Digital Technologies
Digital Learning Model
What are digital technologies?
Digital technologies are the digital devices, tools, applications and systems that students and teachers use for learning and teaching; this includes Department-provided software and locally-sourced devices, tools and systems.
What is digital learning?
Digital learning is any type of learning that is facilitated by technology and any instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen and/or transform the learning experience. Digital learning occurs across all learning areas and domains, and encompasses the application of a wide spectrum of practices including:
- blended and virtual learning
- game-based learning
- accessing digital content
- collaborating locally and globally
- assessment and reporting online
- active participation in online communities
- using technology to connect, collaborate, curate and create.
Our Digital Learning Vision
To create an environment where technology is accessible, encouraged and used for engagement. We want to see our students working together, creating, learning and growing by using digital technologies as a tool.
Purpose of the Digital Learning Model
Our goal is to prepare students for an ever-evolving world where digital technology is accessible, encouraged and embedded in everything we do. Teaching our students to be safe, respectful, responsible and resilient online is a priority for the Seaholme community. We will partner with Seaholme families to create safe digital environments at school and home. We will implement a Digital Learning model that creates a learning environment where technology enhances learning, motivation, authenticity and engagement. We want to see our students using digital technology when collaborating, communicating, creating, learning and growing together. We want to set up students for success in a digital world.
The purpose of the Digital Learning Model at Seaholme Primary is to inform both teachers and parents about:
- How technology is used and implemented.
- What Digital Learning looks like in the classroom.
- When these skills will be taught?
- Why we have taken this approach at Seaholme Primary School?
Just as the technology we use is always evolving, so is the way we use it in educating our students.
Our Digital Learning Pedagogy
Our method and practice of digital technology implementation at Seaholme Primary School has three layers. These layers see the student learning process at the core of what we do. This is then supported by the SAMR model (refer below) and the learning experience which increases both the student and teacher awareness of the purpose and use of technology within the core curriculum areas. The 3rd layer focuses on ensuring teacher technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) are connected at a high level to enhance the learning experience, engagement and understanding. Below are details of the three layers and where they sit in relation to each other.
Reflection of learning experience (SAMR)
The Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition Model offers a method of seeing how computer technology might impact teaching and learning. It also shows a progression that adopters of educational technology often follow as they progress through teaching and learning with technology.
While one might argue over whether an activity can be defined as one level or another, the important concept to grasp is the level of student engagement. One might well measure progression along these levels by looking at who is asking the important questions. As one moves along the continuum, digital technology becomes more important in the classroom but at the same time becomes more invisibly woven into the demands of good teaching and learning.
Effective Pedagogical Practice (TPACK)
Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is a framework to understand and describe the kinds of knowledge needed by a teacher for effective pedagogical practice in a technology enhanced learning environment.
The TPACK framework looks at the relationships between technology, pedagogy, and content. A teacher capable of negotiating these relationships represents a form of expertise different from, and (perhaps) broader than, the knowledge of a disciplinary expert (say a scientist or a musician or sociologist), a technology expert (a computer engineer) or an expert at teaching/pedagogy (an experienced educator).
Seaholme Primary’s Digital Technology Model
Foundation-2 Model
Within the early years (Foundation to Grade 2) at Seaholme Primary School we will use a 1:2 school based iPad model.
Close to 100 iPads will be shared amongst the junior, which can be utilised in various ways, such as during whole class or small groups instruction. In these years there are large portions of substitution and augmentation occurring as the technology is used to reinforce fundamental skills across Numeracy and Literacy.
Years 3-6 Model
In Year 3-6 we have our 1:1 iPad program. Students are expected to bring their school iPad to school every day, fully charged. The school will be in control of the iPads and make all necessary Apps accessible to the students. A large portion of these apps will be used throughout the student’s time at Seaholme Primary. Each student must sign a user agreement which is in-line with the school’s Digital Technologies and Acceptable Use Policy. Students will utilise their devices across a broad range of curriculum areas, including our specialist programs.
Seaholme Primary School Digital Learning Expectations
Seaholme Primary School prides itself in providing its students with modern learning opportunities. The school’s Digital Learning Model sets out what we as a school expect of our students and teachers.
Expectations of Leading Teachers/Principals:
- Provide all teachers with varied opportunities in varied environments and time slots to undertake professional development to establish an understanding of the Minimum Core Teaching Standards (see below). This could be within school hours as release to observe or ‘level up’ their own skills by team-teaching, before/during/after school in-house PD or out of school PD offered by professionals in other contexts or teaching environments.
