Lead Users Guide

So you are a Lead User…

Advice for Lead Users

Leading Ultranet Deployment,

Professional Learning and Implementation in the School

Contents

Introduction .........................................................................1

The Role of the Lead User..................................................2

At a Glance... .......................................................................3

Professional Learning ........................................................4

Support Materials................................................................5

Ideas for School-based Professional Learning ................6

School-based Professional Learning Strategies..............7

Starting Points for Release 1: Quick Wins for Schools ...8

Overview of Quick Wins .....................................................9

Resources..........................................................................11

Congratulations on being nominated as a Lead User for the Ultranet! You have been recognised as someone with great communication and leadership skills, and can take pride in the fact that you have been hand-picked to promote a fantastic innovation in your school community. This is your chance to get behind something you believe in and champion it in your school. So well done and good luck on this exciting journey!

Introduction

The Ultranet is an online student-centred learning environment that supports learning and teaching, connects students, teachers and parents and enables efficient knowledge transfer. It is a 21st century online learning platform that takes learning beyond the four walls of the classroom. It engages, connects and empowers students, teachers and parents, anywhere, anytime.

The Ultranet will be rolled out to an estimated 1.5 million users during 2010.

Ultranet deployment, professional learning and implementation will take place via the Regional Networks and will be driven by the Network and School Annual Implementation Plans. Each network has been allocated an Ultranet Coach to support schools. Each school will nominate Lead Users. Ultranet Coaches will work closely with Lead Users, Regional Network Leaders and the central DEECD Ultranet team in planning and managing deployment, professional learning and ongoing implementation throughout 2010 and 2011.

 Central DEECD sets the overarching policy and Change Management Strategy and works collaboratively with Regions. It takes responsibility for aligning the Ultranet with existing DEECD policies and initiatives.

Regions have ownership over the implementation and ongoing support of the Ultranet in their region.

RNLs will support principals to implement the Ultranet in line with network and school improvement initiatives. Each network has an Ultranet Coach who will train Lead Users and support Ultranet implementation in schools.

School Leadership

Classroom Teachers

School Leadership teams are responsible for driving change in their school and school community. They will manage the implementation of the Ultranet in their school and develop clear plans for embedding the Ultranet into school practice. They take responsibility for aligning the Ultranet with existing DEECD policies and initiatives.

Students

Administrators

Lead Users

Ultranet Coaches will provide professional learning and ongoing support for Lead Users and schools in their network. They will support collaborative partnerships between network schools to enhance implementation of the Ultranet.

Lead Users will complete Ultranet Lead User training. They will provide professional learning and in-school support to all teachers in their respective schools. They will encourage use of the Ultranet for day-to-day school processes and manage ongoing school-based issues arising with Ultranet to ensure effective implementation.

The Role of the Lead User Lead User

Lead Users will be nominated by each school and will be responsible for training and ongoing professional learning.

Lead Users will be nominated by each school and will be responsible for training and ongoing professional learning.

It is expected that the Principal will be a Lead User. It is expected that the Principal will be a Lead User.

When selecting Lead Users principals were asked to consider staff members who are: 

Skilled classroom teachers;

Excellent communicators and positive role models;

Confident to coach and support staff; and

Willing to use ICT to improve learning and teaching.

Note: The Lead User role does not require any technical expertise.  

Suggested number of Lead Users per School-based on student enrolment

Campus Size

Lead Users

Up to 100 students 2

101 - 400 students 3

401 - 1000 students 4

Over 1000 students 5

 Lead Users will:

Be trained by Ultranet Coaches when the Ultranet is released to their school.

Be responsible for providing professional learning for staff in their respective schools.

Have the support of Ultranet Coaches to provide ongoing professional learning to ensure the Ultranet is fully integrated across the school.

Encourage and support use of the Ultranet for day-to-day school processes.

Manage ongoing school-based issues arising with the Ultranet.

Develop processes to support students and parents to use the Ultranet.

Lead User Professional Learning Two days (or equivalent) professional learning for each release delivered by the Ultranet Coach.

Release 1: during Terms 2 and Term 3

Release 2: during Term 4

Designated education leaders have a key role in developing expectations for improved student outcomes and organising and promoting engagement in Professional Learning opportunities. Helen Timperly, Teacher professional learning and development. Educational Practices Series - 18

Lead User professional learning will support Lead Users to understand and use the functionality provided within the Ultranet.

At a Glance...

Getting Ready

Lead User Training and Professional Learning Understand Lead User role

Attend Ultranet Lead User Professional Learning - Release 1 and 2

Planning School-Based Professional Learning Program

Supporting teachers and administration staff

Embedding practice

Make links with other Lead Users and establish network support. This may include creation of virtual communities on the Ultranet.

