School Online

Just been out to one of our country schools to finalise the installation of a server (the first they have had), complete infrastructre installation and the approve the purchase of new hardware. This has proved to be one of the highlights of my year to date. To see a school go from running a peer to peer network on PCs that are at least 5 years old, via cat 5e cables running across the classroom floor, to a fully integrated network with mostly new hardware. The staff are keen to get and use the new gear and provide students with the experiences they should have been having but have not.

Hardware includes new PCs, laptops, 2 wireless access points for both staff and student use.

Discussion with the teachers has seen them participate in PD in many areas of ICT including the installation of an interactive whiteboard. We are planning to have years 5-7 develop basic webpages and introduce BLOGS later in the year.

This is ICT in action, online communication and collaboration at the classroom level, and illustrates just how ICT can provide isolated students and teachers with the opportunity to access the wider community.