Teachers Educate Themselves About the Risks of Social Media

Thirty-one teachers at Wistaston Church Lane Primary School were the first in the UK to complete a StaySocialSafe course, aimed at educating teachers on the risks and opportunities of using social media at work and at play.

 
James Bancroft, deputy head said, “Our school believes that social networking presents a real opportunity for communicating with parents and the community effectively. We recognise the role that platforms like Facebook and Twitter will play in the lives of our pupils in the future. It is vital that our staff have an understanding of the opportunities social networking presents, and also the potential risks of social media in order to protect themselves and our pupils in the future. StaySocialSafe delivered an outstanding course which trained our staff, who have vastly different experiences of using networking. Our staff feel happy that they can enjoy social networking responsibly and we feel more confident about teaching about the e-Safety issues around the internet.”

 
Participate Ltd launched its StaySocialSafe service in response to growing concerns about how social media is used at work and at play. Social media is truly a revolution in the way we communicate. But already there is evidence that people don’t always understand, how to use it appropriately and the consequences of getting it wrong.

 
A teacher in Hull facing the sack because of comments made on social media

 
A Housing Manager in Trafford demoted and pay cut due to comments made to “friends”

 
Virgin Airways staff sacked for comments made about the company

 

Employees tweeting negative comments about clients by accident on the company twitter handle.

 
Having a social media policy offers some protection but, on its own, it is not enough because social media is such a fundamental shift in human communications.

 
Participate’s StaySocialSafe service has been designed to give people and organisations the confidence to use social media at work and at play without getting themselves or their employer into disrepute (often by accident).

 

The briefing and seminar sessions are designed to ensure that:

 

Staff understand how they should use social media at work and at play

 

Staff know how to manage security settings and behaviour to protect their private lives

 

Organisations do not lose key staff through a lack of understanding of safe behaviour in social media

 

Organisations protect themselves from inappropriate social media broadcasting by staff.

 

More information can be found at www.staysocialsafe.com

Perfect the Past Tense for GCSE French

Perfect the Past Tense for GCSE French is a resource which will give your students structured practice in a complex grammatical area which is vital to their success at GCSE.

It comprises a pack of photocopiable worksheets which will guide them step by step through the rules and uses of the perfect tense and help them to gain a ‘C’ or above at GCSE level. Explanations are clearly illustrated with plenty of examples to work through, and answers are included at the back of the book. Most of the exercises are designed to be worked through on an individual basis but there are also a couple of games which can be played in small groups.

Perfect the Past Tense has been designed and written by French teachers and tested in class where it proved to be immensely beneficial.

Sample pages can be viewed at http://pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/modlang/T1675.pdf

ISBN: 978 1 86083 730 2; Order code: T1675emn

The volume is available as…

Photocopiable report in a ring binder, £19.95 plus £3.95 delivery
CD with school-wide rights: £19.95 plus £3.95 delivery
Both the Ring Binder and the CD £26.94 plus £3.95 delivery
Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the book or CD…

By post to First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Way, Corby, NN17 4HH
On the phone with a school order number at 01536 399 011
By fax to 01536 399 012
On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=492

Think b4 u Post Your Reputation and Privacy on Social Networking Sites

A person normally wouldn’t shout out the details of a private meeting or give a credit card to a total stranger – yet in effect that’s what people do when they post indiscreetly on social networking sites or are duped by phishing scams.

Social networking has transformed our society – many people of all ages now conduct business, interact with friends, meet new people, and take part in financial transactions via social networking sites.

While there are tremendous benefits to these opportunities and connectivity, there are also hidden dangers and common pitfalls. Even unintentional or seemingly harmless online actions can damage an individual’s security and reputation.

Think b4 u Post is a new DVD resource for classroom presentation and pupil reference that uses a light touch to deliver some very serious information on how people can protect their reputation and guard their privacy online while still having a good time using social networking sites.

Preview Clip

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: – after viewing the 22-minute programme, including free downloadable support material, students will be able to:

Recognise the benefits and potential pitfalls of social networking
Enhance decision-making capabilities around online behaviour
Adopt simple activities to increase internet safety
Recognise and avoid online scams and criminal activity
Make positive social choices while interacting online.
Think b4 u Post doesn’t try to limit the fun and practicality of online interaction and social networking sites; conversely, it provides insight to enhance your online experience to keep you texting, posting, and emailing safely for years to come.

Order on approval from Viewtech Educational Media for only £36 (includes public performance rights discounted for use within a single educational establishment, excluding p&p and VAT.

To order click here and then complete your order details online. Quote promotional discount code: TBP378 at the checkout and then choose to “Order Now” and pay against our invoice or “Buy Now” for payment by credit/debit card. Orders are normally despatched by post next-working day.

For any further information or assistance please contact us.

Viewtech Educational Media
7-8 Falcons Gate
Dean Road
Yate
Bristol
BS37 5NH
England
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tel: 01454 858055
fax: 01454 858056

email: mail@viewtech.co.uk

http://www.viewtech.co.uk

A new way to revise: Videos for AS AQA Geography

Hi, my name is Will, and I’d like to talk to you about the Geography videos I’ve filmed.

Last year, I decided to combine my passion for Geography with my love of film-making. As a Geography student myself, I realised that I could talk to students as a peer and help them through their AS Geography exams.

The result is A Level AQA Revision Videos and Worksheets for Rivers, Floods and Management. Each 3–5-minute video is a ‘how to’ for common exam questions – guiding your AS Geographers to achieve top marks.