Arrange ongoing school visits/contact with your Ultranet Coach

Become familiar with the Ultranet School Resource Centre

Note Deployment and Lead User training dates

Action Ready Set Go tasks

Support all users (staff and students) to understand the requirements of safe and responsible online behaviour

Align Ultranet implementation with school priorities in SP and AIP Identify starting points. What are some ‘quick wins’ to bring staff on board?

Make connections with current practice and current school goals and priorities.

Consider the range of professional learning strategies in place and plan a school-based professional learning program:

whole staff groups

professional learning teams

peer coaching

informal staff led sessions

just in time

student-led sessions

Have ongoing contact with your Ultranet Coach and other Lead Uses in your network

Manage ongoing school-based issues arising with the Ultranet and communicate these to the Ultranet Coach.

Implement a professional learning plan incorporating:

a range of professional learning strategies to support staff to develop skills in using the Ultranet; and

an understanding of how to integrate the Ultranet to support improved learning and teaching. Monitor and continually

review use and impact of the Ultranet for teaching and learning

Support staff to share ‘what works well’ across teams, your school and network. Where possible this sharing should occur via the Ultranet.

Supporting Students Continue supporting staff and students to embed the Ultranet into their practices

Develop processes to bring students on board. These will include plans for:

Allocating user names and passwords

Introducing students to the Ultranet

Engage the community in understanding how they will use the Ultranet.

Supporting the Community

Include Ultranet information in the school newsletter (sample information will be provided).

Schedule information sessions for parents (sample information will be provided).

Determine if families have access issues and if possible, develop strategies to provide access.

Have students show parents how they are using the Ultranet.

Professional LearningProfessional Learning

Improving student learning is at the core of any school professional learning strategy.

The Seven Principles of Highly Effective Professional Learning call for

professional learning that is collaborative, embedded in teacher practice and aimed at bridging the gap between what students are capable of doing and actual student performance. Professional learning that is consistent with these principles is ongoing, school-based and directly relevant to the daily work of teachers.

Improving student learning is at the core of any school professional learning strategy.

The Seven Principles of Highly Effective Professional Learning call for

professional learning that is collaborative, embedded in teacher practice and aimed at bridging the gap between what students are capable of doing and actual student performance. Professional learning that is consistent with these principles is ongoing, school-based and directly relevant to the daily work of teachers. http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/staffdev/teacher/inductihttp://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/staffdev/teacher/induction/ProfLearningInEffectiveSchools.pdf           

Professional Learning to Support Ultranet Implementation

All schools will receive support to participate in professional learning associated with implementation of system-wide ICT initiatives, including the Ultranet, during 2010.

Schools will receive a targeted grant based on their confirmed enrolment numbers in April. The

grant will provide a minimum of 10 CRT days to each school going up to 16 days for larger schools.

The pupil free day on 9 August will provide an opportunity for all staff to learn about how to use the Ultranet to improve student learning.

Regional Network Leaders will develop a network plan for 9 August in conjunction with the network coach and network principals.

The Lead Users in each school will take a key role in championing the Ultranet. They will be responsible for providing professional learning activities to school-based staff as well as providing ongoing support. Schools will be visited by their Ultranet Coach within a fortnight of receiving Lead User professional learning and will have ongoing support throughout 2010 and 2011.

In planning a school-based professional learning program a range of methods need to be used to ensure all users are accommodated. The Lead User professional learning provided by Ultranet Coaches will help to contextualise the use of the Ultranet for teaching and learning.

Professional learning experiences that focus on the links between particular teaching activities and valued student outcomes are associated with positive impacts on those outcomes. Helen Timperly, Teacher professional learning and development. Educational Practices Series - 18

Release 1 Support Material

Lead Users can access a range of support materials to use in their schools, either as part of professional learning sessions or as resources to refer people to for ‘just in time support’. These resources can be accessed at the Ultranet Support site and will be explored at Lead User training.

Starting Points: Quick Wins for Schools

A list of possible starting points for schools as they begin to use the Ultranet.

Online Help and Simulations

A comprehensive range of online simulations to demonstrate the functionality of the Ultranet.

Available for all people using the Ultranet

Getting Started Simple one page user guides to contextualise Ultranet functionality outlining the what, how and why of the Ultranet and ideas for the classroom. These will be available in the Teacher User Guide and to download as pdfs.

