Interested in building Global Citizenship Skills in an authentic way through telecommunications? The Global LYNCS Project is seeking new Victorian schools in 2016 to engage with partner schools in Korea.

The Global Lyncs (Linking Youth through NET Communications)  project explores the potential of free technologies supporting communications between schools in Victoria & Daegu, South Korea. It explores:

• Teachers working with teachers
• Base language for the exchanges is English (but we hope you will learn some Korean too!)
• Shared support with resources and technology
• Bi-lingual project blogs & Newsletters (Korean & English)
• Cross curricular content focus
• Regular engaging telecommunications between classrooms
• Building strong, sustainable partnerships.

Global LYNCs provides authentic learning opportunities for schools and promotes global citizenship through engaging students in multicultural curriculum based activities. Students are provided with opportunities to gain a sense of Australia’s and Korea’s role in the global community.

If your school is interested in more information or joining please contact Jo Tate tate.joanne.e@edumail.vic.gov.au

For more information, visit http://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/?QW4GJR

We are excited to announce that SketchUp Pro is now available to Victorian government schools.  SketchUp (free version) has been a widely used CAD application across both primary and secondary DET schools for many years.

SketchUp Pro is a commercial software used by architects, designers, builders, makers and engineers.  It can assist with the earliest stages of design to the end of construction. Programming, diagramming, design development, detailing, and documentation.

The benefits of Sketch Up free include interaction with Google Maps and the ability to sample models from the free online repository. Sketch up Pro offers even more benefits, including:

• layouts and options to convert your drawings to 2D presentations
• importing and exporting to/from 2D and 3D CAD applications, which are limited by SketchUp free
• additional functionality such as hydraulics and smart scaling
• the inclusion of a wide range of industry standard 3D printing solutions, and more.

To access SketchUp Pro, you can either:

• download* from https://www.edustar.vic.edu.au/Catalogue/Pages/Sketchup_ProBYOD.aspx, or
• browse* from the eduSTAR  software catalogue front page at www.edustar.vic.edu.au

* NB – students must be registered through the eduPass system by their school’s technician to enable access to SketchUp Pro.

Volunteers are needed for testing of the updated version of the ePotential Survey – the Digital Learning Survey 2016.

The ePotential ICT Capabilities Survey supports teachers to measure their confidence and capability to incorporate digital technologies into their learning and teaching. The ePotential survey is based around a continuum of teacher ICT capabilities that assesses teacher capability within this framework.

The current ePotential survey has provided participating teachers and schools with yearly data since it was introduced in 2007. This year will be the last time that teachers will be able to answer this version of the survey to collect comparison data. Teachers and schools will still be able to access this comparison data after the survey has closed.

The Digital Learning and STEM Branch have been working on a new version of the ePotential survey. The current survey questions have been updated to align with the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Australian Professional Teacher Standards, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Teaching in the Digital Age and the new Digital Technologies curriculum.

To assist in applying weightings to the updated survey we require as many teachers as possible to test the updated survey questions. Your responses from the test survey will provide valuable information that will assist in streamlining the final survey questions (and hopefully make the survey shorter!).

To access the test survey:

• Go to ePotential: http://epotential.education.vic.gov.au
• Click on the Take Survey Now link in the Survey window
• Click on the My Surveys tab
• To test the Digital Learning Survey 2016 click on Respond
• Complete the survey!

The survey will take about 20 minutes.

The test version of the survey is open now and will close at 6 p.m. on 18 December 2015.

Please note the whole site will be getting a makeover to improve format and functionality.

The updated ePotential Survey – the Digital Learning Survey 2016 will be available for schools to take at the beginning of Term 1, 2016. The updated survey will be mapped to a new continuum framework with links to updated resources.

If you would like to provide additional feedback on the updated survey, please send it to: digital.learning@edumail.vic.gov.au

 The Digital Learning and STEM Branch really appreciate your time and effort in undertaking the testing of the survey.

Victorian schools are invited to engage with Adobe Education in 2016.

