School Connections: Using ICT to

engage students in learning

Microsoft Partners in Learning
New South Wales Connected Learning Schools Project

A collaboration between Microsoft, NSW DET, dk2 and ACER

Table of contents
The concept. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The impact of ICT on student learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The project characteristics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The school projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Evaluation characteristics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
High-level perspectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Insights on learning and teaching in 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
A consolidated picture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

The concept
In 2006, one school team from each of the ten NSW
Department of Education regions were nominated to
participate in the Microsoft Partners in Learning (PiL)
Connected Learning Schools Project.
With reference to their unique context, each school
developed and implemented a project that involved
teachers using Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) in their teaching and learning to engage
middle-year students in their education, and to connect
more authentically with students learning experiences
outside of school.
Using technology has helped me in many ways i didnt know
much before about technology before but know I understand
lots about it

The NSW Partners in Learning project was a research

and development project. The aim was to investigate how
children in the middle years (Years 5 to 9) can shape their
own learning. It sought to bridge the disconnect between
ICT used at home and in school. Between 2006 and 2008
the ten teams of schools implemented their projects with
a view to enhancing students engagement, pedagogy and
teacher capacity.
The project was evaluated by ACER using 2006 and
2008 surveys that identified the extent to which digital
technologies helped students
engage with school.
Data was collected
from
students,
teachers, parents
(in 2006) and
students, teachers
and principals (in
2008). The 2006
survey gained new
insights into how
middle-year students
use ICT to
engage

with school in comparison with how they engage with

ICT out of school. It also provided an insight into effective
strategies for using new and emerging ICT (such as
Communication and Social Software/Web 2.0 tools),
teacher and student perceptions of engagement and
teacher confidence, and knowledge and skills levels in using
ICT. The results of the evaluation were fed back to schools
and helped inform their project plans.
The second round of research conducted in September
2008 allowed a comparative study of the relative impact
of the school projects. It provided an evidence base for
identifying key insights from the work done as part of each
schools project.
This report presents the high-level results of this research
based on an analysis of the survey data. It builds on the 2006
survey results, 2008 reports to schools, and a presentation
at the final NSW Partners in Learning conference in
December 2008.
As the report suggests, the development and evaluation
have contributed to the global PiL initiative that is
designed to help increase technology access for schools,
foster innovative approaches to pedagogy and teacher
professional development, and provide education leaders
with the tools to envision, implement, and manage change.
It is hoped, as a result, that the project has developed more
innovative learners.

The impact of ICT on student

learning
Background perspectives from existing research
ICT has been used in educational settings since its inception,
but recent empirical research has affirmed that it plays a
vital role in high-quality learning and teaching. Such research
insights have shown that advances in technology have
opened up new possibilities for the way in which teachers
educate their classes, giving potential for innovative ways
to encourage students to become more engaged in their
schooling. To enable the best possible outcomes for their
students it is vital that schools are able to keep up with
this progress.
I have enjoyed using ICT because of new and better technology
and to learn new things and having fun

The 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals

for Young Australians (MCEETYA, 2008: 6) affirmed the
importance of ICT literacy within the classroom, stating
that:
rapid and continuing advances in information and
communication technologies (ICT) are changing the
ways people share, use, develop and process information
and technology. In this digital age, young people need to
be highly skilled in the use of ICT. While schools already
employ these technologies in learning, there is a need
to increase their effectiveness significantly over the next
decade.
As was sensed in the NSW context, there is growing
evidence in the international research literature that
certain classroom uses of ICT increase students
motivation to learn, engagement in learning, and their
independence in learning. A UK review of such studies
found a correlation between using ICT in schools and
student academic achievement across a range of subjects.
The clearest benefit was when ICT was integrated across
all subjects, and was part of everyday classroom activity
(Condie & Munro, 2007). In an extensive review of the
ICT and performance levels in the UK, Cox et. al. (2003)
found evidence of positive effects on achievement levels in
students across a wide range of subjects, with particularly

large effects in English, mathematics and science. There

has been a greater focus of the development of subjectspecific ICT resources to support learning and teaching
in these areas.
The ICT Impact Report (Balanskat, Blamire & Kefala, 2006)
indicates that in European schools ICT has positively
enhanced performance in the primary years, particularly
in the primary language of the country. Schools that have
greater ICT infrastructure perform more highly than
schools with less developed ICT infrastructure. Higher
motivation is reported, particularly for primary students,
with the use of ICT such as interactive whiteboards.
The majority of teachers report that students are more
highly motivated, which in turn affects behaviour and
communication when using computers and the internet
in class. In order to reach European targets set for the
year 2010, the numbers of computers in schools have
increased dramatically in recent years (Balanskat & Blamire,
2007). Higher broadband penetration has been reported
in schools, with 70 per cent of schools using broadband
connections. Seventy-four per cent of teachers report
using ICT in their classrooms, however this varies across
countries, ranging from 35 per cent in Latvia, to 96 per
cent in the UK. Two thirds of teachers report being very
confident in their usage of word processors, and a third feel
that they have the necessary skills to develop electronic
presentations. Almost all teachers in the UK and Denmark
report using ICT regularly as a teaching aid, whereas in
other countries such as Greece or Latvia, only a third of
teachers report doing so.
Using ICT really helps my learning in school work.

Similar findings can be found in research from the USA

involving the Tennessee EdTech Launch, a program to
encourage ICT usage in school (Lowther, Inan, Strahl & Ross,
2008). The program utilised full-time on-site technology
coaches to educate teachers on how to prepare lessons
that increase student learning through engagement with
computers. The program resulted in teachers integrating
technology into their classroom lessons with higher
confidence, although performance on high stakes tests
for students in these classes compared to a control group,
were mixed.

In relation to ICT usage in Australian schools, the

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)
ranks Australia highly among OECD countries, both with
the number of students per computer at school, and with
the number of students with computers at home (OECD,
2005). Australia is one of only a few countries where all
students reported having access to computers at school.
Approximately 69 per cent of 15 year old students have
used computers for longer than five years, more than the
majority of OECD countries (Thompson & De Bortoli,
2007). Consequently, Australian students were on average
more confident in performing various routine computer
tasks, with a substantial majority more confident in their
ability to perform internet tasks (Ainley, 2007). As the
tasks become more high level, the confidence levels of the
students dropped. Given that the vast majority of Australian
students (87 per cent) indicate they use computers
frequently outside of school, compared to at school (59
per cent), suggests that linking the sorts of ICT activities
used at home with the classroom setting may provide a
way to encourage engagement in learning tasks.
Our school has changed the way our technology by getting new
objects and other features that will help us learn more.

