NewbattleCommunityHighSchool- ADigitalCentreofExcellence

HannahJones&DrSharonWright

Introduction

WehavebeenaskedbyArchitecture&DesignScotlandtoworkwithNewbattleCommunityHighSchool,focusingparticularlyonhowtheirnewbuildingcanfullyexpressandsupporttheirDigitalCentreofExcellencestatus.

Thenewschool,whichopensinAutumn2018,needstomaximisethebenefitsoftheinvestment,andbestpracticefromtheprojectshouldinformthebriefingoffuturesecondaryschoolsinMidlothianandEdinburgh.

Inordertodothis,wehavereviewedtheworkalreadyundertaken,includingtheoutcomesfromtheearlierworkshopwithProfessorStephenHeppell,andlookedcarefullyatthedesignofthenewbuilding.MeetingboththeHeadteacherfromNewbattleandkeyleadersfromMidlothianCouncil,wewereabletounderstandthecoreaspirationsfortheDigitalCentreofExcellenceandthetypesofspacesandtechnologieswhichwouldsupportthis.

InthisreportwehavesoughttodrawongoodandinterestingpracticefromtheUKandelsewhere,andtolookatthephysicalspacesandtechnologyrequiredtodelivertheDigitalCentreofExcellence.Wehavealsosetoutsomeideasontheprocessofdevelopingtheskillsandcompetencesstudents,staffandcommunitywillrequireinordertoensurethedigitaltechnologiesareembeddedintheculture,ethosandcurriculumoftheschoolforittobeasuccess.Finally,wehavesoughttodeterminehowmuchchangeisrequired,howitwillbedelivered,andhowtheoutcomeswillbearticulatedtostakeholderstogettheirbuyinandownership.

WehopethisapproachnotonlyservestosupportNewbattleCommunityHighSchoolasitmovesforward,butwillalsoprovidearangeoftoolsandideasforotherschoolslookingtodeveloptheirown‘excellence’,drivenbyfuturecapitalinvestment.

Overview

Wehaveaimedtoanswerthefollowingquestionsinthereport:

• WhatisaDigitalCentreofExcellence?

• Howmuchchangearewetryingtoachieve?

• Howdoweharnessthephysicalspaceandinformationtechnologytosupportteachingandlearningandraisestandards?

• Whataretheopportunitiesandrisks?

• Whatarethetrendsindigitallearningandtechnologydevelopmentsandhowdoweplanforthem?

• Howdoweplanforchangewhilstensuringthatstandardsoflearningandbehaviourarenotcompromised?

• Howdowearticulateourvisionandnewwaysofworkingsothatallofourstakeholdersunderstandandcansupportourapproach?

• Whatinterestingpracticeexistselsewherethatwemightdrawon?

WhatisaDigitalCentreofExcellence?

InconsideringhowNewbattleCommunityHighSchoolcanbestexpressitsaspirationswefeeltherearethreekeyelementsoftheDigitalCentreofExcellence.

Theyareto:• Harnesstechnologytosupportandenhanceteachingandlearning• Beashowcasefordigitaltechnologyanduseittoenthusetheschool

communityandcelebratesuccess• Lookoutwardstoemployersandthelocalcommunity,engagingwiththem

andinvitingthemintotheschool

Harnesstechnology

Newbattle’snewbuildaimstoprovideitsstudentswithafirst-class21stCenturyeducationandthereal-lifeskillsthatwillbenefitthemthroughouttheirlives.Aplacewherestaffandstudentshavetheappropriateresourcesandtoolstheyrequiretoaccessthehighestqualityteachingandlearningandtopersonalisethecurriculumforall.

TheschoolaimstoexploitthelatestandmostsustainableICTsolutionstoensurethatitsvision,curriculumanddesiredstyleofteachingandlearningcanbeimplementedandsustained.

Beashowcase

ThenewbuildingwillbeanopportunityforNewbattletocelebratetheskillsandtalentsofitsyoungpeople,recruitandretainthebestteachers,andshowcasetheimportanceofeducationinthecommunity.

Everyspaceintheschoolwillbeanopportunitytosharecoremessages,displayhighqualitywork,communicatewhatisimportant,andencouragecollaborationandcohesion.

Digitaltechnologywillplayacrucialrolepartinhowthatmessageisdelivered,notonlyintheprovisionofdigitalscreensandtheavailabilityofdevices,butinthecontentproduced.Encouragingstudents,staffandcommunitytodevelopconstantlyupdatedinformationwhichtheywanttoshareandwhichunderpinsthecoreethos,generatesenthusiasmandownership.

