Video Streaming - The Legal Way

There are many options for the new computer user in Video Streaming.

Here are a few legal ones

Netflix 










NEON TV

Lightbox

They are all different.  You need to shop around.

The other thing to do is to work out what video setting to watch them on.

When you login  go to the PLAYBACK settings.  If you choose Medium you will get a perfectly good picture but use 0.7GB per hour instead of 7 GB per hour on a premium plan.  It makes a major difference if you are on a set plan.

Check them out.  Remember to put in your phone calendar the week before your free trial expires so you can cancel it if you don't want to keep it.

Happy watching.

Chromebook success at Castlecliff and Keith Street Schools

Over the last few months I have had the privilege of working with a great group of parents at Keith Street and Castlecliff Schools.  These are parents and grandparents bringing up children.  Many of them had very little prior computer skills.  In the 20 hours training they learned about gmail, about using the internet, about the Google Drive, making slides and google docs and how they could support their children's learning.  Here are some of the families from those classes:

They came further than any other classes have using their chromebooks.  Here are the presentations they put together at the end of their class.  They all contributed.  Remember most of them could not have done any of this before class.  This was from the Castlecliff class:

This was from the Keith Street Class:

Here was their graduation

Whanganui Learning Centre October 2016

Congratulations to our 8 wonderful graduates at the Whanganui Learning Centre.

Now you know loads about Google, Google Drive, Google Docs, Word, Excel and how to help your children master technology.


Unfortunately two of our graduates were sick so unable to attend.  To celebrate their graduation each graduate did a slide for their class presentation.  Here is a link to that that presentation.


WLC Presentation by Graduates



Congratulations to the class

Here was our celebration

Chromebook Adventures in September

Today I saw a group of learners, who knew nothing about Google except how to search, talk for ages about the Google Drive, Calendars, Emails etc.

Several of them never used email.  Now they know how to share files, open Google Slides and watch a video that shows them how to learn things for themselves.

You are never too old or young to learn about the Computer.  Here is Bernard a granddad bringing up his mokopuna learning the wonders of the Chromebook from Aaron.  I am not sure what Aaron is showing him but it does have his attention.

For those of you thinking about doing some learning here are some tips and tricks.

Next month our Whanganui Learning Centre class is graduating so we look forward to sharing our success with you.

The Challeges of Parenting in a Digital Age

There is an amazing amount of information around about parenting in a digital age.  It is a huge challenge for parents.  Here are a couple of youtube videos which could help you on that journey.


This is a longer video about the challenges faced.

Recently the Parenting Place and Vodafone created digi-parenting.co.nz which has nice simple tips.  This is an introduction video.

Keep enjoying the digital world.  With it you can learn anything!

Chromebook Insights

In May 2016 we celebrated our first Chromebook trial.  Since then I have been slowly upgrading our Chromebook training materials and discovering the wonder of the Chromebook for myself.  

What is a Chromebook you ask?  The easiest way for me to tell you is to share this video.

Chromebooks are amazing little devices.  They basically have the internet and nothing else.  BUT on the internet you can do EVERYTHING.  They switch on right away and boom you are in the internet.

Instead of using Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint you use Google Docs, Slides and Sheets. They are like simple versions of their Microsoft cousins.  They have some amazing features like in the help area you can type what you want to do and it actually does it for you a lot of the time.  It makes it so much easier.  Some of the feedback from our classes has been "wow this is so much easier.  I have tried to learn Word and Excel so many times.  I didn't get it.  Now I can with Google".

The great news is you can also use Microsoft if you have Microsoft 365 which most children at school do.  Here is a photo of one of our graduates Jonathon with his son enjoying his Chromebook.

We are running three more Chromebook trials at Whanganui in September.  If you have school aged children who live in Whanganui and don't have technology at home go and see one of these schools: Castlecliff School  at Polson Street, Whanganui  OR Keith Street School at Keith Street (In Town) Whanganui OR TKKM o Atihaunui a Paparangi (Putiki opposite the church) to register.

