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September 2015
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Computer Networking and Telecommunications Research

mi-Guide @school

Synopsis of resources

mi-Guide@School is a set of materials for KS3 produced as part of an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) public engagement project at the University of Salford.  Developed by a project partner, the Centre for Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University, the aim of the mi-Guide@School materials is to take a subject with which we are all familiar – communications – and develop a set of classroom and off-site activities that use this theme as a vehicle to gain knowledge and understanding through the exploration of a range of topics and related issues.

 Although based on the Science Programme of Study for KS3, the activities also place science in both an historical and a contemporary context, supporting a cross-curricular approach and acting as a resource from which further activities can be developed.

The materials are presented as five classroom-based modules (Written Language, Spoken Word, Still Images, Moving Images, and Digital Communications).  A sixth module is designed around a visit to the Connecting Manchester Gallery at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) in Manchester and uses mi-Guide, a hand-held multimedia visitor guide developed as part of an earlier project, to find out more about each of the communication types through gallery exhibits and information.  Activities within the modules can be used independently, or as part of a coherent theme.

Click on a heading to find out more about the activities in each unit.

You will need Adobe Acrobat reader to read the documents.

Written Language – Storing knowledge

Writing is a way of storing knowledge that does not depend on people’s memories.  The activities in this unit look at how people recorded information in the past, the history and practicalities of paper-making, and the implications of the wide availability of the printed word.
Download all mi-Guide@School Written Language activity sheets (zip file, 10.0MB)

Spoken Word – Spreading the word

Even if you can’t read you can listen.  The activities in this unit look at the development of radio, how to build a simple radio and the impact that radio communication has had on our lives.
Download all mi-Guide@School Spoken Word activity sheets (zip file,10.0MB)

Still Images – Freezing the world

‘One picture is worth ten thousand words’.  Pictures can be used to inform, entertain or frighten people.  The activities in this unit look at the pictures you would choose to represent Earth or your life to other people (and why), and how images are recorded using paint or photographic paper.
Download all mi-Guide@School Still Image activity sheets (zip file, 10.0MB)

Moving Images – Bringing the world closer

If still images make an impact then what is the power of moving images?  The activities in this unit look at making simple moving images and the operation, popularity and impact of modern television in our lives today.
Download all mi-Guide@School Moving Images activity sheets (zip file, 5.3MB)

Digital Communications – Connecting everyone

Many people carry around in their pocket a piece of communications technology that would have seemed liked science fiction even 30 years ago.  Whereas in the past only the select few could store knowledge now anyone can publish their photos, videos and ideas to a global audience.  The activities in this unit look at how our concept of ‘essential’ has changed, and using modern communication technologies to produce a video promoting communication technologies.
Download all mi-Guide@School Digital Communications activity sheets (zip file, 2.3MB)

Gallery Activities

The Gallery activities are designed to be used in conjunction with a visit to the Connecting Manchester gallery at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.  Some of the answers to the questions can be found on display boards in the gallery.  Others are to be found on the hand-held electronic mi-Guides, which are available from Visitor Information staff at the gallery.

The number of hand-held mi-Guides is limited and so you are strongly advised to book your visit to ensure that they will all be available to you when you visit.  Please see the MOSI website at www.mosi.org.uk/learning for further information on bringing groups to the museum.

Download all mi-Guide@School Gallery Activities activity sheets as a single zip file (5.6MB)

Download all mi-Guide@School activity sheets (zip file, 36.4MB)

For further information please contact Dr Kate Booth on 0161 295 4384 or k.m.booth@salford.ac.uk