Develop your School ICT Policy

Learn how to develop a practical, whole-school ICT policy that guides effective technology integration and improves teaching and learning.

Online Professional Development Workshop | Educational Leadership and ICT Integration

Professional Development Duration: 3 hours

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST): 2.2.4, 2.3.4, 2.5.4, 2.6.4, 3.6.4, 4.1.4, 4.5.4

Workshop Overview

A well-developed school ICT policy provides an important foundation for the effective integration of digital technologies into teaching and learning. More than a written document, it establishes a shared direction for how technology will be used across the school, how students' ICT capability will be developed and how educators will be supported in their professional practice.

This workshop explores the principles and processes involved in developing a meaningful, practical and sustainable school ICT policy. It examines the relationship between educational leadership, strategic planning, school culture and technology integration, helping educators understand how a clear policy can guide decisions about teaching practices, curriculum planning, professional development and ICT resources.

Through practical guidance and approaches to collaborative planning, educators and educational leaders will learn how to establish a shared vision, evaluate existing ICT practices, involve staff in policy development and create achievable plans for implementation and ongoing improvement.

The emphasis is on developing an ICT policy that makes a meaningful difference to teaching and student learning, rather than simply producing a document to satisfy administrative requirements.

1. Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop, educators and educational leaders will be able to:

  • Understand the purpose and importance of a school ICT policy in guiding technology integration, supporting teaching practices and developing students' ICT capability.

  • Evaluate existing ICT practices and school needs to identify strengths, challenges and priorities for improvement.

  • Develop a shared vision and mission for the purposeful integration of digital technologies across the school.

  • Apply strategic planning principles to support sustainable ICT development and school improvement.

  • Engage teachers and other stakeholders in collaborative policy development to encourage shared understanding, ownership and responsibility.

  • Identify the essential components of an effective ICT policy, including curriculum integration, assessment, resources, professional development and implementation responsibilities.

  • Develop achievable ICT policy goals and action plans that respond to the school's educational priorities and available resources.

  • Establish approaches to monitoring and evaluating ICT policy implementation to support ongoing improvement in teaching and learning.

  • Strengthen educational leadership practices that support positive change and the development of a whole-school culture of effective ICT integration.

2. Topics Covered

Understanding the Purpose of a School ICT Policy

Explore what a school ICT policy is, why it matters and how it contributes to the development of a school's ICT culture.

Examine the relationship between ICT policy, curriculum expectations, teaching practices and students' developing ICT capability. Consider how policy can provide a consistent approach to technology integration across different learning areas and year levels.

Strategic Planning for Effective ICT Integration

Investigate the principles of strategic planning and their application to school ICT development.

Explore the importance of understanding the school's educational context, recognising the needs of teachers and students, establishing an educational rationale for technology use and aligning ICT planning with broader school improvement priorities.

Consider how leadership decisions can support sustainable changes in teaching and learning rather than focusing primarily on acquiring new technologies.

Conducting an ICT Audit and Needs Analysis

Learn how to examine the school's current position in relation to ICT integration.

Explore approaches to gathering information about existing infrastructure, digital resources, teaching practices, staff ICT competence, professional learning needs and students' opportunities to develop ICT capability.

Consider how this evidence can inform realistic priorities and provide a starting point for future development.

Developing a Shared ICT Vision and Mission

Examine the role of vision and mission statements in communicating a school's aspirations for digital technology integration.

Explore how to establish a shared understanding of what the school wants to achieve, why technology is important for teaching and learning, and how staff can contribute to these goals.

Consider strategies for involving the school community in developing statements that reflect educational values, student learning needs and long-term priorities.

Writing and Structuring the School ICT Policy

Explore the essential elements of a practical and effective school ICT policy.

These include:

  • The school's educational vision, aims and objectives for ICT integration.

  • Curriculum planning and the development of students' ICT capability.

  • Agreed approaches to teaching, learning and assessment with ICT.

  • Access to digital technologies and equitable learning opportunities.

  • ICT resources, infrastructure and management responsibilities.

  • Teacher professional development and ongoing support.

  • Roles and responsibilities for implementation.

  • Procedures for monitoring, evaluation and policy review.

Consider how to communicate these elements clearly so that the policy provides useful guidance for teachers, leaders and other stakeholders.

Involving Staff and Leading Change

Explore the importance of collaboration, consultation and shared ownership in developing and implementing a school ICT policy.

Investigate strategies for engaging teachers, school leaders and support staff in discussions, working groups and decision-making processes.

Consider how educational leaders can respond to concerns, identify barriers to change and build a supportive school culture where educators feel confident contributing to ICT improvement.

Developing an ICT Policy Action Plan

Learn how to translate the school's ICT vision and policy objectives into practical actions.

Explore approaches to identifying priorities, allocating responsibilities, establishing achievable goals and considering available resources and funding.

