Plans are well underway for our first ever S2 enterprise day on Monday 1 June.
S2 will be off timetable for the day, and set a number of challenges to get them working together. Sessions include literacy treasure hunt, numeracy outdoor challenge, a design challenge and a physical assault course.
Pupils will be given instructions for the day through our VLC media player - software that allows us to man information on one computer and show on every dataprojector in the school. Crazy talk software will be used to give pupils team building tasks and instructions to 9 classrooms simultaniously.
Classes will then compete in the four areas mentioned above to earn points for their respective houses. Clues are going up around the school this week; equipment is being gathered for the numeracy challenges (think Die Hard with a vengeance where Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson have to diffuse a bomb by placing 4 gallons of water on a set of scales…); the TA have been invited in to work with our PE staff and pasta has been purchased for the design challenge!
The hard work of preparing has begun in earnest. Watch this space…
Tagged: enterprise, S2 May 19, 2009
Some of you in Mrs Stevson’s and Mrs Dowds’ classes will be sitting your Int 2 PCI NAB on Friday 15 May.
Content also delivered at Intermediate 1 has not been included below. Everything that was included in the Int 1 NAB is also included this time. You MUST also read the post for Intermediate 1 PCI!
In addition you must know how to…
1 Use the internet to search for and extract information for a given purpose:
insert hyperlink to URL in a word processing document
2 Use ICT to present and communicate information:
Candidates must be able to carry out the following when creating or completing word processing documents: customise bullets and numbering | insert headers and footers with name, date, time and filename | shade text | border text | indent paragraphs | insert page breaks | customise automatic page numbering Tables - merge cells | rotate text within cells | insert borders around table and cells | insert shading within cells | use autosum feature, average and sum formulae | sort lists — single level sort use an e-diary | schedule meeting | schedule recurrent meetings | navigate the calendar, eg finding appointments, dates or notes
3 Use presentation software to present and communicate information:
Create presentations and amend existing presentations:insert text using two fonts | find and replace text | change line spacing and font size | align, distribute and group objects | change slide content layout | apply slide transitions | import data or chart from spreadsheetchange slide order | use slide master to: apply and change background | apply and change colour scheme | apply and change design templates | define and redefine fonts and styles | insert footer objects | insert action buttons (next slide, previous slide, first slide, last slide) hyperlinked to other slides within the presentation | customise bullets and numbers
Tagged: NAB, PCI May 2, 2009
A huge congratulations to Stirling High Young Enterprise Company Forte, who won an impressive 8 out of 12 awards at the Forth Valley Innovation Awards in the Albert Halls, Stirling this week.
Forte, who sold a CD of local bands, will now go on to represent Forth Valley at the Scottish Finals on 17 June.
Tagged: Forte, Young Enterprise May 2, 2009
Below is a collection of ideas/suggestions regarding a possible timetable structure for S2/S3 (treated as one group) from 2011. This reflects the joint views of the IT faculty and has not been endorsed by Stirling High School (yet!). Please add you thoughts. If you agree it would be great to hear what 12 week courses you could see running for different subject areas.
Points from IT faculty discussion:
- Work more closely with associated primaries (pupils and staff). Already have Citizenship/Sports Days however would like to look at more projects across whole school. Resources (staffing) an issue but could look at study leave time.
- Current S1/S2 courses currently aligned to SG/Int/H courses - need to move away from this.
- All faculty staff in favour of group/rich task approach.
- Agree that S1/S2 timetable does have contact with too many teachers - need to reduce. [One national report suggested as few as 11 - we felt this was too radical]
- Need to get back to basics with S1.
- What do we want pupils to achieve/gain from our subject if they do not take it in senior school?
- Need for more cross curricular events so that pupils can better understand what and why they are learning.
- Teach pupils how to learn, active learning, learning to learn, critical skills - staff require training in these areas no longer only subject specific staff development.
- Agreed with many of the points from Learning and Teaching Scotland Report on secondary thinking groups
Proposal:
- Friday pm cross curricular for all pupils - could include Eco club, Enterprise groups, School Radio - not just sport.
- S1 Induction Day in August - each pupil setup on school network, folders for all areas, Glow log in etc. Could also include a team building task. Not just IT staff involved. Need for staff to build relationships with S1 pupils.
- S2/S3 Semester approach - Induction Days at start of each semester - first semester starts in August. Option choice - 3 semesters per session; 3 elective areas per session - work as mixed S2/S3 groups (draft timetable attached).
- Electives would be a mixture of introduction to courses, intermediate courses, advanced courses, cross-curricular courses, rich task courses.