Engagewithemployersand

thelocalcommunity

Thiswillinvolvereachingouttoemployerstoaskthemtosharetheirexpertiseandknowledgewithstudentsandstaff.ForstaffthereareopportunitiestoofferCPD,andprovideworkshadowingormentoringtogiveexperienceofhowtechnologyisdevelopedandusedinthemodernworkplace.Forstudents,employersarewellplacedtoproviderealworldexperiencesbysettingprojectbriefs,mentoring,providingguestlecturesandofferingworkexperience.

Theschoolwillalsobeawelcomingspaceforthecommunity,drawinginlocalpeopleforadvice,learningandleisureopportunitieswhichisanopportunitytointroducethemtowhattheschooldoesmorewidelywhiletheyareinthebuilding.Thecommunityentranceisalsoachanceto,forexample,createspaceforselfemployedpeopletohaveadropinspacetowork,alleviatingtheisolationmanyfeelwheretheyworkathome.Andusingtheschoolfacilitiestoprovidespaceswheresmallbusinesscanbetrainedonthelatesttechnologymightalsobehelpful.

IntheappendiceswehaveincludeddetailsofthecreativeandculturalsectorpartnershipsetupbyCardiffCounciltoenhancethelinkswiththegrowingsectorinthecitywithafocusonraisingaspirationsandeducationalattainment.

Engagewithemployersand

thelocalcommunity

Includedintheappendicesaredetailsofthegrowingnumberofinformalworkspaceswhichcaterfortheselfemployedorsmallbusinessesinmanycommunities.TwooftheexamplesshownareinAldridgeTrustschoolswhichofferadviceonsettingupabusinessfortheunder25sandprovideanumberofsmallstartupunits.TheTrustschoolshaveaspecialisminentrepreneurshipandthebusinessestheysupportprovideenrichmentactivitiesintheschoolsaswellasactingasconstantrolemodels.

AlsoincludedaresomeexamplesoftheworkgoingoninUniversityTechnicalColleges(UTCs)inEngland.UTCscaterfor14-19yearoldsandtheirkeyfeaturesare:

• Byintegratingthreetypesoflearning– technical,practicalandacademic– UTCscreateanenvironmentwhereallstudentscanfindtheirstrengthsandspecialiseinsubjectsthatinterestandengagethem.

• Aspartoftheirstudy,studentsparticipateinprojectswiththeUTC’semployerpartnersinrealworkingenvironmentswheretheycanapplytheirtechnicalskillsandcreativethinking.

• Allstudentstakepartinextracurricularactivitieslinkedtothetechnicalspecialisms,orinotherareassuchassport,artordrama.

SeveralUTCshavespecialismsindigitaltechnology.

KeyPrinciplesofaDigitalCentreofExcellence

UnderstandingthepotentialusesofeveryspaceinthenewschoolwilldeterminehowsuccessfulthenewDigitalCentreofExcellenceis.Wehavereviewedthefloorplansandaskedanumberofquestions/offeredsuggestionsaboutactivitiesineachspace.IndoingsoweaimtochallengethosewhomightthinkastandardclassroomsoraLibrary,forexample,hasalimitedsetofuses.Wehopethatthiswillbeausefulstartingpointforfurtherconversationswithintheschoolcommunity.

Oncetheusesofthespaceshavebeenexplored,therangeofactivitiestheymightsupportwillneedtobeunderpinnedbyappropriatetechnology.Weaddresshowthismightbestbeachievedlaterinthereport.

Inthefollowingpageswehavesuggestedanumberofoverarchingprincipleswhichconsiderthepurposeofspaces,andhavesetouthowthespacesmightbedescribedsothateveryonecanunderstandtheirpurposeanduses(forexample,forDoing,Collaborating,DiscussingandReflecting).Indiscussion,theremaybeothertermsthataremoreappropriatefortheNewbattleapproachandthisslidecanbeamendedasrequired.

Ratherthanaprescriptivelist,weseethefollowingpagesasawaytopromptdiscussionanddevelopnewideas.

