Category Archives: Technologies

Mathematics, National Qualifications, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

STEM Central Water water everywhere…engineering solutions needed!

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Whether you are working with the STEM Central Flood Management learning journeys in the context of social sciences, technologies or maths, or planning learning and teaching around themes of sustainability for new National Qualifications, this article published in The Telegraph, by James Dyson “Engineering can save us from drought” might provide information or inspiration. Perhaps you could use this year’s Dyson Challenge as a basis for learning, maybe your learners hold the key to saving water for a more sustainable future?

If your learners are considering the current drought and flood situation in large parts of England, why not use it as an opportunity to explore the role of engineers in sustainability? We would love to hear your ideas on our STEM Central in Motion blog.

Health and wellbeing, Technologies

We are Giant Panda Scientists

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Robert Wiseman Dairies is supporting the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland in promoting education about Scotland’s famous visitors, the giant pandas Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine).  Robert Wiseman Dairies is featuring the pandas on school milk cartons together with lots of “panda facts”.  This Black and White partnership has been created for children to discover both the benefits of drinking milk and the importance of the giant panda.  Teachers can download a free teachers’ lesson plan worksheet linked to CfE.                                                                                                             

Click here to download a PDF leaflet about the pandas. wisemandairies.co.uk/panda

Additional Support for Learning, MCMC/16+LC, Supporting Learners, Technologies, Universal Support

respectme – training opportunity

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respectme, Scotland’s Anti-Bullying Service, provides free training to adults who have a role to play in the lives of chidren and young people. Their next event is ‘Cyberbullying…..are you switched on?’ training on Tuesday 8 May, 2012 in Edinburgh. This training day will increase understanding of cyberbullying, its impacts and provide participants with practical strategies to address it. Full details and online registration can be accessed here

CfE, MCMC/16+LC, Technologies

World of Work Wednesdays – Working in Architecture

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Wednesday 25th April 2012 @ 14:00

Are you creative? Do you enjoying building and designing? Are you interested in spaces, places and the environment? Ever wonder why buildings are the shape they are? Then join our World of Work Wednesday event about the world of architecture and the built environment.

We will be joined on the day by two architects who will talk through their inspiring careers and answer any questions you may have about joining this exciting and creative profession.

Why not sign up and join us for this interesting event?

Early Years, Expressive Arts, National Qualifications, Sciences, Senior Phase, Technologies

STEM Central Sounds Inspiring, Sounds Amazing!

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As we progress the development of our new context on STEM Central “Sound”, some ideas to link to your learning and teaching. The Glasgow International Festival of Visual Arts, running from 23-28th April 2012, is showcasing the work of six diverse artists with an interest in sound, space and place. The works of the artists, audio based pieces responding to the Clyde’s tidal cycle will  be performed each day in public spaces in central Glasgow, and all will be performed on Saturday 28th in the circular, wood-panelled Trust Hall of Clydeport Authority Headquarters. Sounds inspiring? You can find out more on the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Arts website. What distinguishes music from noise? Why not view the Glow Science video “How do Musical Instruments work?” and explore this further?

And, it might sound like something from Dr Who but researchers at the University of Dundee have this week announced the invention of a “sonic screwdriver”, an ultrasonic device which has potential for developing new, more precise surgical techniques. Sounds amazing? More on this from the BBC. Unsure about ultrasound? Why not use the Glow Sciences videos Beyond the Range of Human Hearing, or Medical Marvels: Ultrasound for a bit of background?

STEM Central’s sound context will include learning journeys in sciences and technologies for early years, first, second and fourth level, incorporating work developed by the Engineering the Future project. The fourth level journey could be used to support your planning for learning and teaching for National 4 Physics.

National Qualifications, Sciences, Senior Phase, Technologies

Energy Security: Interconnectedness

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Are you working with STEM Central to explore the role of STEM subjects in sustainability. Or looking ahead to the implementation of Senior Phase, and planning for learning and teaching around Energy Security for learners working towards new national qualifications in Environmental Science, Science or Physics.  

Is the future interconectedness?

Expressive Arts, Religious and Moral Education, RME, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

National challenge: Design a billboard for Scotland

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Education Scotland has launched a national challenge for learners to design a double-sided billboard to be seen by people entering and leaving Scotland.

The challenge is aimed at those working within second, third and fourth curriculum levels.

The challenge can be incorporated into planning for a number of curriculum areas including art and design, social studies, religious and moral education, technologies and sciences, and the themes of sustainability and global citizenship.

To find out more about the challenge click here.

Expressive Arts, Religious and Moral Education, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

Marks on the Landscape – new design challenge

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Education Scotland is today launching an exciting new design challenge. Aimed at 2nd to 4th curriculum levels, the challenge can be incorporated into planning for a number of curriculum areas including art and design, social studies, religious and moral education, technologies and sciences, and the themes of sustainability and global citizenship.

Learners are invited to create a design for a 2-sided billboard to signal the entrance and exit to Scotland. The work should offer different perspectives for people who are arriving and people who are leaving. Themes might reflect why people need to leave their native countries or why they would want to come and live in Scotland today.

Support materials and further instructions for this challenge can be found on the Marks on the Landscape website. Entries should be submitted by 21 June 2012.
A number of the learners’ designs will be displayed on the Education Scotland website.

