How to audit school resources

How does technology support curriculum needs?

The focus of the technology audit is to determine the requirements needed to support the school’s curriculum plans for Digital Technologies.

Use the following templates to conduct a technology audit based on curriculum needs.

• Years F-2
• Years 3-4
• Years 5-6
• Years 7-8
• Years 9-10

Select a relevant a template to highlight the technology requirements across the school.

• Years F-6
• Years 7-10

Physical: Ratio of devices

What is the ratio of devices to students that you will need to work towards in order to implement the Digital Technologies curriculum in the most effective way?

Physical: Bandwidth & Wireless

Is your bandwidth and Wi-Fi capacity adequate to ensure your site is future-proofed in relation to the implementation of the Digital Technologies curriculum?

Physical: Access to Devices

• What technology do you already have?
• What do you want your students to be able to do with technology?
• Is 1–1 or BYO an option to achieve spontaneous, needs-based technology use? Do you need to research these options and start consulting with your school community?
• Will a 'bookings' approach to devices across your whole school hinder the ability of your students to create digital solutions in many different curriculum areas?
• What devices will suit a model of 'personal' device use? What devices will suit a 'shared device’ model? Link the device to ways of working or a purpose.
• Student Chromebook Program: view this schools' documented approach to BYOD. It focuses on Chromebooks however you can decide on the devices that best suit your context.

Physical: What do you already have?

• This could include school-owned devices, robotics equipment and data-logging equipment .

Physical: What do you need?

• Browse the DT Hub resource, Technologies in the classroom, which provides anoverview of popular classroom technologies in schools. Technologies are grouped into categories for ease of locating the technology of interest.

Wifi image credit: Ricardo_Duque/Pixabay

Audit what is currently being offered

You may have gradually implemented this curriculum, which may involve supporting volunteers and early adopters in the first instance. This may include:

• organising and running clubs, competitions or special events with a Digital Technologies focus
• experimenting with technology tools
• initial mapping of how the curriculum will be taught and assessed across the bands.
• an approach that shares the work done by these teachers and supports a plan for a way forward based on their experiences.

This audit will provide a brief snapshot of staff capacity.

What human resources support the school implementation of ICT and Digital Technologies?.

Who on staff can lead and enable others? Who is confident and proficient? Who are hesitant or dependent on support from other colleagues?

To assist with the overall school plan it may be useful to audit the teachers’ capacity and expertise to implement ICT and Digital Technologies. These ACARA resources are designed for teachers to self-assess their ICT Capability and Digital Technologies proficiency.

• ICT Teacher self-assessment matrix
• Digital Technologies Teacher self-assessment matrix

It may be useful for teachers to clarify the relationship between ICT Capabilities and Digital Technologies and how do they differ.

Refer to the DT Hub’s ICT VS Digital Technologies suggested resources.

Any gaps identified through the audit process can inform future staffing with schools appointing staff with the desired qualifications and experience.

What human resources support the schools IT/Technology infrastructure?

• Review and audit the support to ensure it meets future needs.
• Consider surveying staff on their IT/Technology requirements and experiences of the current system. Use the survey to inform future planning.

Continue to develop teacher capacity.

Ensure that all staff members have access to high-quality professional learning. Consider mentoring and coaching as potential options for teacher professional learning. Refer to Professional Learning advice in the Engage with the curriculum section.

View this article in which the specialist teacher describes the use of mentoring and coaching in developing their whole-school approach: Implementation of STEM @ Baringa.

View this video: TPS 2018 - Digital Technologies - Coaches and Teachers Video to find out how Taroona Primary School use mentoring and coaching in developing their whole-school approach.

Will you choose a specialist model?

• This approach might appear reasonable, but is it sustainable? What happens if the specialist leaves the school?
• There is an expectation for teachers F-6 that they understand and know the curriculum. Relying on a specialist to implement Digital Technologies runs the risk of teachers not engaging with curriculum.
• What is the purpose of choosing this model?
• Does this allow you to take advantage of the connections that are possible across the curriculum, enabling your students to be creators of authentic digital solutions?
• In secondary schools this model may prove to be an advantage, especially when technical skills are required such as in programming. Schools may decide to appoint a qualified computer science teacher to teach programming.

Sustainability is an important aspect to consider. It is to the school’s advantage to skill up as many staff as possible to ensure implementation continues and evolves even with inevitable staff changes. It may be worth looking at the DTiF project’s professional learning ecosystem model to consider engaging with a range of organisations as a means of enhancing project sustainability and extending the reach of human resources. This example is from St James Catholic College.