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Christchurch Earthquake

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Christchurch Earthquake

Community of Learners:  The Pegasus Digital Devices project

Posted on July 18, 2014 by Tara Fagan

Pegasus report

E-learning, community, and earthquakes might seem an unusual combination. However during 2013, this was the reality for eleven schools in the Eastern suburbs of Christchurch. Termed the Pegasus Cluster, these schools highlighted the importance of schools’ role in the wider community.

While the thought of 1:4 digital devices might send some of us salivating, the practicalities of device deployment, integration, professional learning and development (PLD), and e-learning was not always as exciting, and at times, it was tiring. Despite this, the commitment of each school to their learners and their willingness to work together saw the success of the wider community. Their story, along with recommendations for deployment, is reflected in the recently released Pegasus report. I have put together here a summary (assisted by my colleague Louise Taylor, who along with Merryn Dunmill prepared the report).

The Pegasus Digital Devices Project began at the end of 2012 when 11 schools in the Pegasus Bay region of Christchurch were gifted digital devices at a 1:4 ratio. This initiative was part of the earthquake recovery focus happening in the area, and was a yearlong collaborative venture between educators, the community, and PLD providers. Those involved were determined that students should not be disadvantaged because of the devastation they had experienced. Underlying the project was a kaupapa of transformation and equity, with teacher and student voice being prominent throughout. While this work is embedded in the context of a community recovering from crisis, the findings are relevant for all schools implementing digital devices into their environment. Here is an outline of the project, findings — and some recommendations.

The rollout

Deploying a large number of devices into any school requires careful thought and planning. Prior to the deployment of devices into the schools, a professional learning plan was designed to support teachers and students with the implementation and the Wi-Fi were upgraded. As part of the rollout, the project developed a mentor network designed to promote sustainability and support within the community of schools, which kept up momentum and was key to devices being integrated more quickly into learning.

Teacher learning and change

The introduction of the digital devices into the classroom challenged practices, not least because many teachers were learning alongside their students. Working with students as co-learners shifted the teacher-student role as teachers and students built their knowledge together. The establishment of teacher networks also supported ongoing learning around the use of the devices in class.

Student learning and change

The introduction of digital devices into the classroom provided multiple learning pathways for students. Students themselves noted how the devices supported them to learn in new ways. The element of provisionality, including the ease of correction, with devices, enabled students to take more risk and try things out because they could restore their work if it was not as they wanted. Self-assessment and peer review provided alternative ways for students to collaborate, to review, and to track their progress, particularly because of the immediacy of replay that the devices offered.

Connecting communities

At the heart of this project was the goal of supporting a community recovering from the devastation of the Canterbury earthquakes. The shared experiences of the community helped to build a number of connections between the schools, and families. In particular, the Digi-Awards ceremony brought together the community from the 11 schools to celebrate the success of students and to reconnect with each other. Along with digital entries from students, schools performed and presented during the evening with a large number of the community attending.

Recommendations from the project:

  1. A commitment by school leadership to the changes required will ensure a quicker and smoother integration into classrooms.
  2. Provide for ongoing IT support — preferably have this in-house and on hand.
  3. Engage in ongoing professional learning and critical dialogue.
  4. Share ideas at staff meetings.
  5. Visit other teachers in their classrooms to observe how they are using the devices.
  6. Encourage teachers to take their devices home so they can play and learn.
  7. Integrate devices as part of the everyday classroom and allow devices to be used inside, outside and across the curriculum.
  8. Allow time to play, especially in the beginning.
  9. Do not be afraid to learn with and alongside students.
  10. Be open and willing to change teaching pedagogy and practice.
  11. Find out what is important to students.
  12. Encourage students to work on issues that are important to them.
  13. Work with students on some community projects.
  14. Plan a community event – with the community.
  15. Share learning with the community (e.g. blogs, evenings).
  16. Invite the community to be part of the school.
  17. Keep transformational change as a goal.

“The Pegasus Digital devices project not only created new pathways for learning, but also new ways to demonstrate care and concern for others. The community came together for a common good, as they did, they helped to rebuild their lives” (Pegasus report, p. 2)

The full research on the project can be read or downloaded here and will be useful to all those considering e-learning. For those schools that are leading transformation through eLearning, we challenge you to think about how you will involve the wider community.

Acknowledgements:

We would like to acknowledge the teachers, leaders, children and wider community at these schools, and the other schools in Christchurch who, despite their significant challenges, remain steadfast in their resilience, determination and desire for learning. Kia Kaha.