For further details please contact:
Pat Campbell Pat.Campbell@educationscotland.gov.uk

CfE, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Literacy, Literacy and English, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Religious and Moral Education, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

School Open Day – Bo’ness Academy, Falkirk Council

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School open day – using international education to develop a whole school approach to global citizenship

Venue: Bo’ness Academy, Falkirk

9:30am – 3.00pm

Thursday 17th May 2012

Note: this event was due to place at an earlier date in the year but has now been rescheduled for the date above.

Theme:  International Education

This CPD event offers practitioners and school leaders an exciting opportunity to visit Bo’ness Academy and attend Falkirk Council’s Global Citizenship Showcase Event.

Bo’ness Academy is an inspiring example of a school that has used international education as a vehicle to engage the whole school in global citizenship activities. Through the Comenius Programme and other well established links the school has developed a rich international programme connecting it to countries across the world including: The Gambia, The Netherlands, China, France, Germany and The Czech Republic.

A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward on its journey including: 

  • Making global citizenship a key priority in the school and a focus for the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence
  • Using international links to explore important issues in a global context and to create engaging, meaningful and challenging learning experiences
  • Developing strong international partnerships which can be sustained and which have made an impact on every learner.

Participants will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the Head Teacher, International Coordinator, staff and learners and also tour the classrooms and school. Time will also be set aside for participants to reflect and share their own experiences.

Download Programme for Bo’ness Academy Open Day 17May12

How to book

To book, please contact Megan Farr, Policy Officer, Falkirk Council. Email: megan.farr@falkirk.gov.uk or Tel. 01324 506671.

Places for the open day section of the event are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Adult Learning, CLD, Community Capacity Building, Technologies, Young people, children & families

Social media and community learning and development

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Places are still available at the time of writing for the Digitally Agile Scotland seminars organised by The Scottish Community Development Centre, Youthlink Scotland and Learning Link Scotland.  The project involves research and case studies of good and interesting practice in the use of social media and new technology in the community learning and development field.  The programme is being supported by Education Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government.

The 3 seminars are in Aberdeen – 22 March 2012, Edinburgh – 27 March 2012 and Glasgow – 29 March 2012.  The seminars are for people working in adult learning, youth development and community capacity building and are designed to allow participants to hear about interesting practice involving social media and new technology.  Participants will have the opportunity to learn from others, share practice and exchange experience and knowledge.  You will also have the opportunity to have your say about the challenges and the importance of guidance in being digitally agile for your personal and professional development. 

The seminars are free of charge but places are limited. To book you place on the either one of the 3 seminars please click on the link below: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DACLDseminar. If you require further information about the programme please contact Paul Nelis paul@scdc.org.uk

In addition, the following items might be of interest to anyone thinking about using social media in the contxt of community-led health or community development:

  • This link for news on a separate upcoming social media event organised by GCVS in partnership with Be Good Be Social
  • This article from the Guardian, on research by the Young Foundation which finds that social media is a useful way for communities to connect, but it is not a panacea for community empowerment.

 
Expressive Arts, Literacy, Literacy and English, Sciences, Technologies

Guitar Hero

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The ICT development team from Aberdeenshire Council was one of the first to engage with the Consolarium and as a result of this a number of games-based learning projects were identified. The idea of using the context of Guitar Hero as the main driving focus in a collaborative story that would enable cross-curricular work was one of the ideas that we wanted to explore.

A Sony PS2, the game and the guitars were placed with a willing teacher in a P7 class after the Easter break. This was the last term for the class so the teacher decided to use this as the main driver for the remainder of the term. Having teenage sons who played the game the teacher quickly became familiar with how it worked and devised a series of tasks that she believed would enable ‘connected learning’ to take place.

We then left the class teacher and the class with the resource and returned in the last week of term to discover a rich seam of creativity, learning and engagement from a class who had lost themselves in the world of rock and roll …

Click here to read the case study.

Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central: Rescue Vehicles

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In the next few weeks we will begin working on a new context for STEM Central – Rescue Vehicles for second level. With learning journeys planned which incorporate forces and friction, based around boat design for stability, and looking at the RNLI vehicles and and helicopters used in rescues, sadly very topical in light of the tragic events of January’s cruise ship accident.

Early Years, Sciences, Technologies

Sustainability Event – Echt School share through GlowTV

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Dual post from Glow Scotland Blog.

Echt School, Aberdeenshire, is holding a Sustainability Event on March 16th 2012 to share and showcase the learning the children have been engaged in this term around Sustainability and Global Citizenship.

From Nursery to P7, they have been involved in setting up a wormery, looking after chickens and hatching eggs, looking at our school’s Food and Waste Footprint, finding out about making paper to make their own compostable paper bags, Fairtrade and finding out about solar energy.

Go to Glow TV to find out more – click here (Glow log in required)

Sciences, Technologies

BEd3 at UWS Ayr Investigate STEM Central

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Today I visited the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) in Ayr to complete  Technologies workshops with BEd3. We began by discussing the misconceptions surrounding Technologies within Curriculum for Excellence, and spent the rest of the time looking at draft second level learning journeys for STEM Central. The students thought the website was easy to use, and the  ideas on the website made it easy to plan a lesson.

You can find the presentation here. (Glow log in required)

We ended by looking at some of the other resources available from Education Scotland to help with teaching Technologies:

STEM Central in Motion

Technologies Staffroom (Glow log in required)

Glow Science (Glow log in required)

Technologies area of the website

Exploring Climate Change

Weather and Climate Change

Working in the Energy Sector

Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

Climate Week – 12-18 March 2012

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Climate Week is a national campaign to inspire a new wave of action on climate change. Culminating in a week of activities and events, Climate Week showcases the practical solutions to climate change being developed in every sector of society. By highlighting real examples, the campaign aims to inspire thousands more, renewing the ambition to create together a more sustainable, low-carbon future.

