POPtalk

You’ve probably experienced BrainPOP on a computer. But did you know you can also access BrainPOP through a PlayStation 3 console?

All you need is a PS3 (obviously) with a wired or wireless connection and a lovely big TV.

Every PS3 comes with its own web browser, that functions pretty much like the internet browser you have on your computer, that you use to access websites.

BrainPOP is built in Flash so theoretically can operate via any device that has a Flash compatible browser. And there’s lots about – maybe more than you realise.

Why would you want to use BrainPOP at home? Because:

• It helps explain current events
• It’s a revision tool for exams
• It provides excellent homework support
• It’s a safe and fun research resource
• It extends what kids are learning at school into the home
• It means your console can be used for more than just gaming

Here’s our home made (but from the heart) video showing you how to access BrainPOP through your TV via a PS3 console.

Accessing the BrainPOP website in your living room isn’t restricted to the PlayStation though. BrainPOP works across multiple channels.

• Apple devices - iPad, iPhone, iTouch – Search Apple App store for “BrainPOP UK” .

• Nintendo Wii – we would love someone to record a video explaining “How to use BrainPOP on your Wii” – all you need is the Wii browser & a wireless connection. There’s a whole load of Wii points for anyone that gets in touch and delivers a usable video.

• Android/Flash enabled tablets & Smart phones like the Dell Streak 7, HTC Flyer, Motorola XOOM™, Samsung Galaxy™ & Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, HTC EVO etc. There’s too many to list but again we’d love pictures of BrainPOP working on Android devices.

If you access BrainPOP anywhere other than through a laptop or desktop we’d like to hear about it.

Related Posts:

• BETTer late than never – highlights from BETT 2012
• Speak out! Teachers’ public speaking tips for kids
• Moby and the Cybermummies
• BrainPOP UK – A parent’s perspective

We’ve got our very own Cybermummy.

No, before you ask, it’s not a creature from Dr Who (although Cybermen must have CyberMummies, right?) or a 1000 year old robot wrapped in bandages.

Cybermummy is a national conference dedicated to parent bloggers (“…the UK’s premier blogging conference devoted to parent bloggers and designed to plug you into the wider blogging world.”) and we’re helping one of them make the trip. That Mummy in question is “Scribbling Mum”, a wonderful, funny and erudite mummy blogger from Peebleshire.

She is a Mum of two who blogs on “balancing life, love, friendships and two kids with my itch to write”.

Blogging since 2009, she is a finalist in the MAD (Mum And Dads) blogging awards in two categories: Blogger of the Year and Blogger for Family Life. These are prestigious awards that celebrate some of the very best writing in the parenting community. At the very least, the ones that are deserving of a wider audience.

Why did we do it?

We saw a tweet last week from another popular mummy blogger, @liveotherwise, asking if anyone would sponsor Scribbling Mum to Cybermummy. Intrigued, we checked out her blog and extended the offer. We loved her writing and she seemed like a natural BrainPOP Mum. Mums & Dads tend to love BrainPOP. Our resources are fun, safe and can be used to extend learning into the home in a way that families can share and enjoy.

Scribbling Mum didn’t have to pick BrainPOP as her sponsor (she had a number of companies interested) but she fell for Tim & Moby once she’d had a play on the site and watched a movie with her daughter:

“Miss L at five and a half years old sat enthralled as we watched a short film on Bogies and she even learnt a new word: mucus.

When I see a product or service badging themselves as ‘educational’ my instant reaction is to usually turn off. I like things to just be fun. But BrainPOP’s films hit the mark for me as it takes the traditional way of learning and delivers it through a shiny new medium that looks cool and is fun and accessible.

A big part of me is dreading when Miss L comes home from school and needs my help with her maths homework. But now I needn’t worry as I’ll just call on Tim and Moby, my new BFF, when she asks me about the Theorem of Pythagoras.”

We’re very pro-blogging, and firmly support improving digital literacy standards. We have topics on Blogging (free), Social networking, Digital etiquette, Information privacy and much more.

These resources are designed to help kids understand this brave new world – a world that adults have grown up in, but not been born into. In the same way we supported school and class blogging with our successful “Digitalk” series and regularly invite teachers and parents to guest blog on POPtalk we now extend that support to parents who embrace blogging.

Plus Mums are the best. Here’s to all the BrainPOPper Mums: Brenda, Marilyn, Tessa, Ilana, Mary, Christine, Sheila and June. We love you

Related Posts:

• Moving on from TeachMeet sponsorship
• Happiness is a BrainPOP blog badge
• BrainPOP UK – A parent’s perspective
• Sponsoring TeachMeet the BrainPOP UK way

We don’t say enough how much parents like BrainPOP UK, to use out of school as a safe, interesting and engaging resource.

So we asked one of our parent subscribers to tell us why they use BrainPOP UK. Here’s her review.

“My 10 year old daughter loves BrainPOP UK.

Here’s why:

• It’s great for people who think in pictures. It suits visual learning styles and it’s perfect for children with a short attention span or for busy people who don’t have time to watch long programmes.
• The range and choice of subjects is fascinating, informative and seems to be well-researched.
• The illustrations are great.
• The tone seems just right, even in subjects that could be controversial or difficult to explain to children.
• Clips can be watched at a time that is convenient for the user, any time of day or night.
• Very educational, but the children are having so much fun, they don’t notice how much they are learning about the world until they impress their parents with something that even they don’t know. And then, when you ask them how they know, they’ll probably say they heard it on BrainPOP.
• School is so long nowadays and sitting at a desk all day can be very tedious for a child.  BrainPOP is so much fun and so different from being talked at by a teacher, that my daughter begs to watch a few more clips even when we’re short of time.
• I have recommended BrainPOP to friends and they seem very impressed and pleased that such resources exist.
• Clips can be watched many times, either because of the humour or to consolidate learning.
• The content offers something for a huge range of ages – I would say from 7 to a 100+

My ideas for BrainPOP UK:

• Personally, I would have liked more voices behind the clips.
• Maybe some children and women could also read some of the material.
• We’re always hoping that you will add more new clips!
• We feel that some of the movies are a bit too short – could perhaps be 4-5 minutes, but then the beauty of BrainPOP UK is that it explains and illustrates everything so clearly and concisely.

We don’t use other resources, apart from BrainPOP UK. Our daughter spends all day at school and it’s important that she has time to play and relax when at home. She used Mathletics and Spellodrome for a little while. They are excellent (award-winning in fact), but it’s difficult to find time for them or any other useful resources.

I enjoy watching the clips with my daughter and learn from them myself, but I know that I don’t need to check the content before I allow access to it. So if I don’t have time to watch them, I know that whatever she is listening to within BrainPOP UK is entirely appropriate.

I consider that her time on BrainPOP UK is time well spent, as she is being exposed to important matters that the school might not cover. This will surely broaden her horizon and help her to become a well-rounded and caring citizen.”

And we’ll save the last word for the daughter in question, Donny, the lucky recipient of some Moby badges:

“Thank you so much for the badges you sent me. I love them! I also love BrainPOP.”

Best wishes, Donny”

by Merita Lumley, from Buckinghamshire.

Related Posts:

• BrainPOP on Probationer Teacher Scotland
• BrainPOP’s here all summer
• “Why I think BrainPOP is great for learning”
• Moby and the Cybermummies
• Like mother like daughter like BrainPOP UK