DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

THE FOUNDATION FOR YOUNG AUSTRALIANS HAS IDENTIFIED THAT ‘THE’ CRITICAL LITERACY ALL SCHOOL LEAVERS NEED TO POSSESS IS THAT OF BEING DIGITALLY COMPETENT. WE WILL ENSURE THAT OUR SCHOOL IS REFLECTIVE OF THE WORLD INTO WHICH OUR STUDENTS WILL TRANSITION I.E. HIGHLY DIGITALLY LITERATE CITIZENS.

WE WILL ALSO UNDERTAKE A REVIEW OF ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE DIGITALLY BASED, INCREASINGLY EFFICIENT AND EASY TO MANAGE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS.

- Mentone Grammar Strategic Plan 2020-2023

Continuing the work being achieved in the School’s digital space, 2022 was an exciting year as Mentone Grammar continued to innovate and improve the quality and efficacy of technology across the School. Any change or development with technology was grounded with a clear purpose as we satisfied the needs and wants of our staff and students. Change can take time and energy and it was exciting to see how positive the staff have been with the range of improvements, that have been made in line with the School’s Strategic Plan.

Vivi Screensharing

Over the Term 3 break, IT worked tirelessly to fit all screens in the School with Vivi wireless screensharing. Vivi allows for our teachers to be more mobile in class sharing their screens with ease, without any cables. Students are continually being trained to use Vivi where, under the guidance of their teachers, they can share, annotate and discuss their work.

Samsung Flip Touch Screens

In the Years 10-12 Frogmore Campus and the Foundation to Year 4 Eblana Campus, Samsung Touch screens have been installed in classrooms allowing for dynamic annotations and interactivity for both students and staff. During 2023 these panels will be installed all across the School so that all classrooms are consistent, flexible and engaging.

CANVAS LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS)

Canvas is a platform that provides a framework for the School to deliver content, assessments and feedback to students in one, centralised location.

Canvas, as a market-leading LMS, has successfully partnered with a range of Mentone Grammar’s current digital platforms including Microsoft, Education Perfect, Edrolo and ClickView. Rather than requiring students to manage profiles across a range of websites, Canvas brings everything together in a single location. Structured courses allow students to engage with content relevant to their day, both in and out of class. Each student’s efforts can be focused on their work, not how to find it.

As we continue to progress through our digital transformation, Canvas is an exciting piece of the puzzle that will allow for ongoing growth and development for both our students and staff.

Esports

Throughout 2022, Technologies teacher, Wendy Gardner, coordinated an eSports trial across the School. Students from Years 5 to 12 participated in a range of competitions and it was incredible to see how well they worked in their teams as they supported one another while always remaining courteous to their opposition. After outlining a clear plan to move eSports forward as a part of the cocurricular offerings, Wendy was appointed as eSports Coordinator. We look forward to future successes this year and beyond.

The digital landscape is ever changing and Mentone Grammar’s enthusiastic commitment to embrace new technologies is both reassuring and exciting. With advances in AI and teaching practice with technology we are always aiming to use the resources available to us in a purposeful manner.

TOM CHRISTIANSEN HEAD OF DIGITAL LEARNING & INNOVATION