Click here to find resources to support Climate Week.

Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Literacy and English, Technologies

Learning connections with game based learning

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Nintendogs game for the Nintendo DS, has been used to create a rich, dynamic and inclusive educational context for learners as part of a game-based learning initiative run by Learning and Teaching Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council.

The initiative looks at how the challenging, demanding and appealing world of Nintendogs can help support effective teaching and learning in Curriculum for Excellence.

The initiative provided content for learning in a P2 class. The teachers involved in the initial project and subsequent teachers that have used Nintendogs, made the game the central focus for projects that created connections across learning.

Caring for and nurturing your virtual pet was central to this game. Teachers created purposeful and relevant activities that involved learning in Art & Design. The videos showcase in more detail accounts of what the teachers and the children did and how the game impacted on their learning.

To read this case study click here.

CfE, Sciences, Senior Phase, Technologies

World of Work Wednesdays – Explore Your Future in Oil and Gas

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Do you want a career with global opportunities? Are you interested in working for a pioneering industry? Do you want the chance to earn as you learn?

Join our World of Work Wednesday event to hear from oil & gas professionals to hear what types of jobs are available in the industry and what it’s is really like to be part of a dynamic sector that offers excellent rewards for hard work!

Also you’ll get the chance to ask real-life professionals anything you’ve ever wanted to know about oil & gas.

From HR to PR, drilling to design, accountancy to apprenticeships, onshore and offshore there’s something to inspire everyone.

So why not sign up and join us on Wednesday 14th March at 2pm to find out all about it?! – WOWW – Explore Your Future in Oil and Gas

Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies, Young people, children & families

Wanted! Creative teachers and CLD staff

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Are you creative in the classroom? Do you empower creativity in your young people?
Education Scotland is looking for teachers and CLD staff who use creativity in their work to speak up and share their creative learning and teaching approaches with the rest of Scotland through a series of very short online film clips.

Creativity in its purest sense involves generating original ideas that have value and crosses ALL areas of the curriculum (not just the arts) and we are looking for examples from subjects as diverse as PE, Languages and Maths. It could be the young people learning creative skills or an approach to lesson planning that is particularly creative. What creativity might involve can be found here: http://glo.li/xGyO32

Here are the questions we would like to put to you:

• What is creativity (to you)?

• Why be creative in your teaching?

• What happens when the young learners are engaged in a creative activity?

• What did you and your young learners do that was creative?
You might explain an example of what creativity looks like in your classroom or group.
You might detail day-to-day creative approaches or else explain a specific project, topic or development.
How did this specifically benefit you and the young people?

You will be filmed by a professional film company (they really put you at your ease) who will come to you, fit around your timetable, and the whole process of setting up and filming will take less than half an hour. Ultimately we are capturing just 3 minutes of glorious quality footage from you that will be shared through the Creativity Portal. This is a great opportunity to showcase your creativity to a national audience.

The filming will be arranged to suit you some time in the next three weeks.

It takes moments to offer your experience or suggest a colleague who you think would fit the bill:
Go to: http://glo.li/z0Mi3s
Email: Stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk
Phone: 0141 282 5194

Sciences, Technologies

Making Connections between STEM Central & Glow Science

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STEM Central provides a rich, stimulating and challenging context for learning and teaching. It makes connections between sciences, technologies and mathematics through the context of engineering allowing learners to broaden their understanding of the applications of concepts and skills developed in curriculum subjects. It allows learners to develop solutions to problems and demonstrate creativity through inquiry.

Glow Science (Glow login required) is an online resource comprising hundreds of short films. The resource is for teachers and for learners from age 8 to 14. Their films are mapped to Curriculum for Excellence outcomes and experiences, and cover all four science disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science.

If you visit the Glow Science Section on STEM Central in Motion you will find out STEM Central and Glow Science can be used together to support learning and teaching.

Assessment, Expressive Arts, Literacy and English, Moderation, Modern Languages, NAR, National Qualifications, Profiling, Religious and Moral Education, RME, Sciences, Technologies

CfE & Glow News – February Issue

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The CfE and Glow News update provides you with information about Curriculum for Excellence and support for practitioners, along with all the latest developments within Glow. Read it here.

To sign up for this newsletter, please click here.

Adult Learning, CLD, Community Capacity Building, Technologies, Young people, children & families

Digitally Agile Scotland – Seminars

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The Scottish Community Development Centre, Youthlink Scotland and Learning Link Scotland are working in partnership to deliver the Digitally Agile Project.  The project involves research and case studies of good and interesting practice in the use of social media and new technology in the community learning and development field.  The programme is being supported by Education Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government.

As part of the project we will be hosting 3 seminars in Aberdeen – 22 March 2012, Edinburgh – 27 March 2012 and Glasgow – 29 March 2012.  The seminars are for people working in adult learning, youth development and community capacity building and are designed to allow participants to hear about interesting practice involving social media and new technology.  Participants will have the opportunity to learn from others, share practice and exchange experience and knowledge.  You will also have the opportunity to have your say about the challenges and the importance of guidance in being digitally agile for your personal and professional development. 

The seminars are free of charge but places are limited. To book you place on the either one of the 3 seminars please click on the link below: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DACLDseminar

If you require further information about the programme please contact Paul Nelis paul@scdc.org.uk
Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central and Research Recommendations

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How can teachers engage with the recommendations of a recent research pilot by the Department for Education and carried out by the Centre for Education and Industry at the University of Warwick (CEI), the International Centre for Guidance Studies at the University of Derby (iCeGs) and Isinglass Consultancy Ltd? This three year programme of work sought to explore the potential to embed STEM careers awareness in the early stages in early stages of secondary education.

