Unit 5: ICT to Support Collaboration and Communication

Mobile Phones

In today’s world, nearly every passerby is equipped with a cell phone. Thus, cell phones provide a great means to communicating with both students and parents. A simple text message can serve as a great reminder to parents about upcoming parent-teacher meetings or to remind students about upcoming tests. By creating a standard voice message on your phone at the end of each day, you can provide students and parents with a means to receive updates as to the topics covered during the day and any assignments or homework that has been scheduled.

e-Mail

Electronic mail, commonly called email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. (Wikipedia)

E-mail can replace conventional paper-based communications in a school. It is also an incredible time-saver. It allows you to send information and documents to colleagues and receive the same instantaneously.  You can communicate with teachers in other schools – even in other parts of the world – and exchange ideas and learning materials with them. You can also contact parents by e-mail.  Some parents may not have e-mail facilities, but an increasing number of them are getting online, particularly since many cell phones are e-mail enabled. 

Electronic Newsletters

E-Newsletters are a great means to communicate important school events and notices with the entire school. They also save on time and printing costs. E-Newsletters should supplement conventional printed newsletters for those parents who do not have access to email.

Instant Messaging

Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time direct text-based communication between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet. More advanced instant messaging software clients also allow enhanced modes of communication, such as live voice or video calling.

Instant messaging opens up a world of communication. No longer do you need to walk to the other side of the school grounds to ask your colleague a ‘quick question’ – you can simply message them and get your response almost immediately. Popular tools for IM include Skype, Google Talk and Yahoo! Messenger. These are all free to download and use.

Online Calendars

Online calendars are an easy, useful method of posting information accessible by all and connecting the home, school and larger community. For example, teachers can post homework and important dates. Daily organisers can be tools of the past. When a parent asks "Do you have any homework?”they already have the answer. This tool has the potential to have a really positive impact on a school's culture.

Class and School Web Pages