Forest Crescent PS Digital Technology

Forest Crescent Primary has seen a structured and progressive rollout of technology supported by school policy and action plans, developed in conjunction with the teaching staff and the ICT committee, reflecting the societal change, best instructional pedagogy and relevance to the student’s learning. This rollout has been supported by planned maintenance and upgrade of hardware, network and software as deemed necessary to meet student learning needs.

Online learning has become more evident through learning programs involving mathematical and literacy software and assessment using ACER Online Literacy and Numeracy Testing. Progress has been made in the Home/School link, with Information Technologies being used to communicate student learning via email, newsletters, Microsoft PowerPoint, and multimedia presentations at school assemblies and open nights.

In 2025, the school will continue to use Digital Technology, with an emphasis on cross-curricular links. Students will develop coding skills through online learning (Years 2-6) and interact with various interactive robots (Years 1-6) in classrooms using Sphero, Dash & Dot, and Lego EV3 Mindstorm. Year 2 to Year 6 students are also involved with an online typing program to increase their typing accuracy and speed, indeed as online NAPLAN testing becomes mandatory.

Throughout 2020, as part of amalgamating digital technology into the curriculum, various teachers have been involved in developing STEM learning programs in the class that integrate concepts and skills of science, technology (both digital and construction), engineering, and maths.

The school’s website development has progressed to allow easy access to the whole school community.

Parent support in this learning area is evident by the acceptance and use of our up-to-date technologies, which include the school app, email, website and Eftpos facilities.

All K—6 classrooms (30 classes), staffrooms, and specialist staff have installed Smart Boards (through Parent’s & Citizen’s Association funding). The use of technology is increasing as staff and students become more proficient, utilising educational internet resources and staff-made resources to enhance learning.

Whilst the school has a fully functional Ethernet-based LAN permitting 2-4 PCs per classroom, plus mini-labs in block common areas, and a class-size lab in the library, the newly installed wireless access across all teaching blocks plus Administration has permitted the use of new technologies throughout the school, such as the regular refreshing of new iPads with educational apps being purchased that best support learning and collectively chosen by junior, middle and senior primary staff, in addition to sixty laptops and the use of networked TV’s in all learning areas. The school has also changed over to the SOE4 configuration for managing our computer infrastructure and devices. In 2023, the senior primary block had sixty-six new notebooks to facilitate better access to digital-based learning.

Forest Crescent Website is on Smartphone, Tablet and PC

The Forest Crescent Primary website will display intuitively on all devices.  Works on modern Android and IOS phones (iPhones & Smartphones). For any major issues, please send an email via Forest Crescent Primary’s email address.

Forest Crescent Primary Embraces Smart Use of Technology Through CYBERSAFETY

In the interests of our children’s online safety, regular cyberbullying tips have been included in newsletters, and cyber-incursions have been provided for middle to senior classes when available. This page features some initiatives and information that may assist in keeping children and parents aware of cyber safety. Cybersafety is the safe and responsible practice regarding the use of the Internet and all information and communication technology devices (including computers, mobile phones, digital cameras and webcams)

Cybersmart is part of the Australian Government’s cyber safety program. Cybersmart provides activities, resources, and practical advice to help young kids, teens, and parents enjoy the online world safely.

Of the 53,111 counselling contacts received by young people during 2009, a total of 2,176 (4.1%) recorded either bullying or cyberbullying as the main reason for contact. Consistent with other research findings, girls have been found to experience cyberbullying slightly more often than boys.

The online survey and data from Kids Helpline suggest that most cyberbullying occurs in late primary school and early high school. During the 2009 year, the most common age group to contact Kids Helpline regarding cyberbullying were 10/14-year-olds (50.6%), followed by 15/18-year-olds (44.2%). While many of the dynamics remain the same across the ages, cyberbullying in the primary school years usually focuses on appearances, while cyberbullying in the secondary years tends to focus on the way people act, especially if they do not fit the norm.

Over the years, with the support of the Forest Crescent P&C, our school has employed the services of Paul Litherland, an ex-police officer who hosted a Partnerships with Parents workshop about the increasingly complex and vitally important topic of cyber-safety. Paul also offered some great tips and hints to help you maintain your sanity and peace of mind that your kids are doing what is expected of them. See Surf Online Safe Website for further information. An additional reference is the Australian Government eSafety Website. Again, with P&C support, the school has employed Kirra Pendergast’s services to provide parent-only information sessions followed by in-school student information sessions.

Continuing in the same vein, another informative site is the National Safety Online Site (UK based). Below are information pages about various social media. There are more guides on the site, and they are regularly updated. Most social media sites and apps are limited to 13+ years, above the ages of most of our students, and therefore shouldn’t be accessed by our students. Providing this information is not an acknowledgement that Forest Crescent Primary endorses social media use by our students. Instead, it provides information allowing parents and children to realise social media apps and site issues.

