Ronnie Corbett’s Blackberry is not working

Here’s a little Christmas cheer before we break for the holidays. Ronnie Corbett brings us this hilarious clip on technology from his new show on Christmas Day – The One Ronnie. As many of you will have guessed it appears to be an update of the Two Ronnie’s classic ‘Four Candles’ sketch. (Thanks to @Marthalanefox [...]

Bridge the digital divide for free

The Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, has announced the introduction of free ICT classes for anyone wishing to improve their computer skills. The classes are at an entry level and will be free of charge to anyone in Northern Ireland from 1 August 2010.  They will be provided by the Further Education sector [...]

CROSSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: a basic kit for the adult learner

EGSA would like to introduce the Media Literacy blog’s first guest blogger: Anne Peoples, University of Ulster: Now seems a good moment to reconsider the Digital Divide and how to equip adult learners to get across it.  We’re led to believe that the Divide is geographical and/ or generational but is this really the case? [...]

Why Guidance Professionals should be engaged with Social Media

I recently came across this useful presentation on the iCeGS website (International Centre for Guidance Studies).  The seminar was delivered by Tristram Hooley at the National Career Guidance Show in March. He sums up the main reasons why careers practitioners (and by extension anyone whose work involves information, advice and guidance) should be embracing new technology [...]

NDI10 Digital Participation

The 5th National Digital Inclusion Conference is being held on the 10th and 11th March 2010 in the Vinopolis Conference Centre, London.  It’s titled ‘Digital Participation: Passing IT on’ and hopes to build momentum within the digital inclusion community by looking for practical ways to ensure that agenda is sustained. There is a very impressive line-up [...]

The Alex Laptop

Following on from my post last year on the SimplicITy computer, a new laptop has been launched to help people confused by computers. The Alex laptop uses a subscription based service which includes telephone support, software updates and broadband access.  The programs are simplified to reduce the learning curve and enable users to get up [...]

Microsoft College of the Future project

The Microsoft College of the Future project was jointly managed and developed by LSDA NI, Microsoft, and Southern Regional College.  The aim was to introduce lecturing staff to tools that would help with students’ learning. The project used Microsoft’s Live@Edu software, which is a collection of Web 2.0 tools that enable tutor lead collaboration within [...]

Addressing the Digital Divide

An objective of Martha Lane Fox and the Digital Inclusion Task Force is to get more people benefiting from being online, especially those viewed as disadvantaged. One of their vehicles for achieving this is the Race Online 2012 campaign: Race Online 2012 is a national campaign to challenge and support the British government, the private [...]

Ofcom Media Literacy Bulletin Issue 28

This month’s issue has a number of reports and articles on Children’s Media Literacy. In addition, here are a few points to note: Nominations are now open for Adult Learners’ Week Awards 2010 (closing date 29/01/2010) Silver Surfers’ Day has been confirmed as the 21 May Grand Opera House now has its own iPhone application (keeping [...]

BT Internet Ranger of the Year

As part of BT’s commitment to invest in the community they have launched the BT Internet Rangers award.  This is targeted at young people, up to the age of 16, who help others get online. There are two awards: Internet Ranger of the Year – the winner will receive an HP Laptop plus £250 worth [...]