Broadband Innovation Fund

eRich Learning Environment - Teacher Case Study


Celebrating technology benefits for Yarra Valley



For three years Rachael Williams has helped many schools across the Yarra Valley embrace new technology, expand their horizons and change their perceptions about how learning can take place.

Implemented between 2005 and 2007, the Yarra Valley e-Rich Learning Environment (YV) Project has not only boosted the use of technology in the classroom but changed the way teachers are thinking about learning.

Funded under the Victorian Government’s Broadband Innovation Fund and the Leading Schools Fund, the YV Project involved establishing a high-speed broadband network linking seven secondary colleges, 40 primary schools and one special school in the Yarra Valley.

How it works

As a teacher, Development Manager and an ICT eLearning coach with the YV Project, Rachael Williams saw first-hand the initial nervousness of many teachers about using new technology in the classroom.

“I worked as a Development Manager for two years at a number of schools and there was a variety of reactions from excitement through to outright resistance,” recalled Ms Williams.

“However once people became aware of what was possible, they could see fairly quickly how the technology could add value to their classes, and how their classes could be delivered or supported in a totally different way.”

The YV Project gave all schools in the region access to a secure, virtual network with shared servers and improved bandwidth, making it much easier to integrate technology into the school curriculum.

The network enables the use of laptops and interactive whiteboards in the classroom, voice over IP communication, and remote or home access for teachers, students and parents.

One of the project’s biggest initiatives was the provision of one laptop between two students over a period of three years, for the 2005 and 2006 Year 7 intakes at all YV Project schools.

The new network also included a cutting edge ‘learning management system’ which facilitates 24/7 learning, collaboration between teachers on curriculum development and lesson planning. It also provides opportunities for online student learning, communication between teachers, students and parents, and offers the ability to monitor and record student progress.

The benefits

Ms Williams, who is now a Leader of Teaching and Learning and an ICT eLearning coach at Mooroolbark College, said the biggest benefits were better curriculum resources and opportunities for teachers and students to learn and collaborate beyond the classroom.

“I don’t think I could teach without technology now. In my robotics class I created a blog for the class and bookmarked other blog sites that gave students ideas and instructions about how to do certain tasks, plus I pointed them to examples of people building robots on YouTube and TeacherTube,” explained Ms Williams.

“Thanks to the technology I even have students pursuing their own tangents without having to supply additional resources. It’s that ‘just in time’ approach to learning which is very exciting.”

Ms Williams said another benefit of the YV Project was the new collegiality between Yarra Valley schools, particularly between the seven secondary colleges.

“I don’t think there was much contact before the project but now we share ideas, resources and even staff from time to time. For example, there’s a senior maths program run out of one of the schools which students from the other schools tap into online.”

An important part of the VY Project was acknowledging that today’s students are digital learners, Ms Williams said. “I’m not saying ‘chalk and talk’ is irrelevant but kids today learn differently and they need access to technology that is relevant to their daily lives.”

Future opportunities

Ms Williams believes schools are only at the start of the journey in terms of the impact and use of new technology.

“Technology is moving so fast. Three or four years ago most teachers only turned on their computers to access their emails. Many hadn’t even thought of using computers in the classroom except to browse the internet. But now you can see people’s imaginations opening up. It’s infectious.”

As technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, Ms Williams sees more online learning and collaboration taking place within and between schools.

“I think online web 2.0 collaborative web environments like blogging and Wikkis will become popular teaching tools. And mobile phones may even become learning tools as well with students using them to surf the internet, take photos in science class or to download podcasts from their various classes.”

However, Ms Williams acknowledged technology was not a replacement for fundamental teaching skills. “Even with online learning you’ve got to be able to build a good rapport with students and excite their interest, and that’s unlikely to change any time soon.”