<![CDATA[Killara Learning Hub - Killara Learning blog]]>

<![CDATA[Killara Learning Hub - Killara Learning blog]]>Sun, 20 Jul 2025 13:12:36 +1000Weebly<![CDATA[Reflecting on the Learning from Home experience]]>Tue, 02 Nov 2021 13:00:00 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/reflecting-on-the-learning-from-home-experienceReflection is a important aspect of teaching and learning and helps us improve our teaching practice.

Term 4 is very busy with assessment and reporting, however, we have had a profound experience over the last 15 weeks and it is important to consider the good things that happened during learning from home and how we may be able to incorporate this into our face to face teaching.

This is what is called a blended approach to teaching and learning. It is not about the tool you use, more ever how the technology amplifies or transforms the learning outcomes.

I have framed some this blog post with the CESE document: What works best 2020 update (click here).
The following are some areas and questions to consider while you reflect on your experiences of teaching online.

Explicit teaching

Google Classroom

All teachers used learning intentions and success criteria in their Google Classroom and this allowed flexibility for students who were not in class or sick on the day.
You may like to continue to add these into your virtual classroom and project on the whiteboard in the classroom for each lesson?

Online Whiteboards

The use of online whiteboards like Google Jam board and Microsoft Whiteboard allow for you to explicitly teach by using diagrams, digital inking and the ability to save back into your virtual classroom.
This could continue so there is a record of your lessons for students who were away.

Explicit instructions

Due to the nature of online learning we had to use more class prompts and explicit language to communicate learning activities.
Will you continue to place explicit instructions in your virtual classroom?

Assessment

Summative

We had to think of alternative forms of assessment and adapt them for the online environment (how did this go and what elements could you continue using?)
Did you use online forms to break down exams into multiple choice and short answer?
How did this go and could you use elements of this for self-marking quizzes?
How did online submission go and will you continue this for all tasks or just some tasks?

Formative
Self-marking quizzes (Google and Microsoft)

Did you use quick self-marking quizzes in your daily practice? (These can be an easy way to use assessment data to inform your teaching for each lesson.
What other tools did you use for quick quizzes (e.g. Kahoot, Quizlet, Menti meter). Could you use these in your everyday practice?

Entry and exit tickets

Digital entry or exit tickets using Forms is a great way to gain a snapshot of learning for the day.
Did you use digital entry or exit tickets and will you continue using these digitally?

Effective feedback

Using rubrics and comments in Google Classroom

How did you use the comments function and marking rubrics in GC
Did this make marking more efficient and will you continue this?

Using comments in Google Docs and Microsoft Word

By having documents in an assignment link you are able to add comments to give students ongoing feedback and interact with them. Is this something you could continue to do digitally?
With the new windows image on the staff laptop you can draw and annotate all over a word document using the draw function. How could you change the way you give written feedback?

Voice comments with Mote, Onenote

The use of voice comments can make the online learning feedback faster and easier for teacher and student. How could you use this with face to face teaching?

Collaboration and communication

Staff

How did you work with colleagues during learning from home?
Which online collaboration platforms did you use?
What collaboration platforms could you continue to use streamline collaboration in and out of school hours?

Student
Communicating within your virtual classroom

How did you communicate with students via your online classroom?
Did this add more flexibility for you and your students?
How could you use this instead of email (if you used this mode of communication) as the means to communicate with students outside of the usual class period?

Using tools to co create learning

The use of Google Slides and PowerPoint added as an assignment allows all students to work on the same presentation or document. How did this go in your classroom? Could you use this as an approach for future face to face lessons?

Online collaboration boards

The use of online collaboration boards e.g. Padlet allowed students to work together , share ideas and be saved to the virtual classroom. Do you think you could use these as an activity in your classroom?

Online surveys using Google/ Microsoft forms

The use of forms is a great way for students to share ideas and posted back to the virtual classroom. Will you continue using this approach

Other programs

What other programs have you used to give feedback digitally?

Student directed autonomy

Did you create virtual projects which built around key concepts or units for students during online learning?
Did you use assessment tasks for "assessment as and of" learning using digital tools for delivery.
Did this improve students autonomy and how did you support them in the online environment?
Could you use this these tasks/ projects as a blended approach to teaching and learning to improve student autonomy?

If you need more help with the use of different tools to improve teaching and learning for blended learning go to the "creating online learning environments" page and have a look at the videos and resources for creating class engagement, collaborative activities and feed back throughout the learning process section.

Thank you to all the staff at Killara High School for your herculean effort, passion and dedication to ensure our students continued to learn effectively in the online environment.

