Cyber studies win through

Thursday, 29 October 2009

By REBECCA GARDINER

TECHNO SAVVY: Steve Martin, pictured with students Anushkha Singh and Martin Buys, has won an award for incorporating IT into his teaching. Times photo Jason Dorday.

• Howick and Pakuranga TimesFOSTERING learning outside the classroom has earned a teacher a prestigious IT award.Steve Martin, of Howick College, is the proud recipient of a Microsoft Distinguished Teacher Award, which he received at a conference for educators.The techno-savvy science and biology teacher has created virtual lessons covering every learning objective in the Year 9 science course at the college.Lessons were enhanced through the use of Web 2.0 applications and video, accessible by students, parents and teachers at any time.“One of the biggest things with IT is there are lots of great ideas, but tying it into the classroom [can be challenging],” says Mr Martin. “This is all student-centred, and it doesn’t take a great deal of my time.”Students can access the material at home, can ask questions through an online message board and use online chatting to discuss problems.“It gives kids the opportunity to use 21st-century tools. “[Learning] is not just in a classroom, it’s collaborative.”The online tools benefit all students, from those who need a little more time to grasp concepts, to others who want to go into greater depth on a subject.As part of his prize, Mr Martin has received training, hardware, software and a personal kit designed for his teaching methods, worth more than $8000. He will also attend regional and international Microsoft conferences to present his findings to other educators. “I would hope that within two years every science class will be using these tools, and that next year it won’t be just the science [department at Howick College],” he says.

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Cyber studies win through