In collaboration with Toshiba, Microsoft Innovative Educator Charlotte Beckhurst from Hartsbrook E-Act School, is holding a ‘Teaching with Windows 8’ lesson plan competition. The winning win8 lesson plan will receive a Windows 8 device kindly donated by Toshiba.

If you are interested in sharing practice and win a prize for your work, take a look at the competition details below:

* Don’t have a windows 8 device – don’t worry, contact Charlotte who might just be able to help with a loan device :-)

Here is a great post from our sister blog for UK Schools. This great new video showcasing some of the awesome new features within Windows 8.1 and the wide range of PC’s that they run on. This video is a great complement to the Windows 8.1 in Education Infographic. If you are looking for Apps to run in Windows 8.1 in the classroom. Then check out this list - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/teachers/archive/2013/07/12/windows-8-appedagogy.aspx

Download our free resources app - http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/free-resources-from-microsoft-uk/89141b15-0ea1-4282-8b4d-6efd35a2aaee

I have been asked a lot for the links in my free Windows App. As some don’t as yet haven’t upgraded. So whilst that is happening I thought I would list all the links in that App, that can be accessed in a non Win 8 environment. What this exercise proved was that Apps are fantastic for consolidating information in a simple accessible form. So my advice is get Windows 8, download the Windows 8 Free App - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/teachers/archive/2013/07/12/windows-8-appedagogy.aspx . In the meantime here are the links in that app.

Microsoft Partners in Learning – www.pil-network.com

Teachers Blog – http://blogs.msdn.com/teachers

UK Schools Blog - http://blogs.msdn.com/ukschools

Partner in learning Youtube channel – www.youtube.com/innovativeteach

Kodu

Kodu is a free visual games creation application. It's the perfect way to introducing coding into the curriculum

Kodu Software - http://www.kodugamelab.com

Kodu Video Guides - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj1Pwo2pn6sFAJA7jXM3PSxauBPr6flIX 

Kodu Kup Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOHhCJddeZY

Kodu Teacher Guides - http://koduwebdnn.cloudapp.net/Home/tabid/55/forumid/4/threadid/1307/scope/posts/Default.aspx

Tweet the Queen of Kodu @geekynicki – www.twitter.com/geekynicki

Project Spark - https://joinprojectspark.com

TouchDevelop

Touchdevelop is a free scripting code creation application. It's the perfect way to introduce more advanced coding into the curriculum

TouchDevelop – www.touchdevelop.com

Touchdevelop Video Guides - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt_K63PuRoWGouEfFvEvM8QUc1bNno7R0

TouchDevelop Free Book - https://www.touchdevelop.com/docs/book

TouchDevelop Scheme of Work - http://raychambers.wordpress.com/touch-develop-scheme-of-work-2-2/

Expert Help - Tweet @lanky_boi_ray – www.twitter.com/lankyboi_ray

Touchdevelop Curriculum - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtObeTLaEyJMaKFSk2g9IXvmI2V4FM6ZJ

Expert Help - Tweet @drenton72 - www.twitter.com/ldrenton72

Touchdevelop Help videos - https://www.touchdevelop.com/help/videos

Touchdevelop API Reference - https://www.touchdevelop.com/docs/api

DreamSpark

All the professional developer tools you need from Microsoft for your Student for Free

Dreamspark = www.dreamspark.com

Other Computing Resources

Computing at School - http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/ 

Computer Science uplugged - http://csunplugged.org/

ComputerXplorers - http://www.computerxplorers.co.uk/

Technocamps - http://www.technocamps.com/

InPractice .org –KS1 computing - http://www.inpractice.org/

Windows 8 & Office 365

Microsoft UK Education Slideshare- http://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk 

Office 365 Free E-Book - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/microsoft_press/archive/2011/08/17/free-ebook-microsoft-office-365-connect-and-collaborate-virtually-anywhere-anytime.aspx

The Offperts - Student Experts in Office 365 – www.offperts.com

Microsoft Blogs

Microsoft UK Further Education Blog - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukfe/

Microsoft UK Faculty Blog - http://www.microsoft.com/education/facultyconnection/GB/default.aspx?c1=en-gb&c2=GB

Microsoft UK Education Cloud Blog - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukeducloud/

