Principals’

NEW ZEALAND
Pages
SUPPORTING THE USE OF ICT IN LEARNING

ICT presents principals with some unique challenges. Welcome to

Principals’ Pages, a new section we’re adding to INTERFACE that will
investigate these challenges and highlight some of the solutions.
Delivering
High Definition
Don’t delegate to others the
videoconferencing

‘passion’ for e-learning


via satellite
What’s it like to be Prime Minister?
 What is the name of your cat?
 Do you have a private jet?
Delive
High Def
A school principal’s role in guiding e-learning is now essential in order to ensure
These are some of the
videoconfe
continuityquestions
and sustainability,
curious students at writes David Kinane.
Haast Rural School were able
via sate
In a recent interview social media website Mashable asked the measures that ensure that the system as a whole is robust enough to
 What’s it like to be Pri

Principals’ Pages: Show a passion for e-learning

to ask Prime Minister John
question: “Should CEOs be fluent in social media?” (fizurl.com/ withstand the inevitability of staff turnover. In other words, the
 What is the name of yo
fluent) While theKey thanks
article acceptstothat
Polycom
currentHigh
regulation in the US intellectual property of the entire e-learning system has to be kept in
Definition Videoconferencing.  Do you have a private
makes it very difficult for CEOs to do this, it also suggests that the school as staff move on.
fact that they didn’t wasTechnologies
Asnet also a generational issue. to have partnered with the
is delighted These are some of the
The key here is to plan to continually capture those skills in order that
Ministry of Education and Ministry of Economic Develop- questions curious students at
I think that the same question should be asked about school classroom momentum can be maintained and the school’s intellectual
Haast Rural School were able
principals here inment
New to Zealand:
provideshould they be fluentequipment,
videoconferencing in social as part property,
of a locked up in the skills of their teachers in the form of
to ask Prime Minister John
media? recent trial to test the effectiveness of broadband e-learning via skills, resources and classroom management techniques, Key is
thanks to Polycom High
satellite. kept in school. The departing shoes of a skilled teacher can be big
I think that they should! However, I suspect that a large number are Definition Videoconferencing.
ones to fill for their replacement, coupled with the expectations of the
not aware of the positive potential
And it proved thatsuccess.
a huge social media tools might
Teachers bring
also had the oppor- Asnet Technologies is delighted
students and parent body for at least the status quo.
to them and theirtunity
schools. Again, as Mashable indicated, this is
to take part in professional development, the school’s Ministry of Education and Minis
possibly a generational thing but, in this case, school principals are ment to provide videoconferenci
BOT joined a training session in Wellington, classes
not restricted by regulations to try to harness the power of social
engaged in virtual field trips, and the local fishermen did
Recording best practice recent trial to test the effect
media to communicate with their wider communities. satellite.
So, how is this to be done? In the first instance, e-learning continuity
their first aid training. All without leaving Haast!
can be planned for by a school developing a quality induction And it proved a huge success. Te
Responsibility for e-learning programme for new staff, specifically designed around the computer tunity to take part in professiona
BOT joined a training sessio
systems/programs, etc., already in place. In addition, a school should
A principal’s non engagement with social media tools might be engaged
develop an e-learning CPD programme designed for new staff and an in virtual field trips, an
regarded as a bit of a side issue, but I believe this analogy does their first aid training. All withou
ad hoc one for existing staff, based around interactive training videos.
illustrate a wider issue with regard to e-learning and ICT systems as a
This would include recording best practice in classes, focusing around
whole within schools. Too often, the passion and success of an
e-learning, for all staff to learn from, and creating a culture of learning
e-learning initiative is driven by one or two key individuals within a
walks around the school by staff. These electronic resources would be
school – this can be the principal, but is more likely to be classroom
stored on the school’s intranet as a growing digital video library for
teachers or specialists. In the past, a principal might have been happy
all to access. And, of course, creating an exit strategy for all departing
to delegate the ‘passion’ and responsibility for e-learning to others. As
staff to ensure as many skills as possible are retained.
e-learning/ICT moves from the preserve of the passionate few,
however, and is steadily integrated into the curriculum as a whole
and is now the central tool of the entire school, the principal’s role in Protecting your ICT investment
guiding e-learning is now essential in order to ensure continuity and All the evidence shows that the overt modelling of and support for
sustainability. e-learning by a principal gives it importance and gravitas within a
Now more than ever, with the increasing levels of investment by school. A principal who plans for e-learning sustainability
schools in their IT network infrastructure, computers, peripherals, demonstrates the high value they place on it, ensures its continuity
software, and staff training, it’s imperative that the drive and and expansion within the school that they run, and actively protects
momentum for e-learning is not lost when key members of staff leave their ICT investment.
school. Platinum Reseller for Polycom Finally, what of the likes of Twitter and the whole social media issue?
Staff move all of Asnet Technologies
the time, so how does is pleased to –announce
a school that it’s –
and a principal Principals should be aware that increasingly their parent body is
been appointed Polycom’s inaugural Platinum Platinum Reseller for Po
using and is expecting to communicate with these social media tools.
guard against this? Asnet Technologies is pleased to an
Reseller for New Zealand, effective 1 July 2010. The Not only can they harness an incredible feedback loop from their been appointed Polycom’s inaug
company has been a Polycom channel partner for community by adopting a positive approach to social media
Manage, nurture and protect
more than 12 years, representing the videoconference solution
Reseller for New Zealand, effective 1
communication, but also social media tools can provide back to company
them has been a Polycom chann
specialist
As e-learning becomes as itstoreseller
central and default
every facet distributor.
of a school’s life, it’s time more than 12 years, representing
valuable information about the wider community. 
specialist as its reseller and default
for principals to regard the entire e-learning/ICT entity as a system –
a system that needs to be managed, nurtured and protected from the DAVID KINANE IS A SPECIALIST SCHOOL ICT CONSULTANT AND WRITES
FOR INTERFACE MAGAZINE.
top. In order for this to happen, principals should start to take
www.polycomnz.co.nz

