[Yr7-10it] Email Pals

[fiona at balmoralhs.vic.edu.au]

Hi Paul

I am not sure if your enquiry was the result of this email being distributed to the schools over the holidays but incase it isn't I thought I would send it on.

I have had epals at different times between my school here and the school I attended as a child in Scotland (ok so I have a head start here). We haven't ran the program for the last two years because of (massive) refurbishment works to the school in Scotland, however I do know that a couple of the students here have continued to have contact with the epals.  they are now in year 10 and we set it up when they were in year 7.

It was easy to set up but I have to admit we lost all control of it pretty quickly as the students quickly stopped using their school email and swapped to msn etc. We were just lucky that the kids who participated never gave us any trouble. 

hope this helps

Fiona Bain
From:                  DoE Mail

Sent:                   Tuesday, 3 April 2007

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Subject:              B12-2007 DoE MAIL Bulletin for week ending 6 April
2007



Department of Education
Victoria



For all principals, schools and school council presidents



S121-2007 BRIT-OZ ePALS scheme



Summary



Brit-Oz e-Pals is a scheme designed to encourage every school child in
Australia and Britain to have an email pen friend. The main objective is
to foster, from an early age, new and lasting relationships and to
create a better understanding of the other country, its values and
culture.



The intention is to enable schools in both countries to link not only
with those having similar interests but, should they so wish, with other
schools from quite disparate backgrounds eg a rural school in Victoria
with an inner-city London school.



Background





Brit-Oz e-Pals is an initiative of the Britain-Australia Society. Since
its inception the scheme has gained momentum and is now enthusiastically
supported by the former Australian High Commissioner in London, HE Mr
Michael L'Estrange and his counterpart in Canberra, the British High
Commissioner, HE the Rt. Hon. Sir Alistair Goodland KCMG. Brit-Oz e-Pals
is a charity registered in the United Kingdom.



While encouraging school children of all ages to become involved,
Brit-Oz e-Pals is initially targeting the 7-14 age group, with the
intention of providing an additional and, hopefully, stimulating new
tool to aid, develop and improve computing and language skills, whilst
adding knowledge of each other's country. The Brit-Oz ePals Group will
aim to assist by putting schools in touch with each other. As an added
incentive, it will establish an e-Pals award scheme for students and for
schools. The Program is always under the control and guidance of
students' teachers.


Objectives


Through regular pen pal contact via email, the intention is to provide a
stimulating new tool to:

*	aid, develop and improve computing, language and literacy skills

*	learn something of the history, culture and values of each
other's country, in a more informal way
*	Establish lines of communication and friendships that will last
a lifetime.



Contact Details





Interested schools should register at www.britozepals.org
<http://www.britozepals.org/>



Should you have any further queries, please contact Rod Parnall on (03)
9637 2192; email parnall.rod.j at edumail.vic.gov.au





Tony Cook

General Manager

Student Learning Division



Paul McMullen <mcmullen.paul.m at edumail.vic.gov.au> on Sat, 14 Apr 2007 18:31:55 +1000 wrote:
> Anyone have any experience with using Email Pals websites such as 
> http://www.epals.com/
> 
> I am thinking of doing this with a year 7 ICT class to introduce email 
> and broaden student cultural horizons.
> 
> -- 
> 
> Paul McMullen
> Beechworth Secondary College
> Sydney Road, Beechworth, 3747
> T: 5728 1264
> F: 5728 2530
> E: mcmullen.paul.m at edumail.vic.gov.au
> W: www.bworthsc.vic.edu.au
> 
> 
> 
> Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education.
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---
Fiona Bain, Balmoral High School