Counter Poor Numeracy with Classroom Teaching Resources

National Numeracy, a new charity set up to promote maths skills in the UK, has said that poor numeracy “blights the economy and ruins lives”, according to a story from the BBC. The problem stems from a culture where it is acceptable to say, “I’m rubbish at maths.” Apparently, millions of people have problems doing everyday numerical tasks, from understanding bills to reading a bus timetable.

Research compiled by National Numeracy links poor maths skills with a host of other lifestyle factors. People with poor numeracy earn less on average, are more likely to get into trouble with the police, and are more likely to be depressed or in poor health. Girls who don’t know their sums are also twice as likely to get pregnant in their teens. Although people often say they are bad at maths, when surveyed, 28% of people with poor numerical skills said that their maths was “very good”.

One of the problems identified by National Numeracy is that a lot of the maths done in school focuses on ‘doing sums’, which people find boring. A lot of children also become very anxious during maths lessons. 

Real mathematicians more often focus on posing questions and looking for patterns, and leave the actual ‘sums’ to computers. This is not to say that sums are not important, of course, but that classroom maths needs to be more exciting. The charity says that “a firm foundation of early number understanding can be developed through recognising the in-built patterns in numbers and number relationships.” These skills can be developed in early years and primary classrooms by using colourful and interesting resources.

Good resources can be used to teach almost any topic, make learning fun, and are decorative enough to be used in displays. Sweet Counter, for example, produce a wide range of cute, colourful resources, each aimed at teaching a specific skill or idea. They have laminated images of foods, each with a value of money on, to enable children to find differences, add up values and work out change. Other products get children counting the number of people on a train or teach them number patterns using dinosaurs.

If children are taught to enjoy maths early, this may go some way in combating its negative image amongst the general public. Visual aids are a perfect way to get children looking at patterns and problem solving, rather than simply working through lots of sums. Contact Sweet Counter for more information on how to use these resources in the classroom.

Noba Bring Wifi Services to a Field Near You

It is an increasingly connected world. With the use of mobile devices at an all-time high, it is hardly surprising that people are finding ways to use them in unusual places. Virgin has just introduced a mobile phone network to its planes, allowing passengers to phone, text and use the internet from their seat. Cars are becoming increasingly technical, as well, with the prospect of digital dashboards and companies looking at ways to increase their connectivity.

These locations, however, are already pieces of technology in themselves. What happens when you want to use a device in an area that has nothing at all? Of course, you could probably still use your mobile, but high data charges and dodgy connection may well put you off. Fortunately, IT company Noba have developed ways of bringing WiFi services and wired internet to virtually any location imaginable, whether this be a field, a beach or a historic building.

You probably wouldn’t need an internet connection in these places permanently, but Noba provide temporary solutions for music festivals, businesses and corporate events. They linked up an internet cafe for the Beach Break Live festival, for example, and have provided IT and communications support to the BMW Sauber Formula 1 team.

Historic buildings can provide particular challenges in terms of internet connection, especially if it is only needed temporarily. If the site is listed, installing cables in an unobtrusive way, without drilling loads of holes in the walls, can be difficult. This was exactly the situation facing Noba when they were asked to provide internet connection for the launch of the Xbox Kinect at the Flower Cellars venue in Covent Garden. Housed in an imposing historic building, the venue is a blank canvas of white painted brick, high ceilings and columns. There were no existing telephone lines or infrastructure, and yet Noba managed to get the place connected. To find out how, click here.

This is all possible because there are now so many ways in which internet connections can be established. Conventional solutions via telephone lines and Ethernet cables may be usable in some cases, although they might need some clever cable management to keep them out of sight. In other situations, receiving internet via satellite or 3G may be more appropriate, although with 3G, Noba use a mix of SIM cards and some mighty signal boosters to ensure good reception. You can even use the existing electric wiring in a building as an Ethernet system.

As specialists in temporary internet solutions, Noba can provide a connection just about anywhere. Contact them for more information.

Weakened Euro Makes a Luxury Villa in the Algarve the Perfect Holiday This Year

The Algarve, a beautiful region of southern Portugal, has always been a popular holiday destination. Its beaches are renowned as some of the best in the world and it has a host of luxury villas, golf courses and resorts. An additional reason to choose the Algarve, however, is the current weakness of the euro.