Focusing on students of a similar age to those in the

current study, assessments of ICT literacy were carried
out for Years 6 and Year 10 in 2005 (MCEETYA, 2007).
Forty-nine per cent of Year 6 students were found to meet
the proficiency standards (representing a challenging but
reasonable expectation for the students appropriate for
their year level), compared with 61 per cent of Year 10
students, implying a growth in ICT proficiency for students
between these years. Students were more likely to use
ICT as communication and research tools, and less likely
to use applications that involved creating, analysing or
transforming information, which was reflected in their
performance in these aspects of ICT literacy.
Research conducted by the Le@rning Federation, which
provides online curriculum materials to Australian teachers,
has found that Australian schools show a relatively low
adoption of ICT, which may be due to various factors,
including a lack of alignment between curriculum, pedagogy,
assessment of students performance and high stakes

testing. (Freebody, Reimann & Tiu, 2008). Their evaluation

found that teachers reported using ICT learning objects as
an orienting or task-focussing device, which can be used
to model activities that are not normally possible in the
classroom. The learning objects help students develop
new knowledge, concepts and skills and allow them to
work at their own pace and level. Teachers expressed
support for the notion that these materials provide value
for student learning and engagement. Eighty per cent of
teachers surveyed considered the learning outcomes of
the objects in allowing students to learn factual content
and direct content, reach conceptual understandings
and to build new concepts and apply knowledge to new
settings. Students nominated the most helpful features of
the learning objects to be providing opportunity to work
at my own pace, getting feedback that tells me if I am right
or wrong and getting information that tells me how to
do the activity better. Teacher familiarity and professional
development with materials were found to vary, with low
levels of professional development reported.
Research insights on teacher professional learning and ICT
A survey conducted by education.au (2008a, 2008b) found
that primary teachers rated infrastructure, bandwidth,
equipment reliability and access, alongside limited access to
computers or internet connection as barriers to using online
technology. Secondary teachers nominated infrastructure,
bandwidth, equipment reliability and access as well as
blocking or filtering of internet content as their most
common barriers. However, perhaps the greatest barrier
for most teachers in adopting ICT for their classroom was
their lack of understanding of the new technology. Teacher
familiarity and professional development with ICT has
been found to be low (Freebody, Reimann & Tiu, 2008).
Using the ICT has made learning much more fun instead of the
usual boring classes

There is evidence that supporting professional development

for teachers in relation to ICT leads to changes in
teacher knowledge, practices, and beliefs (Mouza, 2006).
For instance, Timperley, Wilson, Barrar and Fung (2007)
identified a number of contextual conditions for professional
development that are needed to promote student learning
of content in the necessary depth. They are:

 consistency with wider policy trends and research

an extended time for teachers to engage with new
ideas and their implications for practice

experts external to the group who could present those

ideas in ways that promoted teacher engagement

opportunities to engage in a range of learning activities,

and

participation in a professional community that

supported the new ideas and practice at the same time
as it challenged existing ones and focused on teaching
learning links.
It has been the most powerful professional learning.
Graeme Ross, former Principal, Drummond MPS (now Woolgoolga PS)

Of relevance to the current study is evidence that training

must be perceived as purposeful by teachers and, ideally,
tied closely to the introduction of new technologies and/
or software, such as Interactive Whiteboards. Research on
teachers training needs (see, for example: Condie, Munro,
Muir & Collins, 2005) reported that teachers were not just
looking for professional development on ways to manage
the specific technology, but were seeking guidance on how
they can embed the technology in their everyday classroom
activities, particularly in regards to specific subject areas.
Greater gains in achievement in students are seen when
the teacher uses ICT in a planned, structured way that is
integrated effectively into their lessons (Higgins, 2003).
Spring (2004) proposed five teaching and learning modes
in which e-learning can provide gains in effectiveness,
quality and cost benefits:

classroom interactive learning: between students and

teachers and among students;

independent learning: where students or teachers are

learning and studying alone in a variety of environments

and modes including aspects of self directed lifelong
learning;

networked learning: through contact with groups,

individuals and sources where quite different influences
and experiences are creating a qualitative difference to
both standard and blended teaching and learning;

organisational learning: including learning communities,

learning precincts and learning cities; and

managed learning: where education technology is

creating, through computer managed communication
and learning management systems, capability to enable
teachers to negotiate and provide individualised
curricula and learning experiences for each student.
The project has engaged students in ways I havent seen
before.
Jason Marshall, Assistant Principal, Raymond Terrace PS

The benefits of classroom use of ICT identified in the

literature include increased levels of student collaboration
in learning, higher levels of student engagement and
persistence in learning, and more on-task behaviour. A
meta-analysis incorporating 42 studies found that use of

ICT in the classroom had a significant effect on student

outcomes when compared to traditional instruction
(Waxman, Lin & Michko, 2003). The body of evidence
on the impact of ICT on intermediate outcomes, such as
motivation, engagement with and independence in learning
is greater and more persuasive. The benefits identified in
the literature include increased collaboration, greater
engagement and persistence, more on-task behaviour
and better conceptual understanding (Condie & Munro,
2007).

In measuring student engagement to ICT, perceptions from

the students themselves have been minimal compared with
the large volumes of studies that use teacher report, and
objective forms of assessment as a means of measuring
engagement (Neal, 2005). Students mostly report positive
experiences in engagement in the classroom with the
use of ICT. Students have reported they benefit more if
they are comfortable with computers, the ICT has a wellorganised layout, the instructions were clear, and that the
theme was fun or motivating (Kay, 2007). ICT that utilise
a visual dimension, including digital video, photography or
video conferencing are found to be engaging for students
(Condie & Munro, 2007). They provide a stimulus for
collaborative working and discussion amongst fellow
students and teachers that enable the students to take
control of their own learning process. These technologies
appear to be especially effective when used with groups of
students with special or additional needs.
PiL has been the catalyst for real change at our school.The
project has enabled our staff to explore new directions, with a
strong focus on teaching and learning that is making a huge
difference and having a great impact on our students and
their learning outcomes.The opportunity to undertake focused
PD and attend the forums at Microsoft in Sydney have been
excellent!
John Webb, Principal, Orange PS

The project characteristics

The current project reflected a partnership between
Microsoft, the Department of Education and Training
(NSW), the Australian Council for Educational Research
(ACER) and dk2, a consulting group contracted by
Microsoft to project manage the initiative for the life of
the project.
The focus of the NSW Partners in Learning project was
to engage middle-year students through innovative uses
of ICT with particular attention on investigating and
integrating the ways that these students engage with ICT
out of school.
The project commenced in June 2006 with 10 school
teams comprising 21 schools and more than 190 teachers.
There was a significant increase in participation across
the board over the 22 months from February 2007 to
December 2008:

student participation increased from 575 in early 2007,

to 2056 in November 2008

teacher involvement increased from 61 to 143, and

school numbers increased from 10 to 33.
Most of the school teams used MS Sharepoint as their
online collaborative environment providing access to the
Web 2.0 social networking tools that students were using
in their lives outside schools, but within a safe and secure
environment.

Each school was required to submit a monthly report

on progress and every teacher involved in the project in
each school was also required to submit a monthly digital
e-journal.
What I am learning and what have been the most powerful
learning experiences for me: Peer assessment is so honest! Kids
are talking to each other about their claymations and what
they thought.This can be a very powerful tool.What I feel my
students are learning:The voting has made them all into critics!
Students are very excited about showing their work to their
parents and some important Big Wigs.
Issues:Where to from here? This project has exceeded all
expectations and I want to keep the momentum going..
Deb Gilbert, Middle Years Coordinator, Bulahdelah CS)

Biannual professional learning events enabled project

teachers (up to five from each school team) to share
ideas, network with other project schools, and participate
in valuable and targeted training in:

project planning
developing an ICT vision
leadership
personalising learning
student e-portfolios
reflective practice, and
the innovative use of software and tools such as MS
Sharepoint, Claymation, MARVIN and Photo Story.

These professional learning events included an Evaluation

Forum in 2006, the Extending Our Thinking Forum and
New Directions Forum in 2007, and in 2008 a Reflections
Forum was held along with a final celebration at the end
of the project.

The school projects

General characteristics of the projects
The school teams were brought together for the launch of
the Connected Learning Schools Project in June, 2006.The
focus of this forum was to discuss school expectations and
explore the possibilities for how the new project might
look in each school context.
The project provided participating school teams with:

project management, mentoring and coordination from

expert consultants (dk2) throughout the life of the

project

seed funding for ICT-focused innovation in teaching and

learning (Microsoft provided up to $15,000 per year to

each school project team and the DET provided up to
10 relief days for 2006/2007)

access to professional learning opportunities through

attendance of school teams bi-annually at project

forums

access to Microsoft self-paced learning tools

to
Microsoft-sponsored
professional
access

opportunities such as attendance at international

conferences and access to the Microsoft Innovative
Teacher Awards, and

access to MS Sharepoint and newly emerging software

such as Marvin.

