ICT

The Ministry of Education works to ensure that learners and teachers have access to, and can adapt to, new technology and are able to embrace what it offers.  The system recognises and maximises the opportunities for more collaborative and innovative approaches to learning media and delivering education.

Earlier this year a deal was signed with Asnet with for the provision of an audio/video-conferencing bridge for schools.  One component of this deal is that all schools in New Zealand now have free audio-conferencing capabilities (as opposed to the per-minute charging that existed before).  Schools wishing to access this can contact the ICT Helpdesk for Schools (0800 22 55 42) for further information. Schools who are signed up for programmes such as the LEARNZ virtual fieldtrips are benefiting greatly from this.

Proper video conferencing between multiple sites (and including providers such as the Correspondence School) is more problematic as it:

a) requires a high standard of internet access that is currently only available to schools through Telecom’s Schoolzone product (although this may change in the near future); and

b) in addition the cost of the VC units themselves is still too high for most small schools (although the prices are falling).

Small schools wishing to “see and talk” with another school can utilise one of the many cost-effective web-cam type cameras that are on the market for this particular purpose.