Dear Members of the MAGS Community,

E-learning is the term used to describe the smart use of ICT for learning. It is important that we prepare our students to use modern communication technologies proficiently in both their working and social lives.

Several years ago, Mount Albert Grammar School made two key decisions - one, to be a Mac school and two, to integrate all computing into curriculum subjects, rather than deliver computer studies as a separate subject.

In some areas, such as art design, photography, music and mathematics, large pods have been established to "bring the computing to the students".

Although we are mainly a Mac school, there are at least 50 Windows computers in the school that are available for student use. We are currently undergoing an extensive infrastructure review to help plan the infrastructure development needed over the next three years to help deliver the curriculum.

In addition to our onsite resources, we have developed quite extensive online resources to assist our students:

• Access to an online learning environment called myclasses . This provides them with useful information and weblinks. It is being used to create forums, blogs and wikis in some subject areas.
  
  
• Access to quality information through EPIC research databases, the World Book Online and Clickview - a collection of over 1100 educational videos that students can save to a pen drive and use at home.

This year has seen the establishment of a parent portal to convey information to parents and access to their child's myclasses pages, in addition to their assessment and attendance data.

Areas we are keen to investigate are the possibilities of mobile computing, whether it be via cell phones, iPod Touch, netbooks, laptops, etc and "cloud computing", especially using the resources available through Google and/or Windows Live.

This leads to two very important questions:
   
Do you know of any IT / ICT / E-learning initiatives or systems in other schools that you think Mount Albert Grammar School could evaluate for future programmes?

Do you have any expertise in the area of IT / ICT/ E-learning where you believe you could advise or assist the school in the future development of infrastructure and e-Learning?

If so, please contact me via e-mail - egoddard@mags.school.nz - if you are willing to contribute towards the future development of ICT and e-learning at Mount Albert Grammar School. Please answer either one or both of these questions. I look forward to further communication based on your initial replies.

In appreciation

Elise Goddard
Director of E-Learning
and
TIC Library, School Website, Intranet and ICT Infrastructure