School teams were expected to:

participate in the project for two and a half years (to

end of 2008)

participate in the ACER research surveys that were to

occur periodically throughout the project

develop a project vision, goals and plan

provide a consistent point of contact (project
coordinator)

link or partner with other schools (either within NSW

or beyond)

produce monthly progress reports and monthly teacher

e-journals and any other required documentation

participate in the projects online professional learning

community (PLC) and other communication networks

10

meet due dates of the project milestones, and

come together periodically to share and learn.
The projects developed by each school team needed to:

take into account the ACER evaluation data (in terms

of ICT students are using, their perceptions, teacher

perceptions and practices)

link in with the goals of PiL as outlined in the Project

Planning document

link in with DET Quality Teaching Framework (QTF)

link in with any relevant DET projects (for example,
Middle Years and Centre for Learning Innovation (CLI))

build upon the Board of Studies Stages 4 and 5 Syllabi

link in with the schools other strategic plans
involve students in planning and project
implementation

involve innovative use of ICT

involve the school community
take into account the level of support provided by
Microsoft, DET and dk2, and

be achievable, relevant and realistic.

ICT is no longer a chore or a novelty - it is now accepted as a
part of everyday life. Staff are wanting to learn more and are
no longer scared of it[ICT] is embedded in everyday teaching
and learning rather than a once a week technology lesson
Participating teachers, ACER survey, September 2008

The ten school projects focussed on engagement of students

through innovative teaching and learning approaches that
incorporated ICT (or ICT with similar behaviours and
functions) that students were using outside of school. With
the growing interest in Web 2.0 technologies and social
networking, there was a strong focus on communication,
collaboration, creation and reflection. Within this focus,
each school team employed a variety of approaches and
strategies to suit their particular contexts and priorities.

Bankstown Girls High School / Bankstown Public School

Barnier Public School

Bankstowns project focused on building a learning

community that uses ICT in purposeful, meaningful
ways to enhance the development of student higher
order thinking skills. Called iLearn@BGHS, the project
initially involved a small group of extension year
8/9 students working with selected students from
Bankstown PS. There was an emphasis on critical
and creative thinking within a self-directed learning
framework.

Barnier PS has a highly tech savvy staff, with ubiquitous

access to technology. While their PiL Project began
with much promise, it was soon beset with a lack of
staffing continuity, roadblocks and several changes in
direction.

Its amazing how the PiL project has initiated and

consolidated the links between the two schools. As
the co-ordinator of the project, Ive made new friends
and share a terrific professional rapport with my PS
colleagues other HS teachers are getting on board.
Participating teachers, ACER survey, September 2008

In 2008, the project widened its scope to include all

year 9 students undertaking study into an area of
interest based on an Indigenous theme, with students
from Bankstown PS exploring the use of different
technologies within their context. MS Sharepoint
was used consistently as a focus for communication,
recording progress and reflection.

Initially focussed on enhancing student engagement

and increasing student learning through authentic
learning tasks, Are you game enough? required
students to simulate a game design studio, researching
the different roles needed to create a digital game
and taking on these roles as part of a multidisciplinary
team constructing a digital game.
In its second year, and after three staff changes, this
project evolved into a round table assessment, use
of Marvin animation software and a whole school
technology project which successfully managed to
incorporate e-portfolios and student self-reflection.

Its great to see students in charge of their learning

and so involved and excited! I felt the staff need not be
there at all!

I find the program particularly exciting and

interesting.The repercussions for this part of the
project are far reaching.The use of the digital portfolio
as an assessment tool and support for assessment
are enormous.Whilst at the moment the students are
developing their skills and placing only some of their
work into their portfolios, the long-term benefits will be
enormous The overwhelming response of both the
staff and the students is very heartening.

Stephanie Kingston, Bankstown GHS

Gail Oakman, Assistant Principal, Barnier

11

Berinba Public School

Berinba Bright Sparks focused on building capacity of
staff and students in the use ICT to enhance their own
learning. The projects undertaken by teachers were
initially based on the collection of data on ICT use and
the exploration of innovating options for classroom
application, building from a number of mini-projects
to a major school-wide project in 2008.
In 2008, introduction to Marvin animation software
and digital story telling led to all Year 6 teachers
working collaboratively to engage students at this year
level with a particular focus on boys and incorporation
of ICT into the schools buddy program (following
exposure to the very successful Young PS project).
Advancements in technology will be utilised by the
Berinba Bright Sparks in our busy school environment
which has multiple demands placed on our valuable
time.We have developed a management strategy,
which has been effective in bringing about change and
improvement.
Ray Claydon, Principal, Berinba

Bulahdelah Central School (Tea Gardens Public

School, Booral Public School, Bungwahl Public School,
Coolongolook Public School)
BCS PiL targeted the embedding of ICT into the middle
school curriculum. The project aimed at enhancing
communication across and within the schools, with
student-centred activities focussing on student-driven
tasks and creation of learning artefacts. Data collected
through the ACER survey informed the design of
the schools MS Sharepoint portal. A teacher-student
committee was established to oversee the design of
the portal which enabled middle school students to
receive, work on, submit, vote, communicate, record
their learning and receive feedback on a variety of rich,
relevant tasks. Tasks included the use of multimedia
design and animation. Claymation animation software
was used to engage students in the learning of
skills including script writing, timing, story boards,
photography skills, design and animation. Students
presented learning outcomes through the portal, and
animations were recorded to CD for future teaching
and learning tools. Annual Claymation Celebrations
involved the local school community and celebrated
the student learning that had occurred.
The two teacher leaders of the project Tim Gorrod
and Deb Gilbert were recipients of several state
and national teaching accolades through the life of the
project, including Tim Gorrod being awarded the NSW
Microsoft Innovative Teacher Award in 2007 and both
were also invited to present their experiences at the
ISTE ictLT Conference in Singapore in August, 2008.
I want my students to be able to dream, take every
opportunity, teach what they know, think big, enjoy the
moment, create.
Deb Gilbert, Head Middle School, Bulahdelah Central

12

Drummond Memorial Public School (Yarrowitch Public

School, Rocky River Public School, Niangala Public
School)
Engagement for Life! encouraged student choice and
self-reflection in the use of a range of social software
applications using a TV station programming concept
as the framework. Professional learning for teachers
was based on individual needs around ICT, planning
for collaborative learning and thinking skills. Students
developed capabilities in the use of social software,
production of a TV serial using Microsoft PhotoStory,
a TV advertisement using Windows Movie Maker
and digital camera (CPA) and a quiz program using
Microsoft Excel. Students at all participating schools
met online, collaborated on hypertext wiki stories and
answered weekly discussion issues on MS Sharepoint.
They met face to face during several excursions and
developed strong friendships as they collaborated
together. The project lead for the Drummond project,
Michael Wilson, was awarded the NSW Microsoft
Innovative Teacher in 2008 and was also the recipient
of several other accolades including the NSW
Microsoft Scholarship for 2009 through which he will
visit the United Kingdom and USA in 2009.
(I am feeling) Very positive.We have had a very productive
year.The students enjoy the activities. I have enjoyed
this year immensely from a personal and professional
perspective. I can see huge improvements in the
studentsin their writing outcomes, especially on the
difficult area of identifying the purpose of a piece.I
have seen social outcomes for our students because of the
interactions with students from other schools.
Michael Wilson, Drummond MPS

Young Public School

The Young PS project was called Buddies in Technology.
Leveraging off the already successful school-wide buddy
system that was initially welfare-based, the project
extended the program to incorporate curriculum
with a specific focus on using ICT to communicate,
collaborate and produce student-driven artefacts
that focused on the developing skills and relationships
of students across the school year levels using stop
motion cameras, animation, claymation, digital story
telling and Marvin software.
All up, the school has thoroughly appreciated the
involvement in the PiL program and the initiatives and
practices resulting have been embedded into school life.
We feel sure that staff and students will continue to
explore new technologies and maintain the momentum
generated by this project. Many Thanks. Neil Muir on
behalf of all YPS Staff.
Neil Muir,Young PS

13

Cherrybrook Technology High School

Orange Public School

The Cherrybrook PiL project underwent a dramatic

change in direction mid stream, both in staffing,
coordination and focus. The project shifted from CSI
Cherrybrook (which used software applications to
enhance investigative skills and wireless Nova 2000
devices connected to the school network to follow
directions and pursue clues delivered through the
school network, and use computers to record their
learning outcomes) to a more simple, one class data
collection project using the Nova 2000 devices. This
Science-based project also utilised social networking
to support student learning.

