Section: Developing an eLearning Vision Topic: Creating an eLearning Vision Statement DE&T eLearning Planning Guide Last Updated: 6th December 2002 Creating an eLearning Vision Statement This information: Identifies aims for your eLearning vision Identifies items that should be considered when developing the vision Presents two sample eLearning vision statements Presents advice for writing a vision statement Explains how to set up an implementation and planning team. Presents advice on obtaining review and feedback on the vision statement. Aims for your eLearning vision Your eLearning vision should aim to: Foster significant learning improvements, using the most advanced and proven educational techniques. Provide present and future students with the information and communication technology skills they will require as employees in a knowledge-based economy. Facilitate collaborative learning experiences among teachers and students through electronically based educational projects. Develop staff professionally by informing them of opportunities: Presented by eLearning, and For professional development courses to improve their skills. Further information about identifying current skill levels within the school community, and the development of a Professional Learning Plan are given in the section: Learning and Teaching Strategy for eLearning. Considerations for an eLearning vision There are several key items and areas that should be considered when creating an eLearning vision. These are then developed further, as you work towards preparing the eLearning budget and Plan. The eLearning vision should contain a description of how the following items and areas will operate, when your school’s eLearning goals are met. They include: Curriculum planning and monitoring Reporting student achievement Interactions between home and school Activities involving parents within the school Role of the library as a learning resource centre Development of the school web site and newsletter Extending the school’s computer network to include email and Internet use Ways in which new software could be used by the school community Ways in which computers could be located and arranged throughout the school Ways in which peripherals and other ICT tools, such as digital cameras, are used and stored Ways in which records could be shared and stored. Creating_eLearning_Vision_Statement.doc Page 1 of 4 The information in this document was correct at the ‘Last Updated’ date. Section: Developing an eLearning Vision Topic: Creating an eLearning Vision Statement DE&T eLearning Planning Guide Last Updated: 6th December 2002 Sample 1: Primary school eLearning vision statement Here is a sample eLearning Vision Statement, written by Smallville Primary School. Smallville Primary School provides students with a safe, supportive and caring learning environment – enabling all students to reach their full potential through the development of a desire for life-long learning. Smallville Primary School envisages an environment where the use of information and communications technology (ICT) is regarded as an integral part of our everyday practices and administration management. It acknowledges the potential of eLearning to impact on learning outcomes for all students and the work habits of all staff. eLearning encourages students and staff to assume greater responsibility for their own learning, in forums that develop their: Skills to become active and independent leaders Abilities to communicate, collaborate, plan, analyse and solve problems Skills to use new technologies, particularly ICT. The appropriate use of ICT develops our school’s high quality teaching and learning, administration and management. eLearning enhances student centred learning through the integrated and negotiated curriculum, guides discovery through learning experiences and encourages continuity across all Key Learning Areas (KLAs) of the curriculum. Sample 2: Specialist school eLearning vision statement This eLearning Vision Statement was written by Glenallen School. Glenallen School provides individual educational programs for a student population spanning the age range 4.8 years to 18 years. The facility was purpose built to meet the educational and mobility needs of students with a physical disability and/or significant health impairment. Glenallen School seeks to be a leading Specialist school, providing a dynamic and innovative environment that maximises individual students' eLearning. Glenallen School, through the dedication of highly professional transdisciplinary teams and volunteers, will provide a safe, caring and stimulating eLearning environment for physically disabled and/or significant health impaired students. As a consequence of this vision the school’s mission will be: to provide "best practice" student focussed, supportive, active and innovative eLearning educational programs for our students; to develop transdisciplinary teams emphasising that learning and partnerships are an essential part of the way we work and are the most effective means of planning and implementing eLearning curriculum for our students; to use a variety of instructional methods, including Principles of Conductive Creating_eLearning_Vision_Statement.doc Page 2 of 4 The information in this document was correct at the ‘Last Updated’ date. Section: Developing an eLearning Vision Topic: Creating an eLearning Vision Statement DE&T eLearning Planning Guide Last Updated: 6th December 2002 Education, as a means of delivering our educational and therapeutic philosophy and beliefs for eLearning; to seek highly qualified and innovative staff who are student focussed, dedicated, enthusiastic, positive and committed to our eLearning vision; to demand high levels of teaching competence and therapy practices for eLearning; to provide staff with support and assistance including the provision of relevant and stimulating professional development and training activities for eLearning; to maximise the use of resources at our disposal to ensure the effectiveness of our operations for our eLearning plan. As a result of our eLearning Vision: Glenallen School will develop and implement strategies to provide on line technologies and broaden access and competencies of staff and students. Glenallen School will continually develop resources, skills, knowledge and understanding of eLearning technologies. Staff will be competent, routine and discriminating users of eLearning. Students will develop skills in the use of technology appropriate to their needs and as defined in their Individual Educational Plan. The school will continually upgrade resources to the documented agreed minimum standard. Advice for writing a vision statement Your school's eLearning vision statement should describe the learning and teaching environment you want to achieve, and the stages that will be taken to get there. The statement should be written by the school's leadership team. This is normally the Principal, Deputy Principal, Curriculum Coordinator, eLearning Coordinator and other leaders (depending on the type of school), including: Early Years Literacy Early Years Numeracy Middle Years V.C.E. and KLA Coordinators. Look back at your answers to the vision checklist questions given in the earlier topics in this section. Then write a short, draft statement describing the following: The position you wish to create for eLearning within your school The relationship between eLearning and your school’s future curriculum The learning environment that would best suit your school The school structures and processes that will support this use of eLearning This need only be about one page in length. The following examples in the Resources section may also be helpful. They have been written by a Senior Secondary College. Literacy ICT Plan – Curriculum Literacy ICT Plan – Students Literacy ICT Plan – Staff Literacy ICT Plan – Wider Community Creating_eLearning_Vision_Statement.doc Page 3 of 4 The information in this document was correct at the ‘Last Updated’ date. Section: Developing an eLearning Vision Topic: Creating an eLearning Vision Statement DE&T eLearning Planning Guide Last Updated: 6th December 2002 ICT Across the Key Learning Areas Audit Proforma Obtaining review and feedback on the Vision Statement The draft vision statement should be distributed to the relevant teams in the school and a timeline published to collect everyone’s feedback. Implementation Team members may work through the following processes and bodies to obtain feedback: Implementation Team Management Team Curriculum Committee Charter Annual Report Early Years Middle Years Later Years School Council Staff Working Party or Education Sub Committee KLA Meetings Student Rep Council SRC Process Staff Meeting Agenda Community Parent Body Local Community Reps The Implementation Team should complete the following tasks: Gather the feedback from the school community Re-draft the Vision statement Circulate the revised Vision statement for final review. The Vision statement then becomes school policy. End of document Creating_eLearning_Vision_Statement.doc Page 4 of 4 The information in this document was correct at the ‘Last Updated’ date.