Wednesday, 30 April 2014

SEN Review: What Type Of Learner Are You?

These questionnaires are used to discover the way you learn: visually, auditory (listening) or kinaesthetically (movement). They ask a variety of questions from whether you like reading textbooks to gather information or watching/drawing videos and diagrams or even the way you tackle the building of Lego models by explanation (auditory), simply feeling the structure and shape of the bricks to make it fit together (kinaesthetic) and following the packets' images and diagrams (visual). The websites may also feature a guide on how to effectively use your preferred learning style as with my favourite Brainboxx, they are also differing versions from Edutopia and the Discovery Channel.
Sites-: http://www.brainboxx.co.uk/a3_aspects/pages/vak_quest.htm
http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/what-type-of-learner-are-you-quiz.htm

Monday, 28 April 2014

Revision

I do not have any affiliation with the brands mentioned in this post :D


I, like many other Year 11's, have been revising over the last few months, so I thought I would share some of my revision tips. This is a list, in no particular order, of any techniques or websites I have found useful while revising. this is just what i have found helpful there are hundreds of ways to revise, so find what works for you and stick at it.
  • Mind maps
    • Mind maps are a great way to split up larger topics into bitesize chunks, they're also useful for finding the most important parts of a topic and visualise how topics link together. I've found them useful because I like visualising how everything links together.
    • A useful website for creating mind maps, flash cards, notes and more, you can look at others revision material or show your own to the world; if you and a few friends start to use it you can collaborate on material or easily look at their revision and help keep each other on track.
      https://www.examtime.com/
  • Condensing notes
    • Turning a term of work into two or three pages can be useful for deciding which parts of a topic are important, it also provides a great refresher of things you may have forgotten and will provide concise useful revsion nearer your exams.
    • Try to cover one topic in a session, if it takes you more than 30 mins for 1 topic  you're doing something wrong. It is helpful to write up all these notes into a different lined notepad/excercise book, for easy reference.
  • Past Papers
    • Just DO past papers, get a feel for what the examiner wants, find topics you don't know so well and practice your exam technique. They are a great way of revising but don't waste them, there are only so many with the correct specification(what you've been learning), so save some for nearer the exam, but do ones you've already done twice just a month apart, this will help you focus in on what content you need to revise further, and will help your exam technique.
    • To find past papers search for " past papers"
    • If you can't find any for your tier or that you haven't done do the foundation papers, the questions are asked in the same style and are different from the higher paper from the same year, so will help your exam technique and will also help you find topics you need more revsion on.
  • Music
    • Any revision needs some good music to prevent you becoming bored so find some music you like, turn it up and get down to business.
    • Spotify is a great free way to listen to music, works well and saves time compared to youtube downloader, it's also legal!
  • Food
    • If you're revising you need some snacks to keep you on the go, save some of those easter eggs for your revsion or sign up for something like Graze, they provide nutritious snacks straight to your door for you to dive into.
I hope these tips help you with your revision so,
Good Luck!

Sunday, 27 April 2014

Website Review: Pixar Theory.com plus hidden Pixar Easter eggs

Pixar Theory is a website created by Pixar expert Jon Negroni which shows how every character from the popular movies exist in one universe with a in chronological order in the Pixar universe and film production order for our universe. It highlights intellectually bizarre ideas about the movies such as Boo, the innocent little child from Monsters Inc. is time traveller and found out wood was a primary source of energy all along  (The dimension-travelling doors in Monsters Inc. are made of wood, The Wood in A Bugs' Life is the source of Flik's ingenuity and wood helped Carl's house in Up) The Pixar Universe's timeline begin with Brave in the 14th and 15th century to Monsters Inc. in 4500-5000 AD. It is definite, unmissable visit for any Pixar, Disney or film fanatic.
Site-http://www.pixartheory.com
In discovering this website I also discovered some awesome hidden Pixar Easter eggs, some just pure genius and others my favourites:
The iCar from 2008's Cars, a reference to Apple and the late former Pixar CEO and Apple Inc. co-creator Steve Jobs. Complete with iconic Apple logo and 84 number (1984 was the year, the first Apple Mac computer was released)

On Andy's wall in Toy Story 3 pinned up is a postcard by Carl and his wife Ellie from Up

Here in Toy Story 3 is a Totoro plush from Japanese animation My Neighbour Totoro from Studio Ghibli.
Sulley carving in Brave which agrees with a theory on how Boo is/or related to the evil witch in Brave

For more info on Pixar hidden secrets and Easter eggs and theories: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pixar_film_references

Monday, 14 April 2014

Game

Recently on my iPad I downloaded a really cool game called running Fred. If I were you I would get it as it is free.
http://www.appsparadise.it/wordpress/p3268/

Wednesday, 9 April 2014

Goodbye and Good Luck

Dear Digital Leaders,

I am so honoured to have worked with such a talented and passionate group of young people over the last year.  You are all so special in your own ways.  I wish you all the best in your digital endeavours and will be watching with interest to see how you develop.

Keep being amazing.

Ms F

Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Goat Simulator: Shrek Mod

For the basics and the fun stuff you should definitely do read Heidi's post about Goat Simulator here it is a great overview of the game. I will comment specifically on the Shrek modification.