At the beginning of May, the exchange rate reached 1.19 euros to the pound – the best rate for almost two years. Elidérico Viegas, President of the Algarve Hotels and Tourist Resorts Association (AHETA), has indicated that the number of British visitors to the area has risen dramatically in recent months. There have been similar increases from other non-euro countries. It seems clear that one of the reasons for this is that the Algarve is becoming increasingly affordable.

Another respected individual in the Portugese tourism industry, Daniel do Adro, has said that the Algarve has “some of the most attractive prices in Europe” He also mentioned that, on average, a holiday in the Algarve would be cheaper than an equivalent one in Spain. However, the price of a holiday is not the only factor when choosing a destination. The Algarve’s charm and tranquillity make it an attractive choice, regardless of the price.

This charm and tranquillity is nowhere more apparent than on its beaches. Many of these have gained the Blue Flag award, which is a reflection of their quality and cleanliness. Praia Da Falesia, for example, near Albufeira, boasts dramatic red cliffs with an expanse of sand below, overlooking the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean. Palmer and Parker, a specialist tour operator, has many luxury villas in this area, as well as Quinta do Lago and Lagos.

The Algarve also offers a wide range of food and drink. Local restaurants often offer a Prato do Dia, or dish of the day, which may come with a glass of wine or beer. Fish dishes are popular, and you will find many cheeses, some made from goat’s or sheep’s milk. It is also easy to find more international cuisine, for added variety. Of course, the favourable exchange rate could mean you are able to afford an extra course or bottle of wine with your meal.

One of the best ways to enjoy the Algarve is to hire a luxury villa. That way, it is possible to enjoy everything the region has to offer, while staying in a comfortable and secluded environment. Palmer and Parker offer a wide range of villas, some of which have heated pools, air conditioning and tennis courts. Click here for more information.

What You Need To Know About the Google Penguin Update

The internet is pretty much a huge directory of everyone and everything. A collection of all the information that people have voluntarily or involuntarily uploaded in hopes of being put to good use. And the internet has been put to good use. How many times has a seemingly unsolvable crime been led to justice with the help of fellow netizens and online services? How many times has the internet aided you in completing a project on time? How many times have you found a friend or a buddy you thought you’ve lost contact with from so long ago? It is likely there are too many times to count.

The internet continues to serve the lives of millions who log in and use it every day, around the clock, 24/7, all over the world. So the important question is how do we control and sort out the infinite amount of information available at any given time?

How do we access the right information when we need it and, most importantly, how do we know where to look? Who “collates” the internet?

The answer is a single word that everyone knows. Google.

The folks over at the Silicon Valley company know the value of keywords. In order to “collate” the internet and be able to serve the correct information, the mighty search engine uses keywords to determine what the user needs when he or she uses the service. When a search term is used, the search engine then searches its huge database of web pages and finds relevant hits which are returned to the user for analysis.

On the other hand, websites employ SEO or search engine optimization in order to boost their rankings in search results. The higher the ranking, the more clicks the website will attract, which translates to better traffic overall.Read more on the topic of search engine optimization at the KPI website.

Recently the omnipresent search engine released an update that intends to change the way the service has been doing its job since as long as anyone on the internet can remember. Called the Google Penguin update, the search engine will still rely on keywords, but this time it will also account for relevant factors such as location of the user and his, or her, preferences in order to return even better search results.

Those who use optimisation to improve the visibility of their website must ensure that their SEO agency is aware of changes like this, and have adapted their techniques so they are successful with Google Penguin. This way you can ensure your website’s prominence, whatever Google throws at you. Click here to learn about KPI, which specialise in providing reliable SEO services.

The Key Steps to Accident Prevention in the Workplace

Accidents can happen anywhere at any given time, and studies have shown that one person dies every hour due to accidents. With the complexities of the workplace, it is definitely better to be safe than sorry with accident prevention.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 makes it employers’ legal obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees. Illness and injury caused by unsafe working practices or an unsafe environment can also lead to economically draining sick days and compensation cases, and a lower level of staff welfare.