Navigating the Ultranet

Home

eXpress Space

Learning Goals

Learning Portfolios

Communities

Collaborative Learning

Design

Content and Search

Customising the Ultranet – available applications

Privacy

Copyright and Intellectual Property

Teacher User Guides

A copy for each teacher will be provided at Lead User training

Online Support Modules The Online Support Modules will be available for all people using the Ultranet to access and work through at their own pace. These modules provide a classroom context for using the Ultranet. Initial topics will include:

An overview of the Ultranet

Using the eXpress Space

Using Design spaces

Using Community spaces

Learning collaboratively

Setting up and managing communities and learning spaces

Safe and responsible online behaviour

Developing learning portfolios

Developing learning goals

Privacy

Copyright and Intellectual Property

Fortnightly newsletters

Practical ideas for all teachers for using the Ultranet in the classroom including stories from teachers sharing their experiences

Advice for engaging your school community

A range of resources including presentations, newsletter articles, questions and answers for parents.

Ideas for School-based Professional Learning

To support the change process, Lead Users will need to determine appropriate starting points for staff. Professional learning in the Ultranet will need to be ongoing so that staff can consolidate their skills in specific areas and develop an understanding of the teaching and learning contexts where the Ultranet can be used.

Schools need to build Ultranet awareness and professional learning support into their professional learning schedules/plans.

The professional learning program in each school should support teachers’ core work. It should highlight the key features and benefits of the Ultranet, encourage effective learning and teaching, and provide real scenarios. The activities focused on in the professional learning should be easily embedded into classroom practice immediately following professional learning sessions.

Lead Users should consider: 

How will the in-school professional learning program be organised eg: whole staff groups, professional learning teams, year level?

What will the initial school focus be for using the Ultranet? What are some ‘Quick Wins’ to bring your staff on board? (see the Mind Map on page 7)

What other strategies will be used to support implementation such as peer coaching or student-led professional learning?

How will teachers be supported to manage the change?

How will students be supported to use the Ultranet?

How will parents be supported to use the Ultranet?

A process for Lead Users to investigate aspects of the Ultranet in schools:

Teachers learn Ultranet functionality

Teachers come back to share

what they have done

Show how the Ultranet can be

used – examples of teaching and

learning context

Ultranet functionality and use for

teaching and learning Teachers

have time to plan how they will incorporate the use of the

Ultranet

1.

2.

3.

4.

To make significant changes to their practice, teachers need multiple opportunities to learn new information and understand its implications for practice. Furthermore, they need to encounter these opportunities in environments that offer both trust and challenge. Helen Timperly, Teacher professional learning and development. Educational Practices Series - 18

School-based Professional Learning Strategies 

The following is a list of possible strategies for school implementation following Lead User professional learning. These strategies are provided as a guide only: Lead Users need to consider the implementation strategies that best fit their school.

Lead Users provide an overview module to staff (depending on size; could be in groups or all at once) and discuss how the Ultranet will support their work with e5.

Weekly in-house professional learning sessions to be facilitated by Lead Users focusing on one aspect each week. Lead Users could run sessions concurrently and staff choose which ones they attend. These could include:

Using Ultranet functionality in the classroom

How to exploit the Ultranet to strengthen e5 capabilities

How the Ultranet collaborative tools can facilitate learning conversations

Identify ‘Quick Wins’ with a learning and teaching focus for Release 1, for example:

All teachers to investigate how they could use a blog, wiki or poll in a collaborative learning activity across one class.

One year level will develop student Learning portfolios using the eXpress Space

Teachers will use their eXpress Space to document their professional learning goals

A Design space will be established for curriculum planning in teams.

Lead User allocated to work with a team, for example one or two professional learning Teams (PLT) or year level teams. Professional learning takes place in these teams and is focused on the functionality and makes direct links to planning collaborative learning tasks.

Establish a Peer Coaching program where interested teachers work with a Lead User to use the Ultranet to strengthen e5 capabilities. These teachers can in turn coach others to support Lead Users to embed the Ultranet into the teaching and learning programs.

Develop student-led professional learning sessions for staff and other students. Schools could consider using students to lead parent sessions.

Teachers using the collaborative tools for professional support and planning either within the school or across the network.

Informal sessions for staff members to share implementation ideas for example ‘techy breaky’, or ‘walk-in Wednesday’.

Online support modules can be used by individuals online or in face to face situations as part of professional learning.

The promotion of professional learning requires different approaches depending on whether or not new ideas are consistent with the assumptions that currently underpin practice. Helen Timperly, Teacher professional learning and development. Educational Practices Series - 18

Starting Points for Release 1: Quick Wins for Schools

As part of the change management process it is important to get some ‘quick wins’ in using the Ultranet. Teachers need to clearly see the benefits in using the Ultranet.

Please note that it is not expected that all functionality is used by all teachers in the school initially. Lead Users will decide how the functionality best fits in with their school priorities and change management process. Many Lead Users will discover additional uses for the functionality in their school. The following Mind Map and table outlines some ideas that schools could implement during professional learning to support teachers using Release 1 functionality.

