Too easy to blame Facebook!

My eye was caught today by a BBC article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7473818.stm) which in part was blaming what they described as the "Facebook generation" for the recent loss of a sensitive document from a train, left by a careless MOD employee. The suggestion is that young people today are totally insensitive to the notion of secret or private information as they are in the habit of sharing and obtaining private information about pretty much everything from social networking sites.

I have to say I find this a typically headline grabbing load of old nonsense. Just because people choose to share personal information on Bebo does not make for a society that is incapable of appreciating the importance of 'top secret' information, nor of being able to be responsible for keeping it that way! Someone made a mistake, end of story!

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Lots of testing, very little learning.

"I don't understand why I have to do all these tests. I mean, it's not as if I'm learning anything." These were the words of my son, a few days ago. My son is in P7, his final year of primary school, and so far his year has been blighted. Blighted by tests, dozens and dozens of them. Blighted by the incessant, soul destroying grind that is the transfer test, formerly known as the 11 plus. Since Easter, the entire focus of his schooling has been working towards the transfer test in November. The intensity is building up. First practice tests completed in April, May, June. Then, the summer revision pack, "just to keep his eye in". And now he's in P7, all systems are go: 2 practice tests a week, another to do at home at weekends. When he's not doing a practice test, he's reviewing a completed practice test or practising for the next practice test. The tests he does are either numeracy or literacy or both and that is all he does; day in, day o...

Just saying...

I found myself perusing Microsoft's Innovative Education Forum website earlier today to see what was what and I thought I'd have a quick look at the FAQs. And then I came across Question 12... Now, I'm not making a major point here, but it just jarred somewhat to see these restrictions placed on a conference aimed at celebrating innovation. Not even a sneaky wee photo of a key note speaker to pop onto Flickr or a handy flip video of a top demonstration to share on YouTube??? Wouldn't that create a bit of buzz and excitement? Guess we'll never know! Hmmm....

Call me a pedant...

Alastair Darling spoke on Eddie Mair's show on Radio 4 this evening. He was talking about the steps George Osborne is taking to address the banking system and its perceived problems. In relation to these steps, Mr Darling said that "no banking system can ever be safe" but that any steps being taken should be intended to "make the system safer". Clearly this makes no sense. If the system cannot be safe, then surely it cannot therefore be SAFER ie more safe. Call me a pedant Mr Darling, but I think you meant that the steps would make the system less unsafe. I just hope I haven't made any spelling or grammatical errors in this post! That is all...

Shifting Expectations

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