This is the fourth of a series of 5 blog posts about the 1st Class Kidz Digital radio project that took place in Hatton Cruden PS. Introductory post can be viewed here. In relation to Enterprise in education the Curriculum for Excellence website argues that good enterprising teaching and learning should: provide opportunities for learners [...]
This is the fourth of a series of 5 blog posts about the 1st Class Kidz Digital radio project that took place in Hatton Cruden PS. Introductory post can be viewed here. In relation to Enterprise in education the Curriculum for Excellence website argues that good enterprising teaching and learning should: provide opportunities for learners [...]
This is the fourth of a series of 5 blog posts about the 1st Class Kidz Digital radio project that took place in Hatton Cruden PS. Introductory post can be viewed here.
In relation to Enterprise in education the Curriculum for Excellence website argues that good enterprising teaching and learning should:
The Advertising team at 1st Class Kidz Digital in Hatton Cruden PS had most certainly shown how they were addressing many of these aspirations (particularly the last three) with their efforts to attract local businesses to advertise on their school radio show. The local market and bakery both agreed to a deal that involved them supplying fruit and cakes in exchange for a well-scripted and well-crafted advert to feature on 1st Class Kidz Digital. I had a chance to speak with the Emily and Haley, who were the Advertising executives in the team, about their work:
Some good evidence here of a range of skills being applied in this task. Technical competence most certainly being developed as the children have been using Cool Edit to record and manipulate their adverts as well as writing poems/lyrics and negotiating business deals with local shops! Yet another effective team with the wider machine of 1st Class Kidz Digital.
The ninth Edinburgh Interactive is one to watch for more than just its speakers - it's being run by a new chairman, Nintendo UK managing director David Yarnton, who's taken over from ex-SCEE head Chris Deering. The two-day event has always engaged with the business end of videogames, attracting some of the UK's leading names and benefiting from being held on August 11 and 12, which is when the Edinburgh Festival and its Fringe is in full effect.
This is the third of a series of 5 blog posts about the 1st Class Kidz Digital radio project that took place in Hatton Cruden PS. Introductory post can be viewed here. One of the most important ingredients in ant radio show id the presenter, or in the case of a music station, the DJs. [...]
This is the third of a series of 5 blog posts about the 1st Class Kidz Digital radio project that took place in Hatton Cruden PS. Introductory post can be viewed here. One of the most important ingredients in ant radio show id the presenter, or in the case of a music station, the DJs. [...]
This is the third of a series of 5 blog posts about the 1st Class Kidz Digital radio project that took place in Hatton Cruden PS. Introductory post can be viewed here.
One of the most important ingredients in ant radio show id the presenter, or in the case of a music station, the DJs. I met with two sest of DJs at 1st Class Kidz Digital and chatted to both. First up are DJ Groove and DJ Tic-Tac. Have a listen to our chat:
These boys said a number of things during our chat that really chimed with me in terms of how this experience had impacted on them as learners. These phrases included,
“Mr Mier has given us the independence to work on this project”
“This radio project has made me look forward to coming to school, it’s not just textbooks now!”
“Everyone is focused on their jobs and we are all responsible…well most of us anyway!”
We learn from our mistakes…it’s a good experience to learn from your mistakes.”
I then met DJ DBoy and DJ Fluff Hop and chatted with them about what the inspiration for their comedy interludes were. To help me understand this they run through a rehearsal of their forthcoming show with me. Have a listen:
It is clear from that short chat with these boys just how involved and serious about this fun yet demanding learning experience they are. Watch out for these up and coming DJs on a local radio station near you in the future!
This is the second of a series of 5 blog posts about the 1st Class Kidz Digital radio project that took place in Hatton Cruden PS. Introductory post can be viewed here.
One of the most important jobs at 1st Class Kidz Digital was that of the Station Manager. Efficient performance in this role was integral to any broadcasts being on time and of the appropriate quality so it was with great delight that I managed to spend some time speaking to Niamh who was a very effective StationManager. Niamh had been walking round the classroom speaking to the children and was taking time to ensure that all was well and that all tasks were well under way and that the show would be ready in time for broadcast. She then called a team whole meeting which she chaired. You can see a brief part of this meeting in this video.
After this I took some time to talk to Niamh about her role and what she felt she had learned from it. She said that she was delighted to get the role as Station manager after interview and that that process in irself was a great learning experience. She also said that she felt she had developed a great deal of confidence because she had to speak to the team all the time to ensure all was going to plan and that she had learned to listen more because she had to resolve difficulties and problems when they arose- all to the satisfaction, where possible, of everyone!
