A goal-based approach is helping schools to self-assess their digital capability against evidence-based practices.
To help schools more confidently measure the digital capabilities of their own students and staff, and identify specific areas for improvement, Grok Academy (Grok) has developed an evidence-based Digital Capability Framework (DCF) assessment and development tool in consultation with educators and various state-based government departments.
The DCF provides reference points for each school to evaluate how it’s tracking against state-based and national curriculum guidance – and critically, specific guidance as to how to close any identifiable gaps.
Ms Paula Christophersen, Lead Educator for Grok Academy, says schools can monitor their transformation journey by reassessing their performance on a cyclical basis.
“We worked with the Western Australian Department of Education and the South Australian Department of Education in developing and trialling our DCF tool,” she says.
“It’s designed to be easy to use. We continue to refine the tool based on feedback from school leaders, and plan to make it more widely available in the future.”
The DCF measures a school’s digital capabilities on a four-point scale (emerging, developing, achieving, and excelling) against four key drivers: teaching, learning, leading and managing.
The DCF requires educators to reflect on the results and commit to an action plan for each key driver. This goal-based approach leads to more effective outcomes for teaching, learning, leading and managing in a school’s digital transformation.
Grok’s DCF tool asks educators, supported by specialist staff where appropriate, to make a series of yes/no decisions related to those key drivers.
Their position on the four-point scale for each element is determined based on the answers with targeted advice provided as to improvement areas.
“We know this generation of students needs digital skills to succeed in all aspects of their lives,” Ms Christophersen says.
“The burden of responsibility on teachers to deliver the education outcomes required – when they’ve often not been trained in digital literacy-focused learning themselves – can be overwhelming. Our tool is providing clarity by saying, based on your answers, this is where you’re at, this is where you can be, and this is how you get there.”
“Schools engaging with the DCF are better positioned to make decisions that can strengthen their digital culture, streamline processes through innovative practices and achieve improved teaching and learning outcomes, particularly when implementing the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies and the Digital Literacy capability,” she says.
For more information about Grok Academy’s Digital Capability Framework assessment and development tool, contact Grok at help@grokacademy.org.
