johnhowarth.net

Credit to The Mozy Blog and Steve Clayton for originally sharing.

July 31st, 2009 | Tags: Petabyte | Category: Online Resources, Tech News | Leave a comment

There’s a lot of hype around suggesting that Twitter is the new king of social networks. These graphical representations by mkandlez knock such claims on the head.

Since my first tweet in November 2008, I’m now in regular contact with some of the leading figures in the British and international education IT community. I doubt I would have such a useful and productive network without Twitter.

While I personally don’t “do” Facebook, my better half (she really is!) uses it as her primary tool for keeping family and friends up-to-date. Due to their very nature, Facebook-like sites will always be the favourite, at least until social network aggregation/consolidation sites like Silentale come of age.

Thank you to Swissmiss for originally sharing the top image. Please click here to read a related article by Frederic Lardinois entitled Why Do You Tweet?.

July 30th, 2009 | Tags: Twitter | Category: Online Resources | Leave a comment

While I work with schools in Bolton, I live in neighbouring Atherton. This video describes how tough life used to be in Northern England!

If no video is displayed, you’re either reading this article via an RSS feed or YouTube is blocked by your establishment’s web filtering policy.

July 25th, 2009 | Tags: Atherton, Bolton, YouTube | Category: Online Resources | Leave a comment

SIMS Annual Conference - Phil Neal (SIMS Managing Director) - The SIMS Report

This year’s SIMS Annual Conference was held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham University on the 22-24 June 2009. Over 330 delegates attended representing 115 local authorities. The focus of the conference was the 21st Century Local Authority, following on from last year’s 21st Century School theme.

SIMS Annual Conference 2009 - Panel Session - Setting the Challenge for LAs

In a departure from previous years, the conference was hosted by professional journalist and presenter Nadine Dereza. During platform sessions, delegates were able to text their questions to Nadine who would then relay them to the platform speakers at the end of their presentations.

A number of platform session video recordings have been made available – please click here for more details.

As well as the main keynotes, delegates had a number of electives to choose from. I was lucky enough to squeeze into a packed session run by Dave Cattlin, Information Systems Manager at Rochdale local authority and Chair of the SIMS Northern User Group. Dave explained how he and his support team rolled out a SIMS assessment tracking system to Rochdale schools and how this has benefited teaching and learning in the area.

I was interviewed as I arrived at the conference and was asked what I was looking forward to most. My answer was along the lines of “learning how I can help my schools get more out of their SIMS investment”. While this was true, it was only achieved with the help of the other attendees. It was great to catch up again with colleagues from other local authorities and partner companies (good to see you presenting at the conference again Ray!).

You’d be hard pushed to find a more dedicated, professional, friendly and forward thinking group of people at any other event. Despite suffering budget cuts, salary reductions and numerous reorganisations, the delegates who attended the SIMS Annual Conference continue to work hard to improve the opportunities for children through the effective use of management information systems in schools.

July 24th, 2009 | Tags: Nadine Dereza, Nottingham, Rochdale, SIMS, SIMS Annual Conference | Category: Management Information Systems, Meetings and Events | Leave a comment

For more videos on this truly fantastic subject, please visit the BBC News website.

July 20th, 2009 | Tags: Apollo 11, Moon, NASA, Neil Armstrong | Category: Online Resources | Leave a comment

Are you travelling in Europe this summer? If the answer is yes, you might want to watch this video in order to avoid potentially awkward situations.

The advice given for the UK is news to me! I’m obviously not very well travelled, even in my own country!

Thanks to Tina Roth Eisenberg (who is very well travelled!) for sharing via her fantastic blog.

If no video is displayed, you’re either reading this article via an RSS feed or YouTube is blocked by your establishment’s web filtering policy.

July 18th, 2009 | Tags: Europe, Travel, YouTube | Category: Online Resources | Leave a comment

We Choose the Moon is a real-time, interactive recreation of the Apollo 11 mission, 40 years after the dream became a reality.

Using audio, video and photographs from NASA archives, as well as computer animation, the site recreates the four-day trip to the moon’s surface. Real-time transmissions between the astronauts and NASA flight control will also feature and can be followed both on the site and via Twitter. The name of the site is taken from a speech President Kennedy gave in 1962:

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because the challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone and one which we intend to win.”

Real-time updates will take place during the mission from the 16th to the 20th July 2009, after which the site will change so that viewers can explore at leisure. A selection of photographs has also been made available on The Boston Globe’s Big Picture website.

July 16th, 2009 | Tags: Apollo 11, Moon, NASA | Category: Online Resources | Leave a comment

July 14th, 2009 | Tags: BBC, Heroes, Tribute | Category: Online Resources | Leave a comment

Presented in HD (720p high definition).

Thanks to Microsoft’s Steve Clayton for sharing.

If no video is displayed, you’re either reading this article via an RSS feed or YouTube is blocked by your establishment’s web filtering policy.

July 10th, 2009 | Tags: Microsoft, Office 2010, YouTube | Category: Online Resources | Leave a comment