NEW ZEALAND
SUPPORTING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN LEARNING
ISSUE 121 TERM 4 NOV 2023 $12
What’s really happening with AI in the classroom? We reveal what teachers told us in our reader survey. Pages 14-17
We’re hooked! Meet this year’s Minecraft winners. Pages 2 and 3
Truth or lie? Most students struggle to evaluate online content. Page 9
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10 apps for your teaching toolbox in 2024. Pages 26 and 27
24 Keep ahead of the latest changes in digital education. Join us next May for the best tech day of the year. More on page 31 or go to interfacexpo.nz
Lincoln Rotorua Auckland
It’s o-fish-al. This year’s Minecraft competition was off the scales. Thanks to everyone who dived in and sent us their design for an exhibit at the National Aquarium. We received a record number of entries and the standard was fin-tastic! Congratulations to this year’s winners …
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Primary (Years 1-6) 1st Little Blue Penguin Aquarium,
Cairo Karaitiana and Angus McPhail, Douglas Park School 2nd My Aquarium, Nicole Jacobs, Kristin School 3rd The Big Blue, Ella Pocklington, Millie Brown, Maddie A’Court, and George Ogle, Paparoa Street School Honourable mentions: Wheke Madness, Kylie Seiler and Kaitlyn Botha, The Gardens School Brilliantly Armoured, Francisco Ryan-Orr and Loki Che, Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart School Epsom
Intermediate (Years 7-8) 1st The Lion’s Mane Exhibit, Olivia Thompson, Jakob Painter, Heath Hammond, and Malachi Cylis, Ra-whiti School 2nd The Aquatic Aquarium, Sabine Bryce, Rangi Ruru Girls’ School 3rd NZ National Aquarium, Janna Bee and Carys Shaw, Ladbrooks School Honourable mention: Extraordinary Polar Bear Exhibit, Kip Sinton, William Mitchell and Cohen Telford, Mount Maunganui Intermediate
Secondary (Years 9+) 1st The Reef Walkers, Tysen Southey, Arth Patel, Quinn Hewitt, and
Conrad Sale, Rathkeale College 2nd Mangrove Haven, Shaun Paul, St John’s College, Hillcrest =3rd Infinite Aquarium, Kieran Clark and Aaron Macintosh, Waimea College Abdul Aquarium, Jojo Putra, Caelyx Calagos and Abdul Ziwani, Bayfield High School Honourable mention: Reef, Michael Wu, Kingsway School
In addition to bragging rights as the best Minecrafters in the land, each winning entry will receive: • Pack of National Aquarium of New Zealand ocean-themed merchandise. • Virtual penguin encounter • Marine Stewardship Council expert beamed to the classroom for discussion. • Training session with a professional game developer. Second and third placed entries receive a pack of ocean-themed merchandise. Thanks to our competition judges: Rachel Haydon and Amy Stevens (National Aquarium of New Zealand); Alex Webb, Perya Short and Rika Milne (Marine Stewardship Council); and Greg Adams (INTERFACE). INTERFACE 121 NOV 23
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INTERFACE Student Minecraft Competition – Winners 2023
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INTERFACE News and Views
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Noticeboard
10 Project has designs on building towards a sustainable future In the heart of Christchurch, an innovative challenge using Minecraft Education has aimed to change the way students learn about and understand sustainable urban development. 11 academyEX: Your passion, your project Get the tools to lead your own change project in 2024 with The Mind Lab by academyEX. Whether you want to increase student agency, improve attendance, or personalise your classroom’s learning, the Master of Contemporary Education can help with that. 12 Play it safe with your children’s data With so much now stored online, our personal information is often at risk. Play it safe by selecting secure software for your school with ST4S. 14 The good, the bad and the future of AI Exciting? Alarming? Or is AI just another tech trend of average interest to educators? We wanted to know and you didn’t hold back in telling us in our ‘AI in Education’ reader survey. Some of you love it, some of you don’t and others are firmly on the fence. One thing, though, we can probably all agree on for sure is that AI can’t be ignored. 18 New app ensures integrity of students’ work In this new age of AI in the classroom, schools find themselves wrestling with how to evaluate and confirm the authenticity of student assessment work. Enter ‘EssayMaster’, a Kiwi teacherdeveloped solution to regulate assessment proceedings.
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20 Take a look at some of this year’s Minecraft entries Thanks to everyone who took the plunge and entered this year’s Minecraft competition, ‘Build a Big Blue Future’, sponsored by the Marine Stewardship Council. The challenge was to design a new exhibit for the National Aquarium of New Zealand. And you came up with some great ideas. 24 File Share: Two pages of online resources for educators. 26 10 apps for your teaching toolbox in 2024 Want to try something new next year? Yes, of course, you do! So, here’s a selection of apps you might want to add to your classroom kete. We’ve tried to select ones that do a range of tasks and, hopefully, you haven’t used before. Give them a go and see what you think. 28 Competitions: Heaps of great prizes to be won! 30 From the back: Lenovo’s latest Chromebooks offer all-round versatility With a bigger and better touchscreen, allday battery life, world-facing camera, and garaged pen, there’s a lot to like about Lenovo’s 500e Yoga Chromebook Gen 4 – and that’s even before adding in the option of a bilingual keyboard. 31 Dates and locations for next May’s INTERFACEXpo 2024
ENTSANDVIEWSNEWSANDVIEWSNEWSANDVIEWSNEWSAN
Powerful devices, built for smarter education
ThinkCentre M70q Gen 4
ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen 4
Experience powerful computing and faster responsiveness with the ThinkPad X13 Yoga. For enhanced accessibility, the ThinkCentre M70q is a fast and intuitive 1-litre form factor equipped with the processing power – all thanks to 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processors that delivers high performance.
techtoday.lenovo.com/education
Intel® Core™ i7 processor
NDVIEWSNEWSANDVIEWSNEWSANDVIEWSNEWSANDVIEW Meet the team
ENJOY THE BREAK AND SEE YOU AGAIN IN 2024
EDITOR Greg Adams 027 255 1301 Greg.Adams@interfacemagazine.co.nz ADVERTISING 09 575 2454 Advertising@interfacemagazine.co.nz
Once again, it’s been quite a year for schools and educators on the digital technology front. AI and its impact on teaching have been on many of our minds – just check out the responses and comments from our reader survey on the subject. However, there’s also been plenty else to explore and understand, such as coding, cybersecurity, online resources and classroom equipment, the list goes on.
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Michelle Durbin 09 575 2454 Michelle.Durbin@interfacemagazine.co.nz DESIGN Design@interfacemagazine.co.nz EVENT MANAGER INTERFACEXpo Paul Colgrave Paul.Colgrave@interfacexpo.co.nz
Thank you for reading, joining us at our events and being part of the INTERFACE family in 2023. We couldn’t bring you this great magazine, distribute our e-newsletters or run INTERFACEXpo without your input and support, which continues to help us provide these great resources for you, the educators of New Zealand.
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What lies ahead in 2024?