We also acknowledge the organisations that supported this project: Greater Christchurch Schools Network, Te Toi Tupu, Ministry of Education and CORE Education.

Reports:

  • The full Pegasus report
  • An abridged version of the Pegasus report
  • A summary of the Pegasus report

Videos:

The following videos are found on the TKI's Enabling eLearning site:

Avondale 1 (Julia 1) — Renewed enthusiasm for reading:

Avondale 2 (Julia 2) — Learning with iPads in the classroom:

Avondale 3 (Julia ) — Don't be afraid:

Rae 1 (Avondale School) — Working together: writing with iPads:

Rae 2 (Avondale School) — Discover for yourself:

South New Brighton — John — Work as a team:

South New Brighton — Ryan 1 — iPad set-up and deployment:

South New Brighton — Ryan 2 — Introducing iPads into the classroom:

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Where have all our children gone?

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Jocelyn Wright

Our centre has had huge financial problems with so many families being relocated to other areas. When I first started at this centre we had 48 children, and it's just that one day that changed everything.
– teacher, Christchurch east centre

Where have all the children gone?

In September 2011 CORE Education completed a project for the Ministry of Education exploring the impact of Christchurch earthquakes on ECE provision in eastern suburbs, an area of Christchurch most detrimentally affected by the 22 Feb quake. 

The report is now available on the Ministry website.

Not surprisingly the findings of this project confirmed that significant population movement following 22 February dramatically affected the Christchurch ECE sector. The project reports on data collected between 23 May and 22 July, including an 82% return rate of survey data from 150 ECE services, and interviews with 23 non-Governmental organizations and community groups, and 96 parents/whānau.

The open ECE services in both ChCh east and comparison (located outside of ChCh east) groups reported that 1,072 children left their service following 22 February.  The destinations were identified as:

  • 304 moved to other cities in New Zealand.
  • 90 moved overseas.
  • 206 moved within Christchurch and enrolled in another ECE service (196 from east services)
  • 59 children were no longer participating in ECE
  • 413 destinations unknown.

The large number of ‘destinations unknown’ was not surprising as the movement of many families/whānau was immediate, taking place during the initial disaster period when all ECE services were temporarily closed.  ECE teachers and peers were not able to farewell children and families/whānau in the way ECE is regularly accustomed to. Rather, many services were left wondering where their families/whānau had gone.

Fourteen Christchurch east ECE services closed altogether due to significant damage following the 22 February quake. Many of these services remain closed to date. These closures resulted in an estimate of 500 lost ECE enrolments with families needing to find alternative placements. There was no way of accurately knowing where these children and their families/whānau relocated. When adding the 500 lost enrolments from closed services with the 413 children who left open services for destinations unknown (total 913) you begin to get a picture of the size of possible ECE population loss for Christchurch, and of the concerns about the impact on ECE participation overall.

Parent interviews suggested that not all children leaving an ECE service had re-enrolled elsewhere. Parents became discerning about their ECE decisions. Many wanted to keep children close and for some this meant moving their child to an ECE service located closer to home or work, while others made the decision to keep their child with them at home.

Comparative enrolment data of open Christchurch east ECE and outside Christchurch east services confirmed that a number of families moving within Christchurch had re-enrolled children in ECE.  Christchurch east services had a 17.54% net loss of enrolments while the comparison ECE services had a net gain of 21.18% new enrolments. The tables below illustrate these changes.

Graph 1: Enrolments in Christchurch schools 2010 vs 2011

Graph 2: Total enrolments in Christchurch schools 2010 vs 2011

Financial viability for many east located ECE services continues to be at risk as they struggle to balance a continuing loss of income due to reduced enrollments with retaining a quality service for their community.

‘The new enrolments are less in number than those who have left therefore we have less money coming in from parent fees and funding.’
– Manager, east Christchurch

The movement of families/whānau within and beyond Christchurch is set to continue as decisions are made about where to live. ECE services and families/whānau will continue to live in an uncertain climate for some time to come, a situation that is not helped by ongoing quakes and resulting delays to the city’s rebuild.

‘We’re uncertain about our building and whether we can even return’; ‘How many families will be here to serve?’ ‘We have found that a lot of our families are in the red zone but we’re still not sure what will happen’; ‘We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.’
– teachers, east Christchurch

Ideally I want [child] to be with children who go to the same school but not knowing where families will move to means this is not certain now.’
– east Christchurch parent

An overwhelming finding in this project was recognition that ECE had been instrumental in community recovery following 22 February. Services retained a sense of normality for children and families/whānau, provided a place for the social needs of communities, and offered additional support for ECE staff, families/whānau. This sense of community support continues to be a priority for ECE services, particularly those located in or near the red or orange-zoned areas.