You can hear my chat with Niamh here:
I was really struck by what I saw at the team meeting. Not only was there a very confident and effective Station Manager but her team were also working in a similar way AS were the rest of the pupils when giving their updates. The children in this class have really embraced the responsibilities given to them and clearly shown how they can react in such a positive manner to learning experiences that have purpose, cohesion and relevance.
One of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of teaching is being able to bring your own talents and interests to the fore to help drive learning. Chris Mier from Hatton Cruden PS in Aberdeesnhire has done just that this year when he decided to bring the skills and experience he had honed in working in radio and DJing on the internet to the life and learning of his P.7 class. This interest of his was the catalyst for a project that crossed all curricular boundaries and made so many connections across learning. This series of 5 posts will hopefully give you a flavour of this exciting project and yet another illustration of the standards that children can achieve when the bar of aspiration and expectation is raised.
In the teacher’s cupboard in Mr Mier’s room is a cupboard. You know the type – the ones where books, paints, resources etc are kept. However, this cupboard is a little bit different from most. Have a look to see what is inside this one:
This range of resources that includes the cutting edge DJ equipment Tracktor was the resource that enabled Mr Mier to establish a whole class enterprise project based on a radio broadcasting business. 1st Class Kidz Digital radio company became a real enterprise over the course of the second half of last year in this P.7 class. My discussion with Mr Mier about this project can be heard here:
Getting started
Mr Mier created 25 jobs in 1st Class Kidz Digital that needed to filled. This meant that the perfect opportunity to teach the children about letter writing, CVs, interview techniques within a purposeful and relevant context was established. The children then had to apply for the jobs and were then interviewed for these jobs by some of the parents of the children. Their decisions were then fed back to Mr Mier who posted the newly filled positions on the class Glow site. Once the elation and disappointment of success or other wise had settled it was down to work and to start getting the radio shows produced!
The range of jobs
A radio station needs DJs of course but what else does it require? Well, a station manager was appointed and she was in essence the boss. She held weekly whole class meetings where she was given updates on progress from the DJs, scriptwriters, jingle creators, news reporters, weather reporters, sport reporters, advertising team, art & design team and the class blogger. Each ‘employee’ had to ensure that they were on task and that all necessary work was completed by an agreed due date.
Impact on learning
Mr Mier talked about the success that this enterprising approach to learning had had on his pupils and in particular he talked about his perceptions of:
Having spent an afternoon with the team at 1st Class Kidz Digital I have to say how impressed I was with their industry, creativity and maturity. I think that this shows how Curriculum for Excellence can work so well when a teacher uses specific skills that they have to create purposeful learning experiences for children; experiences that make them want to come to school, to learn, to achieve and to show us just what they can do.
Thank you to all at Hatton Cruden PS and 1st Class Kidz Digital for making me so welcome.
David Braben came to this year’s Develop Conference to discuss Raspberry Pi, a $25 Linux-based computer that he (along with the rest of the Raspberry Pi Foundation) hopes will help re-engage school children with computer science. We caught up with him to discuss its current status.
This is an article about the changing role of press embargoes. The difficulty in writing anything at all on the subject of embargoes is that, even as many of the arguments have become familiar and well worn (and I can highly recommend John Keefer’s 2008 piece to that end), the issue ceases to be any less contentious. Hardly a day goes by that some exasperated journalist somewhere doesn’t bemoan the shrinking walls of the PRison in which they are forced to work.
Voting has opened for the 29th annual GamesMaster Golden Joystick awards, run by Edge parent Future Publishing, with gamers worldwide able to have their say ahead of the awards ceremony in October.
There are 14 categories in all, with new awards for downloadable, mobile and free-to-play games. Those who vote in all categories will be in with a chance of winning the GamesMaster Ultimate Gaming Prize, which includes consoles and games.
Voting has opened for the 29th annual GamesMaster Golden Joystick awards, run by Edge parent Future Publishing, with gamers worldwide able to have their say ahead of the awards ceremony in October.
There are 14 categories in all, with new awards for downloadable, mobile and free-to-play games. Those who vote in all categories will be in with a chance of winning the GamesMaster Ultimate Gaming Prize, which includes consoles and games.
Satoru Iwata has written to early Japanese adopters of the 3DS, acknowledging they "may feel betrayed" and admitting there is "nothing [Nintendo] can do to completely make up for the feeling that you are being punished for buying the system early."