Expectations of Professional Learning Teams:
- All planning documents incorporate digital learning, where applicable.
- As a group, teacher teams discuss and plan for the implementation of digital
technologies within the classroom.
Expectations of teachers:
- Regularly use the classroom’s display LCD as a visual teaching tool to model iPad use, share tasks and progress of students and demonstrate learning and achievements.
- iPad use must be regularly implemented in all learning areas, such as Numeracy, Literacy and Science, as well as Specialist areas where applicable.
- Have a fundamental understanding of how to use screen mirroring technology.
- Have a fundamental understanding of how to use the apps on the school’s app lists.
- Engage in regular professional development in the use of iPads and classroom
integration of digital technology. This may be determined/directed by the Principal if deemed necessary in order to establish the Minimum Core Teaching standards (see below). - Provide students with ongoing opportunities to use digital technologies in all learning environments.
- Use a word processor or other application to create resources.
- Know who to seek out for assistance when ‘trouble shooting’ and actively access
these people. - Link personal Professional Development Plan goals to areas where Minimum Core
standard requires attention, or that relates to the school’s Strategic Plan and Annual
Implementation Plan.
Expectations of students:
- Engage respectfully and responsibly with all digital technology.
- Follow the expectations outlined in Seaholme Primary’s 1:1 Acceptable User
Agreement and Digital Technologies and Acceptable Use Policy.
Essential Digital Technology Literacy (Minimum Core Teaching Standards)
All teachers MUST be able to demonstrate the following, to and with students:
- Ability to customise and personalise digital learning.
- Ability to explore deeper, searching for a broad range information.
- Ability to connect to others while collaborating in selected tasks.
- Researching through the use of the internet for required information.
- Ability to evaluate digital resources.
- An understanding of the use of search engines.
- The use of online mapping.
- Ability to access videos, podcasts and online feeds for learning purposes.
- Ability to use a variety of closed learning platforms.
- Understanding of blogging etiquette and purpose.
- Ability to locate relevant resources on the internet.
- Ability to use the Internet browser history.
Victorian Curriculum Foundation to 10 (Technologies – Digital Technologies)
The Digital Technologies curriculum aims to ensure that students can:
- design, create, manage and evaluate sustainable and innovative digital solutions to meet and redefine current and future needs
- use computational thinking and the key concepts of abstraction; data collection, representation and interpretation; specification, algorithms and development to create digital solutions
- apply systems thinking to monitor, analyse, predict and shape the interactions within and between information systems and the impact of these systems on individuals, societies, economies and environments
- confidently use digital systems to efficiently and effectively automate the transformation of data into information and to creatively communicate ideas in a range of settings
- apply protocols and legal practices that support safe, ethical and respectful communications and collaboration with known and unknown audiences.
Foundation to Level 2
Digital Systems
Identify and explore digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose
Data and Information
Recognise and explore patterns in data and represent data as pictures, symbols and diagrams
Collect, explore and sort data, and use digital systems to present the data creatively
Independently and with others create and organise ideas and information using information systems, and share these with known people in safe online environments
Creating Digital Solutions
Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems
Explore how people safely use common information systems to meet information, communication and recreation needs
Levels 3 and 4
Digital Systems
Explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data
Data and Information
Recognise different types of data and explore how the same data can be represented in different ways
Collect, access and present different types of data using simple software to create information and solve problems
Individually and with others, plan, create and communicate ideas and information safely, applying agreed ethical and social protocols
Creating Digital Solutions
Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions involving branching and user input (algorithms) needed to solve them
Develop simple solutions as visual programs
Explain how student-developed solutions and existing information systems meet common personal, school or community needs
Levels 5 and 6
Digital Systems
Examine the main components of common digital systems, and how such digital systems may connect together to form networks to transmit data
Data and Information
Examine how whole numbers are used as the basis for representing all types of data in digital systems
Acquire, store and validate different types of data and use a range of software to interpret and visualise data to create information
Plan, create and communicate ideas, information and online collaborative projects, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols
Creating Digital Solutions
Define problems in terms of data and functional requirements, drawing on previously solved problems to identify similarities
Design a user interface for a digital system, generating and considering alternative design ideas
Design, modify and follow simple algorithms represented diagrammatically and in English, involving sequences of steps, branching, and iteration
Develop digital solutions as simple visual programs
Explain how student-developed solutions and existing information systems meet current and future community and sustainability needs
Student safety
When students are problem solving and creating and communicating information, they will apply skills and protocols to meet their legal, safety, cultural and ethical obligations and responsibilities. For example, protocols such as using acceptable language, acknowledging different cultural practices, and using passwords and privacy settings on social media sites are applied to increase the security of personal data and to respect participants in online environments.
