum covered:

• The screen layout
• Using the timeline
• creating basic shapes
• Using Layers
• Motion Tweening
• Creating a web banner
• Using the Quiz template
• Outputting SWF and Projector files

The teachers went away with comprehensive notes on creating a screen saver as well

As well as the official curriculum we also covered the production of an autorunning CD ROM using projector files and various other individual uses for different programmes.

Some additional useful sites for learning Flash are:

• http://www.flash-mx.com/
• http://www.kidzonline.org/TechTraining/
• http://www.bigwebmaster.com/Flash/Tutorials/
• http://www.ultrashock.com/ff.htm?http://ultrashock.com/tutorials/flash8.php
• http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flash/mx2004/index.html
• http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flash/8/

These site's are ones I have used but I am not saying they are the best (Though kidzonline is very good generally)Unfortunately my personal favorite is no longer active

Does anyone have any recommendation?

Technorati tags: Flash, education, Argyll & Bute, training, online resources, education scotland

Tablet PC's are much more expensive than an equivalent laptop. So why not just get a load more laptops?

The reason for going for Tablets is that they are the main computer for that member of staff. The teacher can prepare work, simplify the administration, as they can do with a laptop but with a Tablet PC they can use it for a secondary job.

We decided to use the tablet to act as an interactive board (Along with a projector of course). As the teacher writes on the the tablet it appears on the screen. The teacher is not in the way of the projector and the image can be as big as the screen allows. The teacher can bring in video, sound ........ in fact anything that the interactive whiteboard can do a tablet can do as well. With the added advantage of not being limited by the size of a board.

This then makes the total cost (Tablet and Projector) less than the cost of an IWB (Interactive Whiteboard), projector and computer to run it. It also means that the technology much efficiently used. Less time sitting switched off as its used for more than one purpose.

Our next stage is to install wireless projectors. These will then mean that the signal from the tablet will be carried to the projector without a cable. Freeing the teacher to be anywhere in the classroom.

Once the pupils have the UMPC's then anyone's work can be put up on the screen.

A truly interactive, collaborative school?

1. Developing the leadership potential  and capacity of the whole school, Staff and Pupils

2. Introducing Vocational Courses to the curriculum

3. Removing the age and stage restrictions from the certificated courses.

4. Developing the use of ICT to support the curriculum

Every Teacher has a Tablet PC

A wireless network

Wireless Projectors in every teaching area

A presentation space in the Assembly Hall

A Media Server

A Class Server

Existing courses digitised

S1 'Benchmarked' for IC3 Giving them individual curriculum in S1/2

Once these are in place then give every pupil a UMPC computer