Developing Digital – Guide and Toolkit for Senior Leaders

Background

Initial thinking for this guide came from responses and reactions to the Independent School Bursars Association ( ISBA) survey of 2018, which also framed the content of the Brighton Edtech Summit of 2019, held jointly between the ISC Digital Strategy Group, Education Foundation and supported by a range of industry partners.

The insight and contributions of educators, senior leaders and Edtech companies help us share real areas of promise across institutions. The work of the Chartered College, EEF and schools involved in the Edtech 50 provide a rich mix of education practice. The work of large companies like, Apple, Google and Microsoft and the work of the growing Edtech sector in the UK suggest a need to develop a common language that prioritises mutual partnership to develop the understanding of digital.

The Developing Digital guide also contains some lessons distilled from the on-going Covid-19 crisis – which saw short term and fast adoption of Edtech to meet immediate need. This ’emergency’ adoption cycle can have positive benefits for whole organisations.

Publications

The Developing Digital Leadership Bulletin published by the ISC Digital Group and Edtech UK distilled early lessons for schools ahead of closures across England. Lessons on remote Teaching and learning during the pandemic were shared with leaders and was informed by a working group of educators and the insights from Mark Steed, Kellet School, Hong Kong, who were further into ‘lockdown’. Peer to peer insights and sharing of experience is invaluable.

Partnership work broadened and developed, producing, ‘Protecting Learning – how educators and parents are supporting student learning during Covid-19′. The report produced by the Home Learning UK ad-hoc group shared global good practice for educators and parents. A series of recommendations focussed on access to devices, imaginative school responses centred on well-being and the need for a coherent policy response across Government.

Your SIX Pack for success

Successful digital projects tell a consistent story, which this guide distills into six key areas:

1. Create an inclusive digital Vision to support teaching and learning in your school and develop Digital Intelligence (DQ) – read how other schools achieved this and why they find ongoing auditing vital.
2. Actively Manage success by tracking project progress. Edtech 50 schools and the ISC Digital Group share how schools have transferred and scaled-up digital success.
3. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is needed throughout a project – bitesize, diverse to meet all needs certificated, on-going and audited.
4. Maximising benefits and value by planning for seamless, and secure Infrastructure with in-house or external support.
5. Safeguarding of children, data, systems at every step – better planned than bolted on.
6. Building Partnerships with third parties helps schools reach goals with consistent and reliable infrastructures. This guide suggests the right questions and outcomes to monitor for obtaining mutually respectful partnerships.

Download your Copy of the Guide, Launch and Watch the Streams

Download your copy of Developing Digital or flick through the Guide in ISSU and use your Guide and toolkit to help you assess where you are and where you want to be this time next year.

Here is a link to the slide show from the developing digital launch

You may need to change your settings to allow the pdf to access the links. More help here.

Here is the link to Mark Steed’s session.

You can now watch the video streams of the Launch here.