Next Story from 'St Margaret's College Evergreen Magazine Autumn 2022'

Audrey Campbell and Nicole Lloyd

A thirst for knowledge, a desire to connect, or trying to find the solution to a problem – just Google it.

For St Margaret’s College teachers Audrey Campbell and Nicole Lloyd it’s not cheating, it’s innovating. Audrey is a Google certified coach and Nicole is a Google

certified coach and a Google certified trainer. Both are two of only four in the South Island and both are here at SMC.

Working alongside their colleagues, Audrey and Nicole are challenging traditional teaching concepts, breaking down the walls of the classroom and reaching out to experts in the community and even in other countries to build confidence in using technology. As Nicole says “It’s about empowering the staff, we can’t be in every single classroom even though we’d like to be but if we can teach 10 people and they go back to their classes and they each teach 20 girls then that multiplies. The ripple effect is huge, even if one thing that we say sticks then that’s going to make a difference.”

Taking up the challenge also comes in different forms for the coaches, as Audrey explains,

“I’m working with the Junior School teachers and technology has not always been their passion but Paulette Double (Year 3 teacher) is a prime example. She's loving it and is prepared to change her whole philosophy of teaching because she can see the value and she loves the engagement of those girls.”

“We’ve been using the ‘flipped learning model’ where she can pre-record herself for the girls to watch in class, they can replay and stop so they learn at their own pace, and it takes the pressure off the teacher. She is freed up in that moment for the girls to use her face to face rather than going home and doing an independent task; they're actually able to flip into her help and knowledge while she’s there.”

Nicole is also a Google certified trainer which has opened up a huge resource to the girls and staff at SMC through Google Magic Tricks with Nic.

“Coaches focus on the one-to-one whereas a trainer is one to many. Magic tricks was my project. We had a range of demographics and starting points, it was up to me to try and differentiate the learning so everyone took something away. We did this with a weekly session with the option of tuning in remotely. I’ve now created a website where I’ve collated the lessons and I am sharing them with my teaching colleagues in other schools as well.”

Google skills are making a difference nationwide and close to home thanks to Audrey and Nicole, from Junior School girls using Google Earth to study the Antarctic and engage with global experts for their learning, to the T3A (Technology for the Third Age) group learning how to use technology to connect with family and friends, which according to Audrey is her favourite time of the week. “They hang on my every word.”

Giving back and upskilling is also Nicole’s mission, “If I can help one teacher to organise their technology to gain even five minutes a day, over a week that adds up to half an hour – doing that even a few times seems small but it’s a little ripple that might just start something.”