From the Centre: Work on the schools Web sites continue with Christchurch CE's site going up hopefully before the end of the week. As expected, 14 colleagues from the project schools attended a training session last Tuesday. All participants felt that had learnt a good deal on the day. We started off with a video showing general principles of Internet use, then went on to a session covering the basics of email. We then looked at the Brixton Connections site and spent some time browsing and searching the World Wide Web and then went to lunch. After lunch, we had a half hour 'surfing session' followed by a practical email session where colleagues put all they had learnt so far into practise. Finally, we discussed the educational uses of the Internet.
From the Schools: Jan, from Loughborough Infants, emailed to say that they have had an email back from Kelly Possum's school in Australia thanking them for her safe return. They have sent them a video copy of her section from their TV programme (Windows on the World), plus a selection of the out takes (which were fairly amusing!). Umm! I'd quite like to see those Jan! All their new computers are now up and running and they are eagerly awaiting the new Year to begin some more projects.
Jef, from Loughborough Juniors, emailed to say that their Web page is still getting lots of visitors. They also got a nice response from Hillmead Infants.
The schools are all busy now with preparations for Christmas and most close for two weeks on Friday. The next update will appear in early January, 1998.
To those that celebrate Christmas - have a good one.
From the Centre: Philippa and Gina (our Web Consultants) have now added St. John's CE site to the list of recent additions. Also, Loughborough Infants and Loughborough Juniors have had some more work added.
Luke Jagger, from RM, visited last Tuesday and did some work on our new network ironing out some wrinkles. This is just in time for our next training session which takes place tomorrow. I am expecting 14 colleagues from most of the project schools to attend the day, which is aimed at new users.
I have had a couple of contacts with the BBC this week that look very interesting. I can't say too much at the moment, but will tell all when I can.
From the Schools: Jef Fox, from Loughborough Juniors, emailed to give an update on progress with the school's web site. Jef and the kids are very pleased and excited by the results of their work. Jef said, 'thanks a lot for including us in phase two, the kids are getting a real buzz out of it.'
From the Centre: Following our first Web Publishing session with Philippa and Gina (our Web Consultants) a couple of weeks ago, they have been very busy working with colleagues in schools. The first results have now been uploaded on to the Web. is the first site to go live today, with Loughborough Infants to follow in the next couple of days. Both sites are the results of lots of hard work and contain innovative content. So please do pay them a visit.
All schools were sent a project update by mail last week informing them of the next training date amongst other things. One more teacher from each school has a free place on a course next Tuesday, December 9th.
An engineer from RM is coming tomorrow to resolve (I hope) a couple of problems remaining with the Centre network.
From the Schools: Cheryl emailed to say that they are still upside down with most of the equipment still in boxes. They are the last school to be wired up with phone extensions, all the others are now completed.
Jan from Loughborough Infants emailed to say that she spent a very good day with Gina and Philippa re-editing her existing web site and adding a new page of class 7's monsters from the Minds-Eye monster project. She is just waiting for a disk so she can reinstall their scanner software, then she will be able to scan in the photos from the carnival they had in the summer to make another new page.
Class 1's Panda Buddy has at last arrived from the States. They have now sent Zoë Bear on her travels.
From the Centre: The Project Steering Committee met last Wednesday and were given a full update on the progress so far with Phase 2. Unfortunately, colleagues from RM, Microsoft and IBM were unable to attend, so we were unable to gain their perspective on the project. The Government's proposals on the Nation Grid for Learning took up quite a bit of the time, as we were discussing how our bid might affect the project schools. We are treating the project schools as a kind of pilot project for our overall Internet strategy within the Authority so their experiences will prove extremely beneficial to the rest of the schools. We are fortunate to have had this experience.
Schools have been busy setting up their new machines and registering their new email addresses. At the Steering Committee meeting, we discussed the problem of communicating with the schools by email. How do we know which email address the teachers are going to use? To be sure that important messages are read by the right people - will we have to send an email to every address? These are issues that will have to be addressed as more and more schools with lots of email addresses come online. I'll let you know how we deal with this.
From the Schools: Last week, I promised to let you know when Loughborough Infants TV programme (Windows on the World) was going to be shown. Well, it was last Friday morning. Whoops!!! Still, all is not lost as it is being repeated next Friday 5th December - I believe at 5.30am. It is part of BBC2's Learning Zone. So set your videos folks as it is definitely worth seeing. Also, there is a web site set up to support the programme which includes an interactive database enabling schools worldwide to register and search for project partners. So do visit Windows on the World at http://www.wotw.org.uk.
Clara, of Christchurch CE, phoned in to tell me that they had some problems with their computers. One of the new ones had an intermittent power problem and has had to go back. Unfortunately, that was the machine that had FrontPage installed so Clara's plans to get their first web page up have had to be put back a bit. The other problem, on their old machine, was apparently a virus. They are now busy investigating the purchase of an anti-virus program to prevent the reoccurrence of this.
