Info+Tech+Development

I've finished the policy, appendix, rationale and references. I will upload those 4 documents below. I have moved all the other bits of research, info and typing down the page for the moment: once we find out how we are to present our work (ie on paper or on this wiki) I will re-edit and format the page if needed. Amy- 14/8

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UPDATE: I have completed a draft policy. Emphasis on the draft part. I am happy to discuss and revise based on group meetings, I just wanted to get something done. I have not done the student ICT agreement document referred to in the policy yet, this will follow later. The policy is designed to incorporate both the DEECD guidelines for this area and the values of Aim High School as much as possible. Amy-28/7

Pls check out this link: fantastic transformation of a school from the 19th to the 21st century. [|Echuca High]

This is exactly the type of learning space I would want to teach in: open plan, flexible, shared resources, different spaces for different uses. For example, you could have a school made up of three of these buildings, say one designed for communication subjects (eng, humantities, languages), one equipt for sciences and one equipt for phys ed/drama/dance. Enables team teaching and multi-ability classrooms to cater for large or small groups of learners with flexible options for teaching and learning. I want to work at Echuca now!

I have located the page on the DEECD website that seems to list all of the relevant documentation about the laws and rules mandated by the Education Department in terms of staff and student use of ICT. Unfortunataly, we have to locate our ICT policy within the framework of the laws and rules about this stuff. Doh! I will read throught and synthesize the relelvant 'must do's' into a shorter word type document over the next few days. The link to the overall policies page is [|here]

I had one idea I liked: that the filtered and blocked internet that students must use would be in operation during school hours (lets say 9am -3:30 pm, the traditional option). Students would get filtered access during school hours, with the filters coming off as much as is legal outside school hours. My experience with filtered internet at school is that it blocks so much relevant and useable content. Could we get round 'duty of care' crap by having mandated use in school hours with less restricted use outside them? The students could still be accessing valuable internet recources that are blocked during class time on their own time. Teacher logins should also have as little restriction as possible at all times. This is my dream...I will have to research more to see if it could be a reality!

Amy -25/6

These are all example documents uploaded from DEECD. Good background research stuff.



Amy- 7/7

OK, here's my breakdown of the stuff we have to do for the info-tech area. This is my interpretation of what all the DEECD stuff seems to be saying.

Security and proper use: networks have to be secured, data has to be secured, computers have to be physically secured, people's usernames and passwords have to be secured and used correctly. No pornography, fraud, defamation, breach of copyright, unlawful discrimination or vilification, sexual harassment, stalking, illegal activity and privacy violations.

Cybersafety: DEECD believes that school have a very active role to play in teaching kids about being safe and secure online (eg privacy, cyber bullying etc). This is debatable, but is the ideology that is propogated in DEECD documentation.

Teachers have to comply with DEECD regulations about computer use (see the document above entitled DEECD policy docs).

Students have to have their own acceptable computer use policy. This is different from the teachers one, but equally important.

VELS: interdiscipliary learning and relevance for curriculum planning/subject teaching. Is relevant ins communication, ICT and thinking processes domains. I would assume relevance to VCE and VCAL/VET subject as well but am not as familiar with their details...


 * The following statement is provided by the DEECD Legal Services:**__ (and this sorta sums up the ideology really - amy)

“Providing and supervising the use of technology which allows access to messaging services and to the internet raises an area of considerable risk for Schools. Meeting the duty of care owed to students in the context of risks related to use of and supervision of technology at school - or at home where that equipment is provided by the school or used at the direction of the school – will require schools to take positive, reasonable steps to protect the student from the risks. The acceptable use kits will be an important component of demonstrating that such positive, reasonable steps have been taken.” The kits contain:
 * Part A: an agreement which students and parents are asked to sign covering use of technology (computers + internet), mobile phone, iPods or other mobile devices;
 * Part B: a statement for schools to provide to parents outlining the school’s support for responsible and ethical use of technology;
 * Part C: information and advice for parents.

The tack taken on most policy documents resembles taking a piece of paper and covering one's arse with it, metaphorically speaking. Basically, students and staff have to limit themselves to legit, educational purposes type websites. Schools have a duty of care to protect students from inapporpriate content, so must enforce draconain policies of limited access and such. It amounts to acting as policeperson and arbiter of what is 'acceptable' infromation for kids to know. Such a shame it wastes the opportunities for learning inherent in the more free-flow of ideas and knowledge! Fear-based regulations...bah....

Here's another document about having a privacy policy:

Amy -14/7

AMY!! I do like the open plan design..it seems...interesting...dont know how else to say it. I guess i dont have my head around how the teaching works in that format, though it appears to be quite informal, maybe relaxed, unthreatening, etc. Plus the ICT resources are pretty awesome. If we were to go down that direction, how wouild it affect our policies? I imagine they might look completely different. If so, we would need to agree upon it pretty soon, huh!!! Reuben