Embedding ICT in Learning (EiL): Collaboration Partnerships for Rural Schools

Abstract

This project intended to develop a learning partnership between schools and the University of New England (UNE) to support teachers and pre-service teachers in their professional learning. A functional collaborative relationship was developed among three partners: NSW Country Areas Program (CAP) Northern Network Schools, the School of Education at UNE, and The National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia (SiMERR) at UNE. A Learning Community Professional Development model was trialled with teachers, pre-service teachers and lecturers linked together into eight Learning Teams that planned, implemented and evaluated in-school projects. • The focus on embedding both Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Learning to Learn (L2L) strategies in learning and also on combining ICT and L2L, promoted higher-order thinking with school students. • The development of criteria and related measures to measure the value-adding capacity of the embedding of ICT in learning challenged participants’ views on the assessment of students' learning. • Basing the in-school projects in the classroom gave all participants the opportunity for professional learning in context and provided students with a wider audience. • The Learning Community model nurtured collaborative relationships between the teachers, pre-service teachers and lecturers and provided mutual support for professional learning. • The focus on embedding ICT and L2L strategies in learning resulted in L2L being used to enhance the use of ICT and encouraged students to engage in higher-order thinking. • Developing value-added criteria proved to be a difficult exercise for all participants but useful measures were trialled and will provide a seed for future research. As a result of this project, professional experience opportunities for pre-service teachers at UNE have been revised and a productive professional relationship has developed between the NSW Northern Network CAP Schools and UNE. Unintended and valuable outcomes include: the strength of the relationships that developed among all involved; the upgrading of equipment and creation of a lecturing position across the two fields of ICT and learning, and a better understanding for teachers of the process of evaluating current practice.