Global Grid For Learning http://www.globalgridforlearning.com All Your Digital Content Needs in One Place Thu, 20 Sep 2012 22:21:58 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Tech Sparks Interviews Robert Iskander http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/tech-sparks-interviews-robert-iskander http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/tech-sparks-interviews-robert-iskander#comments Thu, 20 Sep 2012 22:21:58 +0000 Support http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=4165 Robert Iskander, Founder and CEO of EduTone, gives a rare interview with Tech Sparks, where he discusses the origin, journey and future of EduTone, Inc. and it’s fit in the changing environment of educational technology in the 21st Century.

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/tech-sparks-interviews-robert-iskander/feed 0 Global Grid for Learning surpasses two million learning resources http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-surpasses-two-million-learning-resources-3 http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-surpasses-two-million-learning-resources-3#comments Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:33:20 +0000 Support http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=4160

Global Grid for Learning (GGfL), provider of one of the world’s largest collections of digital educational content, today announced it will be adding over 400,000 curriculum resources from Mary Evans Picture Library, Mirropix, I Like Music, Amdon, Cabri Maths, Maestro Learning and Cambridge Dictionary Online, to its fast growing online service aimed at schools.
The latest content additions mean GGfL now offers schools access to over 2 million digital resources – including videos, interactive activities, images, documents and animations – from over 50 trusted providers.

“Our latest content providers add huge value to the GGfL service and help us accelerate our mission to provide teachers and learners with a single source for high quality, copyright cleared digital education resources from multiple providers,” said Julian Mobbs, Managing Director of Global Grid for Learning, a wholly owned subsidiary of US-based EduTone. “We have spent the last 12 months refining GGfL’s premium library ensuring that the content is as relevant and appropriate as possible for use within schools; the latest content additions reflect this. Teachers and students who simply register on our service also have immediate access to thousands of free resources as well as a free tool which adds GGfL to Microsoft Office 2010 to enable seamless use of the library inside PowerPoint and Word.”

The Mary Evans Picture Library has been the UK’s leading supplier of historical, vintage and heritage images for almost 50 years. The collection specialises in pictures of the past in the very broadest sense, from prehistoric dinosaurs to the 1970s. Drawing from a rich and varied resource, the collection is comprised of photographs, prints, engravings, illustrations, postcards and ephemera from many periods and the library exclusively represents one of the greatest sources of 19th and 20th century history, the Illustrated London News Picture Library amongst hundreds of other contributors.

As well as operating an award winning online music magazine, I Like Music are the owners of a digital commercial music library that has been created from a world famous CD and vinyl record collection compiled over 50 years. Continuously updated, it’s the only music collection in existence that includes every UK Top 40 hit since the charts began in 1952 and countless more recordings from every genre. It offers the only fully licensed commercial music streaming service available to schools, colleges and universities in the UK.

Mirrorpix is the syndication and licensing arm of Mirror Group, offering unrivalled access to a unique collection of archive and contemporary images and illustrations spanning more than a century of British and world history. Since 1903 their photographers have documented the changing face of Britain and beyond, capturing the events, movements, conflicts, cultural changes, politics and people who together shaped the story of our twentieth century.

Amdon Consulting brings together a unique combination of inquiry-based pedagogy, education management and expertise in interactive content development. A leading serious game developer, it also provides Science and Technology enrichment programmes and e-content.

The CABRI software portfolio has expanded to address all K-12 needs for teaching and learning 2D/3D mathematics in an effective way, with strong interactivity and engagement from students. More than 20 Ministries of Education around the world have deployed CABRI math solutions.

Maestro Learning, Inc. is one of USA’s oldest developers of educational print material and educational software. Maestro Learning’s flagship product is Flink Learning, an online service  with 1,000s of online learning activities and a tool teachers and parents can use to create and share their own online learning activities with no programming required.

