Where do "Learning Technologies" fit in with teaching and learning?

The key aim for the integration of technology into the teaching and learning at Unley High School is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to become competent, discerning and creative users of a range of technologies. Such integration of technologies has the potential to engage students in ways not previously possible, to enhance their achievement, to create new learning possibilities and to extend students' interaction with their local and global communities.

Key Aims

The key aim for the integration of technology into the teaching and learning at Unley High School is to ensure all students have the opportunity to become competent, discriminating and creative users of a range of technologies. Such integration of technologies has the potential to engage students in ways not previously possible, to enhance their achievement, to create new learning possibilities and to extend students’ interaction with their local and global communities.

Technology in the Classrooms

Unley High School is a technology-rich environment, integrating technology into all teaching and learning areas so as to enhance learning and to prepare our students for their roles in the digital world in which we live. Today’s generation of students view technology as part of their everyday environment. To fully meet their learning needs, technology should be pervasive, that is, always available. To achieve this, Unley High School is continuing to implement a range of new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning using learning technologies. These include maintaining the availability of specialist Apple and Windows computer labs (5 in total) and supporting students who bring their own laptop (Windows or Apple), enabling them to access the school’s Internet on site. Ultimately, achieving a 1-to-1 teaching and learning environment that incorporates the new and emerging technologies that are an every-day part of the lives of our students, is our aim.

1-1 learning

In 1-to-1 learning, each student has access to a mobile device for use at school and at home, enabling communication and collaboration among peers and teachers and connecting caregivers to their child’s learning. Educators are provided with digital tools to create learning plans, manage educational content, track student progress and more. Having a mobile device such as an iPad in the hands of students, 24 hours-a-day, 7 days a week engages the students in learning and ultimately results in measurable improvement in their learning outcomes ie their grades.

Focus on New Technologies

With such a focus on the use of new technologies in the teaching and learning that occurs at Unley High School, it is necessary for us to establish appropriate policies and procedures. Whilst providing the opportunity to enhance and extend human interaction, empathy and understanding, the misuse of information and communication technologies an significantly damage an individual’s dignity. It is a requirement that all students and their caregivers read and abide by the school’s Acceptable Use of Learning Technologies Policy. It is a Department for Education (DFE) requirement that all students and their caregivers sign the Acceptable Use of Learning Technologies Policy before the student is permitted to access learning technologies on any Departmental School site. Once signed and returned to school, the document is filed in the student’s records and acknowledged in the school’s database. This agreement then remains valid and in place for the duration of the student’s enrollment at Unley High School or until it is reviewed or revoked by the school This information on Mobile Learning in the Middle School, is designed to assist students and families to become familiar with the iPad, specifically how to manage and care for this tool for learning. We encourage families to read the information provided carefully and refer back to it when needed.