From the Centre: On Wednesday, the project Steering Committee are meeting. I expect Phase 2 to be a major point of discussion along with it's possible links with the Authority's bid from the Standards Fund. On Thursday, we have our KS1&2 IT Co-ordinator's Conference. An update on the project is on the agenda and colleagues will also have the opportunity to use our new network. The main speaker on the day is Tony Wheeler, the managing director of TAG Developments. Last week we held an Introduction to the Internet Course and an 'Open Day' for project schools.
From the Schools: Cheryl, from Hillmead Infants emailed to say that they are still awaiting their new equipment. They asked for a later delivery because of the move, but they didn't expect it to be this late!
Jan, from Loughborough Infants, emailed to say that she ran INSET for staff on the use of the Internet and gave them the experience of sending electronic mail. Class 7 have been busily designing their monsters and sending them off and have also received their four descriptions from their partner school. On Friday Liz and Jan went to NCET for a conference on New Technologies to Support CPD. They have looked at some of NCET's web pages designed to help non computer confident teachers extend their computer capability. It was a very interesting conference and Jan says it was good to hear about other Internet projects in the country. She concludes by saying that when the trolleys arrive, they will have everything up and running. That should be today Jan!
Talking of Loughborough Infants, their TV debut is very soon. Watch this space for full details.
From the Centre: Colleagues from four schools took part in the on Thursday and had a very good day. Phillipa and Gina have arranged visits to the schools so we should start seeing some results shortly. Of course, you'll read about it here first when their sites are published or re-published. The schools that attended were: Loughborough Infants, Loughborough Juniors, St. John's CE and Christchurch CE.
On our Hot Links page, I have put up links to a couple of web-based school projects that schools may like to look at. It won't be long before we start thinking about the theme to next year's global project following on from Our Day Today this year.
Tomorrow, we have and Introduction to the Internet course here that some of the project schools will be attending, and Thursday, we are having a sort of open day for the schools.
From the Schools: Nothing received from the schools this week. I suspect they have all been too busy setting up there new equipment. Hopefully, I'll have a lot of updates next week.
From the Centre: The first training session for Phase 2 took place the Tuesday before last and in the end, went very well. Nic, from Stockwell Infants and the ITLE, led an email exercise involving a sort of guessing game which everybody enjoyed. Later in the day, the new network was put to the test with everybody busy browsing and searching the World Wide Web. On Wednesday, colleagues from the first five schools will come to work on their Web sites. This session will be followed up by school visits from our two Internet consultants.
This morning I received a copy of the Microscope Information Handling Special publication from MAPE (Micros and Primary Education). It contains an article on that I submitted a while back for publication. It has reproduced very well.
The Window Box computers and printers are being delivered to schools today. The installation of the telephone extension points began last week. Now, we can at last get properly going with Phase 2.
From the Schools: Cheryl, of Hillmead Primary (Infants), emailed to say that they have nearly completed their move into the Junior building. The phone line is being re-installed tomorrow, so they should be up and running shortly.
From the Centre: Our new network is now up and running and apart from a few bits and pieces that still need to be done, is working well. I am expecting an engineer any minute now to finish the installation. Now I am waiting for a firm delivery date for the schools' equipment. Hopefully, before the end of this afternoon. Follow this link for more details.
The will take place tomorrow. I am expecting up to 20 colleagues to attend so I hope to offer them an interesting and useful day. Things will be a bit off the cuff I'm afraid because of the late and non arrival of various bits of equipment. RM are sending Martin Stachowiak down to help with the training. I'll let you know how the day goes in the next update.
From the Schools: Jef Fox of Loughborough Juniors emailed to say that his class of year five children are working on adding verses to the calypso, COCONUT WOMAN, for Black History Week. If anybody would like to join in, please email Jef.
Cheryl of Hillmead Infants emailed to say that the infants are moving over to the junior site next week so it may be a bit quiet from them for a while. Well, we wish them all the best for the move.
From the Centre: A small panel from the Steering Committee plus a neutral colleague from the Educational IT Department met on Friday to allocate the new equipment to schools. All schools that placed a bid were successful, although not all schools got all the equipment they had asked for. However, they may be a possibility in allocating more equipment later in the year.
In addition, we welcome two new schools to the project. They are Haselrigge Primary School and Lansdowne School. Both schools have large numbers of children who reside in the Brixton Challenge area so are eligible to be included in the the project. Lansdowne, achieved a Brixton Challenge award last year. I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome both schools to the project.
Colleagues from participating schools, all being well, will have their first training on October 21st. I say all being well as we have been hit by a number of problems. You can read all about it by following this link.
Brixton Challenge, our sponsors, have recently updated their web pages. Do go and pay them a visit.
From the Schools: Jan Docker of Loughborough Infants
emailed to say so that she has been very busy with a new reception class so hasn't had
time to get directly involved in projects. She has concentrated instead with throwing them
open to other members of staff:
Class 1 are exchanging buddies with a class in the USA.