Write Right Now was a student-centred learning and

negotiated assessment project. Through theme based,
cross-curricular activities, students used technologies
such as claymation, digital story telling, blogs, web
design and publishing. Additional technologies such
as Interactive White Boards assisted with the delivery
of lesson content and helped to demonstrate the
particular technologies students were using. A 21st
century technology evening involving the wider school
community enabled students to showcase their work
and share their understandings. Blogs and wikis allowed
students to communicate with each other, even when
one student travelled through Europe.
PiL has been the catalyst for real change at our school.
The project has enabled our staff to explore new
directions, with a strong focus on teaching and learning
that is making a huge difference and having a great
impact on our students and their learning outcomes.
John Webb, Principal, Orange PS

14

Marrickville High School / Wilkins Public School

As with several of the NSW PiL projects, the
Marrickville project underwent a significant evolution
over the 2 years of PiL. Initially highly focused on
technology, the project shifted to a creation, animation,
claymation and documentary film project, involving
the Year 5 students from neighbouring Wilkins PS.
Situated on a busy road, with no limited speed zones,
the first phase of the project set the Marrickville and
Wilkins students with the challenge of developing a
TAC claymation that could lobby local interest groups
and state government to have a 40 km/h speed zone
established along the roadway they shared. Successful
in this venture, the second year of the project became
a documentary film study.
I am loving working on this project and teaching kids
stuff they dont get to learn all the time in a different
fashion from the traditional teacher/student classroom
with kids in teams and mentors in year 10 to help
guide and facilitate the learning.
Kate Coleman, Marrickville HS

Spinning a Yarn taking a byte into high school used

documentary filmmaking techniques through
collaboration and cooperative teaching and learning.
Students were encouraged to spin a yarn about
a local story through the production of a 5 minute
short film. Through collaboration, the yarn to be
told used documentary cinema techniques and
true/false documentary film. Visiting artist, George
Gittoes was incorporated into the project alongside
the production of a blog about the local yarns and
documentary filmmaking. Marvin was also used for
skill development.

Raymond Terrace Public School / Hunter River High

School
Initially a research project led by Hunter River HS,
this project (like many others) experienced a change
of emphasis in its early days. With the joining of
staff from Raymond Terrace PS, the cross-school
project assumed an environment focus and used
the resources available through the NSW DET
Centre for Learning Innovation (CLI) online project
Macrobiotica. This project encouraged students from
Raymond Terrace and Year 7s from Hunter River
HS to undertake an environmental investigation on
water quality in their local area, Windeyers Creek.
This exploration led to serendipitous discoveries and
linkages with the community, including local farmers
and the local council. In the second year of the project,
the focus moved to production through All the World
is a Stage.
The project has engaged students in ways I havent
seen before.
Jason Marshall, Raymond Terrace PS

The projects new purpose was to achieve

increased student engagement by providing learning
opportunities that take advantage of studied moving
pictures, explored use of green screens and produced
their own films.
(I have learned)to think outside the box to let the
students become more self-empowered with their
learning and ultimately thinking process
Nicole Apps, Hunter River HS

Seeing the excitement and enthusiasm to get going!

Last lessonthe kids formed their teams and got
working with their team leader. One leader (a primary
student) gave homework to his team to have prepared
for our meeting next week. Fantastic!
Kate Coleman, Marrickville HS

15

Evaluation characteristics
The formative approach
The evaluation was conducted in two phases. The first
and formative phase sought to gain new insights into how
middle-year students use ICT to engage with school in
comparison with how they engage with it out of school.
The follow-up evaluation conducted in July 2008 allowed a
comparative study of the impact of this project. Summary
reports were provided to schools in 2006 to assist with
the design of their projects. Further reports were provided
in 2008 to help schools better understand their students
engagement in learning.
Three discreet survey instruments were used to collect
data from students, teachers and parents (in 2006) on
their perceptions of how ICT mediates engagement with
education. In 2008, data was collected from principals
rather than parents (See Appendices for paper versions
of 2008 online instruments). The three instruments each
measured:

attitudes to ICT
ICT knowledge and skills
use of ICT at school
use of ICT outside school, and

qualities of both ICT and general student engagement

active learning
collaborative learning
school connectedness, and
supportive learning environment.
For the purposes of collecting baseline data, all middle-year
students and teachers were invited to participate in the
study in 2006. A total of 2223 students and 237 teachers
responded.

16

In 2008, these numbers reduced to 785 and 72, with 21

principals also responding. The reduction in student and
teacher numbers was due to a focus on only those who
had been involved in a Partners in Learning project. Hence,
as noted below, the populations are different and this
should be taken into account when making comparisons.
In both surveys, around 60 per cent of the student sample
was female, around 80 per cent spoke English as their
main language and around five per cent were of Aboriginal
or Torres Strait Islander background. All students were
between the ages of nine and 16, and just over threequarters were aged between 11 and 14.
The evaluations constraints
Several methodological limitations need to be noted
because they constrain the kind of inferences that can
be drawn from the evaluations results. As the following
remarks suggest, the findings presented in this report
should be treated as suggestive rather than definitive, and
as providing an example of the kind of development which
appears useful to consider on a larger scale.
Educational change is a very complex phenomenon and
is almost invariably driven by an interaction of diverse
factors. It was not possible to identify or control these
factors in the evaluation that underpins this report. Hence
the results and tentative conclusions should be treated as
suggestive rather than conclusive.
The sampling of schools, teachers and students also limits
the generalisations which could be made. The selection of
schools sought to obtain one per DET region. The results
should not be generalised beyond this sample of schools.
The sample of teachers was non-random, and varied
across collections. In 2006 it included all teachers at the
sampled schools, whereas in 2008 it included only teachers
who had been associated with the projects. As it was not
possible to link individual student data between 2006 and
2008, it is possible that cohort or selection effects may
have shaped the results. As such, any conclusions based
on any comparative results should be interpreted with
caution.

In an effort to control for selection effects, a control group

was specified as part of the 2008 design. Schools were
asked to survey a comparable group of students who had
not been involved in the collection. This was not possible
for various practical reasons, however, and as a result such
comparison data is not available.
A further constraint is that the data collected are subjective
in nature. Recorded estimates of student engagement
and ICT use are likely to be influenced by students selfperception, the varying ways in which students have selfidentified what they mean by ICT, students self efficacy,
and other interpretative constraints. The collection of
subjective data was undertaken as this is frequently used
to estimate student engagement. But it is important to
emphasise that current results were not cross-validated
through other more objective means.
It is likely, and desirable, that variations in the projects
undertaken by schools may have shaped the projects
outcomes, but neither the overall project nor evaluation
controlled for these differences. An effort has been made
to infer from the trends various factors which may have
influenced students reports of their engagement, but it is
not possible to firm up these intuitions with more causal
connections.

