Waterview Connection 2 Newsletter 1 for Teachers
Tēnā koutou, Shelley here,
Welcome to Waterview Connection 2. Join me and the ambassadors in Auckland to see how New Zealand's largest road project is progressing.
Things to do from this newsletter:
- view the LEARNZ Waterview Connection 2 web site
- email shelley.hersey@core-ed.org with your content requests for this year's Waterview Connection 2 field trip
- book an audioconference by emailing shelley.hersey@core-ed.org
- take part in the LEARNZ group on the VLN - Waterview Connection 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 - 24 July Last day for audioconference bookings with Shelley - shelley.hersey@core-ed.org
- Wednesday 29 July - Deadline for Ambassadors (and $35 payment) to arrive at Shelley's home office
- Friday - 31 July Audioconference questions due with Shelley - shelley.hersey@core-ed.org
- Monday 3 August - The Waterview Connection 2 Virtual Field Trip gets under way!
2. Enrol your class
The Waterview Connection 2 field trip takes place from 4-6 August based in Auckland. 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 Waterview Connection 2 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 4-6 August. Your students will be able to put questions to experts live on location in Auckland.
- 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
- New: Running alongside the formal, structured live audioconference is the unstructured, less formal LEARNZ Backchannel using the MoE Adobe Connect web conferencing platform. It will run for an extra half-hour after the audioconference to enable you and your students to ask extra questions and have them answered, live. The platform is easy to use and is the same as for the LEARNZ PD sessions.
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 Waterview Connection 2 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 29 August, 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 Waterview Connection 2 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
