Junior Engineers offers computer programming courses for Primary and Secondary school students.

These courses enable students to develop computer programs using real software programming languages, covering topics such as:
• digital technologies
• commands and variables of elementary programming
• text-based and graphical input/output
• advanced programming techniques
• logic, algorithms and more.

Most classes run as an after-school or lunchtime extra-curricular activity.
For more information and registration, please visit http://www.jnrengineers.com, or contact Eric Jansen: 0419 154 917 or eric.jansen@jnrengineers.com

Wednesday, March 23 from 12.00pm – 1.00pm (AEDT)

Little Lunch is a comedy series where every episode takes place during that highly anticipated school day break – morning snack time! It is centred around that 15 minutes when teachers are not close by, it’s just you and your friends, and school yard politics, rumours, competitions, mysteries, and fun. It’s all too short, but tomorrow there is always another ‘Little Lunch’ and another story to be re-told.

On March 23 students from primary schools across Australia will have a unique opportunity to be part of a live Q&A webinar with cast members of the popular ABC3 TV series, Little Lunch.

Primary students will be able to ask questions to the cast members and hear about the behind the scenes stories. This event is open to Years 3-6 primary class groups from throughout Australia.

Places will be limited in the webinar, so check the details below to register. The webinar is presented by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

Little Lunch Cast Webinar Details

Date:                                     Wednesday, March 23

Time:                                     12.00pm – 1.00pm (AEDT)

Year Levels:                        Years 3-6

Cost:                                      Free

Registration Link:             http://actf.com.au/education-calendar/event/little-lunch-webinar

Further Details:                 sarah.jones@actf.com.au

Tap into more great Little Lunch resources

Australian Children’s Television Foundation have now released a number of resources to support the use of Little Lunch as a teaching resource.

• Little Lunch Movie-Making App: The Little Lunch App, which allows students to create their own Little Lunch episode,  is now available for iPads. It can be found at: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/little-lunch/id1025696141?mt=8
• Little Lunch App Teacher Guide: can be found at: https://itun.es/au/3-pG_.n
• Teachers & Students Talking About the App: a short video of teachers & students explaining how they are using the App in the classroom: http://actf.com.au/education/case_studies/208/the-little-lunch-app-in-the-classroom#casestudy
• Little Lunch TV Series Trailer: http://actf.com.au/education-programs/little-lunch#deprogram

Webinar: February Today| 8pm-9:15pm AEDST

Discover Office 365 and its ability to transform the teaching and learning in your classroom. Hear from Microsoft Teacher Ambassadors Megan Townes, Matt Jorgensen and Trent Ray who will share five ideas for getting started and set for success with Office 365 in 2016. Discover how Excel Surveys can be used to design exit tickets and pretests, get to know your students with video tools and quizzes in Office Mix, explore how students can collaborate in real time using Word Online, strategies for students to stay organized with Outlook Calendar and Tasks, and using Sway for group projects and class newsletters.

Sign up at aka.ms/feb11webinar | Connect via Skype Online

Don’t miss our two Maker events are being offered in 2016 guaranteed to excite and engage students:

• Friday 18th March 2016 10.00am -2.00pm : Mini Maker Education Day.
  Register NOW!

• Saturday 19th March 10.00am – 4.30pm: Melbourne Mini Maker Faire @KIOSC (Community Event). Register NOW!

The Mini Maker Education Day @KIOSC  is an exciting day for students, and provides an opportunity to explore a number of ‘Making’ activities in workshops run by fellow students, teachers and community members. Students will have the opportunity to show what they have made, share what they have learned and learn new skills.

Register for the Mini Maker Education Day @ KIOSC now!

The Melbourne Mini Maker Faire @KIOSC: This event is open to the community. The Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made, to share what they have learned and learn new skills. Students will also have the opportunity to exhibit at the Maker Faire.

The Mini Maker Faire is of interest to primary, secondary and tertiary education students and teachers as well as a wide range of employers, manufacturers and community members. It promotes the importance of active hands-on learning across all ages.

Making is a global movement for all ages and backgrounds and skill levels that supports STEM and engages participants in complex problem solving, tinkering and inventing using new and old technologies.

The Maker events will be held at KIOSC is a purpose-built high‑tech education and vocational training facility in Wantirna.

Register for the Melbourne Mini Maker Faire @ KIOSC now!

For more information, please visit http://www.melbournemakers.com/

During Term 1, 2016 the Digital Learning and STEM Branch are inviting classroom teachers to test an updated version of the ePotential survey: Digital Learning Survey 2016. This updated survey has questions aligned to the new Victorian Curriculum: Digital Technologies, the AITSL Professional Teacher Standards and the ISTE Standards for Teachers. Your responses to the survey will assist in our refinement of the final version of the updated survey and continuum which will be available at the start of Term 2. If you would like to take the survey please go to ePotential: http://epotential.education.vic.gov.au/

Victorian Government Schools can now opt in to a new agreement with Adobe to access the Creative Cloud software.

If a school chooses to opt-in to the program then licencing is subscription based, with payments per year for a 3 year term. 

There are two base collections of applications available to participating schools.

You may choose between:

Design and Web K-12 Collection or CCE for Education Desktop Apps Design and Web K-12 Collection CCE for Education Desktop Apps

DETVIC Flyer for Prices on Adobe Products Offer

Please view this document to view prices and details.  DETVIC Flyer Opt in Final Master CCE Offer

The theme for this year’s Safer internet is Be smart, play your part!

Safer Internet Day will take place on Tuesday 9th February 2016. The day offers the opportunity to highlight positive uses of technology and to explore the role we all play in helping to create a better and safer online community. Coordinated by Insafe, the European network for internet safety, the event is supported in Australia by the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner. Victorian Primary schools are invited to register and attend one of 2 webinars held on the day.

Safer Internet Day Register here   for the morning session10-10.40 am (room opens at 8 for setup)	Tues 9th Feb	Safer Internet Day Play your part for a better internet
Safer Internet Day Register here for the morning session1.45-2.25 pm (room opens at 12:30 for setup)	Tues 9th Feb	Safer Internet Day Play your part for a better internet

For schools who have not attended an Adobe Connect Webinar before Register via the link. You will receive a link after you register. That link is your key to enter the event but it wont work till the room is open (hence the early opening hours). You just need a computer connected to the internet, a means of sharing with your students eg Data projector, whiteboards etc, some speakers and a mic is optional. You just click on the link and just as hundreds of our teachers have done so far join the session. We do include an option for schools who have students with one to one or group devices to have a voice. We will give you a separate link for students on the day at the beginning of the event. All the information will be included in your registration.

The Victorian school holidays will begin for many on 21 December. Here are a range of activities students might want to check out over the holiday period.

The list has been created by the Victorian State Government and features events from all over Victoria.