Testimonials

We bring the reef to you!

Reef Videoconferences have been facilitated to many locations around Australia and the World.  Below are testimonials from schools and business organisations that have experienced a Reef Videoconference.

 

 
Studies Plus Language School, K.Sholari, Thessaloniki, Greece

Words can't describe how we all felt during the videoconference.My students, parents and  I were stunned and as you propably noticed,speechless.  The children are already planning their questions for the next time.  The fact that you said we were the first visitors from Greece has made every one  extremely proud. Polys Karamatides said " I have learned so many things in one hour.  I can't wait to do it again".  His mother,Kerasta Aichmalotidou, said " It was extremelly interesting and very educational.  We 've learned many new things".

"The Reef Videoconference was a dream come true.  I feel lucky to have you facilitating us in the beginning of our tries to bring the world to the classroom.  Even I learned tnew things.  A shark that lay eggs!  Amazing!  Thank you Fred, Duncan and Megan for making it possible!  I keep talking about it and colleques of mine are planning to follow suit, so maybe we were the first from Greece, but we will not be the last".   Nikolina Anthi, Greece.

Mustang Valley Elementary, USA

We greatly enjoyed the coral reef study and dive. It was amazing and informative.  Thank you for making it so well suited and relevant to the young students (and still fascinating to all the rest of us).  I am sure the students enjoyed receiving such clear and respectful treatment of the questions they asked. This is something our students will talk of forever!  (Me, too!) Thanks so much for the wonderful adventure.

Kingsbridge Community College, Devon, United Kingdom

"Hi Fred The dive video conference was absolutely fantastic. The students and Staff including me thought the whole video conference was amazing.The Year 7 are still talking about it! Also many thanks to the diver Megan . You both got the level of communication just perfect.  Many thanks for an absolutely amazing night. We also had a BBQ! Just an incredible night to remember. Best wishes Lyndsay Chell Kingsbridge Community College."

John Fredson School,  Venetie, Alaska

"We want to thank everyone involved in scheduling and presenting the  wonderful video-conference today.  My students and others in the  Elementary grades really enjoyed themselves.  This has been an adventure for me personally, as I mentioned before,  but never did I realize how wonderful the "underwater" would be.  I have one student, Kayleen, who came alive during this project.  She  wants to know where she can continue to study about the ocean.  During our de- briefing today the kids were so excited and they talked like they had  been in the water with you.  As an educator my heart was touched with  excitement."

Langleywood School, Slough, United Kingdom

"There are few things that are more rewarding than children being so motivated that they arrive at school at 05:30 in the morning. Jane Devereux reported that some of the pupils and their parents had walked several miles to be there for the "DIVE". Imagine watching the diver and asking him if the shark always sleeps at the bottom of the tank. "Let's wake him up", suggested Fred Nucifora. So Fred grabbed hold of the shark's tail, and 30 pupils and their teachers nearly jumped out of their skin 12,000 miles away in Slough, UK."

East Wittering Junior School, East Sussex, United Kingdom

"Imagine being under the water on the Great Barrier Reef, on the other side of the world, and in yet in your own classroom in a small Primary school on the South Coast of England. Year 5 and 6 from East Wittering School and their parents, woke early to be part of a video conference with the Great Barrier Reef Education Officer. "It was well worth the 6 o'clock start" said Charlie, "we saw the real Nemo", a small anemone fish with distinctive orange and white strips. After a 10 minute introduction from Fred we all held our breath and dived into the amazing crystal clear waters of the reef with Caroline, our diver and camera person for the hour long session.  A riot of colour and texture filled our classroom and questions rattled from the children and were instantly answered via a microphone in Caroline's mask. Pupils were amazed to see Black Tipped Reef Sharks swimming in the background and witnessed star fishes stomachs enveloping their prey. A Massive Maori Reef fish swam into view causing the audience to gasp.  The HMI inspector who sat in on the subsequent literacy lesson, where pupils wrote up their experience in the form of a recount, agreed that it would be difficult to find a better activity to motivate pupils to put pen to paper."

Centre for Teaching and Learning Technologies, ACT, Australia

"Your videoconference presentation was outstanding. Great job and most educational for this viewer as well as the 193 students and 12 staff from the schools. I am sure the Centre will be working with you again next year, if and when your team is available." Michael Sisley.

Technology and Project Management Telematic  Education / Telematiese Onderwys, Pretoria, South Africa

" Fred thank you for you and your colleagues for the video conferencing for our deaf learners. It was really a learning curve and very helpful to evaluate video conferencing for this application." Annette Sadie, Deputy Director.

Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, USA

" Just wanted to say once again that it was a fantastic treat to have Dave dive in the two tanks and show us the wonderful wildlife in Reef HQ. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to do this again." Rosa Catala, Electronic Field Trip Instructor.

Integrated Vision, Brisbane, Australia

"Hi Fred, I would like to pass on our gratitude to yourself, Dave and the team at Reef HQ for your assistance with our Office Launch. The evening was a great success and your presentation certainly was a fantastic way to commence the proceedings. It is a good feeling to see that the technology can still amaze people, your application certainly does that. Your professional, informative and light-hearted approach during the presentation was perfect for our requirements. I must also thank you for your kind words regarding Integrated Vision and our Queensland team, just the thing that the attendees needed to hear. Please pass on our thanks to Dave, his buddy and your team and here's looking forward to a long association." Chris Ryan, Services Manager Client Managed Services Division.

Holmewood House, Kent, United Kingdom

"I am sorry that I cannot help you on aspects that could be improved - but the reason is that it was perfect. Our 128 connection was just about good enough ( I wish we could afford a 256 connection).  They really understood our age group (Year 5) and questions/commentary was very much something they could work with. 

I had invited one or two heads of ICT from other schools - who had looked at videoconferencing some years ago and had dismissed it who are now looking at the technology again. They were very impressed.

The barrier reef team is really geared up to make the conference extremely worthwhile. Excellent links through global leap - thank you very much."  M.Priestley

Southwark City Learning Centre, United Kingdom

Well what can I say! Firstly a massive thank you to you and your colleagues. We really really enjoyed the videoconference yesterday. The teachers were so excited afterwards and carried on talking about it for ages!

I would love to now get a group of students to experience that so I will do some recruiting after the summer break. I think the work that you are doing there is amazing and truly innovative. Thanks again and I will keep in touch.  "Clare Copeland"

King Edward V11 School, United Kingdom

WOW, Brilliant, Fantastic. What more can we say. The students were a little mesmerised but we couldn't stop them talking when we joined together for breakfast.

We were fortunate to have two consultants for e-learning in the UK and they too were impressed by what we have all achieved today. They would like to feature our link in a publication in the UK. I'll will add all contact details so they can communicate direct and give you the full accreditation you deserve.

Thanks again. Well worth the wait. "Lynda Wade and the VC Club here at KEV11"

Columbiana County ESC, United States of America

The videoconference was just wonderful! All of the students, parents, teachers and administrators were so impressed. I will be helping another school set up a conference with you after the new year. Looking forward to future connections.  "Katrina Dieringer, Distance Learning Consultant"

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