Ero And Ict

The Educational Review Office (ERO) visits every school in New Zealand on a regular cycle of accountability reviews. They publish on their website the criteria that they se for each aspect of the review process. One aspect that they examine is the implementation of ICT within each school. The following are the criteria that they use for ICT:

13 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) The board has documented policies and planning for the use of information and communications technology that address the three elements of ICT planning: · the use of ICT across the curriculum including: (i) how all students and teachers will be able to access ICT over time; (ii) how ICT will be integrated into teaching and learning across the curriculum; and (iii) the process for identification and review of appropriate ICT and software; · professional development in the teaching and facilitation of student use of ICT in learning including: (i) an analysis of current staff capability; (ii) a statement of staff ICT capability expected in the future; (iii) plans for future development of staff ICT capability; and (iv) provision for teacher training that is coordinated with the purchase and use of equipment and aligned with the Government's ICT policies for schools; · ICT infrastructural requirements including: (i) an audit of current ICT infrastructure; (ii) provision for student and teacher access to the Internet before 2001; (iii) an identified time frame for extension or development of the ICT infrastructure; (iv) provision for ongoing support and maintenance of the ICT infrastructure; (v) provision for direct access by students to information technology equipment;

(vi) costing and records of decisions to commit revenue to ICT; and (vii) health and safety policies and procedures for the use of computers and the Internet. The board of trustees provides: · computers for student use in all parts of the school; and · computers that are networked across the whole school; and · access to the Internet for all students. The board of trustees and staff use ICT: · in delivering the essential learning areas and skills of the curriculum; · in developing students' ability to evaluate, select, interpret, manipulate and present information; · in teaching and learning programmes including distance and flexible collaborative learning; · in school management and administration; · in monitoring of student progress; · in managing information; · to allow students to control their learning and to remove limits on the time and place of learning; · to provide access to up-to-date information and resources; · to enable students to interact with their peers locally, nationally and internationally; and · to motivate and engage students. Derived from Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Strategy for Schools, Ministry of Education 1998 and Information and Communication Technologies in schools: One-off grant and ongoing funding, Circular number 1999/20 Ministry of Education 1999. Any school expecting an ERO visit should ensure that their documentation and practice meet the criteria laid down here. Don’t forget that school advisers are available to help schools with the implementation of ICT as well as providing professional development opportunities for your staff in ICT. The web-site is: ERO and ICT criteria