What a Team(s)!

Karen Harris

Principal

We have been very fortunate that our transition to remote learning has been such a smooth one. A major reason for this smooth transition is the fact that our staff were already using the Microsoft Teams software. Every class in the school had already been set up as a Team for students, while staff were also using Microsoft Teams for collaboration and communication.

Additionally, the IT team fitted out a video lab for those staff interested in learning how to record video references for student use. These teachers then made instructional videos which they were uploading for students to view before class, a practice known as flipped learning.

Learning Technology

As stated, the benefits of the Microsoft Teams software, videos and other applications were being utilised by some of our teachers well before remote teaching and learning was on our radar. This is thanks to the leadership of Derek Glennie.

Derek was appointed to the position of Leading Teacher: Learning Technologies in 2019 and trialed the use of Microsoft Teams in 2019 before launching its use school-wide at the beginning of Term 1 this year. Derek has also promoted the use of instructional videos to staff and has actively supported interested colleagues in using the software and set up that is required.

I would like to pay tribute to Derek’s leadership in the area of learning technology. He is a calm and patient educator of both students and staff, and is so giving of his time. He has been instrumental in our successful transition, assisting all staff to further their skills and confidence in using the tools of remote learning such as Teams Meetings and Video Capture, which are proving to be invaluable for us. From the moment remote learning became a reality and we began our preparations, I felt assured we would be as successful as we could possibly be - such is the confidence I have in Derek and his ability to guide us through this instrumental change.

If we had not commenced our future-forward work in the area of learning technology prior to moving to remote teaching and learning, then the statistics below would not have been imaginable.

Week 1 Remote Learning	Microsoft Teams statistics
Channel messages	46,347
Reply Messages	33,520
Meeting Participants	23,899
Screen Sharing	equivalent to 25 Days
Video Sharing (webcam)	equivalent to 287 Days
Audio Sharing (mic)	equivalent to 295 Days
Chat messages	6,600

Derek Glennie

Learning Technology Leader

Given the current challenges we face as a school community, we are in a great position at Brunswick Secondary College thanks to the digital technologies at our disposal and the hard-working nature of our staff and students. While it has been a busy and challenging transition to remote education, I am confident that we are presenting a model of teaching and learning that is consistent with best practice in the current educational environment. I also firmly believe that the lessons we have learned together throughout the remote teaching and learning experience will continue to have a positive impact on the way we approach and deliver education when we are reunited beyond our screens.

Information Technology

I would also like to acknowledge the work of Gus Dobricic, our IT Network Manager, in our transition to remote learning.

Gus has resolved many device and log-in issues that have been encountered by our students this term. His action has ensured that they are able to fully access remote learning and join their classmates and teachers online. Gus has prioritised this work and his expert knowledge has resulted in problems being solved without having to send many devices away for service for any length of time. Thank you for your great contribution and effort, Gus.

The Brunswick Star

Issue 2 2020 - Remote Learning @ Brunswick · 01 May 2020

In this issue