17

High-level perspectives
Formative foundations, 2006
The 2006 results exposed quite a lot of variation within the
student cohort in terms of attitude to ICT. More students
than might typically be expected felt that ICT was a waste
of time, confusing or only to be used if really necessary.
Most students, however, had either integrated ICT into
their lives, or were very interested in using ICT in ways
that shaped their lives. Interestingly, parents perceptions
of their childrens attitudes to ICT were well aligned with
each students own views. Teachers, by contrast, provided
more positive reports of students attitudes to ICT than did
students themselves. This could be interpreted in a range
of ways, but it may suggest that teachers are picking up on
forms of ICT knowledge and use that students simply see
as part of their everyday lives, or that there is a disjunct
between student and teacher perceptions which implies
a lack of connectedness. These, at least, are the trends for
the overall sample, and it should be noted that they varied
slightly across schools.
ICT knowledge and skills may be best assessed using test
instruments or having people develop portfolios, but selfreports of the kind used in this study provide a valid, efficient
and reliable alternative. The evaluation results showed that
the vast majority of students felt they possessed many of
the competencies included in the instrument. This suggests
both that the surveyed students are very able with ICT and,
importantly, that they see themselves this way. Most students
reported using ICT in ways which are not simply basic and
reproductive in nature, nor rich and adaptive, but rather
synthetic and evaluative. They were modifying softwares
to suit their needs, developing computer programs, and
creating images and presentations. As with attitudes to ICT,
parents perceptions in this area were closely aligned with
their childrens perceptions. Teachers were asked to assess
their own ICT competence, as opposed to that of their
students. Teachers tended to provide higher estimates of
their own ICT competence than students or parents. This
overall pattern was underpinned by teachers providing
greater estimates of their own competence in using
computers for work-related activities.
Information about ICT use was captured both to help
understand how students engage with ICT, and to

18

contextualise analysis of their engagement with education

through ICT. Overall, students reported using much less
ICT at school than outside school. The gap was quite
significant and suggests that this was an important area of
difference in students lives at this time. Nearly all students
reported using ICT between once a month and once a
week at school but weekly or daily outside school. They
also reported using different kinds of ICT in each context:
more standard work-related ICT at school and more social
networking software and games outside of school. As for
attitude and competence, parents provided reports which
were very closely aligned with those of students. Teachers,
however, tended to overestimate students ICT use, which
is interesting given that their perceptions would likely be
formed, for the most part, while observing students at
school, a context in which students themselves report
low levels of use. Whatever the causes and implications,
however, this is clearly an area where there is a difference
between the perceptions of teachers, and of students.
These overall patterns were generally consistent across
schools.
Responses to specific items provided insight into the
precise differences between students, teachers and parents
reported ICT use. While students reported using all forms
of ICT more outside school than at school, they reported
substantially more outside school interaction with current
social, synchronous, interactive and multimedia software
than at school.These are likely to be major levers to change
students use of ICT to engage with learning at school.
Teachers also tended to overestimate students use of this
interactive software when compared with students own
reports. Teacher and student perceptions of student use
were more closely aligned in relation to more conventional
or infrequently used ICT, the ICT which teachers report
using themselves as much, and in some cases more than,
students. These results, in summary, suggest that teachers
overestimation of students use of ICT is due to students
use of social and interactive software which tend to be
used at home rather than school.
As the above summary has hinted, the preliminary survey
results are interesting not just because they provide insight
into patterns of ICT use but because, as with the analysis of
knowledge and skills, they also tap into various perceptions
about ICT use. It is possible, for instance, that students

have underestimated their use of ICT as opposed to an

overestimation by teachers. By this reasoning, students
may have incorporated ICT tacitly into their daily routines
and hence be unaware of their actual levels of use. Such
analysis of perceptions is important as it is these which
need to be considered in managing the use of ICT to
enhance engagement with learning.
Both students and teachers were asked to report on the four
qualities of ICT engagement (Active learning, Collaborative
learning, School connectedness, Supportive learning
environment) and more general forms of engagement.
Overall, teachers tended to report higher levels of general
engagement than students, particularly in relation to the
provision of a supportive learning environment. Students
reports were also more diverse than teachers perceptions
of engagement.The results also showed that many students
(but not teachers) reported activities and conditions
associated with lower forms of engagement with learning.
Overall, the levels for ICT engagement were lower than for
general engagement, with particularly low responses given
that ICT played a role in school connectedness.The results
suggested that engagement with learning through ICT was
higher in those areas where ICT is used actively, and lower
where ICT plays a role in enhancing tacit aspects of the
learning environment. These are overall results and, as with
other areas measured, there were different patterns of
results between schools.
Relationships between engagement and the other
measures were explored. As would be expected, there
were much stronger relationships between ICT attitudes
and ICT engagement than between ICT attitudes and
general engagement.The interesting exception to this trend
was a reasonably strong relationship between ICT attitude
and active and collaborative learning, suggesting that ICT
plays a role in enhancing this aspect of engagement with
education. The overall relationships between attitudes
and engagement tended to be stronger for students
than teachers. There was an almost identical series of
relationships between ICT competence and engagement,
and ICT use and engagement. Together, these results
hint that collaborative and social ICT applications enable
learning to become more powerful and engaging, rather
than increasing students overall involvement in school life.
Rather than promoting a blended or distributed learning

environment, it appears from these overall results that ICT

offers a parallel means of leading and undertaking specific
learning interactions.
Teachers appear to have become more sophisticated users of
ICT over the two-and-a-half years of the Partners in Learning
Project, and that they may feel more confident integrating ICT
into their teaching practices.

Key findings from 2008

Broadly, the 2008 results provide indicative evidence that
teachers appear to have become more sophisticated users
of ICT over the two-and-a-half years of the Partners in
Learning Project, and that they may feel more confident
integrating ICT into their teaching practices. During the
same period, there was a rise in students engagement with
school, both in general terms and in ways mediated by the
use of ICT. In summary, therefore, the survey results from
2008 have shown that the Partners in Learning project
appears to have enhanced student engagement in their
education. The main findings that underpin this conclusion
are summarized as follows:

Improved student engagement through ICT use in

schools. The evaluation asked students to report on a

range of ways in which the digital technologies could
have helped them engage in learning. In 2008, students
reported ICT-mediated increases in all defined aspects of
student engagement, compared to 2006.These patterns
parallel increases in student and teacher perceptions of
students general engagement in school. Importantly,
student perceptions of their engagement are mirrored
in that of their teachers. This provides cross validation
of the student reports, and also evidence of teachers
awareness of how ICT can be used to engage student
learning.

Building teacher capacity. Enhancing teachers knowledge

and understanding of digital technologies and their

educational applications was an important focus of the
school plans and projects. Teachers play a critical role in
setting the conditions that enhance students engagement
in learning and hence their educational outcomes. The
results suggest that enabling student driven learning
experiences in which students are authentically involved
in all aspects of planning and undertaking the learning

19

appear to have a positive impact on their capacity in

this area.

Factors that facilitated growth. By working with teachers

and students, and based on review of the evaluation

results, it became clear that certain factors were linked
with a positive outcome. Students associated with
greater increases in engagement over the intervening
period of the Partners in Learning project tended
to be involved in projects that were collaborative in
nature, student-driven, involved multiple teachers, had
good technical support and were educationally driven
characteristics more commonly associated with
primary than secondary schools. Conversely, students
who reported less change undertook projects that
were driven by teachers rather than student groups,
received low-levels of ICT support, were supported by
only a single teacher, were technology driven or lacked
leadership support.

