Professional Development in ICT Integration Janet Thomson - SchoolNet SA

SchoolNet SA - brief background Established in by the DoE Funding from IDRC Telkom & Thintana schools Intel® Teach programme Microsoft Partners in Learning Vodacom, Oracle, Multichoice, SITA and Provincial Education Departments

Presentation - Outline ICT in Schools – the context National Policies – teacher ICT competences Professional Development pathways in ICT Considerations for leaders

ICT Policies in SA Education Framework for ICT since 2000 E-Education White Paper 2004 Guidelines for teacher training for ICT 2007

White Paper on e-Education ICT integrationis the focus

CONTENT Knowledge of WHAT we teach in our subject or learning area TECHNOLOGY Knowledge of technologies that support teaching - HOW to use them PEDAGOGY Knowledge of HOW we teach – teaching methods

CONTENT Knowledge of WHAT we teach in our subject / learning area PEDAGOGY Knowledge of HOW we teach – teaching methods TECHNOLOGY Knowledge of technologies that support teaching and HOW to use these

Entry level. The teacher is computer literate and is able to use computers. However, frustrations and insecurities are common in the introduction of ICT. At this level, teachers are likely to lack confidence. Adoption level. The teacher is able to use various ICT, including computers, to support traditional management, administration, teaching and learning, and is able to teach learners how to use ICT. Adaptation level. The teacher is able to use ICT to support everyday classroom activities at an appropriate NCS level, assess the learning that takes place and ensure progression. He/she is able to reflect critically on how ICT changes the teaching and learning processes and to use ICT systems for management and administration. Productivity increases at this level. Appropriation level. The teacher has a holistic understanding of the ways in which ICT contributes to teaching and learning. He/she has an understanding of the developing nature of ICT, and an awareness that it is integral to the structure and purposes of the NCS. He/she has the experience and confidence to reflect on how ICT can influence teaching and learning strategies, and to use new strategies. Innovation level. The teacher is able to develop entirely new learning environments that use ICT as a flexible tool, learning becomes collaborative and interactive. ICT is integrated as a flexible tool for whole-school development through redefining classroom environments and creating learning experiences that leverage the power of technology. Teacher Development Levels

National Policy Standards “From 2008, all students leaving higher education for the teaching profession should have reached at least the adaptation level.” Can universities claim to be producing teachers of quality - if they are unable to integrate ICT in their teaching?

“All practising teachers who have access to ICT should be trained to the adaptation level, as a minimum, by 2010.”

Partnership courses Intel® Teach Getting Started Skills for Success Elements: Project-Based Approaches Elements: Thinking with Technology Essentials (Teach to the Future) Essentials

Intel® Teach - Getting Started 21 Century Skills and ICT Basics

Intel® Teach - Skills for Success Plan It Make a map that shows visitors how to get to the sports venues in your community. Look at the following example: Map Example

Elements – Project Based Approaches Teachers improve their understanding and application of project based approaches in the 21st Century classroom.

Intel® Teach Thinking with Technology Visual Ranking for ranking items in order of importance and justifying their ranking Seeing Reason investigating cause and effect results in in-depth analysis of underlying issues Showing Evidence gathering and evaluating evidence in response to an argument – learners have to cite sources and justify how they relate to the claim

Visual Ranking Tool

Research Question: Why is the infection rate of teenage girls five times higher than amongst teenage boys in some areas ?

Showing Evidence

Intel® Teach Essentials Rigorous – 40 hours How to plan effective projects Target higher order thinking skills

Teachers Engage – online community

Partnership Courses – Microsoft Partners in Learning ICT Skills for Teachers ICT Skills for Principals ICT Leadership for Education Managers One Step Further – ICT integration One Step Further WebQuests - ICT Integration WebQuests Peer Coaching Deploying Student Technical Support Solutions (Helpdesk)

ICT Leadership for Education Managers 2 – 3 days for managers in a cluster Equips management with skills and knowledge for developing sound ICT policy for school Teaches ICT skills for education managers

Peer Coaching – a quiet conversation Designed to support teachers in their ICT use Champion teachers become peer coaches Then support others and conduct staff development 5 Training sessions over 9 months

Peer Coaches

ThinkQuest Winners

Microsoft Innovative Teachers Microsoft Innovative Schools

Microsoft Partners in Learning Network

ICT Skills for Teachers / Principals ICT Leadership Peer Coaching Learner Helpdesk One Step Further ICT Integration (WebQuests) Intel ® Teach Essentials Innovative Teachers Forum Thinking with Technology

Helpdesk

ICT Skills for Teachers / Principals

One Step Further

ICT Integration (WebQuests)

Intel ® Teach Elements

Thinking with Technology

Intel ® Teach Essentials

Peer Coaching E D C B A

Innovative Teachers Forum E D C B A

E D C B A Overall

ICT Leadership in schools in SA Leadership in the uses of ICT Supporting teachers in ICT use Management of ICT resources Stages of ICT readiness – ICT maturity School ICT Policy

Innovative Teachers –Victor Ngobeni

Hlengiwe Mfeka

Sarietjie Musgrave

Conclusions National ICT policies are sound and in place The situation on the ground is different The missing link is professional development In ICT integration – NOT in computer literacy Innovative teachers are those who have changed the way they teach

Creating communities of teachers and learners using ICT to enhance learning We are using computers to learn – not learning to use computers

Questions and comments Janet Thomson (Executive Director, SchoolNet SA)