Draft Breakout Agenda and suppliers list for ICT Conference 200

Doors Open 9am

9.30

Opening comments- Ron Gray- Eduaction

Keynote session- Russell Prue- ICT Evangalist- ICT Trick Or Treat- Enhancing Teaching in the Classroom through ICT

10.45-11.30

Breakout Sessions

London Grid For Learning- Available Resources and projects for supporting Teaching and Learning

Quadnet- Consultancy for school development in partnership with EduAction

ICT Accelerator Camps- 4 day intensive activity sessions for Ks3/4 students to gain a level 2 qualification in ICT to enhance GCSE attainment and learning

Cricksoft- Crick software including Clicker and new titles in their catalogue

11.30 Coffee

12.00-12.45

Breakout Session

Becta- using the Self Review Framework for ICT to support school development and the OFSTED SEF

Education City- reviewing the materials and resources that all WF schools will gain a 8 week trial of after the conference

Dartfish- Software for motion capture and annotation of actual events as used in PE, Drama and other practical subjects

12.45-1.45

Lunch

Suppliers and presenters will be available throughout lunch to answer questions or show products further, including the WF Learning Platform

1.45-2.30

Breakout Session

Ramesys- Updates and showcase on the Secondary BSF ICT solution

Qwizdom- Electronic Voting kits and their use in the wider school community and the classroom

Promethean- New hardware and software developments from the Promethean Interactive Whiteboard gurus

Russell Prue- Strategic Support for developing ICT In schools- how to find the support and resources as a senior leader or subject leader to support developments in ICT such as e-safety

2.30-3.30

Final Keynote

The Waltham Forest Learning Platform

Demonstrating the WF Learning Platform solution and discussing it’s impact on teaching learning and students engagement.

Suppliers in Attendance

LGFL

Fronter

Ramesys

Cricksoft

Dartfish

Qwizdom

Promethean

Tag

ICT Accelerator Camps

Education City

Dreamtek

Becta

Quadnet

Dell/ Coal Ict

Trusol

ICT Services

Schools Media Unit

CLC

ICT Conference 2007- 31st October

ICT Conference

Wednesday 31^st October 2007

Education Centre, Walthamstow

“Trick Or Treat?

ICT Transforming Learning and Teaching”

The fourth Annual ICT Conference for Waltham Forest ICT teachers, managers and senior leaders will be held on Wednesday 31^st October 2007 at the Waltham Forest Education Centre examining the question “Trick Or Treat? ICT Transforming Learning and Teaching”

This successful event, presented in partnership with the Waltham Forest City Learning Centre, has grown in size and reputation each year and we welcome back by popular demand, Russell Prue to Waltham Forest, who many of you will remember from his keynote session at the 2005 event demonstrating the use of PDA’s and mobiles technology in the classroom.

As ICT as moved along massively in the last 3 years, so has Russell’s repertoire and he will this year keynote on ICT as a motivator and enhancer in learning. This session guarantees plenty of gadgets, games and Russell’s irrepressible energy for this subject

He has also agreed to offer a breakout session later in the day looking at strategic development of ICT and the issues and support surrounding these changes for senior leaders.

Among the other exhibitors and sessions as part of the day will be an opportunity to see the Waltham Forest MLE solution for schools in action and have a hands on trial, a presentation on e-safety in a technological world by Childnet International and the usual dealers room showcasing the cream of educational suppliers and resources available to use and try out during the day including Promethean Whiteboards, Dartfish motion capture and annotation tools for physical subjects such as drama and PE alongside regular highlights from the London Grid Consultants Mina Patel and Chris Wood and Qwizdom voting kits.

Following feedback from last years event, we are currently negotiating with WF schools to ensure that students and ICT projects from across the borough will be showcased throughout the day and will be offering short sessions telling us a bit more. If you’d like a project from your school to be involved, please contact me as soon as possible.

While official invites will be forthcoming shortly asking you to indicate breakout choices, we understand that diaries and CDP needs to be arranged as soon as possible to allow schools to release staff to attend any event. If you would like to attend this event free of charge to Waltham Forest schools, please contact Kathryn Ryan who will be happy to place you on the event register.

We look forwards to seeing you on 31^st October.

