Tanya Byron has just completed an extensive exercise in the UK to review the safety of children when using the internet and video games.

The Byron report identifies the significant educational value that can be achieved from this form of technology. CDROM’s,  DVD’s and the internet all have a place and should be encouraged as forms of educational games, educational toys and teaching resources. They certainly have a place at both ends of the learning spectrum. DVD’s exist to help babies from six months learn the alphabet, doctors are being taught heart surgery from educational DVD featuring exceptional graphics of the heart. And eminent university professors cite the growing role of educational DVD’s on the campus.

But we also have to content with misguided elements that misuse their obvious computer design skill to create mayhem and concern towards financial or status gain. Not so easy to judge the content by the title and graphics of on the packaging the Byron report urged the grading of DVD’s allowing parents and relatives to differentiate safe content from adult categories.

In the face of cries of the UK becoming a Nanny state from some elements the educational industry and especially keen2learn welcome the move. It provides safeguards from undesirable content and an effective risk assessment for parents. As Edmund Burke quoted “All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.” If only we could convert the skill of the miscreant towards good we would not need internet monitors, computer virus protection and grading systems. But we live in a real world.

 

Children’s Internet Monitor with Netintelligence.

Netintelligence’s online internet monitoring programme allows parents to customise web access by their children, filter out unwanted sites and monitor all instant messaging conversations (including MSN Messenger). You can select and control the time spent on any 3 computers in the household both on and off line and keep out dangerous viruses – all in one easy-to-use product. The computer activity can be discretely viewed in clear and easy to understand reports on line. Your computer(s) will automatically receive the latest anti virus and web blocking updates each time you connect to the internet.

The software was created by some of the smartest technical brains around, and tested by the people that matter – Parents who wanted to:-

• Know who their kids were chatting to.
• Control their kids’ computer usage.
• Stop their kids’ from viewing inappropriate web sites
• Protect their computers from viruses
• Monitor their kids’ activities even when they are away from home (laptops)
• Simple to install and use
• All of the above at the best price available

Simple to Install & Use

Built for Windows XP & 2000, Netintelligence is very simply installed in less than 5 minutes and ready for use immediately.

Customisable Web Site Blocking & Filtering

You decide what you want your family to view when they are surfing the Internet. Fully customizable to meet the differing age ranges and needs of your family.

Safe Internet Zones

Create a totally Safe Internet Zone allowing kids access to web sites that you have determined safe and appropriate. These can be selected for 3 individual users. .

Instant Messaging Recording & Monitoring

Detailed analysis of the time, date, duration and contact members of your family have been chatting using Instant Messenger. You can even drill down to see the transcripts of the ‘conversations’ that took place.

Time Controls

Set limits when your family use both the computer and the internet in half hour blocks – perfect if you’re worried that the kids are spending too long playing the latest computer game and forgetting their homework!

Anti Virus

Netintelligence includes automatic protection from viruses, Trojans and worms. No daily updates for you to collect, no daily download to install, you do absolutely nothing!

Email Protection

Email is the most typical source of virus infection. Netintelligence checks and cures both your incoming and outgoing mail in real-time.

Computer Usage

ADSL connection is ‘always on’ but just how much time does your family spend using the computer? Netintelligence provides you with a detailed view of the length of time each user spends on the computer and, perhaps more importantly – when.

Application/Software Usage

Gives a breakdown of the top applications and software used by members of your family

Away from Base?

If your kids or family members have a laptop they are still protected regardless of when or where they connect to the net.

On Line Control Centre

You can change your settings, set policies, and view your reports from any net connected PC at any time. Get an instant snapshot of the families activities, identify areas of concern, and then take immediate action – all with a simple click of the mouse. All information is available for the last 30 days

TRY and BUY

We believe that Netintelligence is the most complete Parental Control & Internet Security package available anywhere but don’t take our word for it – TRY IT!

You can download and install Netintelligence on up to 3 separate computers completely FREE of charge for 30 days – with absolutely no obligation to purchase.

