A new school year and it is time for Windows 8 and Office 365 and computing innovation at Hartsbrook E-ACT Free School!
Having just put my action plan together for the year ahead I will be focusing on facilitating the on-going professional development of our staff and implementing an e-safety program within the school. I have shared my action plan below in case there are teachers and subject leaders who are in similar positions to me and are looking for ideas to build technology and learning in their school.
Last year saw the development of my Year One students’ technology skills including the use of a range of Windows 8 apps, Office 365 and SharePoint. At only 6 years old, their ICT skills were parallel to many adults out there; with most of the children going home to teach their parents. This year it is my responsibility to cascade the teaching and learning of technology to the staff through training, mentoring and coaching on the integration of Windows 8 and Office 365 into our curriculum.
As a Microsoft Innovative Expert Educator (M.I.E.E), I am able to deliver Microsoft training to teachers and schools. So to kick the new year off with a bang, next week I will be putting Hartsbrook staff through their Windows in the Classroom Badge. This workshop provides teachers with the tools to improve students’ learning by delivering more powerful and engaging learning experiences. We will be looking at the research undertaken by Innovative Teaching and Learning Research, exploring Windows 8 in more detail and trying first-hand at planning a lesson using a Windows 8 app!
As you can see from my action plan, this is just the first step towards developing staff capacity in ICT to positively impact on children’s learning experiences and to move towards innovation throughout the school, not just in one classroom. I will be keeping you updated on our progress.
If you or your school are interested in any Microsoft training for your school, please do get in contact at beckhursteducation@gmail.com or tweet @CharBeckhurst