Principals’ Pages brought to you by leader in voice and video communications

INTERFACEonline.co.nz  june 2010 1

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 Try taking a walk on
the Wiki side
Would you like to be part of a world where teaching resources developed by
New Zealand schools are freely available for everyone to use? Well, you can.
Welcome to OERNZ and the world of wikis.
There’s an exciting project underway that’s encouraging schools to
store and share a wide range of learning resources.
Part of WikiEducator, New Zealand’s OER initiative (OERNZ) is an
open project whose aim is to create an online community for
for e-learning

educators that will foster the collaborative development and sharing

of digital resources in support of the National Curriculum. Principals
are invited to set up their own school wiki site (aka portal), which is
where they store resources, profile projects and initiatives, and
generally share what they’re learning with others.
with wikis

“I think this is a great step forward for learning in New Zealand

schools,” said Mark Osborne, Deputy Principal at Albany Senior High
responsibility

School. “The development of re-mixable, portable content means

teachers can be much more flexible and responsive in the way they
use teaching and learning materials.”
His school was one of the first to set up a portal page (wikieducator.
Working

org/Albany_Senior_High_School ); nearly 40 others have done the

same in the last six months.
and

A ‘fantastic idea’
Pages:

Content can be any number of things, ranging from course materials

Pages: Passion

wikieducator.org/OERNZ
and lesson plans, to software tools and learning objects. Once you’ve
uploaded them, these resources are freely available for anyone to use
and, under creative commons licences, alter, improve and Albany Senior High School is already building a range of resources
Principle’sPrincipals’

redistribute. that can be used to support learning: multimedia online textbooks,

“It’s a fantastic idea,” said Nathan Parker, Principal at Warrington
Primary School. “For too long schools and teachers have been
reinventing the wheel with our planning and administration. This
will become a repository for teachers and schools to share and
collaborate. Ultimately, I see there being a pool of resources (much
like TKI) that we teachers can access but with OER content its creative
commons licensing allows for total freedom in how it’s used.”
What’s it like to set up a portal?
“It’s as easy as buttering toast!’ said Parker.” The best way to learn is
to play around or seek out one of the many WikiEducators, who are
always keen to help a colleague.
“Our school has been using a WikiEducator site (wikieducator.org/
Warrington_School) for a while now. Content from staff is not
hindered by the lock and keys that a traditional school website
require, so it seems more content can be placed onto the wiki by
anyone, from anywhere, at anytime.
“As a principal, I would love to be able get copies of policies and
procedures from other schools that I could then shape and use as I
pleased. We hope to have all our documentation, plans – everything
we can possibly have – available for scrutiny and totally open to the
world.”
glossaries and dictionaries, lesson and unit plans, that sort of thing.
One project is an interactive textbook for Macbeth.
“Rather that simply reading the text and doing some activities like
students would with a printed textbook, OERs allow us to do things
like have an audio book alongside the text so students can be listening
to the play as they read it,” said Osborne.
“Sharing teaching ideas is one of the best things educators can do for
one another. I’d love to see more people in there building resources
and collaborating with us! Come and share what you know!” 
What is a wiki?
It’s a website that can be created and edited through a Web
browser. Generally, wikis use editing software that’s extremely
easy to use and are often used to create collaborative websites,
RELATED ARTICLE
OERNZ aims to share teachers’ knowledge –
Issue 19, October 2009

