Victorian CRTs: Getting Access to Edumail.

This is kind of important as many DEECD online resources are locked behind an Edumail account which helps them ensure that only teachers join!  Many of these resources are supremely useful for CRTs as much as any other teacher and it's worth while strolling through them and using quite a few of the things on offer.

In 2010 the DEECD acknowledged the need for many CRTs to have access to Edumail accounts. At that time they sent out a notification to all Victorian principals suggesting that any CRT expected to work 30 days or more in a single school should be supplied with a local Edumail account through that school.  While this is far from an ideal set of parameters it gets at least some of us access.

All too often when I've asked about getting one, even though the school is essentially willing to give me one, there's not a great lot of information out there on how it should be done.  So I recently talked with a techie at a local school, who I know has arranged for edumail accounts for CRTs, exactly how it's done.  The first thing he said right up front is "There's no option to give a CRT an Edumail account which is why many find it confusing".

So:

1. You need to be expected to work for 30 days or more for the school in a year.
2. You will usually need to be proactive and ask for an edumail account as it is not yet a widespread practice.
3. You may also have to explain how it's done!
4. You need authorization from a member of school hierarchy (there may be multiple staff able to provide this).
5. You need to be given an Edumail account as a "Visiting Teacher".
6. You need to remind the school not to delete your account at the start of a new year OR to have it reinstated (the techie wasn't sure whether they naturally expire or remain in place until deleted).

Having an Edumail account will give you easier and deeper access to many online sources of activities, lessons and online professional development materials.

Regards,

Mel.