Nelson Mandela School Wins Award for Use of Technology for Learning

Press Release 4.3.2013

 

 

 

Flex A from the Nelson Mandela School Berlin Wins International Award   Sharkie Awards Honor Organizations and Individuals That Inform and ‘Wow’Their Audiences With Outstanding Online Presentations

Berlin —April 4, 2013 — Class Flex A of the internationalNelson Mandela School in Berlin is a winner in the fifth annual Sharkie Awards. The awards program, hosted by Brainshark, Inc., honors organizations and individuals that have created standout video presentations – improving business communications with their audiences across industries. Teacher Annemieke Akkermans was named a winner in the “MyBrainshark”category. Her bilingual class, consisting of 26 first- and second-graders, used mixed media to create an illustrated audio-book, which can be found here.

More than 400 entries were submitted in this year’s Sharkie Awards. Judges from Brainshark and other presentation experts evaluated submissions based on presentation quality, clarity, organization and aesthetics. Entries had to demonstrate effective use of Brainshark’s technology – which lets users transform static documents, such as PowerPoints, into online and mobile video presentations.

“The competition in this year’s Sharkie Awards was especially fierce, with many organizations using online video presentations to communicate with impact,” said Irwin Hipsman, Brainshark’s director of customer community. “Class Flex A of the Nelson Mandela School in Berlin went above and beyond. At a time when it’s increasingly important to break through the deluge of communications, they used this online presentation format to inform, motivate and truly ‘wow’ its audiences. We commend them on the excellent use of Brainshark’s technology.”
Digital Skills teacher Annemieke Akkermans: “Our team is always on the lookout for exciting technologies for educational purposes. Appropriate use of digital tools and resources provides a vast array of opportunities for blended learning. Our bilingual class (German/English) really enjoyed bringing this story to life. After listening to it the kids first created then colored their illustrations in vivid crayon, which I photographed afterwards. Post-effects were done with www.befunky.com, another piece of free mobile technology which is great for educational use. Our current 2^nd-graders will be able to do all of it without help in a few years’ time. After the Power Point presentation was uploaded, the children recorded their voice-overs on www.brainshark.com. Winning this award has motivated them even more; following a workshop with a professional storyteller they wrote their own stories and now want to turn these into illustrated audiobooks as well… I guess we’ll be busy!”

About the Sharkie Awards

The Sharkie Awards are an annual program, hosted by Brainshark, Inc., the leading sales enablement platform provider. The awards recognize outstanding presentations –honoring organizations and individuals that have demonstrated excellence in their use of Brainshark’s online and mobile presentation technology. More information about the awards program, including a gallery of winning presentations, is now available at www.brainshark.com/campaigns/sharkie-awards-2013.

13-year olds want to learn about Internet Safety

As media coach and teacher I also teach 7th graders at an international school in Berlin. A first questionnaire among ca. one hundred 12- and 13-year olds places Internet Safety as their number one concern, whereas this has not been part of the official curriculum so far.

The results of the September 2011 questionnaire:


• 99% have one or more computers at home

• 95% have Internet access, 5% doesn’t know.

• 40% use the pc daily, 25% use the pc only in weekends, 35% use the pc ‘sometimes’

• Ca. 10% of parents do not use computers. These children all have their own computers.


Asked what the 7th graders wanted to learn most of all, this is the top 3:

o Internet Safety (cookies, spam, viruses, digital identity)

o Typing skills (mostly for speed)

o Video editing



The 7th graders picked up basic digital skills from:

o A parent (36%)

o Older sibling (16%)

o Self (12%)

o Other family member (8%)

o School/ IT-course: 4%

o Without skills: 24%


First conclusions: More than half of all 7th graders have learned their basic digital skills from parents and siblings. The few students who mention school as the place where they learned digital skills, attended international schools abroad, such as Singapore and Australia. Only 4% mention 'school' as the place where they learned their digital skills. Internet Safety has so far not been included in the school curriculum, yet this is what most of the 7th graders mention as their nr. 1 priority. They wish to learn about cookies and spam, how to protect themselves against viruses, how to create and protect their digital identity and how to handle cybermobbing