Half term

Half term week in the LRC - quiet, not many students about so a good opportunity to catch up.
Trying to get the Net School Classroom management software installed on one of the staff PCs on the third floor. This would mean that we can ban some websites such as Facebook if necessary. It will probably only work on the 3rd floor and this is the floor that we try to promote as quiet and for individual work although in practice this is easier said than done :)

3D Amazing Interactives

Today we demonstrated the 3D Amazing Interactives software system that we have purchased. It was set up in The Street (main reception area in College). Quite a few people came along to have a look - students & staff. The best parts are the body / heart, the aeroplanes / ships and definitely the supermarket.


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Monday 24th May

Still busy in the LRC this week with lots of students hard at work. There are deadlines for assignments so this tends to give a different feel to the place & space. More focused and less movement - students tend to come in and stay in for longer. Also more tutors keeping an eye on students to make sure they finish their work in time.
I covered the desk over lunchtime as we had a couple of staff off.


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LRC photos

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Science Maths display

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Using the Wii for education

Yesterday we successfully set up a Nintendo Wii with the Interactive Whiteboard in the training room. We also tried it in the Quiet Study & PC room (although this may not fit in with the ethos of quiet study) and it worked well including the sound. We now have to have a plan as to how and why we are going to use it with the students. Everyone is thinking of ideas for Wii games that would be suitable - probably along the lines of numeracy, thinking skills, co-ordination, health & exercise. There are a few case studies that I'm looking at too.
I would like to try and find out whether it is possible to have some interactivity of the board with the pen in addition to the Wii game.

Thursday 4th March 2010 - lunchtime counter duty

Today I'm on the counter covering lunchtime as we have a member of staff off sick. I have spent this morning looking at budget figures so it makes a nice change.
Some workmen have come to put a blind up at the window of the prayer room. The prayer room looks nice since it was decorated at half term however we are still waiting for some information about the room and the chaplains that we can pass on to students.
The LRC is quite busy with most students quietly getting on with work either at PCs or at study tables. We haven't had any major problems today although we are still getting a few 'No Communications' messgaes on the PCs. This is when the PCs lose their connection to the network so we have to book them back on to the PC. It is a long standing issue that we are monitoring.