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What will next year bring? Whatever opportunities and challenges you face, rest assured that we’ll be right there with you, supporting and inspiring the use of digital technology in your teaching.
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Best wishes for the remainder of the term. Here’s to a happy and enjoyable holiday and we’ll see you all again in the New Year. Noho ora mai ra-, na- INTERFACE.
SUBSCRIBE TO INTERFACE For details go to interfaceonline.co.nz/subscribe/ NEW ZEALAND INTERFACE™ (ISSN 1177-973X) is published six times a year by G MEDIA PUBLISHING LIMITED
INTERFACE OFFICE CLOSED: Please note, our administration, distribution and accounts team will be on holiday from Friday 8 December to Tuesday 30 January. For editorial enquiries, email us on comment@interfacemagazine.co.nz and we’ll respond at the earliest opportunity.
© G MEDIA PUBLISHING LIMITED 2023. Editorial opinions are not necessarily those of the publisher. We do not endorse or accept responsibility for any third party featured in this publication, unless stated otherwise.
CAN YOU HELP US WITH A KARAKIA FOR NEXT YEAR’S EVENTS?
While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information in this magazine, the publisher does not accept liability for inaccuracies, omissions or misinterpretations that may occur, and urges readers to always check online resources before using them in class.
NEW ZEALAND
We played a recording of a karakia for the opening and closing of this year’s INTERFACEXpo. We’d like to do so again in 2024 but we thought it would mean even more if it was created specially for the events. Would you and/or your students be interested in making a recording for us? If you are and would like to know more, please get in touch at admin@interfacexpo.co.nz
SUPPORTING THE USE
OF TECHNOLOGY IN
LEARNING
ISSUE 121 TERM 4 NOV 2023
What’s really happen AI in the classroom? ing with
$12
We reveal what teachers told us in our reader sur vey . Pages 14-17
We’re hooked! Mee this year’s Minecratft winners.
Pages 2 and 3
Truth or lie? Mos students strugglet to evaluate online content.
Page 9
Keep ahead of the late st
Join us next May for
10 apps for your teaching toolbox in 2024.
Pages 26 and 27
changes in digital edu cation.
the best tech day of
More on page 31 or go
24
the year. to interfacexpo.nz
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24 EssayMaster: New app stops students from cheating. 6 INTERFACE 121 Pages 18 and 19. NOV 23 Lincoln Rotorua Auckland
WSNEWSANDVIEWSNEWSANDVIEWSNEWSANDVIEWSNEW THANKS FOR TAKING PART IN OUR ‘AI IN EDUCATION’ READER SURVEY
Those who took part – and submitted their details – went into the draw to win an INTERFACE goodie bag, which included a copy of 50 Strategies for Integrating AI Into the Classroom, a Mini Desktop Robot Vacuum Cleaner (AI-powered, of course!), and a $100 Prezzy card. Congratulations to Robert Brown, Kamo Primary School, Northland, whose name was drawn first at random.
GOOD AND BAD, TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES USING DIGITAL TECH We know teachers are doing amazing things with digital technology – and we want you to tell us about it! From coding to esports, CAD to STEAM, VR/AR to 3D printing, gamification to … well, whatever it is you’re digitally doing, we’d love to find out more. It could be a school-wide initiative or an app that’s perfect for a quiet afternoon; maybe it was a huge success … or didn’t go quite as you’d hoped (that can be a valuable learning experience, too!). We want to know about it all. Get in touch with Editor Greg Adams at greg.adams@interfacemagazine.co.nz
HERE ARE OUR LATEST COMPETITION WINNERS
INTERFACEONLINE.CO.NZ
We asked and you told us! The results of our ‘AI in Education’ reader survey are in, analysed and ready to read on pages 14-17. They provide some fascinating insights and information about the real impact of artificial intelligence in classrooms, as experienced and reported by you. A huge thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts.
Last issue’s competitions were as popular as ever – thanks to all of you who entered. Congratulations to the winners. If you missed out this time, check out our latest competitions on pages 28 and 29. We had a Ministry of Inspiration STEAMS Kit (with 14 handson, one-hour technology lessons) to give away. This goes to Nick Epsom, Paparimu School, Papakura. The Code Master: Programming Logic Game offers a different take on coding by enabling players to learn the basics without a computer. There was one up for grabs and it goes to Michelle Park, Maidstone Intermediate, Upper Hutt. Lastly, we hope cable management worries are now over for Shondel Mackie, Manunui School, Taumarunui, and Rob Isaacs, Ashburton College, Canterbury, who both will be receiving shortly a Cord Cover Raceway and Cable Management Kit.
Lenovo latest: Check out the 500e Yoga Gen 4 Chromebook. Page 30.
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NOTICEBOARDNOTICEBOARDNOTICEBOARDNOTICEBOARDNO ENABLE LEARNER INFORMATION TO FOLLOW STUDENTS BY CONNECTING TO TE RITO
INTERFACEONLINE.CO.NZ
The Ministry of Education is inviting schools and kura to connect to Te Rito, a national information-sharing platform that will enable learner information to follow students throughout their education. “It will be several years before all kura and schools are onboarded and can use Te Rito,” said the Ministry. “The first step for principals is to connect their SMS to the Te Rito database. This will protect precious learner information during future transitions when data is all-too-often lost. We are also running four webinars in November for principals to learn more about Te Rito. “In 2024, we will begin onboarding schools in Whangārei, testing and learning before we roll out to Te Tai Tokerau and beyond. We ask for your patience during the time it will take for Te Rito to be rolled out across the motu.” To find out more and register to connect to Te Rito go to terito.govt.nz
POPE SUPPORTS SCHEME TO GET MORE KIDS CODING COMPUTERS
Language learning app Duolingo has confirmed that its app will soon include both math and music lessons. “The new app will contain 100s of lessons and over 200 ‘fun and familiar’ tunes. It will also leverage our signature gamified learning experience and interactive exercises where users learn by doing,” said Duolingo. More at blog.duolingo.com/music-course/
ZERO DATA INITIATIVE EXPANDED TO SCHOOL WEBSITES As part of the Zero Data initiative, schools’ websites are set to be added to the websites people can browse on their mobile at no charge. “This important initiative delivers on the government’s digital inclusion strategy, to ensure everyone has equitable opportunities to participate in society using digital technologies. Enabling easy access to school websites supports the Ministry’s response to equitable access and outcomes. “The Ministry of Education is one of the lead agencies on this digital equity initiative, which allows people to access the websites of many government agencies from their mobile device (phone or tablet), when they have no internet data left on their plan.” Learn more at zero.education.govt.nz
Code with Pope is a free, self-study programming course developed in Poland, It offers 60 hours of dedicated learning that will provide students aged 11-15 with the basics of programming language Python. More at codewithpope.com
JAMBOARD IS CLOSING DOWN Google has announced that interactive whiteboard app Jamboard will be shutting down in 2024. “We’re writing to let you know that we will wind down the Jamboard app next year,” said a company statement, “and offer integrations with industry-leading third-party whiteboard tools FigJam (figma.com/figjam/), Lucidspark (lucid.co), and Miro (miro.com) as alternatives for whiteboarding in Google Workspace.”
