Digital Education Revolution - vision, outcomes, plans

As we gear up to support colleagues in schools introducing laptops, it’s worth considering the broader context of the Digital Education Revolution from AICTEC and DEEWR. Here are some of the latest publications and some highlights:

· DER fact sheet (2009) the key statistics and broad directions (3 pp.)

· DER strategic plan (2008) Success through partnership outlines the vision. (12 pp.)There are four strands: leadership, infrastructure, learning resources and teacher capability. Some goals of interest:

o Teachers devise student centric programs of learning that address agreed curriculum standards and employ contemporary learning resources and activities

o Students engaged in rigorous and stimulating programs of learning that meet their individual needs and prepare them for success in 21^st century

o Students and teachers routinely collaborate, build and share knowledge using digital technologies – blogs, file sharing, social networking, videoconferencing, etc.

o Students and teachers are able to innovate in their use of ICT to achieve learning outcomes

· DER roadmap (2009) some stuff is reiterated in this (just a bit boring) document. However, of note are the Indicative outcomes for teacher capability (21 pp.). Teaching for the digital age:

o Teachers and school leaders contribute to early career teachers’ disposition, knowledge, skills and capabilities to meet national standards in ICT

o Teachers and school leaders engage in professional learning about effective innovative inclusion of digital learning, tools and resources in teaching to enhance student learning outcomes

o Teachers and school leaders are supported to develop pedagogical understandings about how ICT enables improved teaching and enhances student outcomes

o Teacher registration and accreditation authorities incorporate the capacity to use ICT to enhance teachers and learning as a requirement for registration

o School systems are supported to incorporate into teachers standards as expectation of how ICT enhances teaching and learning practices.

· DER teaching for the digital age work plan (2009) last one!!! (9 pp.) The principles relating to professional learning include:

o Opportunities that are evidence-based and data-driven to guide improvement and to measure impact

o Opportunities that are just in time and just enough (looking for Goldilocks – just right!)

o Programs focused on and embedded in teacher practice

o Opportunities that are collaborative and involve reflection on practice and student learning

o Engagement that is ongoing, supported and fully integrated into the culture and operations of the system and accredited where possible

o Programs that take into account of teachers’ prior knowledge, different learning styles and access to technology

o Recognition of emerging technologies and their impact on teaching, learning and research

o Opportunities for school-based learning with close connections to classroom practice.

Learning with digital technology

What does the research say about the education benefits of learning with digital technology? Well quite a lot - and not much!

• Kathryn Moyle and Susanne Owen (University of Canberra) have put together a very readable literature review: Students' voices: Learning with technology (2008) which describes some of the research on students' expectations about learning with technologies. It gives us a great insight into students access to computers, the applications students use and their proficiency with ICT tasks. It notes that there is a limited amount of Australian research and little research which looks at deeper levels of student learning with digital technologies.
• The Journal of Technology, Learning and Assessment (Boston College) published the article (2005), Learning with technology: the impact of laptop use on students achievement - great title! This is certainly something we would like to know. This study reports that students scored significantly higher test scores and grades in writing (greater length and higher quality), English and mathematics when immersed in a laptop program. These results were probably positively influenced by the teachers that volunteered for the program. However there are some interesting observations made that make this worth reading.
• Cisco Systems commissioned a literature review on emergent findings on technology use in schools by the Metiri Group, Technology in schools: What the research says (2006). They make the opening comment that although after three decades of computers in schools, their use remains controversial (interesting!). A range of types of technologies are examined: TV, radio, calculators, interactive whiteboards, quick-response systems, portable ICT devices, virtual learning, computing laboratories and 1:1 ratio of computers to students (this is the only section I have read to date). The trends and research (both descriptive and rigorous) is examined in relation to knowledge and skills, content expertise, information processing and visualisation, higher-order thinking and sound reasoning and authentic learning experiences. A great starting point for some further reading.