Class 2 are exchanging buddies with an Australian school.
Class 7 are taking part in the Minds-eye monster exchange with a school in the USA.
Class 8 are exchanging buddies with a class in Australia.
As you can see, they are all getting really involved. Jan says that the new machines will
make things a lot easier to co-ordinate.
From the Centre: The schools have been busy sending in their bids for Phase 2 with only one school so far opting out for the time being. Our ISDN line had been installed, and as I write, the cabling engineers are busy hammering away installing the cabling for the centre network. There is a seperate page for phase 2, so just follow this link for further details.
Jan Docker of Loughborough Infants lent me a copy of the video of her programme last week (see last week's update). It was nice to see Jan and her kids on the small screen. The school came out very well indeed.
From the Schools: This week I have sent the schools details of various projects including; National Poetry day, an unusual travel buddy idea, a grocery list project, communicating with Santa, and this year's Monster Minds-Eye Project.
From the Centre: The project met last Wednesday with Phase 2 taking up much of the discussion. Members came up with several useful ideas concerning the successful implementation of Phase 2. I later met with our colleagues from EdWeb and we discussed how we are going to implement the training and support for the schools' WWW sites. There is still a lot of work to be done and I shall. of course, keep you fully updated.
The order for the schools' equipment was faxed on Thursday and the bids from the schools are starting to arrive. So far, I have had three. The training network should be up and running by the middle of October and the first training session will take place on the 21st of that month.
From the Schools: Jan Docker, Loughborough Infants, emailed to say that their Class 2 have been sending out requests for a Travel Buddy with a school in Australia to extend their project on that country. They are hoping they will get some responses soon. Their television programme for the BBC showing them making monsters will be going out soon. (I'll confirm the date as soon as I have it). Jan has seen a preview and says that it is strange seeing yourself on the small screen!
Finally Cheryl, of Hillmead Infants, emailed to say that year two are writing to the Memphis school they wrote to last year.
From the Centre: I heard on Tuesday that our bid was successful and got permission to start spending the money on Friday last week. The first orders for training equipment and Internet access were sent off today. The project's Steering Committee meet on Wednesday giving us the opportunity to sort out the finer details of Phase 2. I hope to get the order in for the schools' equipment before the end of the week.
From the Schools: I mentioned last week that Hillmead Infants have been involved in a Signs of Autumn/Signs of Spring project. We now have the web address of the project and have it listed on our web links page. It can be found at http://www1.minn.net/~schubert/SSFplan.html. Jef Fox, back at Loughborough Juniors after his year in the States, emailed to say that Carmen MacPherson, a teacher who taught at Loughborough a while ago has contacted him. She's now living and teaching in Connecticut so he hope to set up some links there.
From the Centre: Within the last hour I hand delivered the final Project Appraisal form for Phase 2 of the project. All being well, by the end of the week it should be all systems go. I have published details of the bid on this site, so if you are interested, then please follow this link.
Last week I mentioned that there was going to be a brief mention of the project in the Network section of the Independent newspaper. For those that didn't rush out and buy a copy, here is what it said: "Primary schools fare poorly in terms of Web sites and Internet connections, but the desire to participate when services are there is just as keen. The Brixton Connections project involves 15 local primary schools and is funded by Brixton Challenge. Its recent Our Day project invited schools to produce an online diary of their lives. A total of 66 schools from around the world participated."
From the Schools: Jane from St. Helen's School emailed to say that they had spent quite a lot of time towards the end of the summer term trying to participate in several of the computer projects run by the American summer schools, but did not get much joy from any of them. However, this has left Jane with a number of children who are very enthusiastic about such projects and are looking for more of the same. We shall endeavour to keep Jane and the other schools well supplied. By the way, if any readers from outside the project would like all or some of our schools to be involved in any online activity, then please email me at phil@rmplc.co.uk and I will forward your message on.
Finally, Cheryl at Hillmead Primary (yes the Infants and Juniors have now merged) emailed to say that they have joined the Nick Nacks Project - Signs of Autumn/Signs of Spring project depending on which hemisphere you are in! This sounds exciting so I'll try and get more details out of them for next week's update.
Welcome back to a new school year with the Brixton Connections Project. This looks as if it will be an exciting year for the project as our current bid for funding moves through it's final stages towards acceptance. We have been frantically putting together project appraisals and gathering quotes for services and equipment over the last few days, so life is fairly hectic.More details on this bid will be published soon on a separate page, so please watch for the links.
We welcome back Jef Jon Fox to Loughborough Juniors. Jef has returned from a years exchange with Liz Mountford from New Orleans, USA. We look forward to hearing his exploits.
I understand that there is to be a brief mention of the project in tomorrow's Independent Network section. For those that don't get the paper, I'll reproduce the important bits in next week's update. I also hope to include the first reports from the schools.