The Magic Cloud is a soft (cloud shaped) cushion that you plug into a computer (USB). When small tags are placed on or near the Cloud, the computer detects them and plays digital media you have chosen e.g. a picture or video recording.  By sticking the tags on an object of your choice, you can link any object to any media on the computer e.g. a clay model linked to a child talking about it.  The software has been designed for children as young as 4 years to author independently. 

Andrew Manches (co-director PlingToys) is looking for P1 to P3 teachers to take part in a focus group to create ‘activity suggestions’ for using the Magic Cloud across the curriculum.  He can offer £20 per teacher for an hour session, which will be held in an informal venue. In the session, participants will play with the Magic Cloud and Andrew will ask for your ideas on how is might be used to address CfE objectives. Whilst the tool emphasises creativity, feedback from teachers has been for specific curriculum activity suggestions.

 If you are interested please email andrew@plingtoys.com. He will then email you with a list of possible times (evenings) for the focus group. As well as the £20, he  hopes this offers an interesting opportunity to play with a new form of digital technology (Near Field Communication / RFID).

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