Waterview Connection Newsletter 3 for teachers
Kia ora koutou, Shelley here
It is great to have you on board for the Waterview Connection trip to Auckland. The ambassadors and I are all set to go. I am sure you and your students are looking forward to discovering more about New Zealand’s biggest road project. This trip is supported by NZTA (The NZ Transport Agency).
Things to do from this newsletter, (also see previous newsletters from this field trip):
- check access to computers, phone lines, speaker phone
- give students the field trip link http://www.learnz.org.nz/waterviewconnection143 plus the login that you set up for them in MyLEARNZ
- print audioconference questions
- remember to read Shelley's first diary on Tuesday morning
- first audioconference at 9.15am on Tuesday
- take part in the LEARNZ backchannel - more
- first videos with questions online Wednesday
- send examples of children's work to share
1. KEY DATES and TIMES
- Tuesday 26 August - Virtual Field Trip to Auckland gets under way. First audioconference at 9.15am on Tuesday.
- Tuesday 27 August - Read Shelley's first diary and look at the panorama images.
- Monday 1 September at 4pm. Teachers submitting evaluations by this time and day are eligible for the prize draw.
2. AUDIOCONFERENCES
- Check the Audioconference page which has links to all aspects of the audioconferences.
- Students from speaking schools have been coming up with some interesting questions, which you can print off for your class to follow during the audioconference.
- The Waterview Connection audioconference activity is also available for students to work on as they listen.
- You can listen live to audioconferences on the Internet or to a recording later.
- Audioconference summaries can be emailed to shelley.hersey@core-ed.org.
Please remember:
- Listening Schools (via the internet) - Your class can listen to audioconferences as they happen via the live stream on the website.
- Speaking schools - Press the mute button to un-mute your phone so you can talk and then press the mute button again as soon as you are finished speaking.
- Speaking Schools - If other students are listening to the audioconference on the internet, ensure they are in a different room to the one being used for the audioconference.
NEW! LEARNZ Backchannel
- Throughout the Waterview Connection field trip, the LEARNZ backchannel will operate during live audioconferences.
- The LEARNZ backchannel will include live chat where students, or teachers on their behalf, can:
- share ideas
- ask extra questions
- answer questions
- watch related visuals
- contribute links and other examples of their classwork.
- Look out for an email invitation within the next few days that includes instructions and the link.
- Find out more about the LEARNZ backchannel in LEARNZ support.
3. ACTIVITIES
- Get the students primed and ready to learn by doing the activities for this Waterview Connection site.
- Take a look at the planning sequence in the Resources section - good for helping you keep your class on track during the field trip.
- With the class username and password that you set up for them on MyLEARNZ, students can share their learning at home with family.
4. TWITTER UPDATES
Follow me @ShelleyHersey #learnztrip on Twitter during the field trip for highlights as they happen. Get involved and I’ll catch you in the Twittersphere!
5. VIDEOS
- During the field trip, videos with captions and questions are uploaded to the website each morning.
- The first videos (from Tuesday) will be online on Wednesday morning.
- Video questions and answers are uploaded for you (the teacher) in Resources
6. WEB BOARD
- During the field trip students from your class can add their questions to the Waterview Connection Ask-an-Expert Web Board.
- The Ask-an-Expert Web Board will remain active for 4 weeks following the trip and then it will be placed on the Waterview Connection Website under a new link called 'Questions-Answers'.
- Teachers are expected to manage the way their students use Ask-an-Expert. Your school's Internet Use Policy should govern the way students behave online.
7. CONTACTS
If you have questions regarding the field trip please us the NZ Teacher Freephone 0800 22 55 53, or email webmaster@learnz.org.nz.
See you all soon,
Shelley
LEARNZ Field Trip Teacher
