Engaging through ICT

A highly accomplished year 9 teacher demonstrates how he uses a blog and video tutorials to engage students and support his colleagues. The teacher uses professional photo-retouching software to engage students in exploring representations of women in the media and present multiple avenues for students to learn at their own pace. The teacher models the use of the software to the whole class, allows students time to explore for themselves with written directions on a blog as guidance, and records video tutorials on the blog which are also accessed and utilised by his colleagues and professional network.

East Doncaster Secondary College in suburban Melbourne offers a broad general education from Years 7 to 12. The teacher of Media at year 9 recognises that teaching a topic using a lock step approach can be bewildering for students who lack confidence and frustratingly slow for advanced students. His flexible learning approach allows students to work at their own pace within and outside the classroom. It also allows him to assist those who need support at key moments in the learning process. The teacher’s development of high-quality flexible learning resources has found an Australia-wide audience.