The art of reading a story to children has met with severe competition. Technology has deflected attention to Gameboy, Nintentdo, Wii, mobile phones and computers. Parents, seeing their child so occupied have little chance to infiltrate their busy schedule. Probably, as parents, they also lead a similar hectic lifestyle, at work and home. The story remains untold.

Technology in the form of MightyBook on-line reading games has come to the rescue. On-line stories are now available allowing children and parents to dip into libraries of stories and educational games. Actors are the story teller, cartoons characters animate the story and the script is highlighted in time with the spoken word. These reading resources allow parents an easy and enjoyable route to providing interactive support to their children whilst learning the techniques of storytelling by examples. MightyBook from keen2learn is maybe the answer to a parents and a child’s dream, especially as many of the 600 stories in the service have been written by children. Ah- storytelling and writing is not dead.

On the face of it do we still really need a good story teller? Is this skill still relevant in today’s technological world where video games, films and TV appear to have diminished the role of books? Strip down any film, documentary, advertisement or pop video and you will find the outline of how the story should be told and how the scenes should progress. Known as the “storyboard” it lays down all the facets needed to set the scene and tell the “story.” It would appear that we still need storytellers. The one great activity that brings children closer to parents, fires the imagination, develops self expression and creative skills all have a basis  in the joy of storytelling.

It is claimed that all stories are based on a selection from seven themes. This includes soap operas and probably accounts for the reason East Enders has similar plots to Neighbours and Coronation Street. The soap opera, whose first proponent was attributed to Charles Dickens, has changed little in format but the quality of writing has perhaps suffered. The Dickens output, developing atmosphere intrigue and richness of plot and character still holds an audience spell board some 150 years later. The current series of “Little Dorrit” being shown on UK TV is a classic example of the genre.

Could storytelling, especially bedtime stories  be at risk from the ogre of modern technology after thousands of years of conventional use? It is claimed our attention span has reduced; films need frequent action points, TV needs a change of pace or scene every 30 seconds to prevent channel hoping. Yet novels are now being written at an increasing rate. Is this perhaps the result of word processors with automatic grammar and spell checks making the process making it easier to capture the written word; or are we able to maintain the inbuilt storytelling talent despite all? Critically the analysis can only be compared over the last 10 years. Google, Internet, email and affordable computers only appeared from 1997. Ten years is not long, coinciding with the length of the schooling journey for a child. If any harm has been done we will find out in the next few years. Crucially during this same period there has been a huge decline in parents reading to their children, and the absence of this seed corn may have damaged the future potential. Not a pretty thought.

Alistair Owens Keen2learn

Am I alone in marvelling at the forces of biology, physics and maths. When all three coincide the synergy of  science games becomes more apparent. With this in mind perhaps you could answer the following conundrum.

• Biology: Yoghurt is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Fermentation of the milk sugar (lactose) produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to give yoghurt its texture and its characteristic tang. It is generally viscous.

• Physics: Gravitation is a natural phenomenon by which objects with mass attract one another. In everyday life, gravitation is most commonly thought of as the agency which lends weight to objects with mass.

• Maths: Include the numerical application of events and laws of coincidence and averages.

Taking these three elements into consideration, explain the rationale behind the following occurrence:

• Biology: Yoghurt is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Fermentation of the milk sugar (lactose) produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to give yoghurt its texture and its characteristic tang. It is generally viscous.

• Physics: Gravitation is a natural phenomenon by which objects with mass attract one another. In everyday life, gravitation is most commonly thought of as the agency which lends weight to objects with mass.

• Maths: Include the numerical application of events and laws of coincidence and averages.

Taking these three elements into consideration, explain the rationale behind the following occurrence:
Yoghurt is injected into a plastic cup, sealed with a foil lid chilled, and stored upright in a diary. It is transported in bulk to  a supermarket in cartons marked with handling insignia as to the correct location of “up.” It is transferred to the supermarket chilled display standing upright. A shopper places the pot in a basket standing upright, transfers it to the check out conveyor belt standing upright, into a shopping bag upright, and finally into the fridge standing upright.
Question: Why is there always a gloop of yoghurt on the underside of the lid? Answers such that otherwise it would ruin the Muller advert about “licking the lid of life” are not accepted.