STEM Central demonstrates opportunities for using engineering to learn through enquiry and investigation in curriculum areas and interdisciplinary studies. STEM Central  provides opportunities to embed learning of STEM across traditional subject boundaries, and offers opportunities for all learners to understand the wealth of learning and career opportunities offered by STEM.

Using the careers based videos can enrich teachers understanding of opportunities STEM offers their learners, and assist in planning for learning and teaching which prepares our young people to 

“gains the skills and aspirations essential for building the UK’s economy and to help them participate in an increasingly scientific and technological society.” (Good Timing: Implementing STEM careers strategy in secondary schools, November 2011)

http://www.derby.ac.uk/files/icegs_good_timing.pdf

CfE, Literacy, Religious and Moral Education, Religious Education in Roman Catholic schools, RME, Sciences, Senior Phase, Social studies, Technologies

Church of Scotland Leaflets on Moral and Ethical Issues

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The Church of Scotland has published a series of leaflets about current moral and ethical issues. These leaflets link to the teachings of the church and the position that the Church takes on these issues. There are also reflective questions to help in your thinking about these issues.

These leaflets would be an ideal source of information for those teaching Senior pupils and in particular for NQ courses looking at moral issues.

Climate Change leaflet (1)

Synthetic Biology leaflet

Poverty leaflet

Stem Cells leaflet

Nuclear Weapons leaflet

Mental Health leaflet

Internet leaflet

Human Cloning Ethical Issues leaflet

Fair Trade Leaflet

End of Life Issues leaflet

Cloned Embryo Research leaflet

Technologies

Teaching Transport?

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The STEM Central Context on Electric Transport allows practitioners and learners to explore Electric Cars. The Electric Cars learning journey with a technologies focus is aimed at fourth level. Lessons give learners experiences and opportunities to develop their understanding of the differences between electric motors and petrol engines and the functional, societal and physical issues relating to electric forms of transport. Learners can research the current state of electric transport in the world to learn from elsewhere and deepen their understanding of the issues. Surveying people in the community allows them to better understand attitudes and views relating to this issue. Learners then develop an understanding of different case studies of schemes to encourage the adoption of electric transport and then research and present a reasoned argument on the environmental impact of a wider spread use of electric transport in Scotland.

The Glow Science (Glow log in required) video on Eco-Transport could be used to support the Electric Cars Learning Journey.

Sciences, Technologies

Bioengineering goes live on STEM Central

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Bioengineering – or biomedical engineering – has come to prominence and has expanded rapidly in the past decade. The learning journeys in the STEM Central Bioengineering context focus on efforts to repair, assist or augment impaired body functions through the use of brain-computer interfacing, polymeric biomaterials and prosthetics.

Additional videos available to support learning and teaching around this context can be found on Glow Science. Why not try:

Joints – explore movement of joints

Muscles Part 2 – how skeletal muscles help control your body

Plastics & Polymers – discover how properties of plastics

can be determined.

Sciences, Technologies

Teaching Flooding?

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The STEM Central Context on Water allows practitioners and learners to explore flood planning and flood management. The microgeneration learning journey has a Sciences focus aimed at third level. Lessons give learners experiences and the opportunity to develop their understanding of a renewable source of energy through practical investigation. This context would lend itself well to an interdisciplinary learning planned in partnership with technologies.

The flood planning learning journey is aimed at third level Social Studies and begins by engaging learners with the topic of flooding through discussion of local flooding issues in Scotland. Learners are given opportunities to understand the social and financial impact of flooding and possible flood prevention methods both natural and manmade. They also consider the effect of flooding on both developed and developing countries and how aid may impact on this.

The flood management learning journey is aimed at fourth level Technologies and begins by engaging learners with the topic of flooding to immerse themselves in some of the issues and problems of the people affected by flooding. Learners are given opportunities to research existing products and systems, to analyse case studies and to design, model and apply the basic principles of control technology. They also consider the possible negative impacts of engineered solutions and whether sometimes ‘low tech’, or non-engineered solutions can be appropriate by looking at practice in this country and elsewhere in the world.

There are various videos available through Glow Science (Glow log in required) that you could use to support these learning journeys:

  • Hurricane Katrina: Part 1: In 2005, New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina. What defences did the city have to protect it?
  • Hurricane Katrina: Part 2: In 2005, New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The city had flood defences which were meant to protect it. Why did these fail and could this happen again?
  • Storm Surges: Storm surges are huge domes of water sucked upwards by the eye of a hurricane. What happens if they hit the shore, or worse, a city?
Sciences, Technologies

Glow Science – Teacher Testimonial

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Teacher Katy Sowden explains how Glow Science has enriched and enlivened science learning in her classroom, and how it has helped her deliver Curriculum for Excellence outcomes.

Hear from P7 pupils at Williamston Primary School, who enthuse about the content and learning style offered by Glow Science.

To view the video click here.

Technologies

Technologies School Visits

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Recently I have had the opportunity to visit a number of schools to find out how they are developing the Technologies Experiences and Outcomes.

