GCSN work to Bridge the Digital Divide by providing schools, ākonga, and kaiako opportunities to learn more about and experience Digital Technologies. From enabling teachers to be more fluent with tools and technology that they can implement into their classroom, to connecting students and their whānau to WiFi, enabling them to continue their studies beyond school hours.
We are proud to be part of the following projects and partnerships, that are open to ākonga, kaiako, whānau, and schools in our Greater Christchurch community.
Projects
# GCSNMedia4Good
The #GCSNMedia4Good Campaign was started in 2019, this campaign gives schools the opportunity to tell their stories about the amazing work being done in their own school.
The Campaign began when funding was allocated to GCSN to support schools within the TToM project. With this funding, media equipment of a drone and camera where purchased. Schools in Greater Christchurch can borrow the equipment to create media that showcases their school.
Following a criteria to ensure good quality outcomes, these student lead projects enable team members to learn in a project-based environment and giving ākonga the opportunity to; project manage, learn how to use modern technology and resources, work in a team environment and experience representing their school through their creativity.
The #GCSNMedia4Good Campaign has already been taken advantage of by Haeata Community Campus, view there video here. Where two students lead their own learning, while being guided by their teacher. This will be followed up by Te Waka Unua school, who are currently working on their story to share with the Ōtautahi community and the world.
Support to Bridge the Digital Divide
The GCSN are very proud to be part of this campaign and how it is helping to Bridge the Digital Divide in schools.
If you are in the Greater Christchurch area and would like to share your schools’ story and would like find out more, please email arnika.macphail@gcsn.school.nz
ConnectED Aranui
One would think that Covid-19 lock down would inhibit projects moving forward. But Daniel Hay ACTIS Community Activator for ConnectED Aranui, has had an extremely successful time connecting 65 families to free WiFi, and helping whānau with setting up their new devices, all via phone instruction to ākonga and whānau. At the same time, Daniel also supported the ConnectED Haeata team during rāhui, working directly with a number of whānau in the same manner.
ConnectED Aranui is an amalgamation of the ConnectED Haeata and ConnectED Aranui projects. Originally, ConnectED Haeata covered one school, now titled ConnectED Aranui, the project has expanded to cover 14 schools who have more than 10 ākonga living within the ConnectED zone in Aranui.
The ConnectEd Aranui project Bridges the Digital Divide by offering Free WiFi to students and their family for the following support
The project enables students to reinforce their learning at school in the home environment
Empowers students to take full advantage of all the opportunities for learning that are available through the Internet; and
Enhance their future career and education prospects.
Whānau have the opportunity to:
Engage with and support their children’s learning
Build their own confidence and expertise in using IT
Develop their understanding of the huge potential of the Internet, and
Use the Internet for their social and financial benefit.
Support to Bridge the Digital Divide
If your school, or you know of a family in the Aranui school area, who would benefit from being connected to the WiFi network, please contact Daniel Hay at daniel@actis.org.nz or the ConnectED Haeata team at connected@haeata.school.nz
Digital Technology Events
Creative Trust Partnership
Creative Trust is a not-for-profit trust, who's mission it is to create equitable access to STEAM technology and to expand future pathways for Christchurch youth.
The events are designed to support Ōtautahi ākonga to see themselves as future-focussed citizens.
In NZ, High-tech Services have been identified as one of four strategic growth industries called Supernodes. This means that technology will be part of every industry in the future. It’s therefore integral to support ākonga to engage with emerging technologies, giving them the opportunity to become confident around tech and see future-relevant employment pathways for themselves.
Creative Trust is also a partner of Christchurch City Libraries, where a collaboration to provide free STEAM experiences for the public through holiday and after school programmes within communities and customised learning for teachers and students in schools.
Kim Ryan is the Programme Manager for ‘Creative Trust’, she has a passion for working with students, teachers, libraries, and our communities to provide equitable access to STEAM technologies, to engage learners, and ultimately create better pathways for our NZ youth.
Events that Bridging the Digital Divide
The Creative Trust has recently released events for the School Holiday's and Tech Week. School Holiday Fun with Interactive STEAM Technologies and a special event for Tech Week Interactive Fun with STEAM Technologies for School Groups (Tech Week).
To book your place at these events visit our Events Page and register your interest in attending.
TToM events
Under GCSN funding from our local Ministry of Education team, Emma Planicka delivers a range of Digital Technology events at no cost for Christchurch educators with the support of GCSN. Most workshops are 2hr 30min, but some are full-day workshops allowing you to go deeper into the chosen technology.
These small group learning opportunities are designed to cater to kaiako who wish to have an introduction too or expand their skills in the following…
Integrating Sphero into Digital Technologies
Integrating BeeBots into Digital Technologies
Creating with Google
Digital Technologies 101 – integrating DT into your Local Curriculum
Creating with iPads
Currently, there are eight events planned covering the above topics for term 3 2020, to take place at Tūranga, Christchurch City Library, and are open to all kaiako in the Greater Christchurch community.
The power of Bridging the Digital Divide is to support kaiako with these workshops, and then have them take their new knowledge back to the classroom and integrate it into their local/school curriculum for their students.
Find out more on our Events Page and book your place at the next event that interests you.
“The students will become more engaged as they can connect with their families and show them their learning and what they are doing in class. The responses from parents/whānau will be fantastic for the students to receive."
If there is a project or partnership event that you are interested in knowing more about, visit the news page or contact GCSN here for more information.
The GCSN team
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