Cambridge University Press, the oldest and one of the most respected publishing houses in the world, began publishing dictionaries for learners of English in 1995. With clear definitions and useful study extras, their monolingual dictionary can help learners become confident, natural-sounding English speakers.

1. Global Grid for Learning (GGfL), provider of one of the world’s largest collections of digital educational content, today announced it will be adding over 400,000 curriculum resources from Mary Evans Picture Library, Mirropix, I Like Music, Amdon, Cabri Maths, Maestro Learning and Cambridge Dictionary Online, to its fast growing online service aimed at schools.
The latest content additions mean GGfL now offers schools access to over 2 million digital resources – including videos, interactive activities, images, documents and animations – from over 50 trusted providers.
“Our latest content providers add huge value to the GGfL service and help us accelerate our mission to provide teachers and learners with a single source for high quality, copyright cleared digital education resources from multiple providers,” said Julian Mobbs, Managing Director of Global Grid for Learning, a wholly owned subsidiary of US-based EduTone. “We have spent the last 12 months refining GGfL’s premium library ensuring that the content is as relevant and appropriate as possible for use within schools; the latest content additions reflect this. Teachers and students who simply register on our service also have immediate access to thousands of free resources as well as a free tool which adds GGfL to Microsoft Office 2010 to enable seamless use of the library inside PowerPoint and Word.”
The Mary Evans Picture Library has been the UK’s leading supplier of historical, vintage and heritage images for almost 50 years. The collection specialises in pictures of the past in the very broadest sense, from prehistoric dinosaurs to the 1970s. Drawing from a rich and varied resource, the collection is comprised of photographs, prints, engravings, illustrations, postcards and ephemera from many periods and the library exclusively represents one of the greatest sources of 19th and 20th century history, the Illustrated London News Picture Library amongst hundreds of other contributors.
As well as operating an award winning online music magazine, I Like Music are the owners of a digital commercial music library that has been created from a world famous CD and vinyl record collection compiled over 50 years. Continuously updated, it’s the only music collection in existence that includes every UK Top 40 hit since the charts began in 1952 and countless more recordings from every genre. It offers the only fully licensed commercial music streaming service available to schools, colleges and universities in the UK.
Mirrorpix is the syndication and licensing arm of Mirror Group, offering unrivalled access to a unique collection of archive and contemporary images and illustrations spanning more than a century of British and world history. Since 1903 their photographers have documented the changing face of Britain and beyond, capturing the events, movements, conflicts, cultural changes, politics and people who together shaped the story of our twentieth century.
Amdon Consulting brings together a unique combination of inquiry-based pedagogy, education management and expertise in interactive content development. A leading serious game developer, it also provides Science and Technology enrichment programmes and e-content.
The CABRI software portfolio has expanded to address all K-12 needs for teaching and learning 2D/3D mathematics in an effective way, with strong interactivity and engagement from students. More than 20 Ministries of Education around the world have deployed CABRI math solutions.
Maestro Learning, Inc. is one of USA’s oldest developers of educational print material and educational software. Maestro Learning’s flagship product is Flink Learning, an online service  with 1,000s of online learning activities and a tool teachers and parents can use to create and share their own online learning activities with no programming required.
Cambridge University Press, the oldest and one of the most respected publishing houses in the world, began publishing dictionaries for learners of English in 1995. With clear definitions and useful study extras, their monolingual dictionary can help learners become confident, natural-sounding English speakers.”