Matt Damon is getting involved in a $25m Massachusetts Institute of Technology project to establish a laboratory to save the story.

Clearly seen as a concern that the old fashioned story is under threat, the project is to bring the latest technology to the fore. Reading resources could take on a whole new dimension in the near future.

One of the greatest skills developed by children in school is the inventive excuse for not doing homework. Teachers have heard them all, and no doubt give marks for the most creative. Trends come and go, and the latest excuse seems to be all the fault of technology.

Schools and teachers hear 6.5 million excuses per week, but the growth area relates to homework lost through computer problems. Currently 1.3 million of the total blames the PC, up by 30 per cent on the previous year. These educational games continue with the teaching resources at schools wising up as more excuses appear. Genuine reasons do exist; computers have their moments and  children are learning the essentials of document recovery and always backing up.

As 68 per cent of homework is now submitted on a PC the battle of wits continues. Pity the poor child who advised his teacher by email that his broadband was currently not working and he can’t do his maths homework.

Alistair Owens keen2learn

Seems outdoor games  and fun in the playground are the latest activities to be curtailed by the solicitors. Although the government is investing 235 million pounds over the next three years it appears that the focus on health and safety has diluted the fun and thrill of some of the games.
Unsupervised games are perhaps the most fun when exploration is the central theme of the game. We learn from mistakes and develop skills from practice. It also stimulates variations on a theme. How often have you seen a child develop a novel approach to the game?
We need children to think and develop experience outside the box. Staring at computer screens to play games for an average 5 hours a day doesn’t burn much energy. Fresh air and exercise is a great stimulus to learning and a healthier lifestyle. But they may get the odd graze and splinter. Its all part of learning that would be sadly lost if we live in fear of a solicitors letter.
Alistair Owens

A recent report by Civitas  warns that Ofsted reports are becoming superficial. The detail is sparse and may not be representative of the true facts.

The time scale now allowed for Ofsted assessments has been cut to one or two days every three years. This has prompted fears the reports could miss weaknesses in teaching standards. Equally they could misjudge the standard due to the observational sample being too small.

Teachers and schools could be misrepresented, parents could be misled by the latest Ofsted reports. As the level of failing schools has risen to 12% from last years 10% the faith in the system is being questioned. Decisions in funding and support could be missed and parents swayed to believing overstated performance of schools.

If the auditing capacity of Ofsted is in question schools could rightly pour scorn on any report.  If reputations, income, and investment is dependent on a flawed report Ofsted could end up playing educational games with the very people they want to influence.

It is not entirely Ofsted fault. If funds are cut the quality is bound to drop. If they are to be held responsible they need the funding to perform or undergo a radical rethink of the service objectives.

Alistair Owens keen2learn

At the age of 16 the learning curve is steep, often the point where theory and practice start to combine to set the scene for a lifetime. What better way to prepare for adulthood than set sail solo around the world.

Michael Perham left Portsmouth yesterday on an attempt to sail around the world single handed. It will be an enormous achievement and the chances are high as this is the lad who sailed across the Atlantic when he was 14. Apart from the essentials such as food, water and his iPod, Michael is also taking some educational content in the form of school work.

The practical element of the voyage will provide the greatest form of education anyone could wish for. If he didn’t grasp maths when he started he soon will. Calculations in trigonometry, determining speed, distance, direction and  location will be key element of essential homework each day. Although the equipment on board will take most of the strain there is still a need  to understand the educational games that are being played.

Weather, geography, physics, maths and English all rolled into one huge adventure. The learning pyramid reveals that retention in learning is greatly enhanced with practice in doing. The practical nature of Michael’s trip will ensure he has the opportunity to practice virtually all elements of the curriculum.

Alistair Owens Keen2learn

There perhaps two grades of educational toys and games. Those sold direct to Mum’s and Dad’s in toy shops mostly as presents, and those designed for use in school that, developed by educationalists and teachers, are tuned to the curriculum.

