www.inventionj.walsall.sch.uk

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www.invention-j.walsall.sch.uk
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We were looking for a new website. Our old site
was a showcase for the school but its use was
limited because

• Updating required knowledge of additional ICT
  programmes not in common use
• The work of updating relied heavily on time
  commitment from one person
• Few members of the school community accessed the
  site on a regular basis
• The only interaction we had was from previous
  pupils who found it by searching and emailing to
  maintain contact
• We were limited on what could be placed on the
  website due to the need to maintain security for
  pupils.

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We were seeking a website that would

• look professional with minimum effort
• allow use of existing documentation
• update easily quickly using existing expertise
  of staff
• encourage different members of the school
  community to access for meaningful purposes.
• Genuinely improve offsite learning.

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How we got started

• We discussed our needs with a supplier
• They came up with a new product which we agreed
  to pilot.
• Four senior members of staff used mind mapping
  software to brainstorm who might use our website
  and for which purposes.
• We shared this model with staff and asked for
  their ideas.

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Next core group working

• The core group looked at our plan and identified
  where we already had documents or web pages on
  our old site that would meet the need.
• The core group received training on our new
  product and began to experiment with some ideas.
• Our eyes were opened to new possibilities for
  exploiting the learning platform.

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What we learnt

• We could assign rights of access to each page on
  our site protecting some with a log-in
• We identified named roles for SMT, governors,
  staff pupils so each could access only those
  pages that we specified
• We learnt how to model our own pages in word or
  convert word documents into web pages by adding
  simple hyperlinks.
• To make notice boards onto which we could attach
  documents for specific amounts of time. Uses
  include staff memos letters for parents etc
• To set up discussion groups protected by login
  for staff, pupils or governors to discuss issues.
  
• To set up collaborative areas from where shared
  documents can be logged in and out and do not get
  lost.
• To use personal work space (50mb / person) to
  which each member of staff can upload individual
  documents for personal use.
• To use the learning platform to store and
  organise school paperwork so that it is
  accessible for different audiences

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The senior group planned a strategy for website
development

• We planned what to teach, to whom when.
• We Modelled. For approximately two months we
  prepared pages to illustrate to staff what could
  be done before we launched.
• To involve all staff
• in planning for pupil involvement we used on-line
  discussion.
• In ownership we ran competitions to design
  banners etc.
• We identified the key ITC skills needed by staff
  and prepared simple training packages aide
  memoirs. Staff meeting time was then devoted to
  allowing staff to experiment with support from
  the core group.

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Planned Pupil Involvement

• Assembly was used to showcase the site.
• The Parrot Needing a name began on-line
  discussion.
• A series of competitions revealed weekly on
  notice boards encouraged site exploration.
• Puzzles to find your way around the site
• Competitions to design pages
• Competitions to design clip art
• Staff identified pupils without home internet
  access
• Computer club was launched before school at
  lunchtime - staff encouraged website use in these
  clubs.

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The Big Launch.

• Children launched their website to parents.
• They showcased its features on all school
  computers during an open morning
• They celebrated with a balloon launch.
• All pupils parents were given pens with the
  website address.

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Problems overcome or lessons learnt

• The personal commitment of an ICT coordinator to
  previous websites.
• We sacrificed some flexibility in terms of the
  prettiness of the screens in order to obtain
  ease of use.
• Reliability of internet connection in school.
• Even three years on we still need to promote the
  site to parents, pupils staff..
• We needed a PDF writer to improve speed of
  download for larger documents.
• A realisation that a learning platform is dynamic
  and never finished unlike a static website it
  needs constant attention and daily use.

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How we use the site today

• The design of the web pages, before log in, has
  become less important.
• We use more web links to direct users to other
  sites than at first e.g. The parents centre,
  Local authority pages for specific information,
  charity sites etc.
• The pages after log in and the sharing of
  documents has become more important.
• Networking with other schools using a platform
  has become more desirable.

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Quickly sorting documents

• We can place files in a searchable repository by
  tagging them in a specific yet easily taught way.
• We can use content manager to place packages of
  documents on any website page. Extra documents or
  revisions added to a package appear
  automatically.
• We can add documents to a resource gallery and
  from there - position them onto a page as a
  download.

