Digital Schools

Digital Birmingham is currently working with four schools in Birmingham on the "Digital Schools" initiative. Our Digital Empowerment Manager, Nikki Spencer, works closely with the schools to highlight what technology initiatives the schools are participating in or projects/activities the school(s) is particularly proud of and would like to share with other Digital Schools.

Throughout the Digital Schools initiative we hope this will be your first port of call when you want to find out more, and/or need an update on developments.

The four Digital Schools in Birmingham are:

St John Wall Catholic School (Handsworth Wood)

Sheldon Heath School (Sheldon)

Wilson Stuart School (Erdington)

Prince Albert Junior and Infant School (Aston)

Future Activity

Digital Families Calendar 2010
As the focus moves to 2010, the year when Birmingham is showcased as a leading digital city, Digital Birmingham will be following and featuring other digital families across the city to share with you some of their experiences, thoughts and ideas as they explore the use of digital technologies.

Hot on the heels of the Locke Family, the 2009 Digital Family, Digital Birmingham are looking for 12 new families to feature and follow on their digital journey which will culminate in the production of a 2010 Digital Family Calendar, showcasing a family a month.

So, if any of your school community, pupils, teachers or support staff would like to apply to become one of the 2010 Digital Families please do not hesitate to contact Nikki for information on terms and conditions and a copy of the consent forms.

Please download the Digital Calendar Flyer for more information about how to enter.

Activity Updates

Who Do I Think I Am? Media Box Proposal
Digital Birmingham, in partnership with Projects in Motion and Ulfah Arts, has submitted a Mix Media bid called "Who Do I Think I Am?" with the specific aim of encouraging 13-19 year old, new arrivals in the UK and children/grandchildren of immigrants, to engage with their communities by exploring their ethnic and cultural sense of belonging in UK Society by creating a media-rich Intergenerational Digital Scrapbook.

Building on the WANTED project, which pupils from St John Wall created with Projects in Motion, "Who Do I Think I Am?" will provide a way for the youth to communicate to a wider audience while exploring issues they face in their communities today. The project is strengthended by engaging older generations from their communtiies and capturing their memories so they are given a voice through the young people's investigations.

We would like to hold an exploratory session with young people to trial the multimedia (radio, animation, photography, graphics, digital imaging) and debate the topic theme, which we would capture on film.

If your schools is interested in participating in this DCSF initiative, contact nikki.spencer@birmingham.gov.uk.

Computers for Pupils and Keeping IT in the Family (KITIF)

As you are no doubt aware, many schools in Birmingham are participating in the Becta managed "Computers for Pupils" (CfP) programme, whereby schools can benefit from the provision of Wifi-enabled laptops for pupils and the support of a secure wireless network across Birmingham. However, Becta were keen to ensure the skill enhancement of the wider school community, in particular, the parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, of the pupils receiving the computers. To ensure that their ICT capabilities could confidently support their child/ren in their learning endeavours and reap some of the benefits of the current digital age, through Digital Birmingham's "Keeping IT in the Family" (KITIF). So, watch out for my email introducing Dr Mike Farmer, who will arrange convenient dates to visit your school. If you are not part of the CfP programme but would still like your school community to benefit from KITIF then drop Nikki an email at nikki.spencer@birmingham.gov.uk.

Digital Schools Newsletter

Love it, hate it......Nikki would welcome your comments on the new Digital Schools newsletter that was sent out to all of the schools involved in October.

Digital Schools Blog

Don't forget the blog that has been set up for the Digital Schools, it is operating at www.besafeindigitalbirmingham.edublogs.org/.
It is available to you and your pupils to use to document and share their digital endeavours in a safe environment.