ALL INITIATIVES

Student devices and internet connectivity

What we’ll do:

We'll support students to have age-appropriate access to devices and internet connectivity for learning when they need it.

How we’ll do it:

Establish a primary school device program to deliver an average digital device access ratio of 1 device per every 3 students in all primary schools. The program will provide a costed per capita amount to primary schools to help purchase devices for use at school.

Establish a secondary school device program to help ensure secondary students have access to personal digital devices for their learning, at school and at home. The program will provide guidance on 1:1 device models at the school level, and a costed per capita amount to each school to support devices for all students who need them.

Provide cost savings to schools and families who purchase devices by leveraging the department’s bulk-purchasing power.

Deliver ongoing internet access for learning at home to all students who don't have it currently.

How we’re tracking:

We'll take preparatory steps in 2023, such as undertaking an audit of existing device access ratios and providing devices to School Card students in years 10 to 12 who need one for their learning. The student device programs will come into operation at the beginning of the 2024 school year.

We'll measure student device access ratios annually.

Our student home internet program has been rolled out and is now in full effect, with home internet solutions provided to students and families where needed.

Staff devices

What we’ll do:

We'll make sure that all staff, including educators, have access to a device that supports their work.   

How we’ll do it:

Schools and preschools will provide an up-to-date personal digital device for all educators and support staff, where appropriate to their role. The department will support them with guidance on the types of devices that staff in different settings should have, and with cost savings resulting from our bulk-purchasing power.

How we’re tracking:

In 2023 we'll support schools and preschools with advice on devices where needed. By January 2024, all staff should start receiving their personal devices.

Support to maintain ICT infrastructure

What we’ll do:

We'll provide advice and better support to help schools and preschools maintain their ICT infrastructure, so they can focus on teaching and learning.

How we’ll do it:

Establish formal advice for all schools and preschools on ICT network type, maintenance and replacement (including costs).

Accelerate work to review and uplift digital foundations in metropolitan primary school sites where this hasn’t yet occurred.

How we’re tracking:

In 2023, we'll launch the guidance for schools and accelerate ICT health checks and remediation work currently underway in metropolitan schools, completing this in 2024.

We'll monitor the quality of ICT infrastructure in our schools on an ongoing basis through our Digital Guarantee Unit.

Digital Guarantee Unit

What we’ll do:

We'll establish a multi-disciplinary Digital Guarantee Unit to work with sites to support their digital improvement.

How we’ll do it:

The unit will:

• develop an evidenced-based online tool to empower sites to assess their digital maturity
• support sites to undertake and understand their digital maturity assessment and results
• support sites to implement digital maturity development plans, based on site context and maturity level
• help sites to make sure digital foundations are in place and maintained
• work with leaders in each site to implement development plans
• connect sites to resources built through the digital strategy, as well as other training and expertise.

The unit will tailor resources and support to the needs of each site or partnership.

How we’re tracking:

We'll establish the team and its program resources in the second half of 2024. The unit will work with all schools across our system to support their maturity assessments and improvement from 2024 onwards.

We'll monitor the levels of digital maturity and improvements over time of the schools that use the assessment tool.

Building staff capability

What we’ll do:

We'll establish digital training packages for educators, support and central staff to improve their digital skills in teaching, collaboration and administration.

How we’ll do it:

The training packages will be delivered online and in-person. For educators they'll cover:

• device and software use (tailored to teaching and device type)
• strategies for teaching effectively online
• strategies to integrate technology into learning effectively.

Staff will be encouraged to complete the training:

• when transitioning into the workforce as an educator, helping to ensure that all new teachers have baseline skills, tailored to the technology used at their placement site
• as part of their professional learning, when the digital maturity assessment at their site indicates a need to upskill in this area
• as part of the induction process for central and support staff.

How we’re tracking:

In 2023 we'll build the packages and resources and test them with select schools and central staff. They'll be launched more widely in 2024.

We'll monitor take-up levels of the program, and the digital capability of our workforce more generally.

Support student capability

What we’ll do:

We'll provide training resource packages for students to develop the basic digital skills they need to use digital devices in their learning effectively.

How we’ll do it:

First, we'll develop resource packages for year 4 and year 7.

The resource packages will include information about:

• device care
• cyber safety
• email and video chat
• using key software (email, Microsoft and Google productivity tools) and other technologies that enhance student experience and learning.

The resource packages will also include an online tool to benchmark a student’s digital skills and show areas for development, enabling each student to focus their effort on where it's most needed.

How we’re tracking:

In 2023 we'll develop, test and refine the program and resources. The packages will be launched in 2024.

We'll monitor whether the average level of students’ digital skills improve, as measured through the online tool.

School business improvement support

What we'll do:

We'll provide schools and preschools with better support to identify opportunities to improve business operations and technology deployment, freeing up time to focus on teaching and learning.

How we’ll do it:

We will:

• continue to implement system-wide business improvement initiatives, with a particular focus on school and preschool business processes
• tailor the support to the needs of the site, from providing consultation and advice through to embedding a senior analyst in the site to identify opportunities and solutions
• capture learnings from these initiatives and apply them more broadly across the system.

How we’re tracking:

The program is already underway and will continue across 2023 onwards.

We'll review the improvements in schools and preschools and how we've captured and addressed systemic issues that we've identified.

Corporate business improvement

What we’ll do

We'll support corporate divisions to improve their business processes through digital technologies.

How we’ll do it

We will:

• support each division to identify business processes that can be improved, as part of their annual business plan
• work with each division, through ICT Services business partners, to develop a digital roadmap to implement improvements.

How we’re tracking

We'll establish an ICT Corporate Business Partnering team in the first half of 2023 who will then start in the second half of the year.

We'll review the business improvements that are introduced and the impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the department.