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Documents we store on the web

• School policies prospectus
• Guidance notes for parents
• Staff handbooks guidance notices
• Useful resources
• Governor papers dates for meetings etc
• SEF documentation
• Assessment exemplar samples of work
• Staff Training

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Creating E-learning materials

• With our VLE we also gained software for the
  collation of e-learning lessons
• This enables us to create our own packages of
  work suitable for use on a white board.
• These packages operate in word but attach into a
  single package all the hyperlinks, supporting
  software etc needed to deliver the lesson. These
  packages can be shared between teachers using the
  methods already described.
• E-learning objects can be placed on a website so
  that pupils can revisit them after a lesson for
  independent work or to share their learning with
  their parents at home.

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Creating shared learning materials

• At first the core group were trained by external
  trainers provided by our software company.
• During our first year we used external grant
  money to cascade this training to all staff by
  releasing them for two school days each working
  together in small groups.
• We then obtained more grant money to continue
  this work with other schools. To date we are on
  our third project.

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Aims of the Projects

• To raise the quality of whole class teaching with
  the use of music/video clips/sounds/enhanced
  experiences
• To organise the use of resources available for
  teaching into a more useable packages.
• To enhance geographical, historical
  mathematical teaching by the use of modern
  technology

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How the projects were structured.

• An initial half day briefing for heads.
• Each project then began with an orientation
  meeting to show demonstrative material and
  discuss the project each just before a holiday
  to allow time for reflection before work began.
• Groups of 10 -12 teachers from half a dozen
  schools met for three days at New Invention.
• There was a gap between each day to allow time
  for independent work.
• On the third project an extra dimension was added
  requiring each delegate to train another from
  their school.

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Prior knowledge.

• A core group from New Invention Junior identified
  some key skills necessary for using this approach
  to ICT and designed a questionnaire to assess
  confidence.
• Experience with the geography group then further
  clarified some key issues that could quickly and
  usefully be shared. For the second history
  project a CD of useful source material (music
  clipart etc) was pre-prepared and key skills such
  as hyperlinking taught at the beginning.

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Deciding what to do

• Part of the initial half day with teachers
  involved discussing the focus for their work and
  avoiding obvious duplication of effort.
• Where two teachers were researching the same
  topic as in Tudor history for example, we agreed
  different lines of enquiry.

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Clarifying the Tight Learning Focus

• Experience has taught us that authoring is
  addictive, time consuming and it is easy to get
  enticed into blind alleys!
• How to avoid this?
• Mind mapping software was used pre-installed with
  key questions to identify important decisions
  with the added advantage of teaching a new skill!

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The stimulus!

• Projects need a stimulus.
• Samples of authored material from New Invention
  Junior School
• snippets of teachers TV.
• were used to show possibilities.

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The Result

• We have created some new materials for the
  teaching of geography, history, maths English.
• We have established a parallel learning platform
  to our own to which each primary school has
  access.
• Our aim is to meta- tag the learning resources
  made by these schools into a shared repository
  accessible to all teachers in each school.
• We hope if we can continue and expand this
  network the repository will accumulate sufficient
  resources to convince the most reluctant teacher
  that it has something to offer their pupils.

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Extra Benefits

• An increase in the ICT skills of all participants
• An increase in the confidence with which the
  participating teachers showcased their finished
  work to others.
• The sharing of good classroom practice such as
  for example the use of primary source material.
• The exchange of working methodologies.
• The evidence for all this development could be
  seen in the contrast between interim exchanges of
  ideas and the viewing of unfinished work at
  regular intervals.

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The Keys to Success

• Having experienced ICT confident staff to help
  solve problems as they arise.
• Working together in the same space in dedicated
  time.
• Individual laptops on which to work.
• A clear vision of teaching objectives.
• Exemplar material to set a standard.
• Regular input from a senior manager to challenge,
  praise, encourage or refocus as required.
• Support from the heads of each school to view
  completed projects etc.
• The opportunity for teachers to showcase their
  work.

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The vision our wish list for the future!

• A world in which e-learning packages are
  available for any person with allocated rights to
  access.
• A VLE as the heart of a school community and a
  gateway to wider learning via the world wide web.
• E-learning packages that exploit the power of the
  world wide web
• E-learning packages that could enable learning to
  take place beyond the classroom by
• re-visiting work packages at a later date to
  reinforce learning
• Or exploring work packages alone when not in
  school
• Or re-visiting work packages to explore new
  avenues in more depth.
• Wider on line consultation by using a survey tool
  to be offered at the next VLE upgrade.
• Links between our facility management system and
  our VLE for integrated timetables, assessment
  report writing.
• Sufficient time and energy to complete our list!

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www.invention-j.walsall.sch.uk