Adobe has an extensive education active use program for Victorian educators which includes a wide range of online and face to face options:

– Adobe Days
- Specific online engagements


– Thought leadership events (Conferences/seminars)


– Adobe Education Community events


- Adobe Education Exchange Professional Learning events

Adobe is the global leader in creativity software with over 100 products and services being used by teachers and students across the globe to enhance creativity in education.

Adobe Days are student and or teacher workshops with expert Adobe educators or trainers. They occur either as an excursion to an Adobe office or an incursion where the Adobe educator/trainer visits your school.

Adobe online engagements range from published events and course on the Adobe Education Exchange to specific webinars usually managed via Adobe Connect.

Book a FREE workshop or event via: http://bit.ly/book-adobe-vic

Dr Tim Kitchen (Adobe Education Specialist, APAC) has over 20 years experience as an educator in primary, secondary and tertiary education before starting at Adobe in 2013. He is a highly sort after presenter and education thought leader, regularly speaking at national and international education events. His Adobe passions include video production and online communication.

Brian Chau (Adobe Solution Consultant) has been with Adobe since Macromedia days. Brian regularly runs workshops and presentations for Adobe across Asia Pacific for education, commercial and government customers. His passions include web development, mobile app development, image manipulation and animation.

ACMI has announced the winning entries of the Screen It 2015 competition. Screen It is The Australian Centre of the Moving Image’s (ACMI’s) epic moving image competition for Primary and Secondary school students. Screen It is designed to educate, encourage and foster the next generation of young moving image makers.

This year, over 500 entries were received from Primary and Secondary students across the nation, exploring the theme of ‘Change’ through short films using either live action film, animation or videogame.

Congratulations to the following Victorian schools:

Best Overall Primary School Winner: George and his Groaning Mouth; Yarraville West Primary School; Yarraville, VIC

Primary Special Mention: When I Grow Up; Carey Baptist Grammar School, Kew, VIC

Primary Videogame Winner: Novo; Doreen Primary School; Doreen, VIC

Secondary Special Mention: Thief; Daniel Phillips; Mount Waverley, VIC

Secondary Live Action Special Mention: Zembla; St Columba’s College; Essendon, VIC

Secondary Videogame Winner: KnightGame; Belmont High School; Highton, VIC

Films are available online for viewing at http://www.acmi.net.au/acmi-channel/2015/screen-it-2015-winners/

In 2015, Google Australia is partnering to support the national rollout of Code.org’s global Hour of Code campaign. The Hour of Code is an introduction to computer science designed to show that anyone can learn the basics. The Hour of Code is self paced and requires no experience from teachers and students. All resources are provided for you online.

Whilst the official Hour of Code week is Computer Science Education Week (December 7-13) you can run an Hour of Code anytime, from now until late December. Perfect for an end of school activity or break-up event!

 What to do

1. Ask your Principal to host an Hour of Code event.

2. Register to attend the FREE Hour of Code Online Information Session on 26th November, 2015 , 4:00pm – 5:00pm ACTD  at http://tinyurl.com/qfh2kfq. The information session will provide:

● an overview about the Hour of Code,

● why you should host an Hour of Code,

● what event organisation is involved

● activities for different year levels

● advice & tips from previous Hour of Code hosts,

● and how you can register & get started!

3. Join us to be part of the largest learning event in history. No experience needed from teachers or students.

Start now by going to https://hourofcode.com/au

Thanks to Wendy Macpherson, DET for this blog post idea.

Recently I came across this image that highlights ‘10 Reasons to Teach Coding’.

Coding is a great skill to engage students in creating projects such as animations, games, and websites. It is an important skill for students across all year levels to support the development of problem solving, critical thinking and creativity, and helps to prepare students for the digital age.

The argument for coding was also featured in a recent article in The Age, ‘Students tackle programming, but is it only for maths geniuses? that explores learning in programming and coding with vice-president of Digital Learning and Teaching Victoria and e-learning teacher Roland Gesthuizen​ from Keysborough College.

The article quotes Gesthuizen: “Programming gets students to think…(It) is a high-level skill that gets them thinking about solving a problem, and there is more than one way to solve a problem. When students are learning maths, they are learning individually, but programming is very social and collaborative.”

