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OPALS Open-source Automated Library System is a powerful cooperatively developed, Web-based, open source program. This alternative technology provides Internet access to information databases, library collections and digital archives. Many school, college, research, business, religious and library union catalogs (that provide ILL services) use OPALS. There is no need to install software or purchase expensive computer hardware or software licenses to implement this powerful, turnkey Internet accessible system. The "total cost of ownership" of this standards-based, Web-based, feature rich software is demonstrably and undeniably sustainable.

For those of you not familiar, O2 Learn is a free, moderated video lesson sharing website that celebrates the UK's best teaching. It has over 3,000 curriculum focused video lessons for UK students aged 13-18 years old. All the video lessons are moderated by our Learning champions (expert teachers) to check for any inaccuracies. Each week O2 Learn awards £2000 to the best lesson, split between the teacher and their school department. This also qualifies them for the O2 Learn Annual Teaching Excellence Awards will be presented in December with £45,000 prize money for the winning lesson. The power of peer-to-peer learning to engage In recognition, that the best lessons are usually those created in collaboration between teachers and students. O2 Learn asked their teaching community how effective they found student led peer-to-peer learning and the answer was unanimously positive. Changes to the competition So, to encourage great peer-to-peer teaching, O2 Learn has changed the rules of the competition. Secondary students are now able to upload lessons, giving them the chance to win the weekly Best Lesson Award worth £2000 for them and their school. We think it's really important that teachers are involved in this process, so all student entries will need to be approved by their teacher. A free app to help your students get involved To help make film-making more accessible, they've also launched the free 'O2 Learn' iPhone App which makes it easy to film, edit and upload lessons in minutes. You can create title-cards, crop and re-order film footage, and even add a voice over or soundtrack. Then upload your film straight to the O2 Learn website or export to your camera roll. No need to waste time searching for the old school video camera and its missing charger! Simply decide which lesson you want to film, be creative and let the O2 Learn app do the hard work. At the touch of a button it'll enable you to easily; tap to inse