Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay
My teaching career began in a time when computers were first starting to be implemented in schools. There were computer labs where you could book in and students would work on very simple tasks that integrated technology.
In late 2008, Australia’s then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd launched the Digital Education Revolution (Department of Education, Skills and Employment 2013) which saw a shift in the use of technology in Australian schools. This program saw:
- the provision of laptops to all public high school students in years 9-12 through the National Secondary School Computer Fund
- the deployment of high speed broadband to all Australian schools and quality digital tools, resources and infrastructure to support the implementation of the new national curriculum
- greater increase in training for staff and students to promote the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in schools
Over the following years I have seen a lot of change in the educational landscape in regards to the use of ICT in education and continue to be involved in its evolution. My journey as a teacher and individual in this digital age is categorised by CHANGE.
The greater introduction of mobile technologies, both for personal use, and as an educational tool has seen both teachers and students forced to adapt to a whole new world of digital literacy and identity. It has been my role as an educator to help both teachers and students to navigate this brand new world.
The reflection from David White (2014) in his video spoke to me, as this is something that I see on a regular basis with my students in the library. We have this expectation that young people will be able to transfer their “Resident practice” to their school work, but this is often not the case.
References
Department of Education, Skills and Employment 2013, Digital Education Revolution – Overview, n.p., viewed 17 March 2020, <https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/digital_education_revolution_program_review.pdf >
Socha, A 2016, ‘Lightbulb’, viewed 17 March 2020, < https://pixabay.com/illustrations/lightbulb-bulb-l ight-idea-energy-1875247/ >
White, D 2014, Visitors and Residents, YouTube Video, 10 March, viewed 17 March 2020, < https://youtu.be/sPOG3iThmRI >
