2004 winners

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2004 winners
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Best Primary School ICT Project

Hangleton Community Junior School

Hangleton Community Junior School (HCJS) has created a series of weblogs that are maintained, written and illustrated by the children of the school. The blogs range in subject matter from dinosaurs to Manchester United. The judges thought that the project truly fulfilled the category's requirement to "help develop ICT excellence among pupils". Moreover, the blog format encourages the pupils' literacy and creative skills, building a greater sense of purpose.

Best Secondary School ICT Project

Fred Longworth High School

Fred Longworth High School uses ICT throughout the school, including smartboard technology. The school uses Open Source software, selecting StarOffice over the Microsoft equivalent. The judges were impressed by the overall efforts and imagination used to integrate technology into the teaching environment. They noted that canny procurement made the limited ICT budget go further and enabled the purchase of other technology, an idea that could be replicated by other schools.

Commended: Watling View School & Lakeside School

Innovation Award

Browsealoud

Browsealoud is a small software application that enables website users to hear the text displayed on the internet. As the website visitor moves the cursor over content, the text is spoken aloud. Websites so far enabled include Google, BBCi and Yahoo! as well as numerous local council sites. Browsealoud was designed to improve internet access for those with reading difficulties, specifically dyslexia, but it can be used by anyone. The judges praised its simplicity, not just as an innovation, but as a tool already in use by a large number of people. They considered that the potential it gives users to utilise other websites and services contributes considerably towards improving public life.

Commended: Liftshare

Community and Information Award

Slugger O'Toole

Slugger O'Toole is the weblog of research consultant Mick Fealty. It records news, commentary and opinion on Northern Ireland current affairs and culture, covering the whole political spectrum. It is written in a way that aids the specialist and general reader alike, and it has gained a significant following. The judges agreed that it is an independent, informative voice that enhances democratic debate. With humour and a deft touch, Slugger O'Toole demonstrates that difficult issues can be discussed in a "grown-up" way on the net.

Commended: Brookmans Park Newsletter

Modernising Government Award

Oystercard

The Oyster card is a rechargeable, reusable, London-wide public transport smartcard. Introduced at the end of 2003, it enables travellers to pre-pay for tickets for any mode of public transport, either online, at Tube stations, major rail ticket offices or London Travel Information Centres. At the beginning of each journey (and at the end for tube and train customers), cardholders swipe their card across the yellow card readers and the fare is automatically charged. A central database maintains details of the cardholder and journeys taken. The judges were unanimous in their decision, feeling that the card has been extremely successful considering the size of London's transport system. They thought that it made travel in London easy and convenient.

Commended: City of Edinburgh Council Development Department

Elected Representative Award

Tom Watson MP

Tom Watson, Labour MP for West Bromwich East, has been posting to his weblog since March 2003. He has had a web presence since 2001, but introducing his own weblog has allowed him to converse more directly and regularly with his constituents. They can not only read his opinions, but also send him comments in return, widening the democratic process. Through his site, Tom has set an example for other MPs interested in connecting directly with the electorate, and the judges felt this achievement, and his dedication, should be recognised.

Commended: Steve Webb MP

Civic Renewal Award

The Public Whip

The Public Whip is a project that gathers Hansard data on members of parliament so that the public can better influence their voting patterns. Hansard has been published electronically on the web since 1988, but most people find it hard to navigate and use. The Public Whip has written a computer program that automatically reads Hansard, separating out voting records and placing them into an online searchable database. This enables users to keep track of how power is exercised by individual MPs, as well as voting patterns as a whole. It was an instant hit with our judges, who agreed that this simple idea had vast potential to hold MPs more accountable and that it contributed unequivocally to UK civic society.

Commended: BBC iCan