Friday, November 17, 2023

eSports @ Endeavour

 Esports program at Endeavour College! 🚀


We're thrilled to announce a game-changing addition to our curriculum: Esports Education, set to launch next year! This program will kindle a passion for competitive gaming while illuminating new educational and career pathways.

At our final school assembly of Term 3, we revealed:

Esports is more than gaming; it's about teamwork, strategy, and dedication.  Esports has evolved into a respected global industry.

The diverse roles beyond players, roles from coaches, shoutcasters, and marketing, showcase the broad spectrum of opportunities.

The academic links to Esports integrate some of the academic subjects like math and psychology, nurturing valuable life skills as well as STEAM subject areas.

The Career Path for various careers in Esports, from pro players to game developers.

Thank you to our inquisitive students for your engagement and insightful questions. 

Thank you to James Pham, a former student whose success from Esports at school has allowed him to transfer the skills learned to his engineering and computer science degree. 

Thank you to our industry host Anju De Alwis the Managing Director of Ultimate Access Education in the UAE, for her commitment to merging education and innovation to support us through this process.

Esports education opens doors to endless possibilities. 

It's more than a hobby; it's a legitimate career path, preparing students for a future opportunity.

#EsportsEducation #FutureLeaders #GameOn 🎮🎓🌟

Monday, November 6, 2023

AI in Education Conference: Exploring the Path to Equitable Learning


I recently had the opportunity to attend an intensive conference with my colleague #CatherineBarnes over two days “AI and Education Futures Conference 2023” at UniSA, where professors from the US, UK, and Australia gathered to delve into the captivating journey of how social interactions have shaped Artificial Intelligence (AI). This conference not only featured presentations of their own research but also delved into the discoveries made by others regarding the application of AI to enhance equity in education and improve teaching and learning.


The conference offered valuable insights into the possibilities and challenges associated with AI. It also introduced us to "Edchat," an exciting project led by the South Australia Education Department. Several South Australian schools participated in this innovative pilot initiative, discussing the opportunities, and limitations.

The core message that emerged from the event was the need to integrate AI into educational settings in a manner that engages everyone. It's essential to reflect on our existing knowledge, manage our expectations, and devise intelligent strategies for piloting and implementing AI. This involves establishing clear guidelines, and collaborating with universities, including UniSA, and other key stakeholders.

During the conference, I attended two engaging workshops—one on "AI and Creativity" and another on "AI and Gamification." These sessions provided valuable insights into how AI can both enhance and limit creativity, as well as how to make learning more enjoyable by leveraging datasets and teaching students effectively, all while considering the ethical aspects of AI. #EmberChittenden and #ProfMaartenDeLaat led these insightful workshops.

The ideas and insights generated during this event will help us explore the potential of AI in education. It highlights the significance of collaboration between educational institutions, policymakers, and other stakeholders in shaping the future of education. A fantastic opportunity to collaborate and network with other fellow professionals.

#AIinEducation #EdTech #AIGamification #FutureLearning #UniSA #AIandEducationFuturesConference2023

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

STEM Innovation Experience with UniSA

Thomas Harding, Jacob Urlich, Rachel Sim, Kaitlin Houlahan, and Charvi Sanan are actively engaged in pushing the boundaries of innovation through the STEMIE (STEM Innovation Experience) initiative with UniSA. A shining example of this is their captivating mission to Mars, where students are collaborating on multifaceted projects to overcome the challenges of space travel. The heart of this regional challenge lies in the endeavour to conquer Mars, a planet that has captivated the human imagination for generations. The students' collaborative efforts have led to an extraordinary fusion of diverse skill sets to address a variety of challenges that arise in interplanetary exploration. The field of science has taken a pivotal role in investigating the impact of microgravity on physiological factors. In this context, students are delving into the intricate complexities of lung efficiency, recognising it as a vital factor for astronauts functioning in an environment so different from Earth's. This exploration has far-reaching implications not only for space travel but also for understanding lung health on our own planet. Meanwhile, Mathematics students are engaging in a dynamic food costing analysis. In the confined and resource-limited environment of a space mission, efficient use of resources becomes paramount. By meticulously calculating the cost and nutritional value of food, these students contribute to ensuring the physical well-being of astronauts during their long and arduous journey to Mars. Technology, the driving force behind space exploration, takes centre stage in the form of a rover prototype. Impressively, this project marks the creation of the 28th iteration of the rover, showcasing the iterative nature of innovation. The technology students have advanced from mere design to the sophisticated realm of coding the rover to operate autonomously on rugged Martian terrain. This is a testament to their determination and expertise in creating a robotic companion that can navigate the harsh Martian landscape with precision. Such ambitious undertakings are not possible without the unwavering dedication of educators and mentors. The project's success is indebted to the contributions of individuals like Ms Ackerley, Mr Hughes, Mr French, Mrs Hansen, and Mr Singh, who have passionately guided and supported the students throughout their transformative journey. The STEMIE initiative at UniSA exemplifies the potential of collaborative innovation in addressing complex challenges. This mission to Mars is not just about reaching another celestial body; it's about nurturing critical skills, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and igniting a passion for exploration and innovation among the students involved. In conclusion, the STEMIE initiative at UniSA stands as a shining example of how education can transcend traditional boundaries and venture into uncharted territories. As these students continue their voyage toward Mars, they remind us all that the pursuit of knowledge and innovation knows no limits. 

Satchet Singh

Digital Technologies Learning Leader  (https://newsletters.naavi.com/i/5DadojN/issue-2611/page/6)

Thursday, November 17, 2022

RAD Project - Devices gifted to our rangatahi

After numerous challenges with installing the Windows operating system and fixing hardware devices, we finally started to install ChromeOS Flex onto old laptops and turn them into Chromebooks. Today I was able to install ChromeOS Flex onto seven old laptop devices and give them a new lease of life and koha these devices to our students.