Evidence-based evaluation helped drive change.

Distributing the project across three years and providing
formative results in 2006 gave schools evidence and
insights to help focus their attention and work. School
teams and individual teachers have been required to
reflect on their progress throughout the project through
Monthly Reports and Teacher e-journals, enabling them
to capture successful strategies from their teaching. The
follow-up results provide schools with an indication of
the extent to which they were able to stimulate change
in students engagement.

20

Insights on learning and teaching

in 2008

school work, that playing with or using a computer is really

fun, that using ICT makes learning more enjoyable, and that
ICT is very important in their lives.

Engaging students

There was a similar constancy in students 2006 and 2008

reports of their ICT knowledge and skills as seen in Figure
2. Students in 2008 were more confident in using the
internet, writing and sending emails and playing computer
games than students in 2006. The students as a whole
reported that they could do most of the 22 activities listed
with help from someone. These included learning how to
use new computer equipment, using the internet to look up
information, writing and sending emails, combining text and
graphics from different software, constructing a webpage,
and using a spreadsheet to plot a graph. Females displayed
a very slight advantage over males in terms of their selfperception of ICT competence. Secondary students scored
higher when compared against primary students.

Students and teachers were asked to report on a wide

range of matters regarding students use of ICT to engage
in school education. While both students and teachers
supplied data, in most instances students remained what
is technically referred to as the unit of analysis. That
is, students provided feedback about themselves, and
teachers provided feedback about students (in terms of
their engagement).
The data presented in Figure 1 shows that almost three
quarters of all students reported to have experience
using computers for 5 or more years, with 95 per cent of
both primary students and secondary students having had
experience using them for at least 3 years. This indicates
that students are familiar with computers at quite a young
age. The data follow a similar pattern to computer usage
amongst students in 2006.

None
One
Two
Three
Four
Five or more

use the internet

play computer games
use the internet to look up information
write and send emails
save a computer document or file
listen to music on a portable digital player
move files from one place to another on a computer
copy or download files from the internet
use camera, text and internet on a mobile phone
use online chat rooms to communicate with others
download music from the internet
attach a file to an email message
learn how to use new computing equipment
use standard word processing software
create a multimedia presentation
combine text and images from different software
use the internet to download software
program ICT in ways that suit my needs
use a spreadsheet to plot a graph
use software to find and get rid of computer viruses
construct a web page
create a computer program
No
idea

2006
2008

No
confidence

Some
confidence
Confidence

Figure 2 Student ICT Knowledge and skills item means, 2006

and 2008
Figure 1 Students years of computer use
Students were asked to report on their attitudes to ICT.
The 2006 and 2008 mean scores were identical, as were
male and female means, suggesting that students feelings
about ICT remained stable across this period. Generally,
students tended to agree that ICT helps them do better at

Students were surveyed on their ICT usage, both outside

of school and at school, with the 35 ICT related activities
measured were categorised into four scales, which are
described below:

using technology to facilitate study (e.g. use a word

processor or spreadsheet, use the internet for study or
school work, learn with special software)

21

Very
confident

 creation and computer programming (e.g. create

an animation, create a claymation, write computer
programs), and

communication and social networking (e.g. spend

time in forums, communicating with students online,

accessing wikis and blogs, using the internet to ask an
expert about work).

As shown in Figure 3, students in 2008 spent more time

than in 2006 on activities outside of school than at school
across all forms of ICT. The survey results suggests that
there has been an increase across time in students use of
communication and social networking ICT and creation
ICT both at school and outside of school. This reflects the
focus of the Partners in Learning Project and the provision
of MS Sharepoint to facilitate safe and secure online
communication and networking. The use of multimedia
software outside of school was slightly lower in 2008
than in 2006, however students reported an increase in
the usage of such activities at school. This is an important
finding, as one of the aims of the project was to increase
the usage at school of the types of ICT as students use
more often at home.

on the use of creative multimedia and multimodal programs

such as Digital Story Telling, Claymation animations and
Marvin. Particularly large increases over time in usage were
reported for posting comments on blogs read by students,
writing computer programs and shopping on the internet.
As with other results, given the nature of sampling used in
the study these findings must be treated as suggestive.
2006
2008

Study
Outside school

photos, use a mobile phone to access the internet,

watch video or listen to audio on the web)

Multimedia
Creation
Communication and
Social Networking
Study

At school

multimedia and web-based technologies (e.g. take digital

Multimedia
Creation
Communication and
Social Networking
Never

Less than once Between once a week

and once a month
a month

Few times
each week

Usage

Figure 3 Student ICT use at school and outside school scale

means, 2006 and 2008

Usage across the study scale appears to be lower both at

school and outside of school across time, contributed by
considerably large drops in usage for items such as use the
internet for study or school work and look up information
on the internet. This drop could be explained by the fact
that these activities may have become so part of everyday
life they are less of a novelty than in 2006, rather than
actually representing real changes in usage over time.

The survey asked students to report on the extent to which

they were using ICT to engage in school, and teachers
were asked to cross-validate these perspectives. Figure 4
shows students have reported ICT-mediated increases in
all defined aspects of student engagement from 2006 levels.
Importantly, the increase in student perceptions of their
engagement is mirrored in the same increases for their
teachers from 2006. This provides cross validation of the
student reports, and also evidence of teachers awareness
of how ICT can be used to engage student learning.

Activities at school such as blogging, creating computer programs

and using mobile phones to access the internet increased
significantly over the two year period.

Importantly, the increase in student perceptions of their

engagement is mirrored in the same increases for their teachers
from 2006.

Activities at school such as blogging, creating computer

programs and using mobile phones to access the internet
increased significantly over the two year period. Outside
school, the use of software for creative purposes increased.
Partners in Learning teams received professional learning

22

Almost
every day

Student 2006
Student 2008
Teachers 2006
Teachers 2008

General
engagement
Supportive
learning
environment

School
connectedness

Students comments affirm the general findings regarding

increased student engagement:

Collaborative
learning

Active
learning
Low

Medium

High

Engagement

Figure 4 Student ICT engagement scale scores, 2006 and

2008
These patterns parallel increases in students and teachers
perceptions of students general engagement in school.
Figure 5 shows that students general engagement in
school is on average quite high, as are teacher perceptions
of their students engagement.The period of the evaluation
has seen a rise in active learning, in collaborative learning, in
connectedness with the school or perceptions of support
and, correspondingly, of general engagement overall.
Student 2006
Student 2008
Teachers 2006
Teachers 2008

ICT
engagement
ICT supportive
learning
environment

ICT school
connectedness

ICT
collaborative
learning
ICT active
learning
Low

Student reports of engagement showed interesting patterns

when analysed in terms of primary and secondary school.
For both general and ICT dimensions, results for Active
and Collaborative learning remained the same. Contrary
to the expectation of their teachers which remained
high for both primary and secondary schools, however,
secondary school students reported decreased feelings of
connectedness and support.

Medium

High

Engagement

Figure 5 Student general engagement scale scores, 2006 and

2008

I have noticed that everyone is more motivated and

interested in school work. Everyone seems to be happier
and interactive
The students have enjoyed using technology more in
class and are more motivated to learn
I have noticed over the last 2 years that we are getting
lots more ICT to help us more in our education
This trend was also observed by principals. In their survey
feedback, for instance, two observed that:
Participation by some staff in the PIL project has provided
a catalyst for many other staff to actively seek further
training and development in these areas of technology.
Seeing practical activities that highlight the outcomes that
have been achieved has brought about significant and
positive change to classroom practice at our school.
The project has been the single most important initiative
I have been involved with in almost 40 years of education
in redirecting both student and staff accepting the need to
adapt to the emergent learning requirements of the 21st
century. There is a different and positive understanding
of the need to adjust to our students needs. The project
has been enthusiastically adopted by partner schools
and community. The two key staff driving the project have
rightly received Aust and Statewide recognition winning
quality teaching awards. The school is invited to present
at significant conferences relating to enhancing student
engagement using ICT.
The limited evidence available suggests that Indigenous
students are more engaged towards ICT than they are
towards other areas. The MCEETYA (2005) report on
ICT literacy showed a smaller difference in ICT literacy
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, than

23

differences between the two groups of students in other

areas of literacy such as science, mathematics and reading
(Thomson & De Bortoli, 2006).

