Earphones at Western Springs College Ngā Puna O Waiōrea

This article seeks to answer some frequently asked questions whānau have about earphones at school.

Why are earphones a recommended item on the stationary list?

For kaiako and ākonga (teachers and students) to best utilise our Innovative Learning Environment (ILE), earphones allow for flexibility in lesson delivery and are required on occasions to ensure the most effective use of a learning area. For example, earphones may allow one class to be watching a video related to their lesson on their BYOD devices while a class in the learning area next to them are giving presentations. 

Earphones also allow more functionality of a number of digital learning platforms that kaiako and ākonga may use to facilitate teaching and learning such as Edpuzzle (interactive video), Google Read&Write (support with producing and accessing digital texts) and Quizlet (vocabulary and concept learning).

What earphones are best?

We recommend inexpensive earbuds with a microphone if possible. This allows more accurate voice typing and better sound quality for video conferencing such as Google Meet. They should also be able to connect to your child’s BYOD device. For instance, some Apple earphones only connect to iPhones and not other devices. 

Do they need to be expensive?

No, they don’t need to be expensive. Whānau are encouraged to shop around for the best deal. For example, they are as low as $7 at PB Tech. The school stationery list includes three options:

• Moki Dots Noise Isolation in ear – $9.50
• Moki Hyper Buds in ear – $11.99
• Marley Little Bird in ear – $21 

Don’t earphones discourage face to face interactions?

Just like any classroom equipment, earphone usage needs to be managed by kaiako and ākonga. In other words, there are times when they are needed, and there are times when they should be taken out or put away to listen to kaiako or collaborate with classmates.