Lockdown Learning For All

The 2020 Digital Fluency Intensives (DFI) started in term 1. DFI is a nine week course where teachers are connected with a range of digital tools and apps that are required for effective teaching, planning, assessment and professional learning.

We only just got underway in March with face-to-face sessions but were soon interrupted by the level 4 lockdown. So not only were we getting ready to deliver learning online for our students in term 2, we continued our own professional learning online as well.

The Manaiakalani team harnessed the affordances of digital technologies and moved online to deliver DFI in Term 2. 2 groups were formed to have DFI on Tuesday or Thursday 

Teachers from all clusters in The Manaiakalani Programme Outreach were given the opportunity to carry on their DFI online. Facilitators from all cluster were online to support teachers throughout the DFI. Read the Tuesday participants introductions here. Read the Thursday participant's introductions here.

We formed "digital bubbles" and used Google Meet to connect and learn. Lots of us used more than one screen to access the content and keep connections with the wider group and our "digital bubble". 

Feedback showed that DFI continues to impact positively...

"I really enjoyed being in digital bubbles. It was good working with the same group of people and the one facilitator as you develop a relationship with them. I felt much more comfortable asking for help or extension when we were in our bubbles, and I found this very beneficial."

"The DFI has allowed me to unpack the Learn Create Share framework in more depth. I really enjoyed all of the sessions on the Maniakalani pedagogy. It gave me an opportunity to confirm any wonderings that I had, gave me access to new teaching tools/ experiences."

"I would be so lost without the opportunity to attend this course. Moving in to a 1-digital class next term now means I have all the tools and tips and knowledge and confidence to be able to lead my class through this journey, which is also new to them."

"I think that by learning, creating and sharing as per Manaiakalani's approach, through this course, my competence and confidence in using the Google collaborative tools for teaching and learning have increased."