“Learners connecting confidently and actively within their communities”

The vision for e-Learning at St Andrew’s College has the student at the centre of all learning and envisions learners who can connect confidently and actively in their community. We aim to produce responsible students who make informed decisions when using ICTs in their learning.

Different Facets of Digital Citizenship at St Andrew’s College

Connected:

Being a connected student at St Andrew’s College is to have access to various technologies, specifically a laptop computer (compulsory for students from Yr9 to bring their own laptop). A connected learner is fluent in basic computer competencies such as creating and saving files, backing up their content, working towards becoming a fluent typist and has experience with core software to further their learning such as MS Office (or equivalent).

Furthermore, to be connected students take responsibility for a charged laptop whilst at school, by either charging before school or bringing necessary chargers and other peripherals with them to minimize interruptions to learning in the classroom.

Students are connected to online resources through the College wireless network and understand their responsibilities as Digital Citizens to make informed choices when it comes to creating and consuming content online.

Confident:

Being a confident student at St Andrew’s College is to have an understanding of what it means to be a Digital Citizen – a person that interacts with the digital world around them in a responsible and safe way. This includes:

• Respecting themselves and others online and thinking carefully about what personal information they choose to publish
• Thinking carefully about the accuracy and authenticity of content they find online
• Respecting the ownership and intellectual property of content they find online by accurately referencing the owner or site they obtained content from and by not engaging in piracy of software or other digital media
• Responsibly using technology for educational and recreational use
• Identifying when they need help and know where/who they can go to and ask for assistance

Students who are confident users of technology at St Andrew’s College use the digital competencies of a connected student in constructive ways to further their learning.

Active:

Students at St Andrew’s College will be active users of digital tools in their learning both in and outside of the classroom. e-Learning promotes the ability for students to learn ‘anywhere and anytime’ by breaking down the physical distinction between classwork and homework. Active e-Learners will make use of College resources such as the online Learning Management System (LMS) to obtain resources from their teacher, know when assessment is due and engage in collaborative learning with their classmates and beyond.

Active learners will explore opportunities for new styles of learning through technology, whilst recognising traditional skills such as handwriting remain critical to complete formal assessment.

Community:

Students at St Andrew’s College will engage within the wider community of learners and experts by utilizing technology and the opportunities it presents to connect with authentic audiences beyond the traditional walls of the classroom.

Exercising all facets of responsible Digital Citizenship, students can share their learning through various online platforms such as blogs, websites, e-Portfolios and social media. Teachers will also create opportunities for shared learning experiences with students from other schools and countries, along with bringing subject expertise into the classroom through technologies such as video-conferencing.

(Thanks to Andrew Churches and NetSafe for input and ideas in this area)