2 January 1996 
14 Stories
2 January 1996 14 Stories
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In conjunction with PCTV, Microsoft has launched its own regular TV show on NBC Superchannel. Viewers can now get up-to-date information on Microsoft products in the comfort of their own home, by tuning in every Saturday morning at 8.00 am(UK Time).
The hour long programme offers a wealth of business, educational and technical information, on such subjects as migration to Windows 95 to the new features of Office for Windows 95. Schedules will appear in Cable TV listings and online at:
Compuserve: GOMSTV, Microsoft Network (MSN), Internet: http://www.microsoft.com/mstv/
THE OSCARS OF THE COMPUTING INDUSTRY
The British Computer Society(BCS) has announced the nine 1995 Medallists' in their annual awards, which are widely regarded as the OSCARS of the Computing Industry. Question Mark Computing are one of the nine with their Question Mark Designer for Windows product. The software is used world wide in 40 countries and available in a dozen different languages, with the specific aim of delivery and assessment of tests.
Question Mark Computing : 0171 263 7575
ACORN WORLD 1995
The October half-term saw around 10,000 visitors flock to Acorn World, the biggest showcase for Acorn products. During the three day show, visitors were able to surf the information superhighway and see the latest in interactive multimedia and ground breaking technology developments from the Acorn Computer Group.
Visitors on the first day were able to see Blue Peter's Diane-Louise Jordan testing out the live video conferencing link over the internet to the Blue Peter stand at CBBC's Big Bash with Coca Cola at Birmingham NEC. Younger show visitors had the chance to meet with characters from the current hit Disney animation, Pocahontas, as well as visiting Buena Vista International's 'Movie Plex' on the internet.
Commenting on the show, David Lee, Managing Director of Acorn Computer Group, said "I'm delighted with the success of the show, the level of enthusiasm and interest that has bee shown in Acorn's current technologies and future developments has been tremendous. I know that our partners exhibiting alongside us here at Wembley are also extremely pleased and nearly fifty percent have already signed up for next year's show."
Click HERE for a roundup of all the New Product launches.
DYSLEXIA AND THE INTERNET
A campaign to gain dyslexia world-wide recognition has been pushed one step further with the launch of the world's first internet site dedicated entirely to teachers of dyslexic children. Around 100 pages of materials are already on-line including a mass of information for individual needs teachers to pass on to parents, governors and other teachers. There is also a news section, jobs and opportunities for parents and teachers to get free help and support.
Multi Sensory Learning : 01832 274715
NEW INSPECTION FRAMEWORK
The new Framework and Handbook for school inspection in England, has been published by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED), aiming to improve the inspection process to the benefit of schools, parents, pupils and inspectors. The new Framework will apply to all inspections after Easter 1996.
Educational Computing and Technology will take a close look at the Framework over the next few months and feature articles on preparing for an OFSTED in IT in the March/April issue 1996.
NEW ACORN STRUCTURE SUMMMARISED
There are now three operating divisions , Acorn Education, Applied Risc Technologies (ART) and Onlime Media (Om).
Acorn Education : Acorn Education is committed to keeping the company at the forefront of educational IT in its broadest sense catering for all of Acorn's traditional customers.
Applied Risc Technologies : ART will design computers for Acorn Education and will work with many partners to combine the best technologies into products sold by the Acorn Group. In addition , ART will actively sell the technology to other markets and customers developing ARM-based solutions.
Online Media: Online Media are dedicated to the development of products and services for the emerging interactive multimedia market.
Acorn Centres of Technology
These newly formed centres represent a partnership between Acorn Education and the dealers who best promote and support Acorn products in the enthusiast community. They have access to the latest technology and updates from Acorn, and have the expertise to offer complete solutions for the highly advanced and expanded systems that many enthusiasts have.
AJS Computers, A1Systems, Atomwide, Beebug,CJE Micros, Davyn, Desktop Projects, Norwich Computer Services and Uniqueway.
TESCO COMPUTERS FOR SCHOOLS '95
Tesco Computers For Schools '95
The Computers For Schools scheme ran for ten weeks starting at the end of April and finishing in July, offering one voucher for ever £25 spent at Tesco stores. Acorn have released figures showing that almost 5,000 computers have been claimed this year, part of more than 24,000 items claimed by over 12,000 schools.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IT AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
The National Council for Educational Technology (NCET) is holding a national conference on how information technology can support disability and lifelong learning.
The IT, Disability and Lifelong Learning conference is aimed at key personnel in disability organisations, teaching organisations, unions and educational establishments, and takes place on 2nd February 1996 at Church House Conference Centre, Westminster, London.
The conference will explore the ways in which IT can enable education and employment for all and how people with disabilities can be empowered through IT to participate in these areas to a higher degree than might otherwise be possible. The conference will also look at the relevance of virtual reality and multimedia to special educational needs (SEN), and how IT can support SEN coordinators.
