News

Netsafe encourage people to use and engage with all different types of technology to stay connected; they provide tips and advice about how to do it safely.

The resources on netsafe.org.nz including the 10 best online safety tips for lockdown  will help you provide a safe environment at home and when working remotely with your students.

Netsafe are asking people to use the #stayconnectedstaysafe on social media to share how they have made a difference to someone else.

Zoom has lifted the 40-minute meeting limit on free Basic accounts for schools in New Zealand.

• Request to have the limit lifted for your school »

Security resource for educators teaching over Zoom

• Blog: Best practices for securing your virtual classroom .

All schools and kura can access additional support for distance learning:

• You can ask your current PLD facilitator for help and support to plan distance learning
• If you want to use a PLD provider to help support thinking and planning for distance learning but you don’t have PLD hours or your current facilitator is unable to help please contact the PLD mailbox. pld.enquiries@education.govt.nz and the Ministry of Education will be in contact to help broker some support.
• A number of schools can continue to offer learning online, if the Ministry of Education can help please contact them through the PLD mailbox pld.enquiries@education.govt.nz

Most of the major telcos have removed data caps and the possibility of any extra charges based on usage.
 
See the links to those major companies listed below if your staff or students working from home need further support with this.
 
SPARK – https://www.spark.co.nz/help/covid-19/
“Removing overage charges for customers who are on data-capped broadband plans, so they won’t have to worry about paying extra to stay connected. This applies to both small and medium business and consumer customers;”
 
VODAFONE – https://news.vodafone.co.nz/covid-19-care
“The removal of data caps from data-capped Broadband plans for consumers and small to medium sized businesses until at least the end of June 2020”
 
VOCUS/SLINGSHOT – https://help.slingshot.co.nz/hc/en-us/articles/900000386943-Our-action-against-COVID-19?_ga=2.224375707.1878754814.1585097493-87562686.1585097493
“We removed all the data caps from our plans to better enable you to work from home during this time of social distancing and self-isolation.”
 
2DEGREES – https://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/help-and-support/mobile/your-account/covid-19/
“Any customer who was on a limited data plan on or before Friday, March 20 will now receive unlimited data through until June 2020.”

Microsoft and Google are holding online meetings to support schools establishing or offering distance learning for their students.

Microsoft meetings

Google meetings

Schools can participate in Google Hangouts meeting drop in sessions at Distance Learning Hangouts . These drop in sessions are for questions and help. 

This new website contains advice and resources for parents and whānau, teachers and leaders spanning early learning through to senior secondary to support learning at home.

The resources:

• activities that parents can use with their children and young people alongside what teachers provide
• support teachers to plan activities for children and young people to work on from home
• are sorted in age groups and year levels to help you find things that you can use or adapt for your children’s learning.

The Communication technologies page links to this site and several more useful resources to support teachers and school leaders with setting up and teaching remotely. 

This year we have a number of new professional learning initiatives planned for you; to make the most out of the Enabling e-Learning resources and community links.

Digital packages

We are creating a series of digital packages that enable you to quickly access content and resources across Enabling e-Learning. 

Online discussions

Join these new discussions now

• Welcome to 2020 from the Enabling e-Learning team
• Enabling e-Learning snapshot: Year 9 and 10 Integrated programme at Orewa College
• Safer Internet every DAY of the year

»Term 1 Enabling e-Learning Calendar of Events lists more upcoming discussions.

INTERFACE, MOTAT, and Microsoft have teamed up for the Minecraft 2020 competitions. Entries are open now.

Entry forms

• Teachers: Create a Minecraft lesson plan

• Students: Build a better future in Minecraft . Build a Minecraft creation that helps to save and protect our environment. Record a video showing how it works. Choose from three age categories:

• • Primary (Years 1-6)
  • Intermediate (Years 7-8)
  • Secondary (Years 9+)

Entries close: Monday 29 June 2020 (the last week of Term 2).

Join teachers and students around the globe celebrating the use of digital technology in education for Digital Learning Day on February 27th.

Each year classrooms across the United States and around the world hold events to celebrate Digital Learning Day. 

• Sign up to participate in Digital Learning day
• Check out what other schools are doing

Google for education  offer some great collections of free lessons as part of the day.

Find out about what's new on the website and what's happening in the online community.

• February newsletter »

To sign up for our newsletters:

• go to the Newsletters  page
• look for the heading Keep Informed – enter your email, and click on the subscribe button.

Two recent technology publications:

• Digital technologies implementation support tool 2020
• ERO case study - On your marks...Get set...Go! A tale of six schools and the digital technologies curriculum content

The Government has begun a massive IT upgrade to provide more seamless internet access to 200 schools around the country.

Find out about what's on in the Enabling e-Learning community this term.

• December newsletter »

To sign up for our newsletters:

• go to the Newsletters  page
• look for the heading Keep Informed – enter your email, and click on the subscribe button.

StudyIt is an online learning environment for NCEA science, maths, and English students, with information for students about what they need to know to achieve particular achievement standards, as well as discussion forums, and general study and exam advice.

Students can use forums to discuss NCEA issues with other students and teachers, and send specific questions to expert teachers.

StudyIt has been refreshed and is also now more responsive to being viewed on mobile devices.

Netsafe has released Ngā taiohi matihiko o Aotearoa - New Zealand Kids Online looking at the online experiences of Kiwi kids and their confidence in their online safety skills.

Summary of findings

• Most New Zealand children have frequent access to the internet, with 77% saying they can often or always go online.
• The most common places for children to access the internet are at home (96%) and at school (89%).
• Children use multiple, preferably portable, digital devices to go online. Overall the most commonly used devices are laptop or notebook computers (76%), and smartphones (72%). However, among older children (15-17 years) smartphones are the most frequently used device (93%).
• Most children said they are confident about their digital skills. However, younger children (9-11 years) are less so than other age groups, particularly in regard to managing privacy.
• Most children use the internet for entertainment, learning, and socialising, e.g. 90% watched video clips at least once a week. However, children are much less likely to go online for community engagement, civic participation and creative opportunities, e.g. 15% created and shared their own video or music.
• Social media is ubiquitous among children of all ages who use these tools primarily for socialising and entertainment. There are some gender differences regarding social interaction through social media.

Read the full report, Exploring NZ children's internet access, skills and opportunities »  

Today Netsafe launches the revamp of the Netsafe Schools programme. They introduce a new tiered approach. The tiers act as signposts to guide a school’s progress and illustrate their growth in online safety competencies to their wider school community.

Visit Netsafe Schools »  

Find out about what's on in the Enabling e-Learning community this term.

• August newsletter »

To sign up for our newsletters:

• go to the Newsletters  page
• look for the heading Keep Informed – enter your email, and click on the subscribe button.

INTERFACE and MOTAT have teamed up for the Minecraft Student Competition 2019. Entries are open now.

Students design and create a 'machine' of their choice, then record a video showing how it works.

Choose from three age categories:

• Primary (Years 1-6)
• Intermediate (Years 7-8)
• Secondary (Years 9+)

Entries close Tuesday 15 October (the first week in Term 4).

Entry Form – "Make a Machine" in Minecraft »

Place-based education can help to localise your curriculum by giving students a sense of responsibility and affiliation for their surrounding environment, community, and region.

Read more about place based education »

Find out about what's on in the Enabling e-Learning community this term.

• July newsletter »

To sign up for our newsletters:

• go to the Newsletters  page
• look for the heading Keep Informed – enter your email, and click on the subscribe button.