• Pattern Master Boutique
  
• Scamp4
• MasterEye
  

• Concise Oxford English Dictionary on CD-ROM
  
• Create! Textiles Technology
  
• www.show.me.uk
  

Pattern Master Boutique

Pattern Master Boutique is a package that provides a readily accessible pattern production system for garments and accessories which will provide a valuable tool for Key Stage 3, 4 and 16+ textiles work.

It is specifically aimed at producing individualised paper patterns for clothing. It allows the input of detailed individual body measurements and the variation of amounts allowed for seam allowances and ease. These may be used to produce a ‘sloper’ or set of basic block patterns that can be made up as a toile to test the accuracy and fit of a garment for the individual.

It is very straightforward to use and enables students to manage a CAD facility quickly and cheaply to produce a basic made-to-measure pattern that can easily be adapted and individualised for GCSE and AS/A level garment work.

The Concise Oxford English Dictionary allows the user, quickly and easily, to check the meaning of every standard English word from the desktop of their computer. In the tradition of the book version of this excellent dictionary it reflects the changing nature of language, and has many words from slang and modern technology. It is best used as an accompaniment to reading and writing on the computer, with word meanings checked in any on-screen document - including most web pages - in a fraction of a second simply by double-clicking on the document.

Displayed on an interactive whiteboard, it would offer quick definitions of unfamiliar words to the whole class and could doubtless be used for group dictionary games with a little invention on the part of the teacher. Excellent for vocabulary-building the fun way!

The Scamp 4 Census Data CD-ROM is an interactive GIS mapping program. It allows much of the 2001 census data to be recalled and displayed using a variety of different methods and scales. Maps produced from Scamp can have basic annotations added to them, be printed out, or exported to other graphics packages.
For geographical enquiries at any level, Scamp 4 is a departmental must have.

Students will find it invaluable for coursework projects and teachers will find it an intuitive program with which to investigate the socio-economic variations within settlements and areas together with contrasts in the ‘urban/rural mosaic’. The program is greatly enhanced by the use of OS Road Atlas Style raster maps for chosen locations at a 1: 250,000 scale on which can be superimposed the different census items.

Create! Textiles Technology interactive CD-ROM covers KS3, with sections on linking the learning to KS2 and KS4. The projects used are matched to the QCA textiles scheme of work and each section has a starter activity in the form of either a video clip or an animated illustration with associated activities and interactive games.

The program is designed to complement the Textiles Student Book by showing examples of real-life design and technology in action such as video clips of the CNC manufacture of a logo. The program also focuses on developing ICT skills within design and technology, incorporating activities based around Word and Excel templates and setting tasks that involve use of electronic research and design.

MasterEye is a computer room management and teaching tool which takes teaching using ICT to a new dimension. It gives the teacher the opportunity: to keep an eye on individual computer terminals; the ability to “blank” all computers temporarily when the teacher requires student attention; messages can be sent to individuals or groups and files can be transferred between computers.The potential for enhancing teaching and learning is enormous.

Not only can the teacher observe any individual, or group of, workstations, but they can demonstrate good practice by sharing the master computer across all the others in the room or on the network. A teacher is even able to observe the work a student is doing and then remotely take control of that student’s terminal to help or demonstrate.

www.show.me.uk is a free to use, non-commercial site produced by the 24 Hour Museum. It is an evolving website with new links being created all the time. The site is packed with games and resources. The sections are designed to help teachers, parents and children to access relevant content quickly and easily. The interactive pages and resources are organised by topic and listed in the scrollable menu linked to National Curriculum targets. The website links to museum websites with each topic area split into easily navigable pages devoted to games and fun activities. Here, you have access to lots of interesting educational resources and ideas to make and do things.

There is an excellent ‘Get in Touch’ page, devoted to feedback, letters and artwork from pupils and suggestions for content from viewers.