Global Grid for Learning (GGfL), provider of one of the world’s largest collections of digital educational content, today announced it will be adding over 400,000 curriculum resources from Mary Evans Picture Library, Mirropix, I Like Music, Amdon, Cabri Maths, Maestro Learning and Cambridge Dictionary Online, to its fast growing online service aimed at schools.
The latest content additions mean GGfL now offers schools access to over 2 million digital resources – including videos, interactive activities, images, documents and animations – from over 50 trusted providers.
“Our latest content providers add huge value to the GGfL service and help us accelerate our mission to provide teachers and learners with a single source for high quality, copyright cleared digital education resources from multiple providers,” said Julian Mobbs, Managing Director of Global Grid for Learning, a wholly owned subsidiary of US-based EduTone. “We have spent the last 12 months refining GGfL’s premium library ensuring that the content is as relevant and appropriate as possible for use within schools; the latest content additions reflect this. Teachers and students who simply register on our service also have immediate access to thousands of free resources as well as a free tool which adds GGfL to Microsoft Office 2010 to enable seamless use of the library inside PowerPoint and Word.”
The Mary Evans Picture Library has been the UK’s leading supplier of historical, vintage and heritage images for almost 50 years. The collection specialises in pictures of the past in the very broadest sense, from prehistoric dinosaurs to the 1970s. Drawing from a rich and varied resource, the collection is comprised of photographs, prints, engravings, illustrations, postcards and ephemera from many periods and the library exclusively represents one of the greatest sources of 19th and 20th century history, the Illustrated London News Picture Library amongst hundreds of other contributors.
As well as operating an award winning online music magazine, I Like Music are the owners of a digital commercial music library that has been created from a world famous CD and vinyl record collection compiled over 50 years. Continuously updated, it’s the only music collection in existence that includes every UK Top 40 hit since the charts began in 1952 and countless more recordings from every genre. It offers the only fully licensed commercial music streaming service available to schools, colleges and universities in the UK.
Mirrorpix is the syndication and licensing arm of Mirror Group, offering unrivalled access to a unique collection of archive and contemporary images and illustrations spanning more than a century of British and world history. Since 1903 their photographers have documented the changing face of Britain and beyond, capturing the events, movements, conflicts, cultural changes, politics and people who together shaped the story of our twentieth century.
Amdon Consulting brings together a unique combination of inquiry-based pedagogy, education management and expertise in interactive content development. A leading serious game developer, it also provides Science and Technology enrichment programmes and e-content.
The CABRI software portfolio has expanded to address all K-12 needs for teaching and learning 2D/3D mathematics in an effective way, with strong interactivity and engagement from students. More than 20 Ministries of Education around the world have deployed CABRI math solutions.
Maestro Learning, Inc. is one of USA’s oldest developers of educational print material and educational software. Maestro Learning’s flagship product is Flink Learning, an online service  with 1,000s of online learning activities and a tool teachers and parents can use to create and share their own online learning activities with no programming required.
Cambridge University Press, the oldest and one of the most respected publishing houses in the world, began publishing dictionaries for learners of English in 1995. With clear definitions and useful study extras, their monolingual dictionary can help learners become confident, natural-sounding English speakers.

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-surpasses-two-million-learning-resources-3/feed 0 Global Grid for Learning with Microsoft http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-with-microsoft http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-with-microsoft#comments Wed, 27 Jun 2012 01:26:39 +0000 admin http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=4114 Global Grid for Learning (GGfL) today announced it is working with Microsoft to develop a series of integrated solutions for the education market.

GGfL, originally pioneered by Cambridge University Press and provider of one of the world’s largest collections of digital educational content, is to integrate with Microsoft’s latest productivity applications, providing seamless teaching and learning experiences.

The first of these solutions due for release this month sees GGfL embedded within PowerPoint in Microsoft Office 2010, delivered using Windows Azure, Microsoft’s flexible cloud platform. Teachers and students who register or subscribe to GGfL will be able to download and install an easy-to-use file from the GGfL website which will allow them to search for, stream and drag learning resources from GGfL directly into their presentations without leaving their PowerPoint page.