Daily Edventures Blog - http://dailyedventures.com

Teacher Blogs

@GeekyNicki - http://www.interactiveclassroom.net/

@ritzertech - http://www.askthemusicteacher.co.uk/

@chickensaltsh - http://whydidthechickencrosstheroad.org.uk/

@lanky_boi_ray - http://raychambers.wordpress.com/

@daviderogers - http://www.daviderogers.blogspot.co.uk/

Educator Spotlight: Leon Annett

My name is Leon Annett and I am an educator in the Further Education sector. *I have been asked to take part in a 3 month pilot scheme ‘Teach with IT, ’ to explore how technology can be incorporated into my lessons, help classroom engagement and discover the potential for students to use the devices in the future. The trial is in association with Intel, Softcat and Microsoft. The device I will be using for the trial is the Dell XPS12 and the operating software will be Windows 8. I am originally from Kent and I am employed by Coleg Gwent in South Wales and have been since 2008. I am also an external verifier for the awarding organisation OCR. I am a visiting university lecturer delivering levels 4, 5 and 6 modules in Clinical Exercise Physiology, Physical Activity and Health. I am a curriculum leader and oversee the programme planning and delivery of a range of programmes, specifically in sport, public services, outdoor activities and youth work. I have a passion for quality and developing teaching and learning. My main goal is to improve the quality of the courses that are delivered to learners, ensuring that they are fit for purpose and that they improve the chances of learners becoming employed in the field in which they study. Please visit my twitter page for my blogs and the Education resources page to access tools I use which I hope will be of help.

As you know we have been working on supporting Primary schools and teachers with the new Computing Curriculum, with events like our Kodu Kup, we will also have some great announcements about more great resources at BETT.

Computing at School (CAS) have released this great guide for Primary teachers.

Simon Peyton-Jones describes the new curriculum in his foreword:-

Computers are now part of everyday life. For most of us, technology is essential to our lives, at home and at work. ‘Computational thinking’ is a skill children must be taught if they are to be ready for the workplace and able to participate effectively in this digital world.  

The new national curriculum for computing has been developed to equip young people in England with the foundational skills, knowledge and understanding of computing they will need for the rest of their lives. Through the new programme of study for computing, they will learn how computers and computer systems work, they will design and build programs, develop their ideas using technology and create a range of content. But what does this mean for primary schools? 

How should school leaders be planning for the new curriculum and how can teachers develop the additional skills they will need? The programme of study is expressed in precise but perhaps unfamiliar language.

This guide has been written especially for primary teachers, to demystify the programme of study for primary schools. It will enable teachers to get to grips with the new requirements quickly and to build on current practice. It includes help for schools with planning and gives guidance on how best to develop teachers’ skills. The new national curriculum for computing provides schools with an exciting opportunity to reinvigorate teaching and learning in this important area of the curriculum.

To find out more and download the guide  please visit  Computing at School

An event for primary and secondary schools to explore the theory and practise of Flipping the Classroom.

How it can improve teaching and learning?

10am Keynote. - Professor Steve Molyneux.

The CEO of the Tablet Academy covers the importance of creating, managing and using video in a flipped environment. A presentation that focuses on how mobile devices change the pedagogy of the learning environment enabling students to learn independently, allowing for a flipped approach to teaching and learning.

£99 per person, limited spaces
2nd December 2013, 9.30am - 3.15pm
BCS The Chartered Institute for IT
Covent Garden, London

Event Programme
All delegates will have the opportunity to experience the Keynote and all 3 workshops below.

Workshop 1. Participate in a flipped Lesson.
Become a student again and experience for yourself the freedom of independent learning in a flipped classroom. During the lesson you will discover at your own pace, learning new teaching tools on mobile devices.

Workshop 2. MediaCore in a flipped learning environment.
MediaCore provide an affordable solution for schools to manage flipped learning. This workshop is about seeing how simple it is to manage and use.

Workshop 3. Case Studies.
Hear from other schools who are already flipping the classroom including the challenges and the rewards they discovered when changing the way they teach.

Competitions and Event Offers
There will be a number of special offers only available at this event and two lucky winners will be selected at a prize draw at the end of the event.

Prize 1: A MediaCore School account for a year worth £2,800.

Prize 2: Tablet Academy consultancy services worth £600.

Here is another great opportunity to find out more about the use of Tablet Technology in Schools.

We would like to invite you to the first

Tablets for Schools Conference 2013 on

Monday 9th December at the QEII Centre,

Westminster, London.

(I will be there, with Touchdevelop and Kodu Touch )

You can find more information at www.tabletsforschools.org.uk.

The conference is the largest conference of its kind, by schools, for schools. The following secondary schools have already successfully embedded 1:1 tablet schemes and will be delivering practical workshops on using tablets to support teaching and learning:

● Hove Park School

● Longfield Academy

● Chiswick School

● Honywood School

● Greenford High School

● St. Michael’s CE High School

● The Westminster School

● Writhlington School

● Lion Academy Trust

● Cramlington Learning Village.

This conference will provide over 400 head teachers, senior leaders and decision makers with practical experience of tablet use in schools through interactive workshops and seminars, held by some of the schools involved in our research. Key themes include pedagogy, curriculum design, training, IT infrastructure and finance. More information on the agenda and workshops can be found here.

The conference is the largest independent networking event of its type for school leaders looking to use tablets within the curriculum.

Hosted by...

Conservative MP, Andrew Percy - an ex-teacher with a passionate interest in the future of education and how technology can drive improve this.

Delegates...

Delegates will receive a concierge service who to provide support in answering questions relating to the workshops, themes of the day and exhibitors.