Click here to go directly to the Netintteligence site to sign up & download a copy of the software – it takes less than a minute to start your free 30 day trial.

And at the end of the trial period you simply pay £39.99 per year to get Netintelligence for 3 machines.( That’s a saving of £10 on the standard retail price of £49.99 )

The possibility of any child learning through playing educational games is considerably higher than is achieved by reading a text book or listening in class. Unfortunately the chance to play these games in school is limited to the timetable, equipment available, and inevitably a shared experience. Although this has some merit as children learn quickly from their peers it lacks the opportunity for a child to practice the content at their own pace.

Teachers, welcoming the involvement of parents have sought many ways in the past to mobilise parents with mixed success. Now the same maths games, science games and reading games etc. used as classroom resources can be used at home to make a real difference.

Learning seen as fun naturally attracts a child’s attention helping them to excel. Used to supplement conventional homework that is mostly seen as a chore, these games present a fantastic chance for parents to get pro-actively involved from foundation to GCSE.

The world is a small place. Rapidly expanding and almost instantaneous transfer of information, we are reaching parts of the world that were, until a few years ago, impenetrable. Previously a dearth of knowledge led us to believe that such countries were different, alien and held disparate views on life. Perhaps the greatest surprise once a door is opened is the amazing similarity in the aspirations and fears held by parents for their children. Paramount, irrespective of race, creed and colour are concerns over the health and education of their children.  Despite the development in technology, the removal of many barriers to freedom and the realisation of a global market, schooling of children remains an international and fundamental concern.

Learning starts early and involves parents playing educational games with their children. The element of fun is a fantastic stimulus that should be present throughout life’s learning journey, but is largely lost as children go to school.

Parents in Fairfax County USA have the same fears and aspirations as those in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and the UK. Our knowledge base and influences are becoming international rather than parochial. Globalisation is instigating vast changes in our society, for example just flip over the nearest manufactured object and see if it is not made in China.

If parents view education as a global concern, expressing concerns with current schooling standards why are we unable to correct falling standards. The English language could achieve the status of a global first or second language within a generation thanks in no small part to the spread of the internet. Should we therefore consider a global curriculum with international investment? Vast sums are wasted in localised attempts. Britain as an example invested 22 billion of pounds Sterling over the last 10 years is witnessing falling standards in numeracy and literacy. Many children inadequately equipped to progress from primary to high school subsequently fail to thrive.

The world’s population is expanding yet the number of teachers is not. Stress, changing attitudes in society and pressure to achieve influence many to leave the profession early. So how do we overcome this mounting issue? Whilst computers have infinitely greater processing capacity than three years ago, and many life saving drugs have been developed, academic achievement fundamental to the progression of this cycle is not improving at the same speed. Educational experiments have failed and we are re-introducing teaching techniques contemporary during the lunar landings.

The scaling benefit of a global curriculum would reduce resource costs and widen the application. Perhaps it should also encourage parents to take an active part. Educational games are still fun, stimulate learning and play a crucial role as a teaching resource in school. But they can be used with additional impact at home to replicate the lesson at the pace of the child. The mobilisation of vast numbers of parents providing this additional focus can help overcome the fall in educational standards, and as the saying goes; many hands make light work.

Alistair Owens

Most schools do an excellent job of teaching children to read. But so many other schools do not. Even in schools that do an overall good job, some students fall through the cracks and don’t learn to read at primary school. The result is a child struggling to catch up for years to come. 

Reading failure erodes the child’s self-confidence, makes reading a puzzling or terrifying experience with sometimes devastating short and long-term effects. Your child may have come out of primary school believing that reading is nothing more than learning the alphabet, looking at pictures and memorizing words. Maybe they think it is a guessing game based on the first letter of the word or the context in which the word occurs. Youngsters who fail to learn to read on schedule lack self-confidence because they have learned that they are failures. They dislike “reading,”  school and often struggle to succeed in life.

