Jason Des Forges

I am trying to engage students with the latest technologies for sharing and self-expression. Some of these are computer programs, such as Kidpix, Comic Life and Kidspiration, but increasingly, as children move through the school, they are “cloud” applications: programs that are on the internet accessed through a web browser.

There are many advantages to cloud applications, with the trend in computing being geared strongly toward a web-centric approach. Having student work on the blogs means the learning becomes visible throughout the school and to the parent community. Students learn though engagement in authentic problem solving. If they can solve problems on their own or with help they can publish their work and be seen.

I am mindful that children will be moving on to schools with varied technology, and that they learn the skills that will help them master the computing tools of the future. Our school motto “Our Best Always” applies here, as I aim to expose students to the best technology currently available. Always seeking out the cutting edge is exciting for the children and for me. It is surprising how  often the cutting edge in technology is often the easiest to use, and thus most suitable for children.

How Can Parents Help With ICT?

Simply by having a computer for their child to use, with supervised internet access and hopefully access to a digital camera too. Investment in ICT has been significant at Victoria Avenue SchooI  over the past few years and would especially like to thank parents who pay their voluntary donation to the school, and fund-raise through PTS activities, so that VAS can forge ahead with its ICT upgrade programme.