interactive classrooms in sr

NSW Department of Education & Training

NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Interactive Classrooms in SR

Stu Hasic – March 2008



What is an Interactive Classroom?

• In general terms, an Interactive Classroom is:– Student-Centric rather than Teacher-Centric– Collaborative rather than Individual– Involves Active Learning rather than

Passive Learning– Involves one or multiple forms of Interactive

Technology



What are Interactive Technologies?

• In general terms, Interactive Technologies:– Allow for users to produce input rather than just

consume output– Can be either software or hardware or a

combination of both– Can be locally accessed or available on-line

• “Interactive Technology” refers to interaction between HUMANS through technology



What Isn’t an Interactive Technology?

• Interactive Technology is NOT interaction between a User and a Computer or Device

– Online and Offline searching and browsing (surfing the Net)

– Online Banking and paying bills– Typing up and printing out an assignment



What are Pseudo-Interactive Technologies?

• Some technologies refer to themselves as Interactive, but their interactivity is “canned”– Learning Federation Dynamic Learning Resources– Playing educational games like “Reader Rabbit”– Completing “Hot Potatoes” online quizzes– Interactive Whiteboards – these just let an

individual control a computer while others watch – it’s motivational, not interactive



So, What Is an Interactive Technology?

• Creating videos or podcasts for others• Creating readings/presentations for others• Creating blogs, wikis and websites for others• Contributing to other people’s blogs or wikis• Connecting to other students/teachers via email,

video conferencing or telephones• Moodle – where a teacher is the audience• Creating and presenting lessons/games for others



The Connected Classrooms Project

Classrooms throughout NSW public schools will be equipped with interactive whiteboards connected to each other via a broadband network, under a $158 million program announced by the Iemma Government.The four-year program will see every public school in NSW receive one of the large touchscreens that is capable of displaying internet pages, acting as a white board and providing a teaching interface.

The new boards will come with video conferencing so that students will be able to connect to other schools or receive specialist lectures from professors at universities. The interactive white boards would allow schools to expand the subjects they offer, because if a school had only a few students in a particular subject, it could network into a classroom with more students in the same subject at another school for lessons.

The Premier Morris Iemma described the move as a digital revolution (before Kevin 07 did).

"This is truly taking the world to our classrooms," he said. The State Government would also spend $29 million to give all students their own online workspace where they can securely receive and post their homework. It would also allow parents to have online access to their children's school reports.

A further $63 million will be spent to increase the bandwidth and speed of the Education Department's network. All work in this project is to be completed by 2011.



Connected Classrooms

• Only one Connected Classroom Kit per school• 20 schools to be completed in Sydney Region by

the end of June 08 at the latest (you know who you are)

• Another 20 to 40 in Semester 2 (as yet undecided) • All schools will be able to buy their own Connected

Classroom Kits from April 2008 when the supply contract is finalised – pricing is expected to be excellent

• Bandwidth for VC in most schools will be an issue



Digital Education Revolution

• 300 high schools in NSW have been notified of their grant money for computers (35 in Sydney Region)

• Schools must “apply” for the funds• The D-G has requested all schools wait until March 31 before

completing their applications• DET are developing standard advice for purchasing• The grant offered has been determined on the basis of

providing 1 PC for each 2 students Yrs 9-12• All schools will be audited to ensure they have met that target




• Do your own maths...– Count up how many students you have in Years 9-12– Divide that number by 2 – Call that X – the number of

computers needed– Count up how many computers under 4 years old are at

school for student use (don’t count older or staff PCs)– Multiply that number by 2/3 to exclude those for Yrs 7-8– Subtract that number from X and this is the number you

need to meet the target




• Now that number represents Phase One. The ultimate aim is 1 to 1. Double your X value.– In Phase One, there is no allocation for furniture, network

infrastructure, electricity upgrades or anything that is not a computer– Schools can choose between desktops, notebooks or thin clients– DET’s current Microsoft licence does not cater for this additional influx

of 193,000 new computers (which is twice the current T4L rollout)– The Digital Revolution offers no computers for K-6 schools– The T4L cycle ends this year and nothing has yet been decided about

its continuation– A bandwidth upgrade for all schools is included



TALE and the DLRs from The Le@rning Federation

• All of the Dynamic Learning Resources (aka “Learning Objects”) developed by The Le@rning Federation are now on TALE

• All have been “cached locally” on each school’s CPC Server to provide quick local access

http://www.tale.edu.au



So What’s Sydney Region doing to Help Schools with ICT?

