Video Conferencing
Embracing
video conferencing
Education is embracing video conferencing across the board. Asnet Technologies, utilising Polycom standards-based technology, has been instrumental in founding video conferencing in education since 2002. “We wanted high definition equipment and we certainly got that with Asnet Technologies and Polycom,” says Margot McKeegan, learning advisor for the Greater Christchurch Schools Network (GCSN). Originally set up to offer students in remote locations a wider range of NCEA courses, and the same access to subjects as urban mainstream schools, video conferencing means opportunities for rural teachers have also opened up to teach more subjects to students in different schools and multiple locations simultaneously. Remote learning is still the most common use of video conferencing in education however, its increased capabilities and services have significantly expanded.
Professional development Professional development for teachers is one of the fastest growing areas of video conferencing, increasing
opportunities for teachers to connect with trainers, advisors and each other.
Special events Guest speakers interact with students in multiple locations simultaneously over video conferencing. From Antarctic scientists, NASA astronauts, to the Prime Minister, students experience real-time video interaction with otherwise often unobtainable speakers.
Virtual field trips Virtual field trips introduce students to new worlds and experiences, without travelling. Students can attend a live orchestra, dive the Great Barrier Reef, or walk through Te Papa museum, to name a few.
Tutorial sessions Students needing extra tuition are being catered for incredibly well with classes provided outside of the usual curriculum, including remedial, special needs, and extension teaching.
School board meetings Board members and advisors are now conferencing in via smartphones or iPads, which easily connect to roombased systems, and are also being utilised for interviewing new school staff.
Support Counselling
TRAVELLERS - Give your students resilience skills - Help your students build confidence Travellers is a small-group, school-based programme designed to assist young people to deal with change, transition and difficult life challenges. It targets students in their first year of high school and has been developed in association with New Zealand’s Ministry of Health. Travellers has been operating for 10 years and has been fully reviewed. A three yearly evaluation cycle ensures
the programme reflects best practice with effective outcomes. The Travellers Programme is an innovative programme for young people, developed by Skylight, to build resilience and key life skills. It enables young people to learn skills to cope with change, loss and transition and to build their self esteem and confidence to be able to face life’s future challenges. Each Travellers programme is delivered to a small group of targeted year 9 students by trained school staff.
Travellers assists students to: • Safely explore and navigate change, loss and transition • Gain new resilience skills and find new confidence • Improve their learning outcomes at school. To find out more, contact Aileen Davidson, Travellers national coordinator on 0800 299100 or email: travellers@skylight-trust.org.nz — Advertising Feature
Skylight
Skylight plays an active part in creating positive change for children, young people, adults and their families and friends who are facing tough times. Each year, many New Zealand children and young people are emotionally impacted by events that cause significant change, loss or grief in their lives. The overall costs of this are high to our communities. For example, research in New Zealand and internationally confirms that children’s and young people’s loss and grief can impact their later lives considerably. It can affect learning and school life, social interactions, health, self-esteem, future relationships and life choices. Significant loss is very often evident in the backgrounds of youth involved in substance abuse, youth offending or suicide. Grief also affects adults in a vast array of ways, impacting the workplace and productvity, a community’s mental health, relationships and resilience, and the wellbeing of individuals and families overall.
Skylight takes up opportunities to advocate for awareness and systemic change at national government, local government and organisation levels, to ensure the availability of grief support in communities where it is absent. This support helps mitigate the serious and far-reaching consequences of grief. Skylight works hard to highlight the real voices, and needs, of hurting and grieving people, of all ages and stages. But also works hard to provide practical options and resources for their effective support. Skylight can support your team as you interact with students and their families who are facing tough times of change, loss, trauma and grief - whatever the cause. The organisation can also, personally and confidentially, support your staff in their own tough times. “We build resilience for life’s hard situations - many schools across New Zealand use our resources and find them invaluable. We also offer high quality training and professional development across New Zealand.” To find out more call Skylight on 0800 299 100, or visit www.skylight.org.nz The Early Childhood & Schools tab on the homepage contains excellent information for early childhood, primary and secondary educators, as well as free downloads and links. — Advertising Feature
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 2, 2013 | 37