World Maths Day 2009

World Maths Day is an opportinity for students around the world to play against each other in mental arithmetic games. Direct feedback that I had from the head of IT at a school in Austria (thanks Neil) was that “the level of engagement in learning that students had in competing with students around the world in simple arithmetic tasks was stunning!”

Students are captivated by the fact that they are playing in real time. Each game lasts for 60 seconds, students can play as many games as they wish. The questions are appropriately leveled for different ages and abilities. Also open to school aged private individuals and homeschoolers.

So if you’re a school teacher, check it out. Your students can have some fun, learn at the same time, and do a bit of healthy online maths competition with other students from other schools around the world!

U.K. wants yet another database!

As if it’s not enough with the databases for the heathcare, and then of course the failed ID card databases, and the children databases, the U.K. government just can’t get enough of this, now they are building a database for all international travel for U.K. residents all in the guise of the fight against crime, illegal immigration and terrorism.

Computerised records of all 250 million journeys made by individuals in and out of the UK each year will be kept for up to 10 years. Read more…