You can avoid these problems by arming your child with proven reading tools before going to school.then supplementing those skills with a good reading programme at home while your child is in their Key stage 1. 

Your child will succeed and associate schooling with FUN. Just as this success is great for your child, it will give you the confidence that you can teach reading skills. Once your child has reading skills you have a lot of options of what to teach next.

The greatest single predictor of various antisocial behaviour, use of drugs, teen pregnancy, crime, and school failure is failure to learn how to read. In 1998, the National Institute of Health and Human Development in the USA recognised not learning to read as not simply an educational problem but as a problem of health and welfare.

Success in learning to read is certainly not a cure-all for life and happiness, but it is imperative for school success. As a rule: no reading, no bright academic future. The flip side of the reading coin is that children who know how to read have many opportunities available to them that non-readers and poor readers do not have.

One truly amazing program that we have found is ClickN’ READ Phonics. This Online Beginning Reading Program contains 100 precisely sequenced, research based lessons designed by nationally recognized research professor Dr. J. Ron Nelson. The result is a beginning reading program that is beyond compare. All other phonics products and programs are simply toys when compared to ClickN’ READ Phonics.

The program is designed for children as young as 4 years old and teaches the phonics curriculum taught at USA public schools. Children who are learning to read English for the first time, those who are struggling with reading and children with learning disabilities should use the program. It even helps adults who are learning English as a second language.

ClickN’ READ Phonics is the only reading program to simulate live reading tutor instruction. The on-screen instructor speaks to the child exactly like an expert reading teacher would in a classroom setting. Your child learns in an environment where answers are learned and not simply given away by the programme. Your child must respond correctly to move forward within a lesson and the program re-teaches until the correct response in learned. This program also provides detailed progress reports which provide an accurate assessment of what the child has learned.

This cutting edge program is designed to be so easy that your child can do it all by themselves. Daily instruction is as simple as the child completing a lesson and the parent reviewing the report. Your child can use it on their own with minimal supervision further building your child’s confidence through self achievement. The lessons are taught in colourful interactive space themed classrooms by a lovable Disney-Style animated Dog ClickN’ KID, which keeps the element of fun so your kids will love it.

Everything needed is built into the program and it is the only product you will need to learn to read English. The program is used online just like viewing standard web pages. Your child can use it at home, at Grandma’s, at the office or while on vacation. There is no software to install and no waiting for shipping. You just complete your purchase and immediately begin using the product.

 

Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Madison Spirit USA

The group, which meets quarterly during the year, was formed in 2000 to give parents of dyslexic children support and encouragement. The group began with three mothers of dyslexic children in Madison USA and now more than 190 families, teachers and tutors in all counties in North Alabama participate.

Each meeting is casual and covers all aspects of dyslexia, including maths games giving parents practical, hands-on suggestions that work.
Advertisement

“The best thing about the dyslexia parent support group is learning that you are not alone in the struggle to help your child,” said Angie Hood, Madison Learning Differences support group coordinator. “Dyslexia is a scientifically proven, neurologically based disability, but despite all the research, and despite efforts to increase awareness in our area in the past eight years, the public still does not understand dyslexia. It really helps parents to attend the meetings because they hear from other parents about things that really work to make that struggle easier. We see that our children can succeed, and they can excel if there is a partnership between the teacher, the school administrators and the parents.”

SCHOOLS must do more to involve parents in school life, according to Wales’ new chief inspector for schools. In just six months  Dr. Bill Maxwell warned that Wales was in danger of losing its tradition of respecting and valuing education unless more was done to engage parents and carers.“Good schools are taking notice but some need to try harder,” Dr Maxwell said.

“A lot of countries, including Wales, talk about a dip in performance in the early secondary school stages. One of the ways to counter that is to keep that engagement strong between parents, kids and the school.

“Parents tend to get engaged again when their children do exams but in the early years of secondary things can drift.”

