Perth plays host to Australia’s most innovative teachers18
March, 2010 | Sydney, Australia
Some of Australia’s most innovative schools and teachers will gather in Perth next week to share and showcase best practices being adopted in schools across Australia to make the Digital Education Revolution a reality.
The inaugural Innovative Schools Forum is the first of four forums that the nation’s top public schools will be involved with over a 12 month period, in which Australian teachers will showcase their world-class teaching practices. This forum will be attended by 23 public schools from across Australia, selected by each State Department of Education to be involved in the Microsoft Innovative Schools Program. The program has been designed to align with the Federal government’s Digital Education Revolution, and will help support this policy at the school leadership and jurisdictional levels.
The Innovative Schools Forum brings together schools, teachers and Departmental representatives from each state or territory from across Australia. By fostering collaboration and learning between schools at a national level, the forum provides a rare opportunity for education leaders to share ideas and network about how they are making the digital education revolution a reality.
Microsoft’s Innovative Schools program partners with influential educationalists and educational thought leaders, such as the Australian Council of Education Leaders (ACEL). Jenny Lewis, CEO, Australian Council of Education Leaders (ACEL) says, “ACEL is proud to provide the world renowned ACEL Leadership Capability Framework as a key element of this program.”
“Microsoft sees Australia as world class when it comes to giving its children the smart tools and knowledge to succeed in a highly connected and globalised economy. There’s a great opportunity for Australia to play a global leadership role in digital education and this gathering of Australia’s top schools and teachers represents how the classroom of the future is becoming a reality right now in Australia,” said Jane Mackarell, Academic Programs Manager, Microsoft Australia.
“What’s important to teachers, parents and governments is delivering better education to their children. The principals and teachers gathered in Perth are already developing 21st Century teaching practices and using technology in the classroom to get their kids engaged and excited about learning and we are excited to be working to expand these practices and learnings across Australia,” she continued.
Leading educationalists who will be speaking at the forums to share insights about a range of topics such as envisioning, innovation and leadership, include:
● Joan Dalton, Professional Learning Online Tool: The founding President of the Australasian Association for Cooperative Education, Joan’s teaching and contribution to education has been recognised by the Australian College of Education (Inaugural Tasmania Award, 1990) and the Australian Council for Educational Administration (Victorian Fellow, 1997).
- Dr.Cheryl Doig, Think Beyond Ltd: a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Management (NZIM), past president of NZIM Southern and on the executive committee of the national NZIM Inc board, Dr Cheryl Doig is also on the board of Core Education Ltd.
- Bruce Dixon, Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation: The goal of the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation (AALF) is to ensure that all children have access to unlimited opportunities to learn anytime and anywhere and that they have the tools that make this possible. To achieve this, AALF helps schools develop visionary leadership and knowledgeable, innovative educators.
Susan Kerr, Principal, Newton Moore Senior High School, Bunbury, Western Australia, welcomed the announcement, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome schools from across the nation to Western Australia. The Microsoft Innovative Schools Forum provides a great opportunity for us to connect with other like-minded schools and to really work towards giving our children the best education possible and equip them with the life-skills they need to succeed.”
Marc Unthank, Deputy Principal, Callaghan College Wallsend Campus, Wallsend, New South Wales, added, “The greatest aspect of the conference for us at Callaghan will be the opportunity to share ideas and innovations that will assist us in improving our classroom delivery. We are fortunate enough that over 50 per cent of our school population has laptops every lesson and we, as staff, have an obligation to fully utilise the facilities and opportunities we have been given. The conference will allow us to view and gain a greater understanding of the vast resources that are available to us and in the end this will assist us in improving student outcomes. We hope to be able to present to our own staff and also at a regional level some of the ideas and innovations that we will be fortunate enough to have access to.”
For more information about Microsoft Partners in Learning and Microsoft’s Innovative Schools Program, please visit: Parnters In Learning or: Innovative Schools
About Partners in Learning
Microsoft Partners in Learning is a 10-year, nearly $500 million commitment by Microsoft to transform education systems around the world. Announced in 2003, Partners in Learning helps schools and teachers more effectively use technology to advance teaching and learning, provides leadership and change management information to school leaders, works to strengthen teachers’ capacity to use technology effectively in the classroom and provides greater access to technology for teachers and students. Since 2004, Partners in Learning has trained over 122,000 teachers and school leaders from around Australia.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.
For further information please contact:
Ben Tan
Microsoft Australia
0418 488 827
Georgina Bonner
Howorth
0282813819/0430756469
Appendix: Schools participating in the Microsoft Innovative Schools Forum in Perth
Western Australia
East Butler Primary School, Butler
Newton Moore Senior High School, Bunbury
Waggrakine Primary School, Waggrakine
Australian Capital Territory
Hawker College, Hawker
New South Wales
Lakelands Public School, Dapto
Cromer Campus, Cromer
Miller Technology High, Miller
Callaghan College Wallsend Campus, Wallsend
Northern Territory
Nightcliff Middle School, Nightcliff
Queensland
Varsity State College, Burleigh MDC
Parkhurst State School, Parkhurst
Proserpine State High School, Proserpine
Hermit Park State School, Hyde Park
South Australia
Prospect Primary School, Prospect
Heathfield High School, Heathfield
Tasmania
Taroona High School, Taroona
Prospect High School, Prospect
Victoria
Wangarratta High School, Wangarratta
Dimboola Memorial Secondary College, Dimboola
Bendigo Senior Secondary College, Bendigo
Korumburra Secondary College, Korumburra
Dallas Primary School, Dallas
Silverton Primary School, Noble Park
