Wednesday 11 December 2013

Friday 6 December 2013

Friday 22 November 2013

Today in History!!

Today is the Day of the Doctor!

But what has happened today through time?

On your Blogs list three events that have happened on the 22nd November!

Can you embed videos and pictures of these events on your blog. 

Rank them in importance!

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Google Code-In 2013


Google Code-in (GCI) is a contest for pre-university students (e.g., high school and secondary school students) with the goal of encouraging young people to participate in open source. We work with open source organizations, each of whom will provide a list of tasks to be completed by student contestants. Tasks can be anything an organization needs help with, from bug fixes, to writing code, to user experience research, to writing documentation. The contest takes place entirely online.

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Thirty Minutes Of Gaming A Day Makes Your Brain Bigger: Science



Could 30 minutes a day keep the neurologist away?



Ulrich Knappek

For years, proponents of video games as more than idle time-wasters have argued that the act of playing games can in and of itself boost brain function. A study published yesterday by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, in the prestigious journal Nature, may be the best proof yet that regularly playing video games can actually make your brain more powerful.
It’s certainly the most visceral. The study, titled “Playing Super Mario induces structural brain plasticity: gray matter changes resulting from training with a commercial video game,” found that people who played at least 30 minutes ofMario 64 every day for two months actually grew significant amounts of new gray matter in three areas of the brain correlated with spatial navigation, strategic planning, working memory, and motor performance.
In other words: Playing Mario actually grew the subjects’ brains. The control group, who didn’t play, experienced no such growth. (There is no word on how much time the control group, who actually showed slight gray matter decrease — attributable to aging — had spent on gaming forums.)
According to the study’s leader Simone Kühn, “The present study can demonstrate the direct causal link between video gaming and a volumetric brain increase. This proves that specific brain regions can be trained by means of video games.”
The experimental group in the study played Mario 64 on the Nintendo DS, which, as the researchers note, shows the iconic plumber both from a third-person, behind-the-back perspective, and on the lower screen, from a bird’s-eye, map-based view.
This dual perspective may explain the nature of the gray-matter growth.
The researchers found that increases in gray matter in the right hippocampus were associated with moving from egocentric to allocentric styles of navigation. That refers to the difference between comprehending objects in space by imagining them in relation to oneself (egocentric) and comprehending objects in space by mentally manipulating them in relation to each other (allocentric). It’s easy to imagine how controlling a third-person avatar and seeing him from several perspectives might help develop the ability to navigate based on the position of external objects in the environment.
But what does the study mean in practical terms? This finding — that playing a video game can actually build brain matter — has obvious implications for education, but also exciting ones in health. According to the study, future research, based off of its findings, could focus on how games could be used to treat PTSD, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative diseases.
The paper describes Mario 64 in rather dry terms, as “a three-dimensional platformer game in which a princess has to be saved.” It turns out that the little plumber may be so much more.

What are the F1 through F12 keys?


Question

What are the F1 through F12 keys?

