Information Technology Update – March 28, 2018

Microsoft Education Exchange Singapore 2018

Recently, our 1:1 eLearning Coordinator and Head of Information Technology, Ian Fernee, was invited by Microsoft to attend the Education Exchange recently held in Singapore. This was a great honour for Ian who is recognised as a Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert and is a leading exponent and innovator in the use of ICTs in teaching and learning in Victoria. Ian has written a brief reflection on his experience at the Exchange here:

-The Microsoft E2: Education Exchange is an international conference bringing teachers and school leaders together from 90 countries to explore how technology can enhance teaching and learning. Four Australian teachers were invited to participate in the conference in Singapore who are involved in the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert program. Highlights of the conference for me centred around the two categories of technology for the classroom and the international cultural teacher exchange.-

From a technology standpoint it was fascinating to explore the future of education through the lens of concepts like Quantum computing, Artificial Intelligence and the future of work. Whilst Microsoft software was showcased in the event there was a clear focus on how it’s software and good teaching can assist students in developing problem-solving and computational thinking skills. Some of the showcase tools that they are using to do this include OneNote, Digital Inking, Paint 3D, Teams, Sway and MakeCode.com.

In the rich cultural exchange experience, it was challenging and rewarding to work with international teams on a curriculum project and also discuss the plethora of ways teachers are using technology in their classroom and field to bring curriculum to life. It was a privilege to listen to Phuti Ragophala from South Africa talk about using Skype to break down the walls of her classroom and it was a pleasure to meet Richard Appiah Akoto who recently gained notoriety through his innovative way of teaching computers to his students in Ghana on a chalkboard.

– For a full run down of the event Microsoft have published the following blog post on their education community site.-

The Education Exchange is widely regarded as great event for education leaders who help transform today’s teaching systems into learning organizations and Ian’s attendance at the exchange will allow him to introduce some of these wonderful learnings to our teachers and students.

Moderating Screen Time Usage

One of the questions confronting many parents today is how much screen time is appropriate for our children. This is certainly a very relevant topic in the 21^st Century as increasingly we are all bombarded with screens in many aspects of our lives. It sometimes seems like we cannot escape screens in our lives when we now have shopping centres and supermarkets and the like making more and more use of screens to get their messages across. In answering the question -How much screen time is appropriate for my child?- there is no easy answer. Our children now use devices for both their education and entertainment so we need to be mindful of the -‘work vs pleasure’ scenario. As well, there is no doubt that we have a major role to play in this as well as we are our children’s single biggest role models. There is a lot of information and advice on screen time limits available and one of the best sources I have come across is on Common Sense Media (CSM). CSM is a not for profit organisation operating out of the San Francisco Bay Area and provide lots of fantastic support to parents and educators on a wide variety of technological issues. They have put together a number of resources on screen time limits and interestingly have come up with some simple ways we as parents can use to help role model the use of devices and to limit screen time. Some of the tips include:

• Establish tech-free times and zones

• No devices at the dinner table

  • https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/devicefreedinner-like

  • No devices at least 1 hour before bed time

  • Make sure your devices are on mute -“ make the -‘quiet’

    • Turn off notifications

  • Put devices on Airplane mode in non-critical times

  • Put away phones when driving

    • Keep them in your pocket or in the glove box

  For more information and advice on screen time usage and limits you can check here at CSM:

  https://www.commonsensemedia.org/screen-time#csm-topics-popular-faqs

  Can you see your son’s diary? – App4 Parent Login

  App4 is the official College diary and is used by teachers and students across the different year levels. You are able to access your son’s diary online to see homework and information from his teachers in a couple few ways:

  • Download the App4 Parent app from iTunes app store for your phone or iPad

  • Login to the Paa4 Parent Portal http://stpats.app4.ws/parent/index.php

  To login to view your son’s diary you will need to create a password or access code. Instructions on how to do this and other instruction manuals on App4 can be found on the ICT Devices Parent Support website here: http://ipads.stpats.vic.edu.au/app4.html

  Please note, the Parent or Student ID is your son’s 5 character St Patrick’s Student ID. The school identifier is -‘stpats’ (iPad/iPhone app only)

  App4 Parent Login:

  • Parent or Student ID: Your son’s St Patrick’s 5 character student ID #####

  • School Identifier: stpats (iPhone/iPad app only)

  • Pasword or Access Code: password

  If you have any problems accessing your son’s diary, please don’t hesitate to contact me on mholland@stpats.vic.edu.au

  Mark Holland

  Director of ICT