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Education Minister applauds BETT Innovation Award Winners
Added: (Thu Jan 22 2004)
Education Minister applauds BETT Innovation Award Winners
Radiowaves, an online resource that enables schools to create and manage
their own internet radio station has just won the "Innovation Award" in the
most prestigious and sought after award in education technology - THE BETT
AWARDS.
Radiowaves is run by technology company SynergyTV and Educational Charity,
CAPE UK. The judges were looking to recognize imagination, innovation and inspirational developments in the realm of ICT in education and Radiowaves beat off some stiff competition to gain the award.
Education Minister Charles Clark loved the technology so much that he sought
out SynergyTV (Radiowaves creators) at the associated BETT Exhibition to ask
for a personal demonstration.
Clark was shown how Radiowaves is a unique and innovative way of engaging pupils with broadcast technology. It consists of a network of online
radio stations providing schools with their own stations and international
broadcast platform. Students can publish and share their programmes on the
internet using text, audio and images.
Many schools have already piloted Radiowaves and the associated evaluation
report by Bradford University hailed it as a great success.
SynergyTV Director Tim Riches, said of the award,
"This award reflects the innovation of our product and we at SynergyTV are
delighted with that. It also reflects the ongoing commitment of CAPE UK
which has ensured that Radiowaves has been a resounding success within
schools.
The BETT Awards reward excellence in educational technology and SynergyTV's
Radiowaves product won "The Innovation Award". SynergyTV has partnered
with educational Charity CAPE UK on Radiowaves.
Interviews of SynergyTV (Radiowaves creators) available upon request.
Ends
Editors Notes
BETT Awards:
The BETT Awards have been designed to recognise and reward the creativity, innovation and commitment of an organisation or company in developing high quality and effective educational ICT resources. Over 300 products are nominated each year for an Award, and in the five years since their launch, The BETT Awards have become the benchmark by which standards in educational ICT product development are judged.
Video of Radiowaves project:
http://www.becta.org.uk/corporate/display.cfm?section=21&id=3123
PDF detailing awards
http://www.becta.org.uk/subsections/awards/bett_awards/documents/bett_awards04.pdf
CAPE UK (Creative partnerships in education)
CAPE UK works to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning in schools and colleges and supports collaborative networks of teachers, schools and creative organizations to work out approaches that make a difference to the lives of children and young people.
www.capeuk.org
+44 (0) 113 200 7035
SynergyTV
SynergyTv is a digital innovation and action research lab. We create products which enable communication and learning networks. Place the power of the internet, the written word, image, audio and video at your fingertips.
Clients include, Yorkshire and Humberside Grid for Learning Foundation, Education Leeds, West Yorkshire Learning and Skills Council, Roche, xrefer Comic Relief.
www.synergy.tv
+44 (0) 113 246 9989
Radiowaves
www.radiowaves.co.uk
Radiowaves is a unique network of schools internet radio stations which engages children and teachers by putting them in charge of the publishing process. It turns traditional publishing models on their head as pupils and teachers create their own content on subjects which interest them.
Each school is given their own radio station and home page within a pre-structured set of web pages on which to publish content. It offers a controlled online community with a forum to swap ideas with other members. The site also features online training in radio production techniques and all aspects of running a successful online radio station.
The stories on the site cover a vast range of topics from programmes on drugs education to interviews with pop stars, the point is, pupils drive and control the content.
Radiowaves has been evaluated by Bradford University and has been shown to have a positive impact on English, ICT skills as well as significantly increasing confidence amongst participants.
Quotes from the University of Bradford research paper:
“Can’t measure the difference in terms of confidence – its amazing”
“It encourages children to talk and be verbally confident”
“Its had a positive effect on literacy skills. Here they are creating written work but for a different purpose”
“Some pupils with poor attendance have had better attendance for Radiowaves. Its changed the way they see school”
Press Enquiries: Al Fox – 01904 623318
al@alfox.co.uk
Radiowaves Enquiries www.radiowaves.co.uk
+44 (0) 113 246 9989
info@radiowaves.co.uk