“The ability to access relevant, high quality, digital resources reliably, quickly and easily is critical for teachers and students,” said Julian Mobbs, Managing Director of Global Grid for Learning. “Having successfully brought together multimedia resources from 50 different providers, our aim is to enable that fantastic content to be discovered and used seamlessly by educators and students within software and platforms that they are already comfortable using. Our partnership with Microsoft has enabled our service to be integrated within Microsoft Office, the most commonly used software in classrooms around the world. Hosting our service on Windows Azure ensures that we can deliver the integrated service in locations around the world without loss of performance.”

Steve Beswick, Microsoft’s UK Education Director, said: “We are always looking to add value to our software and applications which is specific and relevant to our end users, and which ultimately improves and simplifies their experience with our products. Our partnership with GGfL does just that.”

More information can be found at http://ggflazure.cloudapp.net.

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-with-microsoft/feed 0 Major Educational Content Providers Join Forces with Global Grid for Learning http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/major-educational-content-providers-join-forces-with-global-grid-for-learning http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/major-educational-content-providers-join-forces-with-global-grid-for-learning#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:29:48 +0000 admin http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=4051

Global Grid for Learning (GGfL), provider of one of the world’s largest collections of digital educational content, today announced it will be adding to its service over 100,000 curriculum resources from Hutchinson Encyclopedia, Audio Network, Amazing People Club, Eye2eye Software, and Geography Photos.

The latest content additions mean GGfL now offers schools access to over 1.5 million digital resources – including videos, interactive activities, images and animations – from 45 trusted providers.

“The ability to access high quality digital resources reliably, quickly and easily is critical for teachers,” said Julian Mobbs, Managing Director of Global Grid for Learning, a wholly owned subsidiary of US-based EduTone. “Often teachers have to cope with content subscriptions from several providers and from locations with different logins. Our latest content providers add tremendous value to GGfL and help us accelerate our mission to provide teachers with a single source for high quality, curriculum-relevant teaching and learning resources, both freely available and paid for, from multiple sources.” He added, “We will be announcing further content acquisitions before January’s BETT Show where we will be showcasing the latest version of our new content service, and demonstrating how it will integrate with our freely available web services, MyCurriculum.com – which GGfL recently acquired from the Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) – and Wetheteachers.com, and how it already works seamlessly with the EduTone XchangeTM single sign-on and identity management platform”.

The Hutchinson Encyclopedia represents the UK’s leading single volume encyclopaedia with over 21 million words and over 80,000 reference resources ranging from articles, maps, diagrams, illustrations, audio clips and animations. The extensive resources, provided by Helicon, an RM company, are regularly updated and include timely information, including an article on the recently created country of South Sudan, for instance.

The Audio Network library will add its collection of professional music tracks, used by many of the world’s leading media companies and covering a very wide variety of styles. The resources are intended for use in a variety of educational applications, from drama teachers using sounds to help describe character traits, to dance teachers using backing tracks for their classes, to student film makers using the music as a sound track to their videos.

The Amazing People Club will provide GGfL with eBooks and audio titles that offer students insights into the exploits, achievements and motivations of some of the world’s most inspirational figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Curie, Mozart, Michelangelo, Darwin, Einstein and many others. Each resource, written in the first person, recreates the life stories of famous people as though they were giving personal interviews.

Geography Photos contributes its library of over 13,000 high quality, copyright-safe and trustworthy images for geography lessons. The Geographical Association recognised the contribution of Geography Photos through an award for its value to education.

Eye2eye Software offers teachers and students photographed points of interest across the whole of Britain with immersive 360 degree panoramas. The resources cover commonly taught topics spanning historic sites, mountain peaks, coasts and interiors.

More information can be found at http://www.ggflondemand.com

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/major-educational-content-providers-join-forces-with-global-grid-for-learning/feed 0 Global Grid for Learning Extends Free Content Services through MyCurriculum.com http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-extends-free-content-services-through-mycurriculum-com http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-extends-free-content-services-through-mycurriculum-com#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:11:58 +0000 Jason http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=4033 MyCurriculum ScreenshotGlobal Grid for Learning (GGfL) today announced that it has acquired from the Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) MyCurriculum.com, the website that enables teachers to explore, create and share content aligned to the English national curriculum within their own peer groups and networks.