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DUOLINGO ADDS MUSIC AND MATHS LESSONS
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SCHOOLS SUCCESSFULLY CONNECTING TO SATELLITE Since July, more than 30 more schools have been connected by Satellite for Schools. Operated by Network for Learning (N4L) CONNECTED: TKKM O NGARINGAOMATARIKI and 2degrees the PHOTO BY ANNE MCGREGOR programme that links the country’s remotest schools to the internet via satellite technology. Schools also have access to safety and cybersecurity support as part of N4L’s Managed Network. A handful of schools are scheduled for connection soon.
OTICEBOARDNOTICEBOARDNOTICEBOARDNOTICEBOARDNO
In addition, only 46 per cent of all respondents trust school technology policies and online security measures, while 36 per cent believe schools are not doing enough to educate and protect children from online threats. Other problems include: • Half are worried their children are exposed to inappropriate content; • 44 per cent are worried their kids are being befriended by someone online who is trying to scam/manipulate them; • 43 per cent are worried about cyberbullying; and • 31 per cent are worried about their children getting addicted to the internet/social media.
HECTOR IS DEFINITELY MAKING A COMEBACK
RESEARCH SHOWS STUDENTS STRUGGLE TO EVALUATE ONLINE CONTENT Half of Year 8 students trust adults more than the internet for information, while about a third would accept content as true if it was repeated by multiple online sources, according to a new survey in Australia. Researchers at the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education in Brisbane also found just 15 per cent of students have appropriate strategies and criteria to help them evaluate credible sources of digital information. “The idea of universal truths has been replaced with many truths, many knowledges, and many forms of reason,” said Associate Professor Laura Scholes, who led the study. “This requires sophisticated literacies to navigate potentially conflicting, controversial sources laden with disinformation or misinformation. “Young people urgently need to be supported in classrooms to develop evaluative reading skills. As educators we need to equip students with skills to investigate topical issues and make informed decisions they can justify.”
As part of the study, published in the British Educational Research Journal, 45 students at two schools were given a scenario requiring them to explore the health risks associated with mobile phone usage, which allowed the research team to then investigate student approaches to sourcing online information.
EXPRESSED MISTRUST The study found 53 per cent of students expressed mistrust of the internet and preferred to confer with sources including parents, other adults, and scientists, without an understanding that personal and professional beliefs could be contested.
Remember Hector’s World, an animated series created by Netsafe to help primary school student learn about the internet and online safety? Next year, it’ll be making a comeback! “An all-new series is being launched in 2024,” said Netsafe, “with characters and storylines that reflect the technological advances we’ve experienced in 15 years, and the social context that shapes how technology plays a part in the life of our tamariki.”
JOINING THE GOOGLE ROADSHOW
“Young people spend so much time online that we assumed they had higher proficiencies when it came to evaluating the information they are constantly bombarded with from competing sources. This mistrust may be caused by students’ lack of confidence in evaluating sources, lack of experience and lack of skill,” said Scholes. “Accepting the beliefs of others as true, without any evaluation, can be dangerous for students as they may fall for misinformation or even disinformation. To be informed citizens and critical learners, students need to understand that personal beliefs and experiences are highly subjective.” Researchers also found 31 per cent of students believed online information if there was consensus across sources.
INTERFACEONLINE.CO.NZ
AI WORRIES FOR PARENTS The 2023 Norton Cyber Safety survey has found that roughly half (51 per cent) of New Zealand parents with school-aged children said they would not allow or trust them to use AI to complete schoolwork. However, nearly two in three respondents (59 per cent) said their children go online independently, for either fun or education, making it challenging to monitor internet use.
“Relying on consensus to establish reliability is fraught in the age of the internet. Algorithms feed viewers more of what they viewed so that consensus may be quickly established but based on biased or unreliable information,” added Scholes.
OPTIMISE YOUR GOOGLE WORKSPACE
More than 100 educators attended last month’s Google Roadshow, learning about the latest innovations and solutions from Lenovo, Google, Using Technology Better, and The Warehouse Group.
Google Workspace Health Check is now fully live. In a partnership between the Ministry of Education and Google, a series of short, easy-to-follow videos and slides have been made to outline the optimal settings and configurations for Google Workspace for Education. More at youtube.com/@DigitalServicesMoENZ
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Project has designs on building towards a sustainable future In the heart of Christchurch, an innovative student design challenge using Minecraft Education has aimed to change the way they learn about and understand sustainable urban development, reports Wilj Dekkers. The Minecraft Build Otautahi project has bridged the gap between global sustainability initiatives and local education. It’s not only empowered students but also aligned educational goals and the Smart City draft plan of Christchurch Council. Funded by the Greater Christchurch Schools’ Network (GCSN) in collaboration with the Christchurch Libraries Learning Team, the project comprised several pivotal elements designed to provide a holistic understanding of the United Nations SDGs, focusing primarily on SDG 11, ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’. Sixteen schools participated during Term 3, involving roughly 400 students. Each received a lesson on sustainable city design, laying the groundwork for their participation in the project, as well as follow-up lesson to expand their knowledge and practical skills.
Collaborative challenge The project reached its pinnacle last month at the Te Pae Convention Centre, as part of the 2023 Innovation Expo. This live event took the form of a collaborative Minecraft Education Build Challenge, where 48 teams of students from participating schools showcased their sustainable city solutions. During the two-day event, they also participated in a number of interactive sessions with experts in the field of city design, climate change, transportation challenges, and game design. The Minecraft Build Otautahi project has shown that when education meets innovation, students and the community benefit. Its success offers valuable insights for educators and school leaders who seek to foster a deeper understanding of sustainability and empower students to be the change-makers of tomorrow. Wilj Dekkers is an Education Consultant and Facilitator based in Canterbury.
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Your passion, your project Get the tools to lead your own change project in 2024 with The Mind Lab by academyEX. Whether you want to increase student agency, improve attendance, or personalise your classroom’s learning, the Master of Contemporary Education can help with that. The Master of Contemporary Education (MCE) is a practicebased postgraduate programme that has been designed to give you the tools to lead your own unique change project, shaped for your education environment. Whatever your passion for your classroom, school, or education community, MCE is focused on solutions, and is designed to add measurable, beneficial value to you, your school, and your education communities. It’s a collaborative course supported by a community of educators.
Scholarships available We’re excited to announce that the January 2024 intake is now open for the MCE course, which is delivered through scheduled facilitated sessions online, enabling teachers to complete this qualification from any location in New Zealand. There are a limited number of places available so get in soon to secure your spot to maximise your positive impact in 2024. We also have a limited number of newly released scholarships available to support you.
Learn more or apply at academyEX.com. Article by academyEX.