I have enjoyed the excursions and I used the cameras on

them. And I enjoyed the tafe film school. I enjoyed making
podcasts and digital stories. I enjoy using sharepoint to
communicate with the other school

Engagement towards ICT were higher for Indigenous students in

comparison to non-Indigenous students.

I have learned how to use portal, and every program in

Microsoft office, I now know computers very well!!

The Drummond MPS Engagement for life! project had

the greatest indigenous student participation rate of the
PIL projects, with approximately a third of the students
involved identifying themselves as of Aboriginal or Torres
Strait Islander origin. Engagement levels of these students
were roughly similar, if not favouring the non-Indigenous
students participating in the project. However ratings of
engagement towards ICT were higher for Indigenous
students in comparison to non-Indigenous students,
as seen in Figure 6. This suggests that the use of social
software as applied in this project may provide a means to
engage this group of students to help them enhance their
literacy across all areas of study.
Indigenous
Non-Indigenous

ICT
engagement
ICT supportive
learning
environment

ICT school
connectedness

Building teacher capacity

Enhancing teachers knowledge and understanding of digital
technologies, new pedagogies and new ways of learning were
important elements of the school plans and projects.

Enhancing teachers knowledge and understanding of digital

technologies, new pedagogies and new ways of learning
were important elements of the school plans and projects.
A key premise underpinning the project is that focused
mentoring would help teachers build skills and confidence
in their capacity to assist students to engage with digital
technologies and learning. The project managers of the
NSW Partners in Learning Project, dk2, put in place a
comprehensive, longitudinal professional learning program
to develop a community around teachers work, to provide
encouragement and support, to keep teachers focused
on the students work, to develop in teachers a culture of
reflexivity and continual improvement and to work with
schools and give teachers the space required to work with
students projects.
Teachers reported active engagement in the process,
suggesting in their survey feedback, for instance, that:

ICT
collaborative
learning

ICT is no longer a chore or a novelty - it is now accepted

as a part of everyday life. Staff are wanting to learn
more and are no longer scared of it

ICT active
learning
Low

Medium

High

Engagement

Figure 6_______________________________________
Student ICT engagement scores by Indigenous status
Indigenous students at Drummond MPS reflected on their
engagement towards ICT from the project:
I would like to see them use ICT more often , because I
reckon that we learn better using ICT

24

[ICT] is embedded in everyday teaching and learning

rather than a once a week technology lesson
The survey asked teachers to rate their own ICT
competence. Overall, there was a statistically significant
increase in teachers ICT knowledge and skill, rising from
3.4 to 3.7 on a four-point scale more than half of a
standard deviation unit. Such increased competence may
stem from teachers own professional learning as well as
working with their students on their ICT projects.

Figure 7 reports 2006 and 2008 mean scores for specific

teacher ICT competencies, sorted by the difference
between mean scores. The chart shows that competence
levels increased most for social networking and multimedia.
A gap between error bands for each of the annual estimates
indicates a difference which may be considered statistically
significant.
2006
2008

use online chat rooms to communicate with others

construct a web page
use camera, text and internet on a mobile phone
download music from the internet
use the internet to download software
program ICT in ways that suit my needs
create a multimedia presentation
listen to music on a portable digital player
use software to find and get rid of computer viruses
combine text and images from different software
use a spreadsheet to plot a graph
attach a file to an email message
copy or download files from the internet
move files from one place to another on a computer
play computer games
learn how to use new computing equipment
create a computer program
write and send emails
use the internet to look up information
use standard word processing software
use the internet
save a computer document or file
No
idea

No
confidence

Some
confidence

Very
confident

Confidence

Figure 7Teacher ICT knowledge and skill

Teachers enhanced ICT knowledge and skills is linked
with enhanced use. Table 1 shows that between 2006
and 2008, the use of ICT for the purposes of information
dissemination and retrieval has remained the same or
decreased, while the use of ICT for social networking,
communication and collaboration has increased.

Table 1 Change in teachers use of ICT

Used same or less

Use has increased

learn with special software post comments on blogs

that I read
use a word processor or a write computer programs
spreadsheet
spend time in chat rooms
or forums

get computer game advice

online

take digital photos

use a mobile phone to

access the internet

use the internet for file

sharing and/or storage

upload text and images to

an online profile

transfer files across

different ICT

write a blog to share ideas

with others

download software from

the internet

create an e-portfolio

watch video or listen to

audio on the web

write or edit wikis

communicate with friends

using email

use a computer with

friends

draw, print or produce

graphics on the computer

use the internet to ask an

expert about work

browse the web for fun

shop on the internet

use the internet for study

or school work

use a webcam

look up information on
the internet

make websites
communicate online with
friends in real time
play games on a computer
online
download music from the
internet
use an electronic organiser
communicate with
students online

25

Teachers reported positive outcomes from the work,

suggesting that:
My understanding, use and competence with ICT has
grown by huge amounts through my work with the project.
My teaching has been widely and richly enhanced, my
motivation and involvement in my teaching is higher
and I am providing higher quality learning experiences
for my students.
It has been a very time consuming but worthwhile
experience which has truly enhanced and reignited my
passion for teaching - providing me with knowledge
and confidence to explore more use of technology as a
valuable teaching tool.
Teachers were asked to indicate their preference for
learning about ICT. The most preferred method, selected
by 49 per cent of respondents, was mentoring by other
staff. School professional learning opportunities were
selected by 41 per cent of respondents. Twenty-two per
cent of staff indicated that Partners in Learning forums
played a role in their learning about ICT, and 19 per cent
of responding teachers indicated a preference for being
mentored by students.
Factors that facilitated growth
The review of 2006 and 2008 evaluation results have
helped identify a number of factors that have contributed
to enhanced student engagement through the use of
ICT. Identifying these is important, because it provides a
basis for improving the outcomes of any replication of the
project.
Students who exhibited greater change tended to be involved
in projects that were collaborative in nature, student-driven,
involved multiple teachers were supported by visionary
leadership, showed reflective practice, incorporated a
commitment to ongoing improvement, had good technical
support and were educationally driven

Students who exhibited greater change tended to be

involved in projects that were collaborative in nature,
student-driven, involved multiple teachers (suggesting
wider uptake in the school and an effort at mainstreaming
the innovation across the learning organisation), were
supported by visionary leadership, showed reflective

26

practice, incorporated a commitment to ongoing

improvement, had good technical support and were
educationally driven characteristics more commonly
associated with primary than secondary schools.
Conversely, students who reported less change undertook
projects that were driven by teachers rather than student
groups, received low-levels of IT support, were supported
by only a single teacher, were technology driven or lacked
leadership support.
Reviewing selected school results helps highlight some
of these patterns. The project Write Right Now carried
out at Orange Public School had a significant focus on
student-centred learning that encouraged teamwork
between groups of students and between students and
teachers. Both student and teacher confidence towards
ICT knowledge and skills increased over the course of
the project. This led to large increases in student reported
engagement towards ICT, which was also reflected in the
teacher perceptions of student engagement.
When asked about the changes in ICT usage since
beginning the program, teachers responded:
Significant increase in multimedia products for student
work. Greater teamwork by students in ICT. Buddy
programs for student and teacher training. Presentation
of student work in assemblies and parent forums.
Greater collaboration between students and teachers
across different stages.
From a personal point of view, being a part of the PIL
project has introduced programs which have been very
motivating for students.
A lot more pupil involvement and initiative. Using
ICT in buddies, using ICT to report (ie school sport,
representative sport, excursions), assembly presentation,
homework, class presentation.
It is also interesting to note that in Orange Public School
and some of the other schools, teachers often indicated that
students themselves were often the source of information
that enabled them to use ICT effectively. This seems to
highlight the importance of a collaborative effort between
students with other students, and also with teachers in
encouraging effective use of ICT technology.

