RESOURCES

You can download Photo Story 3 at www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx

FLASHMEETING - PRACTICE LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Flashmeeting is a simple and effective way of enabling students to bring their international partnerships to life through videoconferencing. This one-click web-based application, developed by the Knowledge Media Institute at the Open University, is now available to schools. Expensive hardware is not required – just a webcam and a browser that has the Adobe Flash Player plug-in installed.

The application gives students an opportunity to practise important ‘soft skills’ such as listening, turn-taking and asking questions. After the conference, students can review and evaluate their performance. Flashmeeting also gives an effective medium through which to plan new projects or extend existing ones.

Flashmeeting is an easy-to-use application, ideal for pupils to practise their language and communications skills. This brings new opportunities for collaborative learning into the classroom. Register for free accounts via your local authority contact or by e-mailing John.Warwick@stlukes.herts.sch.uk

STOP MOTION ANIMATOR

For teachers wanting a straightforward introduction to animation work, Stop Motion Animator is a piece of free software available from clayanimator.com. This website offers extensive support on usage and the only equipment required is a webcam.

Animation work is an effective way of sharing ideas and enhancing communication in an international project. I introduced Stop Motion Animator to a group of SEN students, supported by a sixth form ICT group, and it proved a great way to develop new skills through peer learning. The finished animation showed jointed figures ‘making friends’ and formed part of a project on self-awareness.

‘Keep it simple, make it fun’ is one of the important guidelines for successful and enjoyable international projects. Stop Motion Animator fulfils this requirement admirably.

Download the software at www.clayanimator.com/english/stop_motion_animator.html

Anne Jakins is SEN Co-ordinator at Sackville School and an eTwinning and Learning Together Ambassador.

CROSSING CONTINENTS: CONECTING COMMUNITIES

The Royal Geographical Society last year launched a three-year project called Crossing Continents: Connecting Communities. The project, which is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, aims to use the Society’s unique collection of maps, photographs and archive materials to provide a unique insight into the world’s cultures, people and places.

Over the following years the hidden histories of some of Britain’s diverse communities will be revealed through research into the society’s vast archive of historical materials, the development of community partnerships, touring exhibitions and educational work with young people.

Exhibitions focus on the Afghan, East African, Chinese and North Indian elements of the collections and are accompanied by onsite workshops for school children and the provision of educational resources at Key Stages 2 and 3, exploring and elaborating upon the themes raised within the exhibitions. The first in the series of exhibitions, entitled From Kabul to Kandahar, was launched at the society in January and is now touring the country.

Further details about the project and its programme of workshops and resources for schools can be obtained by e-mailing h.sanghera@rgs.org – or to enquire about hiring the exhibition free of charge e-mail v.patel@rgs.org

Learning resources target the Geography, History and Citizenship curriculums and can be downloaded free of charge from the Society’s Unlocking the Archives website at www.unlockingthearchives.rgs.org

MUSIC FOR  CHANGE

Music For Change (M4C) is an educational charity that promotes awareness, understanding and respect for cultural diversity through music and the performing arts in order to achieve beneficial change.

Based in Kent, the organisation’s core work involves managing workshops (both one-offs and residencies) primarily involving young people within schools and other settings, with a strong emphasis on creativity and confidence-building.

In addition to the workshops, Music For Change also produces educational materials and resources, most recently the ‘Reel Lives’ series of interactive DVDs for schools, which contain a wealth of information about life in Sierra Leone and Kolkata.

The theme of intercultural understanding for a better and more tolerant world lies at the heart of all of Music For Change’s work, and a M4C workshop often proves a useful addition to learning plans in Citizenship, Religious Studies, Music and Geography – and sometimes even in Maths and Science too.

The group’s workshop leaders are a team of experienced and inspirational educators and musicians from around the world, from Ghana, India, Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Zimbabwe. Music For Change can be contacted by e-mailing katy@musicforchange.org T 01227 459 243 or by visiting www.musicforchange.org

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: WHAT'S THAT

The UK office of the European Parliament has developed a pack of resources for secondary schools in response to evidence that there is a lack of resources supporting the European Union strand of the Citizenship curriculum.

The pack, entitled The European Parliament: What’s that?, offers information on what the European Union is and does, and explains how EU laws are made. However, its central aim is to show students the impact of EU laws and policies on everyday life and encourage discussion and debate so that students can form their own opinions.

The pack contains a CD-ROM with video clips, activities and teachers’ notes, a DVD and hard-copy resources. You can download the teachers’ notes and activities from the education section of the European Parliament website: www.europarl.org.uk

To order a pack e-mail eplondon@europarl.europa.eu or T 020 7227 4300