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Play it safe with your children’s personal data Software and technology can be great enablers for learning outcomes and supporting kura and school operations. However, with so much information now stored online, personal information is often at risk. Play it safe by selecting secure software with ST4S. Schools are responsible for ensuring that children’s data is protected. To add to the complexity is an education sector that’s becoming increasingly targeted for malicious online activity. So, where should you go to find impartial advice on whether software and technology products are secure? Safer Technologies for Schools (ST4S) looks to provide an answer, by removing some of the guesswork for schools when selecting software and technology.
What is ST4S? ST4S provides an overview of digital products for use in schools and offers guidance on whether these products meet privacy and security standards. By providing clear, consistent reports, ST4S helps you select secure software and tech products. Confidential reports that detail how software or technology performs against privacy and security criteria, are available through an online portal. The reports identify any risks associated with the product and advise as to how mitigate these.
ST4S reports To date, there are 120 ST4S reports available through the portal; 28 of these include security and privacy protections for a New Zealand schooling context. ST4S has a wide range of software product categories, including curriculum resources, assessment and testing, library management, school administration and educational games. Products that have a ‘low’ or ‘medium’ risk rating can apply for an ST4S badge. Suppliers can use these badges on their website and to generally promote their product. They commit to regularly confirming that they’re compliant with security and privacy standards.
ST4S in action For Philip May, Board of Trustees Chair for Clifton Terrace Model School, security and privacy was a priority when selecting new software.
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“With so many important services now accessible from the internet it opens our school and our children’s data to theft by potentially millions of people who are looking to steal it to make a buck, or even just disrupt service. As parents, teachers and board members, the security of this data has to be paramount,” he said. Philip has recently used ST4S to purchase school management software. “We needed some assurance that the security of our preferred system met minimum standards and was subject to auditing. It’s easy for vendors to say products are ‘secure’ but without external validation and assessment we have no way of separating marketing speak from reality.”
Real benefits of ST4S When selecting this software, it was important for them to know that the product is subject to security reviews, there were no glaring security flaws and two-factor authentication (2FA) could be enforced for accessing children’s data. Using ST4S also enabled Philip to have informed conversations with the software supplier. When reviewing ST4S reports, he could see that a vendor had not met the New Zealand ST4S standard, which requires the use of 2FA in cloud systems. Philip advised them the school couldn’t use the service until they met this standard. The assurance ST4S provided when
making a software purchasing decision was of real benefit to Clifton Terrace Model School. “We don’t have the time or resources to properly evaluate software systems. Having a service like ST4S is absolutely invaluable. You can get a high-level assessment result that gives you confidence to procure – or leverage to ask your vendor to improve. You can also be given access to more detailed assessments if you are technically inclined.” Kura and schools are encouraged to continue checking the ST4S portal and website as new reports and badged products will continue to be added. In time, the Ministry of Education hopes to see more schools prioritising the use of ST4S approved products.
Using software without an ST4S badge? Schools using software that doesn’t have an ST4S badge are well-positioned to help grow the ST4S service. The Ministry’s Digital Services team are working with EdTech suppliers to participate in the ST4S assessment process but need help to identify and prioritise products. To recommend products for ST4S assessment, contact digital.services@education.govt.nz Article supplied by the Ministry of Education’s Digital Services team.
Tips for selecting software for your kura or school Supplier security and privacy statements
ACTION: Check whether the supplier has both on their website. The details provided in these statements should indicate their level of commitment to their customers’ security and privacy. Including what standards they claim to meet, and how this is verified (such as via independent testing and/or certification). If no statement is provided – their commitment to privacy and security could be questionable.
Collection of personal information
ACTION: Check what is the purpose of collecting personal information in the product. Is it for educational advertising, research, analytics or selling to third parties? If you determine that it’s unnecessary for them to collect this information – you may want to reconsider purchasing this software.
Managing risks of software
ACTION: Consider what risks you will need to manage when using the software in your school or kura, and how you might mitigate these.
ST4S support: ST4S provides guidance with security and privacy assessments. Please note: You may find other privacy and security assessments online but they may not address the needs of New Zealand customers.
ST4S Support: ST4S reports provide standardised descriptions of what categories of personal information is collected and highlights sensitive information.
ST4S Support: ST4S reports provides standardised descriptions of these risks and recommended mitigations
For more advice, check out CERT NZ Software as a Service information, cert.govt.nz/business/guides/softwareas-a-service/, which outlines what to look for when purchasing these products.
Access ST4S reports ST4S assessment reports are available for authorised staff in state and state-integrated schools and kura via the Taku portal at takueducationnz.my.site.com An Education Sector Logon (ESL) account is required. If you need an ESL account, you can contact the Ministry of Education Service Desk on 0800 422 599 or service.desk@education.govt.nz
to arrange access. Alternative arrangements are available for independent schools. Access badged products A list of ST4S badged products is available at st4s.edu.au/verify-a-badge/. Keep regularly checking the ST4S portal and website, as more reports and badged products will be added over time.
us next year. 24 Join Venues and dates on page 31.
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The good, the bad and the future of AI Exciting? Alarming? Or is Artificial Intelligence (AI) just another tech trend of average interest to educators? We wanted to know and you didn’t hold back in telling us in our ‘AI in Education’ reader survey. Some of you love it, some of you don’t and others are firmly on the fence. One thing, though, we can probably all agree on for sure is that AI can’t be ignored.
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Barely a year ago, few of us had heard of ChatGPT. Today, the opposite is most likely true as this chatbot is the quintessence of a new wave of AIpowered apps and advances popping up in the classroom. Artificial intelligence or AI isn’t new but the arrival of tools like ChatGPT are changing rapidly the way the technology is being accessed and applied, not least in education, where schools and teachers have been left largely to find out and fend for themselves. With little real evidence beyond the anecdotal and hyperbolic, we wanted to find out the facts about the impact AI is having and asked INTERFACE readers about their actual experiences. Here’s a summary of what we found.
Accepting AI If you needed any convincing of AI’s arrival, nearly four-fifths of school educators responding to the survey had encountered the technology in their teaching this year. A substantial number, 70.6 per cent, are also already using AI-powered tools.
Have you encountered AI in your teaching? Maybe 7.2%
No 13.7%
Yes 79.1%
Why are you using AI and in what ways? The reasons for adopting the technology and the ways it’s being used are varied. Saving time by planning lessons, creating resources and helping to write reports are popular choices. “I use AI for unit planning, lesson planning, idea generation, resource generation, inspiration, video creation. It saves me a ton of time and lets me do stuff I otherwise wouldn’t have time to do.” “I’m using it to generate report comments, come up with writing prompts and games for my students, decoding texts into different reading levels, transcribing YouTube videos, summarising an academic article, a range of things.” “When I want to write instructions – like how to design and create a timeline – I ask the AI, then edit to how I want it, saving a lot of time.”
