High Country hi-tech Newsletter 1 for Teachers
Tēnā koutou name, Shelley here,
Welcome to High Country hi-tech. Join me and the ambassadors in Twizel to discover how technology is helping to manage land in the high country.
Things to do from this newsletter:
- view the LEARNZ High Country hi-tech web site
- email shelley.hersey@core-ed.org with your content requests for this year's High Country hi-tech field trip
- book an audioconference by emailing shelley.hersey@core-ed.org
- take part in the LEARNZ group on the VLN - High Country hi-tech discussion thread
- prepare your students for their field trip
- Sign up your ambassador
- check out the Resources section with useful links
1. Key dates
- Friday - 1 May Last day for audioconference bookings with Shelley - shelley.hersey@core-ed.org
- Friday 8 May - Audioconference questions due with Shelley - shelley.hersey@core-ed.org
- Wednesday 6 May - Deadline for Ambassadors (and $35 payment) to arrive at Shelley's home office
- Monday 11 May - The High Country hi-tech Virtual Field Trip gets under way!
2. Enrol your class
The High Country hi-tech field trip takes place from 12-14 May based in Twizel. Please enrol all the classes you are taking on this field trip; this enables us to report accurately to our supporters, continue to offer LEARNZ free of charge and it helps us to directly support you and your students. Enrol using your MyLEARNZ control panel.
3. Your suggestions
- Do you have suggestions for the High Country hi-tech field trip website? Maybe you would like a video made on a specific topic, or career for your students.
- Email shelley.hersey@core-ed.org if you have a request for content such as background pages, field trip videos, diaries or photos.
4. Audioconferences
- Make the most of this opportunity to personalise the field trip for your students by taking part in a live audioconference using the MoE audiobridge at no cost.
- Two, 25 minute audioconferences will be held each day on 28-30 April. Your students will be able to put questions to experts live on location in Twizel.
- Details about connecting to audioconferences are in your MyLEARNZ control panel.
- Taking part in audioconferences is a great activity for your class.
- All you need for an audioconference is a speaker phone.
- Check the audioconference topics on the timetable and book your audioconference now by emailing shelley.hersey@core-ed.org
5. Join the Virtual Learning Network - VLN
Join the LEARNZ group on the VLN to share your ideas and gain inspiration from other teachers using the High Country hi-tech field trip.
6. Ambassadors
- Schools are invited to send an ambassador on this field trip.
- Sign up your ambassador through your MyLEARNZ control panel.
- Your ambassador must arrive no later than Wednesday 6 May, addressed to me at;
CMB 14011, Warrington 9449 Dunedin.
7. Encouraging Parental Involvement: Home-School partnerships
- Teachers, you can communicate with parents about supporting your students' learning during this field trip. Find out how and get the text for a letter or email home.
8. Contacts
If you have questions regarding the field trip please email me shelley.hersey@core-ed.org.
9. For Teachers new to LEARNZ:
- There is no prescribed way of using a LEARNZ virtual field trip.
- Curriculum links are available for you to check and see how the field trip relates to your class programme.
- Use your teacher access login (username and password) if you use the site for planning purposes.
- Give the class login (username and password you set up for them in MyLEARNZ) to your students to use.
- For help with login procedures see login explained.
- There is a planning sequence in the Resources section under the heading Contributions. This short term lesson sequence makes use of all field trip components for a 3-day virtual field trip.
- The Prepare students section of the High Country hi-tech site ensures your students are ready when the field trip gets under way.
- The background readings give an overall idea of the topic and can be used to generate further inquiry. The activities consolidate new learning and encourage deeper thinking.
- During the field trip your class can follow the action in my daily diary, watch the videos, and ask questions or listen during live audioconferences with our experts. Combined with the background readings, the activities and Ask-an-Expert, these components are powerful mediums for inquiry learning.
Ka kite anō and I will catch up with you all again soon.
Shelley
LEARNZ Field Trip Teacher
