Jackie Halliday - A biography

Working in the commercial environment Jackie became aware of the need to understand the requirements of various clients and to work with web developers to meet their individual needs. She is looking forward to working with Zeald as an extension of this work into the business sector.

Jackie has worked in the online environment since its inception, pre dating web browsers. In 1994 she was an information and communication technology (ICT) facilitator for the Ministry of Education’s professional development programme for teachers. This involved the use of email by students and teachers, as well as searching the internet before the advent of search engines! Technical issues such as the installation and setup of 2400 bps modems in schools were a challenge at that time!

As Jackie explains; I remember working in a small rural school at the time trying to install and setup their modem. There was not a lot of technical expertise around at the time so it was a bit of the blind leading the blind! When it was set up I then had to show them how to use Archie and Veronica which were the search engines of the day, before web browsers – does anyone remember those two?

Shortly after that the focus moved to using the newly developed web browsers Mosaic and Netscape, “… much to everyone’s relief!” says Jackie.

What followed was another steep learning curve coming to grips with the many features of browsers, Bookmarks, Search Engines – which ones were best for different types of searches, and writing units of work based on the limited content that was available at that time. Rudimentary HTML was the order of the day!

A position as ICT Head of Department at Western Springs College in 1995 was followed a year later by a lectureship at Unitec, first in the Centre for Educational Multimedia, then in the School of Education. As Programme Leader for the Graduate Diploma in Education Technology, Jackie was instrumental in developing the courses for the online environment. This was the first online programme at Unitec in 1997 and one of the first online professional development programmes for teachers nationwide. The aim of the programme was to train teachers to use the technologies effectively in their classroom as well as to model the use of them for the teachers’ own learning. Included in the curriculum was teaching teachers to design and write their own web pages. Jackie also worked as a Telecom facilitator (1994 - 1997) to train teachers in the use of the internet.

She remembers the wonder of teachers when it was explained that they were logging in to the computer at the University of North Dakota in order to ask questions of a volcanologist there. It wasn’t long before he developed FAQs when faced with the same questions from thousands of students around the world.

During the ensuing years Jackie worked closely with technicians to ensure the programme kept up to date with the rapidly developing advancements in technology while also completing a Master of Education degree. Her thesis was on the integration of ICT into the secondary school curriculum.

As well as making many conference presentations both in NZ and overseas, Jackie was invited to Finland in 2000 and 2001 to work with teachers. She was keynote speaker at a major European ICT conference in Hameenlinna in 2001. Presentations were also made to principals and groups of teachers in other Finnish cities.

Back in NZ she made a number of keynote speeches at NZ ICT conferences. Jackie has many published articles in educational journals such as Computers in NZ Schools. She has been the international representative on the Telecommunications Special Interest Group of the International Society for the use of Technology in Education (ISTE).

As can be seen Jackie has been in education for many years, first as a primary teacher and then as a secondary teacher of English before moving into the area of ICT. As a former English teacher she is very ‘hot’ on the importance of proof reading before anything is published online or in print.

After retiring from Unitec in 2004 she was asked to do a feasibility study to adapt a web-based content management system for the education sector. This was such a success that after two years over 30 schools were using it for their websites.

Working in the commercial environment Jackie became aware of the need to understand the requirements of various clients and to work with web developers to meet their individual needs. She is looking forward to working with Zeald as an extension of this work into the business sector.

Over the years Jackie has developed a love of travel and last year fulfilled a dream to travel to Egypt to visit ancient monuments and test her new-found knowledge of hieroglyphics! Jackie belongs to an art group with a group of friends and learned to fly microlights when the family lived in Opotiki for a year. On returning to Auckland she continued this interest by gaining a Private Pilots’ License.

She is also kept busy with five little grandsons in Auckland ranging in age from 6 months to 6 years. She is sure she is the most frequent visitor to Kelly Tarlton’s and practically knows every fish and penguin by name! Wherever Jackie and the children go they take photos, which Jackie uses to write books for them based on their many activities.

Four years ago Jackie took up 9 hole golf and continues to be challenged by trying to reduce her handicap. She loves relaxing with her husband Ian at their bach on the Kaipara Harbour, sailing and sea kayaking whenever the wind and tide allow.

Contact Me:

 

P. 021 300 443
E.