No 29.4%
Yes a lot 7.9%
Yes a little 62.7%
“Getting ideas on how to improve coding, checking that all required elements are in the coding, solving coding problems.” “To help explain programming concepts, and also to help find errors in their code.” Another widespread use is exploring and generating art. “I have used the AI artwork generator in a writing lesson where they have written a short character description and AI generates and image.”
What are your reasons for not using AI? With nearly one in three teachers (29.4 per cent) not using AI, there are varied reasons for this decision, from not being convinced of the need or value, to not knowing how to use it.
“As a teacher who teaches 500+ students a year, I’m using AI to generate report comments based on carefully crafted prompts based on OTJs and assessments.”
“I think we should be using our brains not that of a machine. It is a slippery slope that I am not convinced of yet.”
“I have been using AI to summarise different articles, createMaybe some starter problems in maths and also provide some feedback on students work.” No
“Although I think that AI will have a place in the classroom, I have yet to work out how to competently use it in the class.”
“AI has helped with my reading Yes programme, creating different types of comprehension, multi-choice, and open-ended questions for texts. I have used it within Inquiry for bullet pointing ideas and come up with exemplar paragraphs in writing.”
Giving AI a go
Are you using AI in your teaching
“I allow my seniors to use it when they need some help with code. I also advise them that if they do use it to please acknowledge this.”
Students are also being let loose with the technology, learning about AI, how to use and learn with AI-powered tools, and generally seeing how the technology works.
“I’m unsure of any benefits of AI and have concerns about the implications for society.”
“I’m trying to get my head around it, done some reading but not yet brave enough to try it out.” “I still don’t trust AI. It’s too new for me to rely on it. Also, I say to my students not to use it in their work, as it’s classed as plagiarism, so I have no right to use it either.” “It can often be tricky enough keeping them on the task we’ve asked them to go on, let alone giving them access to the vastness that is AI. I also have not investigated it enough yet.”
“I’m letting students use it to help them with research and formulating essays. Good teaching points from the errors it makes and how to write things into their own words.” “I am using AI to help with things like precision in writing and help showing students the uses and potential pitfalls of using AI.” One specific use that’s proving popular is assisting with computer programming.
WIN a Personal Solar Charger. Find out how on page 28.
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Developing policy Some schools are in the process of working out what to do with AI and develop a school policy, including navigating age restrictions. “We are aware there are lots of potential pitfalls and danger areas with using AI, including becoming reliant on it instead of developing our own skills, especially at primary level. We are currently in the process of developing a school AI policy.” “Our school hasn’t come up with an AI policy yet. Until that happens, I won’t be promoting it to students.” “School policy at the moment is to not allow AI. I do hope that this changes soon as it opens new ways of thinking for the students.”
Are your students using AI with your approval?
Yes 33.3% No 66.7%
Why have you given your approval? In terms of students using AI, only one-third of respondents have given their approval for them to do so. Of course, that doesn’t mean the rest are not, with 40 per cent of you believing or suspecting students are using AI without permission, and a further quarter thinking it’s a possibility. Just one in 10 of you are confident students are not using AI. Many of you giving approval believe students are going to use AI anyway, so why not control and oversee it, and help them learn to use the technology properly. “You can’t stop students using the tools outside of the classroom, so it makes absolute sense to let them use them in a safe environment. Also, teachers will learn from how students use these tools too.” “Because it’s better to have a say over how it’s used than send its use underground.” “I have given my approval as I see it as a tool that has been created for use. If taught to be used appropriately and for specific scenarios, then the students who use it will see its value and understand what it is and how to use it appropriately.” “It is a useful tool, if used correctly. We do have clear limits, but we cannot ignore this tool is here.”
work that was AI and they are penalised and punished. I want to send the message that we can use AI for the right reasons but we shouldn’t use it to lie.”
What excites you about AI in education? Overall, AI is definitely having an impact on teaching for two-thirds of Kiwi educators – ‘hugely’ (3.9 per cent), ‘a fair bit’ (22.2 per cent) and ‘some’ (36.0 per cent). The fact that these tools are something new is exciting in itself. Saving time on administration task and planning is a big attraction. The creation of resources using AI is also identified as a major benefit, allowing teachers to make quality, targeted resources easily and quickly. As a result, this frees up time to spend with students and focus on their learning and understanding – or “bringing back the balance”, as one respondent put it. “I believe that AI will see some of the change we desperately need in education brought forward. It gives teachers tools to make customised learning pathways a possibility for students. It will give more time to do the things that make a difference by freeing them up from the non-teaching/learning activities of planning, reporting, resource generation.” “Coming up with solutions and resources I couldn’t come up with myself, saving time on creating resources and content, creating original artwork and video.”
“We have had some students submit
Are your students using AI without your approval? Don't Yes a lot No, know Yes, I know 7.2% 7.9% I know for sure for sure they are theyNo are not 19.0% 10.5%
What impact is AI having on your teaching? None 12.4%
29.4%
No, I don't think so 17.0%
Yes, I suspect they are 21.6%
Yes a little Maybe 24.8%62.7%
Minimal 22.2%
Don’t Huge know 3.9% 3.3%
A fair bit 22.2%
Who do you think should be setting controls on the use of AI in education? Don’t know 12.4% Other 7.8% Technology industry 7.2%
Ministry of Education 26.1%
Don't know
Some 36.0%
Teachers 15.1%
Schools
No, I know for31.4% sure they are not No, I don't think so Maybe
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“Helping teachers to work smarter and not harder, be more specific with student learning needs, cut out some of the massive overloading of coming up with new thoughts and ideas.” “The potential for helping with monotonous tasks that are grunt work, and for summarising harder content, like scientific papers to help students understand cutting edge developments.” “Saving time for teachers to spend more time doing what we do best, working with students.”
What controls would you like to see on the use of AI in education? From no restrictions to an outright ban, there are a wide range of thoughts on controlling the use of AI – and who should be setting any limits. Assuming the technology is allowed, things like age and purpose are important, as well as identifying what constitutes AI and the establishment of a policy for use with clear guidelines. “I don’t want to see an all-out ban as I think that achieves nothing. I do want to see guidance and really clear research from the Ministry of Education on what we should and shouldn’t be using it for.” “Not controls really. I would rather see education on what AI is, when to use it, how to use it, when not to use it and what data shouldn’t be included in prompts.” “You need to educate both teachers and students about the pros and cons, have them understand when it is and isn’t appropriate to use it, plus have some rules or guidelines in place for your class/ school about when it is and isn’t appropriate to use it. But ultimately it is probably going to need a lot of trust from teachers, plus quite big changes in the ways we assess students for certain topics.”
“We need to educate rather than control. Even trying to use AI detectors will become irrelevant and possibly lead to false accusations.”
