INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION

DIGITAL STRATEGIES FOR INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Tuesday 22 September 2009

with many thanks to

Highclare School

References One step ahead of the game – Leading change in ICT in support of

pupil learning Ann Gill, NCSL, summer 2007

http://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/docinfo?id=17319&filename=one-step-ahead-of-the-game.pdf

Learning and teaching using ICT: Leadership team toolkit – DCSFhttp://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/175337

The National Strategies | Secondary 3 The Framework for secondary ICT: overview and learning objectiveshttp://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/secondary/secondaryframeworks/ictframework

Becta - government agency “leading the national drive to ensure the effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning”http://www.becta.org.uk/

The Key – on-line subscription service for school leaderswww.usethekey.org.uk

ict-self-review – a public wiki to assist schools in achieving the ICTmarkhttp://ict-self-review.pbworks.com/

Learn-ICThttp://www.learn-ict.org.uk/

Teaching expertise websitehttp://www.teachingexpertise.com

Any of the little Book of management series…

Session 1:

Identifying the problems – where do we start?

Twitter in school – 140 characters

So a priest, a rabbi and a minister walk into a bar. The bartender says, "Is this a joke?"

Limericks r fun 2 write when your authorship pwrs r litethis medium's sweet a short little tweet this one's not great - just alright

“Headteachers need to learn to deal with change instead of spending time unblocking toilets, filling dishwashers and avoiding their leadership responsibilities, a major Government report says.”

“The PricewaterhouseCoopers report, published by schools minister Jim Knight, proposes changes to the law to provide leaders from outside the schools sector, -agency organisations that combine education, health and social work, and a hearts and minds marketing campaign to win support for the changes.

The report acknowledges that school leaders are sick of what they call "initiativitis", expressing frustration with a deluge of inconsistent and poorly resourced Government initiatives.

But, it says, the heads were dreaming of a stability and consistency that could never realistically be delivered, and which was not enjoyed by any other organisation in the public or private sector.

The report adds: "We know from other sectors that change, diversity and complexity are inevitable features of the current and future environment, and that leaders need to accept and embrace this." Jonathan Milne, published in the TES on 19/1/07

Heads must learn to deal with change

The challenge for the delegates todayto understand the critical role ICT now

can play in schoolsto agree that in their school for this to be

accepted there must be whole school support for its role

to accept their responsibility to ‘ginger’ the action at school

To identify how and where they can gain support for the goals set for their school.

The publication of the e-strategy (DfES 2005) marked a step change in government thinking about the importance of educational technology.

ICT is now regarded as a basic educational utility rather than as an additional service, its provision within the curriculum now statutory and part of the core business of any school, state or independent.

Identifying the problems – where do we start?

So much work has been done in so many areas…

…best perhaps to follow the Becta/NCSL Matrix model which can

lead to the award of the schools’ ICT Mark

Assessment costs for ICT mark

£400 + VAT for schools (under 100 pupils)

£500 + VAT for schools (100 pupils or more)

£600 + VAT for secondary schools.Independent and International

schools pay the above, plus £150 and the travel costs of the assessor.

But let’s ignore costs, what are the principles in terms of school development planning for the use of ICT?

Betca Matrix – seems to be at the heart of lots now…

Identifying the problems – where do we start?

Defining the role of the ICT strategy leader – co-ordinator

Showing Insight in the area of ICT – skills to deploy…1. You must ask thoughtful

questions2. You need to look beyond the

obvious3. You should not be afraid to

reframe the problem4. You must learn to trust your gut5. Use research to tell you what you

don’t know

ICT coordinator’s responsibilities (adapted from DCSF national strategy document)

When the responsibilities of ICT coordinator and ICT subject leader are held by two teachers, the ICT coordinator's role is usually one of strategic leadership and management across subjects to promote the use of ICT in teaching and learning.

Through liaison with others who have ICT responsibilities, the coordinator's role typically includes:

ascertaining that each department, including special educational needs and the library, identifies its requirements for ICT provision

coordinating the effective use of ICT across the whole curriculum and encouraging aspects of cross-curricular planning

with the ICT subject leader, helping other departments to consider how ICT can support the teaching and learning of other subjects, and what those subjects can contribute to the teaching and learning of ICT

monitoring, on behalf of the senior leadership team, the use of accommodation, the acquisition, maintenance and replacement of equipment and software, and its storage, access and use by pupils and staff

ensuring that sensible, transparent decisions are made when there are competing demands for resources, and that the school improvement plan includes plans for ICT

encouraging and supporting the professional development of all staff in the use of ICT in their subjects, in line with whole-school policy and practice

liaising with partner primary schools, any local city learning centre, the local education authority and the wider community

managing the school's ICT technician and network manager

Session 2: Factors that help or hinder ICT development

Pressures from Teachers, whole school and external agencies often drive ICT investment in the wrong

direction

Effective school and curriculum leadership is the lynchpin

There really is no escape for teaching professionals from the ‘drudge’ of checking precisely what their scheme of work requires…

…or that matter from the writing of the scheme of work in the first place!

The statutory requirement to ensure that all pupils make progress in ICT capability extends to the application of ICT in other subjects. This should be seen as distinct from the use of ICT to broaden approaches to teaching and learning, and from the use of ICT in a learning activity that does not necessarily require the use of ICT or contribute to the learner's attainment in ICT.

