The basic tool kit of a teacher has exploded from filling a small handbag, to a full set of luggage in the last decade.
In 1999 we would have taken for granted that a teacher could use pen (in several colours), pencil and paper, could operate a photocopier and telephone and we would have presumed they had a driver's licence. Since then, with the exponential growth of technologies in our schools, the list of what we take for granted that a teacher can do and use is extensive.
As we induct new teachers for the year beginning this year, we have created a list of what we would expect that teachers know how to do. Just as no judgement is offered when from time to time we encounter a teacher who doesn't drive a car, the list following is not 'success criteria'. But to function effortlessly in the Pt England environment we WILL presume the following:
All Pt England teachers are able to:
check an email account daily and manage it efficiently
use a computer or laptop and trouble shoot basic functions ie on/off, connect to printer, connection to internet
use the internet to search, find information and to communicate
particpate in online environments eg blogs or forums or Nings or Trademe or Facebook etc
manage music files in software eg in iTunes
manage photo files using software
download & upload photos from a camera
use a word processing document efficiently
store and retrieve data from a hard drive eg your computer, usb stick
access & use Google docs & Sites for all school organisational purposes
use editing software to create a movie clip
record audio using a computer
Create a Google Site to plan and lead learning
All Pt England teachers are able to use the following independently:
video camera
still camera
laptop
cellphone
GAFE Applications
Assembly
NB: None of the above is platform specific ie no-one expects new staff to be familiar with the MacOS used on our Apple computers or Chrome OS used on our student Netbooks. The skills above transfer quickly if they have already been embedded.
All Pt England teachers need to learn quickly (with help available):
administer a student blog ie upload content, manage commenting, manage student use
edit online pages e.g blog or Google sites
social networking
store and retrieve from network
Google Apps - personally and with students
how to record and edit audio
a graphics programme their class level is using (e.g Kidpix, Hyperstudio, Pixelmator or Photoshop)
create a basic presentation eg Keynote or Google or Prezi or Powerpoint
MacOS basics
saving files in a variety of file formats (e.g .mov,.dv, .jpg, .aiff)
student management system - currently Assembly at PES
printing to networked copiers
use of sound field
use of data projector or flatscreen TV
use PhotoBooth
all Yr 4-8 teachers need to use ChromeBooks confidently
all Yr 1-3 teachers need to use iPads confidently
Pt England specific Digital Tools to aim to develop competency with:
the iLife software (iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes in particular)
the iWork software (Pages, Keynote in particular)
Assembly
GAFE
P.A.T's
e-asTTle
spreadsheet basics (Google spreadsheets or Numbers or Exel)
Web 2 tools eg VoiceThread, widgets, blog bling etc
graphic programmes used by our 10 year old students ie Kidpix, Hyperstudio, Pixelmator, Photoshop
Blogger