Will you be using AI in your teaching in the next 12 months? Don’t No 8.5% know 2.6% Maybe 17.0%
Yes 47.7%
Probably 47.7%
What concerns you about AI in education? Understandably there are plenty of concerns about using AI and its impact on students’ learning. “Like many things here in New Zealand, we’ll have the ‘she’ll be right’ attitude to it and won’t fully investigate the implications for students. We won’t develop best practice scenarios for using these tools and more ‘busy work’ than ever will be created without thinking carefully about what our students need. Everyone seems to want to give it a go without much thought about what the consequences of letting students loose on these tools will be.” “I am concerned that students will become reliant on it to produce and do everything for them. Students will then accept whatever AI tells them without having any understanding themselves.” “Human beings in general tend to take the easy road, and students in particular are often committed to this policy. To know some stuff is not the real point of education. Developing understanding and the skills to create knowledge is difficult and requires effort. AI creates an illusion of knowledge.”
Is there anything else you would like to add about AI in education? “I think there is scope to embrace AI in positive ways in education. We all need to engage with AI to make it safer and more appropriate for education.” “This is a concerning time and I think there needs to be discussion about the wider implications of AI use in education and in other areas of society. It would be a shame to see the widespread adoption of AI reduce options for fulfilling careers for our students.” “It would have been nice to see some proactive leadership from the Ministry of Education on this. They always seem to be playing catch up with the introduction of new ways of working. AI is only going to become more accepted and prevalent in all areas of life. Students need to be prepared for this.” “Exciting and scary all in one bundle. The education sector needs some serious clarification both from a legal and ethical side.” “Get with it now! The education system needs to use this and not lag behind industry. We need this generation of brilliant minds expanded and empowered to grow our future and theirs.” “There just isn’t enough information available at the moment to really know what to do with it.” “Students are using it and it is a reality that it will change education. I believe teachers should pivot and understand AI. We can help them to use it properly, while encouraging deeper learning, teach. We shouldn’t fear it but use it as a tool.” Compiled by the INTERFACE Team. A huge thank you to everyone who participated and shared their thoughts in our ‘AI in Education’ reader survey.
Who won the INTERFACE goodie bag for completing the survey. See page 7. INTERFACE 121 NOV 23 17
New app ensures integrity of students’ work In this new age of AI in the classroom, schools find themselves wrestling with how to evaluate and confirm the authenticity of student assessment work. To help teachers navigate this uncharted AI terrain, a staff member at Francis Douglas Memorial College has developed ‘EssayMaster’, an innovative solution to regulate assessment proceedings. Bridging the gap between traditional assessment approaches and new AI tools, Francis Douglas Memorial College (FDMC) in New Plymouth has introduced a new tool designed to administer student assessment environments.
“We were having quite a few meetings where people were concerned about students using AI and ChatGPT, talking about the difficulty of reviewing essays, and wondering what we were going to do with students accessing that sort of thing.
The school is currently piloting EssayMaster, testing the efficiency and reliability of the software within a dedicated assessment room.
“We knew we could use AI checkers but also that they’re not 100 per cent reliable. Senior staff were spending an increasing amount of time talking to students where the work was raising a few AI red flags.”
“Our students want to be assured that the assessment environment is fair, equitable, secure, and reliable,” said Deputy Principal Melinda Stevenson. “We believe the EssayMaster assessment tool not only ensures a secure and consistent assessment platform for students but also re-establishes teachers’ confidence in the authenticity of student submissions, effectively sidestepping AI disruptions. “Initial feedback is promising, indicating that students are enthusiastic about the prospect of utilising a dependable yet modern digital tool to complete their assessment work.” EssayMaster has been designed and created by Andy Evans, the College’s HOD Technology & Digital Technologies.
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“We were not anti-AI but the process was a worry and very time consuming. There were even conversations around the table about whether we’d go back to pen and paper.”
Assessment essay FDMC is a pilot school for the newly developed NCEA Level One Religious Studies assessments and Andy knew the department was facing the challenge of finding a secure way to administer the external exam to 90 Year 11 students. “They were quite concerned. The assessment was essay based and they were concerned about the control they had over students accessing help they shouldn’t.”
While the school could turn off internet access it wasn’t an option favoured by Andy. “I had a couple of ideas and thought it might be possible for me to program something that would provide a secure environment. ‘We have a computer room that’s been a bit side-lined by BYOD over recent years. I had the idea that we could turn this into an ‘assessment centre’ where students go, log in, and do an assessment under exam conditions using software I’d designed for control.” So, off Andy went and spent the next week creating software to do the job – EssayMaster was born.
Simple and secure “The way it works is simple,” he explained. “It creates a text box on the screen for students to type their essays into. Whenever they make a key stroke, it maximises the screen (to cover up everything else) and closes any browser and Acrobat files. “If they had something open, they’d need to go back and forth as they work on it, which would be highly impractical with teachers walking around. Also, the program doesn’t allow them to copy and paste. If students try it, the screen will lock the essay until a teacher comes, unlocks it and has a look. “At the end, each essay needs to be titled, changed into a PDF and submitted, which is now automated by the app.” To test out the robustness and reliability of EssayMaster, Andy asked a group of senior students to see if they could crack it. “They couldn’t! It worked superbly. When the students sat down and realised what it was, and what they had to do, engagement went through the roof.”
Perfect pilot The pilot assessment proved a resounding success. “EssayMaster has enabled us to run this external exam following the criteria set by NZQA,” said Director of Religious Studies Anna Zsigovits-Mace. “We can confidently state that our process has been transparent and rigorous. We did not have to constantly scan for students attempting to use outside resources as they were unable to access any other sites.
“From a practical perspective we now have a year level set of PDFs that have the correct file names and can be submitted easily to NZQA for marking. Any issues for students were dealt with quickly and efficiently. As we worked with the app, its creator was onsite available to add any tools we realised we needed or that would enhance its use. “I am very grateful to Andy for creating this app, which we will use in the future for practice exams to decide derived grades and any other external exams that we are expected to administer ourselves.”
Access and use Looking ahead, Andy will continue developing EssayMaster and create a version other schools can access and use. “I feel schools have been left to cope with AI on their own a little bit,” he added. “The EssayMaster software can be used for internal essays, external assessments, exams, all these things. It only needs to be on the school’s network. “It’s not necessarily the long-term answer, as we don’t know where things are going, but for now I believe we can be reasonably confident it means students can’t cheat and ensures the integrity of their work.” Compiled by the INTERFACE Team. If you’d like to know more about EssayMaster, contact Andy Evans at aev@fdmc.school.nz
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Take a look at some of this year’s Minecraft entries Thanks to everyone who took the plunge and entered this year’s Minecraft competition, ‘Build a Big Blue Future’, sponsored by the Marine Stewardship Council. The challenge was to design a new exhibit for the National Aquarium of New Zealand. And you came up with some great ideas, as you can see.
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ILESHAREFILESHAREFILESHAREFILESHAREFILESHAREFILESH VIRTUAL LABS
EDUCATIONAL GAMES
MATHS
Chem Collective Virtual Labs (chemcollective.org/vlabs) is an online simulation of a lab designed to help students link chemical computations with authentic chemistry. Select from 100s of standard reagents and manipulate them like a real lab, including Acid-Base Chemistry, Thermochemistry and Solubility.
