The Digital Strategy

 

Purpose

The digital strategy is to assist in the development of an enriching environment to enhance the teaching-learning process thereby ensuring all constituent needs are met. Thus, a learning organization is created where effectiveness and efficiency in its operations are paramount.

The purpose will ensure that:

• the requisite digital tools are procured.
• Training is provided on the use and maintenance of the digital tools
•  A collaborative environment is created where there is shared ownership and opportunities for capacity building
• Students are prepared to be 21^st century learners engaged in digital citizenship
• Sustainable measures are espoused and implemented to achieve whole school outcomes

Vision

The school’s vision is to inspire all constituents to self-actualize through the use of the requisite digital schools, thereby empowering learners to be digital citizens who are actively engaged in solution-oriented approaches. This will be achieved through the:

• Integration of technology within the teacher-learner relationship.
• Integration of technology to increase the effectiveness of administrative tasks and reduce paper use and wastage through digitisation.
• The provision of a medium for expression, communication and articulation of thoughts
• Digital tools utilized for analytics to collect, assess, and share performance information
• The development of departmental digital strategies which align with the school’s vision and the achievement of education for sustainable development
• Extensive and purposeful training of staff to utilise the digital tools so that job satisfaction is realized and competency is improved to encourage innovation.
• Ensuring technology systems integration of physical and virtual spaces that are adaptable
• Differentiated learning strategies facilitated through the use of varying digital tools to ensure equity and the achievement of the whole school outcomes
• Fence to fence internet connectivity with wired access

    

Digital Literacy and Capacity

           Digital literacy practices involve the ability to locate and consume, create, and communicate digital content, while simultaneously employing a process of critical evaluation (Spires et al., 2017). It is essential that all constituents at The Lodge School develop the skills to locate, comprehend and consume digital content on the web, create content to enhance the teaching and learning thereby inculcating the 21st century skills necessary for a technological society. Furthermore, teacher can be facilitators where students actively construct meaning and develop skills. Moreover, being able to communicate efficiently affords the ability to provide differentiated learning.  

        

    Fig. 1 Digital literacy practices involve the ability to locate and consume, create, and communicate digital content, while simultaneously employing a process of critical evaluation. 

    Adapted from Squires et al. (2017)

         The acquisition of digital literacy and capacity can be encouraged through the development of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) for teacher and through the establishment of developmental programmes for students and the utilization of student leaders to encourage peer tutoring and mentoring. 

        

        Baltaci and Ucan (2022) posit that a professional learning network is a group of people with whom one connects, collaborates, communicates and collaborates in the sharing and exchanging of information and ideas, and through whom one increases one's knowledge and understanding of topics on interest. According to the Welsh Government (2013) a professional learning community (PLC) is a group of practitioners working together using a structured process of enquiry to focus on a specific area of their teaching to improve learner outcomes and so raise school standards.

        

          At the school, currently, training is only undertaken as the need arises or on request, which in most instances is solely conducted by the ITC. It is imperative that the development of PLCs and PLNs be encouraged as the burden of financial costs is minimized while promoting continuous professional development. It is prudent to cultivate a climate which fosters lifelong learning.

        

        Therefore, to establish a PLC/ PLN teachers will be encourage to join. While the facilitation can be done during a professional development session at school, an established day and time for meeting will be shared. Additionally, teachers from other schools if interested will be allowed to join. Persons with a particular expertise will share or chair on the day of meeting.

Fig. 2 JISC Digital Capacity Framework

Adapted from Perwira and Iswati (2020)

                      

           Furthermore, through the development of a Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and ensuring security both for the physical plant and personal data when using digital tools is promoted, can assist with promoting digital literacy and capacity. This will be developed by the ITC under the guidance of the Principal.

Digital Technology Infrastructure and Procurement

The following areas must be considered when looking at Digital Technology Infrastructure and Procurement:

• Digital safety- strong passwords, securing personal data, AUP, antivirus, firewall, netiquette
• Digital Privacy- passwords, programmes to monitor browsing
• Digital Equity and Equality- starting from the same reference point, provision of additional resources to disadvantaged students
• Security Issues- notification alerts, automatic virus scans, data backup
• Technical Issues-increased bandwidth, increased connectivity, public address system
• Physical space and security conditions- surveillance cameras, additional room to house systems
• Digital tools- training will be provided on the use of varying digital tools identified by staff
• Financial Resources- Coverage by Board of Management, partnerships with the private sector, universities and colleges and other vested constituents

Digital Leadership

    The ISTE standard 'The Connected Learner' promotes that leaders must model and promote continuous professional learning for themselves and others. The promotion and development of initiatives for continuous professional development will help to sustain employees' employability and afford them the ability to have a proactive and responsive attitude to the transforming demands within education. Coaching and mentoring can be utilized which also encourages reflective practice. Different digital tools can be used to facilitate coaching and mentoring and to record reflections.