To find out more have a look at these blog posts:

3D Modelling Software

Entrepreneurship in Enterprise

S1 Business Enterprise

S2 Business & Enterprise

Designing a Design & Technology Curriculum

Community Café

Digitalising Burns Poetry

Technologies

3D Modelling Software

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I recently had the opportunity to visit the Craft, Design and Technology Department at Queen Anne High School to see how they used 3D modelling software in S1 and how this progressed into the Senior Phase. 

To find out more about my visit view the video on the Chalkface Blog.

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Technologies

Community Café

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On Wednesday (02/02/12) I had the opportunity to visit Kate O’Regan a Primary 7 teacher at Livingston Village Primary in West Lothian. The Primary 7 pupils were preparing for the opening of their Café the following day. They described the processes they went through to set up the Café and also explained the skills they developed.

To find out more about my visit view the video of Primary 7 on the Chalkface Blog.

To find out about  the opening of the Café visit their blog.

Technologies

E-Safety Live 2012

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Edinburgh – Thursday 22nd March 2012

E-Safety Live, now in its 6th year, are landmark events bringing online safety providers, experts and global industry leaders together to participate and discuss with delegates the latest online safety topics.

Designed to aid practitioners in the UK to connect with providers, the events will focus on ways to better help safeguard children, as well as professionals, when online.

The workshops focus on four main topics:
• Classroom – Aiming to outline support & resources available to teachers to use in the classroom.
• Preparing Schools – Will offer advice & support to help schools manage and improve their e-safety provision.
• Training Professionals – Focusing on how professionals can manage their online professional reputation, as well as how organisations working with children and young people can engage parents
• Industry – Delivered by leading industry players, these workshops will provide an insight into technologies children love to use and demonstrate the tools or resources available for using them safely.

Visit the website to find out more.

Health and wellbeing, Sciences, Technologies

Glow Science

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Glow Science is a great free resource offering rich engaging learning material for pupils aged 8-14. Inspire your pupils to engage with Science across the curriculum.

Glow Science is a stunning video-based learning resource designed for pupils aged 8 to 14 to engage their imaginations and enhance their understanding of Science in the modern world. Over 500 three-minute films and their associated learning materials (including quizzes, lesson ideas, extension questions, diagrams, images), cover Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science.

 Topics in Chemistry and Physics include the Periodic Table and Newton’s laws of motion; Biology includes films about the brain, heart, pregnancy, senses, muscles, lungs, hormones; Earth Science covers a wide range of topics from volcanoes to renewable energy.

Glow Science can be used in many different ways to support the Sciences experiences and outcomes, as well as other areas of Curriculum for Excellence. It has been available free to all teachers in Scotland since April 2011 and is accessed using your Glow username and password.

Katy Sowden, principal teacher at Williamston Primary school in Livingston, has seen a marked improvement in levels of pupil engagement since she started using Glow Science as well as helping to deepen her own understanding of science concepts. You can read a cookbook of Katy and her pupils using the resource in class.

Glow Science answers pupils’ questions: “What makes our blood red? Why do some people see smells and hear colours? How does the largest mammal on earth hold its breath for up to two hours? It allows learners to journey from Earth’s core to land surface, examining the layers that make up our planet; they can discover how our DNA make us unique and understand the scientific evidence that supports the Big Bang theory.

New content is regularly added to Glow Science. The latest Biology module is called Healthy Living and covers Health and Disease, Substance Misuse, Fitness and Nutrition.You can download a list of over 500 films from the Glow Science website.

NAR, Social studies, Technologies

S2 Business & Enterprise

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On Wednesday (08/02/12) I had the opportunity to visit Claire Grubb a Business Education teacher from Kincorth Academy in Aberdeen. Claire described how they have re-written their second year Business and Enterprise Course using the Technologies and Social Studies Experiences and Outcomes. She also describes how they assessed the learning.

To find out more about my visit view the video of Claire on the Chalkface Blog.

Social studies, Technologies

S1 Business Enterprise

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On Wednesday (08/02/12) I had the opportunity to visit Elizabeth Still a Business Education teacher from Kincorth Academy in Aberdeen. She described to me their S1 Business Enterprise Course, this programme involves the class running a small enterprise activity.

To find out more about my visit, view the video of Elizabeth on the Chalkface Blog.

Expressive Arts, Sciences, Technologies

Water Works

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Looking for a new idea to enrich the STEM Central water context?

A trickling burn, a flooded street, a horse’s trough or a grand Scottish loch – no matter what comes to mind when you think of water the Water Works competition wants your photographs.

The James Hutton Institute via the Centre of Expertise for Waters  are running a year long competition aimed at raising awareness of water and water-related issues across both primary and secondary ages. The competition, with monthly prizes, aims to encourage learners to think about the natural environment and make the link between CfE curriculum areas Sciences, Technologies and Expressive Arts. The competition page gives background on the competition and entry instructions.

Social studies, Technologies

Entrepreneurship in Enterprise

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On Wednesday (08/02/12) I had the opportunity to visit Lauren Hay a Business Education teacher from Kincorth Academy in Aberdeen. She described to me their Enterprise Project with the Wood Family Trust. This programme focused on the entrepreneurship aspect of enterprise and intergrated entrepreneurship across the curriculum.

To find out more about my visit, view the video of Lauren on the Chalkface Blog.

NAR, Technologies

Designing a Design & Technology Curriculum

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Yesterday (o8/02/2012) I had the opportunity to visit Kirsty McFaul, the Principal Teacher of Design and Technology at Hazlehead Academy in Aberdeen. During this visit Kirsty described how they redesigned their S1-3 curriculum for  Design and Technology using the Technologies Experiences and Outcomes. One aspect of the course included an interdisciplinary project which involved the Maths and Art Departments. Kirsty also discussed how they used the National Assessment Resource (NAR) to help move towards a more formative assessment approach.

