Ask the Connected Learning Advisory

By Education Gazette editors

Issue: Volume 96, Number 14

Posted: 14 August 2017

Reference #: 1H9dxD

The Ministry of Education’s Connected Learning Advisory – Te Ara Whītiki is committed to supporting schools and communities as they plan for, manage and use digital technologies for learning. This month we look at the multiple ways in which we support schools and kura.

Support for a rural primary school

A rural primary school contacted the Connected Learning Advisory for advice around making the best use of the television screens in their classrooms. The regional advisor was able to offer practical suggestions both in terms of pedagogy as well as websites for teachers to try with their learners using the television screens. This initial contact led to other queries from the school around digital citizenship documentation and practices, introducing a Bring Your Own Device environment, and support with using the school’s Student Management System. Teachers from the school also attended free professional learning events facilitated by the Connected Learning Advisory.

Support from the Connected Learning Advisory

This example illustrates the range of support available from the Connected Learning Advisory – Te Ara Whītiki. We provide you with pragmatic advice and suggestions; we provide relevant resources; we provide high-quality professional learning experiences; we can sometimes even provide some face-to-face support if required. When you contact the Connected Learning Advisory, we will support you in the ways that best suit your needs.

What happens when you contact us?

You can contact us by:

phoning 0800 700 400
completing the online form in English or Te Reo Māori on our website:
http://tearawhitiki.org.nz(external link) or http://connectedlearning.org.nz(external link)

When you contact the Connected Learning Advisory, an appropriate advisor, usually someone local, will respond, and will work with you in a friendly and supportive way.

If you’re not quite sure how to phrase your question, that’s not a problem. Simply submit a query that says you need some help and your local advisor will give you a call to pinpoint the support you’re after.

Whether you need a quick answer or ongoing support, we work to what you require. When necessary, we can coordinate responses across a number of the organisations that schools deal with such as N4L, Netsafe and the SNUP team. We’re even happy to receive multiple queries from you or your school or kura as you continue on your e-learning journey, just as in the story above.

Professional learning events with the Connected Learning Advisory

For even more support, this term the Connected Learning Advisory – Te Ara Whītiki is offering half-day or optional full-day workshops aimed at supporting people as they lead change with the help of digital technologies. The workshops are aimed at across community and within school teachers from Kāhui Ako | Communities of Learning, and other teachers from schools and kura who have responsibility for leading change. Up to three people from a school or kura can attend each event.

The workshops are free of charge and are being held in locations across the country, from 14 August to 8 September. You can see where and when workshops are being held and register to attend by visiting:
core-ed.org/events/(external link)

Contact the Connected Learning Advisory

The Connected Learning Advisory is supporting hundreds of schools, and now also Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako, as they make strategic decisions related to learning with digital technologies.

If you have a query about integrating technology with teaching and learning, or you want to suggest a topic for this column, contact the Connected Learning Advisory.