Digital Fluency Intensive 6 - Enabling Access. Sites

 

Digital Fluency Intensive 6 - Enabling Access.  Sites

Connecting with Manaiakalani : Connected Kaupapa

In todays korero Dorothy unpacked the power of digital technologies to connect us all.  Something which has become more salient to everyone is this time of global pandemic.  The Maniakalani kaupapa is 

an inclusive model which is founded our belief in equity in education. The Manaiakalani group is moving to promote the importance of connectivity for all New Zealanders.  As recognised leaders in education the group can lobby Government, Business and the general community to achieve this important outcome. 

 

Historically the original cluster in Auckland was geographically close, but only came together for competiton.  By becoming a network and partnership they brought about a shift for schools and educational thinking. So connectivity should be more than physical and digital access, it is rather realignment of mindset towards openness and sharing.  The Maniakalani shared language and understanding of kuapapa allows individual programmes tailored to the individual goals of kura but within a shared framework for teaching.

These structures to provide support for teachers who are enacting these programmes and real guidence in practical sense.  Professional learning at all levels of school ensure that teachers and school staff are supported and encouraged with shared skills and information.  This can be seen in Professional learning networks such as Mit, and Class on air.  Toolkits and cluster meetings provide regular PD and sharing opportunites for teachers to grow their practise and stay abreast of developing thinking in education.  Currents is way to access the Manaiakalani facilitators sharing in a social network framework.

Our schools use twitter as a RSS feed pulling together all blogposts so that all are exposed to the biggest possible audience.

Tuhi Mai Tuhi Atu is another great way to share which I took part in last year. It allowed me to share my classroom blogs with other classes of New Entrants around the country.  This was a great way to show my kids the school life of tamariki from other parts of New Zealand.  We were paired with two rural schools which was a great contrast to the life experience of my learners.  

Connecting with Digital Technology : Enabling Access.

Today we had the opportunity to reflect on our own sites and those of our bubble buddies.  It was inspiring to see the amazing sites out there.  By taking time to consider my site using the criteria above I decided it really needed a spring clean.  I had made this site with bits and pieces of other teachers sites and things I had experimented with at various times.  I realised that it lacked a coherent look.  So I took this opportunity to make sure all the fonts were consistent, the colours were bright and appealing to learners and I simplified the layout.

I also took the opportunity to make my timetable more visible by embedding it directly from my drive.  I made a start on my goal of adding multimodal links to curriculum area pages.  I have done this at the level of pages rather than groups so that it can be more easily accessed by whanau and when learners are at home (within the 3 click goal).

This is my site at the start of the day.

And this is the new version.  I can say I am much happier with it and will be more considered when I make future changes.  I think this site looks much more appealing on a phone as this is what most of my parents use to access their children's learning.