Introduction

The Millennium Enhanced Learning and Teaching (MELT) Handbook 2018 is designed to guide teachers in the considered and appropriate application of communication and digital technology to enhance learner engagement in learning, and to enrich teaching in The Millennium Schools.

This policy includes the following content:

The Role of the Teacher for MELT
Core Principles
Enriching the Curriculum
Learner Voice
Millennium Learner Attributes and MELT

Embracing contemporary understandings about enhanced learning and teaching with technology, this policy is a reference for good practice and developmental approaches to teaching aimed at assisting TME teachers to meaningfully incorporate technology into their practice in ways that are underpinned by our commitment to providing the best, and most engaging, learning journey for our learners.

Through engagement with this MELT policy and active consideration of what and how to use technology to facilitate learning and teaching, teachers will be aligning their practice to the Professional Standards Framework for teachers, ensuring the quality of teaching and learning, and this includes the expectation that teachers are committed to continuing professional development (CPD) and regular evaluation of their teaching practice.
This policy document should be read in conjunction with the Millennium Enhanced Learning and Teaching (MELT) Handbook.

Aims of this Policy

To promote, develop, support and embed the effective use of technology for learning and teaching
To enhance the learner learning experience
To provide a framework for effective and relevant use and support of technology within each school, by:
Promoting the innovative and inclusive use of technology across subject areas in the curriculum
Facilitating the sharing of effective practice within and across schools

Enabling flexibility in curriculum implementation and widening opportunities in schools
Providing learners with a range of technologies to support learning
Encouraging learners to be responsible digital citizens
Supporting learners to use digital technology to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information responsibly and creatively
Developing learners’ logical thinking and problem-solving

Role of the Teacher for MELT

All teachers plays an important part in the development of digital learning throughout the whole school. Consequently, opportunities to use ICT and digital materials and resources are provided as a subject-referenced enhancement across the regular curriculum.

All teachers should :

Monitor the progression of digital opportunities for learning in their class
Monitor the progression of learners’ knowledge, understanding and skills using digital technologies in teaching
Make use of digital resources as widely as possible in their teaching
Increasing the complexity of contexts in which digital technologies are used
Use digital resources to support the development of learner autonomy in learning
Use digital resources in their teaching to nurture the skills of enquiry, questioning and information seeking required for lifelong learning
Use digital resources to differentiate learning, so that lessons are adapted to cater for individual learner needs
Provide learners with access to digital/ ICT resources, including the use of equipment that enables learners to communicate, collaborate and manipulate information electronically
Computers, Laptops and iPads
The Internet and E-mail

Recording devices – Microphones
Headphones
Television
DVD Player
Calculators
Cameras – including digital video cameras
Programmable Toys
Interactive Whiteboard
Scanner
Webcams
USB pens

Core Principles

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

Evidence is to be kept to record learners’ progress using ICT and digital resources in their learning. This can include a description of the context of learning (subject/ topics etc.) and:

an explanation of how the learners completed the task
photographs
video clips
learners’ saved work
Progress of learners’ digital learning experiences should be shared with parents, (using the methods named above).

Acceptable Use of Digital/ ICT Devices

All learners must agree to, and comply with:

The primary purpose of the use of personal devices at school is educational
Using devices and digital resources for personal reasons should only take place after permission has been given from a teacher
Learners shall make no attempts to avoid, overcome or ‘side-step’ the school’s network and other digital security measures
Use of personal ICT devices during the school day and in lessons is at the discretion of the teacher, but learners should not expect to use devices/ personal ICT in every lesson
Learners must use devices for school related work
Learners are not allowed to use their devices outside of lesson time unless they are in the library
Playing games, music or other non-school work related activities are not permitted
Learners shall not take or distribute pictures or video or any other material relating to learners or school staff without their permission (distribution can be as small as emailing/texting to one other person or as large as posting an image or video online)
Learners must check their personal ICT devices daily to ensure they are free from unsuitable material and free from viruses etc. before bringing the device into school
It is important that learners are aware of the rules regarding electronic communication and do not cause offence or add needlessly to staff workload

Consequences for Misuse/Disruption

In addition to dealing with misuse/disruption within the remit of this policy, one or more of the following sanctions may apply:

Personal ICT/ digital device would be confiscated and kept in the Head Teacher’s office until parent collects it
Privilege of using personal ICT devices at school will be removed
Privilege of using school network/ devices will be removed
- Online Safety
Learners must not place online (or give to anyone) information that can identify their address or telephone number or those of anyone else at the school
Should learners come across any inappropriate material whilst online on the school’s network, they are to inform a teacher immediately
Hacking on the school network is a serious offence; learners must not access other people’s work or devices without their permission
The use of any recording (video, photographs or audio) will only be done with the express permission of the individual or during a learning activity with the permission of a teacher
All recorded material is for learners’ personal use and domain only (e.g. must not be shared or placed in the public domain or any social media.)