In 2017 AusVELS will be replaced by Victorian Curriculum F – 10 (http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/).  The new Victorian Curriculum introduces Digital Technologies.  In Digital Technologies, students use computational thinking and information systems to analyse, design and develop digital solutions. The Digital Technologies curriculum recognises coding (programming) as one of the skills to support learning in this area.  An increasing number of resources and professional learning opportunities are also available to support learning in this area.

For support in Coding see:

• 10 Reasons to Teach Coding, Brian Aspinall http://brianaspinall.com/10-reasons-to-teach-coding-sketchnote-by-sylviaduckworth/
• Code Club http://www.codeclubau.org/
• DET Digital Technologies support pages and upcoming professional learning opportunities http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/digital/Pages/default.aspx
• Digital Australia 2016 – http://www.igea.net/2015/07/digital-australia-2016-da16/
• FUSE https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/pages/Results.aspx?s=coding
• Victorian Curriculum http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/

We are pleased to announce the launch of the new DigiPubs site! Created by DET Digital Learning and STEM Branch for Victorian school educators, DigiPubs are digital publications which provide practical advice and resources that can be accessed online on any device through any browser.

The DigiPubs available are the:

• Digital Deck  – provides access to online versions of the deck and a word template for schools to create their own cards
• Planning for 1-to-1 Learning  – provides advice on what schools need to consider to make informed decisions about 1-to-1 program implementation, including introducing BYOD.
• iPads for Learning  – provides practical advice, school stories and resources including information on using apps, iTunes Collections and iBooks.
• Microsoft in the Classroom  – provides information on implementing a learning program using Microsoft products. This includes the research report Inking Your Thinking: Case studies in innovation with Microsoft Surface which involved three Victorian schools.
• Deep Learning Competency Framework – the 6 C’s (Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Citizenship, Character and Communication) DigiPubs provides information and resources for unpacking the competency for the classroom, connecting it to the curriculum, learning progressions, assessing and reporting, leading professional learning and ideas to try.
• AusVELS English, Maths, Science and History – DigiPubs link Department resources available on FUSE and the eduSTAR Catalogue to the curriculum.The site has been established through ongoing consultation with industry partners, schools and education experts to bring together a number of DET Digital Learning and STEM resources in one central location. New DigiPubs are currently under development.

VCAA have a page on the site where teachers can access the VCE Advice for Teachers publications for the following subjects: Computing, Economics and Business, English, Health and Human Development and Mathematics.

To access the site go to: http://www.digipubs.vic.edu.au/

Life Saving Victoria (LSV) has launched a new app that is available to students for learning emergency response, water safety and lifesaving skills. The app uses gamification to make learning water safety, emergency response and CPR more engaging.

The Everyday Lifesaver App is part of a range of strategies employed by LSV and the State Government to address children drowning by increasing their water safety and lifesaving skills. In Victoria, between 2000 and 2013, there were 205 drowning incidents involving children aged 5-14 years; 31 fatal and 174 non-fatal (hospitalisations). Swimming capability is declining in Victoria as evidenced by an estimated 60% of Victorian children leaving primary school unable to swim 50 metres continuously.

‘Everyday Lifesaver’ is accessible online via a variety of tablet devices and PC, which provides teachers and students greater control over how, where and when they learn. LSV will be evaluating the effectiveness of the Everyday Lifesaver App with at least 4000 Year 7 & 8 students from 15 to 20 Victorian schools.

The Everyday Lifesaver App is currently available for all schools to download at no cost in the iTunes and Google Play stores. The App, as well as teacher support resources, can be accessed via http://www.everydaylifesaver.com.au/desktop.php

Microsoft and Intel are holding their Next Level Learning Education Roadshow. At this free one-day professional learning workshop, you’ll hear from other schools and education experts about how you can transform learning using Microsoft and Intel technology.

For Teachers

• Engage students in STEM
• Stimulate higher order thinking with Minecraft
• Make the most of Office 365 and Windows 10

For IT Professionals

• Discover and deploy Windows 10
• Secure and manage BYOD efficiently
• Harness school data to improve insights

When – 17th November, 2015

Where – National Centre for Synchrotron Science at the Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Rd, Clayton

More information and Registration – http://nextlevellearning.floktu.com/