Your child’s classroom teacher will provide information directly regarding how they will deliver their online lessons, including their preferred technology, lesson times and guidelines.

Below you will find some information regarding video conferencing, including the steps both parents and students should take to prepare and set up your technology for online video lessons.  

It will be helpful for parents to read what is required of students, so you can ensure they are set up correctly and able to engage appropriately in online learning. 

Video conferencing is a beneficial tool for learning and provides opportunities to: 

• Collaborate and connect students with teachers for learning in real-time 
• Reach students who cannot get to school due to hospitalisation or isolation 
• Record class lessons for playback later 
• Allow students to review recorded lectures after the fact 
• Bring experts into the classroom. 

• Ensure that they are using a diary so that everyone is aware when conferences are to take place. 
• Your child should be dressed appropriately. 
• Ensure that your child has video and audio turned off unless invited by the teacher. 
• Talk with your child that the rules used at school also apply in a virtual classroom, and poor or unacceptable behaviour will carry consequences. 
• Know they require a quiet space to meet online using an internet enabled device.  
• Ensure others in your house know your child will be in a video conference. Make family members and the student aware that they can be heard by the whole class if speaking too close to the microphone. Parents can help with supervising siblings and other family members while the VC is going on to help make sure that it all goes smoothly. 
• If headphones with microphone are available, have your child wear them during the VC. 
• Make sure that your child is in a room clear of things that might impinge on your family’s privacy. 
• Ensure the Blurring Background tool option is ON 
• Internet access and the strength of the signal can affect the communication in a video conference. Know your system, and if possible, support your child’s learning for the duration of the meeting.
• Understand that video conferences may be recorded. 

• Make sure that they are on task and using the computer as related to their online learning activity. 
• Your child should be engaged in the lesson. This would include active listening, asking questions and completing online exercises. 
• Ensure your child is working with the computer in an ergonomic manner. For example, sitting in a chair, back straight, feet flat on the floor and screen adjusted to a comfortable height.
• Students should comply with their school's guidelines for the  responsible use of ICT and social media.    

Contact your child teacher to discuss the possibility of alternative arrangement.

• Your child completes all set tasks. 
• All homework is completed and submitted for assessment and feedback. 
• Regular study routines are maintained and set online work is completed in readiness for the next conference. 

• Make sure that the room you are going to film in is clear of things that might embarrass you. Specifically, look at your walls and try to pick one that has a plain background that people will not take offense at or find humour in. You can also blur out the background to ensure your privacy. 
• Try before you go live! You can set up a Teams meeting with no one in it except yourself. This way you can see what others see before you go live and make alterations to make the image look better. 
• Tell others in your house what you are doing. Your parents/ carer can help with assisting anyone else (including pets!) in the house with cooperative behaviours while you are in the video conference. If others in the house know and understand what it is you are trying to achieve, then they will help make sure that it all goes smoothly. 
• Sit still and quietly for a moment and listen to the sounds around you... if you can hear noises, then there is a high chance that people in your meeting will too. Before starting, see if you can find a quieter place or attempt to control what is happening in your surrounding environment.
• Consider using headphones so that you can hear clearly.
•  Remember that you are going to be in an educational environment! Dress appropriately and act accordingly as the same rules at school apply in a virtual environment.  

• Make sure you are on time for your video conference. 
• Start with your camera off and microphone muted and wait to be invited by your teacher.
• Understand that the rules used at school also apply in a virtual classroom, and poor or unacceptable behaviour will carry consequences.  
• Remember to observe your school's guidelines for the responsible use of ICT and social media. 
• Get familiar with the tools and features to ask questions of your teacher. This way your teacher can answer you directly and communicate the response to the whole group. 
• Use nonverbal feedback tools to alert teachers of your understanding. 
• Participate in the learning activities. 
• After the meeting, make sure you use properly exit the meeting when it is finished, follow up the learning activities and complete all assigned tasks. 

All CESA students have access to O365, an important and useful tool for learning online. If your child has not been provided with access details, please contact your school or classroom teacher. 

Your student’s learning can happen anywhere with Office 365 online. Get to know these tools made to support learners of all ages and abilities, and see how your child’s core subjects and class discussions can happen with support from Microsoft Education.

Distance learning with Office 365: Guidance for parents and guardians.

Microsoft Teams, via the Microsoft O365 Suite, is the preferred platform your child's teacher may use to facilitate home learning. 

Microsoft Teams brings conversations, content, assignments, and video conferencing together in one safe environment, allowing teachers to create vibrant and collaborative virtual learning experiences. 

Signing into Microsoft Teams for the first time...

Scootle provides free educational resources to support remote learning for Australian students, available for everyone to use. You can explore Scootle using a guest login. Search and browse relevant teaching and learning resources for use in class and at home.

Scootle provides access to a range of digital resources that support the Australian Curriculum. Teachers in Australian schools are able to self-register to access the resources and now parents and carers can also access resources via the Guest login. Find interactive activities, videos, teaching ideas and student resources for all subjects as well as links to specialist resource hubs such as the Student Wellbeing Hub and Digital Technologies Hub.