At Our Lady’s, we believe that the Digital and Design technologies should be embedded throughout the curriculum. The Digital and Design Technologies curriculum is integrated in Faith-Life Inquiry, Literacy, Mathematics and Social Emotional Learning. 

The Victorian Curriculum provides a framework for the implementation of Digital and Design Technologies at Our Lady’s. This includes the assessment and reporting of student achievement and progress. The Technologies curriculum is divided into two areas which are Design Technologies and Digital Technologies.

STEAM is also part of the Our Lady’s curriculum. STEAM is an approach that integrates the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering (Design), Art and Mathematics.

Coding is another component of the curriculum. Block coding is taught throughout the school. Blue-Bots, Makey Makeys, Micro:Bits, Edison Robots and Spheros are used across all levels of the school to enhance coding knowledge at Our Lady’s.

Online Safety

We believe that explicitly teaching students about safe and responsible online behaviours is essential, and is best taught in partnership with parents and guardians. We expect that parents and guardians will collaborate with the school to ensure responsible online behaviour when at home. 

Students are introduced to concepts of Cyber Safety throughout the year. Each class has cyber safety sessions with the Digital and Design Leader. The year 4-6 students complete the Digital Licence Program that has been created by the Alannah and Madeline foundation. We also have an external facilitator who hosts cyber safety workshops, a staff meeting and parental evening each year. 

The Student Technologies Policy is implemented to ensure that all students are responsible and safe users of digital technologies.

Student Technologies Policy 2021

Social Media Policy

Programs:

The children use their Google accounts to access, create and share files. Children from Years 2-6 have their own Google accounts whereas Foundation and Year One students have class Google accounts. 

Students also have their own Seesaw accounts. Seesaw is an online learning platform where students demonstrate their learning. Families have access to Seesaw where learning is shared in “real time” and parents can comment on their child’s learning.

Other Apps that the school uses are: Sunshine Online, Sunshine Classics, Mathletics and Scratch.

DEVICES

We have an ICT Lab at Our Lady’s which consists of 28 computers and 15 iPads. There are also 30 Chromebooks and 10 iPads in the Mary MacKillop Learning Centre, which means that each child has access to a device when in the Mary MacKillop Learning Centre or the ICT Lab.

The classes are also well equipped with a variety of technological devices. Each class has iPads and a set of Chromebooks. These are used in the classroom to enhance the students’ learning. 

All classes (Foundation - Year 6) have an interactive smart board which is connected to the internet which allows for interactive learning learning that can be viewed by all students.

All classes (Foundation - Year 6) have the Redcat microphone which teachers use throughout the day. The Redcat microphone is a device which ensures that no matter where the students are situated in the classroom, they will be able to hear their teacher clearly. The Redcat microphone sets the teacher’s voice at a tone which is the optimal tone for learning. This supports students to engage more consistently and more deeply with each other, the teacher and classroom learning.