S2/3 Proposed schematic
- Pupils choose new electives every 12 weeks (3 semesters)
- Aligned with the principles of curriculum design -
- Challenge and enjoyment (12 week courses that allow mixed year teaching, beginner courses do not rely on NQ course content);
- Breadth (18 courses allow pupils to cover many curricular areas, inevitably choices will come from all 8 curricular areas);
- Progression (beginner, intermediate and advanced courses available);
- Depth (model allows for pupils to choose progression and depth in the subject areas that interest them);
- Personalisation and choice (pupils choose their electives every 12 weeks - not pupil support);
- Coherence and relevance (courses need to be written to be alligned with the 4 capacaties)
- Maths, English and PE considered the only core subjects
- Electives include single subjects (at different levels), cross curricular topics, rich tasks
- Friday afternoon - sport and non-sports activities
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
|
M
|
Maths
|
Elective A
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Elective C
|
|
Tu
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Elective C
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English
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Elective B
|
|
W
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Elective A
|
Maths
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PE
|
|
Th
|
Elective B
|
Elective C
|
Elective A
|
|
F
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English
|
Elective B
|
Extra Curr
|
Tagged: CfE, new timetable April 12, 2009
All past paper files for Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2 and Higher Admin have been uploaded to our Admin Glow Group. Ask me in class for the papers for any revision you can do over the holidays. You can access the files you need in Glow and return to me for correction.
Tagged: Admin, Glow, Past Papers March 30, 2009
Glow has really taken off in Stirling High, which has stopped me blogging for a while. I hope to start again over Easter as the exams approach!
With that in mind I thought I would remind you all of MySQA - the SQA text service that allows you to receive your exam results by email and text. Leave a comment to let me know how you get on.
Click here to sign up. (You will need your SQA candidate number)
Tagged: SQA March 27, 2009
Twitter is a social networking site that uses micro-blogging (communicating in 140 characters or less), where users give quick updates on what they are doing, researching, and as a way to share interesting links. Updates are displayed on a user’s profile page and users have the option to share their “tweets” (or micro-blogs) with the general public or with friends only. A useful networking tool, Twitter has many applications for business as well as personal networking.
Websites like the BBC have started to use it as another way to display breaking news. What role, if any, does twitter have in education? Could it be used as homework reminders, or to discuss short questions with your teacher? Lets experiment: comment if you use twitter and let me know how it could help you study!
http://twitter.com/Alan_Hamilton
Tagged: Twitter February 8, 2009
Monday 2 February 2009 1.15 - 4.00 Hall
Question Paper
The paper examines knowledge and understanding, problem solving, critical thinking and decision making. The paper requires you to apply their knowledge and understanding to the current situation of a particular business
The paper will consist of two sections, One and Two.
Section One will consist of extended response interpretation items related to a case study of a business while Section Two will be extended response questions.
The paper will have a total of 100 marks.
Questions in both sections may focus on particular areas of Course content but there will also be questions which provide an opportunity to integrate topics across all areas of the Course content.
These integrative questions may cover topics from two or more of the three Units which comprise the Course.
Section One (total marks available 50)This section of the paper will assess knowledge and understanding, problem solving, critical thinking and decision making.
It will consist of a case study of a business organisation with a number of extended response questions totalling 50 marks. You will be expected to attempt all questions. The questions will require you to interpret the information in the case study and to explain, analyse and evaluate the situation faced by the company. The number of marks allocated to each question will vary depending on the nature of the response required. You may be required to assume a management position and make decisions necessary to solve problems. You have to make specific reference to the case study. You will have to recall information from both the Higher and Advanced Higher courses. Your Business Investigation research techniques will come in handy here.
The case study will be about 1250 words long and will explain the current situation of a Scottish based organisation. It will be based on information from company annual reports but may also include information from the newspaper or magazine articles and from company websites or other internet sources. The case study will be supplemented by a small number of exhibits containing additional information such as extracts from company accounts, details of the internal and external environment faced by the company and quotes from leading managers in the company.
You may be asked to:
·
analyse the information given and identify the problems
·
evaluate the significance of the context in which the case study is located
·
examine critically the issues faced by managers and any constraints on them
·
devise solutions and make recommendations for managerial action
·
justify their recommendations.
Section Two (total marks 50)This section of the paper will assess knowledge and understanding and critical thinking.
·
It will consist of four questions drawn from any part of the Course content.
·
You should attempt any TWO questions.
·
Each question will require extended answers and will be worth 25 marks.
·
Questions maybe divided into two or more parts.