There are only 400 tickets available and you can get your tickets here. All proceeds from the conference will be reinvested into the next stages of research.

Microsoft will be supporting the conference, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Book your place now www.tabletsforschools.org.uk

TD Challenge Scheme of Work Lesson 1 - Turtle Challenge Lesson 2 - My first script Lesson 3 - My first game: Part 1 Lesson 4 - My first game: Part 2 Lesson 5 - My first app Lesson 6 - Functional Specification Lesson 7 – Design Lesson 8 to 10 - Creating the app (Coding Lesson 11 – Testing Lesson 12 - Evaluation

All these examples have been created by Highfields High teachers using Touch Develop. These can be used as a starting point for when students begin to design their own apps.

Bubble Popper Game	Tin Can Shooting Game	Five A Day Ninja
Here is a first attempt at a bubble popper game:  Click here to play the game and view the code	Another example of what you can create using TouchDevelop.  Click here to play the game    and view the code.	A fruit slicer game created using TouchDevelop.  Click here to play the game and view the code.
Classic Pong Clone	Break-Out clone	Animated Dice Roller
A classic pong clone created with TouchDevelop.  Click here to play the game and view the code.	A Break-Out clone created using TouchDevelop. Click here to play the game and view the code.	A 3D animated dice roller app created using TouchDevelop. Click here to play and view the code

Educator Spotlight: Simon Johnson

My name is Simon Johnson and I teacher of ICT & Computer Science at Highfields High School, Wolverhampton. I’m an official Microsoft Teacher Trainer and recently acquired the Microsoft Expert Educator status. I’m genuinely interested in the potential of ICT to enhance teaching and learning across all subjects / phases. Please visit my blog teachwithICT for the latest on computer science in the curriculum.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you this year’s and the first ever Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts.

You will recognise some familiar faces here. Previous Innovative Teachers and Partners in Learning Award Winners were all eligible for this new programme. Subsequently I think we have ten of the most skilful, innovative and influential teachers in the UK. It’s going to be a pleasure working with them over the next year. Expect some awesome stuff from them.

Let me introduce the first five teachers, who will be joining us at the Partners in Learning Global Forum in Barcelona in March.

My name is Ray Chambers and I work at Uppingham Community College as the Head of IT. I have been teaching for 7 years. I graduated from De Montfort University with a 1^st Class Honours degree in Computing. Eventually I decided that teaching would be the direction for me to go in. I started teaching I.T as an instructor and went for a joint GTP and PGCE in teaching. After teaching for about 2 years I started to experiment with immersive technologies in my lessons. I had the idea of utilising the Kinect to engage learning. Using the Kinect was one of the first steps for me. The use of the Kinect has since grown and I have managed to work with other teachers internationally to inspire them to use the Kinect in their lessons. I’m currently working on a project on Touch Develop and my school has been working with teachers to produce apps to help in lessons. For example, one student developed a P.E application to help with revision. It is encouraging critical thinking which in turn enables the students to go out and find everything they need on their own.

My areas of expertise are generally within computer programming, but recently I have been sharing the use of technology in other areas outside of computing. For example I have been sharing practice through blogging and have had over 150,000 views to my blog and 100,000 views to my YouTube channel. Recently I produced a how to guide which shows teachers how to program E-books for their Windows 8 device. I’m looking to share even more good practice with other teachers and look forward to the experience of being a Microsoft Expert Educator. Partners in Learning is a strong community of teachers and means a lot to me. When I was starting out as an educator, it was a great place to look for resources and a good way of starting discussion with other teachers. Teachers share a huge bank of resources which in turn help you develop your own pedagogy.

I am Nicki Cooper (nee Maddams) and thank to Partners in Learning I am  global award-winning Advanced Skills Teacher in Computing and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert. I have been teaching for eight years and is passionate about moving forward the curriculum in light of recent governmental changes regarding computing. As an AST I am responsible for a number of whole-school initiatives and outreach with other schools and agencies and has played a large role in the development of the Kodu Kup over the last year. It was not a name of my choosing but Stuart I believe gave me the dubious title of ‘Queen of Kodu’

I loves to organise activities and workshops on a whole school level for both pupils and staff. I am  experienced at teaching all year groups from age 11 to 18 and has been responsible for the delivery and development of the courses at sixth form level for the past 5 years. Currently I am focussing on bringing more girls into the subject and have been attending  events nationally to highlight this issue, which included presenting at BETT earlier this year and at the House of Lords

I am David Renton MVP. I have over 10 years’ experience working as a software developer in industry, over half of that time was for my own company. I have 14 years’ experience in teaching at Further Education level, where I have primarily taught Computer Games Development. In the past 5 years I have been involved with the SQA in leading, developing, writing, vetting & verifying qualifications, curriculum & assessments for various computing subjects.