Examine how short-term actions can contribute to longer-term improvements in ICT integration, teacher capability and student learning.

Managing, Monitoring and Evaluating the ICT Policy

Explore how schools can establish responsibilities and processes for implementing and reviewing their ICT policy.

Consider approaches to monitoring curriculum integration, teaching practices, professional learning, resource access and students' developing ICT capability.

Investigate how ongoing evaluation can help educational leaders determine whether the policy is achieving its intended outcomes and identify where further improvements are needed.

3. Applying Learning to Practice

Developing an effective school ICT policy requires more than understanding strategic planning principles. It involves applying professional knowledge, engaging colleagues and making informed decisions that respond to the needs and circumstances of the school community.

This workshop encourages educators and educational leaders to examine their existing ICT policies and practices, identify opportunities for improvement and take practical steps towards developing a shared and sustainable approach to technology integration.

Through the Academy's Theory into Practice approach, members can:

  • Evaluate current school practices: Examine existing ICT policies, teaching approaches and available resources to identify strengths, gaps and priorities for improvement.

  • Build professional understanding: Use the Wisdom AI Search Tool to investigate questions about ICT leadership, strategic planning, school improvement and effective technology integration.

  • Develop a shared direction: Consider how to engage colleagues in discussions about the school's ICT vision, educational priorities and expectations for teaching and learning.

  • Apply practical planning strategies: Use the workshop's guidance on policy structure, needs analysis and action planning to begin developing or reviewing a school ICT policy.

  • Reflect on leadership practice: Use the Membership Workbook to critically reflect on decision-making, collaboration, professional learning and the effectiveness of ICT improvement strategies.

  • Learn with other educators: Share policy development experiences, leadership challenges and successful approaches through the Academy Community.

The aim is to help educators and educational leaders develop the knowledge, confidence and professional judgement to create and implement an ICT policy that supports meaningful, sustainable improvements in teaching and student learning.

4. What Will You Learn?

This workshop will help you understand how to develop a school ICT policy that provides clear direction for the effective integration of digital technologies into teaching and learning.

You will learn how to evaluate your school's current ICT practices, establish a shared vision, identify priorities and develop a policy that reflects the educational needs of teachers and students.

You will also explore practical approaches to strategic planning, staff consultation, policy writing, implementation and ongoing evaluation.

Importantly, the workshop will help you move beyond viewing an ICT policy as an administrative document and instead recognise it as a practical framework for guiding professional practice, supporting teachers and strengthening students' opportunities to develop ICT capability.

5. Who Is This Workshop For?

This workshop is designed for:

  • School principals and deputy principals responsible for educational leadership, strategic planning and whole-school improvement.

  • Pedagogical leaders seeking to strengthen teaching practices and support purposeful ICT integration across learning environments.

  • ICT coordinators and digital learning leaders responsible for guiding technology integration, supporting colleagues and contributing to school ICT planning.

  • Curriculum leaders interested in developing consistent approaches to ICT integration and students' ICT capability across learning areas.

  • Primary and secondary teachers who contribute to school planning, curriculum development or ICT improvement initiatives.

  • Early childhood educational leaders working within schools or educational settings that are developing or reviewing their approach to digital technology integration.

  • Teachers aspiring to leadership roles who want to strengthen their understanding of ICT policy development and educational change.

The workshop is particularly relevant to educators involved in developing, reviewing or implementing ICT policies and those seeking to contribute more effectively to whole-school technology planning.

6. Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

This workshop identifies the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Lead career stage:

APST 2.2.4 – Content Selection and Organisation

Lead initiatives that utilise comprehensive content knowledge to improve the selection and sequencing of content into coherently organised learning and teaching programs.

APST 2.3.4 – Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting

Lead colleagues to develop learning and teaching programs using comprehensive knowledge of curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements.

APST 2.5.4 – Literacy and Numeracy Strategies

Monitor and evaluate the implementation of teaching strategies within the school to improve students' achievement in literacy and numeracy using research-based knowledge and student data.

APST 2.6.4 – Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Lead and support colleagues within the school to select and use ICT with effective teaching strategies to expand learning opportunities and content knowledge for all students.

APST 3.6.4 – Evaluate and Improve Teaching Programs

Conduct regular reviews of teaching and learning programs using multiple sources of evidence including student assessment data, curriculum documents, teaching practices and feedback from parents/carers, students and colleagues.

APST 4.1.4 – Support Student Participation

Demonstrate and lead by example the development of productive and inclusive learning environments across the school by reviewing inclusive strategies and exploring new approaches to engage and support all students.

APST 4.5.4 – Use ICT Safely, Responsibly and Ethically

Review or implement new policies and strategies to ensure the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.

These standards relate to the workshop's emphasis on educational leadership, curriculum planning, effective ICT integration, inclusive learning environments and the development and review of school-wide practices.

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