Stop-motion animation used to be something that seemed unattainable to me. I remember many years ago watching movies that my uncle had made that had a number of toy cars and trains moving in a orchestrated fashion. Although I now know that he had been using the technique of stop-motion animation at the time I was in awe of the fact that there were no hands helping to move these toys and props… this was a strange magic! I didn’t realise that this was the same technique that was being used in many children’s TV programmes such as Bagpuss, Trumpton and movies such as King Kong (1933). A few years later stop-motion animation came very much to the fore in my generation’s TV viewing experience when Morph made his appearance on Take Hart. It was amazing to see such entertainment and life come to our screens from a simple ball of plasticene.
When I was ‘Doon in the Wee Room’ recently in Tarves PS I saw this very same entertainment, life AND learning in evidence as some P.2/3 children were making their own stop-motion animation using a basic set that they had made, stop-motion animation software, a digital camera and some plasticene. In my discussion with the class teacher I had learned that this activity had arisen as a result of a discussion with the children about 3D shape. One child had made a sphere out of plasticene but had then cut out a mouth and made the sphere talk. This led to an idea to create an animation all about 3D shape and then their subsequent attempts to bring it to life…
In relation to Curriculum for Excellence it is clear that Technologies TCH 1-04b is being addressed here but the main focus of this learning activity is embedded in Mathematics, namely a focus on 3D Shape MTH1-16a. We can also see from the video how the children are working effectively together to make this project work. Even more importantly in my view is that from this early stage in this classroom these children are being given the framework of opportunities to engage with contexts for learning where they can use digital technologies to create and not just consume. How can such positive attitudes, embedded in their perceptions of themselves as learners, at this stage of their development influence and inform these children’s expectations of themselves, their developing skill-sets and ways in which they can apply these across the range of learning experiences that they will encounter? This can only be good for learners.
The challenge for us all in education is to ensure that we continue to offer such challenging and rich learning environments and experiences where our children can show us just what they can do.
Organisers of Nottingham's annual GameCity festival have announced the first details of this year's line-up, with Another World creator Eric Chahi kicking the event off and curating the entire first day.
"Dear sir/madame..."
Mad Catz has announced that it has entered into a publishing agreement with Microsoft that will see it release games for Xbox 360.
In an interview, global PR and communications manager Alex Verrey told us the move was merely the latest step in the firm's continued expansion which has already seen it open an internal development studio and an office in Japan.
After wrapping your fingers around his throat, you smash his face into a burning hot-plate and hold it firmly against the bright red steel while his skin chars and blisters. His screams hint that he’s about to give in and rat on his friends. In Splinter Cell: Conviction, torture is a gameplay mechanic. Put a new disc in. Now you’re Ezio Auditore Da Firenze jamming knives into the throats of your family’s enemies – a particularly terrifying and gruesome way to be murdered, if it’s possible to rank such things.
In Scotland as in many countries throughout the world, active learning is seen as an appropriate way for children and young people to develop vital skills and knowledge and a positive attitude to learning. In order for active learning to be embedded in environments that offer challenge, demand and appeal we must have teachers and support staff who are well informed and skilled enough in all requisite areas to be able to do this. This series of three blogposts will feature a teacher from Tarves PS in Aberdeenshire who has made great efforts to embed technologies into the life and learning of his classroom so that they can play an active, purposeful and integral part in his pupil’s learning experiences.
Jonathan Cordiner
Having spent 2 years on secondment as a member of the Glow Development team in Aberdeenshire Jonathan Cordiner was keen to return to class so that he could apply, in his own practice, the range of resources and approaches to learning that he had been promoting in his Development Officer role.
On a recent visit to Aberdeenshire it was recommended that I pay a visit to Jonathan’s class to see just how he had been making progress with embedding technologies in to the life and learning of his class. Having worked with him before on some GBL related initiatives I fully expected to see some good practice particularly in view of the high standard and high aspirational levels that he and the team in Glow team in Aberdeenshire attained. On arrival at the school I was welcomed with a wonderfully happy chorus of that great Scottish folk song – Doon in the Wee Room. It set the tone for our visit because it was obvious that everyone is happy, everyone is there, and we’re a’ makin’ merry each in his chair, doon in the wee room underneath the stair.
It was also immediately obvious that the high standards he had been used to in his development role had been maintained and that technology was something that the children in his P2/3 class were more than used to. I saw technology purposefully embedded across a range of contexts that included his pupils:
The level of competence and confidence in the use of a range of technologies displayed by the children exemplified just how a thoughtful and skilled teacher can create the active, purposeful and challenging environment that children can thrive in. You can clearly see this as you watch the video that is embedded in this post and as you do please reflect on just how at ease the children are with the technologies that you see them using. How far down the road of developing and attaining CfE outcomes such as TCH 1-03a, TCH 1-04a & TCH 1-04b do you think these children are?
If there had been more time then the aspects of CfE that were linked to the wider learning experiences in which the Technology use was embedded could have been teased out a bit more because it is clear from what I saw that Technologies were seamlessly woven in to the fabric of learning in this classroom.
Mr Cordiner’s class has since moved on to their next challenge with Technologies by making their own computer games with 2DIY. You can view some of these in their class Glow group.
What an experience these pupils are having ‘Doon in the Wee Room‘ at Tarves School. Isn’t this what school should be about? I am very pleased to say that in my experience in visiting schools throughout Scotland that there are very many teachers like Mr Cordiner who are embedding this level of challenge, demand and expectation in all aspects of learning but who are also effectively embedding technologies in and across learning.
Thank you to all at Tarves PS for sharing their great work and for making me so welcome.
Namco Bandai has reportedly filed a lawsuit against CD Projekt Red parent company Optimus SA over European publishing rights for The Witcher 2.
According to Giant Bomb, Namco, publisher of the PC edition of the title, has taken issue with the decision to grant THQ European publishing rights for the Xbox 360 version of the RPG.
Namco Bandai has reportedly filed a lawsuit against CD Projekt Red parent company Optimus SA over European publishing rights for The Witcher 2.
According to Giant Bomb, Namco, publisher of the PC edition of the title, has taken issue with the decision to grant THQ European publishing rights for the Xbox 360 version of the RPG.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has acknowledged the company faces a significant challenge convincing consumers that 3DS use carries no serious health risks, a message he says is vital to get across if the portable is to achieve mass market penetration.
Asked by a shareholder what the company is doing to dispel perceptions that 3DS is a potential threat to users’ vision, Iwata said Nintendo recognises the need to educate consumers that such “rumours” are unfounded.
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has repeated its earlier warning about the Amazon Appstore after a Swedish studio raised fresh concerns over the retailer's download service, and urged similarly affected developers to make public their experiences.
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has repeated its earlier warning about the Amazon Appstore after a Swedish studio raised fresh concerns over the retailer's download service, and urged similarly affected developers to make public their experiences.
Bethesda Softworks has revealed new title Dishonored. The firstperson stealth action game is being created by Arx Fatalis developer Arkane Studios, and will be the first release from the studio since Bethesda parent company ZeniMax acquired it last year.