In the past 3 years I have been involved in creating educational games that make use of gaming hardware such as Kinect & wireless XBOX360 controllers. This put me in touch with Microsoft Partners in Learning (PIL) & I became part of their Kinect Team (K-Team). The PIL network put me in touch with some amazing, highly motivated and inspirational teachers and opened up many doors for me. Since being involved with them I have presented at events such as MS Partners in Learning regional forums, ALTc, JISC, Computing at Schools Annual Conference, Scottish Learning Festival, Scotland’s Colleges Annual Conference, Games Britannia & BETT on my educational games, Kodu & Microsoft's TouchDevelop platform. I also made contacts with teachers in other countries, including a couple of teachers from Norway and thanks to that I recently travelled to Norway to train teachers in TouchDevelop.  I have also recently become a Microsoft MVP for Kinect again something that would have never come about if it was not for my involvement with the PIL network. I would highly recommend becoming a part of Microsoft Partners in Learning, to any teacher interested in making the most of technology in the classroom.

I am David Rogers an Assistant Headteacher at Patcham High School in Brighton where he helps look after teaching and learning. I teach geography and I am Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Chartered Geographer and have been awarded the Ordnance Survey for Excellence in Geography Teaching in 2013. On Twitter I list myself as  as a runner, Mission:Explorer, adventurer, pedagogic trouble maker and geek. In the past month alone I have taken part in a mountain marathon, two half marathons and lots of other adventures. I don’t like desks too much, but have sat behind one for just long enough to produce a few textbooks and award winning online resources. After Wales, the land of my birth, I love Iceland. He lives close to the beach in West Sussex with his wife and four year old son.

I have been involved with Partners in Learning since 2009 and used Twitter to provide a real audience to young people when exploring the impact of piracy in Somaila. I have also designed and implemented a successful BYOD mobile device policy and have developed the use of GIS and mobile devices to support learning during fieldwork. I did this by involving young people, who I admit basically did all the hard work for me. I believe in the power of executing simple ideas well. Partners in Learning has provided me with a fantastic support network as well as inspiration for using technology to enhance and transform learning experiences.

I am Ollie Bray and I am currently Principal (Headteacher) at Kingussie High School located in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands - I took over this post in October 2013.

I also spend some of my time as the Senior Consultant at OllieBray.com and Senior Associate at the-learning-crowd where I pursue a variety of projects that ultimately aim to improve classrooms, schools and education systems through the development of new school buildings, better teacher professional development and the integration of technology, outdoor learning or both.

I have been a senior policy adviser, school leader, head of department and is an award winning teacher. My current interests include social media in schools, computer games in education, mobile technologies, school design, outdoor learning and 3^rd millennium school leadership.

I've been a member of PiL since 2005 and it has had a profound impact on my thinking and practice.

You can Join the Partners in

Learning Network for free at www.pil-network.com.

Get involved and join us.

We thought it would be a nice idea to produce weekly ‘Microsoft Teaching & Learning’ e-zines (online newsletters). The series will feature some great examples of how our Microsoft Innovative Educators and Microsoft Showcase Schools are using technology in the classroom. Hopefully, these little T&L snippets will inspire a little innovation in your own classrooms.  In this weeks’ e-zine explore how Microsoft Innovative Educator Charlotte Coade, from Simon DeSenlis Primary school in Northampton, is experimenting with windows 8 with her year 6 students. Collectively they are working as a team to see how technology in the classroom can help raise attainment and improve their overall learning experiences.            Guest blog post by Charlotte Coade:

In Year 6, we are on the constant look out for ways that we could improve children’s learning as well as preparing them for the dreaded ‘SATs’ word at the end of the year. Whilst teaching for test is not something that should be encouraged, the fact children will be tested on their Reading, Writing and Mathematical ability at the end of the year cannot be ignored. We know that delivering the curriculum in an exciting and innovative way is important however we still have a duty to prepare our children as much as we can. This involves looking at previous tests and building in a range of strategies in order for the pupils to access the content and achieve the best result they possibly can.

One area that I wanted to focus and improve on in particular was Reading. I found that most of my children are able readers. During guided reading sessions twice a week, we would read together and analyse a text in detail, picking apart authorial techniques and analysing hidden meanings. However there was one problem that was obvious every time; reading stamina. I found that reading through the text took a large proportion of the time, with this being particularly evident within the tests which several children did not complete and therefore lost crucial marks. It was clear to me that I had to build up the children’s speed and retention of the text. This was when I found Reading Trainer on Windows 8.

Once I had downloaded this app onto the devices, I dedicated one session each day to working building up my class’ reading stamina. It appealed to all children – those who often found it hard to concentrate along with those who like a challenge The software immediately recognizes the children’s strengths and weaknesses and the statistics function let me see and track their progress. The children are able to set targets and check their reading speed at any time using the reading tests from a variety of topics, muck like the Reading Paper in SATs. There are also tests linked to the papers to assess the children’s understanding of what they have read. I have noticed a considerable difference within group sessions and plan on continuing this throughout the year.