KeyPrinciplesofaDigitalCentreofExcellence

• Identity:• Showcasingthelearningandgeneratinginterestandexcitement

• Abuildingwhichiswelcomingbutsecure,promotingownershipamongststudents,staffandcommunityusers

• Givingaclearmessageaboutwhatthebuildingstandsfor,andwhatisexpectedofthosewhouseit

• Providingastrongmessageabouttheimportanceofeducationinthelocalcommunity

• PromotingenterpriseandentrepreneurshipinNewbattle

• Flexibility:• Accommodatingarangeofdifferentlearningactivities

• Furniturethatcanbemovedwithinorbetweenlessonstotransformthelearningspacesdependingontheactivitytakingplaceorthegroupsize

• Adaptability:• Spaceswhichcanchangeovertimetomeetcurriculumandtimetabledemands

• Adjacenciesandlayoutswhichallowsthefunctionofaspacetobechangedtomeetsubjectdemands

• Abilityforeachlearningspacetodeliverarangeofactivitiesandlearningexperiencestosupportcurriculumdelivery

KeyPrinciplesofaDigitalCentreofExcellence

• Variety:

• Arangeofspacesforformalandinformallearningandsocialinteraction:

• largegroupstocometogetherforbriefings,lectures,trainingandperformances;

• classbasedteaching;

• smallgroupworking,meetingsandonetoonediscussion;

• technologyenabledlearning

• and individualworkandstudyforstaffandstudents

• SkillsDevelopment:

• Spaces(virtualandreal)whichenablethedevelopmentofavarietyofskills

• Specialistspaceswhichmakestudentsfeellike‘experts’givingthemconfidenceandfurtheringtheirunderstandingofthesubjectarea

• Spaceswhichpromotecreativity,collaborationandallowfor‘realworld’experiencessuchasgivingpresentations,managingteams,researchingmaterial,andmanagingresources

• ConnectivityandCommunity:

• Asharedexperiencewhichbringslearnerstogetherandpromotesjointownership

• Inviting inthecommunitytousethefacilitiesduringandoutsidenormalschoolhours

12

ADigitalCentreofExcellence

Doing

Collabo

ratin

g

Discussing

Refle

cting

WorkshopsSimulated/ProblemBased/FacilitatedCollaborative

Learning

FormalProblemBased/Facilitated

Collaborative/Non-facilitatedCollaborative/

Presentation&Lecture

InformalSpacesProblemBased/SelfDirectedLearning

TouchDownSelfDirected/Non-

facilitatedCollaborative/Project

BasedLearning

LibraryCafé/DiningBreakoutseating

SpecialistWorkshopsLabs&StudiosICTSpaces

LibraryCafeBreakoutSeating

Classrooms,Labs,Workshops,Studios,LectureHall

Source:AdaptedfromSchon,1999

OpportunitiesandRisks

OurcoreassumptionisthatthisworkhastobuildonwhatNewbattleCommunityHighSchoolalreadydoeswell.Thisisnotaboutchangeforthesakeofit,thisisaboutstrengtheningthepositivesandusingthecatalystofanewbuildingtodevelopasetofconversations,relationshipsandsharedaspirationsthatwillbenefitallthoseinvolved.

However,Inanymajorchangemanagementprocessthereareopportunitiesandriskswhich,ifunderstoodandplannedfor,canserveasausefulframeworkforaction.Overthenexttwopageswehavesetoutwhatthesemightbe.Asmightbeexpected,therisksareoftentheflipsideoftheopportunities.

Wehopethatthesepromptswillsupportthechangemanagementprocessandactasausefulaidememoireagainstwhichtostocktakeastheprojectprogresses.

Opportunities

- TheabilitytosetoutaclearvisionforhowtheDigitalCentreofExcellencewillsupportskillsdevelopmentinthecommunityandenhanceteachingandlearningintheschool

- AdedicatedbudgettomeetCPD,hardwareandsoftwarerequirements- Bespokespaces,designedspecificallyfortheactivitiesthatwilltakeplacein

them- AleadinperiodbetweennowandAutumn2018whichprovidesanopportunity

totestideasandtrialnewapproaches- LearningfromtheNewbattleprojectiscapturedandusedtoinformother

projectsintheauthorityandmorewidely

Risks

• Thevisionisnotclearlyarticulatedandthecommunity,staffandstudentsdonotfullyunderstandtheroleandpurposeoftheCentreofExcellence

• Resourcesarenotspentontherightthingsattherighttime.Staffarenotfullypreparedfortheirnewenvironmentordonotseethebenefitofnewapproaches

• Spacesdonothaveaclearpurposeandusersarenotawareofhowtobehaveinthem,ordonotappreciatethefullpotentialofwhattheycanoffer

• Toomuchchange,tooquicklycande-stabaliseanyorganisation.Thereisnoclearchangemanagementplan

• ThereisnoclearPostOccupancyEvaluationplanandthelearningislostornotfullyinterrogated

ReviewofBuildingPlans

Intheappendixattached‘Newbattle– Reviewofbuildingplans’,theNewbattledesignplanshavebeenreviewedwithaneyetospacesthatcanbeICTrichand‘agile’learningenvironments.

