News from Acorn Computers PR123/19.6.95 Award-Winning Schools Use Acorn Computers - National Educational Multimedia Awards - Four of the winning schools and colleges in the National Educational Multimedia Awards competition created their prize-winning entries on Acorn computers. The competition, which is organised by the National Council for Educational Technology (NCET) and co-sponsored by Acorn Computers, one of the world's leading suppliers of information technology to schools, is designed to reward the most imaginative multimedia presentations produced by pupils under the age of 19, as well as student teachers. Winners of NEMA Awards using Acorn computers were Hempsill Hall Primary School in Nottingham with an 'Entrance Design Project'; Stephenson Way Primary School in County Durham with 'Mad Mansion'; Handcross Park School in West Sussex with 'Attack of the Blobs'; and Northgate Primary School in Bishop's Stortford with 'Bones'. Roger Broadie, Strategic Marketing Manager at Acorn Computers, comments: "Acorn's involvement with this year's NEMA Awards is part of the wider initiative to develop a New Literacy in UK education. In today's IT-rich world, children need a wider range of communication skills than ever before. The creation of multimedia presentations helps children become more confident and competent communicators and presenters of information and ideas; equipping them with the skills they will need in the world of work." The awards ceremony, to be opened by Eric Forth, Minister of State for Education, will take place at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 26 July. Computer games guru Dominik Diamond will present winning schools with a selection of multimedia computer equipment, including top-of-the-range Acorn systems. Founded in 1978, Acorn Computers Ltd designs, develops and markets appropriate technologies to identified markets and is one of the world's leading suppliers of information technology to education. The first supplier of low-cost 32-bit RISC based personal computers in 1987, Acorn remains one of the most cost-effective research and development organisations in the industry, renowned for technology innovation which has led to the formation of Advanced RISC Machines Ltd and Online Media. Acorn Computer Group plc is the holding company for Acorn Computers Limited, Acorn Australia, Acorn New Zealand, Acorn GmbH and Online Media. Acorn Computer Group owns 43% of Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. Online Media, a division of the Acorn Computer Group, was launched in 1994 with the objective to design interactive multimedia products. National Educational Multimedia Award Winners - Case Studies Stephenson Way Primary School, Co. Durham An interactive story called Mad Mansion, involving pictures, speech and sound effects, is the award winner created by Stephenson Way Primary School on an Acorn A3020 computer. The story is of a child trapped in a haunted house and having to make decisions in order to escape to the getaway car, although there are many pitfalls and dangers on the way. All text which appears on screen is also synthesised as speech in order to enable children who cannot read to access the system. The presentation was created by nine, 10 and 11-year old children, including Special Needs pupils, and covered much of the speaking, listening, writing and structuring aspects of the curriculum. Hempshill Hall Primary School, Nottingham Year 6 pupils from Hempshill Hall Primary School liaised closely with a local builder and landscape architect to create their multimedia presentation which details the redesign of an area on the school's doorstep. Images and diagrams from every stage of the project, from research, through planning, to implementation, were scanned and digitised using Acorn A3000 and A5000 computers. The children initially set-up video cameras to record the most commonly used pathways and short-cuts across the area before they drew plans on the computers for the redesign. After discussions with the landscape architect, the definitive plan was produced and the builder proceeded to implement the design. The final presentation includes many digitised video images and photographs as well as textual information. Northgate Primary School, Bishop's Stortford Northgate Primary School created their presentation 'Bones' on an Acorn A5000 computer with an Acorn Multimedia Expansion Unit. Children aged seven and eight from Northgate worked on the project for over seven months, recording interviews with bone experts they had invited into school, taking photographs for PhotoCD and recording sound samples. The presentation includes children's sketches, drawings and computer paintings and also the results of a school-wide survey on broken-bones, represented in pie-chart and bar-chart format. An interactive bone quiz, illustrated bone poems and a reference screen with hot text links to other screens are also included. The Acorn computer used by the children of Northgate Primary School was obtained through the Tesco 'Computers for Schools' scheme, currently running for the fourth consecutive year. Handcross Park School, West Sussex 'Attack of the Blobs' is the work of one 11-year old boy from Handcross Park School. Created on an Acorn A4000 computer, the presentation is a story involving invading aliens and includes pictures and sound samples created by the pupil, linked in a story board.