To find out more about this visit, watch the video on the Chalkface Blog.

CfE, Mathematics, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

Developing global citizens through sciences, social studies and technologies

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Developing global citizens through sciences, social studies and technologies

Interdisciplinary learning for a low carbon and zero waste future

CDP event for practitioners in secondary schools

Menzies Hotel, Washington Street, Glasgow G3 8AZ

9:30am to 3:30pm, Friday 30st March 2012

Target audience: Practitioners, Principal Teachers and Faculty Heads of Technologies (e.g. CDT, Food and Textiles, Business and Enterprise), Sciences and Social Studies. Also local authority coordinators and QIOs.

Aim of the event:

This CPD event provides an exciting opportunity for secondary school practitioners to discover how cradle to cradle technologies and a circular economy can be used as a rich and stimulating context for interdisciplinary learning relating to sustainable development education and global citizenship within Curriculum for Excellence.

The Scottish Government is committed to a low-carbon and zero-waste economy, and the development of enterprise, creativity, STEM (Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Maths) and higher order thinking skills in young people are essential if we are to realise these ambitious plans for the future. The circular economy concept proposes the use of sustainable technologies, innovative design and production methods and systems thinking to minimise waste and reduce the exploitation of the Earth’s precious resources. This event will draw on practical and exciting developments within industry which are set to transform the way our economy operates in the decades ahead.

Education Scotland is working in partnership with The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the University of Edinburgh to develop strategies for professional development around sustainable development education and the circular economy to encourage the setting up of communities of practice among practitioners in Scotland. These will provide opportunities for ongoing, localised support and collaboration.

To find out more about the circular economy visit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCRKvDyyHmI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

How to book

To book, please email: globalcitizens@educationscotland.gov.uk or Tel. 0141 282 5172. Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Download CPD event flyer and programme >>

Literacy, Sciences, Technologies

The Daily What in Mind Reading shock!

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At the start of February I was blogging about the amazing breakthrough in brain computer interfacing, reported widely in the press, which links to our forthcoming Bioengineering context on STEM Central.

Turns out those clever folks at The Daily What read my mind to come up with this article and interesting lesson ideas and suggestions. The Brain Quiz (mind reading not required, just click the mouse) can be used to introduce or refresh prior learning on the brain and nervous system, with ideas for discussion topics and links to information and animations to support learning and teaching.

Social studies, Technologies

Schools TV from Dumfries & Galloway

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Schools across Dumfries & Galloway are giving every other school in Scotland the opportunity to join them as they broadcast lots of fantastic outdoor activities through GlowTV.

So what’s planned:

Monday 20th of February @ 9:30 – 10:15
Photography can be done by anyone, anywhere. What’s around your school? In this session, live from their local environment, the pupils from the Gatehouse Primary School camera club & the Forestry Commision will show you how.

Tuesday 21st of February @ 9:30 – 10:15
What’s around your school? What’s the space used for? Join St Mungo Primary in their outdoor classroom. Find out how they use their space and what activities they enjoy. You will have the opportunity to post your comments and questions.

Thursday 23rd of February @ 09:30-10:15
Join the pupils of Shawhead Primary learning how to encourage birds to come to their school grounds. Find out some amazing facts about the birdlife in their environment and learn how to build your very own nestbox.

Friday 24th of February @ 09:30-10:15
Do you enjoy playing board games? If so, why not join Tom, Liz and the pupils from Loreburn and Applegarth as they find out which environmental or wildlife themed board game will earn their school the title of ‘The Dr Finlayson Challenge Winners 2012′.

Monday 27th of February @ 9:30 – 10:15
Podcasting can be done by anyone, anywhere. If you have listened to the radio and wished you could have a go, you can! Ae Primary are going to demonstrate how they would report on the environment around their school. What’s around your school? What’s the space used for? When you’ve seen a live demonstration from a BBC Producer, you will have the opportunity to create and share your own podcast.

Tuesday 28th of February @ 9:30 – 10:15
The epic journey of the goose. The answers are –

1.Svalbard
2.48hours
3.Stormy weather

But what are the questions?

Join Wigtown Primary, Caerlaverock Primary and Longyearbyen Skole in Norway in partnership with Brian Morrell WWT Caerlaverock and Elizabeth Tindall D&G Ranger Service.

Wednesday 29th @ 9:30 – 10:15
Review & Share Time. If you have taken part in previous programmes of this series come and join in with the review and sharing.

So sign up to join in and find out more here

Technologies

Aberdeen Uni investigate STEM Central

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Yesterday (08/02/12), I visited the University of Aberdeen to complete a Technologies workshop with BEd3 & PGDE students. We began by discussing the misconceptions surrounding Technologies within Curriculum for Excellence, and spent the rest of the time looking at draft second level learning journeys for STEM Central. The students thought the website was easy to use, they liked how there were suggested learning intentions and success criteria and also felt that there was lots of ideas that they could adapt to their own lesson planning.

You can find the presentation here. (Glow log in required)

We ended by looking at some of the other resources available from Education Scotland to help with teaching Technologies:

STEM Central in Motion

Technologies Staffroom (Glow log in required)

Glow Science (Glow log in required)

Technologies area of the website

Exploring Climate Change

Weather and Climate Change

Working in the Energy Sector

CfE, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Senior Phase, Social studies, Technologies

Falkirk – global citizenship showcase and school open day

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Falkirk Council global citizenship showcase and school open day

Venue: Bo’ness Academy, Falkirk

9:30am – 3.00pm

This event will now take place on Thursday 17th May 2012

This CPD event offers practitioners and school leaders an exciting opportunity to visit Bo’ness Academy and attend Falkirk Council’s Global Citizenship Showcase Event.

