ict pedagogical licence - janelle williams

Home

Home

my Context
Trinity Bay State High School is a large regional school in Far North Queensland of approximately 1200 students. It has a dedicated staff of over 90 who all strive to exemplify the school's mission of "Excellence in teaching and learning in a caring environment". Our student population is diverse with approximately 20% of students identifying as Aboriginal or Islander as well as a number of full fee paying international students, students who have arrived as refugees from other countries and students from a broad range of socio-economic backgrounds.
In 1995 I was appointed as Visual Arts Head of Department. It is a role that I have developed and grown to encompass curriculum areas which include Junior and Senior Visual Art, Junior and Senior Multi-media and Media Arts, Senior Film and Television and New Media, Junior and Senior Practical Art and Senior Photography.
I count myself very lucky to work in a school that is so supportive of the arts and of the innovations myself and my talented staff are constantly working towards. With hard work and enthusiasm we have created our Visual Arts curriculum to a point where excellence in these visual arts fields has become a significant signature of our school and a role model both regionally and statewide for arts curriculum implementation with a particular emphasis on the innovative use of technology within the arts.

my roles
I have many roles in and outside of my classroom, my school and my region. In almost all instances, my passion for ICT’s intersects and enhances the roles that I have taken on.
Within my own classroom I have embedded learning experiences where the use of ICT’s enhances, supports and drives the creative design processes of my Visual Arts students from year 8 - 12. As Head of Department I have lead a diverse team of 7 Visual Arts teachers to embrace these same opportunities and secured the funding to create a teaching and learning environment rich in the use of ICT’s within every classroom, directly in the hands of every teacher and particularly accessible to target groups who may have inequitable access to or lack confidence in the use of technology. Our Indigi-arts Project is one example of this in action.
I manage and oversee these resources and a network of over 60 Apple computers and laptops and work hard to transfer these networking skills and support other staff in finding confidence in problem solving and managing their own network environments.
Regionally, I have persistently and persuasively advocated for the notion that the Visual Arts an ideal way to engage and inspire learners and to, simultaneously, deliver high levels of Information, Communication and Technology (I.C.T.) skills to students.
In my role over the last four years as one of two key teachers driving the implementation of the new outcomes based P-10 Arts syllabus in our region, I have worked particularly hard to support and strengthen the development of Primary Visual Art and Media curriculums. In this role I have organised and run numerous workshops which have focused on the use of ICT’s in the Arts with both Primary and Secondary teachers. I have had a leadership role in the instigation and steering of a the Primary Arts Network (P.A.N) and leadership within the Peninsula Art Educators Association (PAEA) and facilitated both these networks creating and maintaining website identities as a way to support and share knowledge and skills between teachers despite the huge geographical distances of Far North Queensland.
Beyond this regional context, in my role as QSA State Panel Chair for Visual Arts, I provided curriculum leadership and vision in the development and improvement of the Senior Visual Arts curriculum throughout our state. This vision reflects my passion for exploring new media and technologies and is exemplified by my recently accredited 2007 Senior Visual Arts Workprogram (TBSHSCourseoverview.pdf) which explores the intersection of Art and the phenomenon of Social Networking and Web 2.0. In this role I have also been leading and modeling the process of creating digital portfolios (both as authored DVD’s and website based) for the compilation of and sharing of sample student achievement for use in QSA moderation and verification processes.
My recognition this year in the National Awards for Quality Schooling reflects all of these diverse roles, interests and energies.