We are educators. What we do sets up the main highways for all future learning. …. Post earthquake we have not only provided education for our tamariki, we have provided a sense of security, normality, a return to routines and patterns. We have also provided education, strategies & support for their whānau. We have been the whānau support and resource. We are an important part of Christchurch's recovery.
– Supervisor, east Christchurch centre

As the aftermath of the events of 22 February shapes the new normal in Christchurch, ECE services are turning attention to new demands and challenges with the wellbeing of communities remaining uppermost in their minds.

On the positive side, there is a stronger sense of community and people have formed relationships with others that they previously would not have. The parents/families who have stayed in ChCh were, and are, very supportive to each other and the centre.
– Supervisor, east Christchurch

2012 will prove to be demanding on all early childhood services in Christchurch in different ways. Financial sustainability will be of major concern for many while capacity to meet demand may provide new challenges for others. As always, the tenacity and resilience of the ECE sector is sure to rise to the challenge!

The project team:
Jocelyn Wright, Keryn Davis, Glenda Albon, Josephine Winter and Ruta McKenzie.

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A worthwhile legacy of Rugby World Cup fever?

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Jocelyn Wright

Rugby World Cup 2011

What an amazing six weeks. The whole nation has been captivated by a sport that’s almost synonymous with the nation And what an outcome—just look at how the nation has responded to that! What a unifying event this Rugby World Cup has been.

Rugby World Cup- All Blacks projects

The effects of the Rugby World Cup tournament have been strongly evident in Christchurch. While tourists haven’t swelled the streets, Rugby World Cup fever has infiltrated Christchurch early childhood environments across the city. Our youngest citizens are keenly engaged in all the areas of learning that having the Rugby World Cup in Aotearoa New Zealand has afforded them.

The moment you set foot in the door of Christchurch ECE services you can be met by amazing displays of children’s ‘Rugby World Cup’ investigations. In ECE centres, this has taken them on various learning journeys such as:

  • discovering the flag for each country
  • learning the greeting in each country’s language
  • learning the rules for playing rugby, practicing the ‘crouch, touch, pause, engage’ routine
  • finding out about players from their local area and from other countries
  • associating a colour with each country
  • learning the New Zealand and other national anthems

…and the list goes on. There is an intense sense of national pride and excitement, when children begin to tell you what they have been doing.

A couple of weeks back, I was in a centre in Invercargill where I became totally mesmerised as the children and teachers joined together in a circle to sing the New Zealand national anthem. There was a culturally diverse mix of children and teachers, some of whom were New Zealand born, and others recent immigrants. The influence of culture was evident in siva and kanikani movements as children rhythmically responded to the music. The anthem was sung with such passion, and most competently in both Māori and English. I listened as one 3-year-old Pakeha girl used harmony as the song ended. Before I left, I commented to the supervisor about how I was emotionally touched with this very moving rendition of our Anthem.

The supervisor shared with me how introducing the national anthem had come about, and it had nothing to do with the rugby world cup. “It was after the earthquakes’ she said, ‘ we heard about the looting.’ The teaching team was very disturbed to think that anyone would even consider looting from people who had just experienced such a devastating event in their lives. This team of teachers looked to find a way to contribute toward strengthening a sense of community and responsibility for children. Using the national anthem was their way of promoting unity in Aotearoa, of giving children a sense of pride in ‘our place’ regardless of who they are or where they came from. The supervisor commented, ‘This is all about unity. We all live in Aotearoa and this anthem is a special song that belongs to each and everyone of us.’

So, to all ECE services and other education settings in Aotearoa, now that the Rugby World Cup is over:

  • Will your children move on to other things?
  • Will singing the New Zealand national anthem become something you ‘did last month?’
  • Will your children only ever associate the national anthem with rugby?

I think we could learn a lot from this small ECE centre tucked away at the bottom of our country.

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Co-location of schools: out of adversity—some new thinking?

Posted on July 13, 2011 by David Bailey

School hours

Strange things happen in times of adversity. Things out of the norm become acceptable—even essential. Laws and protocols evaporate, and necessity rules.