Thepresentationaimsto:

• Identifyingagilespaces;

• QuestionhowtheymightbeusedtosupporttheNewbattlevision;

• ShowcasegoodpracticefromtheUKandelsewhere;

• Provideimagesofeffectivespacesenhancedbytechnology;and

• Identifygapsandadditionalopportunities

Whattypeoftechnology

willberequired?

NewbattleaimstodeliveraDigitalCentreofExcellenceforallstaffandstudents,placingahighvalueonexploitingappropriatetechnologytoimpactonteachingandlearning,includingpresentationtechnologies,staffandstudentdevices,Office365andarangeofsuitablecurriculumsoftware.Aboveallelse,theICTsolutionatNewbattleschoolwillbebuildonrobustandreliableinfrastructureandprovideasafeandengaginglearningenvironmentforstaff,studentsandthecommunity.Keyfeatureswillinclude:

• Robustinfrastructure

• RobustWi-Fi(insideandoutsideinlearningareas)

• Devicesforstaffandstudents

• Administrativetechnologies

• Presentationtechnologies

• Genericsoftware(e.g.Office365andSIMS)

• Specialistsoftware

• Rangeofperipheraldevices

• Followmeprinting

Whattypeoftechnology

willberequired?

Newbattleaimstomoveovertimefroma1:20(device:student)ratiotowardsa1:2,1:1ratio.Optionsavailabletotheschoolarepurchasingdevices,leasingdevices,eventualownershipofdevices(Parentcontribution)orBringYourOwnDevice(BYOD)

BYODmeansspendinglessondevicesbutmoreonsupport.BYODwillhaveimplicationsforstaffandlearnersupport.Learners(andstaffforthatmatter)maynotrealisetheimportanceofe-safetyandsecurityuntiltheyhaveaproblemthatimpingesupontheirlearning.

Mobiledevicescomeinmanydifferingforms,resultingininteroperabilityandothertechnicalandcostissueswhichneedtobeaddressedifBYODistobeadopted.TheschoolspolicyandserviceleveldocumentswillalsoneedtobespecifictoBYODandreviewedregularlyagainstpracticeandexpertguidance.

WithBYODguidanceshouldbeprovidedon,amongstothers,:

• Passwordprotection

• Anti-virusprotectionanddatalossprevention

• Mobiledevicemanagementtowipepersonal/sensitivedatainthecaseofthedevicebeinglost/stolen

• Backupsandcloudstorage

ManagingChange

Weknowthatthereisagreatdealofpreparationwhichgoesintoplanninganddeliveringanewschoolbuildingandthatthefocusoftheprojectis,inevitably,onthedaythenewbuildopens.However,experiencealsotellsusthatplanningthroughandbeyondthatdatehashugebenefits.

A3-5yearchangemanagementplanwill,forexample,takeaccountofearlyissueswiththebuildingandtechnologysothattheycanbeunderstoodandaddressed.Thismeansusersdonotbecomedespondentaboutsnagsbutinsteadseethemasapartofthelearningprocess.Itcanalsoallowforholdingsomeofthebudgetbacktofillgapsoncethesystemsareupandrunning,ortopayforfurtherCPDshoulditberequired.AnyCentreforExcellencewillneedtobeconstantlyevolvingandchangingtomatchthebestofwhatisavailableandseeingthisasanon-goingprocessisusefulfromtheoutset.

Alongtermplanalsoreinforcestheideathat,whendevelopingastrategyandapproachtoembeddingICT,themainfocusisnotonspecifictoolsorequipmentbutonwhatthetechnologywilldotosupportthesuccessfuldeliveryoflearning.Havinganevaluationplaninplacekeepsthefocusonhowthetechnologyisperformingandwhatimpactitishaving.

Onthenextpagewehaveaddedanexampleofa3yearplanbywayofillustration.Wewouldbehappytoprovidetemplatesandfurtherexamplesifthatwouldbeuseful.

