Odd links...

Just some things I have recently come across:

• Here's another nail in the coffin of all that egregious "Brain Gym" and "Accelerated learning" nonsense. Brain lateralisation doesn't have anything to do with "creativity"--http://mindhacks.com/2010/09/12/the-death-of-right-brain-thinking/
  
• Tips on how to write less badly

Welcome back!

Welcome to the course or to the new academic year! Do look back over previous posts for an orientation about what has come up before and to check out BREO.

Sound material on neuroscience and learning

See my post on my other blog; http://recentreflection.blogspot.com/2010/07/on-neuromyths.html

Sorry it's late for Unit 2!

Teaching numeracy/maths

The link is to Dan Meyer's excellent blog on teaching maths. I'm posting this talk because it links to threshold concepts in maths and how to address them, without actually using the terminology.

Ofsted verdict

From Peter--

Following an intense week of inspection by Ofsted, Post-Compulsory Education scored '2', 'Good' in all areas of its provision.

We are particularly pleased with this result as under the new inspection framework for Teacher Training the 'bar' for standards and quality has been raised significantly.

Inspectors were complimentary about the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and the strength of the Post-Compulsory partnership through the College Network of centres. The lead inspector for PCE described the provision as being "in the Premier League".

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this result, not only directly by being observed or taking part in focus groups or providing files for inspectors to read, but also through your participation in the general on-going life of the programme which has led Ofsted to recognise its quality.

Learning Resources created in Interest Groups

One of you has requested photos of the Learning Resources from the Study Day on 24 April; the file proved to be too big to email directly, but it also occurred to me that others might like it to add their group's contribution to their Unit 4 files, so I have up-loaded it to SlideShare as usual. On this occasion it is available to download, too.

Learning resources

View more presentations from James Atherton.

Video from last Study Day (24 April)

Now available at the above address. Higher quality DVDs may be available to Centres.