Rotokawa School pride ourselves on the utilisation of devices and digital technology to promote and enhance learning that occurs in the classroom.
Over the last year, we have worked to include Apple devices into the classrooms to allow students to extend their learning beyond the classroom confines. We also know that for our Tamariki, digital technology provides a means for many of them to be able to articulate and communicate their thinking in a useful manner. It provides them with the opportunity to collaborate on thinking. It provides them with the opportunity to modify their thinking through the additional ideas of others – which in the digital technological world – doesn’t have to be a peer within your class, or even your town; it could be someone from the other side of the world!
Not only do our Tamariki utilise their digital devices with their learning, to plan, problem solve, design, communicate and collaborate with those with their classroom/school, they also use their devices to communicate with others in the community.
Our Tamariki, in the past, have used their devices to communicate information, via survey and email, regarding transition to Intermediate. The devices provided an anonymous platform for our children to share their worries in a non-threatening manner with their prospective schools. Our Tamariki have also used devices to communicate with others within our community and other communities through Skype and email.
Seesaw is another means of communication within our school and this equipment will provide a means for our students to interact and own their learning that they post. Yes, we have parents connected to Seesaw, but we also have aunties, uncles and grandparents who do not live within our local area. Seesaw, and digital devices, provide a means for our families – in the biggest sense – to have an inside view into the learning that our Tamariki are involved in. It provides a means in which families can interact, and our children can interact back with them.