The cost of the conference is £95.00 plus VAT.
SUPER HIGHWAYS FOR EDUCATION
The National Council for Educational Technology (NCET) will act as the managing agent for the evaluation of the educational superhighways projects across England, Northern Ireland and Wales, announced by Deputy Prime Minister, Michael Heseltine.
The Education Departments' Superhighways Initiative (ESDI), is a joint initiative of the UK's education department, in response to the Secretary of State for Education's challenge to British education to exploit the potential of a UK education superhighway.
The twenty three projects will use network technology to develop new models of teaching and learning in British education. The projects will run for one year and take place across the UK, with eighteen in England, two in Wales, one in Northern Ireland and two in Scotland. It is expected that the projects will involve over 200 educational establishments. The evaluation phase of the projects will start in January 1996. .
GOING LIVE - BETT '96 ON THE NET
By the time you read this, BETT'96 will already be live on the NET with its own pages detailing every aspect of the show. Toby Wand, Exhibition Director for the BETT show, said "BETT has always been a world-leading educational technology show and the Internet will now enable use to promote the exhibition to a truly global educational audience."
The BETT home page can be accessed via the world wide web at the following address - http://www.emap.com/bett. Site users will be able to access the Official Show Guide, Show Features information, BETT Seminar details and a Floorplan
APPLEXPO 1995
The doors opened on Apple Expo '95, Europe's leading independent Mac industry exhibition at the start of November to a massive crowd, ranging from students, teachers, new Mac users and plenty of experienced Mac enthusiasts.
New product launches included the Newton 2.0 operating system from Apple, ClarisWorks 4.0 and ClarisImpact 2.0 from Claris and the first UK preview of both Pagemaker 6.0 and Illustrator 6.0 from Adobe.
The seminar programme included an education stream, of which Educational Computing and Technology was please to sponsor.
Click HERE for round of all the new Product Launches.
PARENTS SCORN NET PORN
Six out of ten parents surfing the Interent are unconcerned about the possibility of their children accessing Internet Pornography, according to a suprising survey by AST Computer. The survey also reveals that upto 40% of parents hope that a PC will reduce the amount of TV watched by their children - and that computers are no longer seen soley as the choice of a new generation, with only 11% of those polled claiming to feel to old to learn!
The survey continues to reveal that 55% of parents admit that their children are the driving forces behind purchasing a PC, although 43% acknowledge that their offspring were under a certain amount of peer pressure. On the education side, three-quarters of parents felt that their kids would benefit from a PC although their were still some who were sceptical about the issue.
If you have any comments on the above research or have strong views about computers in the home or pronography on the Interent, then email us with you views.
An additional element of the software allows tests and assessments to be conducted live over the Internet with instant feedback. This is currently being used by the magazine to receive entries for our own Awards to be made at the opening ceremony of BETT '96.
Web : http://www.qmark.com/.
Dyslexia Internet is run by teachers Tony and Philippa Attwood of Multi Sensory Learning which was started when they discovered that their youngest daughter was dyslexic.
Email : firstand@rmplc.co.uk
WWW: http://www.rmplc.co.uk/orgs/firstand
These figures added to those of the last three years, mean that more than a third of schools nationwide have benefitted from 21,000 additional Acorn computers and over 80,000 items of computer related equipment.
More than 25,000 schools eill receive information packs on the 1996 next spring, which will include Scotland after Tesco's acquisition of some 50 William Low stores. .
For further details contact Tracey Baldwin, NCET, Milburn Hill Road, Science Park, Coventry CV4 7JJ, tel 01203 416994, fax 01203 411418.
Email tracey_baldwin@ncet.org.uk
Phil Hemmings, education Marketing manager, Apple Computers UK, presented an enlightening seminar on how parents could make the best educational use of their home computers, and how the growing presence of computers in the home would influence the position of IT in education.
To show the power of the Mac, Tom Baird, Senior Researcher at Claris, demonstrated how ClarisWorks templates for primary and secondary could be used across the curriculum.
Finally Tony Wheeler, Managing Director, TAG Developments showed how to use Hyperstudio to enhance pupil's project work. There were plenty of easy examples for non-specialists, including the secrets of video capture, digital cameras, the internet and interactive dinosaurs!
Although only a small survey, quizzing just 105-high street shoppers on the various motivating factors behind their recent, or planned purchase, the survey does give an insight into the public's perception of home PCs used for connecting to the Interent.
Surfing the Interent was a key consideration for just 44%, with 60% of those either connected or planning to, not concerend about the possibility of their children accessing unpleasantries such as pornography. One of the key issues for purchasers of home PCs is was the fast evolving nature of computer technology, where 32% confessed to having very limited understanding of what they are buying. Of these people, at least half feared that their machine would quickly date and become obsolete, a concern supported by four in ten of those who claimed to understand the computer jargon.