Answer

Commonly known as "function keys", F1 through F12 may have a variety of different uses or no use at all. Depending on the installed operating system and the software program currently open will change how each of these keys operate. A program is capable of not only using each of the function keys, but also combining the function keys with the ALT orCTRL key, for example, Microsoft Windows users can press ALT + F4 to close the program currently active.
Keyboard function keys
Below is a short-listing of some of the common functions of the functions keys. As mentioned above not all programs support function keys and may perform different tasks then those mentioned below. If you are looking for more specific shortcut keys and function key examples we suggest seeing our shortcut key page.
F1
  • Almost always used as the help key, almost every program will open the help screen when this key is pressed.
  • Enter CMOS Setup.
  • Windows Key + F1 would open the Microsoft Windows help and support center.
  • Open the Task Pane.
F2
  • In Windows renames a highlighted iconfile, or folder in all versions of Windows.
  • Alt + Ctrl + F2 opens document window in Microsoft Word.
  • Ctrl + F2 displays the print preview window in Microsoft Word.
  • Quickly rename a selected file or folder.
  • Enter CMOS Setup.
F3
  • Often opens a search feature for many programs including Microsoft Windows when at the Windows Desktop..
  • In MS-DOS or Windows command line F3 will repeat the last command.
  • Shift + F3 will change the text in Microsoft Word from upper to lower case or a capital letter at the beginning of every word.
  • Windows Key + F3 opens the Advanced find window in Microsoft Outlook.
  • Open Mission Control on an Apple computer running Mac OS X.
F4
  • Open find window in Windows 95 to XP.
  • Open the address bar in Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer.
  • Repeat the last action performed (Word 2000+)
  • Alt + F4 will close the program window currently active in Microsoft Windows.
  • Ctrl + F4 will close the open window within the current active window in Microsoft Windows.
F5
  • In all modern Internet browsers pressing F5 will refresh or reload the page or document window.
  • Open the find, replace, and go to window in Microsoft Word.
  • Starts a slideshow in PowerPoint.
F6
F7
  • Commonly used to spell check and grammar check a document in Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, etc.
  • Shift + F7 runs a Thesaurus check on the word highlighted.
  • Turns on Caret browsing in Mozilla Firefox.
F8
  • Function key used to enter the Windows startup menu, commonly used to access Windows Safe Mode.
F9
  • Opens the Measurements toolbar in Quark 5.0.
  • With Mac OS 10.3 or later shows all open Windows.
  • Using the Fn key and F9 at the same time will open Mission Control on an Apple computer running Mac OS X.
F10
  • In Microsoft Windows activates the menu bar of an open application.
  • Shift + F10 is the same as right-clicking on a highlighted icon, file, or Internet link.
  • Access the hidden recovery partition on HP and Sony computers.
  • Enter CMOS Setup.
  • With Mac OS 10.3 or later shows all open Windows for active program.
F11
  • Full-screen mode in all modern Internet browsers.
  • Ctrl + F11 as computer is starting to access the hidden recovery partition on many Dell computers.
  • Access the hidden recovery partition on eMachines, Gateway, and Lenovo computers.
  • With Mac OS 10.4 or later hides all open windows and shows the Desktop.
F12
  • Open the Save as window in Microsoft Word.
  • Shift + F12 save the Microsoft Word document.
  • Ctrl + Shift + F12 prints a document in Microsoft Word.
  • Preview a page in Microsoft Expression Web
  • Open Firebug.
  • With an Apple running Mac OS 10.4 or later F12 will show or hides the Dashboard.

Monday 18 November 2013

Computing History


Watch this video and make detailed notes on your Blog as a Time line old to new.

Create Hyperlinks to external pages where you can read in more depth about the people you have just learnt about.  (Do not link to Wikipedia!)

How To Convert Binary To Decimal







Monday 11 November 2013

Armistice Day to be marked in the UK with silence

Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the CenotaphThe Queen led the ceremony at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday
The anniversary of the World War One armistice 95 years ago is to be marked in the UK with a two-minute silence.
Ceremonies will take place at military bases, churches, schools, town halls and at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire at 11:00 GMT.
And armed forces charity the Royal British Legion is holding its annual 11 November event in Trafalgar Square.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh will visit Belgium, where some of the war's most deadly battles were fought.
Armistice Day, which honours personnel who have died since WW1, this year comes a day after Remembrance Sunday.
On Sunday, two-minute silences took place at war memorials across the UK and Commonwealth, in tribute to fallen members of the armed forces.
In London, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family laid the first wreaths at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, before a march-past by 10,000 military veterans and civilian representatives.

Bebras Challenge 2013


Bebras Challenge 2013

Click here to take the Challenge

Friday 8 November 2013

Design Log for Winners Take All

DESIGN LOG



You must use a design log to record the design process as you develop your products. This should include:
  • key stages in the design and development of your products
  • annotated images of your designs and finished products
  • explanations of your design decisions
  • changes made in response to feedback and testing
  • details of the software you use to create each product

 Create a design log. You may wish to use these template questions to help you.

You need to save this for your eportfolio Save your design log in your Design Log Folder in Unit 3 in your Sites folder.