A positive role to be considered  by parents is to reinforce the classroom lesson. Homework can take on a new dimension and to help are the range of maths games, literacy games, and teaching resources that follow the curriculium.

“Parents want to be involved if they are welcomed in, but that depends on the head. If you are not high up the educational ladder you may feel you don’t understand what the teacher says or be intimidated and more needs to be done to get these parents involved.”

Steven Bowden, head of Porth County Community School, in one of the most deprived parts of Wales, has upped parental involvement by getting them to help run activities and learn with their children.

Take a look at the full article in icWales  

Concerned opinion  in the UK has emerged over the role homework has to play in the schooling process. Critically the Government and teachers are at odds over the benefits. The real issue is  the process can be seen as a chore by teachers and children defeating the huge benefit that can be achieved. More importantly by taking a different tack homework, using modern technology,  can be used to effectively engage parents in the schooling process.

After 50 years the much questioned Learning Pyramid (National  Training Laboratories ) remains intact. It states that the second most significant element of learning retention is achieved through practice.

Many teachers accept the time available in class to practice the lesson content is limited and homework therefore has is a multi role objective. It provides an element of practice and also helps children to work on their own away from the teacher. This helps build test and exam skills.

The key way to learn is to also enjoy doing it. Children, parents or teachers who regard homework as a chore are missing the point. Most children who excel are largely influenced by enjoying the subject or project.  Surely the key to effective homework is therefore to make it enjoyable.  Turning it into a fun exercise using educational games would be far more productive.

There is concern over the drop in performance in a child’s schooling that can occur as they move up to secondary school. A significant number of 11- 13 children who excelled in primary school fail to thrive at secondary level. The experience of the larger environment, spread in pupil ages, number of teachers and lesson structure all conspire to overwhelm.

Now add the 100,000 children in the UK who did not get into the school of their choice. They enter secondary level already primed with a feeling of rejection and parental chagrin. It is difficult to see the solution apart from a dramatic increase in the number of good local schools.  An understandable reaction by many parents to their plight is to consider the possibility of home educating their children. Whilst this is a reasonable option it requires a significant commitment that may ultimately prove to be impractical. But there is an alternative.

A child’s schooling motivation needs careful handling but the process initiated in school can now gain further emphasis with parents. Teachers use a range of educational games such as  maths games as the main teaching resource to support lessons. Their subsequent use at home now allows parents to reinforce the lesson content in the relaxed home environment at the pace of the child. The opportunity to practice leads to greater learning retention and helps overcome resistance or sticking points at school. It also provides parents with a dynamic view of their child’s performance rather than the historic end of term report.

Many children contending with a new school would benefit from parental mentoring related to the schooling activity. Advice from the teacher, followed through by visit to an online website such as www.keen2learn.co.uk  The extensive range of educational games matched to the curriculum could help fill any gap left by the “wrong school”.

 

The annual lottery is amongst us. 25% of children in the UK will not get into the secondary school of their choice. That’s a staggering 100,000 disappointed families. The Minister for school’s advice to appeal against the local decisions is well meant, but do schools with the pressure they are under to perform have the capacity to deal with 100,000 appeals from displaced parents?

If appeals are upheld the precedent could create even greater annual mayhem. The ideal outcome would be a dramatic rise in the number of good schools. In the meantime extra children being shoehorned into larger class sizes at existing preferred schools seems an undesirable outcome. A significant number of 11-13 years old’s already fail to thrive in the secondary environment, which must surely increase as a result of either fighting for a place in a good school or having to attend an indifferent school in another area.

The interactive role of the parent is vital in either outcome. Educational authorities consistently promote the profound and continuing role parents can play in the schooling process. Despite the current surface trauma this activity can be real fun! The educational games used as a teaching resource in school are now available on-line to parents. www.keen2learn.com as an example offer a huge range of maths games, English games, and science games that follow the curriculum. Spending time with your child at home recapping on the lesson content is highly practical, enjoyable and can reap dividends.