Virtual Learning Network

Background

At the beginning of 2010, the Catholic Diocese introduced a digital resource to support the Religious Education Programme, which aligns with the special character of our school.  This coincided with our joining of the Three Rivers ICTPD cluster and provided the catalyst for updating our technological capabilities with the purchase and installation of data projectors in all classrooms, and providing laptops for all teachers.   A mimio had been purchased approximately five years ago and had been used occasionally during this time by a few teachers, but not for some time and not by current staff.

Context

Years 3, 4, 5 @ Saint Joseph’s Catholic School, Paeroa. Classroom teacher with no previous experience using a mimio.

Aim/Purpose

To provide interactive, hands-on experiences for all students that can be used in a variety of curriculum areas and aligned with National and cluster goals 1 and 3:

• Students become successful digital citizens
• Teachers are integrating e-learning effectively into their classroom practice.

Interventions/Actions

The Mimio was set up in the middle school; year’s 3-5 classroom each day before school by a senior student who had previous mimio experience.  This student also assisted the teacher by showing and explaining various tools available.

Learning to date:

• Teacher attended mimio professional learning training through the cluster afterschool workshops and Teacher Only Day. 
• Support and mimio resources were made available from cluster colleagues, working at a similar learning level
• ICT cluster facilitator during school classroom visits
• Mimio being used daily during interactive Religious Education programme.  It is also used in our class Reading and Mathematics programmes as part of the tumble board activities or whole class demonstrations/teaching of new programmes.
• Senior student became mimio tutor as she had past experience with using the mimio

Summary of key results

• Small interactive group activities in reading and/or maths rotations are planned as part of the learning process
• Has enhanced student motivation, interest and engagement in learning tasks.
• Students stay engaged for longer in more meaningful and exciting learning

 Staff/Board of Trustees have a raised understanding of the capabilities of mimio and looking at future possibilities for other classrooms to purchase mimios or interactive whiteboards

What worked well?

• Students are actively engaged for longer
• Empowers students they are taking ownership of their learning as they are asking for activities that can be used with the mimio to reinforce learning e.g. using the abacus      

Using the interactive abacus to reinforce learning about place value

• Provides extra support by reinforcing strategies or skills relevant to the learning task.
• Students responsible for setting up/calibrating the mimio prior to the start of the day’s learning and making decisions what/how/when it could be used to support their learning.
• Collaborating and communicating effectively with each other by taking turns, problem solving, and questioning especially during whole class discussions in Religious Education.

The Religious Education Digital Resource becomes interactive

Where to next?

• Students to become the tutors for upskilling students and teachers in other classes.
• Staff PD sharing time – using the mimio to enhance the Religious Education digital resource.
• Possibility of purchasing further mimios or investing in other types of interactive technologies.