Jill's ICT Experience

"I started off with a unit from TKI on using technology for a "Toys and Games" unit. The unit was written by another ICT cluster. It involved the epals* website to correspond with other cultures about their favourite toys and games, and comparing them to ours. I found the epal site a bit difficult to navigate. After sending off a dozen or so emails to various countries we finally received a reply from a very enthusiastic teacher in Melbourne. This wasn't the cultural difference I had been hoping for but it was a start. Anyway we (as teachers) emailed about what we wanted our kids to learn from each other and then we had a go at emailing photos which was a flop as we were trying to send too many at once. We corresponded through our own addresses rather than going through the epal site. We then reverted to the old-fashioned system of posting work samples and digital photos as well as Movies on CD. So although we used digital cameras and MovieMaker, the original idea of the epal website and emailing wasn't happening. Both classes were really excited to see each other on the Movies. We used the data projector to show the movie. The Melbourne teacher and I are going to continue to swap children's work and for this term's letter writing unit we are going to write letters on paper to send, as well as email. It's great fun having an epal class and my kids just love receiving work from their epals. Rob (the Melbourne teacher) and I email quite frequently. So although the original unit didn't quite work out as planned we made good use of ICT and are continuing to learn about it as a class."

*www.epals.com

Jill Harrison, St Peter Chanel