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Shamblesguru (Chris Smith) http://shamblesguru.com
csmith@csmith.info

Shambles between 10,000 and 18,000 visitors a day ...
In the last 30 days ... 695,031 page views and 454,610 visits ... will it make the half million?

One of the new additions to many of the Shambles webpages is (are?) QR Codes.

I'll predict that QR Codes are going to be one of the 'trends' for teaching / learning during 2011 ...for more information about these codes visit shambles.net/pages/learning/ict/qrcode

Shamblesguru's Daily Newspaper http://paper.li/shamblesguru

Please use the Facebook button to spread the word about this newsletter ... many thanks

Second Life (3D Virtual World) Changes
In Dec 2010 I closed down one of the 3 SIMS that made up International Schools Estate in Second Life ... the two main reasons being increases in charges from Linden Labs and also to release some of my time to further explore other Virtual Worlds and online teaching/learning opportunities such as webinars and VLE.

The layout of the two remaining SIMS is shown here ... these SIMS will definately continue until Dec 2012 (already paid for) and possibly longer ... "interesting times"

A personal project I've been involved in over the past year was to establish and grow a collection of (mainly) online opportunities for teacher continuing professional development.

This primarily consists of screencasts I've done of the events as they happen.

I'm archiving these on the Blog Platform Posterous http://virtualplatforms.posterous.com

I like Posterous because of the ability to just add content by emailing it ... it can also be used to automatically redistribute posts to other social networks.

(UK) Gov Depart for Education : Business Plan 2011-2015 http://bit.ly/bpfebL
Published November 2010
I found it interesting that they have a section which listed what they would NOT do ... but I guess that might be politics.
This plan has had a major impact on UK education .... budgets have been slashed.
P.S. If you are writing a school development plan you might appreciate the layout of this national one.

International Primary Curriculum (IPC) www.internationalprimarycurriculum.com
The fact that the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is a success in so many of its 1,000-plus member schools is no accident. It is the result of years of development, trialling and improvement, underpinned by the desire for rigorous learning, high levels of engagement, international-mindedness and personal development.
The principle of the IPC is to focus on personal, academic and international learning that will prepare children, wherever they may live, for the world of tomorrow. Fundamental to the IPC approach to learning is a clear progression in skill development. This even applies to the personal learning goals which emphasise adaptability, resilience, cooperation and respect and which, as a result of progressive skill development, help children to become able and inspired learners.
As for the international context, it’s not just an add-on. Internationalism is embedded into all IPC learning to ensure our children grow up with a very clear global understanding.”
The IPC is now used in schools in 65 countries around the world

International Middle Years Curriculum (imyc) internationalmiddleyearscurriculum.com
Following ten years of continual worldwide growth with the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), and based on five years of research and development into the learning of 11-14 year old children, Fieldwork Education has announced the launch of the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC).
“The IMYC is the first curriculum that really addresses what 11 to 14 age students need. It actually attempts to put theory into practice and openly addresses the challenges that schools face when trying to bridge this gap. The IMYC shows real understanding of the unique philosophy and approach to learning that students at this developmental level require,” says Alison Lipp, Curriculum Coordinator at the American International School of Rotterdam, one of the first schools to have taken on the IMYC.
The IMYC is a curriculum that focuses foremost on student learning. It provides a rigorous, structured yet flexible teaching framework for 11 to 14 year olds to improve their learning and inspire and engage them throughout an often precarious learning and developmental period.
This is achieved through a range of themes to which subjects contribute interdependently providing a coherent and relevant learning experience.
Fieldwork Education tel: +44 (0)20-7531-9696

Review of the National Curriculum
www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum
On 20 January 2011 the Secretary of State for Education announced a review of the National Curriculum in England.
The review will look at the National Curriculum for both primary and secondary schools.

IB Group on Linkedin http://www.linkedin.com
One of the Social Networks I belong to is Linkedin ... which is now much more than the "I'm looking for a job" network.
There is an IB group which has seen more activity over the past few months ... and so may be worth joining. The group is actually a public one so that you can see comments even if not a member.