Maths: Mathletics on Windows 8 If you are subscribed to Mathletics, Windows 8 now offers you the opportunity to access the website on many of its tablets. For our school it has changed the approach and attitude to Maths. Simon de Senlis has over 400 children on roll and recently signed up to this scheme. It allows children to practice and apply skills taught in the classroom in their own time at home, or consolidate learning within school hours. In the recent months, the application has transformed the way that children feel about maths. They are now excited for homework to be set, and look forward to the challenges. Children compete against people in their class, school and across the world to earn points and certificates. Teachers have access to the tasks set, and can monitor progress on individual children to inform planning. Since having access to 60 Windows 8 tablets compatible with the Mathletics, we now have more children than ever accessing the programme on a daily basis. For 45 minutes a day, children take part in a rotation of activities which involve guided reading. When children are not with a teacher focus group, they have the chance to complete homework, work on targets, improve mental maths skills, compete against other children and address misconceptions from recent work. We have found this incredibly beneficial to the children’s confidence and application within lessons. Science: Fast forward learning with TimeLaspe TimeLapse for Windows 8 is a fantastic resource to capture those extraordinary moments that you would otherwise miss! Now this has me thinking…how could I use TimeLapse to its full potential within the classroom and allow children to access material that they couldn’t without technology. One of the Science topics that we study is ‘Interdependence and Adaptation’ – a topic that can be very limited in its delivery. Yes we can show pictures of plants and leaves to the children and get them to read about the changes in plants from a text book, but is this really engaging for the children? And how much do they benefit from it? It’s important to remember that the whole point of technology is to enhance learning – not just replace something for the sake of it. However this topic is one example where TimeLapse fits in quite nicely. It allows children to make observations of plant growth and compare the changes over time. As a result they are able to evaluate the process once observing the footage. What happens to the leaves and petals once the sun comes out? What changes happen over time? What are the changes to a plant if it is not given enough water and nutrients? All these are questions that can be answered using this app. Or why not take it back to basics and use time-lapse photography to document the stages of plant life. Plant a seed in a glass vase and take regular pictures for the length of its gestation to a mature plant. Another experiment that could benefit from TimeLapse is to test how different solutions used to water plants affect growth. The results can be measured and recorded by students while also being captured on time-lapse video. Educator Spotlight: Charlotte Coade Hi i’m Charlotte Coade from Simon De Senlis Primary school, Northampton. I work closely with the Digital Leaders team at my school and together we have recently set up a blog to explore Apps in education. Check out our blog here: Digital Leaders exploring Windows

Originally posted on the Schools Blog on 27^th November 2013 by Jade Mulders

It shouldn’t come as any surprise to you when I tell you that here at the Microsoft Education Department we are head over heels, crazy passionate about the future of coding and the impact that it has and will have on young people. We are a technology company, so it’s almost obvious we would be an advocate for this once specialised skill to be taught throughout the curriculum and with intent of supporting a wide range of industries and job roles in the future. And of course there are those globally recognised tech innovators; Gates, Zuckerberg, Dorsey who also champion the cause of technology skills advancement. But what about people like Will.I.Am, Ashton Kutcher, Snoop Dog or Enrique Iglesias? Whether you know who these mainstream celebrities are or not, I guarantee your students will know who they are.

It seems the word on the relevance of coding across all spheres of life, is out. Here’s what musician and entrepreneur Will.I.Am had to say:

“Here we are, 2013, we ALL depend on technology to communicate, to bank, and none of us know how to read and write code. It's important for these kids, right now, starting at 8 years old, to read and write code” – (source code.org website)

He makes a good point, we all use the technology of which coding is the main component and yet the majority of us don’t really know ‘how things work’ just that they work. With this in mind, should we be completely re-evaluating what children are being taught across the entire curriculum, less theory and more practical skills? It seems there are plenty of skills based jobs but only a small proportion of today’s young adults in comparison who could actually fill them.

As you can see, Will.I.Am is not the only one. There is an ever increasing list of mainstream public figures that are standing up and speaking out to support the teaching and learning of coding in our schools. This particular U.S based campaign, Hour of code is run by not for profit organisation Code.Org, who are dedicated to increasing the awareness and interest in coding with both students and teachers by providing opportunities to learn computer programming. One of their key goals includes harnessing the collective power of the tech community to celebrate and grow computer science education worldwide as well as encouraging more women to take an interest in programming.

You may have also heard of Kodu, A visual programming tool to enhance computer science learning. Primarily designed for KS1 – KS3 school children, the engaging software encourages young learners to grasp the basics of software engineering through a hand-held, step by step pathway that is approachable, fun and unintimidating.

It also provides a charming and accessible introduction to older children, young adults and grown-ups who are taking their first steps in gaining the technical skills required for our digital society.

And then there’s the Kodu Kup which is open to anyone from UK schools aged between seven and fourteen. Children are encouraged to enter as part of a team to work together and advance their ideas. Teachers can enter pupils’ work through the Microsoft Partners in Learning Network where teachers can access resources and continuous support.

