Digital Practice Guide

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The Digital Practice Guide was formerly known as the Education Support Workers Framework and has been renamed to reflect the opportunities available to all education support staff as they explore their digital practice to build workforce capability and performance.

A group of eleven education support staff (teacher aides) from Mitchelton State School, working in mainstream and in Special Education received their Certificate of Digital Practice in December 2012.

The group worked together to explore the elements of the Digital Practice Guide, meeting weekly to participate in OneChannel web conferences.

Using the Digital Practice Guide, they identified individual learning needs that now form the basis of ongoing planning and professional development provision for the group.

Many education support staff from special schools and special education programs are engaging enthusiastically with the Digital Practice Guide to explore how they can best utilise the iPads delivered to their schools as part of the Government's election commitment eLearning for special needs students initiative.

A team of ten education support staff at Mount Ommaney Special School received their Certificate of Digital Practice in December 2012.

The group worked through the guide together in fortnightly meetings and continue to meet regularly to look at ways they can develop skills by setting goals for future learning in their Developing Performance plans, specifically working with the new iPads in the classroom.

Overview

Education support staff (teacher aides) who are seeking a professional learning opportunity are encouraged to get involved with the Digital Practice Guide.

Schools across the state are using the Digital Practice Guide to engage their education support staff in professional dialogue as they identify how their digital practice supports students.

The indicators enable support staff to reflect on how their digital practice contributes to teaching and learning experiences while assisting students working digitally in the classroom.

The guide is designed to align directly with the Community Services National Training Package CHC08 qualifications including the Certificate III, IV and Diploma in Education Support. The indicators of the guide reflect the nature of the activities education support staff engage in on a day-to-day basis.

Engaging in professional conversations related to the Digital Practice Guide can also contribute to setting goals and identifying professional learning opportunities for teacher aides in relation to their Developing Performance Framework Plan.

How does it work?

With the guidance of a school-based sponsor, education support staff will reflect on their current practice and gather evidence, relating to the guide indicators, in a digital collection. The sponsor is usually a teacher who works regularly with the education support staff and is familiar with their role and current digital practice.

Most schools use professional conversations and classroom observation to identify the elements of digital practice the education support staff are demonstrating.  In many instances the education support staff have been offered workshops or regular meeting times to enable them to work collaboratively, share their ideas, knowledge and develop skills.

During the process of engaging with the guide you may:

• be guided by a colleague as you reflect on your digital practice to create a digital collection as evidence
• engage in professional conversations that may contribute to your Developing Performance Framework Plan
• identify that professional learning may progress your career.

A Certificate of Digital Practice will be awarded, by schools, to education support staff who have provided sufficient evidence in relation to the guide indicators.

Timeline of key aspects

Date: Launched Term 2, 2012
Key aspect: Digital Practice Guide resources are available to all Queensland state schools.

Need more information?

Project Manager
(07) 3421 6425