Digital Technologies

Create, connect, collaborate and engage.

E-learning: using technology to enhance and enable learning

We recognise the potential for e-learning to extend and support learners and to open up new and different ways of learning while raising student achievement.

The New Zealand Curriculum states that e-learning has the potential to:

• assist students in their learning through exploring new learning environments, problem-solving, and enabling them to create, connect, collaborate and engage with other learners

• enhance opportunities to learn by offering students virtual experiences, tools and resources to extend their knowledge in an area of interest

• communicate with others online to share ideas and experiences

• Support learning by offering specific ICT resources for diverse learning needs

BYOD

As new technologies continue to change the world in which we live, they also provide many new and positive educational benefits for classroom instruction. To encourage this growth, we encourage students from years 1-8 to ‘Bring Your Own Device’ to school to integrate their learning both inside and outside of school. The device we encourage is a Chromebook. Each classroom in the school has a number of Chromebooks, TV teaching screens and smaller HD collaborative group teaching and learning screens, Projectors, Samsung Tablets, Apple TV’s and/or Chromecasts and teaching and learning iPads.

Why are we doing this?

• Applications accessed by a web browser, like Google Docs, eliminate the need to have specific software loaded onto every student computer.

• Cloud-based computing allows students to access their information from any computer with a web browser

• The current economic times require an approach that ensures every student has equitable access to online resources

21 Century Learning

We believe equitable access to technology will aid our students in becoming…

• Information producers rather than information consumers

• Self-directed learners and collaborative team players

Please Note: No child’s learning experience or academic performance will be affected because he or she does not have an Internet-connected device to bring to school. Alfriston School is committed to reducing technology inequity so every child can learn equally.

Future focused technology at Alfriston 

At Alfriston, we are a Google School. Students learn by creating, adapting and sharing using the Google App Suite. This work can be shared with peers, teachers, and parents.

From years 1 – 8, students add their work to e-portfolios that are created through their own personal Google Site. Throughout the year, students can share what they have been learning with family. This is an effective way for parents to interact with their child’s learning and discuss their achievements.

All students complete a course of study that develops positive Digital Citizenship in its broadest sense, teaching students how to capably, safely and responsibly use digital technology.

Some learning assessments are also done online through portals such as e-asTTle. Students are able to be assigned tests that show leaning and progress made and help students understand their next learning steps.