In the Section Two you are expected to make use of wider knowledge and understanding in their answers. The case study may provide a stimulus for questions and you may use examples from it in their responses. Section Two questions will widen the coverage of the assessment to reflect more fully the Course content. You are expected to refer to examples of other organisations and to refer to business issues which are not covered directly in the case study.
Read the case study and questions carefully. Take your time, chose your section 2 questions wisely, and GOOD LUCK!
Tagged: prelim February 1, 2009
The government has signalled it might challenge European Union law to prevent British workers from being “undercut” by cheap foreign labour.
Read more here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7863879.stm
Tagged: EU February 1, 2009
Compare the beliefs of those UK workers currently striking with your understanding of the rights of all members of the European Union.
Good article from BBC news here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7860622.stm
Tagged: EU, strikes February 1, 2009
Answer True or False to the following statements, posting your answers as a comment below:
1. F W Taylor believed that workers were motivated by management meeting their social and psychological needs.
2. Taylor was the founder of the movement known as Scientific Management and his theory is still used today to determine the best way to do a job.
3. Elton Mayo’s initial investigation was to determine the effect of working conditions on productivity.
4. Mayo concluded that the sole benefit of the forming of workgroups would be to improve the social life of workers.
5. McGregor’s Theory Y assumes that workers have little inclination to work and need to be controlled and led by management.
6. The Systems Theory of management suggests that an organisation cannot be viewed in isolation, but that changes in the internal and external environment will impact on the functioning of the organisation itself.
7. Technical, social and economic factors are all considered by Systems Theorists.
8. The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations found that new technology improved efficiency and output.
9. The Contingency Theory recognises the importance of tasks, people and the environment in managing organisations effectively.
10. Management practice is about choosing a theory and adhering to it throughout your managerial life.
Fill in the blanks:
11. Herzberg, like Maslow, belonged to the _____________ school of management.
12. Herzberg divided work into two factors which he called _______________ and _____________ factors.
13. Those factors which are to do with job content and which bring job satisfaction are the _______________.
14. Those factors which are to do with job context and are responsible for job dissatisfaction are the _______________ factors.
15. Where a job cannot be enlarged, another method of providing change from routine (and sometimes also the opportunity to learn new skills) is job______________________.
January 11, 2009
Announcement on zavvi.co.uk (click image to view)
Music, games and DVD chain Zavvi has gone into administration, Ernst & Young has announced, threatening 3,500 jobs.
The troubled chain has been badly affected by the demise of Woolworths, which forced it to stop taking new orders via its website.
Zavvi’s main supplier is Woolworths’ unit Entertainment UK (EUK), which went into administration on 27 November.
All of Zavvi’s stores should be open as normal on Boxing day, for its traditional post-Christmas sale.
Problems at Woolworths
Since Entertainment UK went into administration, Zavvi has had difficulties in sourcing stock and has been forced to enter new trading arrangements.
“This has resulted in considerable working capital difficulties,” an Ernst & Young statement said.
“Since EUK went into administration, and perhaps before, the impact of problems at EUK on the Zavvi group has been significant.
“Minimal deliveries, no returns and worse trading terms are just some of the areas impacted,” said joint administrator Tom Jack.
“In the absence of a buyer for EUK, and with dire trading conditions on the High Street, the Zavvi group has seen a material fall in sales and the directors have now been forced to place parts of the group into administration,” he added.
The administrators intend for Zavvi to continue trading with a view to selling all or part of the business.
The group’s founding partners Simon Douglas and Steve Peckham said: “We have done all that is possible to keep the business trading, but the problems encountered with EUK, and particularly its recent failure, has been too much for the business to cope with.”
The Zavvi group is the UK’s largest independent entertainment retailer with 125 stores.
It was formed after a management buy out of the Virgin Megastore division of the Virgin Group in September 2007.
Tea and coffee specialist Whittards and menswear chain The Officers Club also fell into administration this week.
(c) BBC News Website
Tagged: BBC, mfi, woolworths, zavvi December 24, 2008
- Planning is important at all stages and it is vital that you know what you are trying to achieve and how you are going to do it (remember the 6 p’s!)
- After visits and discussions use your findings to show an awareness of the overall situation of the organisation and its current circumstances to help identify a strategy for the business
- Primary research must be used - identify the sources you will use, agree dates for interviewing relevant people. Plan your questions in advance. Show them to me beforehand
- Secondary research must be used - identify the sources you will use (Internet, company reports, company records, social trends, Government statistics etc)
- Process and analyse the information gathered. Try to establish if any of the information you have gathered is consistent with any of the theories you have learned
- Keep records of al the data in a separate folder. You will need to show this to me and some of it may be added as an appendix
- Write up your draft and give it to me for checking - DEADLINE 1ST DRAFT - END OF JANUARY (before prelim leave)
- Make use of all your findings for the NAB (remember this is submitted with the final report)
Read these tips alongside the report-guide-march-2008
December 15, 2008
The Human Relations School and Scientific Management are two management theories. Explain the ways in which each approach can help Managers to manage effectively.
