So this blog will not only allow me, my pupils and you dear reader (note singular!)to comment on and contribute to my usage of ICT, but to also keep a sort of record of progress, which will hopefully help with evaluations of effectiveness.

In August 2007, I finally got a Smartboard in my classroom. So far I have used it in a fairly pedestrian way but I am making more time to be more adventurous. I have also started to look at websites that offer free smartboard lessons. Two problems; very little on History for the Scottish curriculum and, secondly, some need to have IT administrator permission to download.

I have set up a website, for want of a better word, which is being used in a basic way but is popular by the pupils. I am basically putting handouts given out in class onto the site. Why? Pupils lose them, pupils may be absent. There are revision guides and exam skills booklets. One effective use was getting my Higher and Int2 pupils to construct a good introduction as a class with one pupil typing it up ‘live’. Once they were happy with it, it went onto the site. I need to get pupils to be more active on the site or maybe I need a wiki but I don’t know what they are and do. (Something to learn)

http://thegordonschools.typepad.co.uk/history/

I have recently set up an e-mail account specifically for communication between me and pupils. I did this to overcome some of the problems with long term absences and snow closure days. Early days for any evaluation.

mrdavidsonb21@googlemail.com

Apart from that, pupils have access to IT suites, can do homework on PCs and some have done Mary Queen of Scots films on their mobile phones.