“We are thrilled at the prospect of making MyCurriculum.com a key part of the GGfL content service,” said Julian Mobbs, Managing Director at GGfL, a wholly owned subsidiary of US-based EduTone. “GGfL is committed to unifying access to high quality digital educational content, from commercial, open, free and user-generated sources. This acquisition ensures that the website’s well-constructed tools and resources are kept available to existing users and that the website can achieve its potential by attracting a substantial base of new users.  It also gives us a strong platform and brand to leverage our free educational content offering.”

The combination will also offer opportunities for GGfL to extend and enhance its free content service, which currently includes user-generated content from We the Teachers, a community of over 60,000 educators, as well as access to many other open educational resource providers through GGfL On Demand.

With over one million digital resources from more than 40 content providers, including Corbis, Waterford Institute, Intel, Reuters, Bridgeman Education and Science Photo Library, GGfL represents one of the most comprehensive digital educational content collections in the world.

Founded in 2008, MyCurriculum.com users have built up a library of over 1,400 online resources and 500 activities. The site helps teachers to access and develop best practice activities, lesson plans, resources and examples of students’ work.

Educators interested in seeing the MyCurriculum service can sign up for free at www.MyCurriculum.com

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/global-grid-for-learning-extends-free-content-services-through-mycurriculum-com/feed 0 Sign Up for Usability Testing and Help Us Improve Global Grid for Learning http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/sign-up-for-usability-testing-and-help-us-improve-global-grid-for-learning http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/sign-up-for-usability-testing-and-help-us-improve-global-grid-for-learning#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:16:20 +0000 Jason http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=3945 GGfL On Demand Screenshots

At Global Grid for Learning (GGfL) we are always searching for teachers and school leaders who can provide feedback on our products to help make them more relevant and useful.

Do you have an hour to help us offer a better experience to our users?

What’s In It For You?

  • Compensation of £30 in Amazon vouchers
  • A sneak peek at the latest GGfL developments
  • The opportunity to have a say in the future development of GGfL

Who Are We Looking For?

  • Primary/elementary school teachers
  • Secondary/high school teachers

What Does Usability Testing Involve?

The research is carried out online with a member of our team, and will only take about an hour of your time. You can pick a time that is convenient for you. All you need is access to the internet and a computer.

Once a time is agreed, we will arrange an online screen sharing session with you where we’ll ask you to perform some simple tasks on our website. As you use the site, we’ll ask you as much as possible to try to think out loud: to say what you’re looking at, what you’re trying to do, and what you’re thinking. This will be a big help to us. We may also ask for your opinion on some designs and images representing changes we plan to make to the website.

Get Involved

Sign up for usability testing by completing our short online form here. A member of our team will get in touch shortly afterwards.

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/sign-up-for-usability-testing-and-help-us-improve-global-grid-for-learning/feed 0 EduTone Acquires Global Grid for Learning from Cambridge University Press to Become its Digital Content Marketplace for Education http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/edutone-acquires-global-grid-for-learning-from-cambridge-university-press-to-become-its-digital-content-marketplace-for-education-2 http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/edutone-acquires-global-grid-for-learning-from-cambridge-university-press-to-become-its-digital-content-marketplace-for-education-2#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:11:18 +0000 Jason http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=3837 EduTone logoCambridge University Press and California-based EduTone today jointly announced an agreement for EduTone to merge Global Grid for Learning (GGfL), the Press’s innovative digital content aggregation business, into EduTone’s portfolio of education businesses.

EduTone has acquired all of the shares of GGfL and the Press has taken a minority interest in EduTone.

EduTone intends to keep GGfL as a wholly-owned subsidiary, and to integrate its products and services with the award-winning EduTone XchangeTM Platform, enhancing its collection of third-party licensed digital education content, creating global and regional content marketplaces, to be marketed to schools through distribution partners globally.