My teacher, Suzanne Knights, checked all my scripts to make sure all the geography is correct and relevant to the A Level AQA specification. And the videos have now been published by ZigZag Education. I’m pleased to say the videos have received excellent feedback:

‘A really useful resource that will have an impact on your students’ learning and grades… well planned and very easy to use – can be used both in class or as an independent study resource… great breadth and depth… explores the complete course a different form of presentation that students will really value… It will engage students… A must for visually impaired students… The examples cover the specification and this is supported with a high level of terminology.’ (Timothy Dixon, Geography Teacher, Examiner and Independent Reviewer)

To maximise what your students can get out of these videos, worksheets are provided (with answers). Students fill in the answers on the worksheet, consolidating their revision, and allowing you to check their work too.

You can now order the videos and share them with your students.

View the trailer now at http://zigzag.at/UM54

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16 friendly videos with matching worksheets, all specifically created for AS AQA.

Ideal for visual and auditory learners
Worksheets encourage students to actively engage with the videos
Great for cover lessons, homework and revision.
Easy to load onto your school network/VLE, or use the DVD in class

16 videos with scripts included
16 worksheets with answers
60 minutes of fantastic footage.

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A Level AQA Revision Videos and Worksheets: Rivers, Floods and Management (UM54/4513) is available as a photocopy master with site licence (£69+VAT). Includes: DVD, equivalent video files, worksheets, scripts.

Order now at http://zigzag.at/UM54

ZigZag Education, Unit 3, Greenway Business Centre, Doncaster Road, Bristol BS10 5PY

t: 0117 950 3199 | f: 0117 959 1695 | geographyUM54@zigzageducation.co.uk

Give your promotional code UM54 to get free postage!

A radical is a man with both feet planted firmly in the air

The ability for students to be able to quote famous political figures and theorists is a requirement that is commonly overlooked in many Politics resources.

It is with this in mind that we have developed our More Political Quotes resource designed to give students easy access to the range of political quotes available and to help expand their vocabulary in this area.

Quotes from a wide number of figures from the political world are included as well as some unconventional figures.

What’s more, observations have also been included in order to enliven the student’s interest. From “Ideology does not by its nature lend itself to compromise” to “A revolution is legality on holiday” this book contains quotes on every political opinion and view.

This may also stimulate further research into those political figures and theorists – an excellent opportunity for independent learning.

‘More political quotes’ is the perfect accompaniment to studying Politics at any level from AS Level onwards.

The quotes can be printed off each day in order for the students to use them. This task could be given to one of the students themselves, and incentives could be used in order to encourage students to offer quotes.

Students might also add to the resource over time in an attempt to facilitate further research. For example, a quote might be taken and discussed further by the group as a whole.

This resource contains 36 copiable masters which are available as PDF downloads or as a PDF or editable Word files on a CD. The price of £29.99 + VAT is the same for all formats.

Once purchased the CD can be freely copied and networked throughout the school.

To see sample pages please email sales@classroom-resources.co.uk quoting the order code 2047.

You can order More Political Quotes in any of these ways:

On our website
By phone on 0117 940 6409
By fax on 0117 940 6408
By email (quoting a school order number) to sales@classroom-resources.co.uk
By post to: Classroom Resources, PO Box 1489, Bristol, BS99 3QJ

Large scale 3D routing – at a staggering discount

There’s little doubt that laser cutters have positively changed the outcome and expectations of students within the design technology curriculum.

What’s more, many schools have found that a 3D router is a beneficial extension to this technology, mainly due to their ability to work on large scale projects and with thicker, more durable materials.

As a result, the manufacture of real or full size project pieces such as furniture is a rewarding experience, encompassing a true to life manufacturing experience.

The cost of a large scale router can be more expensive than a medium format laser cutter. However we have one exhibition model Suregrave Gryphon (1220 x 610 mm), available on a first come first served basis.

The price has been reduced by a third on the exhibition Gryphon router (usual price £14,995) making the price £10,000 plus VAT.

You might also be interested in knowing that Trotec machines can be purchased outright or through our special finance for schools package which can spread the cost over and up to five years.

Additionally, you can keep the Gryphon covered against breakdown for the cost of an annual service for £499 anywhere in the UK mainland.

There’s more information on the Suregrave Grythpon on our website at http://www.suregrave.com/gryphon.html.

To find out more about any of the above, or to register your interest, email us at sales@troteclaser.co.uk and we’ll get back to you.

Alternatively give us a call on 01483 447590.

How do you tell who hasn’t got a backache?

Laptops and netbooks are wonderful inventions – except when you have to move them en masse from one part of the school to another.

You can of course put them on a trolley, but items can slip off trolleys. And besides, trolleys are wide things that don’t always fit into cupboards.

Which is why some laptops and netbooks get carried around, and why some people, as a result, get a backache.

But here’s a thought: supposing you could put all your laptops and/or netbooks in a suitcase and then (and this is the clever bit) put wheels on the suitcase – just as you have wheels on the suitcase you use when going to the airport.

That’s what the NetRoller netbook store and charge is – a suitcase on wheels that stores netbooks or laptops. And, as a bonus, it charges them too.

The NetRoller is exceptionally lightweight and robust, enabling you to charge and transport up to 16 netbooks up to 10.2” size. The laptop version, the LapRoller, can store 8 x 12” laptops.

What’s more, if storing space is limited, up to 3 NetRollers can be stacked on top of each other.

Each Netroller contains a built-in Electrical Power Management system (EPM) which monitors the amount of current coming from the mains supply which prevents the electric circuits from tripping.

An energy saving feature is also included: the Auto-Power-Off function automatically switches the unit off after a 8 hour charging cycle allowing the unit to charge overnight without wasting energy.

There is more detailed information on our website. Click here for details on the NetRoller and here for the LapRoller. Alternatively call us on 01753 53 99 55 or email us at sales@bretforduk.com for more details.