Marton Celebrations in May 2016

Well we are very much in catch up mode here in Whanganui after an extremely busy six weeks.  I have now arrived back in the office and are going to post the photos from our many graduations.  These are the photos from our Marton class on 2016.  Deepest thanks and gratitude to our wonderful trainer and coordinator Angela Coleman from the Marton ICT Hub and Vanessa Te Ua and Michelle Cameron our principals from Marton Junction School who hosted our celebration and Michelle from James Cook.  Also to Andy Watson Mayor Rangitikei who is a great supporter of our programme.

Here is to our wonderful class of 12 graduates who all completed 20 hours of computer training and gained the goal of having technology for their kids.

Here is our celebration on Youtube

Ohakune Graduation

We have never been so busy.  Graduations in Marton, Ohakune, Taihape and Whanganui over a 12 day period.

A cold snap decided to hit in Ohakune and the mountain provided a beautiful backdrop for our 14 Ohakune graduates.

Over eight week our graduates have learned about everything from Word to Google Drive.  There were parents from Ruapehu College, Raetihi Primary School and the host school Ohakune.  Here is our celebration.  Here are our families

Ohakune Graduation on PhotoPeach

Chromebook Trial in Whanganui

Life is very exciting in Whanganui right now.  We are doing a Chromebook Trial with six families from Carlton School and nine whanau from TKKM O Te Atihanunui a Paparangi.

This was the day our new Chromebooks arrived.  It's been a huge learning curve for all of us.  We have had to learn to train in a new way and think about lots of things like technical support and internet connections in a new way.

Our deepest thanks to our trainer Aaron Tasker who has been great and really keen on learning about these new devices.  I have a good feeling about this trial and our families are loving it.

Exciting start to 2016

Well we have a really busy start to the year in our Region with classes in Taihape, Ohakune, Marton, Keith Street School and Tawhero School already in their third week.

Here are some photos from our Taihape classes.  We have an afternoon and early evening class going. The parents have a great setup and the school lets them practice their new skills during the week.  The principal gave us some great feedback this morning saying "Computers in Homes has been good for our school"

Next month I will be able to bring you photos from our first Chromebook trial which we are starting at Carlton School next week.

Whanganui Region Computers in Homes Classes starting March 2016

If you have children at school, no computer at home that your children can use and you haven't done Computers in Homes before then chances are you fit our criteria.  If you come to 2.5 hours of training once a week for 8 weeks and paying a deposit of $20 and $5 per week for the first six weeks of training then you will be the proud owner of a refurbished PC complete with MS Office and Windows 7, you could opt for subsidised internet and we look after your computer for 12 months.

So if you have children in Ruapehu, Taihape, Marton, Ohakune, Raetihi or Whanganui then here are your options:


Keith Street School  - Wednesday mornings 9.30 - 12pm  starting early March  address: Keith Street, Central City,  Whanganui (register at the school - other schools very welcome)

Tawhero School - Tuesday mornings 9.30 - 12pm  starting 15 March address: Totora Street - Gonville - Whanganui (register at the school - other schools very welcome)

Whanganui Learning Centre, Thursday mornings 9.30am - 12pm  starting late March 2015 - 232 Wickstead Street, Central City

Marton ICT Hub , Thursday evenings - 6 - 8.30pm starting 10 March  (behind the Library)

Taihape Area School - Wednesdays either 12.15 - 2.45pm  OR 4.30 to 7pm  starting early March (register at the school - other schools very welcome)

Ohakune Primary School - Tuesdays either 12.15 - 2.45pm  OR 5.30 - 8pm starting early March (register at the school - other schools very welcome)

We may have another venue very soon so keep an eye on our Facebook Page Computers in Homes Wanganui

Understanding the difference between a legitimate website and a dodgy one

One of the tricky things for new internet users, and some long term internet users, it coming to grips with what is a legitimate website and what is a dodgy one.  This guide is not designed to be read for research purposes but rather to provide a simple guide for people who don't know what to look for.