Extending ICT capability may occur through, for example, the application of modeling in science, mathematics or geography, the use of a database to explore settlement patterns in geography, or the use of a range of presentation applications in any subject.

Using ICT across the curriculum

Rather than use these ‘difficult’ judgements, what about using traffic lights

Nearly all with very few exceptions Traffic Lights (JTW)

Green

Most 90% or more Green

Many Around 70% or more Amber

Some Around 40% or more Red/Amber

Few Below 20% Red

The statutory requirement to ensure that all pupils make progress in ICT capability extends to the application of ICT in other subjects. This should be seen as distinct from the use of ICT to broaden approaches to teaching and learning, and from the use of ICT in a learning activity that does not necessarily require the use of ICT or contribute to the learner's attainment in ICT.

Extending ICT capability may occur through, for example, the application of modeling in science, mathematics or geography, the use of a database to explore settlement patterns in geography, or the use of a range of presentation applications in any subject.

Using ICT across the curriculum

Let’s take time out to review the latest standards statements from ISI ISI grade 1 -

Excellent - ICT and the library enhance learning

ISI grade 2. Good - Resources such as ICT and the library are well used,

such as books and ICT are used well in support of the pupils’ learning.

ISI grade 3. Satisfactory - Resources such as books and ICT are used well in

support of the pupils’ learning, Teachers have satisfactory knowledge …

…and make reasonable use of resources, including ICT

ISI grade 4. Unsatisfactory - ICT is taught through the subjects of the

curriculum, but most pupils do not develop much beyond word processing and internet use

Teacher-level factors

Confidence and competence with ICT

Awareness of appropriate curriculum application of ICT

Full access to appropriate software and hardware when required

Time to develop new skills and applications

Access to own personal laptop

School-level factors

ICT ‘vision’ from senior management Whole-school policies focusing on using

ICT across the curriculum Ethos that encourages innovation Program of ICT training and curriculum

support from the ICT coordinator Effective timetabling of rooms and

equipment Ready availability of quality resources Onsite technical/network support

External factors

Professional/subject networks that advise on effective ICT use, such as National Association of Advisers for Computers in Education (NAACE) and the National Literacy Trust

Going to conferences and exhibitions, such as BETT and the Education Show

Support and training opportunities (ISA etc)Commercial training, such as that provided by

software producers Resources from national/government agencies,

such as Becta, DfES/DCSF, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)

The vexed issue of budgeting

Guidance figures from the State sector (Becta report 2006) showed:

Total cost of ICT ownership was:

£50k per primary, £195 per pupil£270k per secondary, £246 per pupil

Becta’s take on budgeting

1 Assess the quality of facilities and services needed to support the ICTdevelopment plan.

2 Audit existing infrastructure provision, equipment age and costs.

3 Identify the impact of existing provision and practices on staff(and possibly pupil) satisfaction, confidence and competence.

4 Review staff training needs.

5 Compare current costs against relevant internal and external benchmarks.

6 Review current procurement practice and value-for-money processes.

7 Challenge assumptions about the quality and value of current technicalsupport services and practices.

8 Reassess the quality of facilities and services needed to support the ICTdevelopment plan in the light of these reviews (points 2–7).

9 Plan and introduce a rolling three-year whole-school budget whichincludes a realistic proportion allocated to ICT-related costs, based uponthe development plan.

What would an asset register look like? From Kent County Council

Lunchtime

Lunch over…

Session 3: Case Studies of the Good, the Bad and the Interesting

ICT integration is not simply dependent on ‘ticking all the boxes’. This is because ICT integration is a result of sometimes complex interactions between these factors, interactions that take place within particular institutional contexts. Put simply, what works for one school may be completely inappropriate for another.

Vision

ReviewImplement

Starting point: What are the things you need to do first ?

St. Custards An object lesson for an ISA school today?

Writing a suitable policy…

From www.usethekey.org.uk

From www.usethekey.org.uk

Getting IT right

The need to integrate ICT fully into all aspects of teaching and learning is no longer a matter of choice for schools, but one of necessity. While the financial costs of a failed strategy are likely to be considerable, the costs in terms of staff morale and student outcomes are potentially irrecoverable.

www.slideshare.net

CUTTOTHECHASE

References One step ahead of the game – Leading change in ICT in support of

pupil learning Ann Gill, NCSL, summer 2007

http://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/docinfo?id=17319&filename=one-step-ahead-of-the-game.pdf

Learning and teaching using ICT: Leadership team toolkit – DCSFhttp://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/175337

The National Strategies | Secondary 3 The Framework for secondary ICT: overview and learning objectiveshttp://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/secondary/secondaryframeworks/ictframework

Becta - government agency “leading the national drive to ensure the effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning”http://www.becta.org.uk/

The Key – on-line subscription service for school leaderswww.usethekey.org.uk

ict-self-review – a public wiki to assist schools in achieving the ICTmarkhttp://ict-self-review.pbworks.com/

Learn-ICThttp://www.learn-ict.org.uk/

Teaching expertise websitehttp://www.teachingexpertise.com

Any of the little Book of management series…