❓ The Minister for Education provides an update on the use of technology in WA schools, highlighting the introduction of interactive whiteboards, videoconferencing facilities, and support for students with disabilities.
AnsweredQoN 550Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION — TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS
The use of technology in our schools provides students with a contemporary and very effective means for enhanced learning in our schools. Can the minister update the house about the use of technology in our schools? Dr E. CONSTABLE
The use of technology in our schools provides students with a contemporary and very effective means for enhanced learning in our schools. Can the minister update the house about the use of technology in our schools? Dr E. CONSTABLE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question. I think it is no exaggeration to say that technology really is revolutionising how teachers teach and how children learn in our schools. We are all familiar with computers. Most classrooms have computers in them these days, even from kindergarten upwards. Small children right up to year 12s are engaged with computer technology in their learning. Last week I announced the first 150 schools that will benefit from the government’s additional funding for interactive whiteboards and new technology, which is making a huge difference, particularly in primary classrooms, but in all classrooms as well. We have committed $4 million over four years to install new interactive whiteboards in classrooms. I am sure many members have seen for themselves this technology at work; and, if they have not, I would encourage members to visit schools in their electorates to see the difference that this technology is making. As I said, it is making a difference particularly with young children who, from a very early age, engage with technology. It enables them, as a group or individually, to work with technology in their learning. Interactive whiteboards are particularly useful and helpful when teachers work with children with disabilities. Last week we were very fortunate to have John Crick from the United Kingdom in Western Australia. He was the main speaker at a conference called More Than Gadgets. He worked with our teachers, particularly teachers of students with disabilities, on their understanding of using assisted technology to help those students. I met him at South Ballajura Education Support Centre, where we saw some autistic children at the school engaging with this technology. The screen is hooked up to a computer and also to a projector, and students work on the board with either a pointer or their fingers to manipulate the words or numbers, or whatever it is they are doing in the activity, on the screen. It is very interesting to see this being used with children with special needs. It is making a big difference in our education support centres and special schools. The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: I thank the member for his question. I think it is no exaggeration to say that technology really is revolutionising how teachers teach and how children learn in our schools. We are all familiar with computers. Most classrooms have computers in them these days, even from kindergarten upwards. Small children right up to year 12s are engaged with computer technology in their learning. Last week I announced the first 150 schools that will benefit from the government’s additional funding for interactive whiteboards and new technology, which is making a huge difference, particularly in primary classrooms, but in all classrooms as well. We have committed $4 million over four years to install new interactive whiteboards in classrooms. I am sure many members have seen for themselves this technology at work; and, if they have not, I would encourage members to visit schools in their electorates to see the difference that this technology is making. As I said, it is making a difference particularly with young children who, from a very early age, engage with technology. It enables them, as a group or individually, to work with technology in their learning. Interactive whiteboards are particularly useful and helpful when teachers work with children with disabilities. Last week we were very fortunate to have John Crick from the United Kingdom in Western Australia. He was the main speaker at a conference called More Than Gadgets. He worked with our teachers, particularly teachers of students with disabilities, on their understanding of using assisted technology to help those students. I met him at South Ballajura Education Support Centre, where we saw some autistic children at the school engaging with this technology. The screen is hooked up to a computer and also to a projector, and students work on the board with either a pointer or their fingers to manipulate the words or numbers, or whatever it is they are doing in the activity, on the screen. It is very interesting to see this being used with children with special needs. It is making a big difference in our education support centres and special schools. The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
I thank the member for his question. I think it is no exaggeration to say that technology really is revolutionising how teachers teach and how children learn in our schools. We are all familiar with computers. Most classrooms have computers in them these days, even from kindergarten upwards. Small children right up to year 12s are engaged with computer technology in their learning. Last week I announced the first 150 schools that will benefit from the government’s additional funding for interactive whiteboards and new technology, which is making a huge difference, particularly in primary classrooms, but in all classrooms as well. We have committed $4 million over four years to install new interactive whiteboards in classrooms. I am sure many members have seen for themselves this technology at work; and, if they have not, I would encourage members to visit schools in their electorates to see the difference that this technology is making. As I said, it is making a difference particularly with young children who, from a very early age, engage with technology. It enables them, as a group or individually, to work with technology in their learning. Interactive whiteboards are particularly useful and helpful when teachers work with children with disabilities. Last week we were very fortunate to have John Crick from the United Kingdom in Western Australia. He was the main speaker at a conference called More Than Gadgets. He worked with our teachers, particularly teachers of students with disabilities, on their understanding of using assisted technology to help those students. I met him at South Ballajura Education Support Centre, where we saw some autistic children at the school engaging with this technology. The screen is hooked up to a computer and also to a projector, and students work on the board with either a pointer or their fingers to manipulate the words or numbers, or whatever it is they are doing in the activity, on the screen. It is very interesting to see this being used with children with special needs. It is making a big difference in our education support centres and special schools. The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