Bo’ness Academy is an inspiring example of a school that has used international education as a vehicle to engage the whole school in global citizenship activities. Through the Comenius Programme and other well established links the school has developed a rich international programme connecting it to countries across the world including: The Gambia, The Netherlands, China, France, Germany and The Czech Republic.

A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward on its journey including: 

  • Making global citizenship a key priority in the school and a focus for the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence
  • Using international links to explore important issues in a global context and to create engaging, meaningful and challenging learning experiences
  • Developing strong international partnerships which can be sustained and which have made an impact on every learner.

Participants will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the Head Teacher, International Coordinator, staff and learners and also tour the classrooms and school. Time will also be set aside for participants to reflect and share their own experiences.

Following the open day event, participants will also have the opportunity to attend Falkirk Council’s Global Citizenship Showcase event which will also be taking place in Bo’ness Academy from 4pm – 6pm. This will feature exhibitions and displays from leading organisations such as Eco-Schools and British Council and will showcase innovative global citizenship practice from many Falkirk schools.

How to book

To book, please contact Megan Farr, Policy Officer, Falkirk Council. Email: megan.farr@falkirk.gov.uk or Tel. 01324 506671.

 Places for the open day section of the event are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Download programme for Bo’ness Academy Open Day >>

Health and wellbeing, Technologies

Obama’s aide offers food for thought

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One of Barack Obama’s key aides will head the line-up for the Scottish Government’s 2012 National Food and Drink Conference.

Dr Janey Thornton, the US Department of Agriculture’s Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Service, will discuss the benefits of collaborative working for both Scotland and America at the event in Perth on March 7.

Also joining Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead on the conference platform will be Dr Joao Breda from the World Health Organization. He will assess how Scotland is progressing in relation to some of the world’s top food and drink issues.

Completing the line-up at the event – which celebrates Scotland’s high quality food and drink sector and its many innovative businesses and producers – will be one of Scotland’s top chefs, Nick Nairn, as well as entrepreneur Fraser Doherty of SuperJam, who turned his teenage hobby into a successful business.

Click here to download an application for the event.

Sciences, Technologies

Glow TV with the Scottish Space School – Ask an Astronaut

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13th of June – 10am

Join us again this year for a fantastic opportunity to explore space travel and meet three exciting NASA guests all in one day. Find out more about what they’ve done, ask your own questions, take part in space quizzes and use this unique opportunity to enter the world of space exploration. Don’t miss out, you can sign up here now. More information about our exciting space guests and how you can all get involved in this Glow TV event will follow soon.

CfE, Mathematics, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

SCIPD Group Study Visit to the Netherlands

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SCIPD Group Study Visit to the Netherlands

6th  – 10th March 2012

Theme: The Circular Economy – Sustainable technologies, design, economics and production for the 21st century

Education Scotland is inviting applications from secondary teaching staff for a group study visit to ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands to investigate how cradle to cradle technologies and a circular economy can be used as a rich and stimulating context for interdisciplinary learning relating to sustainable development education and global citizenship. This visit has been arranged in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

The Scottish Government is committed to a low-carbon and zero-waste economy, and it is important to develop enterprise, creativity and STEM (Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Maths) skills in young people to ensure the realisation of these ambitious plans for the future. The circular economy concept proposes the use of sustainable technologies and innovative design and production methods that minimise waste and reduce the exploitation of the earth’s precious resources. Industrial companies in the Netherlands are at the forefront of developing products that mimic natural processes and that are designed for disassembly and reuse.

Education Scotland, in collaboration with The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is developing strategies for professional development around sustainable development education and the circular economy to encourage the setting up of communities of practice among practitioners in Scotland. These will provide opportunities for ongoing, localised support and collaboration as recommended by Teaching Scotland’s Future. 

It is expected that the visit to the Netherlands will include:

–       Orientation sessions with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Dutch curriculum agency SLO, to introduce participants to the model of the circular economy and brief them on the structure of the Dutch school system and curriculum

–       Visits to businesses which have adopted cutting-edge approaches to circular economy principles

–       Visits to schools to see how learning relating to the circular economy is being used as a theme for interdisciplinary learning around sustainability

Travel to the Netherlands will be on Tuesday 6th March, with three working days in the area, followed by return to Scotland on Saturday 10th March.

SCIPD funding will cover return flights to the Netherlands, airport to hotel transfers, and overnight hotel accommodation in ‘s-Hertogenbosch on a bed and breakfast basis.

Participants will be offered a pre-visit preparatory meeting, and a post-visit meeting to support follow-up activity and encourage wider impact.

This study visit is targeted at education professionals in Scottish secondary schools, particularly teachers of sciences, technologies, mathematics, business studies, economics and geography.

Expected learning outcomes

Participants will have an opportunity to:

  • Increase their knowledge of the circular economy concept, its implementation in industry, and its impact on education for sustainability
  • Investigate and discuss Dutch educational practice for sustainable development and its place in the curriculum
  • Share professional dialogue and reflection with their hosts and with colleagues in the group.

Upon returning from the study visit, participants will be expected to:

  • Produce reports for Education Scotland which demonstrate the impact on their professional practice of the study visit experience
  • Disseminate findings, share ideas and new approaches within their own establishment and beyond
  • Make changes to learning and teaching practices in their own professional context.

