Definition

For the purpose of this policy, a broad definition of Technology refers to: anything which is used to store, make, reproduce, send or receive information such as cameras, cassettes, videos, computers, floppy disks, hard drives, computer chips, TV antennas, satellites, faxes, fax-modems, telephones, mobile phones, fibre - optic cables, photocopiers, scanners, bar-code scanners, EFTPOS cards, credit cards, CDs, CD Roms, libraries, books, journals, magazines and newspapers.

Guiding Principles

1. With the widespread adoption of ICTs, the role of the English teacher has become even more critical. We live in an information technology age which, whilst it has a great deal to offer, including new ways of being literate, is more demanding than ever before. Students, parents, educators and industry expect that this demand be met, and a considerable number of English teachers and teacher librarians have already responded to this challenge.
2. VATE recognises the importance and value of incorporating new technologies into the English classroom. We believe that English faculties need to encourage the integration of computers into their curriculum wherever, and to whatever degree is possible and productive.
• 3. We recognise and deplore the economic, political and social reasons why not all students have, or will have, equal access to computer technology both at home and at school. VATE advocates equity of access across all sectors.
• 4. We recognise that ICTs can be of value in the English classroom where the learning goals are clear. Valuable learning activities will tend to have other or added dimensions beyond pen and paper. When ICTs are used most effectively the purposes will be authentic and connected to, if not intrinsic to the technology, rather that just a replication of analogue literacies. Reflective practice about teaching and learning is all the more important when dealing with new technology that is often the subject of inflated and ill-informed promise.
• 5. The development of multimedia literacies, interactive technological classrooms and a global culture have led to new ways of teaching and learning, and many traditional methods are being adapted or changed. Definitions of literacy are continually being expanded and connected, and now include visual literacies, computer literacies, workplace literacies and school literacies.
• 6. If we ignore the benefits that technology can offer our students, they will be disadvantaged and disenfranchised. However, this does not mean that we should approach the new technologies uncritically. We have to ensure that our students are aware of, and question the nature of access and control and take advantage of the opportunities for on-line critical literacy. A critical literacy perspective would question where information is coming from, how it was constructed and whose interests it serves.
• 7. Bearing all of this in mind we need also to ensure that the teaching/learning curriculum and environment is influenced, shaped and guided first by pedagogy and then by new technologies.

Literacy and Learning

It has been recognised for some time that computers eliminate much of the laborious process of writing, from minor lexical corrections to substantial editing and revision, all of which has been shown to encourage students' writing. Computer technology can be a powerful literacy medium, part of a multi-skilling process which can potentially contribute towards the development of students' multiple literacies. For instance, they can cater for and facilitate a variety of learning styles. This includes those styles of students who respond a range of visual, audio and kinaesthetic texts, learn effectively through collaborative planning, discussing and editing are able to choose their own topics/responses have an interest in a genuine audience in the real world and are willing to begin learning the demands of research.

Funding and policy making

As a considerable amount of funding is being channelled into computer education we believe that English teachers need to take an active role in the shaping and implementation of this particular government policy. English departments/faculties should: have input into the planning, writing and evaluation of their school's technology policy, which should be done with the nature, needs and resources of their own school in mind.

To ensure this English teachers could:

• ensure that they are represented on committees where decisions are made on computer technology
• be involved in the planning and integration of technology into the curriculum
• encourage and facilitate a whole school approach.
• discover what other schools are doing, particularly their feeder primary schools. Awareness of how computer technology is being used at both levels should complement and enhance the transition process.

The successful integration of computer technology into the curriculum will depend upon the confidence of teachers taking part. The purposes served by using ICTs need to be clearly defined and understood. The means by which ICTs are accessed and how they are used is then a priority. Consequently, the availability and effective use of practical, on-going professional development will be of paramount importance. However, it should also be expected that expectations of instant expertise would be unrealistic and could be counterproductive.

Professional learning needs to be related to the subject matter and the processes of learning pertinent to the content or skills being taught. In the case of English, teachers need to see models of how the use of ICTs can develop the teaching and learning of English.

There will be a need to recognise prior teaching and learning skills and strategies, and to build upon the existing knowledge of both teachers and students in cooperative, collaborative classrooms.

Networks and Collegiality

Secondary and Primary teachers, students, their schools and community could form local electronic networks to investigate software, www projects, effective research skills and the establishment of a local intranet.

Because the production of materials designed especially for ICT can be labour intensive, VATE encourages the sharing of such materials within a framework that is equitable and protects the intellectual property rights of the designers.

Student Issues

Because students are able to copy, cut and paste from on-line texts into their own work, teachers will need to involve them in planning, authentication and evaluation strategies.

Some schools might wish to issue guidelines on what is considered to be unsuitable material. Others may prefer to stress that teachers should be actively involved in helping students to access relevant on-line information by teaching them: research skills; stressing that information should have a real purpose and audience; encouraging them to question the nature of irrelevant or unpleasant texts, to ask who they might harm and whose interests they serve.

A disclaimer could be added to student material which is put on - line, disassociating the school from it. (e.g. The views and opinions expressed here do not reflect those of ......(add address of site etc.) This places legal liability with the end user.

Evaluating effectiveness

A process needs to be put in place to facilitate evaluation, to enable teachers to see to what extent and how successfully the guidelines have been implemented. An evaluation should demonstrate:

• the impact the policy has made upon school literacies
• the extent to which students have been involved in the formulation and evaluation of the policy
• the impact upon teachers regarding workload, preparation, own projects or studying, (human) networking, confidence or understanding of issues, such as those of access and equity