The first category is uncategorised and aimed at the mass retail market where anybody can claim their product has some “educational value;” even the wooden spoon the child uses to beat the empty tin can.  The second is aimed at schools and have accredited educational value having been developed to match an element of the curriculum such as maths games, English games and science games. These are also  ideal for use at home to reinforce the classroom lessons, have some fun with your children and allow you to monitor progress first hand.

The choice is there.

Alistair Owens educational games

Educational games are normally associated with learning. But  teachers who used to be respected pinnacles of society, with whom you did not argue have to play a new form of Educational game. Their position, possibly the first entity to introduce children to the discipline standards expected in society, has been horrendously eroded by the rules.

If children for whatever reason question the authority of the teacher be it subliminally or openly, they will be hugely influenced by the outcome. If teachers are to do their job they must be granted the authority to deal with discipline in the most effective and timely manner. Being challenged by a five year and having to withdraw leaves a teacher, in the words of Geoffrey Howe, being sent out to the wicket without a bat.

And subsequently we all inherit the renegade child who may have lead an entirely different life had they controlled early in life. The 4000 children suspended each year are the tip of the iceberg. They leave a trail of disruption and lost learning time to the rest of the class as a consequence.

Alistair Owens http://www.keen2learn.co.uk

Education develops our intelligence, so why as adults are treated as children by the European parliament?  With children learning about plant growth through science games they have shrewd idea that plants do not grow in perfect moulds or extruded to precision standards. They tend to have the odd lump and bump and grow in a range of sizes.

After years of bureaucracy the guys in Brussels have come to see some sense. They are to relax the laws on the size, shape and condition of fruit and vegetables.

It perhaps comes as quite a shock they felt it would be our interest to specify the precise size, weight and skin texture of an apple or the straightness of a banana or cucumber. Presumably this allows the supermarket to package oranges in a perfect arrangement of six, or stack cucumbers in straight rows.

They prevent anyone selling misshapen, bruised, bent or bothered items in case we do not have the intelligence to spot they are not perfect specimens. How caring is that? Unfortunately the farmers see a huge waste of carrots that are too short or long, spuds that are too fat or thin – even though they could be ultimately mashed.

So if our educational prowess is to be used, why play these games? I think we cloud all choose the size shape of greens without some needless and probably horrendously expensive interference.

Alistair Owens keen2learn

Education and science games are all about preparation for adult life. Whilst at school I, like most children, believed most of what we learned would never get of the box again. But learning about Archimedes in physics and his theory of displacement took on a highly practical application for me.

As a lad I had the fantastic opportunity to be at the launch of the QE2 on the River Clyde. I was studying at Greenock at the mouth of the Clyde and allowed to sneak off for the launch. “Stay on the South bank” were the words of wisdom shouted from behind, “and  stand on the bank not the foreshore” followed in Doppler effect as I speed past another learned soul.

The crowds were gathering for the great occasion. I duly took position on the bank directly opposite the grate ship. Crowds thronged past to the waters edge to get the best view, testing my resolve to stay put on the bank, but then the launch. We could just about hear the Queen’s words, the band playing, the cheers and watched as majestically the QE2 slid gracefully down the slip to the river.

The dust clouds soured – followed by the noise as the breaking chains were dragged down the slip, sound travels slower than light another practical application of physics! And then good old Archimedes came into play. If you plonk a 67,000 ton ship in the Clyde she will displace 67,000 tons of water all in one go! The wave ripped straight across the river over the foreshore and the crowd’s feet and stopped at the bank I was on.

Strange to say the QE2 looked a bit forlorn. Only the hull and first deck of the superstructure were painted. The rest was a delightful shade of rust and the iconic funnel was yet to be fitted.

Several million  miles later she is now in her home port of Southampton before leaving for the final voyage to Dubai to become a floating hotel. A reluctant arrival as if dragging her heels and with great timing she ran aground on sand bank on the approach to the port.

I think she will make a grand hotel, wasn’t she always? But a great shame she will not be ploughing the seas or getting peoples feet wet. And I thank her for first proving to me that education has practical value and can plays some great games with the unsuspecting.