The ICT Strategy Review

The review and rewrite of the ICT Strategy continues apace, with the aim of a final draft being in schools on return after the Easter break.

Schools will have received information this week on how to access the draft copy of the new strategy and the review commentary (go to http://ictinfo.waltham-forest.gov.uk and click the link on the front page labelled NEW STRATEGY, which should download a zip file with the draft copy, the old strategy and the review document ).

If you would like online access to view the document remotely, drop me an email and access can be granted to the document within 24 hours

There will be several online discussions and forums available from the site for colleagues to make comments known virtually linked to that document including the ability to reply to this thread in the blog..

Schools leaders and ICT colleagues are invited to join us at the CLC on Weds 21^st March (10-2), Fri 23^rd March (12-2) and on Thurs 29^th March (12-5) to make feedback and comments for the final version in person.

Are you ready for the new office?

You can only have been under a rock if you hadn't noticed that Microsoft had launched Vista and a new version of Office lately...
However, how many of you have it in schools? Particularly Office?

What about the kids? How many of them have the software at home?

Particularly this office version, this is a key question as the new Office default file extension is the .docX xml file type

MS have released a 27mb compatibility pack for older versions of office to let users of those versions of office view the new xml file types.

I really would recomnmend downloading and running the pack from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=941B3470-3AE9-4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466&displaylang=en

Before students come to you unable to open coursework on your machines...

MLE Procurement Update

As you will be aware we are in the process of evaluating two MLE providers (Fronter and Ramesys) to provide a MLE for Waltham Forest schools. The evaluation process continues throughout March with a hoped for decision of preferred supplier early in the new financial year.

The evaluation group will be meeting before half term to spend a day with each supplier and test the learning platforms for suitability and usability within the range of schools and pupils in Waltham Forest and should have spoken to Christian directly about the evaluation criteria.

Can we again extend our thanks to the head teachers who have made staff available to be part of this evaluation team and details of the final evaluation will be made public after the event has concluded.

Best Practice Forum- Postponed

The Best Practice forum planned for tomorrow at the CLC has unfortunately been postponed due to the inclement weather today and resulting schools closures and the main speaker being unable to get transport from Manchester today in this weather
As son as we reschedule a date, schools will be informed
Many apologies to anyone planning to attend the session, but we hope you understand the raesons for this postponement

Best Practice Forum

Friday 9th February. 9.30-3.00pm
(Please Note new date and times)
Being E-Safe in an E-world: The pitfalls and the benefits of teaching in the 21st Century

With the review of the OFSTED framework to now include an aspect on E-Safety and a partnered section in the SFR and the ICT Frameworks, schools are now focussing on the development of E-Safety documentation and responsibilities. This BPF is developed to support schools in developing these to embed them during this year.

Coffee will be available along with a number of materials, books and software for you to evaluate from 9am

9.30: Welcomes and introduction to the day followed by Updates: what key issues have happened in schools over the term, what upcoming training is scheduled and a discussion of the outcomes of the BETT exhibition
10.00 E-safety Issues for Schools: Ruth Hammond - Safeguarding Manager, Becta an overview of the policy implications and practical solutions to safeguarding children in a digital word. This session was provided to schools leaders as part of the LGFL “E-Safety Conference” and was one of the most popular sessions. A preview of her session as well as her notes can be found on the LGFL E-Safety section followed by Q&A with Ruth Hammond11.00 Coffee
11.15 Katy Potts: E-Safety Resources- What’s out there for us? A look at the various resources (most of them free) available to schools to support e-safety in a practical classroom base as well as a policy driven focus

12.00 Exploring the resources- a chance to look at the resources seen during the sessions this morning and to evaluate their use for your school

12.30 Lunch

1.15-3pm- E-Safety Workshop
In feedback from schools, this BPF will include an afternoon practical implementation workshop allowing colleagues to work collaboratively to develop, adapt and collate a number of materials focussing particularly on E-Safety in schools. It is envisioned that by the end of the session a number of template “E-Safety” Policies and documents will have been drafted that all schools will be able to take away and implement in their school policy review

To confirm attendance, please contact Kathryn Ryan on 020 8496 5807 or Kathryn.Ryan@edu.lbwf.gov.uk