 Update your design log as you work through the project.


Year 11 Storyboard

Moodboard and Storyboards is a maximum of 11 marks

A student must have recorded progress from the initial moodboard,through design 
prototyping and testing, to the final game and include evidence of:

  • the entire design process with evidence of extensive testing and detailed response to user feedback
  • full justification of design decision
  • development of a wide range of effective assets.

How can you make sure that your storyboards will meet this descriptor?




MAIN TASK

You need to first draw the storyboards for each screen on paper

1. Main Screen
2. Instructions
3. Story (from Overiview)
4. Level 1
5. Level 2
6. Level 3
7. Level 4
8. Level 5
9. Win Screen
10. Lose Screen

Click here for your Storyboard sheets

The drawings need to be detailed but you only have to draw the backgrounds, not the 
platforms


  • By the End of the lesson:

    Create 5 drawings - Need to work a little faster
    Create 6-7 drawings - Get Miss to check and you will get a GREEN
    Create 8-10 drawings - Get Miss to check and you will get a GOLD (prize)\\



    Plenary: Give feedback to your buddy on back of paper
    2 STARS and 1 WISH

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Codecademy CS 10B

Please can you give me some feedback on the Codecademy work you have done in CS with me and Mr Nichol

What tutorials have you completed, three good things, one area for development etc 

thanks

GIFT BAG


You must design a souvenir gift bag to hold your chosen clothing item.

Evidence Draw a net for the souvenir gift bag. It must:
  • be created using only vector tools
  • be a single net which folds to make the bag
  • have sides and a base
  • show the scale and dimensions
  • show where the bag will be cut, folded and glued
Product Complete the gift bag by creating the surface design. It must:
  • be created using bitmap tools
  • include a visual link to the clothing item in addition to the logo
Evidence  Produce photographs showing your finished gift bag from different angles. To do this, you must print your design in colour, cut it out and assemble it




Wildern Radio


Monday 21 October 2013

Design a gaming logo

Look at these gaming logos

Think about what you want your gaming company to be called and design a logo for it

Put your company logo and design onto your blog








WOW

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease that is inherited from two parents who are carriers. This week we are raising awareness about this disease and its impact on young people especially. 

Please watch the video(s) from this youtube site that were created for this year's Cystic Fibrosis week (June 2013)


Additionally to learn more about the disease visit this website to view the frequently asked questions page 



Sadly an ex Student of Wildern lost their battle with this genetic disease recently. We are holding a non uniform day on Friday 25th October in order to raise money to support young people who are coping with this disease. 

It is important for us to reflect on what life must be like for Cystic Fibrosis sufferers and how they struggle to live their lives in ways we take for granted. 

Friday 18 October 2013

Codecademy

Please take your time to work through these lesson on Codecademy

Before you start log into your school email

When you open up Codecademy click sign in with google and you will be logged in via your school account.

After each section below add notes to your blog about what you have learnt?

Go through the slides, then complete the quiz and practice set for each of these below.

Part 1

Why Learn HTML?

Quiz

Practice set

Part 2

Web Fundamentals

Quiz

Practice set

Part 3

Web Fundamentals (HTML and email)

Quiz

Practice Set

Part 4

History and Future of the Web

Quiz

Practice Set

Monday 14 October 2013

Questions on RAM

Cost of ram over 50 years 



A computer uses two types of storage. A main store consisting of ROM and RAM, and backing stores which can be internal, eg hard disk, or external, eg a CD or USB flash drive.

RAM

Random Access Memory (RAM).


RAM is a fast temporary type of memory in which programs, applications anddata are stored. Here are some examples of what's stored in RAM:
  • the operating system
  • applications
  • the graphical user interface (GUI)
If a computer loses power, all data stored in its RAM is lost.

Questions

Read the article on RAM Cost above and record your observations?
How does the cost of RAM link with the cost of machines today?
How much RAM was on the computers that went to the moon on the Apollo missions?
How much RAM in your phone today?
Give two examples of how RAM affects the performance of each of these: Operating System, general applications and the GUI?