Red Tape

15 May Red Tape

For the first time since I took on this project I was met by red tape… of the best kind, a big red ribbon around the information box in front of the school signifying the impending ceremony to officially open Room Two’s QR Code Safari!
It’s almost a week ago now but the Safari, to hunt and observe Balmullo History QR Codes, is now fully operational!
VIPs from Fife Education, parents of Room Two and the entire school gathered in the main hall at 2pm last Wednesday to listen to the children present their project (with their own Powerpoint presentation) and have it officially opened.
Kenneth Greer, Executive Director of Education for Fife was unable to join us due to prior engagements but was well aware of the project and sent the children of Room Two a letter letting informing them of how proud he was of their achievement.

Everyone had to endure a brief lesson in QR Codes from me but I came away more educated than anyone as a quick straw poll revealed more P6/7s had smart phones than adults in the room!
So, Balmullo may well be the most QR literate village in Fife, but we won’t be resting on our laurels. The Safari’s system is fully content managed so the Safari’s content of videos, images and words will be changing from time to time as new classes take over the project.

While installing the permanent codes I found this poor specimen in the road. It’s one of the temporary QR Codes that had blown off the planter at the bottom of Main Street. There are still a few temporary codes waiting to be upgraded while we arrange for suitable fixing places for the new permanent ones but they’ll all be in place before long.

Here’s a permanent fixture at the Balmullo Inn.

So you’ll now find the Safari starter codes on the information box outside the school, but essentially once you log in you can start the Safari from any of the codes as they all carry information to the map and additional information on this site.
Back to the launch… after the ceremony we were treated to cake, but no ordinary cake, a cake with the project logo printed on the top! (More about the logo soon!)

I was extremely fortunate to have this opportunity and to complete what I’d had in my head for more than a year. I’ve now demonstrated a generic series of projects (or products) that modularly come together to create a learning experience for any age. While in the context of technology there are many ‘seemingly peripheral’ subjects that can be covered as part of the project. These were sited by the teacher supervising the project on behalf of the school: literacy, presentations (Powerpoint), local history, community engagement, graphic design, research, development and documentation… in total I was given a list of 40 outcomes front the Curriculum for Excellence that we had covered.
Any class in the school from P1 through to P7 could have taken a section of this project and developed it within the confines of their ability and experience and taken from it new experiences, skills and understanding relevant to their age and needs.
I only hope I get to expand it through ‘funded’ projects in the future.
I am working on it… lets just hope that I’m met with ‘more’ of the best kind of red tape!