REDLANDS schools are going above and beyond the Australian standard to incorporate technology into the classroom, a recent survey has shown.
The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development's Teaching and Learning International Survey, released in Paris on Wednesday, asked teachers and school leaders about working conditions and learning environments at their schools.
Therese Keane, deputy chair of strategic initiatives and partnerships in Swinburne University's education department, said the report highlighted that the use of information and communications technology in the classroom had increased.
"These technologies are pervasive in all facets of life, from social media to work activities," says Associate Professor Keane.
Broadly, ICT refers to any technologies that allow people and organisations to interact in the digital world.
It can include anything from standard software like Microsoft Word to social media to virtual reality and robots.
Australia ranked above average for the percentage of teachers who used ICT for teaching and who frequently let students use ICT for projects or class work.
However, Associate Professor Keane said ICT was typically used in Australian classrooms as a substitute for traditional practices.
"Typically, ICT activities undertaken in Australian classrooms consist of typing notes or assignments, making presentations, using email, searching the internet and using the devices for their electronic textbooks," she said.
"(This) does not make for the most effective use of the technology and this is where teachers need targeted and timely support in using the technology in innovative and creative ways."
In recent years, Redlands schools have experimented with various uses of information and communications technologies.
Redlands College and Hilliard State School are recognised by Apple for their uses of iPads and other apps and products in the classroom.
Students at Redlands College have previously completed an assignment about climate change which saw them using iPads to comunicate and collaborate with people in Kiribati, a small Pacific Island nation.
An annual competition hosted by Alexandra Hills State High School sees students from local skills using technology to improving skills in science, technology, engineering in maths. Last year's featured bots and video game development.
Various other schools have also incorporated ICT into their everyday classrooms, with coding and robotics being classroom favourites.
Associate Professor Keane said teachers being well-informed and willing to try new things was the key to using technology effectively in classrooms.
"The report stated that... being exposed to technology will not improve student learning without the mediation and training of teachers," she said.
"This I believe, is the most central factor to using technologies innovatively in the classroom."