Can you prevent overfishing? Catch as many fish as possible while keeping the ocean healthy with EcoOcean (ecoocean.de/play-online/). This online fishing simulator aims to raise awareness of overfishing by challenging players to become fishers and develop the best possible strategy for sustainable fishing.
Grow math skills with global awareness at Mathkind (mathkind.org). Under ‘Resources’, the Global Math Stories offer insights into people and places worldwide, including culture, architecture and ecology. Some maths questions follow each story, covering various skills, along with open-ended extension questions.
Learn about a variety of interactive simulations of chemical reactions and reactors at Reactor Lab (reactorlab.net). Students can actively learn by virtually performing experiments and analysing data – quickly and safely. Course notes can be found at the Resources menu tab.
Can your students ask a question (or questions) that will make a computer think of a specific word? That’s the challenge of Taboo.AI (taboo-ai.vercel. app/ai). The AI-powered game shows a word and players have to come up with a successful prompt – and without using ‘taboo’ words. Create your own custom game category or try preset ones.
Maths Through Stories (mathsthroughstories.org) is a researchbased initiative that aims to make maths more enjoyable for learners through the power of storytelling. Find book lists, lesson ideas and guidelines on what to include in math stories, as well as links to videos featuring story readings.
From physics, chemistry and biology to Earth, maths and astronomy, Java Lab (javalab.org) offers some clever and fun simulations. Based on JavaScript, these fascinating and intricate visuals are easy to use. Topics include calculating the Earth’s circumference, Brownian motion and the slingshot effect.
Learn about fake news and social media manipulation with Harmony Square (harmonysquare.game). Set in an idyllic, small neighbourhood, players are hired as Chief Disinformation Officer and the job is to disturb the square’s peace and quiet by creating internal divisions among residents.
Create maths assignments and work sheets in minutes with Edia (edia.app). Choose from 1000s of questions, then apply due dates, time limits and other constraints. Each student gets their own problems and can keep practising new ones. Begin by starting a quiz or practice, create a class, add questions, and share.
A SELECTION OF FILE SHARE RESOURCES IS ALSO LISTED UNDER ‘FREE STUFF’ AT INTERFACEONLINE.CO.NZ
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Need to know the time in Dubai? Or next year’s calendar schedule? Or the sunrise in Reykjavík? Time and Date (timeanddate.com) has these answers and many more. Check out time zone converters, holidays and events, timers and countdown clocks, sun and moon calendars, and even the weather forecast.
The website Proven Sustainable (provensustainable.org) shares the experiences and voices of indigenous peoples around the world. The site has learning materials from 16 groups of people. For each, there’s a slide deck with quotes, images, and supporting information about their cultural traditions and sustainable way of life.
When’s the next New or Full Moon? Find out about these and more at Moon Giant (moongiant.com). Use the calendar to track the phases and read about lunar events, like Sturgeon and Blue Moons. There’s an interactive for exploring the moon’s surface, images, and tips for budding lunar photographers.
Learn more from kids around the world at Touchable Earth (touchableearth.org). From clothing to dancing to food, the site aims to encourage global citizenship by inviting kids to record and post videos about themselves, their home and culture, increasing knowledge and understanding about the world.
The Royal Geographical Society’s Resources for Schools (rgs.org/schools/ teaching-resources/) provides a wideranging collection of materials for teaching about the world around us. From glaciers to drones, carbon colonialism to plastics, sections include videos, articles, podcasts, and worksheets.
It’s more than a year since the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. Explore the Infrared Universe it’s revealing at Webb Space Telescope (webbtelescope.org). Learn about the science of the mission, from exoplanet atmospheres to the first light in the universe to the colour of the most distant star.
Biome Viewer (biointeractive.org/ classroom-resources/biomeviewer) is an interactive module that lets users explores biomes, climate, biodiversity, and human impacts globally. Select a location to see climate data, wildlife descriptions and images. The accompanying Student Worksheets assist exploration.
Discover the flags of the world with Flagpedia (flagpedia.net). It offers quizzes to help learn the flags of countries and dependent territories, as well as key information about each country including population, GDP and currency. There’s also a section about flags of international groups, such as NATO and UN.
Tour our Solar System with Nine Planets (nineplanets.org). The site has facts and information about the history, mythology and current scientific knowledge of the eight planets, five dwarf planets, the Sun, moons, comets, asteroids, and other many objects in our celestial backyard … and beyond.
INTERFACEONLINE.CO.NZ
AROUND THE WORLD
PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHECK THE APPROPRIATENESS OF ANY ONLINE RESOURCES BEFORE USING THEM IN CLASS.
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10 apps for your teaching toolbox in 2024 Want to try something new next year? Yes, of course, you do! So, here’s a selection of apps you might want to add to your classroom kete. We’ve tried to select ones that do a range of tasks and, hopefully, you haven’t used before. Give them a go and see what you think. For a quick and easy to use data visualisation program try Vizdium (vizdium.com). Simply upload your information and choose from a variety of charts, graphs and models to display it, from barplots and heat maps, to scatter plots, histograms and more. Download or export the results once you’re done. No sign-up required.
Beehiiv (beehiiv.com) is an all-in-one newsletter platform for creating, distributing, and tracking email newsletters. The editor offers the basic design elements, such as headers, lists, quotes, links, images, and buttons. There’s also a website, subscriber forms, advertising, and analytics as part of the package.
Tell your story with AI-powered Journey (journey.io). The site let you create a collection of blocks, each representing a piece of content, perhaps a PDF, a text block, a video, embeds from your favourite tools, or something more interactive like a chatbot. Get started with the free basic plan.
Discuss, plan, schedule, brainstorm, manage, and collaborate all on one online whiteboard at Vucac (vucac.com). Start a board and add any content – text, comments, images, sticky notes, doodles, timers, votes, and more. And with just a few clicks, invite others to interact and share. Get five whiteboards for free.
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Need help deciding on a random choice or outcome? Spin Wheel (spinthewheel.io) lets you add any text to the wheel and then spin it. Simply add your choices (up to seven) and edit the design. You can also create multiple wheels to use separately or together, view the outcomes of each, and save as needed.
Make fun and effective Q&A flashcards with TestMe (testme.ai). Powered by AI, upload notes and study materials, choose the Q&As and take the test (which can also be shared with others). Retake tests as often as needed to achieve the required proficiency. It’s free and offers up to 4,000 flashcards a month.
Want to make clear and impressive timelines and roadmaps in just a few clicks? Try Office Timeline Online (officetimeline.com). Firstly, choose between the online tool and a PowerPoint add-in. Select from a wide variety of templates, then add dates, milestones, and other events to create your very own personal timeline.
Create a shared online photo album with Pixed (pixed.cloud). Start by naming your album, then select the photos to add. Provide an email address and the site will send a back-up link to the album. You can add further photos and share the album for other to view or add photos, via a QR code or weblink.