So it seems that coding is also making waves in the UK. In the first 3 months we saw Kodu downloaded 70,000 times and with this level of demand we held Kodathon training events up and down the country.

We are also pleased to announce that Kodu has been nominated as for the Free digital content/Open educational resources award at the BETT Awards 2014.

In addition to Kodu, you may be interested in TouchDevelop which allows anyone to create apps on any device. The touch friendly editor makes coding fun whether it's on your phone or tablet and our
Hour of Code video tutorials which take under 20 minutes to complete make for a perfect introduction. 

It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you this year’s and the first ever Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts.

You will recognise some familiar faces here. Previous Innovative Teachers and Partners in Learning Award Winners were all eligible for this new programme. Subsequently I think we have ten of the most skilful, innovative and influential teachers in the UK. It’s going to be a pleasure working with them over the next year. Expect some awesome stuff from them.

Let me introduce the second group of five teachers, who will be joining us at the Partners in Learning Global Forum in Barcelona in March.

My name is Scott Wieprecht, I am an educator born and bred from the South West England, having worked in education for the last 10 years, and as a teacher of Mathematics for the last 5 years.

I have always had an interest in anything technology based and spent his teenage years building computers for his classmates at school. Since then my teaching career has veered to Drama and Mathematics but has always had a strong ICT basis in the classroom.

I was one of the first teachers to adopt 3D technology for educational use and was featured in the BETT TES edition for his use with it. I have always been proud to try the latest offerings, and find out if it will benefit my pupils and their learning. This approach led to me integrating Office 365 into my practices in September 2012 when it has only just launched.

Setting up a group of students to discover and assist others with its use, now affectionately dubbed "The OffPerts", My student team created a website, and began to publish OffVids (tutorial videos on how to use Office 365 in a classroom) and tips and tricks on how to get the most from the platform.

This was noticed in early 2013, and meant the group were asked to present at the official Microsoft Office 365 in Education launch event at Reading. Since then they have also been interviewed on the radio, and presented to other schools and educational leaders and in June 2013.

I am Dan Roberts is a self-professed “geek” who has always loved school…and is sometimes known as “The Chicken Man” (a moniker bestowed on me by my students during an especially unique class project called “Recharge the Battery”). As I explained to the TED London crowd, “Learning actually saved me several times as I was growing up.” Luckily for my students, I have kept that love of learning, and it translates into my teaching each day.  So much so, I have won numerous national teaching awards, most recently the ICT Visionary in Education at the TES Schools Awards. I have held various positions of responsibility within secondary schools, including Deputy Headteacher at Saltash.net Community School in Cornwall and most recently for the last 18 months was Headteacher at the International School of Seychelles. My 5 minutes of fame was in 2009 when I advised the Obama administration as part of their educational technology reform 2020 plan

I am currently Deputy Headteacher at Devonport High School for Boys.

What does Partners in Learning mean to me?

‘Partners in Learning has made a significant impact on both my personal and professional life, it has enabled me to be an innovative teacher in my own classroom, it has empowered many students and other staff that I have worked with in several schools contributing to their success. It has created lifetime opportunities for those involved in education, through this I have been part of a growing global community of inspirational teachers who continuously support and challenge my thinking and direction’

My name is Kate Boothman  am in my forth year of teaching at saltash.net community school and I teach hstory.  As a History teacher I am passionate about ensuring that lessons are not tarred with the traditional view of the tweed jacket and rote learning of events.  Technology is used by the students to ensure that lessons are designed to their needs in a hope to have students who are active participants in the learning process. Further to this students are encouraged to use new technologies to make community links with primary schools and local people so we can get to the heart of what history really is - the people's voice.  Through the use of different products such as Photosynth, moviemaker, MineCraft and more we have been able to unite generations in a bid to share the past with the future.

As an Expert Educator I hope to encourage others to take the risk of putting the learners in charge of their education and see the classroom as far beyond the walls of their teaching space.

I am Simon Johnson, a Computer Science graduate with over 14 years experience in the education sector. During my career, I have had variety of roles, these have included: IT Technician; Network Manager; ICT/e-learning Co-ordinator; College Tutor. Having worked behind the scenes for several years, I recently decided to make a career change and, after a successful induction programme, qualified as a teacher. I am currently working as an ICT / Computing teacher in a 1:1 Secondary Comprehensive School.

I am a huge advocate for the use of technology to support teaching and learning across all subjects and phases and regularly blog about how to use technology in the classroom (teachwithict.weebly.com/blog& teachwithict.weebly.com/computing-blog). I also advocate the use of Social Media Technologies to support teaching & learning and regularly use twitter (@clcsimon) and facebook (facebook.com/teachwithict) to create networks with other education professionals and share examples of best practice.

and last , but not least …….