]]><![CDATA[New student portals have launched for Term 4 2021]]>Tue, 05 Oct 2021 07:10:24 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/new-student-portals-have-launched-for-term-4-2021Student portals have been updated over the spring holidays for all students across the NSW DoE. The following video will take you through the features of the new High School student portal. You might like to show this to your students.

]]><![CDATA[Upgraded Outlook email opens up new capabilities for improved productivity]]>Tue, 05 Oct 2021 06:29:19 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/upgraded-outlook-email-opens-up-new-capabilities-for-improved-productivityYou may have noticed this week that your email in the web app has changed. This is part of the NSW DoE email modernisation project which opens up new capabilities across Microsoft 365 and adds handy new features in the web and desktop Outlook app.

Learning how to use this essential tool more effectively will ultimately save you time.

The following are resources to help you learn how to use new features quickly and easily.
Key Features (web & desktop app)

How to use new features in the Outlook web app

More features for you to use with the web and desktop apps
20 Outlook web tips and tricks 2021

For more information from the NSW DoE for email can be found at here.
Mobile devices
You can add the Outlook mobile app on your mobile devices and set work hours so these apps do not notify you in your leisure time. This is also more secure than your normal mobile email app.

Add Outlook web app on iPhone/ iPad

Add Outlook web app on Android devices

Troubleshooting
If you are having problems accessing the web app you may need to clear the cache and cookies in your browser. Here is a video from Stuart Hasic from T4L on how to do this with four of the most popular browsers.

We will do some training on how to better use Outlook and I will do some more blog posts on tips and tricks.

]]><![CDATA[Google Meet is now open for students]]>Tue, 05 Oct 2021 05:18:52 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/google-meet-is-now-open-for-studentsIt has been a long wait for the integration of Google Meet with Google Classroom and it was announced in the holidays.
Here is the link to the new Google Meet page for the NSW Department Of Education.. The following resources will help teachers and students.

Teachers
The following videos will show you how to start a Google Meet within Google Classroom for teachers.

Starting a Google Meet for teachers.

Navigating the Google Meet interface.

Students
For students you can access a Google Meet meeting within your Google Classroom when your teacher initiates the meeting.

Joining a Google Meet for students.

]]><![CDATA[Getting creative with Canva for education]]>Wed, 18 Aug 2021 06:55:38 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/getting-creative-with-canva-for-educationCanva is a fantastic way to enable students to show their learning in a very creative way.

Canva is an online design and publishing tools with templates, posters, infographics and other visual content.

The new Canva for Education version is available for NSW public schools and includes tools and assets for presentation creation, collaboration spaces for sharing and evaluating student work. The NSW DoE login gives you the comprehensive Pro membership for you and your students.
For more detail on Canva for education click here for the T4L website

Watch this video to see how incredible this platform is for teachers and students.

Canva has a full suite of courses for teachers and students to learn how to use the range of templates.

The following downloadable guides for teachers and students.
Teachers quick start guide

Student quick start guide

]]><![CDATA[Advanced sharing features in Zoom]]>Wed, 18 Aug 2021 05:29:42 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/advanced-sharing-features-in-zoomAre you aware Zoom has a number of advanced sharing features that will add interactivity and super charge your lessons?

You can to use a PowerPoint as a virtual background or use a second camera in the one call to enhance learning.

So lets look at how to use these wonderful features and how they work in your online classroom.
PowerPoint as virtual background

Open and start your meeting
Click the share button and click on the advanced button at the top of the box
Click the PowerPoint as a virtual background

Choose the folder and your PowerPoint presentation

Click on the screen to adjust your size on the slide and then click on the screen to close the box.

Use the arrow button to advance your slides

Use a second camera on the same call
This feature could be used to do a science experiment or show something on your desk.

Important: This will only work if you have two cameras e.g. web cam and laptop camera.

Click the share button and click on the advanced button at the top of the box

Click on content from 2nd camera

Your second camera will open. If you have multiple cameras you can change them with the change camera on the top left hand corner.

Share audio for videos
To share the sound of a video with your students there is a quick setting you will need to make.

When you open the sharing window make sure you click the radio button for share sound and optimise for a video clip.

Please share and comment how you are using the advanced sharing features of Zoom.

]]><![CDATA[Making the online learning juggle easier with dual screens]]>Sun, 08 Aug 2021 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/making-the-online-learning-juggle-easier-with-dual-screensUsing your staff laptop connected to a second screen is a great way to juggle multiple programs, marking and managing your class when video conferencing.
How to setup a second screen
The following video has instructions to set up your screen and extend displays on your staff laptop so you can start to do some serious multi tasking.