Simple Ways you and your children can tell if a Website is reliable?

The Internet contains some extremely valuable, high-quality information sources – and it also contains some very unreliable, biased sources of misinformation. Remember ANYONE can make a website.

That means you need to evaluate the quality of each website you use, whether it’s for a class assignment or your own use. Sometimes Internet sources can be more accurate than print sources. Sometimes it is better to stick with print sources. Be especially careful when shopping.

Depending on what you are using it for will need different levels of research.  This is designed as a guide to help you evaluate whether a particular Internet site is appropriate for your purposes.

Basic checks on Internet Information

1. Who authored or wrote the site?

Look for an “About” link at the top, bottom or sidebar of the webpage. Some pages will have a corporate author rather than a single person as an author. If no information about the author(s) of the page is provided, be suspicious. If there are no contact details also be suspicious.

Does the author provide his/her credentials? What type of expertise does s/he have on the subject s/he is writing about? Does s/he indicate what his/her education is? What type of experience s/he has? Should you trust his/her knowledge of the subject?

Try “Googling” the author – search his/her name at www.google.com. What kinds of websites are associated with your author’s name? Do the websites associated with the author give you any clues who they are? “Google” with caution – remember that sometimes more than one person can share the same name.

2. Who published the site?

What is the organization’s main purpose? What is the main purpose of the site? Is it cluttered with advertising? (suggesting it's not fully credible)?  Does the page appear to be professionally designed? Is the writing trying to persuade you to buy something? Are they promising something unrealistic?

Who is the intended audience? What is the quality of information provided on the website?     What type of other sites does the website link to?  Does it look and feel right after doing these checks?

Look at the domain name of the website – that will tell you who is hosting the site. For instance, the UCOL website is: https://www.ucol.ac.nz/. The domain name is .ac.nz  this URL tells you that the library website is hosted by UCOL. Do a search on the domain name at http://www.whois.sc/. This site provides information about the owners of registered domain names.  It is a .ac.nz site which means it is an educational site.

Check the organization’s main website, if it has one. Is it educational? commercial?  Government? Is it a reputable organization? Where is it based? Don’t ignore the suffix on the domain name (the three-letter part that comes after the “.”). The suffix is usually (but not always) descriptive of what type of entity hosts the website.. Here are some examples:

.edu.nz  = school
.ac.nz  = educations tertiary
.com or .co.nz or .co.kiwi = commercial
.govt.nz = government
.org.nz = non-profit  (mostly but not always)

The suffix at the end also tells you where it come from for example New Zealand sites are co.nz  OR .kiwi OR .nz where as a UK site might be .uk.  Here is a site where you can check where the domains come from http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/num/domains.htm THIS is REALLY important if shopping or paying.

3. Why did the author write it and the publisher post it?  

Why is the website there - is it to sell a product? „ as a personal hobby? „ as a public service? „ To further explore on a topic. To provide general information on a topic?„ To persuade you of a particular point of view?

Have a look at the site and ask yourself -  who is this designed for - people studying or the general public?  Which age group is it written for?  Is it aimed at people from a particular place?  Who is it aimed at?

4. Is the information timely and reputable?

When was the website first published? Is it regularly updated? Check for dates at the bottom of each page on the site. If you’re looking for statistics, information on current events, or information in fields like science, technology or healthcare, you probably need the most up-to-date information available. If you’re looking for information that doesn’t change, such as someone date of birth, it may not matter as much if the website is a little older as long as it is published/authored by a reputable source.

Are they reputable sites? If the author references online material, do they provide links to the material referenced?  What type of sites link to the website you’re evaluating? Is the website being referred by others?

This is the most important check.  Look the information you’ve gathered about your website and compare it to your information needs.  Ask yourself the question "Does this website provide what I need?"

Not all websites will work for all purposes – a website that is fine for finding general information on a disease won't work for a doctor.

If you are in doubt, ask someone who knows more.  Be especially careful when shopping.