I know what you're thinking. You had no warning of this. But yes, this is same old Brian's Education Blog, but revamped, twenty-first century-ised, blah blah blah. I hope you like it.

I didn't design it myself. That was done by this guy, heckled by me. There will probably be further changes here in the next few days, and the stuff to the right still needs to be looked at, updated, and rearranged. But the basic structure is now fixed. Vent at will in the comments, but it is unlikely to change much.

The reason I gave you no warning of this transformation is that if I had flagged it up beforehand, and if it had then been delayed, but if I had then kept on saying it's coming it's coming, that would have been undignified. There would have been jeers from the back of the class. Better, I thought, to let the change come in its own sweet time, and then say yes, it has changed hasn't it?, well spotted.

If you want my further thoughts on blog design, stay tuned to my Culture Blog, where I'll no doubt have things to say about this, and which is likewise going to get a makeover Real Soon Now.

As for the importance of design to the educational process, I think that if you have to choose between good teachers in a badly designed school and bad teachers and a well designed school, go with the good teachers. The blog equivalent is that there is no substitute for good stuff. Although, it is an interesting question how much effect good design in a school might have on getting good teachers for it, and in allowing them to teach better than they otherwise might. Discuss, if you feel inclined.