My name is Gareth Ritter, I am a music teacher based in Cardiff. I graduated with a degree in Music in 2003 from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I am currently the Leader of Learning for Performing Arts at Willows High School, Cardiff where I also work as a learning coach, working with my colleagues to help them improve the teaching and learning experience in their classroom. Outside school I am lead conductor for a number of Brass Bands, play a wide range of musical instrument and play in a Jazz band. Previously I was a Hang Glider test pilot and had great success playing on the Wing for Cwm Rugby Club.

I have always found the time to be interested in the use of innovation and ICT in music and over the past 6 years I have created technology-rich learning and teaching resources, and delivered inset to many schools on the use of ICT in the classroom. I regularly deliver workshops in education on how to implement technology into the classroom. In 2011 I was an award winner at the Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum in Washington and recently was an award winner at the National Teaching Awards for the use of technology in the classroom. Check out my Blog at www.askthemusicteacher.co.uk

We thought it would be a nice idea to produce weekly ‘Microsoft Teaching & Learning’ e-zines (online newsletters). The series will feature some great examples of how our Microsoft Innovative Educators and Microsoft Showcase Schools are using technology in the classroom. Hopefully, these little T&L snippets will inspire a little innovation in your own classrooms.  In this weeks’ e-zine explore the video tutorials created by Microsoft Expert Educator Scott Wieprecht and The Offperts from Saltash.NET Community school.

Where it all Began The videos produced are scripted, filmed and produced by the OffPerts. They offer simple, practical advice on the benefits of using different features, and step by step guides on how to do it.		Series 2 Teaser We caught up with five of them – two Georges, two Jacks and Max – to find out how they make the most of it.
SkyDrive Basics You can save directly from Office 2013, sync with a folder on your PC, or for when you’re not on your home PC or need to upload a non-Office file, such as  a picture, you can use drag and drop to quickly and easily upload files.		Customising your Layout Change the look and feel of your class site for each topic and theme you teach.
Introduction to NewsFeed Newsfeed is improved with new microblogging functionality that enables students and teachers to do so much more then just comment.		Calendar Outlook Calendar, which you can share in whole or part with anyone you choose .
Microsoft HQ Office 365 Launch Watch the OffPerts present at the Microsoft HQ in Reading.		BBC Radio Cornwall Interview In recognition of the great work they are doing, and following a visit and presentation at Microsoft’s UK headquarters, BBC Radio Cornwall interviewed the OffPerts.

Educator Spotlight: Scott Wieprecht

My name is Scott Wieprecht, I am an educator born and bred from the South West England, having worked in education for the last 10 years, and as a teacher of Mathematics for the last 5 years. I was one of the first teachers to adopt 3D technology for educational use and was featured in the BETT TES edition for his use with it. I have always been proud to try the latest offerings, and find out if it will benefit my pupils and their learning. This approach led to me integrating Office 365 into my practices in September 2012 when it has only just launched.        Setting up a group of students to discover and assist others with its use, now affectionately dubbed "The OffPerts", My student team created a website, and began to publish OffVids (tutorial videos on how to use Office 365 in a classroom) and tips and tricks on how to get the most from the platform.

The British Council have created an amazing opportunity to work with schools across the world.

“Connecting Classrooms prepares children to take their place in the 21^st century,” Karen Noble, Headteacher, Juniper Green Primary School.

WHAT IS CONNECTING CLASSROOMS?

The British Council’s global education programme Connecting Classrooms creates partnerships between schools in the UK and around the world, to further international understanding between students.

The programme offers funding and resources to schools in the UK and the Middle East and North Africa that want to develop collaborative relationships.

Funded in conjunction with the UK Department for International Development, Connecting Classrooms enables students to work together across geographical boundaries, broadening educational opportunities,enriching classroom life and supporting their development as global citizens.

Teachers benefit from access to professional development opportunities, dedicated support, a wide range of learning resources and funding to visit their partner school.

WHO CAN APPLY FOR A PARTNERSHIP?

All schools in the UK with students aged three to 18 are eligible to apply for the scheme. Individual schools can apply for either a one to one partnership, or a cluster of three schools from the same local community can form a partnership with  a similar grouping within the Middle East or  North Africa. Public, state, mixed, co-educational, faith and  non-faith schools are encouraged to work together  so that partnerships are inclusive and diverse

There may even be funding available.

Grants of £1,500 are available  per school. The countries for which funding is available varies and it is advisable to check the Connecting Classrooms website at www.britishcouncil.org/connectingclassrooms to see the latest list.  Some countries will be given priority for funding,  and these will also be detailed on the website. The grant pays for at least one visit by one teacher in the partnership to the partner school. For some countries, there is also an opportunity to apply for  a top-up grant of up to £250. Further information and the top-up grant application form is available on the Connecting Classrooms website.