As I said, it is making a difference particularly with young children who, from a very early age, engage with technology. It enables them, as a group or individually, to work with technology in their learning. Interactive whiteboards are particularly useful and helpful when teachers work with children with disabilities. Last week we were very fortunate to have John Crick from the United Kingdom in Western Australia. He was the main speaker at a conference called More Than Gadgets. He worked with our teachers, particularly teachers of students with disabilities, on their understanding of using assisted technology to help those students. I met him at South Ballajura Education Support Centre, where we saw some autistic children at the school engaging with this technology. The screen is hooked up to a computer and also to a projector, and students work on the board with either a pointer or their fingers to manipulate the words or numbers, or whatever it is they are doing in the activity, on the screen. It is very interesting to see this being used with children with special needs. It is making a big difference in our education support centres and special schools. The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: I thank the member for his question. I think it is no exaggeration to say that technology really is revolutionising how teachers teach and how children learn in our schools. We are all familiar with computers. Most classrooms have computers in them these days, even from kindergarten upwards. Small children right up to year 12s are engaged with computer technology in their learning. Last week I announced the first 150 schools that will benefit from the government’s additional funding for interactive whiteboards and new technology, which is making a huge difference, particularly in primary classrooms, but in all classrooms as well. We have committed $4 million over four years to install new interactive whiteboards in classrooms. I am sure many members have seen for themselves this technology at work; and, if they have not, I would encourage members to visit schools in their electorates to see the difference that this technology is making. As I said, it is making a difference particularly with young children who, from a very early age, engage with technology. It enables them, as a group or individually, to work with technology in their learning. Interactive whiteboards are particularly useful and helpful when teachers work with children with disabilities. Last week we were very fortunate to have John Crick from the United Kingdom in Western Australia. He was the main speaker at a conference called More Than Gadgets. He worked with our teachers, particularly teachers of students with disabilities, on their understanding of using assisted technology to help those students. I met him at South Ballajura Education Support Centre, where we saw some autistic children at the school engaging with this technology. The screen is hooked up to a computer and also to a projector, and students work on the board with either a pointer or their fingers to manipulate the words or numbers, or whatever it is they are doing in the activity, on the screen. It is very interesting to see this being used with children with special needs. It is making a big difference in our education support centres and special schools. The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
I thank the member for his question. I think it is no exaggeration to say that technology really is revolutionising how teachers teach and how children learn in our schools. We are all familiar with computers. Most classrooms have computers in them these days, even from kindergarten upwards. Small children right up to year 12s are engaged with computer technology in their learning. Last week I announced the first 150 schools that will benefit from the government’s additional funding for interactive whiteboards and new technology, which is making a huge difference, particularly in primary classrooms, but in all classrooms as well. We have committed $4 million over four years to install new interactive whiteboards in classrooms. I am sure many members have seen for themselves this technology at work; and, if they have not, I would encourage members to visit schools in their electorates to see the difference that this technology is making. As I said, it is making a difference particularly with young children who, from a very early age, engage with technology. It enables them, as a group or individually, to work with technology in their learning. Interactive whiteboards are particularly useful and helpful when teachers work with children with disabilities. Last week we were very fortunate to have John Crick from the United Kingdom in Western Australia. He was the main speaker at a conference called More Than Gadgets. He worked with our teachers, particularly teachers of students with disabilities, on their understanding of using assisted technology to help those students. I met him at South Ballajura Education Support Centre, where we saw some autistic children at the school engaging with this technology. The screen is hooked up to a computer and also to a projector, and students work on the board with either a pointer or their fingers to manipulate the words or numbers, or whatever it is they are doing in the activity, on the screen. It is very interesting to see this being used with children with special needs. It is making a big difference in our education support centres and special schools. The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
As I said, it is making a difference particularly with young children who, from a very early age, engage with technology. It enables them, as a group or individually, to work with technology in their learning. Interactive whiteboards are particularly useful and helpful when teachers work with children with disabilities. Last week we were very fortunate to have John Crick from the United Kingdom in Western Australia. He was the main speaker at a conference called More Than Gadgets. He worked with our teachers, particularly teachers of students with disabilities, on their understanding of using assisted technology to help those students. I met him at South Ballajura Education Support Centre, where we saw some autistic children at the school engaging with this technology. The screen is hooked up to a computer and also to a projector, and students work on the board with either a pointer or their fingers to manipulate the words or numbers, or whatever it is they are doing in the activity, on the screen. It is very interesting to see this being used with children with special needs. It is making a big difference in our education support centres and special schools. The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
The other area of technology that is also gradually making a difference is videoconferencing. That is particularly the case in schools with small numbers of students. We have recently completed work on six schools: Katanning Senior High School, Mount Barker Community College, North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, Denmark High School and Narrogin Senior High School, where year 11 and 12 students are able to videoconference and access subjects that they might not otherwise be able to access in years 11 and 12. All those schools, as I understand it, have been fitted out with special facilities for videoconferencing so that if one or two students in a school want to take a subject, as a group of schools, there are enough for a teacher at one of those schools to conduct classes and provide a greater number of subjects for the students in years 11 and 12 to engage in. I understand from staff when I was at Katanning recently that the staff at the schools also like it because they do not have to travel for professional development; they can use the videoconferencing facilities to do that as well. It works for both students and staff. We are making sure that we keep Western Australia at the forefront of advancing technology at our schools and will continue to do so.
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