"Published on YouTube on 17 Feb 2015. 'Crafting the Past' is a Minecraft education project bringing archaeology to life through digital digs. In this opening episode to the series we see the time-lapse of an archaeological dig in the UK, uncovering an ancient Roman amphitheatre."

"One middle-school teacher describes how he has mined the blockbuster game for equally popular classroom lessons."

You can use this to create some unique shows with animation and audio in real time. Iti s easy to pick out actors and backdrops, drag them on to the stage, and tap record. Movements and audio are recorded in real time for later playback. The free version is limited but the add-ons aren't too expensive if you are careful about your choices. I like the idea of being able to use people and things from my own photos.

"CamScanner is a document scanning and sharing app. It allows you to instantly scan any type of text or graphic and save or share them with others. Using your phone or tablet camera, you can take a photo and CamScanner will automatically enhance the scanned results so you can easily email, print, fax or share them in PDF or PNG format." The basic version is available for free

"5 suggestions on some good Android coding apps. This list embeds some really great alternatives to iOS to use on Android. Using these apps students and kids will get to learn coding skills while engaging in funny and enjoyable games and activities."

Interesting article from the Guardian. "The effect of banning mobiles was the equivalent of an extra week's schooling over the academic year, according to the research. It also found that the ban had a greater positive impact on students with special education needs and those eligible for free school meals."

The resources identified and discussed here offer teachers a variety of ways to teach students the basics of coding and also offer tips on how to keep them interested as they go.

"One of the features of Wear Audio is the ability to adjust the recording quality settings. On Wear Audio you can adjust the audio gain, enable noise and echo suppression, and adjust the audio compression settings. If you're looking for an audio recording app that students can use without having to create and remember yet another password, Wear Audio might be the way to go. Students could use the app to record short reflections on what they learned during the week or perhaps start a podcast that they could even publish."

No one who is part of this new movement believes all kids should grow up to be programmers. We believe it would be a beautiful outcome if all kids grew up knowing how to use computers to enhance their natural abilities, whatever those are, and grew up with the confidence to be "makers" instead of just consumers. Computer programming is ultimately about problem solving and creating. "Thinking like a computer scientist" really means understanding what problem you are facing and breaking down that problem into solvable chunks. The better you get at recognizing the problem the more efficient your solutions become."

"In an attempt to uncover what works, I combed through a few hundred apps and analyzed them by asking the following questions: How easy is this app to use for less tech-savvy students and teachers? Is the app free? This is crucial for multi-device or BYOD classrooms. What are other educators saying about this app? How are an array of classrooms using this app? How often should the app be used? Can the app be used out of the classroom? Is it designed to be easy enough to use when teachers or classroom leaders aren't there to help? There are, of course, many other questions to consider when trying out an iPad app (or any other smart device app) for classroom usage. However, I'd recommend taking your deliberate time and spending as much time testing, researching, and trying out as many apps as possible."

GitHub has compiled this great list comprising more than 500 free books on programming and coding. The books are organised under useful headings cover a multitude of topics.

The gist is summed up by the last question: If the purposeful use of technology can enhance or accelerate those ideas above, shouldn't more leaders look at how these tools can be used in their own practice?

The Gamification Guide for Teachers. This site offers gamification guides for teachers to use. It includes a variety of instructional strategies that can be implemented through games in order to develop students learning and build their skills with some specific content in mind.

Post puts forward ideas (in simple terms) how Minecraft can be used in a variety of ways in primary schools. Could also work in junior secondary classes