Integrating the strands
Students draw on the content of the Data and Information, and Digital Systems strands when applying processes and technical skills pertaining to the Creating Digital Solutions strand. Within this strand, students apply the interrelated processes of analysing, designing, developing and evaluating to create digital solutions. The processes can be applied using an agile or sequential approach.
As problems become more complex, and solutions more sophisticated, it becomes increasingly necessary for students to develop skills in abstraction. Solutions may be developed using combinations of readily available hardware and software applications, and/or specific instructions provided through programming. Students may also engage in learning activities that do not require the full use of all of the processes. This means there is greater flexibility about when different content descriptions are introduced into the learning program within a band.
Connections with other curriculum areas
There are strong connections between Digital Technologies and some other discipline-based learning areas.
Digital Technologies and Mathematics
The Digital Technologies curriculum provides contexts within which mathematical understanding, fluency, logical reasoning, analytical thought and problem-solving skills can be applied and developed. In particular, computational thinking draws on mathematical understanding and skills. An understanding of data and data analysis skills will enhance
students’ abilities to analyse patterns and trends, and logical reasoning will support the design of algorithms.
Digital Technologies and Science
The Digital Technologies curriculum complements many aspects of the Science curriculum. Digital Technologies equips students with many techniques and skills for facilitating the collection, organisation, storage, analysis and presentation of qualitative and quantitative scientific data to enable evidence-based conclusions to be drawn from investigations. Digital Technologies enable students to use simulations and animations to support the development of their understanding of Science concepts and models, and to test predictions about scientific phenomena that may be difficult to explore through first-hand investigations.
Digital Technologies and Geography
The Digital Technologies curriculum complements aspects of the Geography curriculum. In Digital Technologies, students learn how to collect, sort, validate, represent and manipulate data and information, as well as recognise patterns in datasets. These skills are applied in Geography, for example, when students develop spatial understandings through creating, interpreting and using maps, and collecting fieldwork data and processing them.
Digital Technologies and The Arts
The Digital Technologies curriculum complements aspects of The Arts curriculum, particularly with respect to design and using digital systems. In Digital Technologies, students engage in design thinking as part of the Creating Digital Solutions strand. These skills are also applied in The Arts as students generate alternative ideas, select and apply design principles and elements and sequence decisions and events. In Digital Technologies students learn about the functionality of a range of digital systems, and these skills are applied when transforming ideas into arts forms.
Digital Learning One-to-One Program – FAQ
What do students and families get as a part of the Digital Learning One-to-One Program?
Students will have access to an iPad 256 GB (9th Generation for 3/4s and 10th Generation for 5/6s), Zagg Pro Keys Touch Wireless Keyboard w/Trackpad Detachable Case, an Apple Pencil and educational apps that enhance student learning. This device can go home with them each night, over weekends and during the two-week holiday blocks. The device will be fully managed and supervised by Jamf Pro at school and Jamf Parent at home. This allows families to restrict and enable apps and device functionality on the device. As a part of the program, the device will also be insured (additional information below).
Why an iPad and not a different device?
Our students leave Seaholme and go to a number of different high schools that utilise various devices in their one-to-one programs. The iPad provides us with the most flexibility in use. It has a high-quality keyboard that can allow the device to be used similarly to a laptop. The case is also detachable so that iPad can be mobile and used to create learning artifacts. We want to ensure our students are prepared to transition to any other device and the expectations for digital literacy that come with high school.
Additionally, Apple provides ongoing free professional learning for teachers to ensure iPad use enhances students learning. Our staff have been undertaking professional development and working will Apple products since 2017.
Who owns the device?
The school owns the device. The students and families have access to the device if they are part of the Digital Learning One-to-One Program.
Why can’t we bring our own device?
A major focus of our Digital Learning One-to-One Program is creating a safe digital environment for students at school and home. We want our students to learn how to be safe, respectful, responsible and resilient digital citizens. To scaffold this while they learn, we need to be able to manage and supervise the device. We are not able to manage and supervise personal devices.
How does the cost of Seaholme’s program compare to other schools?
Our program is generally cheaper than other schools. Two other one-to-one programs have launched recently in other schools. One will cost families $1500 upfront for a three-year program. The second is costing $2000 upfront for three years.
