Students from a Melbourne school have switched the pen for the (virtual) whiteboard marker in an impressive effort to teach their teachers the latest technology trends.
Our Lady of the Pines Primary School (OLOP) students recently demonstrated a fun and interactive workshop on BenQ’s industry leading interactive flat panels.
The group of students, known as the ‘TechOLOPy’ team, helped their teachers – and classmates – learn the ins and outs of using the panels as part of the BenQ Junior Academy – a worldwide initiative that aims to empower students to take ownership of their learning and become leaders in the classroom.
The talented TechOLOPy team act as mentors to younger students on a range of topics, whether it’s teaching coding, utilising classroom technology or promoting cyber safety within the community.
OLOP’s Digital Technology Leader, Anna Holman, says her school was the first in Australia to participate in the BenQ program – and they couldn’t be any more impressed with how students responded to the challenge.
Students first learned how to use the panels from the BenQ team in a workshop, before flipping the classroom to act as educators themselves.
They gave lessons on how the panels can be utilised for digital whiteboarding, wireless screencasting and game-based learning.
Gamified learning, which has been a popular addition in schools, involves introducing game-like elements into classrooms to help engage and motivate students.
The TechOLOPy team demonstrated how the BenQ hardware and software can be used for gamified learning activities, including Pictionary on EZWrite 6 Cloud Whiteboard, WikiRace using InstaShare 2 Native Wireless Sharing Software, and Kahoot! Quiz to see what the students had learned.
The BenQ program fits in with OLOP’s digital technology ethos, which involves junior students using iPads, and middle and senior levels using Chromebooks, in the classroom.
“The future is about how do we incorporate technology in a real-world fashion that relates to the curriculum that is very set in what we do,” OLOP principal Brendan Keeling says.
“So the resource through the BenQ Academy allows the practical side of putting into place what they’re learning.”
Education Technology Consultant for OLOP, Tserlin Heatherton, says with technology not always teachers’ main area of expertise, they were thankful to be on the receiving end of demonstrations.
“Teachers will know the basics, but they just don’t have the time sometimes to really learn all the functions of a panel,” she says.
“The best part of today, I think, is seeing the children engaged and they were excited. I think they felt like adults almost because they were in charge of their own learning, so that was spectacular to see that.”
Holman says giving students ownership of their learning gave teachers unique insights.
“It’s good to see the students’ perspective of how [to use the panels] because sometimes they give you ideas of how they would like to use it for their learning.”
She says the project also helped students find their voice, especially after they presented the BenQ products at various e-learning and teacher networking events.
“They weren’t great public speakers in the beginning, but they presented at the BenQ stand at EduTECH, speaking to 1000s of teachers just wandering by, and they were really confident on camera,” she says.
The TechOLOPy team is made up of a rotation of eight students each year who show an aptitude towards technology.
“They were just sitting there absorbing everything like mini sponges,” Hetherton says, “I think because they felt so grown up”.
In Term 4 this year, the students will take their lessons to the next level as they plan to teach members from BenQ in a project called ‘Teaching Ben’.
“We’re going to fly up to Sydney and set up a classroom experience for them and make them do little lessons showing how they can use their technology in a true learning and teaching way; [where] we’re like, ‘OK, what does this look like in a maths setting? What does it look like in a literacy block?’” Hetherton says.
Revealed at Melbourne’s EduTECH conference, BenQ’s latest next generation Interactive Flat Panel: the RP03 Pro Series is the latest display available for schools. It comes with world’s first air ioniser technology, adding to the already jam-packed Classroomcare® technology suite.
This is along with the world’s first interactive panel recognised by internationally renowned eye care company: Eyesafe®, crowning The Pro Series with hardware-based Low Blue Light screen certification.
The best companion for STEAM, blended, and project-based learning, BenQ’s interactive displays have been a popular addition in schools across the globe – and now through the BenQ Junior Academy students have a great opportunity to showcase how they use them to enhance their learning.
To find out more about the BenQ Education Solution Range, visit BenQ.com.au
