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An inclusive project between a UK special school and a mainstream school in Norway using various communication technologies ( including “flash meeting” video conferencing) to discover and exchange information to learn and appreciate the differences and similarities between our schools our communities and family life.
Powerpoint presentations - Our neighbourhood - using digital photographs pupils had taken themselves during ict lessons. Exchanged by E mail to each partner school and also uploaded onto a project website, 'A day in the life of ….' Pupils individually produce a powerpoint presentation showing a typical day in their life. Pupils produced holiday scrapbooks – these were then scanned and e mailed between the schools. A selection were uploaded to the web.
Music technology - Joint recordings of poems and songs. Each school producing a track. Pupils at Minde School Norway producing the final CD – St Lukes uploading it to the website.
Digital video films produced of each school – using digital blue video camera and editing suite.http://www.stlukes.herts.sch.uk/comenius/europe1.avi
Project Newsletter produced by each school on a termly basis using microsoft publisher exchanged and printed off in each school for distribution to staff,parents and pupils.
Discussion via video conference
- Using video conferencing technology to link live between pupils in each school. Regularly weekly vc class to class discussion of hobbies, favourite foods, News reports, language learning and other related topics as above. Video conferences using high end equipment and webcam conferencing tools (flashmeeting) for live regular staff meetings to discuss the project progress.
The use of these communication technologies has brought the curriculum to life. Using technology for real purpose and audience. All our Tutor Groups are now named after European Countries and each is developing links with a school in that country. St Luke’s pupils have learning difficulties in reading and writing and the use of these technologies with less emphasis on complex written skills has given them the opportunity to demonstrate and develop confidence in their ICT skills and has shown they can be equal to their ‘ordinary’ peers. This project has also greatly increased the ICT skills and confidence of staff.
“Technology has been used in a very creative to meet the needs of children with special education needs…The whole school level awareness is also one of the project strengths.”
“When international work is planned into the annual work of a school it has so much more chance to succeed. This is the right approach to take for a fully sustainable project”
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