Report on the Australian Computers in Education Conference John Turner

30 September – 2 October 2008 , Canberra 7 October

This report provides some personal perspectives for the above Conference.

The Conference came as a key time for Australian education computing. With the Federal Government’s Digital Education Revolution (DER)
policy up and running the implications for schools are most significant. The opportunity to interact with people involved in the policy
formulation and implementation was appreciated.

Overall I was left with an impression of a lack of forward progress, with similar stories reflecting changing technology considerations but not
in structures or levels of embedding needed to do justice to ICT-related school learning. There is still too much “if…only” or “look at me”
presentations. There remains the dilemma of differing values attributed to examination-measured learning compared to learning arising
through the purposeful, creative application of technologies in learning environments that facilitate responsible student management and
ownership of learning.

The DER policy

A speech by the Federal Education Minister, Julia Gillard, to the conference (see at
http://mediacentre.dewr.gov.au/mediacentre/gillard/releases/addresstotheaustraliancomputersineducationconference.htm ) provided a
coherent view into Government thinking. This included the objective of increasing student management their own learning and schools
having an embedded approach. The Minister pointed to the importance of using communication technologies to support accountable student
personalised learning, with implications for education systems, as well as school-based, LMS and VLEs. Problems highlighted included that
many of our schools looked and acted like schools of the past, and that technology was too-often seen as an optional add-on. The Minister
called on educators to change how we learn, work and act. The four key component of the Government’s plan are [1] universal access [2]
networked access [3] compelling educational content, and [4] teacher training and support. My concern remains that effective digital learning
change is not achieved by primarily resourcing the status quo.

What the research is telling us

While the merits and alternative interpretations of research into educational computing were issues in themselves, there were some
significant themes arising from researchers.

• The increasing gap between the student view of what ICT offers and the limitations provided within school approaches, be it through
lack of student voice (Moyle) or mismatches between intended learning aims and unintended outcomes (Cox). Students want
unfettered access to ICTs to explore, think and learn. Identity, control and sharing are key issues for our young (Cox) who are
experiencing conceptual change through expanding representations (This confirms my observations)

• The lack of any causal relationship between ICT use per se and learning. Successful educating depends on the mediating environment
(Newhouse) and the likelihood is increased by whole-school vision and commitment. Skill development can lead to increased
confidence, but certain pedagogical skills are needed for meaningful use. The cultural uniqueness of each school also needs to be
taken into account in setting targets (Cox). What warrants consideration is not only student learning objectives, but also consideration
of Learning Environment Attributes, Teacher ICT attributes, School ICT capacity and School Environment attributes (Newhouse).

• The uncertain value of IWBs for supporting education change, rather than merely upholding embedded practices. This depends on
teacher pedagogical preferences, but concerns were raised with a propensity to focus computer integration as maintaining locus of
control in systems and teachers over students. Related to this is concerns with technocentrism (primary focus being technology goals)

• Against this the importance of the development of creative thinkers (Reznick) involving a pedagogical approach of Imagine > Create >
Play > Share > Reflect > Imagine. In this the potential of Web 2 to facilitate sharing and knowledge construction.

The ISTE calls for teachers to transform learning through ICT use that involves
• Advocacy for change • Sharing for change • Showcasing for change
• Taking on risks for change • Then using resources to embed change

My papers

The focus of my papers, Wiki / Web 2 curriculum initiatives and addressing

whole school ICT use for classroom learning, resonated with issues raised by
leading conference participants; be it calls for more understanding of the
Web 2 implications for school learning (ACCE President Leonard) or
concerns with the lack of cohesion in ICT classroom learning through ICT
and related teacher professional development.

Opportunities arising included

- Advance our Climate Change studies within our VCE IT project

through working with computersoff.org
Is this the changing world of education? - Working on joint interests with mediawiki
- Increased Web 2 curriculum contacts and reflective auditing

Questions Arising

1. What are schools and school systems going to do about linking to student controlled technologies such as laptops and mobile phones?
2. With fully functioning laptops for under $500 and increased technologies available through ‘cloud computing’ shouldn’t schools at least be
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able to answer why personal computers are not on the booklist (or whatever name it should have in the 21 Century)?
3. What approaches, values and relationships will schools adopt to add value to changes in student learning and approaches to schools
brought on by the increasingly influential digital world?
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4. Will the potential for eportfolios to help facilitate 21 century digital learning be realised?