News

In 2019, Sticks n Stones is taking its programme across Aotearoa with an augmented training programme powered by Facebook – and is looking for schools interested in being involved. The "Online Advocate" training is provided free and can support up to 40 schools this year.

The programme starts with full-day activator workshops in host schools attended by local students (supported by a staff champion). This is followed by an interactive and collaborative online training programme supported by webinars.

For an information pack – or if you have any questions – contact hello@sticksnstonesnz.com

Julie McMahon (St Hilda's College) and John Creighton (Burnside High School) discuss these revised assessment tools and how they can be utilised in programmes of learning.

There will be time for you to ask Julie and John your questions.

• Wednesday, 27 February, 3.45 pm – 4.45 pm
• Register for the webinar »

This new snapshot of learning will take you through:

• Te Kura o Matapihi's vision and pedagogy for STEAM learning
• how they plan collaboratively
• examples of STEAM in their classrooms. 

Their aim is to move ākonga from consuming on devices to creating on devices. 

Read more about STEAM at Te Kura o Matapihi »

In this webinar, Catherine Johnson (English Medium Project Lead) is talking about:

• how to register for Kia Takatū ā-Mātihiko | The National Digital Readiness Programme which supports teachers to implement the revised digital technologies curriculum content
• free resources and support available – the programme is funded by the Ministry of Education.

There will be time for you to ask Catherine questions about the programme for English medium schools.

• Wednesday, 20 February, 3.45 pm – 4.45 pm
• Register for the webinar »

Welcome back to a new year at school. We have been busy over the Christmas break updating the site and creating new content for you.

Check out the newsletter to find out what's new on the Enabling e-Learning website  and 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.

This new page has information and resources that will help you teach app development in your classroom, as well as outlining the benefits that app development has for student learning.

When students make apps, they learn:

• valuable STEAM skills like coding, programming, graphic design, and content creation
• how to solve real-world problems with digital design.

Read more about app development »

Tohatoha NZ has released a new educational card game that aims to teach players about Creative Commons licensing in a fun and engaging way.

The game itself is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC-BY-SA), which means users can share, adapt and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

“Anyone is welcome to download the cards, design their own scenarios, and adapt the game for local needs,” says Henk. Rules for play  and a set of scenarios  are available on the Tohatoha web site, as well as GitHub .

Decks of cards with the CC licenses on them, along with a selection of paintings of New Zealand native birds in place of the face cards, are now available for purchase from Tohatoha for $10.00 per pack, including postage and packing.

Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

• Safer Internet Day is Tuesday 5 February 2019
• The theme is, Together for a Better Internet

Coordinated in New Zealand by Netsafe, the day is an opportunity for people, schools, industry and organisations to unite together to raise awareness and start conversations about online safety.

The Government review of Tomorrow’s Schools by the Independent Taskforce is completed. Their report: Our Schooling Futures, Stronger Together l Whiria Ngā Kura Tūātinitini has now been released for public consultation. Stakeholder feedback on the report and its recommendations will be critical to inform Government decision making in 2019.

Submissions or queries can be emailed to tomorrows.schools@education.govt.nz  Taskforce-led regional hui will take place in February/March 2019. More information on these will be available in early 2019.

Access the full report and the report summary from Tomorrow's Schools Review »

Free Flickr accounts are now going to be limited to 1000 photos. If users want to store more photos, they will need to purchase a $50USD/year Pro account.

Photos uploaded with a Creative Commons licence before 1 November 2018 will remain on the site, even if the user account is over the 1000 image limit.

More information from Flickr blog posts »

• The Commons: The past is 100% part of our future  (Nov 7, 2018) – Information about Creative Commons and images on Flickr.
• A sharper focus for Flickr  (Nov 1, 2018) – Flickr is now owned by SmugMug, who provide information on the new login, features, and pricing.

Media Literacy Week is spearheaded by the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE). 

• Join the NAMLE email/membership list  (free as an individual) to get information and resources around media literacy and Media Literacy Week. 
• Downloadable posters for Media Literacy Week .
• Explore the Digital Citizenship modules  on Enabling e-Learning.

Starting on November 1, all state and state-integrated schools across New Zealand, will be able to claim Ministry-funded Chrome Education licenses at no cost courtesy of Google and New Zealand Ministry of Education.

Learn more »

On 27 May, the Minister of Education, Hon Chris Hipkins, launched the NCEA Review to the public and asked New Zealanders to have their say on the future of NCEA. The public engagement phase has just closed almost five months later on 19 October.

Over 16,000 people engaged directly in the NCEA Review, with 8,058 filling in a survey or detailed submission. Approximately 8,000 people attended a workshop, meeting, hui, fono, focus group, in-depth interview or debate.

