Tēnā koutou, talofa lava, and welcome to the lastest e-Learning panui. If you haven't already joined all of the Enabling e-Learning groups, we recommend you do so, to not only watch the conversations as they happen, but to jump in and join in the kōrero too. This is your community, we'd love to see you there.

NEW : Keep an eye for two free webinars from the Ministry related to connecting to the N4L managed network. These will be useful for schools considering connecting (or those already connected to), the Network for Learning (N4L) managed network as well as those preparing for BYOD. Dates and registration form for these can be found here.

For more, check out the latest Enabling e-Learning newsletter. For all other up-coming e-learning events for Term 1, check out the Enabling e-Learning calendar of events. Feel free to tell others and mark these in your diary now.

Look forward to seeing you online - hei konā mai,

Karen, Tessa & Catriona | Blended e-Learning Online Team

Each fortnight, we like to say thank you by nominating a community member for active participation in the Enabling e-Learning / VLN Groups.

This week we’d like to recognise the queries and responses from Sam Hamilton (Matata Public School). Sam's contributions show an interest in personalising learning, mobile technologies and this week - TVs in the classroom. We look forward to hearing more of your stories and experiences online, Sam.

Beyond the classroom

Using ICT in reporting processses How is your school connecting with family and whānau about their children’s learning using e-learning tools? We’d love to hear more.

FORUM: How are you using technologies to both report to parents and encourage them to engage with their students learning? Parent/teacher conferences are happening in some schools early this term. How do you share learning goals (and strategies) with parents, through technologies or other means?

Check out the new school stories, such as Using mobile devices to improve communication

in Beyond the Classroom on the Enabling e-Learning website.

Learning and Teaching | Digital Citizenship

FORUM: Whakawhanaungatanga - Getting to know our learners, March 11th - April 11th
This forum will touch on pedagogical and practical ideas for getting to know your learners better. It includes discussion around whānau engagement, learner needs and culturally responsive practice - all with an e-learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) lens. This thead is current in Enabling e-Learning | Teaching group.

Personalising learning: Isn’t there a worksheet for that? Jody shares her experiences for using e-tools to specifically address individualised learner needs.

Quick poll: "If a junior teacher said to you, "Children need to read and write before they get on any kind of screen", what would be your answer?" See what other people think about this statement too. Is this similar to your thinking?

Using digital technologies with Māori and Pasifika learners, and students with special educational needs

Make the most of your digital tools so everyone has a fair crack at learning: What do squirrels, student learning outcomes, UDL and e-learning have in common? Dive into this thread to find out more.

Smash the old images of a classroom with digital text: Roxy Hickman encourages us to think about how the use of digital text within the classroom can benefit many students who experience barriers with traditional printed media. Want to know more?

Check out e-Learning and Teaching>>> the Enabling e-Learning website.

Professional Learning

Ways to build your online professional learning network using VLN/Enabling e-Learning communities: March 26th, 3.45 - 4.45pm
Are you interested in ways to build an online professional learning community to help with your own professional learning and development? Are you wondering where to go, who to know, places to be? This webinar will explore the purpose and potential for how the VLN/Enabling e-Learning community groups can support you, as you integrate effective e-learning pedagogies into your classroom practice. Tessa Gray and Catriona Pene. REGISTER NOW!

Twitter Widget: Want to embed your Twitter feed into your VLN profile page? You’ll find some helpful tips from Karen Melhuish Spencer to help you do this.

What is e-learning? Nathaniel Louwrens responds to a post that encourages us to discuss more about the ways technologies can benefit learning, rather than debate the technologies themselves. What do you think?

Check out e-Learning & Professional Learning>>>Enabling e-Learning website.

Leadership & strategic direction

MLEs: That’s just a classroom with a beanbag isn’t it? Sonja Barneveld offers another perspective about the importance of engaging with parents about the process of developing modern learning environments. How does your school develop and grow these understandings with parents?

Self directed learning in a MLE: Community members are sharing what collaboration and self-directed learning looks like in their Modern Learning Environments. Do you have stories to share too?

Check out the latest school stories about how Holy Cross School have used the e-Learning Planning Framework to develop their strategic plan in Leadership and e-Learning via the Enabling e-Learning website.

Technologies & Infrastructure

TVs in the classroom - wall mounted or mobile? Sam Hamilton is looking for your opinion on wall mounted TV vs mobile TVs on a stand, as well as choosing Plasma or LED. Can you help offer some advice here?

Minecraft Edu costs: CraigMcD is interested in finding out more about the processes and costs for using Minecraft EDU at school. Can you help?

Mobile technologies

Making a difference to student engagement and learning? Mary-Anne Murphy asks, How do you know whether or not the use of iPads has positively impacted student engagment and learning? You might be interested to see how much local research is emerging around this area.

Storing evidence of learning: Tash is looking for some technical advice about how to save Tellagami projects into Google Drive, for parents to view.

More conversations emerging at:

Bring your own devices (BYOD)

BYOD policy and terms of use parent/student agreement: Keir Whipp is looking for an example of an e-learning and/or BYOD school policy, as well as a parent/student 'terms of use' agreement form. Can you help?

A simple practicality - locking devices away during breaks? Ross Hastings is looking for a solution for securing mobile devices that doesn't involve teachers needing to take responsibility for locking and unlocking cabinets etc. Do you have an alternative solution to offer?

eLearning class – tracking: Mark Quigley shares what their school is doing, as well as the possible issues to consider, in terms of tracking the impact of e-learning. How does your school address this issue?

Check out the teacher inquiries to help improve literacy for boys, from Holy Cross School in

e-Learning and Technologies on the Enabling e-Learning website.

For your calendar...

Enabling e-Learning events

Term 1 Enabling e-Learning calendar of events is out now. Feel free to join in these events. We'd love to see you and your colleagues get involved.

Enabling e-Learning webinars: Find the recordings here for 2011/2012/2013 sessions you may have missed, including using digital resources, digital learning spaces, BYOD, iPads in junor classes, registered teacher criteria, appraisal and e-learning, gaming and many more!

e-Learning events around NZ

Creative Commons Licensing for NZ Schools: 12, 13, 17 March, 4-6.30pm, Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington.

Network for Learning | Managed network workshops online: 18, 25 March, 2014
- WEBINAR 1: Preparing your school to take up the opportunities the N4L managed network brings, 18 March 2014, 3.45 – 4.45pm.
- WEBINAR 2: Preparing your school for BYOD, 25 March 2014, 3.45 – 4.45pm.

Festival of Education: 21-23 March, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch

Learning@School Roadshow 2013: 13-22 May 2014, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Ashburton, Dunedin.

ULearn14: 8-10 October, Rotorua. Registrations now open for the ultimate modern learning & teaching conference.

Images courtesy of Creative Commons, Freedigitalphotos and Freedigitalphotos.

Virtual Learning Network

e-Learning Round-Up | 12 March 2014