DFI Day #7

Every year we have the induction meeting for new students about devices and I'm like a travelling salesman with the Dorothy Burt pitch at these evenings, explaining that we teachers struggle with technology like most adults but if we only need to learn  how to use one type of device, it means we can help our new students. That usually stops all the iPad, Laptop, tablet debates before they even start. Then I launch into why it's better to buy through the Trust rather than directly through retailers and get the remaining whanau onboard. Most of our students are coming from Manaiakalani schools so are familiar with Chromebooks but for the other 45% of whanau are usually very accommodating in setting up payments, either in full or financed. We are a Decile 2 school and people often think our whanau can't afford chromebooks but my experience is that whanau will try to support their tamariki to have a good education. The financial cost of the devices are not always a barrier, but for those who do not choose to buy one, we do have loan devices in the school and have recently started a lending library for the students, Y13s mainly, or if their chromebook is in for repair.

I am amazed by the students' knowledge around the use of chromebooks now that I have had to do an activity on one and appreciate the struggles new students to our school experience if they are not familiar with the devices. You have to learn a whole new set of skills and get the class work done! It reminded me of the time I changed from iPhone to Samsung a year ago. I still don't know how to use half the things that are on my screen and I know two shortcuts- taking screenshots and.. okay only one thing.
I enjoyed today because I learned lots like little shortcut tips which have helped me recover closed tabs, using the whiteboard simulation of iPads to use with Seniors, adding Cybersmart into my Hapara sites where relevant and creating screencastify to my documents so that I do not need to repeat myself to students and they can rewind the clips if they didn't listen the first time. I did try these during lockdown by recording the shared screens but they said they were too long and BORING! Perish the thought!!!!
Here's my exciting clip about my Explain Everything experience.