Global honour for Masterton teacher

EDUCATING EXCELLENCE: Rathkeale College teacher Shane Mann, selected as a leading global educator for his development of a digital notebook, runs through the Microsoft software-based system with his Year 9 science students at the Masterton school. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A Rathkeale College teacher has been named a global education leader for his work to transform learning through technology.

Shane Mann, who teaches physics and science at the Masterton college, has won selection for the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert Programme along with 14 of his peers from throughout New Zealand, and will join an elite community of 800 of his counterparts across the globe.

The multinational corporation annually selects MIE experts who creatively use technology to help their students "achieve more and succeed in an increasingly technology-based world", says Evan Blackman, education lead for Microsoft New Zealand.

"The MIE experts are inspiring examples of how New Zealand teachers are using technology to change the way they teach, allowing them to do more and achieve more.

"They have incorporated technology into their teaching and want to share their experience and successes with other teachers," he said.

Mr Mann said his passion was using technology in the classroom "to push the limits of education beyond traditional methods".

"The introduction of new and exciting Microsoft technologies has revolutionised the way I teach and the way my students learn in my classroom," he said.

"It has helped me to deliver lessons and content in a way that just wasn't possible in the past and has refreshed and further ignited my passion and enthusiasm for teaching."

Mr Mann created an online learning hub in his classroom using the Microsoft software application OneNote Class Notebook Creator to set up a class notebook for his students.

The notebook included a read-only content library where students can find notes, activities, homework and practical laboratory work; a collaboration area where students can brainstorm and share information as a class; and a personal area with tabs set up for each topic so students can easily copy from the content library into their personal area, and bring in research from the internet so they can complete their e-portfolio of work.

Mr Mann said his system generates digital notebooks which started "as a way to easily connect to students, and not just in the classroom but anywhere, anytime".

"Rather than collect everybody's work at the end of class, the students instantly synchronise to my computer and the web as they go. Parents can be involved as well and log in to see what's happening in real time. It's pretty amazing."

He said "proof of concept" lessons will next introduce the system to Year 9 and 10 students and he hoped more classes will be using the digital notebooks next year ahead of a possible school-wide release.

Mr Blackman said MIE Experts as a global community were "dedicated to trying new approaches, sharing ideas and learning from each other" and each receives free tools and technology, including Microsoft productivity software Office 365 Pro Plus.

The MIE Experts also participate in case studies, complete speaking engagements and would also contribute to content development, he said.

"These experts not only advise Microsoft on technology development; they also advise other educational institutions and their peers on how to integrate technology in educationally sound ways."

Mr Blackman said MIE Experts would share their experiences on the Microsoft Educator Network at http://www.microsofteducatornetwork.com