GGfL will also represent EduTone in Europe, Middle East and Africa, complementing EduTone’s current presence in the United States and Australia.

“The coming together of these two organisations will create a unique force in the education market,” said Robert Iskander, CEO of EduTone. “As the role of technology in schools continues to increase, we are pleased to be able to provide our partners and customers with one of the most comprehensive digital educational content collections in the world backed up by a first class integration platform. The passion displayed by both companies to create breakthrough, innovative services that meet the needs of schools is what will continue to drive our product suite forward and fuel our continued growth.”

Stephen Bourne, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Press, said: “The Press is proud to have pioneered Global Grid for Learning and we believe that EduTone has the ideal technology base and management focus to accelerate and strengthen its presence in school markets around the world.”

Julian Mobbs will continue to serve as Managing Director of GGfL with Robert Iskander becoming the newly appointed Chairman.


]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/edutone-acquires-global-grid-for-learning-from-cambridge-university-press-to-become-its-digital-content-marketplace-for-education-2/feed 0 Picture This: April Fools’ Day http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-april-fools-day http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-april-fools-day#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:41:02 +0000 Jason http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=3699 April Fools’ Day is celebrated widely as a day for practical jokes. The day supposedly started in 1564, when France moved the new year from the end of March to January 1. It is also commonly thought to have been first mentioned in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in 1392.

Credit: Bridgeman Education (available through Global Grid for Learning)

Teaching Activity (age 9-14)

Learners could write a short sketch about playing an April Fools’ Day joke. They could storyboard it using storyboard software, act and film it, or develop it as an animated sequence or a comic strip.

Learner Outcomes

Using ICT to tell a story

Subscribe via RSS to our Picture This series to receive daily inspiration for teaching ideas and lesson plans.

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-april-fools-day/feed 0 Picture This: Eiffel Tower Opens in 1889 http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-eiffel-tower-opens-in-1889 http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-eiffel-tower-opens-in-1889#comments Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:52:54 +0000 Jason http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=3686

Credit: Corbis Images (available through Global Grid for Learning)

Teaching Activity (age 9-14)

  • The Eiffel Tower is approximately 300m tall. It has three viewing platforms.
  • The first platform is approximately 58m high.
  • The second platform is approximately 11 m high.
  • The third platform is approximately 276m high.
  • Its feet stand within a square with sides of approximately 125m.

Draw a diagram of the Eiffel Tower to scale, showing the relative positions of the platforms. You need to work out a scale that will fit comfortably on the piece of paper you decide to use. Include a note of the scale you have used and label the measurements of the tower.

Look at a range of photographs of the tower to help you to draw its design.

Learner Outcomes

Devising a scale and converting measurements according to the scale; drawing a diagram to scale

Subscribe via RSS to our Picture This series to receive daily inspiration for teaching ideas and lesson plans.

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-eiffel-tower-opens-in-1889/feed 0 Picture This: Vincent Van Gogh Born on This Day http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-vincent-van-gogh-born-on-this-day http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-vincent-van-gogh-born-on-this-day#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:30:54 +0000 Jason http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/?p=3667

Credit: Corbis Images (available through Global Grid for Learning)

Teaching Activity (age 11-16)

Invite learners to explore a range of images of sunflowers on the Global Grid for Learning (GGfL) database and then to use one of these to create a new electronic image, either in the style of Van Gogh or in a style of their own choosing.

  • They could download an image electronically and work on it in Photoshop to add different effects.
  • They could download one or more images to create an electronic collage.

Create an electronic gallery of the results.

Learner Outcomes

Producing original and imaginative images; using media and technology creatively

Subscribe via RSS to our Picture This series to receive daily inspiration for teaching ideas and lesson plans.

]]> http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/picture-this-vincent-van-gogh-born-on-this-day/feed 0