Alistair Owens http://www.keen2learn.co.uk

Another week of turmoil at both ends of the Government’s educational plans. Last week Ruth Pimentel, National Director responsible for the new Early Learning Foundation scheme resigned amidst criticism of the content. This week Sir Bruce Liddington, a former head teacher who had worked on the Academy project since its inception, is leaving only weeks after Lord Andrew Adonis, the former schools minister who was the architect of the academies policy, was shifted to a new job at the transport ministry.

These changes in the strategic direction of the educational policy could leave huge gaps in the adoption of the National Curriculum and the academy scheme. The teaching resources in early years and academies will no doubt wonder if they are pursuing the right path or are further  changes that have forced the resignations. To loose three policy leaders in as many weeks would cause anyone to wobble. Let’s hope stability is quickly re-established if only to give education a chance to work.

Alistair Owens keen2learn

Probably the greatest challenge for a teacher is gaining the involvement of parents in the schooling process. A heart rending tale from the USA reported in the Starexponent by Melanie Mervis published on  November 9th  2008 shows just how frustrating the life of teacher can be. But the support at home through educational games can make a real difference.

Research in the UK and USA has shown the effect of parents and what they do at home to support learning can account for 80% of a child’s academic success.

“Thursday night was our first parent conference night of this school year. From 3 to 7 p.m. (the entire conference time), I had one parent. Others in my building at Culpeper County High School (CCHS) had similar turn-outs. Now I am grappling with the question of why so many parents in our community are not supportive of their children’s education.

I personally sent out 15 letters to parents whose children have failing or near-failing grades in one of my three classes. We have also sent home, schoolwide, two progress reports and a nine-weeks report card since school began. How can a parent whose child is struggling in school not come in to help make a plan for the child’s improvement? Last month we sent home invitations to every parent whose child is enrolled in a general level ninth grade class. These are the students who most often struggle with the transition from middle to high school. We even offered child care for parents who needed to bring their young children along. The parents who attended were enthused and involved. The grand turnout for the evening — 11 parents.

So many times, people are critical of public education. I can tell you that in Culpeper, we offer our students wonderful educational opportunities. Many of our students bring a lot of baggage to school with them and we struggle every day to help them see that their salvation is a good education.

But without parental support, we can only go so far.

How is a student who is failing going to improve if no one at home checks the homework or asks about what went on at school that day? All 15 of the students I have who have D’s or F’s have the ability to do much better. But I can’t go home with them at night to be sure the homework and studying get done. Maybe some parents believe that once their child is in high school, the parents don’t need to check up on them any more. This is actually the time they need it most!

Please don’t give up on your teenagers. They may not admit it, but they need your support now more than ever and so do we who teach them every day.”

Melanie Mervis is chairwoman of the CCHS English Department. See the full article =>http://www.starexponent.com/cse/news/opinion/article/how_i_see_it_students_need_support_and_help_at_home/2

The pace of technology is accelerating, but can conventional learning be augmented with elements incorporated in educational toys? The opportunity of providing children with some of the skills they need in school presents a conundrum for designers. How to design in features required by the National Curriculum when it is constantly modified? The latest changes to the Early Years Foundation syllabus is under fire just two months since its introduction.

At the end of the 10 year schooling journey many children are entering a job market where a significant number of careers didn’t exist when they started school. And at 14 in the midst of this acceleration they are required to select core subjects to steer them towards final qualifications matched to a career they could know nothing about. How do we maintain a National Curriculum capable of accounting for the huge rate of change that has emerged over the last decade? Where, for example, communications have breached country borders and is instant Globally.

If schooling is preparation for a career in adult life, how do we best prepare the quantum leap. Is the invention of Yahoo down to nature or nurture? The founders clearly weren’t directly schooled or influenced by experience in the commercial world when they launched their mould breaking search engine. What teaching resources should therefore be included in the schooling process to best equip future entrepreneurs? Syllabus planning contemplating the dynamics of the next 10 years may be beyond our comprehension. Perhaps one answer lies with children themselves

Prof Don Tapscott in his book “Grown Up Digital” considers the youngsters of today are absorbing technology faster than they are being taught. How else did they become so savvy with the VCR and cell phone. Children learn a huge amount from each other and the availability of technology is providing a learning platform that is starting to hold street cred in educational toys. These stimulating educational games can be played on a growing range of gaming platforms, and critically, induce a key element of learning – practice. Playing a maths game involves comprehension of the rules, development of technique leading to improved performance. Help from peers is invaluable in the exercise; above all the game is seen as fun.

