Using PSPs for learning in a Birmingham primary school for the deaf

Here are two superb ~8 minute videos in which Alison Carter, deputy head teacher of Longwill School, talks comprehensively, clearly, and passionately about the benefits flowing from pupils' use of Sony PlayStation portable devices. These talks deserve to be widely viewed.

Part 1

With thanks to Jenny Ellwood from East Birmingham City Learning Centre for telling me about this work.

Comments

[Dave Pickersgill]

As part of the MoLeNET project in the Sheffield College, we purchased 50 Sony PSPs, each with attachable cameras.

In July, Andrew Goff, the Education Director of ConnectED Education led a staff development session at Sheffield City College. One of the elements of ConnectED’s work is representing PSPs in Education and in developing its use as an educational tool.

It was obvious that Andy comes from a teaching background as he gave an overview of ConnectED’s strategy, the development of the use of the device, examples from educational practitioners and some insight into the future.

Delegates experienced using the PSP as a camera, as a video-maker, as a wi-fi browser and as a collector of SEMA code. The concluded with the use of Second Sight looking for SEMA code, picking up .mp3 texts of ‘Romeo and Juliet.’

Some of the many useful ideas included, save your PowerPoint as .jpeg – then it can be loaded onto mobile devices as image files. This idea also works with the Apple iTouch/iPod and other /mp3 players.

This was an excellent session which scratched the surface of the educational capabilities of the PSP – it's an excellent device for educational use.

This Sony link describes a number of educational uses of the Sony PSP.