Merivale shop fronts destroyed in earthquake

I have an abiding memory from February 22, after the big earthquake, of walking through the Merivale shopping centre down the centre of Papanui Road, along with cars and bikes and hundreds of other pedestrians. It was impossible, or too dangerous, to walk on the footpath with teetering shop fronts in danger of spewing out onto the road. Bricks punched the pavement with each aftershock. We all understood that the road rules no longer applied—despite the law. Men in suits and women in high-heels clambered over locked gates and walls into people's homes without being questioned—they were checking to see if anyone had been caught in the rubble of a collapsed wall of a house. We all understood that these things were right for the moment.

How co-location is working for Papanui High School and Shirley Boys High

Recently, I was chatting to a schoolteacher, Justin Warren, from Papanui High School, at one of our CORE Breakfast seminars. Papanui High is one of the schools co-locating because of the Canterbury earthquakes. They share their school facilities with Shirley Boys High School, and will do so until early August at the earliest, I understand.

I asked Justin how the two schools were finding the co-location arrangement. He said that the second "shift" school, Shirley Boys High, is finding that the students aren't coping as well as Papanui High School students in the first "shift". When you look at the times, you can see the picture:

  • 8.00 a.m.–12.55 p.m. Papanui HS
  • 1.15 p.m.–5.55 p.m. Shirley Boys HS.

But Justin was excited about this because the experience has been enlightening. The school is so pleased with the results of the earlier school start and finish times that they are looking at starting school earlier once Shirley Boys have gone!

Benefits for the earlier school start-time

He said that the benefits have been enormous. For example:

  • Teachers are focussing on the essentials of what students need to know and be able to do.
  • Students are, therefore, more focussed and working better, having less downtime.
  • Behaviour has improved.

Initially, there were concerns about lateness. But that hasn't proved a problem. Well, there's still a problem with lateness: the kids that were late before are the same ones turning up late under the new timetable.

There are also some side-benefits. For example, the students and teachers have much more energy for after-school activities such as sports, scholarships, and teacher prep-time.

Law changes required for coping with the disaster may be catalyst for future changes

None of this would have been "discovered" if it weren't for the earthquakes! Schools are  bound by law to be run within certain hours. Co-location being one of the only options open to the many schools affected by the earthquake, the Ministry of Education had to think outside the norm. Emergency (temporary) laws had to be put through including laws concerning half-days. Justin mentioned that a Ministry official who spoke to both schools' staff, no doubt wishing to encourage distressed and disrupted teachers, mentioned that new possibilities may arise out of the disruption.

Justin said that the school was moving to start earlier. The staff has already met to discuss the matter, and voted on it. "Staff have voted for an 8:30 a.m. start and a 2:30 p.m. finish. All meetings would be held in the mornings from 7:30 a.m to 8:30 a.m. This would make staff available in the afternoon for extra tutorials, sports and co-curricular activities." The next thing is to discuss this with parents and the wider community.

There are some issues. Childcare is one of them. Kids returning home earlier from school may present new challenges to working parents and guardians. It highlights the need for the wider community—parents, business, education authorities, and government—to take a good look at this.

Another is, this discovery by the staff at Papanui High School bucks the research trends—at least from overseas. They have been telling us for some time that teenagers are better off starting school later (read: they need more sleep before school). But then, that research has been done in the USA, and they are talking about school start times of 7.15 a.m. I think, even Papanui High would baulk at that, co-location or not!

What other revelations are there? New research may reveal

Are there other things that could come out of all this disruption? What about the very issue of co-location of schools?

Since I started writing this post, I have heard that my colleagues here at CORE Education have been commissioned to do research on the effects of co-location on Christchurch schools on behalf of the Ministry, not only in the secondary sector, but also in early childhood, and primary. Who knows whether the temporary legislation for Canterbury schools affected by the earthquake may open up new possibilities for the whole country!

As Disraeli (1804–1881), a British prime minister, once said: "there is no education like adversity."

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Explosion of data

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Derek Wenmoth

Where do we put all this data!

There's certainly a lot being written at the moment about the significance of data in our lives. With the advent of advanced networks, virtualisation and cloud computing, massive (and cheap) storage etc., together with the ever-increasing demands for storing large, multimedia files, we're beginning to see a completely different perspective on data stemming from concerns such as…

  • what data do we need to store and manage?
  • how long do we need to keep it for?
  • where will it be stored?
  • what format(s) will it be stored in?
  • who can access it?
  • what about backup, support, failover etc.?
  • what can we do with it (combinations, mash-ups, visualisation etc.)?

Christchurch earthquakes highlight data issues

The recent earthquakes in Christchurch have brought many of these issues sharply into focus with several schools and businesses losing access to their data when their servers were lost or damaged in buildings. This infographic showing

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