Space To Learn

InFindingOut (IFO) / Resources / Space To Learn

Cat 6 underground

A network cable that was precariously strung between trees – tin can telephone style! – has now been replaced with an underground cable.

Hopefully schools in Swindon can now enjoy uninterrupted camera feeds of the squirrels and other animals!

Comments Off on Cat 6 underground
April 3, 2026
InFindingOut (IFO) / Robotics / Space To Learn / Tech To Help (TTH)

Robotics reimagined

RaceHub is the new robotics project that I have been working on for some time now. It is a sister project to Robotics Link. Together they will form the RaceNode Network.

RaceHub will come first: individual young people being provided with a robot to build, and to keep, with which they can join in to a supportive network and even enter into robot racing competitions.

If they do not feel ready to race their robot in person then they can compete remotely. Their robot also becomes an individual expression of their wellbeing or race readiness..  

 
Comments Off on Robotics reimagined
March 30, 2026
InFindingOut (IFO) / Space To Learn

WindCam

A new STEM experiment takes shape in Space To Learn, Northern Ireland – in readiness for the InFindingOut pupils (in Swindon, Wilts) to develop.

The aim of the experiment is to measure the movement of the branches of WindTree (camera to follow!) using a suspended WindCam focused on a Micro:Bit with Kitronik View screen attached. The screen will show small variations in the x and y axis as patterns of dots – for analysis in England.

We are considering an AI analysis of the patterns – perhaps to generate an artistic output sound as sounds.

To follow this experiment, please see: www.flickernet.net/sos

Comments Off on WindCam
November 27, 2025
Space To Learn

July animals

A quick round up of animal visitors in Space To Learn this month!

Comments Off on July animals
July 24, 2025
InFindingOut (IFO) / Space To Learn

Squirrel Jeopardy

Having focused on Scratch / Makey Makey integration this term with St Mary’s, Swindon – we built a game called Squirrel Jeopardy – where the aim is to feed the hungry squirrels whilst avoiding prowling Pine Martens.

Regular video updates of those wonderful animals, and live feeds of the woodland in Northern Ireland, inspired us. 

See: www.flickernet.net/stm for more details

Comments Off on Squirrel Jeopardy
May 25, 2025
Space To Learn

New season, new tent!

In preparation for the first Space To Learn school visitors of 2025, we have found a tent that wouldn’t look out of place in a 1950s war movie!

Northern Irish weather being predictably unpredictable – we hope that it will shelter people, and technology, in equal measure!

Comments Off on New season, new tent!
May 7, 2025
InFindingOut (IFO) / Space To Learn

April Update 1

There have been so many {animal} visitors to the Transmission Zone this month!

The IFO Themes are taking shape too – please click on each to explore further.

Comments Off on April Update 1
April 11, 2025
InFindingOut (IFO) / Space To Learn / Tech To Help (TTH)

March summary

A busy month:

The woodland is filled with Spring life – which in turn is inspiring pupils in Primary, Secondary and Alternative Provision contexts. 

Projects continue to be based on the monitoring of native species in their outdoor habitats in the Mountains of Mourne.

This takes place from within classrooms in and around Swindon.

The therapeutic benefits of live-linked learning, directly connected to the wild, are becoming increasingly evident – with engagement from otherwise reluctant pupils. This interest is being sustained and built upon each week.

Comments Off on March summary
March 25, 2025
Space To Learn

Leaping squirrels!

Red squirrels bounding about in Mourne Park at this time of year – sometimes in slow motion, joy!

Comments Off on Leaping squirrels!
March 6, 2025
Space To Learn

SquirrelCam

As a red squirrel sanctuary, Autumn in Mourne Park reveals many hungry / busy squirrels – as can be seen from the Transmission Zone today (table service?!) and on the new SquirrelCam. 

Comments Off on SquirrelCam
November 8, 2024
Space To Learn

Oxford Digital Ecologies Conference

The Cheng Kar Shun Digital Hub in Jesus College Oxford was the setting for an inspiring gathering on Thursday. Speakers from the world of environmental sensing shared their experiences. Panels answered questions relating to many aspects of electronic analysis of the natural world. I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet, and to learn from, many highly motivated and dedicated professionals.

