Paul Di Resta was the driver on hand to test the McLaren today and it must have been quite frustrating for him not to be able to drive the racer’s ultimate dream machine. In fact I know it was frustrating because he has written about it on his website here. I hope he gets his chance tomorrow!

Their work with PhotoBooth was most impressive. PhotoBooth is a simple piece of Apple software that applies a range of effects to the built in lap-top camera. It is a great deal of fun exploring the software but actually producing some original output relies heavily on the creativity and focus of the students. After playing with the software for a while the work begins in earnest. Students have to make use of angles and backdrops around the centre to compose photos and then to collaborate with partners to think of engaging and apt titles for their creations. As a finale, they present to the rest of the group the process they have undergone to both capture the photo and to agree on the title.

The Boddington team were splendid superb and sounded like professional art critics. They were totally confident in their work and in control of conveying their thoughts. They were the experts! One of the group said it was like writing by thinking. I couldn’t agree more!

I particularly enjoyed hearing their powerful word choices to describe Silverstone’s fast cars exotic monsters that flow like a fierce river round the track. The ideas have been captured in a wiki library on the Enable Learning Platform for the students to review, reflect upon and develop in the future. In fact, all the output from the day was added to the platform ready to be shared and/or edited back at school and home. Judging by the 30+ discussion group messages on the school’s platform page, it is proving a hit.

Another memorable moment was when one very bright-spark asked whether the older single-seater racing cars were wider than the new ones in the workshop. As usual, I did not know the answer and looked on as group came up with three different ways of measuring and checking their ideas using a variety of non-standard units. The older cars were definitely wider. Judge for yourself! (Car number 12 is the newer version)

It was great to see students thinking creatively about the writing activities they would like to see in their project. They also explored their ideas perceptively in relation to what the teachers had brainstormed last week and identified areas of common ground. The challenge for me now is to ensure that the views of both parties are allowed to shape the final project activities. I am reporting back to the consultative groups within two weeks. Once the proposals are agreed the project can begin in earnest.

Taking the time to tame the learning platform is well worth it though because it means that we can use it next term to enhance what we do at Silverstone. It should offer students greater ownership of their learning and the opportunity to link up learning at the centre with home and school. Hopefully it will give rise to more prosumers at the centre - young people who both creatively produce and consume in the learning and teaching process wherever they find themselves. If that comes about then the steep learning-curve will have been worth it.

Anyway - here is my attempt at a redesign of the centre’s Pit Stop area, an altogether edgier learning zone this year, complete with pit board and the smell of the real pits courtesy of a load of tyres from the workshop. Notice too the brilliant spotlight tool on the whiteboard that comes with the latest version of Smart’s Notebook software. I am beginning to feel like a teacher again and less like a Pickfords removal operative.