3yearICTplan- exampleofsection

ManagingChange

ThescaleofthechangemanagementrequiredtosuccessfullyimplementtheICTvisionandachievetheintendedbenefitsatNewbattleisnottobeunderestimated.AnextensiverangeofprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesandtraininginICT,bothonlineandface-to-face,willneedtobeavailabletoallschoolstaffsothattheybecomeconfidentusersofICTandareequippedwiththeskillstobecreativeindeliveringsubjectmaterialinnewandexcitingways.

ToplanforthechangerequiredtoachieveNewbattle’svisionforICTwewouldsuggestthereshouldbeaprocessinplaceto:

• ReviewandauditthecurrentuseofICTbyleadership,staffandstudentsatNewbattle;and

• IdentifytheintendedoutcomesofvariousaspectsoftheschoolsICTvisione.g.learningandteachingwithICT,e-Safetyandsafeguarding,useofdataetc.

TheICTSelfReviewFrameworkorsimilarsimplerbenchmarkingandplanningmodels(asshowninthediagramhere),couldbeusedtoidentifystrengthstobebuilton,areasfordevelopment.

(Hannahhassomebespokereviewsthatcanbeusedifrequired)

ManagingChange

Aswithanyschool‘staffandstudentsbecomingconfidentusersofICT’willbeoneofseveralschoolprioritiesandassuchthechangemanagementjourneyforNewbattletobecomeaDigitalCentreofExcellencewilltakeplaceoverseveralyears.

AspartofthepreparationforthesuccessfulimplementationofitsICTvisionNewbattlewilldevelopcapacityatalllevelsthroughappropriateICTtrainingandprofessionaldevelopmentprogrammes.Various‘communitiesofpractice’willbeexploitedandnurturedattheschool,forexamplestaffandstudent‘DigitalLeaders’willplayanimportantroleinsuccessfullyachievingtheNewbattleICTvision.

Therewillbeclearprocessoftestingandtriallingofnewdevicesandsoftwareforlearningandscalingupwhereappropriate.StaffandstudentDigitalLeadersinadditiontoHeadsofDepartmentwillbeinvolvedinthetestingandtriallingofanynewtechnology.

Allstaff/teacherswillrequirebasictrainingonallnewhardwareandsoftware.Wherethisisgenericsoftwarethatisusedoftene.g.interactivedisplaytechnologies,learningplatformsorOffice365usethetrainingshouldbesubstantialandon-goingtoensurethevalueofthetechnologyisrealised.

TogethertheleadershipatNewbattle,staffandstudentDigitalLeaders,targetedtrainingandprofessionaldevelopment,arangeofmulti-mediaandsocialmediawillsupportthecontinuousupskillingofstaffandenablethesharingofbestpracticeinrelationtoICTforschoolimprovement.

ArticulatingtheVision

WehopethatthetoolsandideasinthisreporthelpNewbattledevelopandexplainhowthenewbuildingwillsupporttheDigitalCentreofExcellence.

Weknowthatthereisstillmuchtodoaheadofthenewbuildingopeningandhaveseenexamplesinotherschoolsof‘testspaces’beingdevelopedtoallowstaff,studentsandthewidercommunitytoexperiencewhatthenewspaceswillbelike.Ifanareacanbeidentified– usuallyanexistingclassroomorspecialistspace– thenICTandFFEcanbetriedoutbeforeitispurchased,CPDcandelivered,andtheschoolisabletoshowcasehowthenewlearningenvironmentsmightlookandfeeltomaintainenthusiasmthroughthebuildprocess.

Weunderstandthatsomeuserswillbeskepticalorpossiblyworriedaboutwhatchangewillmeanforthem.Communicatingregularlyaboutwhatishappening,beingclearabouthowchangewillbemanagedandeveryonebroughtalongintheprocess,andhavingopendiscussionsaboutwhatthenewfacilitieswillbelikeandhowtheywillbeused,isanimportantpartofmanagingeveryoneintothenewbuild.

Aboveall,havingaclear,concisemessageaboutthebenefitsofwhatisplannedensuresthereisconsistencyabouthoweveryoneexplainsthechanges.

Conclusions

TheDigitalCentreofExcellenceatNewbattleCommunityHighSchoolisanexcitingprojectandwehavebeendelightedtolearnmoreaboutwhatisplannedandtooffersomeideasandadvice.

Aboveall,webelievethataschoolisnotabuildingbutisacommunityofpeople.Thespaces,technologyandequipmentinthenewschoolwillnotbringaboutchangealone.Ratherthisisafantasticopportunityforschooltothinkabouthowbestthethecapitalinvestmentcanenhanceandsupportthevision,culture,ethosandrelationshipsthatalreadyexist.