Jonathan Savage

Incidentally, on the Moodle front, I just noticed that my web host (Blue Host) are now providing installations for Moodle on their servers. This means that it is literally two clicks to set up a new Moodle VLE once you have paid the astronomical charge of about $6/month. And you can add to that as many WordPress/Drupal/Joomla etc installations that you want too (plus many other excellent services). I can highly recommend them.

If, like me, you believe that there should be a closer link between teaching and research then you’ve probably wondered why more teachers don’t subscribe to our way of thinking and continue to reinvent the wheel in much of what they do. So, it was with considerable interest, that I read this article today. Rebekah Wilson draws on the findings of a recent report published by the NFER
which examined the use of research findings by teachers.  The article highlights some of the barriers that can deter teachers from using research to inform their practice and some of the ways in which local education authorities can help teachers to overcome the barriers to using research. Interesting stuff.

Just found another new report from Ofsted, this time on the provision and use of virtual learning environments. The report identifies and describes the current state-of-play with regard to the nature, distribution and use of VLEs across the education sector. The survey includes a brief history of VLEs, their current deployment, potential infrastructure challenges, patterns of learners’ interaction, the motivation for staff use, the involvement of parents and, crucially, the development of content. Moodle comes out of all this very favourable. So, a quick reminder to visit our moodle courses that are here (and free).

Just found the link to the Guardian’s report on the same research.

It was interesting to read about apparent ‘problems’ in the Key Stage 3 curriculum on the BBC website today. Ofsted are reporting that certain elements of subject content or skills are being lost in schools’ responses to the opportunities of the new National Curriculum. As you read the report, just remember that Ofsted only visited 37 schools. So it’s probably a case of more research being needed before jumping to any conclusions.

Have you seen the new Star Trek film? If so, can I recommend Harry Jenkins’ recent post which draws some interesting and entertaining applications to the world of education. I won’t try and summarise them here, apart from to agree that I thought one of the coolest parts of the film was the Vulcan schooling system! Anyway, the film also reminded me that I wished that I learnt the French Horn rather than any other instrument(s), just so that I could have a go at playing that amazing theme that has defined the Star Trek brand. Written by Alexander Courage it even had some original lyrics (written by Roddenberry without his knowledge). You can read them here. Anyway, returning to the French Horn for a moment, if you are free on the 19th June the RNCM symphony orchestra are performing Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony. It has some of the best horn writing in it ever. Well worth a trip to the Bridgewater Hall.

It was interesting to read about the launch of a new body - the Curriculum Foundation - on the BBC website yesterday. The Curriculum Foundation aims to share and develop cutting edge thinking about the school curriculum and excellent classroom practices. It is based on the idea that a good curriculum allows children to grow with the ability, confidence and desire to make the world a better place.

Lord Puttnam is the chair of this new foundation, but I was interested to read some of the comments from one of the founding members, a head teacher of a primary school in Nottingham. He reiterated the key point that the National Curriculum is not in place to constrain and limit curriculum development but rather to facilitate and promote creative approaches to teaching and learning, particularly in response to the local contexts within which schools operate. He said the following:

“The freedom is there but school leaders feel under enormous pressure, bombarded by the latest changes. Being a school leader can be quite isolating and the profession has become very reactive. We want to help schools become more pro-active and to generate curriculum policy. There are some phenomenal schools doing outstanding work out there. We want to harness that and help schools to share their practices.”

I hope the Curriculum Foundation succeeds. It seems grounded on some excellent principles. Do visit their site and see what you think. I’d like to be able to recommend that you register and join, but I noticed it costs money! I think they’ve potentially shot themselves in the foot there.

If you schedule events regularly, can I recommend Doodle to you. Doodle is a great little online tool for coordinating meetings, making choices about dates, times, which film to watch or whatever else you want! Really useful.

The new issue 8/1 of Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education is now available online.

Featured articles in issue 8/1 include:

• Human Needs Theory: Applications for Music Education by Vincent Bates
• Rough Play: Music and Symbolic Violence in an Age of Perpetual War by Randall Allsup
  
• What Music Isn’t and How to Teach It by Arnold Berleant
• Curriculum Reform: Reclaiming Music as Social Praxis by Thomas Regelski
• Music Education and Community: Reflections on Webs of Interaction in School Music by Hildegard Froehlich

At the end of the tax year here in the UK, it was nice to receive a royalty cheque for two books I have co-written with my colleague Martin Fautley. Both were for the same published and released around about the same time. Can someone explain to me why the book on assessment has sold eight times as many copies as the book for creativity? Same authors. Same publisher. Is it is a sad indictment on the current state of education in our country?