It’s generally perceived as cheap as chips and has passionate advocates but is open source software (OSS) something your school should be considering? Here Greg Adams looks at the pros and cons. Licensed software, the products you buy from the likes of Microsoft and Adobe, has dominated the […]
The server is probably the most important piece of kit on your computer network. Choosing the right one for your school takes planning and know-how, writes Greg Adams. What is a server? If you’re not familiar with servers you may think of them as some mystical beast with […]
Should students be allowed access in exams to computers or even the Internet? Author and exam guru Patrick Sherratt looks at the pros and cons such a move would bring. In their latest book, Unlimited, Gordon Dryden and Jeannette Vos deliver an amazing array of examples of how […]
While today’s students have wide ranging technology at their fingertips, the electronic book market in schools is still in its infancy. Lee Suckling takes a look at the use and value of eBooks. “While we’re not ready to pull the plug on libraries just yet, eBooks will become […]
Teachers should focus on information and learning, not on the technology and simply getting ICT into their classrooms, believes David Warlick. How is ICT changing what teachers can do? Technology has done a lot but what’s really impacting on teachers is how information is changing. A number of […]
Imagine a world where all the teaching resources you need – lesson plans, handouts, textbooks, and more – are freely available for you to use and modify without restriction. Wayne Mackintosh wants to make it happen… but he needs your help. As a teacher, I find it difficult […]
Florence Lyons believes technology could have been invented for language teachers and uses it as much as she can. When I first came to New Zealand in 2006, I was surprised to see how much teachers were using IT in their classrooms (and that everybody was given a […]
Twitter’s great isn’t it! It’s a fun, quick and easy way to communicate with friends. Twouble is, what happens when others are watching, too? Greg Adams investigates. You’ve probably heard of Twitter. You may even be among the growing number of ‘Twitterers’. What exactly is it? Well, the […]
Making effective use of your IWB can enrich the teaching and learning experience. Here are a few tips for getting the best out of your interactive whiteboard. 1. Location, location Always think about where the board is positioned and space around it. Make sure there’s plenty of room […]
Recently Diocesan School for Girls suspended a number of Year 10 students for making derogatory comments on social networking site Facebook. How would you deal with a situation like this? Here’s what some INTERFACEreaders had to say on the matter. “I think it was good for the school to […]
Last year’s Unisys Kidz Connect initiative handed out $1,000 cash grants to primary school teachers. Here’s how three of them spent their money. Project: Little Language Experts Name: Amanda Signal School: Elm Park School Little Language Experts was a collaborative languages project that took place between Jess McCulloch’s […]
What are the potential uses and pitfalls for mobile phones in the classroom? E-fellow Toni Twiss used her research time to find out. The technological capabilities of mobile technology such as cellphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are developing at a furious pace. While today’s Web-capable mobile devices […]
