St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls has taken remote learning to the next level with the launch of its own online video channel, which aims to maintain students’ social engagement during the COVID- 19 pandemic.
St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls has taken remote learning to the next level with the launch of its own online video channel, which aims to maintain students’ social engagement during the COVID- 19 pandemic.
Simply called St Hilda's TV, the channel hosts segments and episodes created by faculty members and students ranging from informational to entertaining, with episodes uploaded daily to the school’s online learning management system.
St Hilda's principal Fiona Johnston told Business News the platform, which went live last month, was designed to facilitate community engagement for students while they studied from home, helping sustain the relationships and social ties vital for learning.
“Without it, it could be quite a dry experience for a child and a young teenager,” Ms Johnston said.
“The power of connection with the teachers is an essential ingredient for us, and St Hilda’s TV allows us to be in that space.
“It’s also given us an opportunity to provide a component to build a student voice, and that’s something we’re passionate about as a community.
“It’s a forum that’s not just teacher-led but student-led as well, and we’ve had incredible engagement in the space with the girls using it as a platform to share stories, experiences and voice their opinions.”
Ms Johnston said St Hilda’s TV was part of a broader move to uphold a sense of normalcy for students in unprecedented times.
For example, she said the school continued to hold its after-school music and drama lessons online, as well as extra- curricular activities, such as its umpire traineeships.
She said this was a product of having formulated an early response to the COVID-19 pandemic, engaging in early preparation with IT staff and communicating with parents and teachers early about contingency plans should students need to shift to distance learning.
“We didn’t waste time in forward planning when we saw what was happening around the world,” she said.
“We knew it was on its way and we had to be prepared, so future-proofing our girls for what we’ve been doing will become important in the coming weeks and months.
“Being aware of those global events and remaining ahead of the game was a key part of that success, and the launch of St Hilda’s TV was to keep that engagement happening, because schools are so much more than just building and grounds.
“It’s about the relationship and rapport with each other which make learning a valuable journey.”