asnet Technologies – proud to be Polycom’s Platinum Partner for New Zealand

2 INTERFACEonline.co.nz  june 2010

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 If you can’t afford to buy,
make your own!
A group of pioneering South Canterbury Principals have used the Nintendo wiimote
system to successfully set up affordable interactive whiteboards in their
classrooms. Here’s how they did it …
They admit it’s been quite a journey. But, inspired by an article in as a hand-held, battery-operated supplement to their successful
INTERFACE, three Principals have taken the idea of using a wiimote gaming console. It was designed to be portable, not mains powered.
to read an infrared pen on a whiteboard and developed it into a
Two years on and these pioneering principals have created custom-
product that actually works – and built up a bit of a business on the
designed and made components that, when bought as part of their
side, as well!
kits, provide complete systems that the ‘average’ teacher finds easy to
“We became increasingly frustrated with the amount of glossys that use. 3Pi kits are now being successfully used in schools throughout
we get over our desks promoting interactive whiteboards that we New Zealand, Australia and USA.
simply couldn’t afford to buy for our schools,” said Steve Zonnevylle,
“One of the exciting things about all this has been the journey!”
Principal at Barton Rural School. “So, we latched onto an alternative
added Rush. “We’ve got people writing software for us in Singapore,
and made it a lot better.”

Principals’ Pages: Working with wikis

building pens in the US, the wireless components in India, and power
The three principals – David Armstrong (Sacred Heart Primary), adaptors in Timaru. It’s been a truly global search to produce
Robin Rush (St Andrews Primary) and Steve – have developed what something that gives schools that great deal – value for money and
they believe is a system that makes interactive whiteboards a “viable something that works!” 
financial proposition for schools with limited ICT budgets”.
“It can give a school 100 per cent interactivity on their standard old
whiteboards for under $500 per classroom,” said Armstrong.

A teacher-friendly resource
After reading an article about Te Puke High School using a Nintendo
wiimote to make an IWB, they checked out a video on YouTube
explaining the concept and adapted it into a teacher-friendly resource.
“Value for money is not simply a case of a purchase price,” explained
Rush. “We got sick and tired of hearing how Principals and Boards
were frustrated with seeing expensive interactive whiteboards sitting
in some classrooms underutilised. Similarly, we were also frustrated
to hear of schools struggling to get the wiimote concept up and
running. Teachers need something in their classes that they can rely
on. They need to know that when they switch it on, it will go. Some of
the initial wiimote setups were really only for the ‘tech geeks’ out
there. Certainly most classroom teachers wouldn’t have put up with
the limitations and fiddly setup routines!”
This motivated them to form a company called 3Pi (3pinteract.co.nz)
to help solve the problems.
“We found a number of issues with that initial system,” continued
Zonnevylle. “It wasn’t an easy interactive whiteboard fix for teachers.
Making an IWB with a wiimote
Even some of the techno warriors out there struggled with getting
Check out our website for two videos by Johnny Lee
Bluetooth devices to see the wiimote. There were issues with the
demonstrating how using infrared (IR) light pens and
positioning of the wiimote and getting it to ‘see’ the infrared pen. We
the wiimote, it’s possible to create multi-point
felt that the best position for the wiimote was to be attached to a
interactive whiteboards and multi-point tablet displays.
ceiling mounted data projector – that way it would never be knocked,
affecting the calibration.” interfaceonline.co.nz

Something that works

However, this caused more challenges. No teacher wants to be RELATED ARTICLE
climbing a ladder every day to ‘sync’ the wiimote and every third day Working with a wiimote – Issue 13, February 2009
to replace the batteries. Also, Nintendo originally invented the device

