EduTECH 2019: The computer that ignited a passion

Ever since a sole, rudimentary computer was rolled into Nicole Barnes’s classroom at the beginning of her career, she was captivated by the possibilities it held for her classroom practice.

We’ve come a long way since then, but Nicole’s passion for implementing ICTs into the classroom has not waned. In her new role as part-time classroom teacher and part-time ICT Learning Specialist at Knox Gardens Primary School in Victoria, she spends her days supporting teachers of all levels of experience to use ICTs in innovative, value-adding ways.

The primary school teacher, who holds a Master of Education in Educational Technology, is working hard to eliminate the kind of “plug and play” approaches to ICT, instead showing teachers how to use technology in the classroom to enhance both their pedagogy and student engagement. Nicole was instrumental in rolling out a coding program across two year levels and works intensively with staff to teach with and through Microsoft Office 365.

Nicole spoke with Education Review about her role, her school and some of her favourite programs.