Find out more at -

www.britishcouncil.org/connectingclassrooms

We thought it would be a nice idea to produce weekly ‘Microsoft Teaching & Learning’ e-zines (online newsletters). The series will feature some great examples of how our Microsoft Innovative Educators and Microsoft Showcase Schools are using technology in the classroom. Hopefully, these little T&L snippets will inspire a little innovation in your own classrooms.  In this weeks’ e-zine Microsoft Innovative Educator Charlotte Beckhurst, from Hartsbrook E-ACT school shares a 5 week Scheme of Work entitled ‘Journey Around London.’

Journey Around London has been written for Year 1 but can be adapted for any age-group within Key Stage 1 and 2. The scheme of work is primarily literacy based however incorporates humanities and ICT. Students write a fiction and non-fiction book combined about the town where they live. In order to write the content, they use Windows 8 apps, One Note and Microsoft Office to support their learning. The scheme of work utilises all of the 21st Century Learning skills required to help ensure our learners are ready for the future.

Sample of SoW:

You can download the full SoW for FREE here

Educator Spotlight: Charlotte Beckhurst

My day job is class teacher and Technology Lead at Hartsbrook E-ACT Free School. We were the first primary school in the UK to use Windows 8. Our students as young as 5 use a range of Windows 8 apps to enhance and scaffold their learning in key subject areas. I shared my ICT practise with educators locally, nationally and globally as well as heard from other educators who were doing similar things in their own classrooms. The rest of the time I undertake various roles and responsibilities as a M.I.E. This means I deliver training in schools, share practise, and work in partnership with Toshiba and generally work together with Microsoft to promote technology in schools as a tool for developing 21st Century Learning Skills in the students of today and the adults of our future. Check out Charlotte’s interview on Anthony Salcito’s Daily Edventures

This is the last post of 2013 and what a year it has been.

Next year will be even better and for us on this blog it will be about Apps, not just from the Windows store , but making your own. Find out more and come and see us at BETT 2014

But, that is next year, so what about the big day when you open your new Win 8.1 device here are some great apps to keep you entertained during the festive season.

Track Santa as he delivers your presents with the NORAD Tracks Santa App . Watch Santa traverse the globe in real time on Christmas Eve as he distributes gifts to all the world's children & grown ups! Watch videos about Santa's journey and hear special holiday greetings from each of NORAD’s Commands.

Two the best movies for the big kid in all of us have been Despicable Me 2 and Frozen. Download these games for some great fun.

Join Anna, Elsa, and more of your favourite characters on a journey to slide and match 75 icy puzzles for free! download Frozen Free Fall from the Windows Store.

Gru’s loyal yellow gibberish-speaking Minions are ready for their toughest challenge in Despicable Me: Minion Rush. Play as a Minion and compete with others in hilarious, fast-paced challenges in order to impress your boss, (former?) super-villain Gru! Jump, fly, dodge obstacles, collect bananas, be mischievous, and defeat villains to earn the title of Minion of the Year!

Enjoy and Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd dda i chi !

This new version offers powerful new features and includes access to exciting new data sets. The entire rendering system has been rewritten with cutting-edge technologies that give users a high-performance, cinematic experience.

Make movies with the new timeline editor that provides detailed control of camera motion, settings, and animation.

What’s more, WWT can now import and display highly detailed 3D models, and it even comes preloaded with several, including a high-fidelity representation of the International Space Station.

WWT 5.0 includes data about the moon from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. For Mars and Earth, new models that show how sunlight interacts with the planetary atmospheres provide realistic visualization effects, including simulated sunrises and sunsets. In WWT’s 3D mode, you can search for an Earth-based location and instantly fly to it.

The BBC in the UK are currently running a series of programmes called Stargazing Live. You can follow up this interest with your students by  charting the sky with a collection of new and enhanced overlays that work in both the Sky and 3D-universe modes.

If you running Windows 7 or have a Windows 8/8.1 Pro device then treat yourself to some breath-taking imagery and the wonders of the universe by downloading Worldwide Telescope 5.

Enjoy!

It’s just under a week to the world’s leading learning technology show BETT 2014 at the Excel Centre in London. The Microsoft stand will be bigger and better than last year with a range of great speakers covering topics of all things Microsoft in Education.

I will be sharing the great apps in the Windows store that make a Windows 8.1 device the perfect choice for education. See Windows 8 Appedagogy Blog post

So make sure you visit us on stand D270 and be amazed at the wall of Appiness. where myself and colleagues will be demonstrating over 100 apps that will impact on the teaching and learning in your classroom.

We will also be announcing some brand new apps including:-

- Ebook Creator– to create your own media rich ebooks and publish them

-Mediacore– bring media rich learning resources from various sources together to create your own learning activities

-Lightspeed– a management system for Windows devices

We will also have news about this year’s Kodu Kup Competition.

If that’s not enough, you will also find two of our Microsoft Innovative educator Experts, Ray Chambesr and Nicki Cooper, who will be able to share with you the great work they are doing in their schools with Touchdevelop, Kodu and Project Spark.

So come along and say hi at BETT and share some Appiness.