Five minutes with Jesseca Oram

Digital Pedagogy Licence Advanced holder Jessica Oram is a studies of society and environment teacher at Aldridge State High School. Jessica's expertise in using ICT is helping her redesign the curriculum, timetables and learning spaces. We chat with her about her ICT journey.

What's your ICT learning journey been like?
I'm well supported by mentors and administration. My school invested the time and resources I needed to develop my skills. They've been rewarded through the goals we have achieved, and will continue to achieve.

How has Smart Classrooms helped?
I would not have started my ICT journey had it not been for Smart Classrooms. One of the main reasons I haven't left the public sector for the private is because of the level of support provided by Smart Classrooms. It just doesn't exist elsewhere in such an accessible form.

When did you first start using ICT for teaching?
While I have always used ICT, I only started using technology with students three years ago when I was undertaking my ICT Pedagogical Licence. That was a challenging time: talk about learning while you're doing!

What was your first ICT activity/project?
My first ICT project was an online Year 8 Studies of Society and the Environment unit, which I created in a static webpage, complemented by a project room.
This project became my ICT Pedagogical Licence portfolio.

What did you think about ICT, back then?
I was really fortunate because essentially I was a blank slate when I worked through the ICT Curriculum Integration Course.
While I had a sound knowledge of pedagogy, I knew very little about the tools available to transfer this pedagogy into a digital environment.

What do you think about ICT, now?
ICT is inherent to my teaching practice. I struggle in a zero ICT environment: it seems so static.

What's a typical day now like, in your classroom?
I'd rather talk about the very exciting future we have planned at my school.
We are creating a double classroom learning space where we will deliver a blended Year 8 English and Studies of Society and the Environment program, and Year 12 English Communication.

While the Year 12 subject already has licence-level ICT embedded (this was one of my goals for 2008), a shared space will enable greater collaboration between students and teachers while creating a more authentic learning environment.

We are also hoping to develop an entirely online program to better meet the needs of students who are disengaged or have difficulty coming to class due to work, traineeships, apprenticeships or other circumstances.

For the Year 8s, we are hoping to foster greater autonomy and, by changing the traditional structure of the classroom, better meet individual student's needs in a fun, engaging and challenging environment.

What would you say is the most exciting thing you do with ICT?
I guess I let the students drive. The most exciting thing is that we never know where a lesson will go. If students are interested in a particular aspect or issue, we follow that through, which is intrinsically motivating.

What are you doing now, that you were not doing before you began using ICT for teaching and learning?
Teaching!

Do you think using ICT is changing your pedagogy?
I believe my pedagogical choices are increased by the ICT tools available.

Is your use of ICT benefiting your students?
I hope so! They're interested and collaborate more, sharing their knowledge.

When did you really warm to the concept of digital pedagogy?
Being an early career teacher, I was desperately seeking ideas about teaching that could enhance my repertoire, so warming to digital pedagogy took about a millisecond.

What encouraged you to warm to that concept?
When you are dealing with students who disengage quickly, using tools and finding opportunities to collaborate not only engages students, but develops higher-order thinking while encouraging them to challenge themselves and take risks. This is what successful teaching and learning is all about.

What have you found to be best thing about digital pedagogy?
I love Web 2.0 tools, but the variety of ways to incorporate 'real' or 'normal' websites astounds me. I have used websites to investigate local housing affordability, theme park websites to analyse persuasive language and even supermarket websites to understand the cost of living.

What has been the most difficult thing about digital pedagogy?
Planning and sticking to a curriculum when there are so many opportunities to get sidetracked!

Do you think all teachers should embrace digital pedagogy?
Of course! It's fun, motivating for teachers and students, and can get great results.

Any advice for teachers who are just starting their journey to embrace digital pedagogy?
Find a mentor, ask lots of questions, start small and don't get disenchanted if it doesn't work first time. It's a skill that needs to be developed, just like any other.