Health and safety training can decrease the risk of accidents in the workplace for both employees and employers. Click here for more information about safety training programmes.

There are three steps to accident prevention, each of which will be covered in more detail in health and safety training:

1. Identify Hazards

This step involves assessing the possible hazards in your place of work. A health and safety training course such as slips, trips and falls training will give an insight into how accidents can happen, allowing dangers to be identified by yourself and your employees. You should openly discuss the dangers in your specific workplace with staff, and fill in risk assessment forms to note the hazards which need further preventative action.

Hazards can be as simple as a slip on wet flooring, muscular pain from sitting incorrectly for long periods or a trip caused by loose wires, or they could be posed by specialist tools and equipment you use. The key to accident prevention is awareness of the dangers in the workplace.

2. Assess Risk

Once you have awareness of the dangers in your environment, you will need to assess the likelihood of each accident happening and how bad the consequences would be. This allows you to take logical steps towards accident prevention.

It is worth bearing in mind that the most common workplace accidents are slips and trips, which can happen in any place of work. Over 10,000 workers in the UK suffered serious injury as a result of slips and trips last year, costing employers £512 million.

These statistics highlight the severity of accidents in any workplace; slips and trips can happen anywhere, even if you consider yours a reasonably ‘safe’ place of work.

3. Control Risk

Once you have assessed which hazards pose likely – or serious – dangers, it is important to control the risk by taking tailored prevention measures. A simple wet floor sign can prevent accidents, as can display screen equipment training, so staff understand how to sit correctly.

Your health and safety training programme will offer further insight into the steps you can take into controlling risk in the workplace; whether your tasks involve manual handling, specialist tools or equipment, using IT equipment, walking or navigating stairs or steps, or simply sitting for long periods. For more information regarding safety training in the workplace, visit www.ihasco.co.uk.

The A to Z of Laser Scanning Surveying

In order to manage properties and assets in a better manner, it is very important to have measured building surveys carried out. No matter whether the project involves a small single building or a large commercial facility, fast and accurate deliverables are top priority matters. Anything from 3D laser scanning, to floor plans and elevations, to sections and internal photo imaging can be opted for depending upon the needs and requirements. For more information on measured building surveys, click here.

Whereas floor plans include a standard survey of net and gross internal areas and positions of windows, doors and structural elements, elevations offer a detailed survey of the building features in outline and can range up to a full brick-by-brick detailing where historic records are required. These surveys can be improved to include even minor additional details such as power outlets, switches, lights, etc.

However, among all available options, laser scanning finds the highest number of takers primarily because of the fact that it enables quick and accurate high-definition production of a three dimensional model of virtually any structure. The results can be in the form of simple ‘point clouds’ or a full blown three dimensional model.

Conventionally, engineers and constructors heavily relied on manual methods of gathering and putting together the data or extracting valuable information from existing drawings. But obviously, these methods were not only extremely tedious and harrowing, but also threatened the working schedule and led to overrunning of finances because of data inaccuracy. 3D laser scanning technology cuts down these problems and offers an exceedingly convenient and cost-effective solution to two-dimensional as well as three dimensional modelling for engineering or reconstruction purposes.

Laser scanning is a relatively new technology, but now it is quickly becoming the new industry standard as a means to make very precise and detailed measurements in complicated environments. This technology can be used in both civil as well as industrial applications for measuring as-built conditions inside buildings.

Laser scanners work in a very efficient and advanced manner. They have the ability to collect data points at a rate of 50,000 points per second, within an effective range of 400’ to 500’. By taking multiple scans of a given area, a complete three dimensional model can be made of the existing conditions. These models can then be further used in creating two dimensional architectural drawings. Laser point cloud data can be post processed (such as mapping, measuring, analysing, emulating, simulating, displaying, inspecting, etc). They can also be presented in the form of 3D computer models and digital surveys, making it extremely easy to work with them or document them.

Apart from the 3D models, ‘Webshare’ is generally offered by the survey providers as a great value addition, enabling viewing and analysing of every scan online, thereby providing an very useful tool to engineers and designers.

