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Ben Forta teaching Year 5 students at Strathcona about why and how Adobe Voice was created.

Ben Forta, Adobe’s Senior Director (Education Initiatives) completed his engagements in Australia by visiting with teachers and students at two schools in Melbourne. Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School and Carey Baptist Grammar School were chosen because of the innovative way they are working with mobile technologies, and the fact that I taught at both of them.

Ben and I enjoyed a tour of Strathcona’s new learning centre.

After visiting Strathcona, I drove Ben down the road to Carey a school that has a long association with my family. My Grandfather was a foundation scholar in 1923, my father went there, I was there from Year 5 to Year 12 and I taught at Carey from 1996 to 2000. The family tradition continues with two of my nieces currently there as students.

Ben met with members of Carey’s Tech Ninjas and a number of the IT and teaching staff. When the students realised who they were with, they opened up with some very engaging questions.

Carey’s eLearning Co-ordinator, Kylie Taig taking notes while Ben speaks to the Carey Tech Ninjas.

From Brisbane, to Sydney to Melbourne, it has been a busy and very successful tour of Australia’s east coast for Ben. It is a rare opportunity for Australian teachers and students to have a direct connection with the makers of Adobe software. Ben’s visit to Australia was very much appreciated and I know that he enjoyed all the opportunities to meet with a wider range of Aussie teachers and students.