The clue’s in the name. Listium (listium.com) is a platform that combines elements of articles, spreadsheets, galleries, slideshows and maps, to create a home for any list. Sign up for a free account to start creating and sharing lists, or to explore, follow and use lists published by others.
Make interactive digital rooms at Rooms XYZ (rooms.xyz). They can contain anything you like, from historical settings to arcade games, escape rooms or bedroom designs, to interactive stories. Move objects, add new ones from the library, change colours and lighting, and even add animation. Save and share.
Finding apps appeal How were these apps for you? Or do you have a new tool you can recommend? Let us know at comment@interfacemagazine.co.nz
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IN@INTERFACEONLINE.CO.NZ WIN@INTERFACEONLINE.CO.NZ We have some awesome prizes up for grabs this issue.
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10W PORTABLE PERSONAL SOLAR CHARGER Going off the grid on a school camp? Or need a solar panel for a classroom science project? A Personal Solar Charger will keep you powered up wherever you are. It offers a maximum output of 2 amps per hour and is ideal for charging phones and other small devices by USB. An inbuild stand, mesh pocket, weather resistant lamination, and hanging loops, make it easy and convenient to use. And weighing just 400 grams and measuring 25 x 17 x 3.5cm when closed (open it’s 34 x 25 x 2cm), it’s highly portable, too.
1to
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If you’d like to plug into the power of the sun, we have one Personal Solar Charger up for grabs. Simply enter your details on our website. Entries close Monday 15 January, 2024
WIRELESS MINI SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
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Keep a secure and watchful eye on things with a Wireless Mini Surveillance Camera. Powered up via USB, this small security device displays a clear, smooth live video that you can view remotely on a mobile app – and do so on the downlow as it’s hard to spot, measuring just 4.4 x 4.4 x 2.4cm. Enjoy a 120-degree wide-angle view, with infrared night vision and 1080P resolution. It offers loop record and up to a 128G storage card. This nifty little gizmo could be yours. Enter the competition online. Entries close Monday 15 January, 2024
10 apps for your teaching toolbox in 2024. Pages 26 and 27. 28
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To enter any of the competitions just go to our website. MINI BLUETOOTH WIRELESS SPEAKER WITH PHONE HOLDER
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Take your music with you wherever you go with a Mini Bluetooth Wireless Speaker with Phone Holder. Mixing style with sound, it’s highly portable and comes with a built-in amplifier chip to transmit crystal clear stereo sound. There’s also an inbuilt USB, Micro SD card slot, 3.5mm audio port and FM radio, as well as a smartphone stand for conveniently adjusting the phone while preventing mishandling. The rechargeable battery offers about 2 hours of listening. If you’d like a small speaker that delivers big on sound, we have one to give away. Simply enter the draw on our website. Entries close Monday 15 January, 2024
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ADJUSTABLE BLUETOOTH SELFIE STICK WITH TRIPOD
WIN!
Set your phone up, stand back and say cheese. Snapping yourself some sweet selfies is easy thanks to a wireless, adjustable Selfie Stick with Tripod. Find the best angles with the 360-degree horizontal and 180-degree vertical moveable head and the most appropriate distance with its fully adjustable extension (up to 73cm). The universal phone holder is suitable for any device size between 12 and 15.2cm, and the Bluetooth remote has a range up to 10 metres. (There’s also an app that’s compatible with most iOS and Android devices.) Capture the moment and leave the quality of your photos in your own expert hands. Enter online. Entries close Monday 15 January, 2024
Lincoln. Rotorua. Auckland. Join us next year. Page 31
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Lenovo’s latest Chromebook offers all-round versatility With a bigger and better touchscreen, all-day battery life, world-facing camera, and garaged pen, there’s a lot to like about Lenovo’s 500e Yoga Chromebook Gen 4 – and that’s even before adding in the option of a bilingual keyboard. If you think all Chromebooks are made the same, don’t say it in front of a Lenovo rep with the 500e Yoga Chromebook Gen 4. Redesigned with a bigger and better 12.2-inch display for impressive viewing, this lightweight Chromebook offers a high degree of versatility. The device we reviewed boasted plenty of power, with an Intel Processor N200, 8GB memory, 64GB storage (which can go up to 128GB), all built on the user-friendly ChromeOS platform. The battery easily lasted a day’s use and there’s the option of a garaged USI 2.0 Stylus pen. The user-facing camera comes with a webcam privacy shutter, along with the optional 5MP world-facing camera.
Clever keyboard There are two things to note about the keyboard. The new top-load design, where there’s just one, easily accessible screw holding it in place, meaning improved serviceability, as there’s no need to dismantle the whole thing for access and replacement. It just pops out. Plus, you can choose the bilingual keyboard with macrons, through all the regular education resellers. (It’s also available on the 100e Gen 3 and 300e Gen 4 Chromebooks.)
The sound is good and the enlarged, FHD IPS touch display provides 37 per cent more pixels per inch than previously. The 360-degree Sync hinge offers the ability to move from laptop to tablet to tent with ease.
Tough and tested Designed to what Lenovo calls DuraSpec standards for education, the 500e can endure water spills up to 360 ml, a drop onto concrete from 76 cm, and A-cover force of 60kg. In addition, there are anti-pry full-skirt keycaps, reinforced ports and hinges, 360-degree rubber bumpers, and impact-tested touchpad – just the sorts of things needed to withstand the rigours of school life. Lastly, this is a device that’s not only for improved outcomes for learning but also better outcomes for the planet. It comes with EPEAT Gold certification and PCC recycled materials. Plus, environmentally friendly packaging now includes an FSC-certified carton, PIC-certified cushion, ocean-bound plastic bag, and a paper screen film. All in all, the Lenovo 500e Yoga Gen 4 is a Chromebook unlike any other. Compiled by the INTERFACE Team.
For more information go to techtoday. lenovo.com/nz/en/solutions/education or contact education specialist Cameron May on Cmay1@lenovo.com
Macron support now available on Chromebooks
Released by Google in Aotearoa for Ma-ori language week, a Chrome extension offers the ability to type macrons on vowels. Macron support can be achieved by installing the input tools extension that enables a simple key combination to type macrons on the vowels as needed “Users simply hold down the vowel until a box pops up with options for macrons,” said Google for Education NZ’s Steve Smith. “For example, for an e- just hold down the e key and then type 5. This can be enabled in the settings menu if it’s not enabled already. Go to settings – device – keyboard – show accent marks and special characters to enable simple typing of macrons on vowels.” For more about Google Input Tools go to google.com/inputtools/chrome/
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Best wishes for the rest of the year and see you again in 2024!
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Auckland The Trusts Arena, Henderson Friday 31 May
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Rotorua Novotel Lakeside Tuesday 28 May
Lincoln Lincoln Event Centre Thursday 23 May
Keep ahead of the newest e-learning trends and developments through a mix of workshops, presentations, exhibition, and networking. Don’t miss out on the best PLD of the year!
Book your spot when registrations open early next year. Find out more at interfacexpo.nz INTERFACE INTERFACE121 121NOV NOV2323 3131