E learning journeys ... What are you using?

[Guest]

Ofsted been and gone (totally unexpected, less than 3years on a outstanding last one!)

 

So now I can experiment and try a few new things!

 

Want to implement an electronic learningn journal and have been looking at a few ... Fingertips, 2simple, Tapestry. Does anyone know of any others?

i am leaning towards one over the the others...

But want to know what others are using and how easy it is to manage.

 

Can tapestry be used on a school network system? Now that Tapestry has been updated does it track progress? Would we need to use PRAMS alongside Tapestry? Or are the two combined now?

Soooo many questions! But I am excited!

 

Thanks

H,

[apple]

Hi H

am I not using any systems at the moment but off to see Tapestry in action at a local school tomorrow so I could report back then to you. However, I am curious to know about your Ofsted. How was it and where you surprised at anything that they asked/looked at? Any tips at all as we our due any time now and getting a little panicky - though I don't know why as I can't do anymore than I am but want to continue to build on previous best so any help would be gratefully received.

Sorry for hijacking the thread a bit but I will report back to you re the Tapestry visit:-)

[Guest]

Ofsted was not too bad really, found it a positive experience.

They wanted to know children's baseline data, how we track through the year, what we do with the data once we have it. How I as the FS leader and our team use observations to feed into future planning, plan for next steps etc. they looked our learning journeys observed practice and commented on how independent t the children were in the setting and their routines. Observed all teachers and TAs at work, either in adult directed and child initiated and how we promote language from very low baseline.

 

H

[mattkelly]

Hi H,

 

I can't help you with regard to what Tapestry is like to use for real, but having made some of it I can answer a few of your questions.

• Tapestry is web based so it can be used anywhere with an internet connection. You can use a tablet or phone to submit observations but most of the interaction with Tapestry is done through a web browser.
• The latest big update introduced the analysis system, which among other things allows you to track progress.
• PRAMS and Tapestry are completely separate systems, there's no need to use both unless you require features that exclusively available in each. We might introduce some form of connection between the two in the future, probably in the form of a method to transfer data from one to the other.

Hopefully someone will come along and give you the benefit of their practical experience.

[SueFinanceManager]

A little feedback from some of our 'weavers' who I am sure would be happy to answer your questions;

 

http://eyfs.info/forums/topic/36557-using-tapestry/

 

As for the analysis here is a topic that gives you some screen shots so you can get an idea of the level of analysis available;

 

http://eyfs.info/forums/topic/36808-tapestry-analysis-progress-checking/

 

Hope these help a little :1b

[apple]

Hi H

visited a school last night to see it in action although they had not gone 'live' with it yet. They were still in the process of putting children's details on and getting to grips with practising adding obs etc. The teacher said it took a lot of time to set up initially and that they have ordered Samsung tablets to use wirelessly rather than a camera and them uploading. I wonder for staff who are not as ICT literate or quink on the keyboard would they find it just as time consuming as paper based ones.

However, the whole point for us is to encourage the parents to contribute! I think the beauty buying into the system is that if it is not suitable for you then you get your money back which is A++ !

[apple]

p.s. thanks for the Ofsted tips - do your T.A's lead family groups in the nursery or is it just the teachers? and if so did those T.A's get observed and questioned?

[Guest]

TAs were observed alongside teachers during whole class then as practinitoners working and observing during child initiated