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Scaffolding Use of ICT
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A key function

A key  function of a school (or school system) is to exercise governance in order to ensure the success and well-being of those involved. This means that the members of the school can have the ways and means to achieve the intended purposes of the school (or school system).

Governance as decision Making

In relation to the school's use of ICT sound governance means that the decision making within the school regarding ICT is consistent with the chosen values, purposes, policies, plans and allocations of resources available to the school.

The basis for decision making

There are numerous strategies for decision making including

• pursuing what looks like a good idea (which may, or may not, be fit and timely)

• relying on policy (which may be lagging behind current needs)

• being in the lead (which may be costly in terms of errors and omissions)

• waiting till everything is know (which may result in lost opportunities)

One participating school has adopted a clever strategy of being six to twelve months behind the leading edge which is cheaper, less stressful, safer (fewer errors) and better informed with all the advantages of being in or close to the leading group of practitioners most of the time. 

4 Steps to sound governance!!

There are four steps to sound responsible governance: conceive -> design -> develop -> incorporate

1.  Conceive the contribution that ICT can make within the life and work of the school

2.  Design the arrangements that will facilitate the contribution: 

• collaboration, vision, purposes, culture, alliances...

• people's understanding, knowledge and skills, and capacity to act and initiate

• infrastructure

• actual use of ICT (applications)

3.  Develop the arrangements to make the contribution feasible (will need sequenced stages...)

4.  Incorporate the use of ICT into the life and work of the school.  This will include integration of the elements with each other so that the concepts, design development and use of ICT are consistent over time.

This should result in a realistic provision by matching effective infrastructure and people who are competent, confident and motivated to utilise the provision made.

The purpose of the decision making and the development of staff commitment and matching infrastructure is to make the application of ICT within the life and work of school (or school system) possible. 

Prime applications of ICT

Despite the widely held rhetoric not all schools have teaching and learning as their prime application of ICT. For example some have 

• school administration, 

• reporting to parents and/or 

• presenting themselves to their communities (in publications and on websites) as their prime applications of ICT

Of course many schools have made the incorporation of ICT into teaching and learning their prime application. However their purposes vary in that 

• some schools are using ICT to improve or enhance current practices whereas

• other schools are utilising ICT to introduce new practices in an attempt to achieve a transformation of their teaching and learning practices. 

The intended transformations are often based on more open-ended purposes and more collaborative working relationships between students and between teachers and students.

Governance consumes resources

Even at this level there are heavy demands on the time, energy and resources of those involved for 

• effective governance

• development and management of the infrastructure and

• the development of staff capabilities.

However, as observed in this research project, without resolution of these matters the application of ICT within a school is likely to be ad hoc, inconsistent, often ineffective and bewildering to teaching staff (and others).

The next level of consideration involves classes.

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