Read more about the public engagement on NCEA

PaCT has some new features designed to make students’ progress and achievement in relation to The New Zealand Curriculum more visible.

New progress features include:

1. Expected curriculum progress: This shows the progress expected through levels 1 to 5 of the curriculum. It is based on the expectation that students will take two years of schooling to move through each level of the NZC. It provides a visual trajectory for expected achievement and appropriate rates of progress in relation to the demands of the curriculum.
2. Typical progress: This shows the achievement of the middle 50% of students (between the 25th and 75th percentiles). It is based on data collected within PaCT. It shows student achievement in relation to the wider population.
3. Progress trend: This shows what the student’s expected rate of progress will be over the next 12 months, if learning conditions are unchanged. It is based on the student’s achievement over the previous 14 months.
4. Progress narratives: Concise general descriptions, which summarise what students can usually do when they achieve at different stages of the New Zealand Curriculum levels (this is shown on the PaCT scale).

Progress reports can be tailored and used for teaching and learning including conversations with students, parents, and whānau.

Find out more information and get support

• Trial the new features on the Progress and Consistency demo site  using synthesised data.
• View a range of guidance  on the new features.
• Book professional support from Consortium of Professional Learning.

Update on progress tool for Māori medium – Te Waharoa Ararau (TWA)

Kura are strongly encouraged to keep using Te Waharoa Ararau and can continue to access support for this progress tool from Kia Ata Mai Trust .

Anga Tupuranga (learning progression frameworks) will be developed and tested with the Māori medium sector throughout 2019. Concept design thinking for the Anga Tupuranga is grounded in te ao Māori and mātauranga Māori as Te Marautanga o Aotearoa identifies the need to consider knowledge and skills relevant to the learner from the old world, the contemporary world and the new world.

This new resource will help you and your community learn more about the new digital technologies curriculum content, the supports available to help unpack the new content, and how you can access that support.
 

Digital Technologies and the New Zealand Curriculum – Your guide to finding support and getting ready

Information supporting schools and teachers understand and implement the new Digital Technologies strands

• Digital Technologies and the national curriculum »

The new Tapasā framework, a resource for all teachers of Pacific learners is now online.

Tapasā: Cultural Competencies Framework for Teachers of Pacific Learners

Tapasā is a resource for all teachers of Pacific learners. It is designed to support teachers to become more culturally aware, confident and competent when engaging with Pacific learners and their parents, families and communities. It aims to contextualise quality teaching and planning within a Pacific learner setting by providing a Pacific lens to the Standards for the Teaching Profession and the Code of Professional Responsibility.

Information and examples to support meeting the needs of Pasifika learners

• Using digital technologies to support Pasifika students' learning »  

N4L is rolling out an upgrade designed to provide schools with a safer, smarter online learning environment. They are enhancing online security services, providing greater internet capacity (i.e. more data), and reducing technical complexity to provide technology that’s safe and optimised for learning.

The upgrade is fully funded and will be completed for all schools by Term 4, 2019.

In August 2018, N4L will appoint an initial panel of IT support companies to help ensure the rollout is delivered in a timely, seamless and supportive manner. A schedule will be developed from September and will be shared with schools in advance. 

Find out more about the upgrade »

• N4L FAQs
• Call N4L helpdesk 0800 LEARNING (532 764) Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
• email support@n4l.co.nz

Education Minister Chris Hipkins launched the $12 million professional support programme to help schools implement the new digital curriculum.

Kia Takatū ā-Matihiko| Nationwide Readiness Programme is one part of a wider $38 million Government funding package to help teachers and kaiako with the roll out of the new digital curriculum content.

The programme recognises that teachers will have different levels of experience in working with the new strands in the Technology Curriculum. Teachers can use a self-assessment tool that is designed to individually tailor the programme to their individual needs.

Sign up today »

If your school uses the Progress and Consistency Tool (PaCT) or Te Waharoa Ararau (TWA) you now have the option to have your settings aligned to the National Curriculum as opposed to National Standards and Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori.

Updated versions of the PaCT and TWA tools were released on 28 May. The changes will align judgements to all five levels of the curriculum for The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa respectively.

This enhancement is part of how the Ministry is supporting teachers, kaiako, and education leaders with tools to help all students progress and achieve against the curriculum.

More information on the Ministry of Education website »

Come along and hear Julie McMahon (HOD Technology, St Hilda's Collegiate School) and John Creighton (HOF Technology, Burnside High School) discuss these revised assessment tools and how they can be utilised in programmes of learning. There will also be time for a question and answer section.

Participate in webinar 

• Register for the webinar
• Wednesday 28 March, 3.45 pm – 4.45 pm