IB Blogs http://bit.ly/gn0Cat
A list of IB Blogs

(IB) Asia Pacific Regional Workshops & Conference www.ibo.org/ibap/workshops
IB Asia-Pacific Events organizes a programme of internationally recognized workshops and conferences that promote the sharing of knowledge and information amongst IB Schools offering Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. These events create opportunities for professional development and networking for teachers and coordinators from around the region.

For many teachers in International Schools the resignations have been accepted or the positions terminated and they have already put in applications for new jobs ... and it is interview season.

There is a recruitment area on Shambles that contains links to many resources that might help in this quest ... especially as we move into interviews ... face-to-face and online.

| Recruitment Agencies | Jobs Advertised on individual Schools websites |
| Advice for New Teachers | Advice on Teaching Overseas | Job Search (not just teaching) |
| Jobs Advertised Online for teachers | Careers Publications |
| Teacher Professional Publications | Miscellaneous Recruitment www links |
| Retirement | Pay and Salaries | Conditions of Service | Resume and CVs |

If you are a student looking to attend a USA college or university next year then this is an opportunity not to be missed .... Hobsons' Virtual Student Fairs.
There are four Fairs being held online in 2011 all free.

For information ....
- visit the website http://www.hobsonsevents.com/
- follow them on Twitter http://twitter.com/hobsonsvsf
- join them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/hobsonsvsf
- or Google using their hashtag #hobsonsvsf

Lanryd : the Social Conference Directory http://lanyrd.com/
This is a new(ish) website ... a "MUST VISIT" if you speak at, attend or organise conferences, workshops, events ... do not miss this !
What kind of events can you add?
Pretty much anything with at least one speaker. We call them conferences but you can add workshops, unconferences, evening events with talks, conventions and so forth. The site is geared towards knowledge sharing events with sessions and participants of some sort.

The International Leadership and Management Program              
www.internationalleadershipandmanagementprogram.com
... a school-based practitioner program, designed to impact both directly and indirectly on improved student learning in your school.
Senior leaders from around the globe gain from the ILMP
The International Leadership and Management Programme (ILMP) is currently accepting applications for its 2011-2012 cohort. The programme involves senior school leaders from many countries and draws on this opportunity to share and build upon best practice leadership skills from schools around the world.

Flat Classroom Conference 2011 www.flatclassroomconference.com
China, February 25-27, 2011 @ Beijing (BISS) International School
I do admire the passion and energy of these guys ... and the student-centered approach.
"Co-founders of the Flat Classroom Project, Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsay, have joined forces with colleagues and supporters from around the world to provide another opportunity for a face-to-face, real-time event. The aim of getting together in the one place is to fully extend and foster connections and collaborations that will ultimately improve classroom practice and pedagogical approach using technology as part of a global flat classroom."

TechEx 2011 Conference http://bit.ly/bA08U0
TechEx 2011 is alive and well ... 13th and 14th October 2011 at Bangkok Paatana School.
This conference is the fifth in a series of similar conferences which have been hosted at International schools in Bangkok by RIS, NIST and Patana.
It is designed primarily for the average classroom teacher who would like to learn more about using ICT to support teaching or the teacher who has a teaching idea worth sharing.

The Australian Series www.learncentral.org/group/45972/australia-series
Hashtag: #australiaseries
This is an event series in Elluminate (webinar platform) that is held at Australia-friendly times and is largely organized by and for Australian educators/professionals.  Of course, the added bonus is that the series will likely provide benefit to educators all around the world .

CamTESOL 2011 www.camtesol.org
26-27 February 2011 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Global Learn Asia Pacific 2011 www.aace.org/conf/glearn
28 March to 1st April 2011 .... Melbourne, Australia
Global Learn Asia Pacific 2010
Global Conference on Learning and Technology

The 2011 Global Education Conference www.globaleducationconference.com
November 14 - 18, 2011, online and free. Sessions will be held in multiple time zones and multiple languages over the five days.
All sessions are held in the Elluminate webinar platform.
The 2010 Global Education Conference had 15,028 unique logins and presentations from 62 countries.
Archives of the 2010 conf are at www.globaleducationconference.com/recordings.html .. if you look at this list then you will go "wow"
There is a Ning

Music Technology in Education Conference http://soundhouse.org.au/mtec2011
11 - 13 April 2011 MLC School, Sydney NSW
mtec2011 – hosted by the Soundhouse Music Alliance – is an innovative conference focussing on the use of technology in music education.