Comments Off on Oxford Digital Ecologies Conference
November 8, 2024
Resources / Space To Learn

MountainCam

Describing the Mountains of Mourne to a classroom of children in England can only go so far in capturing what they are really like! Perhaps most challenging to articulate is their sheer brooding mystique.

I am hopeful that the new MountainCam will help to establish the context for Space To Learn, and to set the scene for the woodland / river sensing that we undertake on the slopes of the mountains as they sweep down to the sea.

Comments Off on MountainCam
November 4, 2024
InFindingOut (IFO) / Space To Learn / Tech To Help (TTH)

Expressing how we feel through technology

The Avenue
The Clearing
Coding Skills 1
Developing facial expressions
Transmitting
Expressing via Micro:Bit

Thank you to everyone who attended the second ASK Woodland Coding event. This time we began by exploring ways to display and to transmit images with which to express our feelings, after which we created an environmental sensing machine. Full report here.

Click here for Event Reflections
Comments Off on Expressing how we feel through technology
November 2, 2024
Space To Learn / Tech To Help (TTH)

ASK return to the woods!

Looking forward very much to Friday this week when we will be welcoming ASK back for their Space To Learn experience.

Six more children with their parents and carers will have the opportunity to build and code Micro:Bit devices that will help them to communicate what they are feeling as they explore the woodland of Mourne Park.

Heartfelt thanks to Meet & Code, in association with Digit<all>, for their kind support.

Comments Off on ASK return to the woods!
October 30, 2024
Space To Learn

RiverCam is ready!

Our ongoing mission to include the mighty Whitewater within the Mourne Park inspired teaching materials, has reached an important milestone now that real-time video of the river compliments the other Space To Learn broadcasts. 

The therapeutic benefits of seeing and hearing the river from afar will form part of our teenage mental health and wellbeing project, in association with Oxford Brookes.  

Comments Off on RiverCam is ready!
October 7, 2024
Space To Learn

WaspCam finds a nest in need of attention!

It was an unexpected bonus to find that a wasp’s nest had been built within sight of one of the close-up cams. The learning that has come from watching the wasps – and considering their role in the local ecosystem – was as such, also a bonus.

Now, however there are far fewer wasps to be seen. These three photos, taken over a period of one month show why: the nest appears to have disintegrated. More questions than wasps.

Comments Off on WaspCam finds a nest in need of attention!
October 7, 2024
Space To Learn

Red Squirrels discover T Zone 1!

The area of woodland which we have cleared to become Transmission Zone 1: mainly an outdoor robot racing track, has just had some visitors!

Comments Off on Red Squirrels discover T Zone 1!
October 1, 2024
Space To Learn

Solar Impact NI project

What a fun time of it we have had over two days at Kilkeel Primary School then in Mourne Park, Space To Learn. The P5, P6 and P7 classes each built a solar powered Micro:Bit sensing unit that was installed deep in the woodland to take sensor readings that are now being broadcast via the monitoring camera. 

Sincere thanks to Helena McCabe, William, Richard, Lee, Claire and all at KPS for their welcome and support throughout the project and in their wonderful school.

Click here for the presentations
Click here for the results
Comments Off on Solar Impact NI project
September 26, 2024
Space To Learn

Pine marten on the robot track

A lone Pine marten and a badger cross paths just a few minutes apart!

Not sure what would have happened if they had met.. Once a robot is on patrol in this zone, there will be an extra camera with which to analyse the nocturnal activity of these elusive mammals. 

Comments Off on Pine marten on the robot track
September 25, 2024
Space To Learn

Transmission Zone 2 is ready!

Looking forward to welcoming Kilkeel Primary School to Space To Learn, Mourne Park on Wednesday. 

The location for their STEM experiments to be sited is ready and transmitting (via a doubly extended PoE connection!)

Comments Off on Transmission Zone 2 is ready!
September 24, 2024

End of content

No more pages to load

Older Posts