Here is what the students said in their own words about what the laptop meant to them.

"It means I can do my work at home
"
"It means a lot to me and I feel so special"
"It means I can catch on with my work"
"It means I have a device that I can use anytime without going to see a teacher."


"It means having a way to connect to an almost infinite source of information and entertainment"


Monday, October 17, 2022

Cook Island Summit 2022

 Cook Island Teacher conference Link

Photo Album

This was a great opportunity to connect with educators and the tech industry leaders in the Cook Islands from 08-14 October 2022. The location was fitting for an event like those to enable educators to connect and immerse themselves in the local culture. It was especially nice to meet all the local teachers and visit Apii Te Uki Ou school in Rarotonga. I believe attending and networking are not enough to affect change. For me this is all about:

Connections| Taking Action | Being consistent | Re-connecting

I also delivered an Esports workshop. The slides can be found here. 






More photos here

Below are the workshops attended with actions to will follow up on. 

Workshop

Covered 

Action points 

Chrome Flex

Fusion 

USB installation less than 10 minutes

Whole class installation of getting all students to work on a sustainability project 


Students who install 3 working laptops with Chrome flex get a free laptop.

Video notices / pasifika 

Te Maeva Nui News! The Big Celebration

iMovie

Broadcasting 


Students 

Drone - Kent Somerville

Use and learn to fly a drone for our Kura and in the classroom


Tello drones 


DJI Mini 


Session 5 Google 

Steve Smith 

Slides


Teacher centre 

Google workspace for education

Google student personalised learning environment


Enhance content - applied digital skills program


Google Arts and culture to digitise the entire collections of worldwide arts. Go into a museum anywhere in the world!


Cameras are taken into the ocean NZ to film the sea and take people virtually there. Also outback of oz. 


Google Earth - junior water walkers. Use projects and share your own story and share. 




Google certified trainer 


Learning with Google AI


Cloud Computing 


Can publish our story on Google Earth. Great for numeracy skills. Place pin on places, coordinates and angles.


Google screen recording into Chrome: 

Students can screencast and share back with teachers


Use the pen


Transcribes 


Photopea - same controls as photoshop (Chrome app)


Cursor note-taking app


Jude O’Neill

Session 7 Peer writing and review using Google 


Slides

Mentor teachers to PRT’s of literacy and classroom practices 


Understanding the literacy

Scaffolding


Books that support


Goals working on 


Choose Genre


Writing for an audience 



Books that support teachers' planning and writing




Petcha kucha 6 mins long

Deb Sherley 

Oral Language 

Oral language profiles addressing reading and addresses teacher challenges 

Tracks progress including images

Targeted intervention pages



BookFlix website of books 

 

Alida Maritz - Papakura 

Digital Leader - 

Resource created for new teachers

Assessments

Acronyms and abbreviations 

Tracking sheets 

Professional development records

All schools with a link to the site

Rewindable 


Jonathan Nevalangi - East Auckland

Action 

Videos are powerful to connect with all people from society, especially parents and the community


Video to share Screencastify

Meet video with students 

Give students a script to allow them to share their own progress


Camera’s to connect





Friday, September 2, 2022

STEAM Academy - Papakura High School

This was our first hui where the students and teachers in collaboration and support from the Ministry of Education and OMG Tech have been involved at Papakura High to start the process of setting up a STEAM academy. The key stakeholder throughout these meetings is students, aspirations, and vision for their school as youth leaders in this space. Three students were invited to attend the meeting to start this journey. Hearing the year 10 students' ideas and vision for what the Graduate Profile would look like and the positives of implementing STEAM was impressive, to say the least, as they were certainly thinking out of the box. 

The seed was sown when students attended the Tech 21 summit last year. The idea of an I.T. Academy came out of this, however, what was needed was a holistic approach and 21st-century thinking, involving the bigger subject areas. It has been my passion to enable students to follow their strengths and do what they enjoy for a living to pursue a career pathway that is simply not just a chore, which also brings about immense joy for the individual. 






STEAM @PHS Meetings

STEAM Equity Meeting 

Attendees: OMG Tech, MOE, and Teachers from PHS

Date: Sep 1, 2022 


Action / Lookup

Main Notes

Academies USA


Hasting Boys Schools


Linfield College 


Edgewater College


The research behind this shows great results in the USA and Schools here in NZ

Vision: link in with our values (pou’s) Mana Motuhake (Student Agency) in control of their learning have the self-efficacy to believe in themselves to reach their untapped potential


Why is this important:

Pathways to Employment

Working on what students enjoy


Academies:

  • Trades 

  • STEAM 

  • Business 

  • I.T.

  • Engineering

  • Science 

  • Service


Student's voice:


Resourcing:

  • Devices 

  • Support (Coordination, Literacy, and numeracy)


Future proof and sustainability

  • Building resilience and capability

  • Common skills 


Barriers:

  • Whanau engagement

  • Awareness of school projects

  • Inclusivity



Businesses (Engineering, 

Career Exposure

Discover true passion

Work on Students' strengths and their interests 

Community Focused

Graduate profile


Pathways to careers 

Opportunities to explore all areas 


Opportunities to participate in mock interviews, field trips and 

Soft skills:

Critical thinkers, Collaborators, Presentations, communication


Wide range of careers - 

Wellbeing and self-care - Help Heal and Serve


Hasting Boys Schools - Academies based on the Trades Academy approach 


Some schools still have both options with traditional learning and opt into programs such as Edge Innovation Programme 


Summary

STEAM Academy’s research in the USA and NZ 

Challenges and barriers

Sustainability 

Student's voice was powerful!

Graduate profile 

Positives shared