Presentation of the Virtual Learning Network Primary/Intermediate Initiative to NZPF Conference - Queenstown 2010

1. Promoting Schools Collaborations through eLearning Rachel Roberts (Matapu School)

2. Virtual Learning Network (VLN) – Primary/Intermediate Initiative

3. “Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for she was born in a different time”

4. Industrial to Informational “In the industrial age we went to school… in the information age school comes to us”

5. Virtual Learning – Derek Wenmoth, Revised LCO Handbook 2010

6. The Virtual Learning Network (VLN) supports the concept of classrooms without walls, where students and educators have the flexibility to connect with their classes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Where a rich and diverse range of courses, programmes and activities, from early childhood through to tertiary, are offered by New Zealand-based educators. www.virtuallearning.school.nz

7. ‘Tatautatau e’ Participation in the Virtual Learning Network (VLN) Community is based on the Principle of Reciprocity. In order to access learning opportunities, schools also need to contribute to or support learning opportunities. The VLN is not a service or a product but a collaboration of schools & clusters of schools. The VLN acts to support and broker those collaborations: Through MOE support and website services Through Virtual Learning Network Community membership.

8. A developing trend in NZ Expansion of curriculum Shortage of specialist teachers Small rolls Introduction of new assessment regimes Teacher workload issues

9. Connecting Learners through Video Conferencing Student-Teacher face-to-face contact enables the distance to dissolve

10. Online Learning Environments Spaces catering for different interests Tools for managingparticipation http://moodle.minedu.govt.nz/taranet/

11. Sample Timetable

12. VLN Secondary Schools 2002 – 12 schools sharing classes VLN Statistics February 2010 Current Total Schools:268 Current Total Teachers:170 Current Total Courses:234 Current Total Classes:258 Current Total Enrolments:1526

13. Common Goals & Outcomes More choice & opportunity for students in subject selection Student retention Teachers – able to teach in their areas of speciality Increased confidence & capability in elearning Increased collaboration between schools

14. Common Issues Logistics of a shared timetable Technical barriers (particularly in the earlier years) Staffing Need for onsite student support Sustainability

15. Success Factors Leadership Vision Cluster culture Staffing SupportVEN Report on ELearning Communities

16. VLN – Primary/Intermediate The potential is there to be able to provide all of our students in the Primary Sector with learning opportunities that we are not able to provide in our individual schools.

18. Promote to & involve new schools;

19. Develop the languages programme as the ‘flagship’ of VLN Primary Schools

20. Widen focus to other areas eg:

21. connecting the more smaller, rural & remote schools,

22. engaging schools in elearning events such as digital conversations & virtual fieldtrips,

23. cultural exchanges (national & global),

25. Grow a Community of Practice of talented eteachers in the primary sector;

26. Provide professional learning support for schools in elearning pedagogies and using the technologies for online learning

27. Adobe Connect

28. video conferencing

29. desktop video conferencing

30. Audio Conferencing

31. Moodle and Web 2.0 toolsVLN – Primary - Purpose

32. www.virtuallearning.school.nz

33. http://www.v7.breezeserver.co.nz/ Synchronous learning (Speaking & Listening)

34. Matapu Students in German Class

35. http://primary.vln.school.nz/ Asynchronous learning (mainly Reading & Writing)

36. http://primary.vln.school.nz/ Online learners and F2F learners = Blended Learning Environment

37. UFB/RBI – Bandwidth the Silver Bullet Increase ‘social presence’ through use of webcams instead of phone Free up phone lines into a school Allow multimedia to run at same speed for all sites Enable students from distributed sites to interact on an equal footing – when ‘real time’ means real time Ease access and interaction around supporting activities & resources in Moodle. Possibilities for Primary Schools to join the NZEdNet VC network through desktop VC – actively interact with the wider online community eg participation in Digital Conversations, teacher Professional Learning.

38. Where We are At Starting with a small group of schools. Introducing more as successful classes are established. Introducing new eteachers, developing shared resources. Begin to grow a Community Of Practice Starting with a basic set of tools – aim to extend eteachers in their use of these & Web 2.0 Aligning to the wider VLN community – make use of existing structures & support. Developing a model that can be scalable and sustainable.

39. “One of the greatest problems a rural school faces is access to teachers of specialist subjects. By being on the VLN, our students can be involved in virtual lessons delivered by any number of specialist teachers around the country…. As ‘virtual presence’ technology improves, all the best teachers will be able to teach those students who wish to learn through their own inquiries.” Rick Whalley, Principal, Matapu School

40. Discuss…. How can online collaboration through the VLN benefit my students and teachers? What are the needs of my students? What strengths have we got to share with other schools?

41. Would you like to participate in this initiative? Contact: Rachel Roberts rachel@matapu.schoolzone.net.nz Rick Whalley rick@matapu.schoolzone.net.nz Eddie Reisch Eddie.reisch@minedu.govt.nz