How to use split screen in Windows 10
The following shows you how to have multiple windows snapped together on one screen (up to four depending on the size of your screen). This is particularly helpful for marking and editing two documents at the same time.

Teaching and Learning ideas with two screens
Once your screens are setup here are some ways you can use them to maximise your productivity.
Marking assignments

Have one screen open with your Google Classroom/ Microsoft Team and marking criteria or assessment task on the other screen.

Running multiple programs

While you are teaching online, sending comments and run quiz programs like Kahoot and Quizlet at the same time.

Delivering lessons online

One screen to show your participants and keeping all resources ready to slide into your second shared screen.
This helps you see student comments in real time while you teach to leverage teachable moments in an online environment.

Working with multiple students

Using breakout rooms on one screen with students and referring to student work and other documents.

Now that you know how, go and be creative and share how you use multiple screens and Windows 10 snapping.

]]><![CDATA[How to use Mote voice comments for feedback across Google Workspace]]>Thu, 05 Aug 2021 21:59:38 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/how-to-use-mote-voice-comments-for-feedback-across-google-workspaceDuring Learning from Home writing comments across your virtual platforms is very time consuming.

Mote is the game changer you have been waiting for to save time and make the online experience more interactive for students.

This Google Chrome extension gives you the ability to add voice comments very quickly any where in Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite). Mote is a simple extension that can be installed into your Google Chrome browser. You are then able to open Google apps like Classroom or Docs and add voice comments. Placing voice comments with your staff laptop is easy and you don't need any extra equipment. Watch the following video to see all of the features.

How to setup Mote

If you prefer a video click here to access the setup video

Step 1: Go to the Mote extension website (click here to access)
Step 2: Click add to Chrome button

Step 3: Once you click agree and add the extension

Step 4: Click that you are over 18, acknowledge terms of service and sign into with your department @education.nsw.gov.au email.

Step 5: Click on the extension button in your Google Chrome browser and pin mote on your ribbon.

Step 6: Go to one of your Google Workspace e.g. Google Classroom. You will notice that there is a Mote icon messages in stream and in assignments.

Step 7: Click record. To setup the first time you must click allow the use of the microphone.

How to use Mote for voice comments

The following videos will help you start with Mote voice comments.

Place comments in Google Classroom

To add a voice comment click the mote icon and talk to your computer, click the tick to finish, then send to students (if students don't have the Mote extension they will be sent to another web page with your recording and be prompted to add the extension).

Class notes & feedback in Google Classroom

Voice feedback in Google Classroom assignments

Voice notes on a Google doc

Add Voice tags in Google Forms

Have a play and be creative with this powerful tool. If there is enough interest we can run some training on Mote. Cheers Simon

]]><![CDATA[Using Flip grid to increase student voice & reflection]]>Wed, 21 Jul 2021 23:02:18 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/using-flip-grid-to-increase-student-voice-feedbackFlip grid is a social learning platform designed around grids (classes) where all students can have a voice and discuss key concepts being learnt guided by the teacher. This can easily be attached to your Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams. Each topic can be assigned to students and is very similar to sending a quick assignment on your virtual classroom.

Here are some ways you could use Flip grid:

Use for peer review of the text, video or article
Exit tickets
Content check ins
Expert discussions
Students solve a problem (Maths or Science
Demonstrate a skill in a practical subject
Student reflection
Sports training
Team collaboration
Music/ Art performances
Project process reflection

In this video you will learn how to setup a grid and how other teachers use this powerful tool.

]]><![CDATA[How to pre assign students to breakout rooms in Zoom]]>Wed, 21 Jul 2021 06:20:25 GMThttps://www.killarabyod.com.au/killara-learning-blog/how-to-pre-assign-students-to-breakout-rooms-in-zoomZoom has become one of the go to tools to connect with students and add interactivity during online learning.

Breakout rooms within Zoom are one of the essential features that you can use to move students into groups. This enables better collaboration with students and helps to further enhance their learning. By using breakout rooms students can communicate, work together and teachers can move between rooms to talk to student groups. This adds interactivity in the online learning environment and simulates the physical classroom.

The following guide with help you pre assign students to breakout rooms in two different ways. If you have set your meetings with regular intervals or occurrences you will be able to edit all meetings, so each meeting has the pre assigned breakout rooms ready for you to use in your lesson. You can access the following downloadable guide and many more through Teacher Techno Training > Creating quality online environments> video conferencing page.

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