In November this year, DART Connections is hosting ‘Clickfest’: a month of free video conferencing to encourage more teachers to give it a go.
Michael Hugill © Australian MuseumThe Clickfest launch at the Australian Museum was a first for new technology that provides educational experiences to regional schools. The live, interactive video conference session was simultaneously attended by regional schools located throughout Australia, including those first connected to the National Broadband Network (NBN).
The participating year five and six children from these schools loved the show, featuring Winny the dinosaur from the Australian Museum, Cogs the Robot from the Powerhouse Museum and Tasmanian Devil researcher Dr Kathy Belov. Each school got to ask several questions and play an important part in the excitement of this event.
Chris Hancock, CEO of AARNet said, “This is an excellent example of how high capacity broadband services can revolutionise the learning experience. Clickfest will connect students in regional communities to iconic Australian institutions as part of their daily classroom activities. The regular use of real time video collaboration on this scale is the bright future of school education, enabling students to learn from Australia’s top talent without leaving the classroom.”
The schools included were:
- Presbyterian Ladies College (Armidale, NSW)
- The Cathedral School (Townsville, QLD)
- Willunga High School (SA)
- Circular Head Christian School (Smithtown, TAS)
- Bees Creek Primary School (NT).
We’re excited to be participating in the Clickfest Video Conferencing Festival with over 30 other organisation offering free video conferences for schools.
Check out the new and exciting shows and events, all provided at no charge thanks to the NSW State Government. To find out more or to book into a session, go to DARTconnections and have a look at the amazing events on offer
It is a really exciting initiative to get teachers and students to give video conferencing a go.