2009 Stepping Up program launched

Classes continue this year with past Computers in Homes students taking advantage of Stepping Up to update and extend their IT skills.
New learners are still catered for and are able to take a computer home. This is made possible through the return of computers from past Computers in Homes students who have now left the district or bought their own computers.
An opportunity to promote Stepping Up occurred during Adult Learners Week which was held in September. Our Cobden class relocated to the Tai Poutini Polytech campus where the public were able to see what we were doing.

Celebrating

Grey District Computers in Homes families

2005 - 2008

Celebration in Greymouth

Students from the Grey district of Westland met recently to enjoy an afternoon tea and receive their CiH certificates. It was also an opportunity to meet and chat with the visiting national CiH team who had arrived for their quarterly meeting.

Learning Centres remain popular

Throughout 2008 the Westland Computers in Homes learning centres have remained popular. In Hokitika the computer suite outgrew its original location and has relocated to a larger room. Mark and his students are enjoying the extra space and also the superb view of the Southern Alps and Mount Cook on sunny days.
Class times are Tuesday 10 - 3.30pm and 7 - 9pm. Thursday 10am - 3.30pm.

The Greymouth night class meets the needs of those who work during the day. We use the computer suite at the Greymouth High School and meet each Thursday 7 - 9pm.

Cobden Primary School also uses Computers in Homes for adult and childrens learning. The pod of seven computers was installed in term two of 2007 and has enjoyed regular use since then. Adult learners receive tuition each Wednesday from 10am to 3pm.

New enrolments continue to sign up at our Greymouth sites in Cobden and at Greymouth High School and in Hokitika at our WestREAP site.
We developed a great new exercise recently - using the information on electricity use of appliances from the consumer website we estimated and graphed electricity consumption for our learners households. Both an interesting and practical exercise.
Great to see the confidence growing and the progress being made by our families.

September Update

CiHWestland tutors this year have been clocking up the km's and have had learners in:

Greymouth, Hokitika, Kumara and Cobden

Who have all been busily gaining computer skills for keeping in touch with friends and whanau, to take on further study or for employment. Learners range from young parents to grandparents and it is exciting seeing the progress being made and confidence growing with each session.
Mark has had learners experimenting and having fun with the Audacity programme which records sound. Learners have recorded interests such as interviews on family histories.

Grey High

Computers in Homes started twice weekly sessions at Grey High School this term. Grey High has opened this programme to all its feeder schools which means most of the wider town and rural community can access it. We are off to a great start with 13 learners busily computing away.