• Sydney Region works pro-actively when it comes to supporting ICT in schools

• We run regular ICT Coordinator training days – 3x K-6 and 1x 7-12 every term – over 200 participants attend each term

• We offer a comprehensive supporting ICT website and teacher’s ICT Forum

• We purchase interactive software in bulk to pass onto schools at affordable prices



Sydney Region Software

• Bulk-pricing Discounted Educational and Administrative Software and Services

• Cost-effective from only $3 per seat



ArtRage Full

• Painting Simulation• Very Easy to use• Tools, Canvasses• Paints, Oils, Pastels• Chalk, Glitter, Pencils• Tracing Paper • Mouse or Tablet• Export to JPEG• Layers and PSD• Mac and Windows• Normally US$25.00• A$3.00 per seat



ArtRage Full - Samples



Comic Life Deluxe

• Photos into Comics• Very Easy to use• Layout Templates• Balloons, Fonts,• Effects, • Visual Literacy• Visual Storytelling• Motivating / Inspiring• Export to JPEG• Mac and Windows• Normally US$29.95• A$3.00 per seat



Comic Life Deluxe - Samples



Memories on TV• Photos into Movies• Import videos• Add captions• Add Music / Narration• Transition Effects • Digital Storytelling• DVD Menus• Burn DVD Albums• Export to MPEG• Windows only• Normally US$49.95• A$20.00 per seat• Available for staff use



An Example of an MonTV Video Project

• Making Videos can be enormously engaging, motivational and the end-product very powerful

• But videoing and editing can be very complicated and time consuming

• Memories on TV still lets you make a video, by animating still images and importing sound – this is much more manageable for classroom projects

http://paralleldivergence.com/my-videos (Sorry, YouTube)



The SMS Engine• Bulk SMS from PC• Personalised SMS• Contact Parents• Contact Staff• OASIS Absences/Lates• Overdue Library Book• Sick Bay / Urgent Notes• Event Notifications• Receive SMS Replies• Effective messaging• Affordable – 8.8c only• No other charges• DET managed



Sydney Region Software

Everything you need to know about each of these products and services can be found at our Intranet site:

http://sitwww.det.nsw.edu.au/sr

(coming very soon – Mixcraft 4 – excellent music mixing, sequencing and podcasting software. Normal price US$64.95. SR price $15.00)



Stu’s Double Jeopardy• Free, Interactive Game• Whole-class activity• Built-in scoreboard• Custom quizzes• Make your own quizzes• Students make quizzes • Online Community• Share your quizzes• Custom skins• Share your skins• Entertaining• Motivational • Get it and Play It!http://jeopardygame.wordpress.com



SR School ICT Support Website

http://sts.sydneyr.det.nsw.edu.au/



SR School ICT Support Forum




• Forum Subject Areas include:• Internet Browsing and Email / Technology 4 Learning Rollout / OASIS Thin Client• Mac and Windows desktop and Server / Networking / Useful Websites/ Peripherals




http://sts.sydneyr.det.nsw.edu.au/ - to register and join us



Sneak Preview

• There are so many Learning Objects (DLRs) that teachers are confused as to which to use

• Some teachers are trailblazers and have evaluated and used many DLRs

• The Recommended DLRs website is an interactive site linking teachers to recommended DLRs

• Soon to be available on the Sydney Region website



Your Challenge

• We have seen and heard many things in these two days that will directly impact our schools forcing changes to many of the educational and even administrative activities, sooner rather that later

• How will you, as school leader, bring your school, teachers, administrative staff, students and community into the world of 21st Century Learning?



Questions?

Thank you for yourattention

interactive classrooms in sr

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