Goat Simulator is a simulation PC game where you play as a goat, recently they updated the game fixing bugs and glitches, but also added the option to play as your favourite animated ogre Shrek! Previously they have been demon goats, angel goat (with hovering power!) and even Yoshi goats. Now here's Shrek, who has detailed and accurate design making him very authentic and awesome, although is programmed in the goat position like all the characters so doesn't stand upright. Here's my top ten list of insanity to play with the Shrek character modification:
1. Play Flappy Goat as Shrek and observe his disgusting green bottom as you play
2. Get hit by a car and break and glitch his body
3. Destroy the environment by causing freaky vortexes
4. Cause a giant Katamari-style ball of the objects around you
5. Fall from the sky and watch Shrek die from the gigantic pressure
6. Bounce on a trampoline
7. Become King of the GOATS as SHREK!!!!
8. Complete every achievement
9. Crash a party
10. Make goat noises as Shrek!



Download Shrek Mod: http://tinyurl.com/ShrekGS
Videos of Shrek Mod in-game:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3_ZSNVOvFq0 - Basic overview and gameplay of Shrek Mod
http://tinyurl.com/ShrekGSPewDiePie - Top YouTuber PewDiePie provides comedic commentary as he hilariously plays as the Shrek Mod in Goat Simulator (CAUTION: Contains profanity/swearing) 

Monday, 7 April 2014

Goat Simulator

Yes you heard the tittle right, I am about to do a review on the newly released (1st April) Goat Simulator.
In Goat Sim you get too be a goat.... So just from that why wouldn't you want to get it.

Not actual Game as all the picture are copyrighted
The stupid fun game has to be said to have many bugs, but the produces Coffee Stain Studio say they are going to keep them in and only fix the game breaking bugs, as they make the game hilarious to play.
The producers also say on there website that you should really not buy the game and instead just buy a pile of bricks or maybe a real goat instead.
What the game is basically you get to be a goat and rampage a town while getting a load of random points for doing different stunts as well as a load of achievement for doing funny/crazy stuff to.
This game is really good for if you just had a stressful day, you can just go home and log on and play Goat sim for a few hours.

Something's you should definitely try to do : (I wont tell you how to do them experiment yourself.)
1) Go Hang-Gliding
2) Go to the low gravity testing facility
3) Unlock tall Goat
4) Become the King of the goats.
5) Play Flappy Goat
6) Find all 27 goat statues

Many say this should be Game of the year 2014

Links to YouTubers playing:
The Game and youtubers contain swearing especially the youtubers
Yogscast Simon and Lewis
Toby Games
Pewdiepie

I would like to say a big thank you to Miss Findlater for putting together the Digital leaders and all the work you have put into it, you will be missed but good luck at you new school :D

Sunday, 6 April 2014

Yoshi's New Island 3DS Review

Yoshi's New Island is the sequel to the SNES classic, it may bring a shining feeling of nostalgia for those growing up in this pre-modern Mario era of 1995 (probably just seen Toy Story , for the first time!) and smiling as discover their favourite green, adorable anthropomorphic dinosaur is the titular character, and playing it addictively.  For most 25-year old 3DS owners, memories will flourish incorporating the original game mechanics and pastel, chalkboard art and music with a modern twist of 3D graphics and animation and remixed tunes from the GameBoy version, makes it very appealing for the children of the noughties and 2010s. The gameplay increases in challenge as you go through the levels although unlike Super Mario, the levels are not timed, so are more paced and require more concentration. Another modern twist is the ability for Yoshi to transform into hot air balloon or mine cart etc. in amusing mini-games to acquire more coins.  The objective is the same as Yoshi is Baby Mario's protective guardian as he attempts to rescue Baby Luigi and defeat Kamek, the magical koopa, as  you squeal "glums" and "yahoos" and swallowing enemies and discreetly defecated them as useful little eggs. With collectibles to find, replaying the levels is still enjoyable with no tediousness, just the challenge of the level and cuteness and brilliance of Yoshi repeated. Overall I ensure you won't be frying this nostalgic "eggy" gem. 

91% GOLD AWARD
Buy the game: 

Friday, 4 April 2014

Art Review: Parodies of Great Works

Just by simply googling 'Art Parody' or 'Pop Culture Art Parodies' or putting a franchise name e.g. Simpsons or Lego or Muppets then 'Art Parody' into Google you find some pretty impressive and hilarious parodies of famous artwork such as The Scream, Mona Lisa, The Last Supper even Andy Warhol parodies. Featured below are just some of my many favourites, tell me your preference in the comment section!: 




ART - Lazy Paint

Lazy Paint is a app for Tablet,but you can still get in on some computer app stores.
The lazy paint slogan is "No Talent, No Problem"  as it is very easy to create a piece of art without very little effort.
To start of with You upload a picture that you have already taken of your self or something else e.g. landscapes, animals...
You can choose how much your background shows through as well as different styles of paintbrush e.g. Splat, Spray Can, Scribble, Flowers, Pointillist.
Using all these tools can make you pictures look like amazing Paintings, which you could be pound of.

Click here to look at the Download Page!


Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Art Review: Major Cities Without Light Pollution

On the website I am going to review, are stunning interpretations by a pioneering French photographer called Thierry Cohen about what major cities would look like without light pollution, so billions of stars and the entrances of galaxies are visible so these first-class cities become even more attractive. The list of cities are: New York, Rio De Janeiro, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Paris and São Paulo. Unfortunately for Britons, there's no depiction of London, but with the shiny beauties at differing angles and areas of the cities, this website is ensured to leave you "starry-eyed", no matter the circumstances!
An awesome abundance of stars shining stunningly in terrific Tokyo 
Site-http://www.danzigergallery.com/artists/thierry-cohen/



Alas, I will be absent at Digital Leaders this week, so I wish Ms Findlater, the best of luck at her new job :) :) Goodbye :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(