Journal/News Snippets

Wigan International Film Festival
3rd - 6th November 2004

Primary aged children from across the Wigan area are having a crash course in animation with MGL. They will be taken through the rudiments of making a film from storyboarding to camera skills. Their knowledge will be put into practice when they make short animation based on the work they are studying back in the classroom.

On Saturday 6th November, Wigan Pier will be hosting a special screening to premiere all of these new films, with the kids coming along with their friends and families to watch their work on the big screen.

For more information go to www.wlct.org.uk/filmfest

Web Design Challenge

Budding young web designers are to get the chance to make their mark in a new initiative to celebrate internet design skills in the classroom. Arts Minister Estelle Morris launched the Web Design Challenge today, a joint project from the Hansard Society and the Design Museum. For More information visit the Wired Government website.

Personalised Learning

The latest DfES Publication on personalised learning is here entitled ‘A National Conversation about Personalised Learning’ which invites teachers, managers, learners and parents to get involved in the national debate about the latest buzzword for education. The main focuses of Personalised Learning are: How can we help every child do even better?; What teaching practices should we employ to do so?; How together can we solve the specific challenges faced in each school?

MGL will be running seminars over the next month trying to deconstruct this enigma, so keep an eye on the diary for news. In the meantime, you can download the DfES publication by clicking here.

For further information on Personalised Learning you can Read Professor David Hargreaves' recent papers for Demos on the subject of personalising learning or Read David Miliband's speeches on personalised learning and contribute to the debate

NESTA Futurelab Design Challenge 2005

MGL is pleased to announce that teachers from MGL Partner Schools are taking part in the Design Challenge 2005 working alongside consultants from MGL and students from Universities across the North West. Design Challenge is a high profile event supported by government, industry, academic, teaching and creative sectors. A beacon of creative innovation, the challenge provides participants at all levels with a hugely rewarding experience.

Now in its second year, the challenge brings together teams of four people, from a combination of teaching and multimedia backgrounds, to produce a prototype of a new learning resource. The catch is that they only have three days in which to complete it!

Managed in association with GameLab London, the event promises to be a source of inspired new learning resources and a model of what can be achieved when a diverse team pulls together with a common aim. The final hothouse event is timed to take place just before BETT 2005, the major educational technology show in London. A high profile champagne reception at BETT is a chance to toast the winners and meet those involved in Design Challenge 2005.

Check back here for news of how our teams get on!