Digital learning experiences should:

Cater for all learner’s individual needs
Increase access to the curriculum content
Enhance skills for communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration

Health and Safety

All electrical equipment should be regularly checked and kept in good working order.
Enriching the Curriculum

Pupils should be given opportunities to use digital technology as a resource to support their knowledge and understanding of the cultural, scientific, mathematical, economic, environmental, historical and linguistic characteristics of the curriculum and to develop digital skills when presenting their work.

The “Five E’s” Across the curriculum, at a level appropriate to their ability, learners should develop their digital/ ICT skills to:

Engage Learners should be able to:

Make connections between past and present learning
Demonstrate interest and thinking
Generate their own questions.

Explore Learners should be enabled to:

Access and manage data and information
Research, select, process and interpret information
Investigate, make predictions and solve problems through interaction with digital tools

Explain Learners should be enabled to:

Create, develop, present and publish ideas and information using a range of digital media
Create information and multimedia products using a range of assets.

Elaborate Learners should be enabled to:

Communicate using a range of contemporary methods and tools
Share, collaborate, exchange and develop ideas digitally.

Evaluate Learners should be enabled to:

Talk about, review and make improvements to work, reflecting on the process and outcome
Consider the sources and resources used

Throughout all of this work, learners should understand how to keep safe and display acceptable online behaviour.

Where appropriate, learners will have opportunities to use digital/ICT resources to carry out:

Individual work
Group activities
Pair work

When working on the computer, it is important that all learners are engaged on task and can see the screen comfortably, therefore no more than three children will work together at one computer.

Whole class activities

Learners may share in a computer-led activity where an interactive whiteboard, AV projector is used.

All learners should have planned opportunities to use digital/ICT resources at a level appropriate to their ability.

Millennium Learner Attributes and MELT

In line with TME Policy on Learner Attributes, enhanced learning and teaching based in ICT/ digital technologies should foster a successful learning experience which supports the development of key traits which support their development of the Millennium Learner Attributes, These traits include:

Interest in learning
Through MELT, learners should understand that learning is a continuous process and involves both learning about technology as well as the subjects covered in the courses themselves. Learners should develop ways to communicate, develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking as well as their creativity whilst learning through ICT/ digital media.

Inquisitive nature
MELT should encourage learners to speak up and ask questions. Part of the learners’ learning is being able to look for opportunities, both in and outside of class, to find out more about the topics they are studying.

Ability to adapt well to change
The 21stCentury workplace is going through a lot of changes. Learners must learn to cope with having to deal with and adapt to, changes to practices and processes as technologies develop. Learners should have a positive approach to digital and lifelong learning.

Focus on personal goals
Learners should be aware of their personal goals for developing ICT/digital competence as they use MELT approaches in school.

Persistence
Learners should develop the attribute of being persistent and keeping in mind that there will always be challenges that need the persistence to overcome.

Self-direction and Self-efficiency
Learners should develop an independent approach to learning and self-direction in their studies and school life. Learners should start developing good habits with time management and study techniques through MELT.

An open mind
Learners should learn to embrace the diversity represented by the digital world.

Confidence and humility
Both of these traits, working in balance with each other, will positively impact on learners’ digital learning experience. Learners should learn to be confident in their decisions and not to be afraid to ask for help when it is needed.

Respect for the educational process
Learners should understand that learning should be active and requires engagement in order to be fulfilling and meaningful. Through MELT, learners must develop their personal autonomy as learners and experience being in charge of their own learning.

Also, obtaining learners’ views on their use of, and feelings about, technology in learning should be seen as a vital part of learning design. Gathering information from learners is important as it helps teachers make judgements as to whether their learners’ digital learning effectively prepares them for employment in a digital world. It is therefore important, for a really accurate picture of the impact of digital resources on learners, for teachers to be sure to gather the views of all learners.

Teachers must ensure that learners are given a genuine voice in the content, process and outcome of their learning through ICT/ digital media, so they can take ownership of their education. This means that teachers should encourage learners to develop digital portfolios as a means to document and reflect on the development of their digital learning. Digital portfolios have the potential to