schoolscape @ future project, an EU Minerva project
2. The interim report for Schoolscape @ future
The first stage of this project focused on the building of a framework
for a managed learning environment - an ongoing web based work
pack on Citizenship. Teachers and students were actively engaged
in developing resources and creating citizenship presentations.
In the second stage participants have been using the Citizenship
resources for a variety of projects from KS 1-4. All users can access
Key Skills resources: the core key skills of Application of Number,
Communication and Information Technology, and the wider key skills
of Improving Own Learning and Performance, Problem Solving and Working
with Others. Teachers have set up their own online classrooms, with
as many groups as are necessary to support differentiation. Students
have their own online portfolios, to save and develop their work.
A gallery is being designed so that the work can be seen publicly
without revealing the pupils personal details.
The UnITy website is a managed learning environment that is based
on a secure authenticated online community of teachers, students
and schools. Although there is open access to the educational resources
available in UnITy, Access to the functionality of the environment
requires users to register for a user name and password.
The functionality allows the upload and sharing of study material
between members of the community. This includes the upload of students'
work for checking and marking by teachers. Because the environment
is web based any of these functions can be performed at school,
home or any other location.
Teachers perform searches by subject content or study group to
keep track of student progress. Discussion forum facilities for
teachers and students provide both peer-group and directed interactivity
and feedback. Teachers collaborate on curriculum projects; share
materials and teach across conventional boundaries. Online tutorial
facilities are provided for students, either individually or as
a group. Students can collaborate both within their own school and
across the wider community.
Links to external material can be easily incorporated into the
online pool of resources. Students are offered selected citizenship
web sites to explore in researching their projects.
Teachers can register themselves and their pupils by contacting
the MirandaNet web editor who will authenticate their status.
The participants are working on four projects which are reported
below. All the work from these projects will eventually be published
on the UnITy website in teachers briefing packs. The appendix only
presents some of the additional illustrations and information that
will be on the site.
Interim case studies are grouped under each of the three project
headings.
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