Overview of Quick Wins Overview of Quick Wins

The following table outlines possible starting points for schools to focus on initially after Release 1. The following table outlines possible starting points for schools to focus on initially after Release 1.

Home

Home is a personal page viewable only by the user. This is the landing page when a user logs on to the Ultranet and it links the user to other places and resources. Students and teachers can use Home to: set up messages add or delete a variety of applications so that it is tailored to their

particular preferences

eXpress Space A personal space

In the eXpress Space users can have a wall where Learning Contacts can leave messages. Other pages in the eXpress Space are for students to document their learning goals and collate their Learning Portfolio. For teachers, the eXpress Space provides a space for reflection and to maintain a professional portfolio. Teachers can use their eXpress Space to: Develop teacher professional learning goals and portfolios Share their portfolio as part of performance review or a job

application process Communicate with students in their class about their learning Develop blogs for professional reflection Students can use their eXpress Space to: Develop learning goals and document activities to achieve goals Develop learning portfolios which provide evidence of their

learning over time, including images and voice recordings Set up a reading diary and record thoughts Communicate and share experiences as part of the school’s

buddy program Critically reflect on their learning using a blog

Design A place for professional collaboration and learning across teams, schools, networks and the system.

Design provides a virtual environment in which teachers can use Web 2.0 tools to collaborate. It is reserved for teachers and provides a place for the rich professional dialogue and intellectual work that is an essential part of teacher professional practice when designing learning opportunities. Teachers can use Design to: Set up a space for their professional learning team to collaborate,

reflect and share Collaboratively plan curriculum with colleagues Develop and share units of work within their professional learning

teams Plan and collaborate across the network Document existing teacher practice and share ideas Discuss findings from professional learning activities such as

Instructional Rounds.

Collaborative Learning A place for student collaboration and learning

Collaborative Learning provides a Web 2.0 environment where teachers and students can set up spaces for specific purposes. These spaces provide teachers and students with technologies that extend the classroom and promote collaboration in a virtual environment.

Teachers and students can use Collaborative Learning to: Set up a wiki, blog or discussion forum Share digital resources Set up a wiki to work collaboratively to solve a problem or

investigate an issue Provide a space for teachers to share resources, links and ideas

with students Set a project/subject/theme based learning space for collaboration

within a school, across the network or statewide.

Community A place for the school’s communities

Community provides collaborative spaces where clubs, committees and other groups that extend across schools and regions can work together. Community also provides a space dedicated to each school.

Web 2.0 collaborative tools allow schools to set up communities, for example to: Communicate daily events, meeting agendas and newsletters Organise a social committee for staff functions Develop collaboration sites for groups such as sporting teams or

music groups. Set up a collaboration site for home groups Inform teachers of the range of pre-loaded activities and templates

that they and their students can access immediately Profile school activities.

Connect

Connect A place for students to find reviewed websites and online activities.

Search

Ultranet Users can Search: My Content (uploaded to a personal content space) School Content (uploaded to school content space) System Content :

FUSE (the digital library for the Ultranet) Quality-assured resources developed by Ultranet users

Email

Email The email section for teachers will link to Edumail An email, personal calendar and contacts will be available for every

student.

Resources

Lead Users should keep up to date with the advice and documentation provided on the online Ultranet School Resource Centre within EduGate. Once the Ultranet is deployed, all relevant documents will be available through the Ultranet.

The School Resource Centre

provides advice and resources for schools to support Ultranet readiness.

Main documents for Lead Users

Ultranet School Readiness Guide (Getting Ready, Set, Go):

Outlines what schools can do to prepare for the Ultranet

available in A3 and A4

Contains links to other resources and information.

Ultranet Functionality:

A presentation illustrating the functionality of the Ultranet and how it can be used in a school setting. It includes delivery notes for each slide.

Ultranet Implementation Planning:

A document that outlines the key people and dates for school leadership teams to consider when planning for Ultranet Implementation.

Data Advice for Schools:

Outlines the key steps your school can take to get your data ready for the Ultranet

eLearning Planning Showcase

A one stop shop for information on eLearning planning

The Ultranet School Resource Centre can be found at:

https://edugate.eduweb.vic.gov.au/sc/sites/Connections2010/ultranet/

In March this site will be integrated with a new EduGate portal being created around the theme of ‘Connections’ in the lead up to the Big Day Out / Pupil Free Day on 9 August. The Ultranet will be the centrepiece of this new portal, and all school staff will be able to engage with it to gain a better understanding of the Ultranet vision and their role in implementation.