How IT works at

Berkhamsted School
IT Departments
Technical Support and
Learning
Greg Anker
SMT

Sacha van Straten

Charlie Wood
Head of ICT
ITL Manager
& Media Studies
 Brief History of the
Network
• 2000 – 4 Networks, 1 technician
• 2001 – Email introduced
• 2004 – Networks consolidated
• 2009 – Virtualised Servers
• 1 network, 3 technicians
 Summer
• Virtualised servers
• Cabling and infrastructure
update
• Future proofing for 10 years
• Internet upgrade from April
 Virtualised Servers
• More cost effective
• Better performance
• More fault tolerant
• Better value for money
 Technical Support
It’s easy to get help

• Call extension 8028 - for

urgent response
• Email 8028@bekhamstedschool.org
- for less urgent matters
• Visit online Network Helpdesk
via Moodle
• Bookable classroom support
 Training opportunities
this year
• Book Sacha (AvS) or Justine
(JDB) to attend a lesson or
assist in the preparation of an
activity
•  Emergency call out - five
minute response time
•  8028@berkhamstedschool.org -
for non-urgent problems
•  The ICT Centre on the Castle
Learning in the Digital
Age:
Perspectives, Pedagogy,
Planning
 Technology & Teachers

THE THEORY:
Technology should make learning more effective,
enabling teachers to produce meaningful resources that
can be adapted with the minimum of fuss.

THE REALITY:
Technology can overwhelm busy teachers
and become an obstacle to success, rather
than a tool that supports learning objectives.
 Technology & Teachers

‘This technological shock to our

moral codes means that in the
future, we are going to have to
teach our children well.’

HOWARD RHEINGOLD, 1995

Technology & Teachers
Many teachers resist being taught to use
technology. This also makes sense –
teachers should resist, because it is not
they who should be using the technology
to teach students, but rather their
students who should be using it, as tools
to
Theteach themselves.
teacher’s role should not be a
technological one, but an intellectual one
– to provide the students with context,
quality assurance, and individualized
help.
(Of course, those teachers who love
technology are free to learn and use it.)
MARK PRENSKY (2008)
Teaching and Pedagogy

How can technology help my students?

How can technology help me?

Perspectives about learning digitally

Teaching and Pedagogy

‘We should see learning as a set of

relationships, rather than as a system.’
Leadbeater (2008)

The sage on the stage

becomes the guide by the
side
 Teaching and Pedagogy
‘students [must] own their learning
processes and pursue learning, based on
their needs of the moment, in social and
possibly global communities of practice.’

Seely Brown (quoted in Richardson (2008)

 Teaching and Pedagogy
Ultimately, it is not what technology you
use that counts, but what the learner
takes from it that really matters.’
Dror (2008)

‘With the advent of Web 2.0, teachers and

administrators need to recognize that there
[has] been a shift of power away from
institutions and towards learners.’
Heppel (2006)
Social Constructivism &
ICT
The learner-centred approach allows learners to develop
problem-solving skills and learn by doing rather than by being
told.

Learners should be allowed to construct knowledge, rather than passively

receive knowledge through instruction.

Learners learn best when they can contextualize what

they learn for immediate application

Learners interpret information according to their personal reality,

and they learn by observation, processing, and interpretation.
 ICT in practice
• Learningshould be project-based, allowing learners to
experience the world by doing things, rather than passively
receiving information
• Use
active learning strategies that allow learners to
summarize what they learn and develop critical thinking skills

• Embed questions throughout the ICT based activity to

encourage learners to reflect on and process information

• Useblogs (personal online journals) and wikis (collaborative

online documents) to encourage and develop personal and
collective reflections on the activity
 What is Web 2.0?
Why should we use it?
Web 2.0 tools allow us to create
collaborative learning activities that
can take place within the classroom
and at any other time that web access
is available.

It can expand learning opportunities

and deepen student understanding.
 Web 2.0 examples
BLOGGING: an online journal, that can contain text,
audio and video. Readers can comment on your postings.
 Web 2.0 - Wikis

WIKI: an online collaborative document that allows users

to work together on producing a text.

Teachers can maintain control and view contributions and

revisions made by students.
 ICT & Learning - teacher
support
• YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

• Book Sacha (AvS), Justine (JDB), or Janet Biddle to help you.

 Review schemes of work

 Lesson observations
 Practical training
 Creating resources
 ICT & Learning - the
teacher challenge
DURING THIS YEAR PRODUCE ONE ACTIVITY THAT REQUIRES
STUDENTS TO USE TECHNOLOGY AS A LEARNING TOOL.

THIS SHOULD REQUIRE COLLABORATIVE OR REFLECTIVE

ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SUBJECT MATERIAL.

SEND ME LINKS TO ANY BLOGS ETC THAT YOU CREATE AND LET
ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS (GOOD & BAD) ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE.

svanstraten@berkhamstedschool.org
ISAMS, data security and
internet safety

• iSAMS is an education administrative system

• It’s a powerful database - so security is vital

• Never leave your computer unlocked

 Membership of the ICT
Teaching and Learning
• Chris Allam
Group:
• Pete Northcroft
• Greg Anker • Steve Redman
• Janet Biddle • Sacha van Straten
• Doug Brown • Mark Woodley
• Nick Cale
• Russell Garner
• Rachael Guy
• Julia Hughes
• Dave Jeffers
• Helen Johnson
• Rosie McColl
ICT: Code of Conduct
Find the full Code of Coduct on Moodle:

Staff
↓
Admin, School Docs & Calendar
↓
Handbooks & Policy Documents
↓
Policies
↓
ICT.doc
ICT: Code of Conduct

Legal
Appropriate
Responsible
Kind
Source: Pamela
Livingston
 The changing nature of
text and communication -
Prof Steve Wesch’s view
Kansas State University