training for schools and businesses

For further information on any of these courses please email or call Philip Collie on 01242 262906

IT01 - DR1 Digital resources: planning, choosing, buying, using

A half or full day session to help with many aspects of embedding ICT into your classroom practice, choosing and buying resources.

curriculum online
An introduction to use of Curriculum Online to identify appropriate resources for schools. eLC spending advice.

using software & digital content
How do you know which will be best suited to your needs? We help you identify the most useful features of educational resources and what to look for to support teaching and learning.

planning eLC spending
We provide you with a systematic approach to making whole school & specific decisions to support overall development.

working with Schoolzone
Attendees may also apply to become Schoolzone evaluators and contractors, working on a range of research and evaluation projects within the classroom context. Existing evaluators and contractors will need to attend to renew or take up their contracts.

IT04 - IB1 Effective interactive whiteboard use

IB1a How to decide which IWB to buy
There is a very wide range of IWBs on the market, many with similar specifications, but incorporating very different operating systems and curriculum software titles. Different systems suit different users, so there is no definitive answer as to which is the best buy. We consider the criteria by which purchasers should make their decisions, based on extensive research and evaluation of current use.

IB1b How to evaluate software to use on an IWB in the classroom
Many of the thousands of curriculum software titles available in the UK claim to be suitable for use on an IWB, but there are many features which make software really useful. We help teachers evaluate titles for purchase and make most effective use of the titles they already have available.

IB1c How to use IWBs effectively in the classroom
Teachers finding themselves the users of IWB technology are not always enthusiastic about the demands of discovering the potential of these resources, nor of learning the different features which can enhance teaching and learning. This course aims to enthuse teachers about the use of IWBs in the classroom, by looking at some fantastic resources and ways of using the board's own features. We explore some of the pitfalls and benefits of using IWBs and how best to plan for most effective use

PSH01 Schoolzone Publisher development training

Introduction
Schoolzone is the major provider of evaluations of digital learning resources for Curriculum Online, under contract to the DfES. We have carried out extensive research on teachers' requirements in the field of digital content and our team of over 1000 consultants has contributed to a detailed knowledge base of what works in the classroom.

In this half day course we share our findings with publishers so that they can develop products more effectively by targeting market research, product design and marketing materials. This is a hands-on course which can be delivered on site and which allows publishers to gain a unique insight into what teachers like about resources.

1. School approaches to eLC spending
In order to help publishers understand the processes by which eLCs are allocated and spent in schools, we present findings on common strategies and advise on how to target marketing and sales. 30 mins

2. Overview of the Schoolzone evaluation process
Evaluations are based on extensive research into what teachers like about digital resources: how they can help improve teaching and learning, how they can support the teacher and what makes a good resource. They are detailed reports based on pre-defined fields and follow extensive classroom use. Their aim is to help teachers make informed decisions on spending and to get the most out of the resource in the school context.

In this section we share with publishers the criteria by which products are evaluated and invite attendees to contribute their own thoughts or to explore any particular areas of interest in more depth. It is of particular interest to anyone involved in resource development. 45 mins

3. What teachers want
We focus on some of the particular issues which teachers have highlighted as main areas of interest in classroom use, including such issues as effective differentiation, involving the teacher in the process and assessment. This is a very popular section of the course with publishers of all roles as it gives a real insight into what goes on in schools. 30 mins

4. Workshop
Here attendees have the opportunity to try software produced by a range of publishers. Having taken part in the earlier sections, we encourage them to approach these resources as a teacher might, seeing them for the first time and having to make decisions about how to use them and whether to buy them. This is another very popular part of course as it affords attendees the opportunity to gain experience which is otherwise often neglected, and to share this experience with colleagues. 45 mins

5. What works on interactive whiteboards
This is obviously a huge growth area in the education sector and Schoolzone evaluators have considerable experience in using a wide range of titles in this context. We combine this experience with our own extensive research findings and explain what makes a good IWB resource and how to ensure that teachers make the effective of these. 30 mins