FOBISSEA Schools Courses www.fobissea.org/prof_dev.php
Courses organised by the FOBISSEA Professional Development Centre
FOBISSEA: Federation of British International Schools in S.E.Asia & East Asia

The Australia Series www.learncentral.org/group/45972/australia-series
#australiaseries
This is an event series in Elluminate (Webinar) that is held at Australia-friendly times and is largely organized by and for Australian educators/professionals.  Of course, the added bonus is that the series will likely provide benefit to educators all around the worl

4th Virtual Round Table Online Conference www.virtual-round-table.com
on Language Learning Technlogies
25-26 March 2011
Online conference on language learning technologies is aimed at educators and language teaching professionals in language schools, institutes or other language related organisations and is held entirely online using virtual classroom technology.
The conference focuses on language learning with web-based tools and discusses best practise on how to use these tools in class for the benefit of our language learners.
To date more than 125 presenters conducted approx. 134 sessions and the recordings archives provide more than 75h of the finest teacher training resource on state-of-the-art learning technologies for free.

EARCOS Weekend Workshops www.earcos.org/ww_workshops.html
One of the advantages of an EARCOS membership is access to a programme of weekend workshops across the region.

Conferences and Events in Australia www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/events
Listed at Edna.

Science Thailand 2011 http://sites.google.com/site/scithai2012/
20-22 July 2012, Bangkok, Thailand
The Future of Science Education
...... where the latest research and best practice in science education come together, presented by educators from around the world. 

Spotlight on Solutions, ISTE Webinars http://bit.ly/6NL6v3
Spotlight on Solutions is a, free webinar series spotlighting the products and services of the ISTE 100 corporate members. The webinars will highlight products offered by their corporate members, demonstrating how they can benefit your district, school, or classroom.
Topics coming up .... Digital Storytelling, School of the Future, Building Teacher Leaders, Digital Citizenship, Critical Thinking and Web Literacy, Project-Based Learning.

21st Century Learning (Hong Kong) Conference .... hashtag: #21CLHK
Ning Social Network http://21clearninghk.ning.com        Website http://21c-learning.hk
17 to 19 Feb 2011
Feb 18-19 2011 with a 1pm start on the Friday 18th. There will also be a twilight session on Thursday 17th, where registration will open. There will be food and drink and an opening Keynote.
School visits are on Thursday and Friday morning. (all sch visits now full)
In keeping with the theme "Making it Real" we have been trying to set up an event where educators get very specific and targeted "take-aways" that they can put into practise the Monday after the conference.

Shanghai Learning 2.011 Conference www.learning2.asia
No news

  Web 2.0 Workshops in Singapore
www.synergyst.com and http://singaporeworkshops.com
March 2011 in Singapore
Each workshop is a mixture of Web 2.0 tools, pedagogy and classroom management ... using whole group work and also individual hands-on.
Brochure from www.synergyst.com/forms/ICTforTeach&Learn.pdf

In house programmes are also possible in individual schools and organisations ... for details contact Cheng Fun at Synergyst in Singapore chengfun@synergyst.com

  Web 2.0 Workshops in Australia download (pdf) brochure
www.australiaworkshops.com | www.sybasigns.com.au/seminars.htm
24th to 28th May 2010 in Australia ... Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane
Each workshop is a mixture of Web 2.0 tools, pedagogy and classroom management ... using whole group work and also individual hands-on.

For a list of workshops from Chris Smith visit
www.shambles.net/csmith/workshops

The Follett Challenge www.follettchallenge.com/follett
The Follett Challenge invites the education community to promote the role that school libraries play in encouraging and developing information literacy and student engagement.
Five prizes, including a $35,000 first place prize, will be awarded by a panel of judges.
Applications open officially on February 1, 2011 and close on June 1, 2011. Video voting begins June 23, 2011

Librarian component of the ACAMIS Spring Conference
www.acamis.org/events/index.shtml
Concordia International School Shanghai is hosting the fourth annual ACAMIS Spring Conference March 11-12, 2011.
Keynote Librarian Speaker: Debbie Abilock.
ACAMIS has 50 school members, so you will have a chance to mingle with lots of other librarians.

