Digital Journey
A Learners's Digital Journey
The Digital Journey for a Learner should factor in all aspects of where digital tools/apps can be used to support the development of a learner.
Using Digital applications learners should be able to show what they have understood within a topic/theme/activity, they can choose how they express their understanding by choosing how to complete a task.
Learners should be developing their digital skills within their learning activities
These skills should be developed continuously, through small progressive steps
Learners should develop their skills to the point where they can decide which applications best allow them to complete a task
Using success criteria learners can then create a piece of work using digital tools/applications
The same success criteria can be used to support the peer assessment process
Once the learner has received feedback (self/peer/teacher) on their work they can make edits to their digital creations
Learners are finally able to add their digital creations to their e-portfolios, where they can add the work they have created, and reflect on what they have learnt, this can be in terms of the knowledge they have gained as well as against the Four Purposes.
A School's Digital Journey
A school's Digital Journey should look at the progressive steps of fully implementing technology into a school's digital ecosystem.
Developments for teaching staff
Developments for learners
Developments for school admin staff
An example from Golftyn CP School, Connah's Quay- over a period of 4 years
Starting point
The school makes use of the Hwb platform for staff and school emails
The school made use of iPads to support learners with between 6-8 in each class, these were of various ages.
Step one- STAFF
The school purchased 30 Chromebooks (kept as 1 class set)
Lead Teacher completed Google Level 1 to support staff in using Google Apps
Staff training on how to use Google Classroom, Google Docs, Sheets & Slides
Teachers started to use Google Classrooms with learners from year 1 to year 6
Step two- LEARNERS
Learners start using Google Classroom as a portal for their assigned digital work.
Step three- STAFF
Teaching staff were supported in the use of additional applications on the Hwb platform; Flip, Adobe, Minecraft, and J2e (NB. Support for these apps was over two years, as these applications arrived on the Hwb platform)
Teachers started to make use of these applications within the learning activities chosen for learners
A DCF tracking/mapping tool was implemented
Additional Chromebooks were introduced to support the increased demand for teachers to use digital tools and applications
Step four- LEARNERS
Learners started to make use of the new tools being introduced to them through their learning activities
Step five- ADMIN/SLT/STAFF
The school moved to make use of Google Drive and away from the school server as the primary working platform
The school office moved to a 'paperless' format using Google Forms to collect all forms of data from parents
The school reached a Chromebook device ratio of 1:1 in years 5 & 6, 1:2 in years 3 & 4, and 1:3 in years 1 & 2 (in nursery and reception learners used iPads)
Step six- LEARNERS
Learners started to make use of e-portfolios to 'evidence' their work and reflect on their learning experiences, here they reflected against the Four Purposes
Step seven- STAFF
The school developed a progression map for the depth of use within each digital app throughout the school, this gave the staff an understanding of the skills they needed to develop in their teaching. Having this in a progressive manner also simplified the teaching of 'digital skills' as new skills were 'drip-fed' into the learning experiences
Step eight- DIGITAL LEAD
Monitoring was an ongoing process throughout this journey. The process now allows:
1. Staff to identify the DCF in their teaching activities
2. Allow learners to reflect on how those learning activities have supported their 'becoming' the four purposes
3. Allows the digital lead to cross-reference the activities identified on the tracker/mapper with those that learners are adding to their portfolios. This process also allows the digital lead to monitor the progression in the use of individual apps across the school