Actis is responsible for the major, curriculum-based websites: English, Maths, Science, History, Geography and Key Skills. The aim is to provide high quality material, using the internet as an exploratory device rather than simply offering students the answers. The internet is the key vehicle needed to induce interactive learning in the classroom. The subject-based Online Services offer the following:

• a wide range of classroom resources, such as datafiles, spreadsheets, presentations, decision-making exercises and lesson plans - to give teachers and students access to a growing bank of resources that they will find invaluable in their work
• annotated links to a large selection of other useful websites, thus acting as a highly effective 'gateway' to the world wide web and cutting out the need to surf wastefully through a huge number of inappropriate sites
• materials to provide subject teachers with the support and training they require in their work, so that they are able to keep their professional skills up to date
• forums and chat areas for teachers and pupils to communicate with their peers - to swap information, share ideas, express views and publish reviews, thus allowing individuals to feel supported and enabling the spread of good practice.

New to the portfolio is Key Skills Online for Secondary Schools, which supports individuals and institutions in the development of Key Skills. It is also possible to purchase Key Skills 2000, a CD-ROM that provides Key Skill tracking and mapping and instant Key Skills profiles for all candidates.

Wherever possible, these curriculum services are being developed and managed in conjunction with the relevant professional associations.

Highlights of the Online Services can be purchased on CD-ROMs. Titles to date include Maths Activities 1 and 2, Shakespeare, Geography Maps and Geography Landforms.

Project boxes

Project Boxes are a range of scenarios, inquests and dilemmas, which encourage pupils to work as a team to resolve situations. Each Project Box runs in real-time over the Internet, posing problems with deadlines needing to be met. The activities stimulate intense discussion and encourage rational responses from pupils to the challenge.

Project Boxes feature simulations that make learning a gripping experience. Packed with extensive teacher resources and activities, they make lessons come alive! Project Boxes can be purchased by individual schools, LEAs (Northamptonshire run two activity days per term) or by a Broadband Consortium.

With Actis Project Boxes you can do the following:

• Generate activity days
  In these compelling role-playing activities, pupils receive messages at timed intervals. The activities offer pupils the opportunity to experiment, investigate and collectively decide upon the best course of action. The action points are then recorded and pupils produce their own individual written pieces of work.
• Provide stimulus for literacy and numeracy hours
  In these activities troubled characters or those with a dilemma make contact with pupils. They ask children to help address an issue or to solve a puzzle.
• Deliver entire schemes of work
  The Project Boxes issue or story-based approach can be used to deliver an entire scheme of work to enable children to cover a module of the curriculum.

Project boxes vary in size and can exploit the full range of technology within a school, LEA or Broadband Consortium. Some can be localised, ensuring relevance to the local area, but all are exciting, with the core emphasis on learning.

Training

• Actis provides NOF training for History teachers.
• The Online Services are excellent resources for teachers who are undergoing training with any provider.
• Actis is currently developing day courses for Heads of Department or teachers with responsibility for ICT.
• Actis aims to use ICT to enhance teaching and learning, and to create an online community.
• Actis also aims to raise student achievement in schools with the aid of ICT.