Learning Tech Conf (HK) http://21clearninghk.ning.com
February 2011
Learning Tech Conference in Hong Kong with a library strand

Sixth Triennial ECIS Librarians' Conference
http://www.entas.com.tr/tr-tr/Entas.asp?menuID=6
13-15 May 2011 Enka Schools in Instanbul Turkey

The Barcode Book http://bit.ly/9lXqFH
Yuri Suzuki : barcode book at Tokyo Designtide

Making Connections: Benefits of ISTE Affiliation for You and Your Organization
http://sigms.iste.wikispaces.net
It is more important than ever for school librarians to be technology leaders in their schools to best prepare their students with the 21st century skills needed for college and the workplace.
This free webinar will take place on Thursday, Feb 10th at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT.

Google Librarian Newsletter http://groups.google.com/group/librarian-newsletter?hl=en
The title says it all ...

Battle of the Books (Hong Kong) www.bobinhk.com
Whether you're a parent interesting in finding out more about Battle of the Books or a school keen on participating, feel free to browse the site for a host of resources and support materials.

Free email account with address username@internationallibrarian.info
www.internationallibrarian.info/
Would you like a free email account with the domain name @internationallibrarian.info
If yes then just send me an email with your first name / last name / and the username you would like and I shall create it for you. The actual email engine being used for this is Google's gmail .. so very reliable, confidential and trustworthy.
After I've created the account for you then just log in at http://mail.google.com/hosted/internationallibrarian.info to send and read email ........ ONLY for librarians and library staff.

The UnLibrary http://blip.tv/file/4361472

  Do you know of any International Schools for Sale?
Do you know of any International Schools that may be 'up for sale' now or in the future?
If so then please pass this invitation to the appropriate person ... with a request to contact me csmith@csmith.info ... I will then pass the details on to the potential purchasers in complete confidence.

Maekok River Village Resort and Outdoor Education Centre www.mrvproject.com
Over the Christmas holidays I visited Bryan and Rosie Massingham who are the "Power Couple" behind this Resort and Education Centre in northern Thailand. One afternoon we had a tour around some of the community projects in the area that have been the focus of visiting schools ... and there is no doubt that these projects have had a positive effect on the locality.

Quoting from Bryan ... "We have just completed our 100th community project, just passed the 10
million Baht mark (for community projects carried out) and I reckon one of the groups coming in May will include our 10000th student."

What a brilliant and heart warming success story ... congratulations to all involved.

Thailand Charity Organisations www.shambles.net/pages/Countries/th_charity
Toys for Thailand http://toysforthailand.org is a voluntary grassroots team of educators and community members who have been providing tangible goods and services for orphaned, abandoned, and refugee children living in remote villages of Thailand since 2005. images

Virtual Team Challenge www.virtualteamchallenge.com
February 14, 2011 — April 1, 2011
Free online, multiplayer business simulation that takes place in the animated 3D world of New City.
This year's program is a real-time, multi-user business simulation that is played over the course of several weeks by high school students throughout North America.
DRAT ... not Global

International Year of Chemistry 2011 www.chemistry2011.org
The IYC 2011 is a year-long celebration in which anyone can participate. You can coordinate an activity, engage in a project, or simply share an idea. Join in now and become part of something special.

Google Science Fair www.google.com/events/sciencefair
Google is looking for the brightest, best young scientists from around the world to submit interesting, creative projects that are relevant to the world today.
At Google, the only thing we love as much as science is science education. We want to celebrate young scientific talent and engage students who might not yet be engaged with science. So, in partnership with CERN, the LEGO Group, National Geographic, and Scientific American we’ve created an exciting new global science competition, the Google Science Fair.
We are accepting submissions from 11 January to 4 April 2011.
Request a Google Science Fair pack and sign up to receive materials to hand out in class.

World Maths Day www.worldmathsday.com
1st March 2011
World Maths Day is the world’s largest education event where students (aged 4-18) compete in real time against other students from around the world playing mental arithmetic games on the World Maths Day website ( www.worldmathsday.com ).
World Maths Day encourages students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to have a go at maths in a fun, interactive and accessible way.
World Maths Day is free – all you need is internet access.

Academic (A3) Wall Calendar 2011-2012 www.shambles.net/calendar
Shambles produced this calendar each year and it is well received ... it is in Word (.doc) format so you can download and add your own events .. hopefully this will save you some time.

