Resources Update
Purple Mash is a fantastic addition to the 2Simple family. It is a web based programme suitable as a supplementary resource to support Literacy, Maths, ICT and thematic learning, offering a suite of creative tools. My love of the original 2Simple software has been re-ignited by this resource.
All work produced on the site can be saved online into each child's folder, meaning their work is accessible anywhere, or to other destinations (such as a local hard drive or memory stick).
My personal experience is with a mixed ability Year 3 class. Children have enjoyed working collaboratively at their own ability level to produce pieces of work that are of a high quality in both presentation and content. In the class some good improvements have been seen in the pupil's attitude and approach to their work, confidence using computers has increased greatly and standards of presentation. The resources are of a high quality and look fantastic when printed out.
The resource is paid for by annual subscription and offers fantastic value for money. Many 2Simple programs are included with the standard site including access to Simple City, 2Publish, Logo, 2Graph and aspects of 2Animate as well as new titles such as the fantastic 2Deisgn and Make and 2Publish extra as well as many others. There are also many 2Paint Projects which offer fun, textured painting projects which are useful for Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.
2Simple are definitely thinking ahead as they offer the option to have future titles added straight to Purple Mash saving a lot of time and effort loading programmes onto servers.
Quote from Schoolzone peer review
More info about Purple Mash here
Snowflake multi-touch software comes with over 25 applications. Snowflake Suite is compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7 and Mac and operates on virtually all multi-touch hardware technology platforms. Create that iPhone or iPad experience in the classroom
What others think about Snowflake
"Our objective is to create multi-touch systems for the masses, so we tested many multi-touch software solutions. After intensive research we concluded that Snowflake is the best multi-touch software solution that is available in the market. We tested software on a wide range of hardware configurations and Snowflake passed all tests with flying colors. Snowflake is higher performance in comparison to other multi-touch software solutions, as it responses faster to touches and gestures. It has a friendly user interface and even customizing the entire look and feel of the suite is easy. It has all the features one expects from a multi-touch environment."
Charles Aquilina MFMO, Kordin, Paola, Malta
"Delivering your audience with that "iPhone" or "iPad" experience is absolutely critical in today's touch market. Snowflake gives our customers the chance to get a "feel" for our products and get a sense for the touch screen response time, gesturing, accuracy and multi-touch. The Snowflake platform gives users the experience that they have come to expect. Sometimes people don't realize how important application software is to the interactive experience – it has the ability to make or break a product. Snowflake software gives us the opportunity to communicate how our products respond to touch better than some of the other programs out there! "
Kelly M. Leff Marketing Director, Touch International (USA)
What is Edubuntu?
Edubuntu is a free Linux operating system and software for schools
Edubuntu is a grassroots movement, we aim to get Ubuntu into schools, homes and communities and make it easy for users to install and maintain their systems.
We are students, teachers, parents and hackers who believe that learning and knowledge should be available to everyone who wants to improve themselves and the world around them.
Our Goals
Our aim is to put together a system that contains all the best free software available in education and make it easy to install and maintain.
An Ubuntu Project
The majority of the technical work that the Edubuntu team performs occurs within the Ubuntu project. All the packages we work on are available in the Ubuntu software repositories and the Edubuntu DVD is built from the exact same repositories as the Ubuntu discs and other official derivatives.
The EuSCRIBE Project
The aim of this research was to develop guidelines for the use of IWB on behalf of European Schoolnet. Across Europe, practitioners are working at different stages with IWB. Some have had their own IWB in their classroom for years, whilst for others, this is an embryonic idea which has yet to be realised.
The EuSCRIBE report provides valuable insights, advice and guidelines for teachers and administrators at International, regional and local level
Below are links to some excellent resources for interactive whiteboards and Touch screens.
Some are specific to a certain brand, but the ideas can still be used on most of them.
We aren't specifically recommending a certain brand. Some teachers of the deaf like the SMART Board because they don't have to use a digital pen to write on the board, hindering their signing. Some of the more portable systems like the Mimio and the eBeam are good for more transient classrooms. The ActivBoard has a lot of built-in templates and resources; but there are probably more online resources for the SMART Board (at this time).
Whiteboard and Touch Screen resources
Application Tutorials and Resources