Forest Crescent Primary Implementing Mathspace (Years 3 to 6)

Mathspace is an innovative online mathematics program for students ages 7 to 18. It has garnered widespread acclaim and is used by schools across Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and India. The program’s adaptive learning model customises the educational experience for each student, ensuring that they receive the support and guidance they need based on their individual learning needs.

Furthermore, Mathspace has partnered with esteemed educator Eddie Woo to create a video hub aligning Woo’s educational content with various state curricula across Australia. This partnership exemplifies the program’s commitment to enhancing the learning experience for students. The program includes an interactive textbook with work examples, video tutorials, and video work examples.

It is worth noting that Mathspace was developed in Australia. Student data is stored on secure Australian servers, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations. The Department of Education Third Party Software Guidelines also permit using Mathspace within schools.

Several local high schools in the area, both government and non-government, have successfully integrated Mathspace into their middle and early high school mathematics programs. By introducing our students to this platform, we aim to facilitate a seamless transition into high school-level mathematics.

The flexibility and differentiation offered by the program are among the many benefits it provides for student numeracy development. Mathspace offers individual reports and data that drive teacher planning. It also provides flexibility in how it can be used in the classroom for pre-teaching, post-teaching, or student-driven learning of numerical concepts.

One of the program’s key features is its ability to adapt the presentation of educational material in response to students’ performance and responses. The program considers past performance, and Mathspace selects questions most suited to each student’s level of understanding. In addition, the program offers invaluable support in the form of hints and video tutorials, providing students with the tools they need to navigate through challenges confidently.

At a school level, the same program used by all teachers from Year 3 to Year 6 provides more individual differentiation in student learning than the static program offered by the concept of one textbook, which suits everyone. The program also provides longitudinal data on students’ numeracy progress that teachers can review as the students progress through classes and year levels.

FCPS Students Can Install Microsoft Office 365 Apps For Free

Under an agreement between the Department of Education and Microsoft, enrolled students can download and use Microsoft Office 365 Apps (using the Windows 10/11 operating system or Apple OS) on personal devices to work or study from home on up to five devices, whether they be computers, tablets, or phones.

What the software includes

Microsoft 365 Apps include the software that you use daily, such as:

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Outlook

Other software may also be available but is subject to change.

Note: If you leave a government school, you will have a 30-day grace period to uninstall the software or purchase a licence yourself. After 30 days, you can still print and review documents but will no longer be able to edit.

How to install Microsoft Office at home

All interested parents will be provided with installation instructions. It will involve providing parents with their child’s or children’s email address, student ID and student password and then following the installation instructions.

If you are interested in this free software package and you have a child attending Forest Crescent Primary School, then please provide your child’s details in an email to me. Just click on this link  Bradley Combes (Deputy Principal)

Forest Crescent Primary Implementing Typing Tournament

All Year 2 to Year 6 students at Forest Crescent Primary continue to be enrolled in the 2025 Ed Alive web-based program Typing Tournament. By Term 1, Week 2, all students will have received their username and password from their class teachers to access both programs. (Some parents/guardians have informed the school that their child is to have no online learning account- depending on 3rd Party permissions-please see the school if you want those permissions changed). Both programs can be accessed across several digital platforms.

While students have the opportunity to use Typing Tournament at school, they are STRONGLY encouraged to use the program at home. Please DO NOT permit anyone else (siblings, parents) other than the intended user to use Typing Tournament as the program is tailored to the progressive development of the student. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE TYPING TOURNAMENT

Developing typing literacy skills is necessary not only to improve students’ performance in NAPLAN online but also for their future educational years in middle and secondary schools, which place an increased emphasis on keyboard fluency.

The NAPLAN 2020 Final Review mandates typing skills.

“As the NAPLAN tests are moved online, particularly the writing test with its extended response, it will be essential that students develop fluency in using keyboards and word processors, at least from Year 5, to enable them to concentrate on the substance of their writing. For Year 3, students’ handwritten responses would be more appropriate.” from NAPLAN Review Final Report August 2020, page 11.

The point that keyboarding skills are critical for students completing NAPLAN Online is firmly supported on page 84 of the NAPLAN Review Final Report 2020.

“Students in Years 5, 7, and 9 who have prior opportunities to develop typing fluency and word processing skills by regularly using a keyboard are better placed to produce sustained writing online. The explicit teaching of keyboarding skills and monitoring typing proficiency beyond Year 3 are essential in developing students’ writing skills and for equitable participation in computer-based writing assessments.”