ISC Research www.iscresearch.com/newsletter
These guys continue to develop their online and offline systems mapping the world's English-medium international schools. They research and analyse developments in the market and have the most comprehensive and up-to-date schools database. They have a range of services for suppliers, organisations, parents and heads of school.

SEAMC www.jis-online.com/seamc #seamc11
24 to 26 February 2011
Venue Jerudong International School, Brunei
South East Asia Mathematics Competition (for students)
Contact:
Simi Shah, SEAMC 2011 Coordinator, Deputy Head of Maths, Jerudong International School

Students as global entrepreneurs www.cybertext.net.au/student_11
14th to 21st February 2011
The iNet (International Networking for Educational Transformation) online conference for students in all countries will commence soon - on Monday 14 February at 12.01am (* UK time)
The topic for this conference is ‘Students as global entrepreneurs’. The conference will feature a range of excellent resources, created by students from around the world, each with their own online discussion board.
If you have any classmates or students who are currently not registered for the conference but who wish to participate in this internet e-vent, please ask them to register first at: http://www.cybertext.net.au/inet2011_student.php before accessing the conference website.
If you have any questions about the conference, please contact iNet Online Conference Manager, Ms Debra Brydon, at: brydon@cybertext.net.au

Which websites are blocked in China? www.websitepulse.com/
The Flat Classroom Conference takes place in Beijing 25-27 Feb ... and looking around their website I found a page headed 'Software'.
This page is interesting to a general audience for two reasons ... it lists the social media they are using to support the "real & virtual' conference.
Secondly it lists the websites that are blocked by the Great (Fire)Wall of China ... it should be noted that this may well change on a daily basis.
Additional test to see if a website is blocked in China is at websitepulse.
Certainly a challenge for educators using technology in China.

The Tech Director NING http://techdirector.ning.com

Terry's Newsletter http://ymlp.com/z0AAKE
Computers in Classrooms : Practical advice for colleagues who use, teach, lead or manage information and communication technology (ICT) in schools.

International Technology in Education Mark (ITEM) www.naace.co.uk/item
The International Technology in Education Mark (ITEM) is a whole-school Technology accreditation for schools throughout the world launched in 2010.
Accredited by Naace, the professional association for educators interested in advancing education through ICT, and an ISTE affiliate, ITEM uses a self-review framework which integrates with the NETS standards to produce a unique accreditation scheme suitable for international schools.
It enables schools to self-review their Technology provision across all areas of the school by setting out a structure of elements, strands and aspects to facilitate self-evaluation, benchmarking and action planning.
Who is ITEM intended for? ... ITEM is intended for schools worldwide where no whole-school accreditation scheme already exists that celebrates and confirms the role that Technology plays in establishing a 21st century learning institution.
How do I get started? .. Simple! Register here . You will then receive the framework, which is free for you to use.
Help and contacts ... There are two sets of frequently asked questions, one geared around the needs of schools and the other around the needs of service providers. Please email chris.stott@naace.co.uk for other queries.

The Edublog Awards http://edublogawards.com
The Edublog Awards 2010 are now over and the winners announced.
If you are looking for any examplar Blogs then this is an EXCELLENT source in these categorys.

Global Education News www.globaleducation.edna.edu.au/news
"Global Education News"is a monthly communication updating readers about global issues, current global education events and new materials.

The Global Education Collaborative Ning http://globaleducation.ning.com
Helping Teachers and Students Reach the World

International Education Week (USA) http://iew.state.gov/
.The dates for IEW 2011 are November 14th - 18th.
The dates for IEW 2012 are November 12th - 16th.

Global Teacher and Global Student, Global2 http://global2.vic.edu.au/
This is mainly relevant to Australia teachers.
Like the previous spaces Global Teacher and Global Student, Global2 is an Edublogs campus site, in fact one of the largest in the world, and offers all of the advantages of Edublogs Wordpress based blogs but with the support of and integration with DEECD tools.
Global2 will enable DEECD teachers and students to collaborate online with the world. If you are an existing Global Teacher user (formerly http://globalteacher.org.au/) then access to your blogs continues with all Global Teacher sites being redirected to the new url: http://global2.vic.edu.au