Applicants may wish to use the experience of the study visit towards professional recognition by GTCS or simply to enhance their professional understanding and practice.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified members of Scottish school or authority staff, who should complete the Netherlands group application form available below or by email from Nick Morgan at nick.morgan@educationscotland.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 21st Feb 2012

SCIPD Netherlands application form

CfE, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

Environment Online – a global schools network for sustainability

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Environment Online – ENO is a global virtual school network for sustainable development.

Learning is student and problem-centred with both online and offline activities. At the end of each theme there is a campaign week during which the results of learning are raised in local communities and on the web. Students eventually become ambassadors for the environment of their respective local communities and regions. Regular themes and have been forests, climate change, ecological footprint and different cultural themes.

The success of the ENO Programme  lies in the fact that it is run by teachers.  Over 7000 from 105 countries are part of the ENO network. The ages of learners involved range from 12 – 18 years.

Objectives 

  • to deepen environmental themes at schools
  • to add global awareness and internationality
  • to educate for active citizenship
  • to get schools from developing countries as active participants
  • to learn basic skills in ICT
  • to make a change together

 Visit http://www.enoprogramme.org/ to find out more.

Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

Climate Change Debate Glow Meet 3: Adapting to climate change

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2pm – 3:15pm, Monday 6th February 2012

If the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is anything to go by then flooding, droughts, heat waves and extreme storms are likely to occur more frequently through to the middle of the century and beyond.

Are we powerless in the face of increasingly extreme weather or will human ingenuity, resourcefulness and spirit provide us with solutions to help us ride the storm? What steps are our government and public agencies already taking to prepare us for the changes coming? How can the poorest countries adapt with limited resources?

From floating houses to massive flood defence schemes there is already much work underway. Will it be enough? In this, the last in a series of three national Glow meets, learners will have a chance to air their views and put searching questions to our panel of experts including:

–          James Curran MBE, Chief Executive, Scottish Environment Protection Agency

–          Anna Beswick, Public Sector Officer, Adaptation Scotland

–          John Sharp, Schools Education Officer, SCIAF

Visit http://bit.ly/climatedebatethree to register, post your questions in advance and join the Glow meet on the day. This Glow meet is aimed at learners in upper primary and secondary schools.

For resources and videos on climate change visit Weather and Climate Change, Exploring Climate Change, STEM Central and Climate Change on Glow.

Other events in the series included:

–          Glow meet 1: Our changing weather and climate – view recording here

–          Glow meet 2: Climate science – evidence versus controversy – view recording here

Sciences, Senior Phase, Supporting Learners, Technologies

My Oil and Gas Career Website

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If you’ve been working with the STEM Central contexts, or perhaps want to find out more about potential careers in the Oil and Gas industry for advising learners, OPITO’s new careers website www.myoilandgascareer.com has arrived at the right time. The site is a one-stop-shop for information on careers within the oil and gas industry.

Myoilandgascareer.com is aimed at anyone looking to find out more about entry routes into the sector and details the breadth of careers available. As well as providing information on training and development; the site offers a range of education tools as well as an ‘ask a professional page’ which allows users to post a question to be answered by an industry representative within 5 working days. Filmed case studies focussing on what it’s really like to work in oil and gas (both onshore and offshore) are provided by industry employees – ensuring the site is informed by those who have first-hand experience of working in the sector.

The ‘Future First Survey’ shows 60% of young people choose career advice, work experience or employment skills as issues the education sector should focus on to better prepare students for future careers. This illustrates the vital service myoilandgascareer.com will play in opening up the wealth of opportunities available to young job seekers.

If you are keen to help learners explore their future and plan pathways into oil and gas, or to enhance your understanding of the STEM careers on offer in this industry, why not begin the journey at  www.myoilandgascareer.com .

Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Technologies

Internet Safety Competition

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Following the popular competition on internet safety in 2010 the Scottish Government will this year run a similar competition to coincide with Safer Internet Day on 7 February 2012.  The competition will run till 1 March 2012.  The theme for this year is ‘Connecting generations so that we can discover the digital world together safely’. The theme aims to encourage you to think about your internet use, and how other age groups might also use the internet.  Full details of the competition brief and internet safety information can be viewed here.

To view the Scottish Government Internet Safety Leaflet, click here.

Competition Brief

Technologies

BEd4 at UWS investigate STEM Central

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Yesterday (31/01/12), I visited the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) in Ayr to complete a Technologies workshop with  BEd4. We began by discussing the misconceptions surrounding Technologies within Curriculum for Excellence, and spent the rest of the time looking at draft second level learning journeys for STEM Central. The students thought the website was easy to use, and the available ideas on the website made it easy to plan a lesson.

You can find the presentation here. (Glow log in required)

We ended by looking at some of the other resources available from Education Scotland to help with teaching Technologies:

STEM Central in Motion

Technologies Staffroom (Glow log in required)

Glow Science (Glow log in required)

Technologies area of the website

Exploring Climate Change

Weather and Climate Change

Working in the Energy Sector

Literacy, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central and Brain Computer Interfacing

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As we approach publication of the new STEM Central context on Bioengineering which includes a learning journey on Brain Computer Interfacing, interesting scientific research featuring in the news today.

Does this raise the possibility of a prosthetic which allows communication for those with motor neurone disease, or stroke sufferers?

Mind-reading program translates brain activity into words

Science decodes ‘internal voices’