Building educators' capabilities
The vision for the Australian education and training environment outlined in the Joint Ministerial Statement and the Digital Education Revolution requires educators who are competent and confident in integrating ICT into their teaching and learning practices. A cohesive approach to developing all educators’ skills, knowledge, capabilities and confidence will ensure that students have a seamless experience of education and training that includes technologies. As such, the purpose is to support school communities to build sustainable strategies, utilising resources and pedagogical practices, to meet the demands of the Digital Education Revolution.
AICTEC has a national strategic role in identifying cross-sectoral levers and opportunities for building educators’ capabilities. In 2009 AICTEC’s role in building educators’ capabilities has broadened to include the requirements for the Digital Education Revolution. To this end, the Teaching for the Digital Age Advisory Group and its Reference Group have been established by AICTEC to provide advice on a coordinated and coherent approach to teacher professional development in the use of ICT in teaching and learning.
Through the work of the Teaching for the Digital Age Advisory Group, AICTEC will develop strategies to support school communities move beyond a ‘business as usual’ outlook by enabling change in school communities in four key professional learning areas – Transformation and Leadership; Support; Integration; and Sharing and Innovation.
The Digital Education Revolution recognises the importance of a national approach to building the capabilities of educators for including technologies into teaching and learning. In addition, the importance of ensuring that pre-service teachers are appropriately prepared to enter technology-rich education and training environments will be promoted by AICTEC with the Deans of Education.
Teaching for the Digital Age
The 14 May 2008 Extra-ordinary AICTEC meeting approved the establishment of an advisory group for the Teaching for the Digital Age to report to AICTEC. This meeting also agreed to the establishment of a Reference Group to advise the Advisory Group. The Reference Group has a wider representation from each jurisdiction and sector.