Seaholme Primary School is contributing money from our own budget to support the Digital Learning One-to-One program. Our program is also one of the only programs that allows the school and families to supervise and manage the device.
What does ‘managed and supervised device’ mean?
The Jamf software allows us to choose and restrict what apps can be installed on the iPad. We can also control the settings, lock the device when needed, and view and control what the student is doing on the device.
We cannot view what the child is doing on the device at home. However, we will support families to manage the device at home through Jamf Parent.
What apps will be on the iPad?
Apple Suite – Safari, Apple Classroom, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, etc
Google Suite – Google Classroom, Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc
Creation – Explain Everything, Book Creator, iMovie, Makers’ Empire, Sketcher School, Garage Band Coding – Sphero Edu, Lego Education, Scratch Jr
Home Use – Mathletics, Reading Eggs
What about screen time? Will my child sit on the iPad all day?
The amount of time on the iPads will stay the same at school. The way we use it will change thanks to the one-to-one model. Currently, teachers need to book out iPad trolleys in hour blocks. This encourages teachers to make the most of the device and use it for the whole hour block.
Often there are better uses for the device.
Having access to a device at all times will allow students to use it for short bursts of time to enhance their learning. Examples include taking a photo of their writing, annotating it and sharing it with a peer for instant feedback. Students can use an app to record their screen and include an audio recording of their thinking process while solving challenging maths tasks. They can then share it with a peer or teacher to gain feedback and move their learning forward.
At times, students may participate in lessons requiring the use of the iPad for a sustained period. These lessons will have students complete new types of learning tasks that previously weren’t possible without the device. Some examples include using 3D design software to create projects that can be 3D printed, coding, robotics and videography. Even these lessons will see students collaborating around a device and sharing their learning. We will not replace everyday learning tasks, such as writing by hand, with the iPad. The device is there to enhance learning, not substitute what is already happening.
Another huge benefit is that you will be able to manage screen time at home. If you are having problems with screen time at home will be able to support you to place restrictions on the device. Families can set a time when the device locks or lock the device on command.
Does the iPad have to come home?
The device can go home each night, over weekends and during the two-week holiday blocks. However, the device doesn’t have to go home. We have storage and charging facilities at school, so the device can stay at school if families choose to do so.
What happens to the device over the end of year holiday break?
At the end of each school year, the device will be collected for maintenance and redistributed at the start of the next year. This means that students will receive a different device that has been reset to its factory setting each year.
Will my child be taught how to take care of the device?
At the start of each year, all students participate in the Setting Up For Success – First 15 Days of School Unit. This unit sets up the culture, routines and expectations for that year level. Students will learn how to use and take care of the iPad as a part of this unit. The use of technology will also be added to our School Wide Positive Behaviours framework so that all students understand the expectations around using technology.
What happens if the iPad gets broken?
Insurance is included in the Digital Learning One-to-One Program. An excess contribution will need to be paid by the parents/carers, and then the device will be fixed. The first time a device is broken, we ask for a excess contribution of at least $50. If the device is broken a second time, the excess contribution will be at least $125. If the device is broken a third time, the excess contribution will be at least $300.
What happens if the iPad gets lost/stolen?
As the iPad is supervised and managed by the school we are able to track the device, lock it, turn it on and off and even set off an alarm. These strategies will be used to help find the iPad. If it is not found the parents/carers will need to pay a $500 excess contribution and then a replacement iPad will be provided to them.
What happens if the Apple pencil gets broken or lost?
A part of our program is having strong routines and procedures in place to avoid this. Apple pencils will be labelled, stored securely and students will be taught to check their equipment at the beginning and end of each lesson. In the event that an apple pencil is broken or lost, it will be the responsibility of parents/carers to replace it.
How to I pay for the program?
Our Parent Payments Letter outlines the contribution payment options available. You may choose to contribute the $400 up front or pay in instalments of $100 each term.
I have questions about the program, whom do I ask?
Andrew Marshall is our Head of Digital Technologies. You may contact Andrew via email at Andrew.Marshall2@education.vic.gov.au or call the school office on 9398 2806 and leave a message for Andrew to return your call.
I have questions about the payment, whom do I ask?
Our Principal James Barger. You may contact James via email at james.barger@education.vic.gov.au or call the school office on 9398 2806 and leave a message for James to return your call.
How can I view the Digital Learning Policy?
The policy is available on our school website www.seaholmeps.vic.edu.au