Suddenly children are playing educational games outside school, on buses, in cars in MacDonald’s. Whilst conventional homework attempts to augment learning it could evolve into a completely different platform and potentially accelerate the process. But it would require the development of a greater range ad diversity of educational video games or edugames, and herein lies a dilemma.

The current range of say interstice maths games were developed by educationalists for use on computers in school. To reach the mass market they need to become more universal. The gaming world is in a quandary; how to bridge the divide between the current games genre and educational games. Is such a move more altruistic than commercial? Microsoft is at odds even with itself. The European Vice President believes that the games developers will abhor educational games believing they would affect the image of the brand with  games devotees. But back in Seattle Microsoft HQ are investing millions in researching what else but educational games. Maybe they wish to wrong foot the current developers. Toy manufacturers such as VTech and Nintendo are also investing heavily in educational toys in their medium term plans.

Christmas looms, along with the highs and lows of selecting  the ideal present for children. But how can you be sure the educational toys are actually educational? How are they rated? New platforms such as Wii are handling educational games software but these manufacturers  have to consider the sales potential and the impact on their existing brand. Reluctant to develop a product with limited sales potential, most gamers initially appear reluctant to accept maths games or science games creeping into their collection. It needs careful handing as equally the street cred of educational games will fail if they sink to the bottom shelf.

A way forward is to harness the combined skill of the games developer and the educationalist. The production of an entertaining, exciting and productive game is essential to maximise this opportunity:

•    Educational content that meets the National Curriculum to supplement  homework
•    Video games format incorporating sophisticated graphics, high entertainment value and street cred
•    Re-engineering of the existing generation of educational games designed as a front of class teaching resources.

We can learn a lot from the technology savvy youngsters. The fictional children in the “Midwhich Cuckoos” by John Wyndham taught each other through telepathy, but in reality children do learn a huge amount from each other. By tailoring this ability and enthusiasm with accredited software children could ultimately enter the job market more technically competent than their boss.

Alistair Owens writes for keen2learn an online Educational games
site that sells games to schools and parents. He is also passionate that education that is fun engages significantly more children than the dull slog. The games industry is at a crossroads and could be launched into a new world based on “learning in disguise.” See examples of maths games =>
Maths games

The Early Years Learned supremo, Ruth Pimentel, National Director and responsible for the strategy felt it time to move on. The new Early Years foundation stage in the National Curriculum was only introduced in September 2008. Attracting some criticism of the 69 literacy, numeracy and problem solving targets (see our blog on 9th October ) including literacy expert Sue Palmer it seems a disappointment that Ruth has abandoned the role rather than seeing it through. Strategy is a long term vision that has a nominal five year journey.

Seems a great shame the director has left after two months after the launch. Perhaps the team responsible needs to look inwardly for any fault. The panel on the Governments’ Early years Advisory Group described the targets set as “Overly ambitious for most children.”  This begs the question; were they involved? If they were why weren’t the criticisms resolved before the launch, and if they weren’t involved why were they excluded?

And the innocent parties; a generation of children being educated in a confused  environment .

Keen2learn

Shock horror, we are playing games with education again. Somehow we believed that if schools were set targets they would rise to the challenge and improve their teaching resources and exam achievement. How often have we heard of some form of manipulation of the system to maximise the result. And why not? If, as with all government targets, the skill is how they can be beneficially manipulated. If not we would accuse the management to be slow witted.

The skilled accountant, or, god bless them, bankers minimise their tax liabilities, Doctors reduce waiting times by managing access to the surgery and planners inevitably with the easy applications first. So are we surprised that some schools have optimised their performance by manipulating the intake? Equally have we coerced some parents to bend their application details to get into a good school?

So if we accept targets we have to accept intelligent people will know how to apply the rules to maximise the outcome. Teaching children practical examples of how to be street wise; isn’t this a part of education.

Alistair Owens keen2learn