The use of online assessment tools is giving teachers a more fine-grained understanding of individual students' skills, and assisting them to determine the necessary next steps to enable them to achieve their own learning goals. We are seeing more effective differentiation in classrooms as a result.
Instead of being the 'font of all knowledge,' teachers are required to be effective facilitators of student learning both within and outside the classroom at any time.
Intercultural understanding is a key dimension of the Australian Curriculum. The deployment of technology opens up opportunities for global partnerships and collaboration to grow, increasing opportunities for greater understanding between cultures.
"Technology" is a cross-curriculum perspective running through the new Australia Curriculum, and there are a number of technology subject areas as well that include coding, which has not previously been part of the Australian Curriculum.
More ubiquitous mobile technologies have led to a significant shift from desktops and laptops to the use of mobile tablets. Australian schools are increasingly using apps as they become available to support education.
An ongoing challenge for Australia is ensuring equity of access to technology. Since the decline in federal funding, many schools are reverting to bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs and this puts the onus back on families to fund devices.
Raising parent awareness on how to support their students to be safe, responsible and discerning users of technology continues to be a challenge.