Schools where students showed lower levels of ICT engagement

across the time period of the project, comments from students
suggested that their information intake was more onedimensional and inflexible.

In contrast, schools where students showed lower levels

of ICT engagement across the time period of the project,
comments from students suggested that their information
intake was more one-dimensional and inflexible. Students
appear to be expressing frustration at the lack of opportunity
for using creative ICT, which is reflected in their usage
reporting of this ICT area. When asked at one school how
teachers could use ICT better, students responded:
To use it. An even number of teachers use books and
other similar sources rather than ICT

Evidence-based evaluation helped drive change

Distributing the project across three years and providing
formative results in 2006 gave schools evidence and
insights to help focus their attention and work. The followup results provide schools with an indication of the extent
to which they were able to stimulate change in students
engagement.
School teams and individual teachers have been required
to reflect on their progress throughout the project through
Monthly Reports and Teacher e-journals.This reflexivity has
enabled them to capture and document the aha moments
where students were engaged and where powerful
learning appeared to have happened and therefore further
incorporate these strategies in their teaching and learning
programs.

Use more than just word and powerpoint

Teachers could use ICT better by using it more in learning
involving more modern technology to not only increase
students interest in the subject but to create a better
perspective for students to learn from
While being more effective in increasing student
confidence in isolated ICT knowledge and skills, students
did not report an increase in their engagement across the
course of the project at this particular school. However
teacher perceptions of student engagement increased
considerably across this time period, suggesting that their
teaching efforts were not having the desired effect on
student engagement with ICT that teachers perceived.

Distributing the project across three years and providing

formative results in 2006 gave schools evidence and insights to
help focus their attention and work.

In one particular case, the evaluation found that the school

was hesitant about embracing technology. Isolated forms of
ICT were used in the classroom, but there was restricted
access on what was considered usable equipment. There
lacked a cohesive plan on ICT management with no future
thinking in terms of where the technology was going to be
used. ICT-related communication and sharing of knowledge
amongst staff members was low, however there was a
willingness amongst them to embrace the Partners in
Learning project once it became available.

27

People started to get involved, and ask questions about

how, when and what and reflected personally on what
their professional needs in ICT were. New technology such
as Interactive Whiteboards were purchased, and greater
sharing and communication of staff relating to ICT took
place, not just for those involved in the project. There has
been an amount of trial and error, in the approach, and
all participating staff have received extensive training and
development. As a result, technology has become more
integrated into classroom teaching. There are still issues
with practical access to ICT, but enthusiasm amongst staff
and students remain strong. Students have expressed that
they want to use technology, and expect it to be part of
learning.
As the confidence of the staff has increased, the usage of ICT
in classrooms has increased. In the past 2 years, Staff have
indicated that they are more confident with the use of ICT.
Previously ICT was taught as a RFF subject and therefore the
expertise remained particularly with one staff member. Other
staff commented that they felt like they were being left behind
in the developments in technology. ICT is now taught by all
staff members. All staff have been upskilled with the use of ICT
through various professional development opportunities.
Teacher comment, 2008

I have noticed that I know a lot more about ICT and how it
helps me.
Student comment, 2008

28

A consolidated picture
This study has evaluated the influence that the Microsoft
Partners in Learning New South Wales Project has had
on 10 school teams from varying regions of NSW from
2006 to 2008. Each team was asked to develop a project
that involved teachers using ICT to engage middle-year
students in their education, with particular attention on
investigating and integrating the ways that these students
engage with ICT out of school. Background research has
suggested that extensive professional development for
teachers, and engagement with ICT for students in schools,
leads to improved student learning outcomes.
A number of key findings have emerged from the analysis
of the results from this study. These findings carry a range
of implications for the use of ICT in schools.
Improved student engagement through ICT use in schools
Students responded positively to the increased use of ICT
in the classroom. They are motivated by the use of new
technologies, as well as an increased use of ICT at school,
that is similar to what they use at home.This is evidenced by
increases in student perceptions of ICT-mediated student
engagement, across all aspects of engagement active
learning, collaborative learning, school connectedness,
and perceptions of support from 2006-2008. Critically,
teachers also perceive the same increases in ICT-mediated
student engagement over the course of the program.
The documented case study of increased engagement for
Indigenous students supports the usefulness of using the
technology to increase learning outcomes for students that
traditionally dont have the same access to the curriculum
as other students.

Building teacher capacity

The project has also been successful in educating teachers
to develop confidence in integrating ICT into regular
classroom practices. Professional learning has been vital in
promoting student learning and has allowed teachers to
develop their knowledge and understanding of the digital
technologies that have formed part of the different school
projects. The results suggest that targeted professional
learning, teacher mentoring, reflective practice and
developing pedagogical approaches that enable students to
more effectively connect with schooling have a significant
impact on student engagement.
Factors that facilitated growth
Observations made by the project managers working
with teachers and students, and a review of evaluation
results has led to the realisation of the factors within
school projects that are linked to positive student learning
outcomes. Students who exhibited greater change tended
to be involved in projects that were collaborative in nature,
student-driven, involved multiple teachers (suggesting
wider uptake in the school and an effort at mainstreaming
the innovation across the learning organisation), were
supported by visionary leadership, showed reflective
practice, incorporated a commitment to ongoing
improvement, had good technical support and were
educationally driven. Conversely, students who reported
less change undertook projects that were initiated and
driven by teachers rather than student groups, received
low-levels of ICT support, were supported by only a single
teacher, were technology driven or lacked leadership
support.

29

Evidence-based evaluation helped drive change

Spanning the project across three years and providing
formative results in 2006 gave schools evidence and insights
to help focus their attention and work. In addition, school
teams and individual teachers have been required to reflect
on their progress throughout the project through Monthly
Reports and Teacher e-journals.This reflexivity has enabled
them to capture and document the aha moments where
students were engaged and where powerful learning took
place. As a result teachers were able to further incorporate
these strategies in their teaching and learning programs.
The follow-up results provide schools with an indication
of the extent to which they were able to stimulate change
in student engagement. This is important, as it signals
that focused activities underpinned by some additional
resources can have a positive impact on students learning
and development.
Future directions
With the constant development of ICT for the educational
setting, student learning can be greatly enhanced by
incorporating ICT in a collaborative, facilitative way into
regular classroom activities to enhance student learning.
This study has shown that consistent and sustained
professional learning and collaborative efforts within the
school are necessary to improve teacher confidence and
competence with the technology, which in turn positively
affects student learning outcomes. There is future scope
for replication of the study with a larger sample, and the
design of projects that utilise the characteristics identified
of successful learning environments that encourage student
engagement with ICT and with learning generally.

30

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This work was funded by Microsoft through the Partners in Learning (PiL) Program. The evaluation was
led by Dr Hamish Coates and Mr Tim Friedman.Tim Friedman is the primary author of this report.
31
ACER is very grateful for the feedback provided by Mr Gerry White, dk2 and NSW DET, and to the input
provided by participating students, teachers, principals and parents.

Appendices Paper versions of online student instruments

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