It makes sense for companies to invest in this technology because it not only maximises efficiency and productivity, but also allows clients to receive accurate and high definition survey data along with the best possible drawings. When as-built, detail, or engineering surveys are required, high-definition surveying is the way to go. Laser scanning technology can be effectively used for architectural surveys, archaeological surveys, topographical surveys, geophysical surveys as well as measured building surveys. The numerous numbers of applications of this technology make it highly popular and practical.

3D laser scanning is the most effective way to quickly get the data of the observed object. It also enables the users to view the buildings and other architectural elements through different angles so that they can get a fair idea of the design orientation and compare the design of the concerned building with the other buildings. The users can also try moving the buildings or carry out other emulation effects by using computers, enabling them to reflecting their own thoughts and ideas on the designs and getting a feel of the effect after modification. This makes 3D laser scanning surveying an infallible tool for not only measuring, but also for designing, planning and constructing.

This post is written in association with SUMO Services. The SUMO Group is a multi-disciplinary survey business, committed to maintaining the highest possible standards in all aspects of surveying. They are the survey provider you can totally rely and depend upon!

Carpet Cleaning Machines: for Cleaner and Healthier Homes!

A clean home is the sign of a healthy home. If you don’t have a clean home, you and your family may end up suffering from a lot of harmful diseases and allergies. Mites, bacteria, etc. thrive in an unhealthy environment. But cleaning should not be superficial. To ensure that none of the insanitary elements survive in your house, thorough maintenance is required.

One of the elements in your home which is most susceptible to dirt and unhygienic microorganisms is your carpet. The fibres in your carpet attract and harbour bacteria, germs and various different kinds of allergens, for which simple vacuuming is not enough. Even if your carpet looks clean, normal settling of dust is invisible and will shorten the life of your carpet with every step that you take. To keep your carpets free from unhealthy and disease-spreading microorganisms, you need to deep-clean them. This will not only prevent them from harbouring dirt, germs and allergens, but also make them last for a really long time; for more information on deep cleaning machines, click here.

Even the most efficient vacuum cleaners only remove a very small amount of the dirt, mildew, dust mites and allergens that lurk deep down in your carpet and remain stuck to the thick fibres. Vacuum cleaners are also unable to remove stains from spills or odours such as pet or cigarette smells. Also, after regular and prolonged use, carpets lose their natural texture and appearance. These factors necessitate the use of carpet cleaning machines that can efficiently rid your carpets of all unwanted elements and characteristics. Deep cleaning extends the life of your carpets as well as keeping them free of contaminants and various kinds of pollutants. And if you have a pet, it becomes all the more important to go for it! Your dog might bring in fleas and other mites from outside; and when it sheds its hair all over your house, you might have a serious problem! Your small kids might also spill liquids or drop food on your carpets, which might cause stains and deep-rooted germs. The deposited debris and food particles may also cause irritation or rashes to your little ones.

Carpet cleaning machines clean where ordinary vacuums cannot reach. They inject solutions and hot water to thoroughly deep-clean not only the carpets but also other upholstery and fabrics, and eradicate dirt, allergens and all sorts of microorganisms. Their unique vibrating brush works in an oscillating motion to stir up the carpet deep down to loosen tough to remove dirt and grime. Powerful vacuum extraction then removes this dirt along with the cleaning solution. This enables the carpets and upholstery to dry up within a very short span of time. This unique process leaves the carpets fluffed up and looking great.

The difference between a vacuumed carpet and a deep-cleaned carpet is quite visible. Scrubbing or using harsh chemicals and solvents can harm your delicate and expensive carpets. Deep cleaning leaves the carpets and upholstery feeling soft, and looking and smelling fresh. The machine works to not only clean and brighten your carpets and fabrics, but also protect them against disheartening and stubborn stains and spills long after the carpet cleaning process.

The efficiency of a carpet cleaner can be judged by its efficacy, ease of use, and cost effectiveness. Professional carpet cleaners charge a lot of money for a single cleaning. Thus it makes sense to buy or rent a carpet cleaning machine for keeping your home healthy and germ-free, rather than spending a fortune on every professional clean-up!

This post is written in association with Rug Doctor. Founded in 1972, this company has since grown into a major international brand - manufacturing and marketing the most convenient, compact and powerful hot water extraction carpet cleaning machines in the world. Thanks to them it's now easier than ever to have clean and hygienic carpets!