Principals meeting via Videoconference, with Polycom by asnet Technologies

INTERFACEonline.co.nz  june 2010 3

PP1.indd 3 25/05/10 9:19 AM

 Keeping things as simple
as you can
What are the challenges principals face
implementing ICT in their school? Delivering
Here INTERFACE Editor Greg Adams gets High Definition
the views of Greg Carroll, Principal at videoconferencing
Outram School.
He writes a popular blog. If you want to chat, he’ll suggest getting
via satellite
Greg’s Blog: blog.core-ed.net/greg/
together on Skype. He’s even been invited by EDtalks to record his  What’s it like to be Prime Minister?
whiteboards

thoughts about the use of Web 2.0 tools in his school.  What
but I believe theyis the name
should have a of your
basic cat?
understanding of technology. I
On the face of it, Greg Carroll is as tech-savvy as any Principal you’re  Dotoyou
expect them have
be able to a
fixprivate jet?and know when to pass
some things,
likely to meet. Yet he’s the first to admit that technology presents problems on to the technician.”
Outram School

These are some of the

plenty of challenges – the main one among them being cost.
His wish is that technology
questions in schools
curious students at will “get to a point where no
“A lot of the challenge is that things are just so expensive,” he said. one notices
Haastand no School
Rural one cares”.
wereBut ablewhile we’re quite a long way from
“There’s never enough money for everything you want to have.” to ask he’s
that scenario, Prime Minister not
determined Johnto over complicate things in the
interactive

Key thanks to Polycom High

meantime.
When it comes to choosing the right tech path for his school, he has Definition Videoconferencing.
some simple advice. “I’m in favour of keeping things as simple as possible,” he explained.
“Choose Asnet Technologies
a small is delighted
range of tools and use to them
have partnered
well.” with the
“Start by asking yourself what you’re trying to achieve with Ministry of Education and Ministry of Economic Develop-
technology. What do you want to do with it … then find the right He also ment
warnstoagainst
providespending so long teaching
videoconferencing howas
equipment, to part
use technology
of a
Carroll,

tools for the job. Once there’s reasonable recent trial to test andthe not getting down
effectiveness to the learning.
of broadband via
your own

infrastructure in place, it’s a matter of satellite. “I struggled for hours producing

keeping up to date and up to speed –
something
And it proved a huge success. with Claymation.
Teachers While it’s
also had the oppor-
making sure the school isn’t the lowest
Make Greg

really cool, there

tunity to take part in professional may have
development, thebeen a simpler
school’s
level of technology in the community. BOT joined a training solution that takes
session far less time,
in Wellington, and
classes
“It can be difficult getting advice from engaged in virtual fieldenables
trips,the
andclass
the to move
local on quicker
fishermen did to the
Pages:Pages:

people not trying to sell you something. their first aid training. All without
next thing.” leaving Haast!
Often schools are committed to a specific
Finally, Carroll believes it’s good for
platform – that narrows options. Things
principals to talk and attend conferences
like robustness of hardware and total cost
like ULearn to see what others are doing.
of ownership are very important.
Principals’

“I find it’s always interesting getting

“And don’t forget, we’re all going to make
outside the local area – away from those
mistakes. I’ve made some horrendous
who listen to the same advisers and lead
Principle’s

decisions.”
Carroll recognises that not everyone is as
familiar with ICT as he is but that doesn’t
mean they can’t upskill.
“People come with a variety of skills.
That’s not a criticism, just a fact. Teachers
don’t need to know how a network works
schools. Nothing profoundly different but
it does provide some different insights.
“Very few schools start with a blank piece
of paper. Talk to other principals. Most are
pretty happy to share what they’ve done.
Dipping our toes into blogs and wikis
edtalks.org We all use ideas from others … and then
put our own spin on it.” 

Telepresence. Be there. Enrich your school with

Platinum Resellerclasses
videoconferencing for Polycom
andAsnet Technologies is pleased to announce that it’s
virtual excursions
been appointed Polycom’s inaugural Platinum
withReseller
Polycomfor New by asnet
Zealand, effective 1 July 2010. The
company has been a Polycom channel partner for
Technologies.
more than 12 years, representing the videoconference solution
specialist as its reseller and default distributor.

www.polycomnz.co.nz

4 INTERFACEonline.co.nz  june 2010

PP1.indd 4 25/05/10 9:19 AM