10 marks
Tagged: AHBM, Internal environment, Revision December 15, 2008
Hopefully you have all been revising hard!
A reminder of your times:
Int 1 - Tuesday 9 December, 1.30 - 3.15 - Room 138 (Mrs Dowds)
Int 2 - Tuesday 9 December, 1.30 - 2.50 - Room 132 (my room)
EVERYONE SHOULD AIM TO ARRIVE NO LATER THAN 1.15 - this will give you time to log on to your computer and open up the files you need for your prelim.
remember - a teacher is in the room ONLY if your computer breaks - we cannot help you! | we will deliver your printouts to you - your name must be typed on them all | take your time to read every question - watch o0ut for silly mistakes as they lose you marks | GOOD LUCK!
I will post some Int 2 Paper 1 (theory) tips tomorrow.
Mr H
Tagged: Admin, exam, prelim, Revision December 8, 2008
The UK is “closer than ever before” to joining the euro, according to the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.
Speaking on a French radio show, he said British politicians were considering the move because of the effects of the global credit crunch.
In the same interview, Mr Barroso also forecast that interest rates will drop in Europe.
However Downing Street said its position on the euro remained the same.
Mr Barroso acknowledged “the majority” of British people continued to oppose joining the eurozone.
But he said the recent economic uncertainty had made the currency a far more attractive option.
Confidential conversations
In the RTL radio/LCI television broadcast, the former prime minister of Portugal said: “We are now closer than ever before.
“I’m not going to break the confidentiality of certain conversations, but some British politicians have already told me, ‘If we had the euro, we would have been better off’. ”
He said that the current poor economic situation had emphasised the importance of the euro and the UK but added he believed a move would not take place in the immediate future.
“I know that the majority in Britain are still opposed, but there is a period of consideration under way and the people who matter in Britain are currently thinking about it”, he said.
The value of sterling compared with other currencies has fallen during the credit crunch, and the UK government has had to spend massively in recent months to try to support the economy.
‘Awaiting decisions’
During the interview, Mr Barroso highlighted the situation in Denmark - an EU state that voted against joining the eurozone in 2000, but is now considering holding a new referendum on the single currency.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “We have no comment on this. Our position on the euro is the same - it has not changed.”
Mr Barroso also said he expected the European Central Bank (ECB) to make a clear move to cut interest rates next week.
He said the conditions were right for a fall, but did not give further details adding: “I am awaiting decisions from the European Central Bank that go in this direction.”
Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the ECB, has said that the bank could cut rates in the coming week as long as there is evidence that inflation pressures have eased.
The European Union has called for a 200bn euro boost across Europe to help stimulate an economic recovery.
Tagged: AHBM, Euro November 30, 2008
Explain how any two of the following aspects of the European Union may affect the operations of Scottish Multinationals
4The Social Chapter
4The Single European Market
4European Monetary Union 12 marks
November 23, 2008
I have uploaded more trafic light sheets to the blog - mrhamilton.edublogs.org. Please remember that you should post a comment, speak to me in class, or email me if there is anything you do not understand.
Use the teach-ict website to help with your IT revision.
I will upload short Admin notes shortly.
Prelim reminders/hints:
Int 1 exam - Tuesday 9 December 1.30 - 3.15 in R138 (Mrs Dowds room)
Int 2 exam - Paper 2 (practical) - Tuesday 9 December 1.30 - 2.50 in R132 (our room)
Int 2 exam - Paper 1 (theory) - Wednesday 10 December 1.30 - 2.30 in R133 (Mrs Stevensons room)
TURN UP AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF THE PRACTICAL EXAMS. YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO LOG ON AND CHECK THE FILES BEFORE THE EXAM STARTS.
IT exam - Either Mrs Dowds or I will be in the exam room with you. We are there in case there is a problem with your computer but we will also deliver your printouts to you.
Read every question carefully.
TYPE your name on every printout.
Watch your time - if you are stuck move on - do not waste 10 minutes on a question that will only get you 2 marks.
On the other hand, be careful with your accuracy, do not lose silly marks with silly mistakes.
GOOD LUCK - you can do it!!
November 23, 2008
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