Newsletter
Autumn 2010
Welcome to our Christmas 2010 e-Learning Foundation newsletter
Education has been frontline news in recent weeks with the White Paper published, apparent u-turns on school sports funding, student protests and a potential rebellion from some Lib Dem MPs over controversial proposals for increased University tuition fees. Until schools have their capital and revenue budgets confirmed for the new academic year, and the phasing and value of the Pupil Premium is confirmed, it is hard to truly understand what the new landscape will look like. However, education cannot go on hold while the politicians implement the new order, and the e-Learning Foundation remains busy supporting schools planning new programmes to achieve 1:1 access to a device and the Internet for home and school.
Children without Internet Access are “seriously disadvantaged”
A joint survey of teachers by the e-Learning Foundation and the TES has found that over half believe that children who have no access to the internet at home are seriously disadvantaged when it comes to their education. Over a fifth of teachers think that broadband at home is essential for children to complete their homework, while almost two thirds say that it is desirable. And who would have thought that nearly a third believe that text books will become obsolete due to the expansion of Internet coverage and usage! A growing confidence in using technology, 68% said IT was more important in the classroom than traditional teaching materials, creates the ideal basis for extending the use of technology across the curriculum and for homework.
Dixons store group launches Christmas badge sale
As the chosen charity for Dixons Retail, along with Lifelites*, our specially designed Christmas badges and phone charms are on sale in all PC World and Currys stores for a suggested £1 donation. All proceeds from the sales are collected by Dixons at their tills and passed directly onto us and Lifelites. Make sure you pick up a badge when you are next in one of their stores – they make an ideal stocking filler! Each store has only one box of 50 badges so when they are sold there will be no more.
*Lifelites is a registered charity that provides specialist technology for childrens’ hospices
2011 Grant Round announcement
A new grants round for affilIated schools will be launched in March 2011. Schools already affiliated will be invited to renew their affiliation in the New Year. If you are not affiliated then please click on the panel to the left.
Come and meet us at BETT 2011
The e-Learning Foundation will be at its usual stand (M40) attending BETT in January. All of our School Liaison team will be there and they welcome the chance to discuss your ideas, plans and concerns. If you would like to book an appointment with your School Liaison Manager to ensure you do not miss him then please call us on 01932 796685 or email us on info@e-learningfoundation.com.
You can hear Chief Executive Valerie Thompson speak about Universal Access to ICT in the Seminar Programme at 1.15pm on Thursday 13th. And watch out for the news on the winners of the 2011 BETT awards – the e-Learning Foundation has been nominated as a finalist in the Leadership & Management category.
Give as you Live - A new way to shop online
Turn every pound you spend online into funds for The e-Learning Foundation and it doesn't cost you a penny!.
Whether you buy a book at Waterstones, a holiday on Yahoo! or even a laptop from Dixons, when you Give as you Live™, a portion of every purchase is sent to us at the e-Learning Foundation at no additional cost to you.
ICT Excellence Awards winners 2010
The ICT Excellence Awards is an awards scheme for schools, local authorities run by BECTA. We were very pleased to see so many e-Learning Foundation supported schools having success this year.
Hoo made the enable lease package work for them?!
The Hundred of Hoo School in Rochester, Kent,launched their first e-learning project to Y7 parents in September this year to a 250 pupil cohort. The school was delighted with the response from the many parents who chose to support the e-Learning project. Rob Pitman, ICT coordinator, has championed this project for several years and is eager to roll the scheme out to other year groups in 2011. An initial launch has already been made to Y8 parents.
Novatech joins the supporter ranks
Novatech are the latest company to sign up as a corporate partter to the e-Learning Foundation. Commenting on their intention to become a Corporate Partner, James Durrant, Head of Novatech Education, said “We are delighted to be partnering with the e-learning Foundation to help close the ‘digital divide’ in Britain’s schools. Novatech shares the Foundation’s aim to ensure that all children have access to the right learning technologies, both at home and at school, and that budget constraints don’t have to be a barrier to schools benefitting from the best in technology.”