ICT Professional Development

There is a wide variety of professional development opportunities to assist teachers and school administrators to learn about ICT and ways to use ICT with students. The format may vary, from participating in an online discussion list to participating in an extended action research project.

Below are some links you may find useful when sourcing information and opportunities for you and your staff.

For you

The School ICT Leadership Program focuses on school leadership, professional practice and change management around making ICT integral to learning across schools and will also highlight the potential of Smart Classrooms strategies to revitalise schools.

The Queensland Society for Information Technology in Education provides localised support in the form of professional development opportunities, discussion lists and contemporary research.

The Australian Council for Computers in Education provides national support for all state computer education groups.

The International Society for Technology Educators has an excellent range of articles and case studies.

For you and your staff

Smart Classrooms Digital Pedagogies initiatives can recharge teachers and give them a new vision of, and greater confidence in, embedding ICT into education.

The Smart Classrooms Professional Development Framework can help teachers work toward the goal of making ICT integral in teaching and learning.

ICT Learning Innovation Centre provides professional development sessions that are run by teachers for teachers and not only look at the use of software and hardware, but also the challenges of integrating the tools into classroom practice.

The Learning Place Online Courses are offered to teachers and students through Blackboard^TM, our learning management system.

The Curriculum Exchange resource centre features ICT curriculum integration resources (after clicking on this link, select 'Browse by cross-curricular area' and then 'ICT integration').

ICTs for Learning Practical Ideas for Teachers Booklets describe approaches to ICT curriculum integration with practical, step-by-step examples of ICT use across a range of year levels, key learning areas and student groups.

The Learning Place Professional Communities are developed by teachers, for teachers. The communities connect teachers in a range of ways.

The Learning Place Collaborative Online Projects can help teachers integrate online learning and the Internet into their classrooms.

Teachers and students can use the Learning Place Communication Resources such as online chats, forums and projects to extend learning.

EdNA provides teachers with practical support and information on upcoming events.

Tools to determine the needs of your school staff

Guiding Questions for Technology Planning
This is a tool for planning the introduction and deployment of technology in schools to get the best return, educationally and economically, for the investment.

ICT in Education
This UNESCO site contains numerous articles relating to ICT in education around the world.

Information and Communication Technology in Secondary Education
This UNESCO document, updated in 2000, aims to provide schools with suggestions about approaches to developing ICT at the school level.

Learning with Technology Profile Tool
This is a questionnaire that asks teachers to indicate their current position in relation to engaged learning and technology use.

Mobile Technology
Berrien County Intermediate School District has listed dozens of sites with information on laptops and hand-held devices, or personal digital assistants.

The National Educational Technology Standards project
This project aims to establish standards of ICT proficiency for students, teachers and administrators and for ensuring integration of technology into the curriculum.

The Role of the Teacher in the Use of ICT
In this address, the author, Steve Wheeler, answers the question: 'What kinds of skills will teachers need to acquire in order to be effective in an ICT-based learning environment?'

Teacher Learning Technology Competencies Project
This site, from the Australian Council for Computers in Education, contains a background and a discussion paper on the implications of ICT for teachers.